296

OPPOSING FLEETS ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

McClernand's reserve corps, employed in keeping open communication with the Tennessee River, was now broken up, and General Wallace was sent to preserve and protect the Memphis and Ohio railway between Humbolt and the City of Memphis. He made his head-quarters at the latter place; and afterward Halleck was called to Washington, to occupy very soon the important position of General-in-Chief of all the armies of the Republic in the place of McClellan, leaving General Thomas at Corinth, and General Grant again in command of his old army, and with enlarged powers.

We have just observed that Wallace made his head-quarters in Memphis. How came that city, one of the Confederate strongholds, and most important posts, to be in possession of the Nationals? Let us see.

We left Commodore Foote and his fleet, after the capture of Island Number Ten, ready, at New Madrid,' for an advance down the Mississippi River. This was soon begun, with General Pope's army on transports. Memphis was the main object of the expedition; but above it were several formidable fortifications to be passed. The first of these that was encountered was Fort Wright (then named Fort Pillow), on the first Chickasaw bluff, about eighty miles above Memphis, and then in command of General Villepigue, a creole of New Orleans, who was educated at West Point as an engineer. He was regarded as second only to Beauregard. His fort was a very strong one, and the entire works occupied a line of seven miles in circumference. There Memphis was to be defended from invasion by the river from above. Jeff. Thompson was there, with about three thousand troops, and Hollins had collected there a considerable flotilla of gun-boats.

The siege of Fort Pillow was begun by Foote with his mortar-boats on the 14th of April, and he soon drove Hollins to shelter below the fort. General Pope, whose troops had landed on the Arkansas shore, was unable to co-operate, because the country was overflowed; and, being soon called by Halleck to Shiloh, Foote was left to prosecute the work alone. Finally, on the 9th of May, the painfulness of his ankle, because of the wound received at Fort Donelson, compelled him to leave duty, and he was succeeded in command by Captain C. H. Davis, whose important services with Dupont at Port Royal we have already observed.'

■ May, 1862.

Hollins, meanwhile, had reformed his flotilla, and early in the morning of the 10th he swept around Point Craighead, on the Arkansas shore, with armored steamers. Several of them were fitted with strong bows, plated with iron, for pushing, and were called rams." Davis's vessels were then tied up at the river banks, three on the eastern and four on the western side of the stream.

Hollins's largest gun-boat (McRea), finished with a sharp iron prow, started for the mortar-boat No. 16, when its commander, Acting-master Gregory, made a gallant fight, firing his single mortar no less than eleven times. The gun-boats Cincinnati and Mound City, lying not far off, came

4

1 See page 248.

2 These were Fort Osceola, on Plum Point, on the Arkansas shore; Fort Wright, on the first Chickasaw bluff; Fort Harris, nearly opposite Island Number Forty, and Fort Pillow, just above Memphis. Fort Pillow was named in honor of the Confederate General; Fort Wright in honor of Colonel Wright, of the Tennessee troops, who cast up fortifications there a year before; and Fort Harris after the fugitive Governor of Tennessee.

3 See page 117.

The engines of the McRea were protected by railway iron, and other parts were shielded by bales of

BATTLE AT FORT WRIGHT.

297

to his assistance. The McRea then turned upon the former with great fury, striking her port quarter, and making a large hole. The Cincinnati gave the ram a broadside, when the latter drew off, struck the gun-boat again on her starboard side, making an ugly wound. The assailed vessel gave its antagonist another broadside, when the ram Van Dorn, that now came up, struck her in the stern. The Mound City hastened to help her companion, and as she bore down she hurled a heavy shot at the McRea, which dismounted its bow gun, which was about to be discharged at her. Seeing this, another ram (the Sumter) hastened to the support of the McRea, and, in spite of two broadsides from the Mound City, she pressed on and struck the bow of the latter vessel with such force, that a breach was made in her through which the water poured in large streams. The Sumter was about to strike its victim again, when the gun-boat Benton gave her a broadside with telling effect.

The Confederate gun-boats were lying on the Tennessee shore, meanwhile, and firing at the National vessels every few minutes, while the howitzers of Fort Pillow were throwing shells, but without effect. Finally, the Benton sent a shell that pierced the McRea. Hot steam instantly enveloped the vessel, killing and scalding many of its people, and causing its flag to be struck in token of surrender. The conflict, which had continued for an hour, now ceased. The McRea floated away and escaped; the Cincinnati and Mound City were too much injured to give chase, and the former soon sunk to the bottom of the Mississippi. The Union loss in the engagement was four men wounded. That of the Confederates was said to have been heavy, especially on the McRea, by the steam. Among the wounded was Captain Stembel, of the Cincinnati, very severely, a ball having entered his body at the right shoulder, and passing out at his throat.

For more than three weeks the two flotillas lay off Fort Pillow, watching each other, and in the mean time that of Davis had been re-enforced by a "ram" squadron under Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr., the eminent civil engineer, who built the Niagara Suspension Bridge. He had recommended the use of such vessels, and had been constructing them under the authority of the Secretary of War.' But when, with this addition, the National fleet was ready for another trial of strength, at the beginning of June, there was no foe to encounter at Fort Pillow. The flight

cotton, behind which there was a large number of Jeff. Thompson's sharp-shooters, to pick off the officers of the National vessels. The "rams" proper were protected by cotton and filled with sharp-shooters, yet it was seldom that a man appeared on their decks.

1 These vessels were river boats, some with stern wheels and some with side wheels, whose bows were strengthened by the addition of heavy timber, and covered with plates of iron. Their chief business was to destroy vessels by powerful collision. Their average cost to the Government was between $25,000 and $30,000 each.

298

NAVAL BATTLE BEFORE MEMPHIS.

of Beauregard from Corinth had filled the garrison with alarm, and on the night of the 4th they evacuated that post in great haste, leaving • June, 1862. every thing behind them, blowing up their magazines, and burning their barracks and stores. The National standard was hoisted over the works the next morning. The fugitives went down the river in transports, accompanied by the Confederate fleet. Fort Randolph was also evacuated, and Colonel Ellet, whose ram fleet was in advance of the now pursuing flotilla, raised the flag over that stronghold likewise.' The same evening ⚫ June 5. the flotilla of gun-boats' anchored at about a mile and a half above Memphis, and the ram fleet' a little farther up the river. The Confederate fleet, now commanded by "Commodore" Montgomery, in place of Hollins, was then lying on the Arkansas shore, opposite Memphis, with steam up, and ready for action.

At dawn on the morning of the 6th, the National vessels, • June. with the Cairo in the advance, moved slowly toward the Confederate fleet, in battle order. When within long range, the Little Rebel hurled a shot from her rifled cannon at the Cairo, to which the latter answered by a broadside. So the conflict was opened in front of the populous city of Memphis, whose inhabitants, suddenly aroused from repose, quickly covered the bluffs and roofs as most anxious spectators of what soon became a severe naval battle. This was waged for a time between the gunboats, when two of the Confederate rams (Beauregard and Price) pushed swiftly forward to engage in the affray. The watchful Colonel Ellet saw this movement, and instantly took a position in front of the gun-boats with his flag-vessel, the ram Queen of the West, followed by the ram Monarch, Captain Dryden. They both made for the two Confederate rams, when the latter, unwilling to fight, tried to get away. The Queen dashed first at the Beauregard (which opened fire), and missed her, but was more successful in chasing the Price. She struck the wheel-house of that vessel with her iron prow, crushing it, and so damaging the hull that she was compelled to run for the Arkansas shore, to avoid sinking in deep water. The Beauregard now turned furiously upon the Queen, when both vessels rushed toward each other at full speed. The skillful pilot of the former so managed his vessel as to avoid a blow from the latter, but gave one to the Queen so heavily that she was disabled. Her consort, the Monarch, hastened to her relief. Dashing at the Beauregard, she stove in her bow, and caused her to sink in the space of a few minutes, but in water so shallow that her upper works were above it. A white flag waved over the ruined vessel, and the fight of the terrible rams ceased. The Monarch found the Queen in the midst of the smoke, badly wounded, and towed her to a place of safety at the shore.

The National gun-boats continued pressing hard upon those of the Confederates, which were steadily falling back. A conquering blow was soon given by the Benton, whose 50-pound rifled Parrott gun hurled a ball at the

1 Benton, Captain Phelps; Carondelet, Captain Walke; St. Louis, Lieutenant-commanding McGonigle; Louisville, Captain Dove; Cairo, Lieutenant Bryant.

* These consisted of the Monarch Queen of the West, Lioness, Switzerland, Mingo, Lancaster No. 8, Fulton, Hornet, and Samson, all under the general command of Colonel Ellet.

3 It consisted of the General Van Dorn (Hollins's flagship), General Price, General Bragg, General Lovell, Little Rebel, Jeff. Thompson, Sumter, and General Beauregard.

CAPTURE OF MEMPHIS.

299

Lovell with such precision and effect that she was made a wreck in an instant, and began to sink. In less than four minutes she went to the bottom of the Mississippi, where the water was seventy-five feet in depth. A greater portion of the officers and crew of the Lovell went down with her, or were drowned before help could reach them. The battle continued only a short time after this, when the Confederates, having only four vessels afloat (Thompson, Bragg, Sumter, and Van Dorn), and these badly injured, made for the shore, where they abandoned all their craft but one, and fled for life and liberty. The Van Dorn escaped down the river, the sole survivor of the Confederate fleet. Not a man had been killed on board the National gun-boats during the action. What the Confederate loss was, in killed and wounded, is not known. About one hundred of them were made captives.

Jeff. Thompson, then in command in Memphis, after providing for the safe flight of his troops, had stood upon the bluff and watched the strange naval battle. When he saw his friends vanquished, he galloped away and joined his retreating troops.

The National fleet was now drawn up in front of Memphis, and Commodore Davis sent a request to the Mayor of the city to surrender it. That officer (John Park') replied, that, as the civil authorities had no means for defense, the city was in his hands. The National flag had already been raised there. Colonel Ellet, at the conclusion of the ram fight, informed that a white flag was waving in the city, approached the shore on his vessel, and sent his son, Charles R. Ellet, with a message to the Mayor, saying, that the bearer would place the National ensign on the Custom-house and Post-office, "as evidence of the return of the city to the care and protection of the Constitution." The Mayor made a reply to this note, substantially the same as that to Commodore Davis; and young Ellet, with Lieutenant Crankell, of the Fiftyninth Illinois, and two men of the boat-guard, unfurled the Stripes and Stars over the Post-office, in the midst of an excited and threatening populace. Immediate military possession of Memphis followed the reply of Mayor Park to Commodore Davis, and Colonel Fitch, of the Forty-sixth Indiana, was appointed Provost-marshal. So it was that General Wallace, of Grant's army, was permitted to enter and occupy Memphis without resistance. His advent was hailed with joy by the Indiana regiment there and the Union citizens, for they were not strong enough to repress the secessionists, or guard the city against the incursions of Jeff. Thompson's guerrillas.

All Kentucky, Western Tennessee, and Northern Mississippi and Alabama were now in the possession of the National authorities, and it was confidently expected that East Tennessee would almost immediately be in the same

1 Seo page 249.

300

EXPEDITIONS SENT OUT BY MITCHEL.

position. When General Buell joined Mitchel, after the close of the siege of Corinth, the latter, as we have observed, urged that officer to march directly into the great valley between the Cumberland and Alleghany Mountains, by way of Chattanooga and Cleveland, for it then seemed an easy matter to do Buell would not consent, and again East Tennessee, made confident of speedy liberation by so large an army on its borders, was doomed to bitter disappointment, and the endurance of still greater afflictions than it had yet suffered.

So.

4

1862.

Although Mitchel had assured the Secretary of War" that his campaign was ended,' and that he occupied Huntsville in perfect security, he was not idle nor less vigilant than before. He not only watched, but worked, and scouts and raiders were continually out on special duties, the chief object being to keep danger from his rear, and the door open into East Tennessee and Northern Georgia. Colonels Turchin and Lytle were sent northward along the line of the Nashville and Decatur railway, while General Negley was operating in that vicinity, and farther eastward, dispersing the Confederate forces at various points. On the 13th of May, the latter went out from Pulaski on that railway, and, supported by Colonel Lytle, at Athens below, drove a gathering force of Confederates from Rogersville, in Alabama, across the Tennessee River."

Later, Colonel Turchin, who was at Athens, was attacked by Confederates' and driven away. In the assault and pursuit, many of the • June 4. citizens of that village joined. With re-enforcements Turchin returned, and drove the Confederate troops out of the town, when his exasperated soldiers sacked and pillaged the houses of secessionists there, because of their active complicity in the hostile movements. For this Colonel Turchin was tried by a court martial, and acquitted. He was promoted to brigadiergeneral while the investigation was going on.

On the same day, General Negley, who, in a forced march of • June 4. twenty miles, had climbed over an almost impassable mountain, northeastward of Stevenson, surprised a Confederate camp of cavalry under General Adams at its foot, at a place called Sweeden's Cove, on the road between Winchester and Jasper, and drove them from it. After a very severe skirmish near Jasper, in which Colonel Hambright led the Nationals, the Confederates were routed and dispersed, leaving as spoils their ammunition and commissary wagons with supplies; also arms scattered along the pathway of their flight, and twelve prisoners. Adams escaped without his hat, sword, or horse, borrowing one of the latter from a negro on which to fly. Negley lost two killed and seven wounded.3

But one of the most important of the expeditions sent out by Mitchel, and, indeed, one of the most daring of the war, was the secret one, already alluded to, sent to break up the railway between Chattanooga and Atlanta. This expedition was composed of twenty-two picked men, led by J. J. Andrews, who had been for several months in the secret service under

1 See page 291.

2 Reports of Generals Mitchel and Negley, May 14th and 18th, 1862.

3 Report of General Negley to General Mitchel, June 4, 1862.

4 Two of these (Andrews and Campbell) were civilians, and citizens of Kentucky; the remainder were soldiers, selected from the Second, Twenty-first, and Thirty-third Ohio regiments of volunteers, Sill's brigade. Their names were as follows: J. J. Andrews, William Campbell, George D. Wilson, Marion A. Ross, Perry G.