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the mortar fleets opened upon the city and forts.
The “
Arkansas” was cleared for battle, but when the crew were mustered only 41 men answered to their names on the gun-deck.
The cannonading was tremendous, and fairly shook the earth.
In about half an hour after the firing had begun, a large iron-clad, the “
Essex,” emerged from the smoke above and made directly for the “
Arkansas.”
When he was fifty yards from us our two bow guns were discharged at him, but on he came, and running against us fired a ten-inch solid shot into our larboard forward port; the shot ranging aft, swept 20 men, more than half the force on the gun-deck.
The iron-clad swung alongside of us, when we gave him our port broadside with guns depressed — which apparently disabled him, for he ceased firing and drifted down the river.
We had not reloaded our guns when a large ram was discovered steaming at full speed for us. The “
Arkansas” was headed for him, and the vessels collided with an awful crash, broadside to broadside.
The ram passed around the stern of the “
Arkansas” and ran into the bank under the batteries.
Had our stern guns been loaded then we could have destroyed the ram, as his bows were entirely out of the water, and he was but a short distance from us. The ram kept backing hard, and soon got afloat.
Another ram now came down, but a broadside from the
Arkansas disabled him, and his consort took him in tow, and succeeded in getting him up the river out of the range.
The gun-boats then withdrew from action, and the firing ceased on both sides.
On the afternoon of July 24th, 1862, all of the enemy's vessels, above and below, were seen to be under way. We got ready, expecting a general attack; but were agreeably disappointed, for they all steamed away and abandoned the seige.
Though a great many shell had been thrown into Vicksburg, very little damage had been done.
The citizens began to return, and business to some extent was resumed.
A number of Mechanics came from Jackson and Mobile and went to work repairing the injuries the “Arkansas” had received.
The old pilot-house was taken off, and a new one was to be made.
Captain Brown being in bad health, took a few days leave of absence, leaving Lieutenant Stevens in command.
Major-General John C. Breckinridge now proposed an expedition, and wished the “Arkansas” to co-operate.
It was known that the enemy had several thousand men at Baton Rouge, and that the iron-clad “Essex” and a small wooden gun-boat was all the
