64 



ABMY OPERATIONS. 



miles below Fort Pillow. The location of these 

 fortifications was admirably adapted for defence, 

 and in case of a determined stand it would have 

 been very difficult to reduce them. Opposite 

 Plum Point is the village of Osceola in Ar- 

 kansas. 



On the next day, at evening, the fleet arrived 

 at Plum Point and anchored. A force of three 

 Confederate gunboats were in sight most of 

 the time during that day, but kept at a safe dis- 

 tance. The anchorage was about three and a 

 half miles from the fort. Operations against 

 the fort were commenced by moving the mor- 

 tars to the Arkansas shore at Craighead Point, 

 and opening upon the enemy's gunboats and 

 batteries with shells. The distance of the 

 contending forces across the point was three 

 fourths of a mile, although by the river around 

 the point it was three miles. In the afternoon 

 of the 17th of April fire was opened from the 

 mortars, and rapidly and accurately answered 

 by the fort. This continued until midnight 

 and then ceased; daily afterward it was re- 

 peated without any expectation of an immedi- 

 ate reduction of the fort. The high water of 

 the river prevented cooperation of the land 

 forces. On the 4th of May a battle occurred 

 between the gunboats and a Confederate ram 

 and gunboats, which has been thus related: 



" The enemy appeared with four boats three 

 gunboats and a ram the latter a powerful 

 contrivance, combining immense weight and 

 strength with high speed and admirable steer- 

 ing facilities. Her hull and boilers, as well as 

 all the Confederate rams, were those of old 

 New Orleans towboats. The upper works of 

 these were cut away ; their sides protected, in 

 some instances with a layer of railroad iron, 

 and in others only with bales of tightly com- 

 pressed cotton, hooped and bound together, 

 one to the other, with iron bands. Their bows 

 were pointed and sharp, and apparently of solid 

 iron. 



" At their first appearance the gunboats mani- 

 fested no disposition to come up the river, but 

 sent the ram ahead to attack and destroy the 

 Cincinnati, thinking then, doubtless, to run up 

 and make an easy prey of the defenceless 

 mortar boats. The commander of the Cincin- 

 nati perceived the movement and apprehended 

 its intent. The ram was already halfway up 

 to her before she was cut loose, and then the 

 accumulated driftwood on her bows prevented 

 her getting her head out into the stream. To 

 back out would be to run directly upon the 

 enemy while they were seeking to run into her, 

 thus adding to the force of the blow with 

 which they would strike her. In this dilemma 

 she let fly her stern guns full into the face of 

 the enemy, and at the same time attempted to 

 crowd along up the shore, hoping, before mov- 

 ing far, to succeed in getting her head out. 

 Her guns made not the slighest apparent im- 

 pression upon the ram, which still held its 

 course and was rapidly coming upon the en- 

 tangled gunboat. 



" Again the stern guns were let go full into 

 the face of the enemy, but still her progress 

 was not retarded in the slightest. A moment 

 more and her tremendous weight came with 

 terrible force upon the starboard stern quarter 

 of the gunboat, but without inflicting any 

 serious damage The force of the blow, how- 

 ever, threw the stern of the vessel in and en- 

 abled her to get headway from the shore. 

 Then, in turning out, her broadside was dis- 

 charged directly into the Confederate craft, 

 which was backing off preparatory to renew- 

 ing the assault. 



" Again the gunboat prepares to open fire on 

 her assailant, and the ram seeks an apportunity 

 to renew the assault. The Cincinnati has 

 worked herself away from the shore and is 

 now more easily handled. Turning to and fro, 

 she gives her antagonist broadside for broad- 

 side, with no apparent result. Still he comes 

 on. As he nears his object, his steam appara- 

 tus is got ready, and his crew, armed with 

 small arms, prepare to board the Federal craft. 

 Commander Stembel, seeing these demonstra- 

 tions, orders out carbines, boarding pikes, and 

 cutlasses, and also puts his steam battery in 

 readiness to give the enemy a warm reception. 

 On they come, closer and closer, and strike! 

 The boats collide with fearful violence, followed 

 by the crashing of timbers, and the bending of 

 iron, and the shouts of men, and the discharge 

 of musketry, and, above all, another broadside 

 directly into the enemy now immediately along- 

 side. Amid this general uproar Commander 

 Stembel rushes upon deck, and, seizing a pis- 

 tol, with admirable aim discharged its contents 

 into the head of the Confederate pilot, killing 

 him instantly. The pilot's mate seized a gun 

 in retaliation, and shot the gallant commander, 

 just as he was turning to give his attention to 

 some other duty, the ball entering high up on his 

 shoulder behind, and, passing in at an upward 

 direction through his neck, went out under his 

 chin. He fell instantly, and was carried be- 

 low. 



" While this fierce engagement was in pro- 

 gress, the shots from the other vessels had ex- 

 ploded the boiler on one of the Confederate 

 gunboats, and set fire to another which was 

 burned to the" water's edge. 



" The Cincinnati, thus released from her an- 

 tagonist, sought others of the foe. It was 

 soon after this withdrawal that the Mallory, 

 which is also fitted as a ram, though carrying 

 a heavy armament, moved up and singled out 

 the crippled Cincinnati as her special victim. 

 This craft was more lumbering and slower than 

 the rams proper, and could not be so easily 

 moved about. She worked very hard to get her 

 nose into the Cincinnati's side, but every time 

 was foiled by the movements of the latter. At 

 last she had apparently secured the desired op- 

 portunity, and was crowding all steam to make 

 good headway, when an unlooked-for adversa- 

 ry appeared. The St. Louis bore down upon 

 her, unseen, until close on her, and then came 



