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upon her sides as fast as sledge-hammer blows.
Captain Brown was twice knocked down and wounded in the head, but he heroically resumed his place.
Some one called out that the colors had been shot away, and in an instant, said Gift, Midshipman Dabney M. Scales, a glorious fellow, scrambled up the ladder and, fearlessly treading the terrible path of death, swept by a hurricane of shot and shell, raised the colors again.
A shell penetrated the Arkansas and exploded with terrible effect, and when the smoke cleared away, it was found that but one man out of seventeen of Gift's bow-gun crew had escaped death or wounds.
In another instant an 11-inch shot crushed through above the port, bringing with it a shower of iron and wooden splinters, which struck down every man at Gift's broadside gun, smashed his own arm, and passing across the deck, killed 8 and wounded 7 of Scales' men. The Arkansas reached Vicksburg, disabled and weakened by heavy losses.
The detachment of the land forces serving temporarily on the Arkansas joined its proper command.
At night Farragut's sea-going fleet and Davis' ironclads passed down the river.
They came by singly, and each was punished as they crossed the line of fire of the Arkansas.
An 11-inch shot from Farragut's flagship penetrated her side just above the water line, killing 2 and wounding 6 others.
On the morning of the 22d of July, the ironclad Essex appeared, followed by the Queen of the West, and undertook to run into the Arkansas, both trying to ram her, but were driven off and disabled, and a mortar boat blown up. The crew of the Arkansas was now reduced to seventeen.
With this small force, the repulse of these two vessels will always be considered her best achievement.
When General Breckinridge entered upon his campaign against Baton Rouge, the co-operation of the Arkansas was expected, but her engines gave way in full view of the point of attack, and becoming unmanageable on account
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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