Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War.

[276] then moved up towards the bend to meet the Confederate squadron, which was apparently afraid to take its share in the conflict according to the preconcerted plan; a general signal was made for the Katahdin and Kineo to follow the other vessels.

As the Essex came within gunshot of the Arkansas, Commander Porter opened fire on her, and in a short time the ram appeared to be disabled, though she still continued her fire on the Essex. Some incendiary shells were now fired from the latter; directly after, there was seen a gush of flame from the Arkansas side, and she was soon enveloped in fire. Her crew attempted to make her fast to the bank with a hawser, and then escaped to the shore, the Essex still keeping up her fire to prevent the flames from being extinguished. The lines which had held the Arkansas to the bank soon burned away, and the Confederate ram swung off into the river, where she blew up with a terrible explosion, and went to the bottom. Thus ended the career of one of the most formidable rams the Confederates had ever built.

Up to the time the Essex attacked the Arkansas, the machinery of the latter was in perfect order, and she went into action, no doubt, certain of vanquishing her clumsy foe, which could not do much more than stem the current of the river. But the Arkansas was driven ashore and destroyed after a short engagement.

An attempt was made to take from Commander W. D. Porter, his officers and crew, the credit of destroying this vessel, because some of her crew that were picked up, stated that one of the engines was out of order, and that the captain tied up to the shore to keep his vessel from drifting down the river, and that the Confederates set fire to her themselves. This is a very unlikely story. It is not credible that a vessel, which had run the gauntlet of the two fleets, under Farragut and Davis, at Vicksburg, inflicting great injury upon them and receiving no vital injury in return, would avoid a conflict with the Essex (a vessel of weaker hull and very much less speed), unless she had been first so crippled by the Essex's guns that her commander saw no hope of success. Certain it is that the commander of the Essex did not hesitate to attack a Confederate ram that had defied the whole Union fleet, and she sunk while under his fire.

The two Confederate gun-boats escaped up the river when they witnessed the fate of their powerful companion which was to have driven all the Union naval forces from before Baton Rouge.

There is no doubt but what the enemy depended on the ram Arkansas and her two consorts for his success at Baton Rouge, as General Williams depended upon the Union gun-boats for success over any force that could be brought against him. It shows what important factors in war the so-called gun-boats were (on either side). They could move about with their heavy guns, take positions which the enemy could not outflank and pour in a destructive fire, directed by the best drilled gunners in the world, dealing death and destruction on any enemy that might venture to face them.

The result of this battle was a complete victory for the Union forces by land and by water, and there would have been cause for great rejoicing on the Federal side but for the untimely fate of the gallant General Williams, who fell with a Minie-ball through his heart while cheering on his men, who chased the Confederates three or four miles away from the scene of battle and then returned to their entrenchments.

When Admiral Farragut, who was at New Orleans, heard of the attack on Baton Rouge, he proceeded to that point without delay with the Hartford, and on learning of the happy result, and the destruction of the Confederate ram, he was delighted; for although the admiral, on the whole, “did not attach much importance to Confederate rams,” he had seen enough of the performances of the Arkansas to know, that if properly managed, she was the most formidable vessel on the Mississippi River, and that there would be no security against her while she floated.

To render everything secure at Baton Rouge, Farragut left a sufficient force there to guard against all contingencies, and returned to New Orleans, satisfied that for the present he would hear no more of Confederate rams. He was not aware at the time, that the enemy had been so well satisfied with the performances of the Arkansas that they had commenced to build at Yazoo City two more rams, more powerful than any they had yet planned.

Great credit was due the officers and men of the little flotilla, which co-operated so handsomely with General Williams in defeating General Breckenridge. particularly to Lieutenant Roe of the Katahdin and Lieutenant Ransom of the Kineo, who threw the enemy's ranks into confusion by the remarkable accuracy of their fire.

The commander of the Arkansas, on this occasion, was Lieutenant H. K. Stevens of the Confederate Navy, her former fearless commander, Lieutenant Brown, having been taken sick at Vicksburg. The events that took place on board the ram, except through vague reports, have never come to light.