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

Pleasant Hill Landing is but ten miles below Conchatta Chute, although the windings of the river make the distance by water much greater. Ten miles back from Pleasant Hill Landing is Pleasant Hill, then occupied by the army of General Taylor, who, notwithstanding his vainglorious boasts of the operations of his cavalry, had not yet assembled a corporal's guard of horsemen, and very little artillery. Altogether he may have had collected about 5,000 men to dispute the passage of the vessels down the river.

An active Confederate officer, named Harrison, had crossed the river in the rear of the fleet with 1,900 mounted men and four or five pieces of artillery, with orders to plant his batteries in the most favorable places and cripple the fleet as much as possible from the left bank. The Federals saw this party before reaching Conchatta Chute, and sending a few 11-inch shrapnel in their direction, they gave no more trouble for the time being; but it was considered certain that Harrison must plant his batteries three miles below Pleasant Hill Landing, which proved to be the case.

To this latter point the Admiral dispatched one of the heaviest iron-clads and two gun-boats, mounting some ten guns, under Lieutenant-Commander Watson Smith, with orders to prevent the erection of any batteries until all the transports had passed; but Harrison, who could go across, while the gun-boats had to follow the long bends of the river, arrived first, and posted his guns on a high bluff in a dense undergrowth, where he could fire down upon the decks of the transports, and whence it was difficult to dislodge him.

The Admiral was in the rear when he heard the firing commence, and he pushed ahead to superintend operations in that quarter, leaving General Kilby Smith and some of his transports behind, under the guns of the iron-clad Osage, Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge, and the Lexington, Lieutenant Bache.

As circumstances occurred at this time of which we wish to be the impartial narrators, we will first give the report of Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge, commanding the little iron-clad Osage, who, for the time, had the Lexington also under his orders. Selfridge reported that he had taken the Black Hawk--late General Banks' headquarters' vessel — alongside the Osage, for the purpose of helping the iron-clad to turn the bends of the river. The Osage had got aground just above a turn, the Lexington was not far off, and Lieutenant Bache was visiting the Osage.

All the transports, with one exception, had passed down the river ahead of him, and Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge had just turned the Osage's bow up stream, when a body of troops, over 2,500 strong, emerged from a dense wood near the bank. Many of the men were mounted, but these soon dismounted and tied their horses.

From their new blue overcoats, Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge took them for Union soldiers. but he soon discovered their true character, and ordered Lieutenant Bache to drop down the river, in the Lexington, a short distance, to enfilade the enemy.

The Confederates opened fire on the two vessels, with several pieces of artillery, from a hill about a quarter of a mile distant, and forming their 2,500 men into three ranks, attacked the Osage with the Black Hawk lashed to her. The Black Hawk had on board about forty soldiers of General Kilby Smith's command, partially protected by bags of oats and bales of hay. The enemy's volley drove the soldiers below; and some of them being wounded, and it being useless to remain where they were, Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge ordered all hands on board the Black Hawk to take refuge in the safe hull of the Osage.

Now commenced one of the most remarkable conflicts on record — between a bullet-proof iron-clad and a brigade of infantry, which continued for an hour. At the commencement of the battle, the transport before-mentioned ran up the river to avoid the enemy's fire, and the Osage, Lexington, and Black Hawk were the only vessels present. The latter vessel was riddled with bullets, and all hands would have been killed had they not made their escape to the Osage. Officers examined the vessel the day after, and there was not a place six inches square not perforated by a bullet.

The Osage secured a good position abreast of the main body of the enemy, and poured in grape, canister, and shrapnel from her 11-inch guns, mowing the enemy down by the dozen at every fire. The latter seemed to know no fear; as fast as one file was swept away, another took its place.

The commanding officer of the Confederates, General Thomas Green, of Texas, who had served at San Jacinto and in the Mexican war, mounted on a fine horse, led his troops up to the bank, and encouraged them to pour in their fire, which they did incessantly, never less than 2,500 muskets firing at once upon the Osage. The wood-work of the latter was cut to pieces, but the danger from bullets passing through the iron was very little.

While this was going on, the Lexington