Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

“ [264] to at the lower landing.” This was just under Brown's section. General Buford and myself repaired to that landing. When approaching she hugged the bank as if to stop, but instead of landing she raised steam and hastened by us. I ordered the batteries to reopen. She, however, was so close to us and under cover of the bank that our guns could not be sufficiently depressed to effect serious damage until almost out of range. However, her chimneys, mast-head and pilot-house were riddled and knocked down, and she floated helplessly with the stream until under protection of the Federal gunboats. We subsequently learned from our cavalry, which followed her, that the pilot was killed and several parties on board seriously hurt, and that she was towed by a gunboat to Paducah.

The transportation on the Tennessee seemed immense, and every moment was full of excitement. About 10 A. M. the Undine, or No. 55, belonging to what was commonly known as the “Mosquito fleet,” escorting the transport Venus, with two barges attached, came in sight from above. They were permitted to pass Crozier at the mouth of Sandy, when both Crozier and Zarring opened a vigorous fire, which was responded to with spirit by the gunboat. Zarring advanced his guns “by hand to the front,” firing as the gunboat receded with the current. The Undine would occasionally halt, and, throwing her broadside to the Confederates, send her deadly shells crashing through the trees and tearing up the earth. Zarring, quickly taking advantage of this broadside position of the gunboat, hurried rapidly his three-inch shot, which drove through her with telling effect, for soon a white flag in the hands of a lady was seen waving through a port-hole. Our firing ceased for an instant, when the flag was snatched down. The firing was immediately resumed, and Bell's sharp-shooters, at once brought into requisition, fired incessantly, with vigorous effect. The Confederates proving too formidable, the Undine dropped down behind the bend in the river, out of range, but presently coming under cover of the batteries at Fort Heiman, she hesitated to pass, and withdrew with the Venus above and behind the bend of the river, from which position she began a noisy shelling of the Paris Landing battery, while repairing damages in the hull and machinery, which could be distinctly heard by Bell's sharp-shooters.

It was subsequently ascertained that the white flag was raised by the wife of the Captain of the gunboat, who had been killed, and was snatched down by the second officer in command.

The men at Zarring's guns, having a commanding position, fought continuously for over an hour, and advanced their pieces by hand for