"It was dusk when we came to our fleet of gunboats anchored across the Mississippi. Below them, a little above Memphis, lay the Rebel fleet, anchored in a line across the river. There the two fleets lay like two great beasts ready to spring on each other.
"Colonel Ellet anchored and waited for the morning. Hardly was it light when there came the boom of a great gun. It was a beautiful morning, and as the thunder of the gun reverberated over the water, thousands of the people of Memphis rushed to the bluffs to witness the battle and, with waving flags and shouts of encouragement, cheer their men on to victory.
"On, in imposing line, comes the Rebel fleet, the smokestacks of their vessels belching forth great clouds of smoke, and their guns thundering as they come. Now the guns of our fleet answer their thunder, and the bluffs on which the people are gathered shake and tremble with the concussion. A black wall of smoke settles down and hides our fleet from view; only through the blackness can be seen the flashes of the great guns.
"Hardly had the battle opened when Colonel Ellet signalled for his fleet of rams to get under way. The Queen of the West and the Monarch got off first, and straight for the wall of blackness, lit by the fitful flashes, we steered. We entered that wall, and everything was blotted from view—only around and about us was the roar of the great guns, the bursting of shells.
"Suddenly, as if emerging from the mouth of a tunnel, we burst from the cloud of smoke, and before us at full speed was coming the Rebel fleet, nearly a dozen gunboats and ironclads, against two wooden, unarmed rams.
"Colonel Ellet never swerved; ahead at full speed he drove the Queen of the West for the General Lovell. We could see the tall figure of Colonel Ellet standing on the hurricane-deck of the Queen. With his hat he signalled his brother to steer for the General Price, and on the two rams rushed, the Queen slightly ahead.
"The General Lovell drew out from their line and steered straight for the Queen. Like two great monsters, the boats rushed at each other. We forgot to cheer; we heeded not the thunder of battle; we could only look at these two vessels rushing to what seemed certain destruction.
"Even the excited cheering of the crowd on the bluffs grew silent. With tense nerves and white faces, they watched the two vessels. Coming as they were, it meant the destruction of both. Would not one swerve to avoid the coming blow? Still standing on the deck of his vessel, his eye fixed on his prey, Ellet drove the Queen forward—not a hair's breadth would he swerve.
"Just before the shock came, the General Lovell swerved to try to avoid the coming blow—but too late. Full amidships the Queen struck her, cutting her through like a great knife, and the vessel sank beneath the turbid waters of the river, all the crew not killed struggling in the water.
"From the thousands on shore there came a mighty groan—a wail of agony which seemed to throb and quiver through the air, making itself felt even above the roar of the battle.