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ELLET AND HIS STEAM-RAMS AT MEMPHIS .

derived from accidental collisions,shows that a vessel struck in the waistby a steam-ram at sea will go downalmost instantaneously, and involve,as has often happened, the loss ofnearly all on board.”

Upon the startling verifica-tion of his neglected admoni-tions afforded by the Merrimac,Mr. Ellet was called to the WarDepartment , and, after a shortconference with SecretaryStanton, was given authorityto purchase, refit, man, andcommand, with the rank ofcolonel, any number of vesselsdeemed, in his judgment, neces-sary to meet and defeat thefleet of iron-clad rams thenknown to he in process of con-struction on the lower Missis-

COLONEL CHARLES ELLET , JK. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH. • • *

sippi Kiver.

Never was work more promptly or more effectually performed. ColonelEllet purchased a number of steamboats at different points on the Ohio River,the best he could find in the short time at his disposal. He took some oldand nearly worn-out boats, strengthened their hulls and bows with heavytimbers, raised bulkheads of timber around the boilers, and started them downthe river to Cairo as fast as they could be got off the Avays. They were theDick Fulton, Lancaster, Lioness , Mingo, Monarch, Queen of the West, Samson,Switzerland , and T. 1). Horner.

While the work was progressing, and before any one of the rams was nearlycompleted, information was received that the Confederate fleet had come outfrom under the batteries of Fort Pillow, had attacked our fleet of gun-boatslying near Craighead’s Point, and had disabled two of them, ji ColonelEllet received most urgent telegrams from the Secretary of War to hurrythe rams forward at the earliest possible moment. In consequence of thesedemands, five of them were immediately dispatched down the river under mycommand, work upon them being continued as they proceeded and for severaldays after their arrival at Fort Pillow. The other rams followed, and aboutthe 25th of May Colonel Ellet joined the fleet on board the Switzerland , andthe ram-fleet was now ready for action.

Colonel Ellet at once conferred with Flag-Officer Charles H. Davis on thepropriety of passing Fort Pillow, and engaging the enemy’s fleet whereverfound. Flag-Officer Davis did not approve the plan suggested, hut offeredno objection to Colonel Ellet’s trying the experiment. Accordingly, imme-

iSSSsfc.

jiThe Cincinnati and the Moimtd City. See page 447 .—Editors.