JUNE 24TH, 1864: The USS Queen City, Acting Master Michael hickey, lying at anchor off Clarendon, Arkansas, on the White River, was attacked and destroyed in the early morning hours by two regiments of Confederate cavalry supported by artillery.
The 210-ton wooden paddle-wheeler, taken by surprise, was disabled immediately, and Hickey surrendered her.
The USS Tyler, Lt. George Bache, attempted to retake the ship, but when within a few miles of the Queen City heard two successive explosions which proved to be the ship blowing up.
Confederate General Shelby, upon hearing that Tyler was coming had blown her up.
Bache proceeded with the USS Fawn and Naumkeag to Clarendon and engaged the Confederate batteries hotly for 45 minutes. The Naumkeag managed to recapture one howitzer and several crewmen from the Queen City as the Confederates fell back from the riverbank.
--Old B-R'er
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