MEMPHIS (Tenn.), Capture of. At dusk 5 June 1862 the Union flotilla under command of Corn. C. H. Davis appeared near Memphis and anchored two miles above the city. The Confederate flotilla, Corn. J. E. Montgomery, commanding, was lying at the Memphis levee. At daylight the Union fleet began to drop down toward the city, and the Confederates advanced to meet it. There were no troops protecting the city. The flotillas were composed of the following vessels: Besides having more than twice the number of guns, the Union ordnance was much supe rior to that of the Confederates. The latter, however, made a desperate fight, which finally ended 10 miles below the city, with the result that the Lovell, Beauregard and Thompson were destroyed; and the Little Rebel, Price, Sumter and Bragg captured. The Van Dorn escaped. On the side only the Queen of the West was disabled.
Immediately after the fight the mayor, in reply to a summons to surrender, informed Commodore Davis that there were no troops with which to oppose him. The next morning detachments from troops under Col. C. N. Fitch, which accompanied the fleet, landed and took possession of the city.
General Grant arrived at Memphis 23 June and established the headquarters of the Dis trict •of West Tennessee. Ifs was recalled to Corinth 15 July and General 'Sherman was or dered to Memphis, reaching,ffie• city 21 July.
He restored the mayor and the city govern ment, and made them responsible for civil order. He continued in command at Memphis until his forces left tojoin General Grant in the final campaign for Vicksburg. having pre viously participated in the first move against that city.
The raid of Gen. N. B. Forrest, of Confed erate cavalry fame, into Memphis occurred 21 Aug. 1864. The Union forces and command ing officers were completely surprised and barely escaped capture. Gen- C. C Washburn, in command of the District of West Tennessee; Gen. R. P. Buckland of the District of ,Mem phis, and Gen. S. A. Hurlbut were asleep iu the city. General Forrest left the vicinity of Oxford 18 August, with three brigades, making a forced march of nearly 100 miles. A strong detachment rode into the city at 4 o'clock in the morning, running over a regiment of 100-days men on picket, and capturing about 250 of them. This force divided into three and at once surrounded the quarters of the three offi cers named. Each, however, escaped. General Bucidand succeeded in reaching his troops and promptly directing offensive operations. With i the exception of inconsiderable skirmishes in its vicinity, Memphis thereafter remained in undisturbed Union control.