On the morning of the 6th of June, the Rebel gun-boats, eight in number, took their position just above Memphis, and prepared for the advance of our fleet.  The Rebel boats were the Van Dorn (flag-ship), General Price, General Bragg, General Lovell, Little Rebel, Jeff.  Thompson, Sumter, and General Beauregard.  The General Bragg was the New Orleans and Galveston steamer Mexico in former days, and had been strengthened, plated, and, in other ways made as effective as possible for warlike purposes.  The balance of the fleet consisted of tow-boats from the Lower Mississippi, fitted up as rams and gun-boats.  They were supplied with very powerful engines, and were able to choose their positions in the battle.  The Rebel fleet was commanded by Commodore Montgomery, who was well known to many persons on our own boats.

The National boats were the iron-clads Benton, Carondelet, St. Louis, Louisville, and Cairo.  There was also the ram fleet, commanded by Colonel Ellet.  It comprised the Monarch, Queen of the West, Lioness, Switzerland, Mingo, Lancaster No. 3, Fulton, Horner, and Samson.  The Monarch and Queen of the West were the only boats of the ram fleet that took part in the action.  Our forces were commanded by Flag-officer Charles H. Davis, who succeeded Admiral Foote at the time of the illness of the latter.

The land forces, acting in conjunction with our fleet, consisted of a single brigade of infantry, that was still at Fort Pillow.  It did not arrive in the vicinity of Memphis until after the battle was over.

Early in the morning the battle began.  It was opened by the gun-boats on the Rebel side, and for some minutes consisted of a cannonade at long range, in which very little was effected.  Gradually the boats drew nearer to each other, and made better use of their guns.

Before they arrived at close quarters the rams Monarch and Queen of the West steamed forward and engaged in the fight.  Their participation was most effective.  The Queen of the West struck and disabled one of the Rebel gun-boats, and was herself disabled by the force of the blow.  The Monarch steered straight for the General Lovell, and dealt her a tremendous blow, fairly in the side, just aft the wheel.  The sides of the Lovell were crushed as if they had been made of paper, and the boat sank in less than three minutes, in a spot where the plummet shows a depth of ninety feet.

Grappling with the Beauregard, the Monarch opened upon her with a stream of hot water and a shower of rifle-balls, which effectually prevented the latter from using a gun.  In a few moments she cast off and drifted a short distance down the river.  Coming up on the other side, the Monarch dealt her antagonist a blow that left her in a sinking condition.  Herself comparatively uninjured, she paused to allow the gun-boats to take a part.  Those insignificant and unwieldy rams had placed three of the enemy’s gun-boats hors de combat in less than a quarter of an hour’s time.