Gun-boats St. Louis, Benton, and Cincinnati.

Gun-boats Carondelet and Mound City. BOMBARDMENT OF ISLAND NO. TEN.

Mortars.

ond son, William Leffingwell, died at his father's house in New Haven. He was a manly and promising boy of thirteen years, who had already developed noble traits of character. He had been ill a week, and but a few days before he was the image of health—a handsome, rosy-cheeked lad. He was to his father as the apple of his eye. He received the telegram of his son's death during the thick of the battle. The following was the brief telegram to his wife, sent in response to the sad tidings, and the telegram was received in New Haven on the afternoon of the 17th:

66

"NEAR ISLAND NO. TEN.

May God support us. The shock stuns me in midst of fight. Thy will be done to us and ours. A. H. FOOTE."

It was followed by this letter, written a day or two afterward:

666

"BENTON,' OFF No. TEN, March 19, 1862. "MY DEAR WIFE,-I know how you feel; I feel it all myself. I want all the time to be writing to you; still I know that our dear boy has escaped great evil, and no doubt he is far better off than in this life; but Nature mourns. Let us have consolation in our bereavement. I do hope it will be the means of doing us all good, and making us live nearer to God. It is all right, my dear; for God, our kind, heavenly Father, has done it, and, as Sanford said yesterday, 'You ought, flag-officer, to rise above your grief, and not dwell so on it.' Nothing but a death in the family could at this critical moment, when so much is upon me, so draw off my mind from my duties; it shows the power of my grief. It is much on your account I so feel; but we must pray to God that he will enable us to submit with Christian faith, even if he take more of us away. •

"We are not making much progress, firing almost beyond the enemy's range. I hope to have General Pope here soon from New Madrid, and attack upon the rear of the enemy. This place is stronger than Columbus in all respects; still, if we can get General Pope here, we will take it. We are throwing mortar-shells into the forts at night, which, showing the burning fuse, makes a beautiful sight, like a shooting star in a parabola; but how little do I enjoy it, or any thing else! I feel that

Willie is better off, and therefore my intense feelings must in a good measure be sympathy for you.

"I am well and have no headache, although I am only five hours in my bed.

"If I can get General Pope's army here in a week, I think we will have a grand victory.

"Love to all, kisses for children, and again tell our dear boy Augustus to love and fear God, and believe me, as always,

"Your devoted husband,

A. H. FOOTE.

"P. S.-I do not feel myself in special danger. Still, should I fall, it will be in a holy cause, and I shall die content. So do not mourn on my account. You know my feelings. I have never kept any thing from you, and God will provide for you and yours. While I talk thus, I do not consider myself in any more danger than I have been before. Still we are at war, and I am under fire. Again I commend you all to God and his grace. A. H. F."

Death and Life-how closely are their black and gold threads commingled! At the very time when he received the news of his great bereavement, this joint resolution, expressive of the thanks of Congress, was passed:

(Public Resolution, No. 22.)

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress and of the American people are due, and are hereby tendered to Captain A. H. Foote, of the United States Navy, and to the officers and men of the Western Flotilla under his command, for the great gallantry exhibited by them in the attacks upon forts Henry and Donelson, for their efficiency in opening the Tennessee, Cumberland, and Mississippi rivers to the pursuits of lawful commerce, and for their unwavering devotion to the cause of the country in the midst of her greatest difficulties and dangers.

"Approved March 19, 1862."

While this resolution was under consideration by the Senate, in Committee of the Whole, Hon. James W. Grimes, Senator from Iowa, made a speech, in which he elaborately reviewed the origin, history, and achievements of the Western