Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-07
Our Army Correspondence A Trip
from Nashville to Cairo.
CAIRo. ILL.. April 1. 1862.

CAIRO, ILL, April i, 1862.
J. j. BINGHAM, Eso.-Dear Sir; The trip from
Nashville to this point can be made very smooth
ly, to one who does not care for the intermediate
landings, By getting on board of a large st. Louis
boat, and going straight along. Your correspond
ent however, wished to see all of the country that
was to be seen, and took passage on the John
Bell, small trader, for that purpose. just as
the last st. Louis boat pushed off from the land
ing, Uncle Samuel served the "Bell'' for the pur-
pose of transporting railroad cars from Clarks-
vile to Nashville, and party of five or six of
us who had stored our dunage in her quiet little
cabin, were forced to seek other quarters. We
selected the Masonic Gem, another little boat of
the same class with the Bell, but bound to Louis
vile. supposing, without any delay, we could get
a boat at Smithland bound down. In this we
we're disappointed TheGem was three days and
three nights out on the Cumberland, stopping at
every landing and remaining AS long as any one
on board desired to stop. Good fare, good com
pany, fine spring weather and the novelty of new
and ever changing scenery, made the trip down
the Cumberland a very pleasant one. We had
ample time to examine the Notifications and
towns along the banks, to talk freely with the
people, and TO compare notes of our observations
of men ana things The conclusion come to on
the loyalty of the people was, that they are more
to be trusted than their arstOcratc rulers at Nash
Vile. The burning of the large iron works of
John Bell is generally condemned as piece of
vandalism unworthy of our Government The
works should have been seized and held, but not
destroyed. 1t is a splendid property and unin-
jured save the destruction of the mill The tall
stacks rising above small square of blackeHed
ruins make the only stain that the restoration or
conquest of this portion of Tennessee has left
upon our National ensign. This, too, is a mat
ter of opinion; but loyal Kentuckians from Bur-
nett's district, who risked and lost their all for
! Il. A. II
and such men will do to tie to.
Forts Donelson and Zolicoffer GAINESVILLE, &C.,
with their surroundings, were of course examined
by our party with care, but Of these / will have
occasion to speak again.
Our little boat arrived at Smithland on Sunday
evening, and left US in a miserable hotel in that
Coo forsaken little town. Smithland is pulling
back with the tenacy of stubborn mule. 1t
was better town thirty years ago than it is now.
II not secesh 1t has every appearance OF dying by
inches OF that disease. The supply boats up the
Cumberland are mostly from Cincinnati and
Louisville, those up the Tennessee from st.
Louis, and seeing'but little prospect of getting
boat soon for Cairo our party resolved 70 charter
a skiff and launch out on the broad waters of the
lower Ohio in the hope OF reaching Paducah in
safety. There were eight of US. two dogs, four
good sized trunks and six carpet sacks, sinking
our fa bark until the slightest ripple Tapped into
I
boatmen told US that we would in all probability
be fired into from the dense thckets on shore by
some of the inhabitants Who knew them 70 he de-
termned Union men; not. they added, to allay
our fears, that the people would wish to injure u.s.
but they, the boatmen, would be the target. The
old feuds again. But one of our party, a Captain
in the LIST Illinois cavalry, was armed, and he
with Colts navy in each hand was placed on
the stern seat with your correspondent to watch
the first symptoms of an attack. Away we went,
and were soon in the middle Of the river, which
from Smithand to Cairo is two miles wide in
most places. The day was calm, but the passing
steamers left long swell upon the waters and
kept our overloaded craft dipping constantly Two
men we're appointed TO bail with their caps and
one with tin cup and by this means we kept the
water from drowning the smallest dog the owner
OF which was dreadiully uneasy for fear his fam
lily pet would imbibe too much Of the muddy wa
ter OF the Ohio. In this way we proceeded about
five miles, when hugging the Illinois shore close,
a large steamer was observed rounding bend d.
rectly on our track. The oarsmen were notified
but they had been fishing black bottle from the
bottom of the boat very often, and we're in fit
condition to butt locomotive off the track, or
do any other fool hardy thing. Don't you see
the boat comingl" we all exclaimed, some with
curses. but the oarsmen pulled steadily forward,
one of them. an Irishman, quietly answering
I'VE won't hurt her, darling." ! must confess
would rather have charged rebel battery up
perpendicular rock than TO have butted that boat
We we're so slowed that not a man could leave
his seat without capsizng our vessel. The jig
seemed TO be up with US, when the Illinois captain
tore one OF the foot boards from the bottom of
the skiff, and tarned her head TO the shore The
huge steamer passed very close to US, tearing the
water open on her track. but by the time the big
waves reached us, our.little boat was grounded on
| the overflow ed bank, and the angry waters broke
over US without any more serious damage than
thoroughly soaking men and baggage-dogs and
all
Without any other adventure, crossing over,
however, the overlooked lands above the head of
Tennessee island into the Tennessee river,
rived about noon at Paducah. IL is a pretty
town, with good hotels and stirring with life. 1t
is the depot for supplies to our forces up the Ten
nessee and to Judge by the number Of camps in
the vicinity, there ~ a large force still there.
| The "trip from Paducah 10 Cairo is made in four
or five hours and boat can be got at almost any
hour of the day. The river at the present stage
| onWater is like bay or inland sea-the shores
mainly low and overhowed and thckly wooded
] the maple. the water elm and the cotton wood