Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-02-20
Alb. F.. HILDRETH, Editor,
Charles City, Iowa, February 20, 1856:
From the Tennessee River.
INTERESTING PARTICULARS.


A correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune, who accompanied the gun
boat expedition from Fort Henry to
Florence, Alabama, writes as follows:
The gunboats Lexington, Concsto-
ga, and Taylor, which went up the
river Immediately after the surrender
of Fort Henry, have returned. After
the taking of the Fort, they gave
chase to the rebel steamer Dunbar.
Reaching the bridge of the Memphis,
Clarksvillc a. Louisville railroad, which
crosses this river twenty-thrce miles
above, our boats set fire to portion
OF 1T, took a quantity of Stores, &c,
and passed on in chase of the Dun.
bar, but did not ovcrtake her. 1t is
supposed she escaped by running up
some creek in the night.
Our gunboats went as far as Flor
cncc, Alabama, the head Of naviga-
tion for large steamers, being about
$50 miles from Paducah. Everywhere
along the river they were received
with astonishing welcome by the nu-
merous Union families in southern
Tennessee and northern Alabama, and
at the little towns along the river the
old flag was looked upon as redeem
er, and hailed with shouts Of Joy. AS
an earnest TO show that the sentiment
was genuine, Capt. Gwin of the
Taylor recruited thirty men for service
on the gunboats, and says he can get
as many more recruits as would man
the whole fleet. These people have
Suffered much from the oppression
heapcd upon them by the vilIainous
usurpatinns of those rebel vandals.
There are now in Tennessee, Missis-
sippi and Alabama, through all which
States our gunboats have passed, bet
ter Union men 10y half than are gene
rally found along the Ohio river. Ma
ny of the people at Florence, Alaba-
ma, were so delighted at finding the
stars and stripes once more their pro-
lection, that they proposed to give
ball to the officers of the gunboats !;
but the officers could not remain to
accept their courtcsics. Wherever
our boats landed, the people after the
first fright, and they became assured
that the gunboats did not come to de-
stroy, but TO save, seemed to have no
means too cxtravagant to express
their joy.
The rebels burnt all the steamers
on the river. Among those burned
were the Lynn Boyd, Sam Orr, Smith,
Time, Sam kirkman, Appleton Belle
Our gunboa,s captured three Of their
steamers, one of which, the Eastport,
was being built for a gunboat, but
was not quite finished. The rebels
tried to scuttle her, but had not suf1i-
cicnt time. She was taken at Savan-
nah, Tenn, and had on board large
quantity of plate iron for her compile
tion. She has speed and will make a
splendid gunhoat. The other boats
were the Salle Ward and Muscle, the
latter being loaded with 5000 feet of
lumber.
An cncampmcnt of COO men, under
Col. Crews, who were recruiting a
short distance back of Savannah. inn
mcdiately dispersed on learning the
approach Of our gunboats. Captain
Gwin. with l60 men, marched out to
the cncampment and set fire to it, no
rebel troops appearing to defend it.
They captured large quantity
of Quartcrmaster's and Commissary
a,tn & h.
provisions were distributed among
the destitute Union men, as was done
at several other points where commits
sary stores were taken.
\ despatch to the St Louis Rcpub-
lican says the gnnboats that went up
the Tennessee river were received
with the widest joy by the inhabi.
tants along the entire route. Old
men cried Ike children at sight of the
Stars and Stripes. and invited the Off
GERS and men to their houses, telling
them all they had was at their dispo-
sal Large numbers were anxious to
enlist under the old flag, and the gun
boat Tyler received $50 men 10 Gil up
the several boat crews Our officers
were assured that, if they would wait
few days, whole regiments could be
raised, and if the Government would
give them arms they could bring Ten.
ncssce back to the Union in few
months. They said when the scccs.
sion ordinance was passed, armed
men stood at the polls. and every thing
went as the secession leaders dictated
At Savannah, Clifton, Eastport and
Florence, our officers and men went
ashore without arms, and mingled
freely with the people. The Union
men along the river comprise the
wcalthiest and best portion of the in
habitants. Not gun was fired, eth.
or going OF coming.
Another despatch says, Every where
the people insisted upon loading their
visitors with presents. As far as Flo
renee the river can be navigatcd al
most as safely as the Ohio. Numbers
of prominent men said if the Union
army would enter Tennessee, SO, 900
men were ready and anxious to pro-
tect their homes, and would at once
cluster around it. Under the laws of
the Southern Confederacy they must
join the rebel army or lose their prop.
erty, and they had been compelled to
succomb in self-dcfence. The officers
of the gunboats say it is impossible
to doubt the genuinencss of the greet
ings that every where met them. The
rebel press is wholly under the con-
troll of the politicians, and do not
speak the sentiments Of the people.