Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-04-03

member the unfavorable criticisms in
dulgcd in when these three sterl
wheel steamers with oak castings ar
rived at that military post. Some sait
they would be shaken to pieces by tn,
recoil of their own guns others tha
they would be speedily sunk by tn,
shore guns of the rebels; while not d
few were alarmed by visions Of Hol.
lins's Ram butting them to pieces with
impnnity. From the day they reach.
ed their destination to the present, nc
rebel craft has shown itself ten miles
above Columbus, and no rebel force OF
any description has harbored on the
rivers in a proximity which could be
deemed threatening to their navigation
or to the two cities of St Louis and
Cairo. 4. A few experimental trips dis.
PEELED all doubts of their efficiency,
and when the people became assured
that they would do the work they
were intended for, all fears of a rebel
incursion into any Of the Northwestern
States, other than Missouri, were also
dispelled. A band of JEFF Thompson's
robbers did, indeed, make a demon
stration of crossing the Mississippi
river in August last, from the town OF
Commerce, Missouri, but at the first
intimation that the gunboats were
coming they fed with what booty
they could Jay their hands on, and
pillagcd impartialIy from friends and
foes on the Missouri shore. The boon
of security to the people of the North
western States is a debt due in nc
small degree to those wooden gun.
boats, for however numerous and
brave our armies, it would have been
impossible, with them alone, to have
guarded all points on our river line.
Thus our people were not only pro-
tccted from danger of invasion, but
were enabled to give all their time
and energies to preparation for those
offensive movements which have re.
claimed so much important territory
from the domination of the enemy.
On the 23d of September Command.
er Rodgers was detached from service
in the West, and Captain A. II. Foote
was ordered to take command as flag,
officer. Since that time the following
boats, with iron clad bows, have been
built or prepared for service and added
to the tlotilla under his command
st. Lonis, l3 guns, Lieut.. Paulding
Carondolet, l3 guns, Com Walker.
Louisville, l3 guns, Com. Dove.
Cincinnati, l3 guns, Com. Stemhcl.
Essex, 3 guns, Commander Porter.
Mound City, l3 guns, -
Pittsburgh, l3 guns, Lieut.. Thomp-
son.
The first engagement of the gun
boats with the enemy took place on
the 9th of September, off Lucas's Bend
on the Mississippi river, short dis
tance above, and in full view of the
rebel stronghold of Columbus. In this
engagement the Lexington, Commad,
er Stembel, and the Conestoga, Lieut.
Phelps, silenced two shore batteries
dispensing large body of rebel caval-
ry, and so disabled the rebel gunboat
Yankee that she has not been heard
of since.
On the 10Th of October the Conesto-
ga, Lieut.. Phelps, proceeded with
three companies Of Illinois volunteers
60 miles up the Tennessee river to
Eddyville, Kentucky, where they joint
" attacked aud routed rctel en-
campmcnt, bringing away their horses,
arms, camp equipagc and negro slaves.
There would hardly have been an
occasion where the presence of an
efficient naval support was more ne
ccssary than at the battle of Belmont,
fought on the 7th day of November
last, and there has been no conflict
during the war where this support,
when finally called in rcquisition, was
more effectively and oppor,unely
rendered. Nothing but the we'll di-
rcctcd fire Of grape and canister from
the guns Of the Tyler and Lexington
saved our land forces from being utter
ly cut to pieces. while retiring on
board their transports. Every effort
of the enemy to bring his artillery to
bear on our columns was defeated by
the storm of iron which assailed him
from the gunboats. His pieces were
dismounted and his horses and men
swept down as fast as they were
placed in position. .... ....-...
A great deal has been said about
the origin of the proposition to take
possession of the Tennessee river The
credit Of conceiving the idea of a
military campaign in that direction
has been claimed first for one and
then for another military command
er. l desire that impartial justice
should be done to every man, and act
ing upon the intention to do justice,
l must be permitted to say that
SO far as | can learn, the project oi
turning the enemy's flank by pcncirat
ing the Tennessee and Cumberland
rivers, originated with Commodore
Footc. The great rise of water in
these rivers was providcntial, and
with the quick eye OF military genius
he saw at once the advantage that i,
might secure to our arms. Accord
ingly he sent to Gen. Halleck, at St
Louis, the following dispatch
! "CAIRo, Jan. %, 1862,
Gen. Grant and myself are Of opinion tina
Fort Henry and the Tennessee river can b,
carried with four iron clad gunboats an,
troops, and be permanently occupied. Hav,
we your authority to move for that purpos,
when ready
(SignedD A. II. FoorE.'
To this dispatch no reply wa,
vouchsafed, but an order was subse
quently sent to Gen. Grant to proceet
up the Tennessee river with his troops
under convoy of the armed aotilla, an'
attack Fort Henry, directing Genera
Grant to sho,o to Com Foote his orders
to this effect. Com. Foote was a
once ready for the expedition, and ad