Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-11
Hsw Celsnel Bissslrs Engineers Fsrced
Their way 70 General Pope.

Their way 70 General Pope.
A correspondent Of the Rochester Union,
with Col. Bissell at New Madrid, informs that
journal how the steamboats, were carried
through the bayous and sloughs to the relief of
Gen. Pspe. We quote:
Col. Bissell stated that he could by hand
labor get steamboats, and fatboats through the
woods and bayous, and by that means land our
forces nearly opposite New Madrid, and take
alt the enemy's works in the rear. Gen. Pope
at once gave him q carte blanche, and he sent
to Cairo for four steamboats,, six fats, and
such guns as could be spared. They sent four
steamers, with the barges, quantity of lum-
Der, &C., and one inch columbiad and three
32-pounders. Tools We did not need, for the
regiment carries everything, from the heaviest
ropes and screws down to fRe steel drills for
unspiking guns.
Our route is about twelve miles long. of
which two miles were through thick timber,
and the remaining ten through narrow, crook
ed bayogs grown up full of brush and small
trees. We cut our way right through, the
track being fifty feet wide, in which thirty
feet are required for the hulls of the boats
The timber is cut four feet below the surface
of the water. In one short stretch we GU
seventy-fve trees thus deep, not one less than
two feet through. The machines were rugged
from rafts and our lowest fats, and worked
odcu aOOuL twenty meH.
In the first place three large launches went
ahead to cut out and push out of the track the
underbrush and driftwood, then the RATS fol-
lowed on which were the men who cut down
and cut Oh the trees; then the saws then two
large barges, then one Of the steambo ITS
Very large lines were provided to run from
the capstan of the steamboats, and haul out by
snatch blocks what the men could not handle
Then followed the rest of the feet, men being
AM 0ad n m a. a..
into floating batteries. From the river to the
leyee the distance is about 500 feet; here the
water was shallow and the route full of stumps;
1t took one whole day to pass this-then the
cut in the levee
Here the fall was over two feet, and the rush
Of water was tremendous. The largest boat
was dropped through with five lines out ahead.
Then cornfeld overaowed from vent in the
levee. Here was something of channel cut by
the swift water, and We got along well nearly a
quarter Of mile to the woods; here was the
lsbor-two straight and long miles to the near
est point in the bayou. This it took eight days
to get through. Then Wilson's bayou, then
East bayou, then St. Johns bayou, which emp
ties into the Mississippi at New Madrid
you have never seen a southern swamp
you have no idea how thick it is a New York
elm swamp does not begin. 1t sometimes took
twenty men whole day to get out a half
sunken tree across the bayou. Such q place as
that kept US back, as none of the RATS or fats
could get by and all had to wait.
The water, after we got into the woods, was
about six feet deep, with a gentle current
setting across the peninsula. In the East
Bayou the current was tremendous and the
boats had to be checked down with heavy head
lines. Here We found some obstructions,
caused by drift heaps, but cutting of one or
two logs would start all dswn the current.
IL The late General Lander, a short time be-
fore his death, was requested to furnish
for bis biography, TO be published In the forth
coming work, entitled "The Ofacers of the Union
Army and Navy, their lives and portraits In
replying, he wrote the following characteristic
letter:
HEADQuARrRRs, CAMP KELLY,
January "a 1862 (
Dear SirB: do not know any event of NV life
that, In public opinion, would be worth noting
have no time to write history, though 1 am
obliged for the kindness which prompted YOU to
ask me to do 90.
My public services have been greatly over est. g.
mated, and IL you could know the very poor opin-
Ion entertain CT myself and others now charged
with the holy mission Of preserving this r. public
you would not ask it.
am, most respectfully, yours
F w EANnRn n