The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-05-22
Working Vessels Through the Bay.
nI1a.

the cutting of n caal nthrough the bnvou
from above Island No 10 to New Mad.
rid. In fact, these two achievement Is
brought about the military necessity
which compelled the rebels to surrender
the Island, without the sacrifice IF the
life Of single soldier in the Federal
army; and we take il that the origina-
tors and successful prosecutors Of the
work deserve fully as much credit az
the hero Of hard fought battle. A
correspondent Of the Rochester Union.
a member of Col Bisselrs Engineer Reg.
iment, communicates to that paper, the
following account of the hard labor Of
this body of men in cutting the canal
through to New Madrid from above the
Island.
After the surrender of tho forts at
New Madrid, we (Col. Bisse's Engineer
RegimenD were engaged for four days
unspiking guns, changing batteries es-
tablishing new works, and other engineer
matters. Then we we're sent over by
General Pope to ascertain whether it
was not practicable to establish batter.
les opposite Island No. 10, so as to en-
fIadc their works on the Kentucky shore.
We spent three days. in the swan ps in
canoes, with darkeys as guides, hut
found the project impracticable. Col.
Bissell however, stated that he could
by bard labor get steam boats and fat
boats through the woods and bayous,
and by that means land our forces near
ly opposite New Madrid, and take all the
enemy's works In the rear. Gen. Pope
at once gave him carte blanche, and
he sent to Cairo for four steamboats,, six
fats, and such guns as could he spared.
They sent the steamers W. B. Terry,
John Trio, Gilmore, and Emma, with the
barges, quantity Of lumber, &C., and
one 8 inch columbind and three 80
Founders. Tools We did not need, for
the regiment carries every thing, from
the heaviest ropes aud screws down to
fine steel drills for uuspikiug gums
Our route was about twelve miles long
OF which two miles were through thick
timber, and the remaining ten through
narrow, crooked hayous grown up full
of brush and small trees. We have cut
our way right through. the track being
fifty feet wide in which thirty feet are
required for the hnls Of the boats
The timber is cut four feet below the
surface oftho water. In one short reach
! we cut seventy fivo trees thus deep, not
one less than two feet through. The ma
chimes were rigged from rafts and onr
lowest fats, and worked each bv about
tTenty men. In the first place three
large launches went abe ad to cut out
and push out Of the track the under
brush and drift wood; then three RATS
followed, on which were the men, who
cut down and cut of the trees; then the
saws, then two large bargcs, then one
of the steamboats, Very large lines
were provided to rua from the capstan Of
the steamboat and haul out by snatch.
blocks what the men could not handle.
Thea followed the rest OF the feet, men
being engaged all the time converting
the fiat boats into floating batteries
From the river to the levee the distance
IS about 800 feet. Here the water was
shallow and the route full Of sta mps; it
took one whole day TO pass this. Then
the cut in the evee 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 a cornSeld oyerhowed
from cut in the ievee. Here was
something Of channel cat by the swift
wnter, and we got along we'll nearly a
quarter Of mile to the woods; here was
the labor--two straight aud long miles
to the nearest point in the bayou. This
it took eight days to get through. Then
Wilson's Bayou, which empties into the
Mississippi at New Madrid. Ifyou have
never seen a Southern swamp, you have
40 idea hOw thick it is; New York elm
swamp does not begin to compare. Ii
sometimes took twenty men a whole day
to get out half sunken tree across the
bayou. Such place as that kept us
all back, as none Of the RATS or fats could
get by, and all had to wait. The water
when VIC got intO the woods, was about
six feet deep, with gentle current set
ting across the peninsula. Ia the East
Bayou the current was tremendous, and
the boats had to be checked down with
heavy headline Here we found some
instructions caused by drift heaps. but
cutting oft one or two logs would start
all down the current.
"This is the hardest Job have ever
seen undertaken, but Col. Bissell is so
far down now as to call it successful, for
we are in sight of the fences on the
"tother side Of Jordan"
1.-THE sag Of the saw gives the correct
arc Of the circle.
"At each end of the saw rope thir-
ty feet in length is fastened and carried
to boats upon which men are stationed.
Ten men man and work each rope.
"When the saw runs right we have
cut off stump two feet in diameter in
fourteen minutes. Often it pinched and
run crooked; then a gang would be two
or three hours on one of the same size.--
1t there happened to be any brush un.
der water it added much to the labor; it
all had to be fished ub and got out of
the way"
The EXPENSES OF THE WAR.--Sec.
Chase says that the expenses Of the
war have been exaggerated only an oc-
casional days expenses having run
up to the maximum stated In the news
papers. On a thorough review of our
past, present, and prospective expenses,
he does not estimate the total debt, on
July lst, at over 100000, 600, He