The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-17
The victory Mt Island No. 10.

six pc unders, had been carried off or thrown
into the river. The Grampus was known
among the rebels as Daredevil Jack" Re
comman der was Marsh Miller, we'll known
river man, and an inbred, natural origiua
secessiOnist.
The exaggerated accounts of the rebel pa
pers, and the magnifed stories consequent
thereupon in vogue among our own people
have clothed the Grampus and her commander
with mystery and fame sounding very like
romance. But the reality strips off the ro-
nance. The Grampus is a dirty little tow.
boat. whichsone thirty-twO pound shot would
tear to pieces; her commander poor devil,
fleeing for his life through swampS and
marches.
Speaking of the prisoners captured he
says.
The privates from Alabama were mainly
Americans, but the majority of artillery com
panies were made up of Irish jaborers from
Memphis One company, the Belm0unt bat
terry, were entirely Of Irish, and composed
mainly Of Chicago laborers who went to Mem
phis year ago TO obtain employment and were
impressed into the rebel service. Without ex-
ception, they declared themselves strongly for
the Union.
The officers were actually afraid ofther men,
had no command over them, and two of them
placed themselves under Col. Buford's pro-
lection against assassination. In appearance
the priyates would not bear comparison with
the poorest of our soldiers.
They were in reality, slaves; the white trash
of the South
The officers, however, were young men
none ofthem being over thirty years of age
Of intelligence and spirit, evidently gentlemens
sons, dressed in gaudy uniforms. and dashy
and jaunty in style. They took their capture
with the utmost nonchalanCe, damned the
yankees for not giving them fair stand-up
fight, aud damned their own forces on the
main shore who had fled without letting them
know of it.
Many of them were iii furious rage at the
combination of circumstances which compell-
ed them to surrender, and manifested it with a
laughable display of genuine Southern bonn
bast. One of them, handsome young fellow,
whose untamable spirits will meet with a pi-
table fall probably, if he tarries long enough
in captivity for his beard to grow, informed me
that he would rather cut up his dog and eat
him, than surrender to the id yankees.
l should have mentioned in the proper con
uection above, that among the rebel prisoners
is Lieut.. Rufus J. Polk of the Nelson artillery
a nephew of the Rev. Gen. Polk.
Speaking Of the force at the Island No. 10
and vicinity says.
Gen. McCowen was originally in command
Of the post Some four weeks ago he was re
moved for evaeuating New Madlid. Since that
time the following Generals--ali Brigadiers-
have successfully held command: Gems. Nc.
Kell, Walker, CAN'T and Trudeau. Gen. Nc
Kell was at one time Gen. Sidney Johnson's
adjutant.
Ters is an interesting feature discovered in
the rebel camp, when our troops took posses
sion of the Island and vicinity.
FEMALE CAMP.
One of the features of the deserted rebel
camp was a popularity which we have not met
with heretofore. On beautiful hill, surround
ed by pleasant groves, budding wild flowers,
and the accompanying charms of q rural re-
treat, We found bevy Of mymphs eneamped
and enjoying soldierly life in real earnest.
There was twelve or fifteen of them, of differ
/ ent ages, but all young and more or less fair to
looK upon. They sat around the campfire and
cooked their breakfast, "A little dishevelled and
rumpled as might perhaps be expected in re-
membrance of the scenes Of excitement they
had passed through, bat yet much composed
and as mach at home as though they had cam
paigned it all their lives. There was a stray
lock of hair hanging here and there, AN unlaced
bodice granting chary gmpses of vast luxur-
lance of bust, stocking down at the heel, or q
garter with visible downward tendencies all of
which was attributable to our early visit.
There were all the marks of feminjnity about
the place. The empowering trees were hung
: with hoop skirts, petticoats and Haunting ar
ticIes which looked in the distance like abbre-
waited pantaloons. A glance at the interior of
their tents showed magnificent disorder Dim
ity and calico, silk feathers, bed clothes, and
all the appurtenances of female boudor were
visible. 1t wasa rarG aniS in terrG--a new
bird in the woods.
: These feminine voyageurs we're real cam
paigners. The chiyalry of the South ever soil
# ciitous for the sex, could not resist the temp
: tation for its society, and hence he camp OF
nymphs by the river side, in the empowering
J. shade, ct cetera, l will not say much for their
5 fair fame, or for the good name of the Con
federate officers, whose baggage was mingled
in admirable confusion with the rumpled dim
> ty and calico, whose boots and spurs hung
among the hoop skirts and unmentionabes
S and whose old hats ornamented the tent poles
v or decked the heads ofthe fair adventuresses
1t is new feature in the war.
Much of the glory of capturing Island No
r 10 belongs to Col. Bissell, of St. Louis, com
J. mander of an engineer regiment. He eDgag
! ed to undertake The job of transporting steam
ers from above Island No. 10 to New Madrid
AN IMMENSE UNDER TAKING.
The difficulties of this work will be under
L stood when it is known that for distance 0
8 over twelve miles the boats were to be trans
ported thro a heavy forest, where the tree
# were mcommonly large and close, and wher
IuG uSIiSS COtbOH HOOu uHuCI wv til anu Gall
u brake peculiar to this country, grow IN all it,
/ native luxuriance There was plenty of wa
D. ter, the river having overlooked its banks to
! depth Of from FIVE to fifteen feet, and in man,
= places much deeper. The task Of clearing on
ID the trees was one that would have dismayed
lie Stout r heart than Col Bisson's, but for tn
n engineering experience and natural ingenuity
which came to his aid, He attacked the prim
eval forest, and in a few hours was buLie
from sight in its depth
Accompanied by large detachment of men
in mall boats, and fiat boats, armed with lon
cross cut saws and axes, he made fast work O
it. The trees to be cut were selected and Gu
e down. They were, however, asSmubh in tn
% way as ever, as the stumpS were still abcv
N water. An upright timber was then fastene
- to the stump, and to the top of this, some 81
- feet high, was fastened an oscilating frame
ID swinging on a bolt, and extending four fee
g, below the surface of the river The saw wa
e, fastened to this frame at the lower end an
50 with rope extending each way, it was EuLe
~ back and forth until the tree was sawed off. /
- this way the largest trees sUccumed and fell i
= short time. Fifteen minutes usually cor
"S quered an ordinary tree, and half an hour wa
" sufficient for the giants of the forrest. Tn
a work was not done then, however.
1t. The overhanging tree tops were to be cut t
n allow the upper works and chimneys to pass
anu iEuu-NS VI me tlNCb were ~ DO SiSd
ed away, and a clear chanel as wide as a steam
'e boat was to be made, all of which necessiate
Il the most arduous labor and perseverance. TIL
g, boats progressed sometimes slowly, and some
on times with considerable speed, in aceordanc
ed with the nature of the country, some day
they made no more than one or two lengths
nj the boat, while others they made mile {
he more. They did not keep straight cours
but turned aside when a ravine valley otfe
as ed less distractions, and in this way they worl
be ed in northwesterly course, which was not
ri the direction of New Madrid. The great o.
on ject was to reach deep bayou, which emptie
"A. into the river at that place.
= This bayou was the bed of creek which IA
7sS in ravine, and was comparatively clesr
ed Instructions After much labor and disa