, 1862-04-12
Bfssel1ss Canal to New Madrid.


now THE VESSELS WE'RE WORKED THROUGH.
A correspondent of the Rochester Union,
member Of Col Bissell's Engineer Regi-
mcnt, communicates to that paper the follow
ing account Of the labor Of this body of men
in cutting the canal through to New Madrid
from above the Island:
stAftez the surrender of the forts at New
Madrid we (Col. Bissen's Engineer Rcgiment)
were engaged for four days unspiking guns,
changing batteries, establishing new works,
end other engineering matters. Then we
were sent over by Gen. Pope to ascertain
whether it was not practicable to establish
batteries opposite Island No. 10, so IS to in
tilade their works on the Kentucky shore.
We spent three days in the swampe in canoes,
with darkeys as guides, but found the project
impracticable Col Bissell, however. stated
that he could By hard labor pet steamboats, and
ilatboatE through the woods and bayous, aud
by that means land cur forces nearly opposite
New Madrid, and take all the enemy's works
in the rear. Gen. Pope at once gave him a
carte blanche, and he sent to Cairo for four
steamboats,, six iats, and such guns as could
be spared. They sent the steamers ". B.
Terry, john Trio, Gilmore, and Emma, with
tie barges, quantity Of lumber, &c, and one
eight inch columbiad and three thirty -two
Founders. Tools We did not need, for the
CAA12E NfC1 HULL LA1C AC<%f1C1t
ropes and Screws down to fine steel drills for
upspiking guns. Our route was about twelve
miles long, Of which two miles were through
thick timber, and the remaining ten through
narrow, crooked bayous grown up full oi
brush and small trees. We hare cut onr way
IN which thirty feet are required for the hulls
of the boats. The timber is cut four feet be.
low the surface of the water. In one short
stretch we cut seventy five trees thus deep,
not one less than two feet through. The
machines were rigged from rats and OIL
lowest fats, and worked each by about
twenty men. In the first place three large
launches went ahead to cut out and pu5E
out of the track tue nnderhrush aud drift
| wood; then three RATS followed On which
| were the men, who cut down and cut off tht
| trees; then the saws, then two large barges
then one Of the steamboats,. Very large linel
| were provided to run from the capstan Of tht
steamboat ard haul cut by snatch-blockl
I what the men could not lautlle, Then fol
lowed the rest Of the fleet, men being en-
gagcd ell tie ti11e converting tho hut-boats
into floating batteries. From the river to tht
leyee the distance Is about 800 feet; here tht
| water was shallow and the route full O
Then the cut in the levee. Here the fall WA
/ over two feet, and the rush Of water was tre
! mendous, The largest boat was dropped
| through with Ave lines out ahead. Then
+; corn-tie1d, oyertlowed from cut in the levee
| Here was something Of channel cut By th'
swift water, and we got along well nearly, I
! quarter OF mile to the woods; here YRS th'
labor--two straight and long miles to tn
/; nearest point in the bayou. This it tool
eight days to get through. Then VII
sons Bayou, then East Bayou, ther
Saint Johns Bayou, which empties intt
the Mississippi River at New Madrid
t If you have never seen 4 Southern swami
| you have no idea how thick 1t is; q New Yor{
| elm swamp does not begin. It sometimes tool
| twenty men q whole day to get ont half
sunken tree across the bayou. Such q place a
that kept us all back, as none Of the RATS O.
| flats could get by, and all had to wait. TIL
! Water, atteT We got into the woods, WAS abou
! SIX feet deep, with gentle current setting
ACROSS the peninsula In the East Bayou Ehl
current Has tremendous, and the boats had t,
be checked dowR with heavy head lines. Her
VIC found some distractions caused by drif
heaps, but cutting off one OF two logs Woula
| start all down the current. -.
this is the hardest job have ever seel
t undertaken, but Col. Bisseu is so far doEl
| nn# as to call it successful, for NC are iu sigh
| Of the fences on st'other side of Jordan
1.-THE sag Of the saw gives the correct arc q
| the circle.
| tsAt each end Of the eaw q rope thirty fee
in length is fastened and carried to boats upo
| which men are stationed Ten men man an
| work each rope.
"Whea the saw runs right, we have cut o
4 stump two feet in diameter In fourteen min
| ute6. Often it pinched and run crooked the
| gang would be two or three hours on one q
the eaIae size. If there happened to be an
brush under water, It added much to the Is
bor; it all had to be dshed up aud got out {
| the Wayn