, 1862-04-01
Gbt. Tributte
TUESDAY,, APRIL l, 1864.
SIEGE OF ISLAND NO. 10.


Saturday, the sixteenth day Of the Expedi- |
ton and fourteenth day Of the siege, and still |
we are lying off Island No. 10; still the NOR
tars are booming and still the cannon On the !
Island reply with dull, su1len roar, wasting
shot and temper alike. The very birds have |
become accustomed to the artificial thunder
and Light upon the branches oyerhanging the
mortars, in the sulphurous smoke. Wefeafh-
criess bipeds count the hours BY the explosions
and look for them at certain intervals, as reg
ulaE1y as for our salt junk and onions, which
compose the de1ectablc fighting fare, Yester~
day and today, the rebels have bro
ken their long silence and replied
vigorously, throwing some wel1-aimed
solid shots at us, but far ont Of range.
5aded and harassed by our slow and provoking
shower Of shells, they have evidently lost their
tempers, and are blazing away to show their
a7imus. The lion is struggling In his tolls
With no mouse to gnaw the meshes and set
him free. At intervals comes the heavy boom
Of Gen Pcpe's guns, reminding them Of their
coming fate,-the Nemesis, which, day By
day, approaches with slow but sure steps.
Yesterday the gunboats coaled, and took
On thirty days rations. OF itself there is
nothing peculiar in this, as it occurs regularly
in port, but coupled with the TACT that mes
senger arrived yesterday from Gen Halleck
OF the Polar Star, it assumes Significance.
Join to this, again, the heavy firing yesterday
and today, and the anxiously lookedfor signal
to move seems near at hand.
In connection with siege there are always
little scenes and incidents which for the uonca
assume magnitude warranted bv the sur
ronn7;noc 6f +h;s character rae one 1rh1cb
!o0nu.se' ~ 1ute .4''1.1et "os ons ~1Aen
trausp'red last night Ihe steamer wilson
lies moored to the oFcrf1oEed bank only few
rods below the ammunition boats, Between
a,a 4bo ehoo+ .anoro+.n,, +ha ,,,;, ,ona
'n ~ aAos ne A-aaiA aaAa
from Inc Aslana, stfe1cnes neasy CROWN Oh
elms and cotton wood, their monstrous,
s,acpv trr1ke ca5ded tIcht1y With 1anre1 y1nes
.-,,e.so,.o-+1 1aeaaa.,. -:+, ~. $500
"noieseene iascoons sousssS viii tAe SET
Ient, and their branches matted together with
wild ivY and the muscadine grape vines which
4wine and 5ntertw,nn in +be Tos+ o1acafn1 con.
@3A 49, eoH
FoIoIons ana hang peHoenI from Inc boughs,
covered With dead tendrils and glistening
cne,o1d hrancbps of 1e7st1etno Re3oJr rusbas
g.. 49, ~ +,>a a1-a 49,, .oaot1a+a ~ha , 1,,.as5
~ III 10 .ne ese s.ln psne.4a.e, 1ue pioau
stream Of water, Utmost choked up with
H.
whfcn. vcdrine between the trees. farm
51 aa~as = 49,. ,as- os,-- ~ NJ,
"ooos o-1se ~ ..1's n'e0os sana'a' iae
rebels Emo" bS their spies, who have nasi-
gated the woods all about us in dug onts. the
o.~a,. ,,oe,t;t,n oe +1o ,,,,,,,,,7,74;o,,
poe.4ea ~ ~4-e '>''41D 't4Nlon ooa1e anu
Inc 1act 1hat 1neE are nearly loaded with
powder, shot and shell. The destruction Of
one of them would be a feather in their can.
-,o-tb tho aannt;no o,a -a,;o,,, .tto,s1t~
49, 80 en - - -, t., aI1 .I.1ou3 atseAaptS
1:fe PEEL Mane 10 spploacn lnem eat 5lgnally
1sslcQ u Inc Vigilance OF our sentlne1S upon
inc ooats.
Last n1gn1 was e'ot1oy ana veueo In Gin
rlclaan aaIAness, INC Fef5 OCCASION Tor an at
tempt 9l ln1s nalule' No Plcheis could pre-
Htn1 thelf al'p1oach, OWING 70 the depth OF
lie walter ehoral5 a11er m11nlSht, was IT,
ng upon Inc decK stIeLcned upon i coil OF
rope. ne seaIpsst Ftslon could only pene-
tIate lew .eef rom re boat, with space
Illuminated W Ile boueT htes. 1t was
Ghasuy scene Inc straight tree stems SEEM
ed more sepnlcllrI than ever. Not sound
was audible IN that black distance, save the
guEGle OF Inc waters rs they FLASHED against
ing supernatural character. when suddenly
cleaning I'D llg ut flashed for m instant d.
rtctiy III front 11 the ammunition boats, aud
;shout a quarter Of mile distant. Il disap-
Teafed as quickly rs it flashed l eagerly
s:1ained my ears, ard aeoye the gurg!e Of the
t1nct splash Of 4 paddle. In few minutes
sssaiu The mysterious red light appeared, but
i! another place, cleaning like fiery eye.
l, shone about FIVE minutes, gradually shifting
attu Ut, UNTIL finally 1t disappeared aud dark
ness closed everything in with its impenetra-
hIc wall The light lid attracted the attention
81 the sentlDe's upon the ammunition boats
who stood rcac5 for the emergency. What
ever may have been the cause Of the light,
however, It did BOT appear agalu, but it is more
man m probable o9 that It was occasioned BY par
Island:
During the past two or three dIye, I hayt
navIgated the Missouri shore for some dis
9auce up the river, i'ipelled by curiosity aut
IN quest oi material tor 1 Letter, A1out t!lrcs
mites ABOVE US are TWO plantations, situated
Upon 1ne eniy 1asins ground Tor miles around
IAeJ strongly resemble caca other il thei
outward aspects: IWo-$toTy white houses
FIN curved roofs prn)cctlnE lar over the cavci
for the masters. Graceful vines Chamber ore
The doorway The rooms are spacious
and 50 constructed as to admit the
draft IN all directions. surroundir:
the house and covering three, side
OF square arc tile negro Euts, dingy 1og cat
!es1 oul Spacious ana So.n1oEiaole,and Stretch
3aE away ~ the rear. me paterna acres, rcgu
4s1is paTa1tioncd on, already green Win Ia
Young wheat and early Vegetables, and pro
ncttd rom NE lncnfslons OF the hoods b
SNS - teo' a0e t"o paul e'At4oAs A4E Aoou
EalI mhe apart l:lnded At the lower on
ana went Up Inc broad gateway to the houst
Inc door was unng VIDE open and entered
expecting TO lind the inmates. Eycryinin
was aulet, however, the rooms were Stripe
ol their furniture, aad was the sol
1ossessof OF thc deserted habltatiOr
Invent ont and visited tae negro huts. The6
also we're deserted, with The exception Of ONT
upon the dooTma OF which pla5ed littl
picanlnny about four years Of aye. Here, a
least, was life- Entering the door, I found
ropulous black family just sitting down t
their hog and hominy. Filling my pipe fro1
box Of fragrant leaf tobacco, 1 entered in,
conversation with the head fthe family. q fin.
looking contraband Of perhaps forty, an
gained the following bit Of domestic lis1o1
relative to tic two plantations: Siueular1
enough, the owners Of each were named Rot
cTts, but their blood ran in different 7siu
One, the owner Of the lower plantation. v.
John. the other Samuel; both irou-willed, c,
cIgetic, obstinate men. John Roberts lls
two sons, and Samuel one son and one dauc'
Ter. They came to this country years a.
John arriving first and pre- emptiu9 his pr.
c,.t locality; Samuel following two Years
ttr and purchasing lis plantation. Both W.
il moderate circumstances and had but &;
ncsrees, but rs the years went on, their h.
ytsts wc.e bounttous srd brought ~,
Prices; new negroes were purchased and ne
:,rrts a.!ded 10 :ae plantations. uutil their on
eiSt:s touch-1 each o.hcz. There arose d;
II:e, ont day, :hent The boundary iiue, a,