The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-29
BIsscIl's Canal to New Madrid.
HOW THE VESSELS WERE WORRIED THROUGH

HOW THE VESSELS WERE WORRIED THROUGH.
a correspondent Of the Rochester In
io,., a member Of Col. Bissell's Engineer
Regiment, communicates to that paper
the following account Of the labor OF hi
body of men in cutting the canal through
to New Madrid from above the Island
cater the surrender Of the forts at
New Madrid we (Col. Bissell's Engineer
Regiment were engaged for four days
unspiking guns, changing batteries, es.
tablishjng new works, and other engin-
eering matters. Then we were sent over
by Gen. Pope to ascertain whether it
was not practicable TO establish batteries
opposite Island No. 10, so as to inflade
their works on the Kentucky shore. We
spent three days in the swamps in canoes,
with daIkeys as guides, but found the
project impracticable Col Bissell, how
ever, stated that he could by hard labor
get steamboats, and flalboats through the
woods and bayous, and by that means
land our forces nearly opposite New Mad
rid, aud take all the enemy's works in
the rear. Gen. Pope at once gave him
carte 6ian,he, and he sent 10 Cairo for
four steamboats,, six flats, and such guns
as could be spared. They sent the slca-
mers W. B. Terry, John Trio, Gilmore,
and Emma, with the barges, quantity Of
lumber, &c, and one eight inch coIum-
4 bad and three thirty.two pounders-
Tools We did not need, for the regiment
carries everything, from the heaviest
ropes and screws down to the fine steel
drills for unspiking guns. Our rout was
about twelve miles long, of which two
miles were through thick timber, and the
remaining ten through narrow, crooked
! bayous 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
! hulls of the boats. The timber is cut
! four fee: below 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 rigg
ed from RATS and our lowest fats, and
worked each by about twenty men. In
the first place three large launches went
ahead to cut out and push out of the track
the underbrush and drftwooi then
three RATS followed on which were the
men, who cut down and cut off The trees;
then the saws, then two large barges,
then one Of the steamboats,. Very large
lines were provided to run from The cap.
I ,ln nj D.
snatch blocks what the men could not
handle. Then followed the rest Of The
fleet, men being engaged all the time
converting the flat-boats into floating
batteries. From the river to the leyee
Il e distance is about 500 feet +; here the
water was shallow and the route full Of
stumps il took one whole day TO pass
this. Then the cut in the levee. Here
the fall was over two feet aud the rush
of water was tremendous. The largest
boat was dropped through with five lines
oat ahead Then a corn field, overflow
ed from cut in the evee. Here was
something Of a channel cut by the swift
water, aud we got along well nearly
quarter Of mile to the woods here was
the labor-two straight and long miles
to the nearest point IN the bayou. This
it took eight days to get through. Then
Wilson's Bayou, then East Bayou, then
Saint johns Bayou, which empties in
the Mississippi River at New Madrid. IL
YOU have never seen Il Southern swamp
/ you have no idea how thick il is a New
York elm swamp does not begin. III
sometimes took twenty men 4 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 fl ats could
get by, and all had 10 wait The water,
after we got into the woods, was about
six feet deep, with gentle current set
ling 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
distractions caused by drift heaps. but
cutting off one or two logs would t
I all down the current.
This is the hardest job have ever
seen undertaken, but Col. Bisseli is so
far down now ms to call it successful for
we are in sight Of the fences on 'tother
side Of Jordan
The sag Of the saw gives the correct
are Of the circle.
:" Al each end OF the saw a rope thirty
feet in length is fastened and carried to
boats upon which men are stationed. Ten
men man and work each rope