The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1863-04-15
ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
GnAsD LAKE, ARK, March 90, 1853

from Bayou Macon.to Youngs Point canal,
thence up the Yazoo river a.; far as practi
tcab1e, thence to Mi'lican's bind thence to
Youns's Point again, and lastly TO this
place after cypress timber for the use of the
canal. lis .t,.. 49,. ~
:Detachments Of it however are GENERATING
at ,Yazoo pass, and Yopngs Point, and. the
most extensive preparations arc Icing made
for the reduction Of the rebel stronghold Of
the Mississippi valley.
Yesterday two powerful Gun boats of ad :
'nraI Farraguts fleet made their sppearance
below Vicksburg, having run the blockade
at Port Hudson. 1t is understood that the
Admiral brings important: dispatches from
General Banks to General Grant. H.:
ltjs quite evident now that the fayorite
plan of approaching Vicksburg is by way
Of the Yazoo Pass, which if successful, as
present appearances seem to indicate that it
will be, all the available strength will be
thrown upon the enemy from that quarter.
Should it fail, preparations have already
been made for grand stroke from another
direction. .,:,:t 49,
The cutting Of the leycc, of whie'. Won
are probably already advised is one Of the
most notable events in the whole campairn
The inhabitance of our North w.s,.,n
States who enjoy healthy and secure res
'dence several hundre ed feet above the wa
lers of the Mississippi, can more fully ap
preclate their position, by considering the
tact that much of the finest agricultural re =.
g'on Of the South and particularly the state
OF Louisiana is from five to twenty feet be-
low the surface Of this great river, and the
wealthy planters enjoy their possessions
under the precarious tenure of an artificial
emoankrnent,: OF lev'e thrown up along the
banks of the river by State authority and
expense, which is about thirty five feet in
thickness and high enough to be proof
against an overflow. AS the welfare Of the
State as we'll Of its inhabitants depend up.
on the security Of its levee, the law visits
the severest penalty (death upon any one
who woald cut or weaken it. But Col
b'ssell of the Engineer Corps, having con.
ce'ved plan Of thanking the rebels on the
south side of Vleksburg by forcing passage
through portion Of the state of Louisiana
oy successive chain of Bayous and small
rivers which could he entered by cutting
the 'evee at Ashton, about twenty p,iles
above Lake Providence and not having the
personal interest of rebels, or the fear O:
their state laws before his eyes, obtained an
orler to examine, and if prace,clc to prose
cute the work. Accordingly the Engineer
corps was Withdrawn from the work on
baxter's Bayou and Lake Providence, the
practicability Of which did not enjoy their
confidence, and the work Of opening the
approaches to Bayou Macon commenced,
which consisted in clearing out the trees
and stumps distance Of few hundred
yards, and cutting the embankment, The
latter was the NEST debate ur dertakin-
for as the water at this point had about
fourteen feet fall, and as the clay soil Of
which the levee is composed was almost
proof against its action, it became necessary
to cut it deep enough to guard against the
the injury Of Boats ia passing over. Blast
ing with powder was therefore resorted 10
which was accomplished in the following
manner.
A small cylinder shaped hole was dug
aboutten feet deep. into which key OF
powder was placed containing 100 pounds,
with which powder. hose was made to
communicate reaching to the top Of thu
|embankment. The hole was then filled
up and the earth closely packed. A train
lot powder was extended from the mouth of
OF the hose back distance Of several rods
Tor the greater CONVENIENCE, and security OF
the operator in touching it off:
Judge the effect Of a hundred pounds OF
powder deeply buried, and fired in such an
|embankmen The bursting of a long pen,
volcano could not be more grand, or start.
ling. than its explosion. Huge masses o.
earth and clay were thrown a distance O,
two hundred fee. high. and the rush of the
workmen to escape the falling missiles told
that It was unsafe to stand within several
bundled yards. ...~ ~~,
| The crater which it caused was abou,
thirty five feet in diameter, hy fifteen deer
white the whole earth Cor yards around i,
was completely puive.issi. and easily wash
ed out br the force Of the water upon it
Ia this manner quarter Of = mile of ,hs
I'evee was soon cut, and 400 square miles
OF the State inundated. I, -
i IS impossible to estimate the damages
The Inhabitants have been obliged to fes
'or safety beyond the Black and Red r;ve q,