Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-14


called Bayou JscqHss eoanscss It with the Bavon
fensas, and q h.tis further 10 the we,t wis
Bayon Macon. Ihes8 two sresmq. IKE tboea
shove mentioned, are fed largely bv the Mis-
sissippi in high water. TIE dis,anee f-on, fhs
parent stream is not quits FIVE miles At TIA lara-
TIE Tensa5 end Macon pronounced BY the
natives Mason, on account Of is French origi14
keep e Soatherly course some fifty miles west Of
The mississippi, and uniting from the Teneas
river A hundred miles further and the Tsnsas
and Ouaeaiia, in functions form the Blach river.
its mouth.
There are three courses rom Lake Providence
70 Red river, the adVantaees. Of which are yet
TO be explored By the Bayou Tensas. Bayoa
Macon and Isnsas river, or from the Tansas into
the Bout bayou, or Red river into tins Ouachita.
The distance by any Of the routes viii be about
two hundred miles The Teusas and tho Bauf
rivers are nnvigsble for small craft steamers at
certain periods az far as the Vicksburg and
ShceEspozt railroad with avery little trouble
IN cutting ana clearing timber they might be
made so 10 the lake.
Bot it is projected to open such a channel,
50 that the Impstus Of the Mississippi viii
wash q deep and nsvigahls chsnnel, and IN shis
hes cur greatest hope aud greatest danger,
Should re succeed so far IS to change any
considerable portion Of the stream which now
flows by Lake Providence into the Tensas river.
there is no telling whether or NOT il might IN g.
snort time completely change the Ted Of the
river, SO that Vicksburg would be left inland
sBd the Mississippi translated fly miles f1rther
west That hat bottom land on the west bank
IS sl the sans, and the river would run rs well
one way as the olher; so slight sre the chances
that direct It that On q minor scale it does fe-
quentiy charge.
But the effect does not stop here, for while we.
were leaving VicksbBrg far 10 The Toward We
might raise a CHEST whIch we could not aueH.
II we ean contemplate . change so Significant
as ihs one We have just hated. Whist would be
ths effect on tas Rod river bslowl The rolling
tide Of the Mississippi booming down into tie
Red river would almost certainly BE- diverted
INTO the Atchafslays, and thus accomplish whss
tas people Of Kew 0rlssas feared thirty years
sgo, aad to pFeveut which they made the eatfof
At RzcouTci
Ihe consequences in sRch an event would be
terrible. New Orleans and he coast, as il is
called, wonid be ruined; half the sugar estates
ia Louisiana worthless. Besides, the Missis-
sippi where it now runs would be no navfseble
stream rs track woai3 10 lost, and itself, m
defended By cur ganboats, be a pray 20 the Con
i~ecerate5. Such mighty OAK from little acorns
grow t1st a t0cs Of excavation TOO much, or a
rod too hgh or too low, might change the for-
times Of an area larger than Turkey.
Our engineers vii have to be watchfal IN
case they decide upon opening this course, IS
most likely Fhey vii There Is q gtaat chance
that the natural operation Of he Mississippi
VII, IN The course Of a century, bring it 30 this
point; but ia this eas8 we should r. able 30 an
HeiPsts nataso with fearful efset. Indeed, the
proximity Of the Atchafalags and Mississippi at
Red river threatens The sans thing even sooner.
The ca9als are adopted. General GIaat has
f0Isakeu his memorable resolution 20 omove
Immediately upoa their works. but proposes to.
move Immediately around them. We have
already indicated thst the passage OF a very
few bgats ef light draaght would enable Us to
reduce Port Hudson with the sid Of Bsnks.
That dooe, the united armies could lay siege to
Ficks5srg from above, below and in front. The
surrender Of the plscs, while it is remote. is
thus plaeed within the range Of probability.
The elements arc at work for us. Col Bissel
and the engineers are taSing advantage Of It.
Gen. AeArthnr IS already ct Lake Provide1es.
The control Of the Mississippi is almost within
cur sras2. Even if we have TO drs0lsts West
Loujai7ns we may save tho nation. Even if
We shah be obliged TO l7ave New Orleans, a few
spad9t9ls of dit nay give Us The outlet to the
sea un3spused
Ga the whole st mus. De regarded as a mos
important sep-.hs passage Of the blockade.
Ib5 hesltd Of the troops is very bad.