Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-17
NoRTHERN vI9w OF THE TAzoO

ustAy inquiry NiA De excited at Lle uate OF
communication from Moon Lake Maps "
be q a vain to find It. True, the lal
appears on good maps Of the Mississippi Tv
aud OF the State Of Mississippi but no name
gwen It. Ihe map makers never dreamei tn
/ tbs little sheet OF water would ever rise to in
/ poTtsnce IN the history Of our country yet 1t
destined to have some notoriety hereafter as Il
rendt zYous Of the Yazoo pass expedition. Moo
| lake is q smsll lunsted sheet Of water, abog
| eight miles in length, with an average width
/ half Z two-thirds of a mile, aud bearing unmi.
taxable indications of having, at some past tim,
been section Of the bed of the Mississippi rive
1t lies directly east Of the Mississippi, and
reached through = very narrow and dificul
pass, about mile in length, forming the wesl
ere end OF the Yazoo pass. To speak as intelh
| gently as possible should say that the Yazo
I pass runs through this lake It enters it iron
the Mississippi al the northern end, and leave
/ It again ct about its center. Ia passing from
the river into the pass there is q ridge or marrow
/ bar to be crossed, Immediately beyond whicl
the pass makes short, right angular bend Z
the left The water flows over this ridge witt
wonderful velocity, almost resembling cata
ract, and . steamer has to be nicely handled EC
prevent its being thrown into the woods Just be
yond the ridge by the velocity Of the current
But, after crossing this ridge, and turning th;
bend TO the left, the channel OF the lake is very
straight and easy of navigation, having q uni
form depth Of about three fathoms, with a cur.
rent at the present time Of not far from foul
miles an hour. The only trouble is the
naTToWness Of the stream, which affords no op-
portunity for vessels moving in opposite direc-
ti0ns to pass each other, and requires skiliful
pilotirg to keep them cut of the woods that
ine its edges it has no banks. The width
between the timber scarcely exceeds seventy
FIVE feet, though occasionally msy be found
places of short length, where it widens out a
hundred feet About midway Of this pass is
the great Mississippi levee built By the State in
1856, to shut up this channel, and reclaim large
tracts Of land in The interior of the State that
had formerly been annually inundated by the
water Of tee Mississippi river flowing off through
this outlet. This leVee is one of the largest and
finest to be seen IN The Mississippi valley. It
Wss built at q great expense, aud with sn outlay
of a vast amount Of labor. It's destruction at
the point where it crosses the channel Of this
pass was but the work Of a day by a small de-
tschment of our troops. Trey had only to cut
a small hole in it TO Start the water, when the
rapid current and vast volume of water soon
tore the rest, making the gap of equal width
with the pass itself
After reaching the lake there is no further
trouble until we again enter the pass leading ON
to ColdWater river. The lake, as l have said
above, has about the same width as the Mssis-
sippi river, aud has now uniform depth over
its whole area sufficient to Aoat the largest class
of steamers. It is very picturesque and beau
tIful sheet Of water, the entrance to and exit
from which, both being so very narrow aud
through thick woods, can scarcely be seen a
hundred yards away fTom their mouths. The
shores are high and dry. On the eastern bank
fht~l ara frrn 4.ra r1s h.
with these exceptions, the surroundings are an
unbroken forest It's isolation, and consequent
quiet. have made it a great resort for aquatic
birds of 81 kinds. Wild ducks and geese
abound here in prOfusiOn. Occasionally a swan
is seen. Pelicsns and gulls fly about over its
surface with the utmost freedom. The water
being deep, COOL and comparatively clear,
abounds with fish Of all kinds. In fact, the
place is a very paradise for sportsmen-Or, rs-
ther, should have said, was, prior to the advent
Of this feet into its quiet waters. So unusual
a sight as large steamers, putting and snoTting
about, has frightened the game away, and even
the fishes manifest shyness now, as if they,
too, hsd become alarmed by the disturbance of
the water.
Such is the rendezvous for this expedition Il
is but shout eight miles from Helena, from which
place vessels can be sent at any time as they
Investigations and obseI vatioDs Of spies A
casual observer at Helena can form no possible
idea Of the character or magnitude of this expe-
ition, as he can see but one or tive boats at
time, and even then is left to guess whether they
3re intended for this movement or not. And on
this base my strongest hopes fox the success Of
the movement. The enemy, through our own
or reachery, have had timely
information OF our intention to send an expe-
iitiOn down this pass but, as yet, we have
every reason TO believe that they are in total
ignorance Of the magnitude and formidable
character Of the expedition. do not give them
credit for sufficient gulibihty to believe that We
sending heavy iron-c clad gunboats-
lOme Of the largest of our heet-down this mar
'ow and tortuous pass nor do believe they
viii be prepared to see us approach with any
great number of gUnbosts Of any kind. Nor
ret can they be expected to anticipate the sp
lr0ach Of large steamers, loaded with soldiers
md artillery, through this route, which has
never before been navigsted by anything bus
latboais propelled bY the force Of th9 current
md guided by hand. Rendezvousing, therefore,
u this secluded spot, where there is no hkel
lOod Of being seen by the enemy, there is every
sasOn to anticipate that, when We move forward
n 4 body and come upon them, we shall take
hem completely by surprise. At least hope so
II we do not take the enemy by surprise-if
hey shall eheHee TO be fully informed of the ma
ure aud extent of our preparations, and shsll
e fully prepared to meet us-GOd help US
here viii be no escape for any of US. When
We advance beyond this rendezvous, there is no
eturn for us. The pass from here to Coldwster
) much narrower and infinitely more toTtuous,
nth more rapid current, Than that leading
rom the Mississippi into the lake. Once
trough that, We can never get these boats back
gain through it. The current itself would be
sufficient impediment to cur return, did none !
ther exist. Our only chance, then, is to fight |
ur way through to Vlcksburg. The only /
we can have win be to fight or die.
1t was in the stretch beyond this lake, leading |
the ColdWater river, that the enemy sought TO /
bs;T8ct the channel so as to prevent our boats j
om getting through, The distance is not fer /
ON fifteen miles by the course OF the pass. /
throughout this distance they filed the channel 1
-ith logs, trees, stumps, and all manner Of OBJ 1
aeles. Our troops have been at work nearly /
lres weeks in clearing out these obstructons, /
nd in cutting away the timber that overhangs 4
is stream They are not through with this la Z
OF yet, though just how far they have got am
uabls Ia say. They have been much annoyed 4
their iabors by small parties Of rebels, who 4
over about in the woods and fire upon them.
o great did this annoyance become, that a hat
lion Of the 5ih Illinois cavalry was finally sent
own to scour the banks aud drive back the enc
y. A detachment of this cavalry had quite q
risk skiTmish, on Friday, with a company Of
bout sixty mounted rebels finally dispensing
lem, after killing six Of their number wound
e several more, and capturing twenty-six
fsonsTs. Oar own loss was but triAing, only
We or six being wounded.
New orleans 5Earkets.
OFFICE or THE DAILY TRUE Delta,
Thursday evening, March y, 1853.
Tebaeco.-A lot Of 1S hhds. fine leaf sold TO-
~ for export at 27e. per ID
Sugar The supply is extremely light and 1
ith a coatiuued good demand, prices have stiil /
rther advanced fully &C. per h., the sales en-
racing 444 hhds. in numerous lots at &c. for in 1
riar. SIC. for low cantrifneal. 9ae. for good |