Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-06-10
NUMBER FIFTY
How the Red River Fleet was saved.

How the Red River Fleet was saved.
The following Is extracted from Admiral
Portcr's report, showing how his fleet, caught
by low water above the falls in the Red Riy-
er at Alexandra, was released
There seems to have been an especial Proyi-
dence looking out for in providing mao
equal 10 the emergency. Lieut.. Col Bailey.
Acting Engineer Of the ll,h Army Corps, pro-
posed plan of huilling series Of dams across
the rocks at the falls and raising the water high
enough to let the vessels pass over. This propo-
siiion looked Ike Madness and the best engineers
ridicule,i It; hu, Col. Bailey was so sanguine Of
success tina; requested Gen. Banks to have it
done. and h. entered heartily into the work
Gen. Banks plicei at the disposal Of Col. Bal
ley all the force he required, consisting Of some
5000 men snt .uu or 900 wagons. Ali ths
neighboring steam mills were torn down for ma
terisl: two or three regiments OF Name men
were set to work telling trees; teams were mov-
ing in an directions, bringing in brick and stone;
quarries were opCuel; fat boats were bull, 20
bring stone down from above.
These fall arc about mile IN lsrgJh, filed
with ragged rocks, over Fhich. AZ the p-e=ent
stage Of vater, !, seemed impossible TO make
channel
WONDERFUL WORE-TuE TEEE DAN
The work wa- commenced by runningou 10
the left bank of the river a tree dam, mals q
the hodies % very large trees, brush, bric. ard
stone cru---tic'i with heavy timber, and strength
enei in every v4y which ingenuity coull i,, So.
This was run out about 800 feet into the river;
four barge coal tar-cs were then flled with .r-S
and sunk at the end Of il. From the right bank
Of the river cribs hllel with stone were buii- ,ut
10 meet the barres. All OF which was success y
accomplished. uotw.thstanding there was a cur
rent running of nine miles an hour, which
Threatened to sweep every thing before II.
Il viii cake too much time 20 enter into th'
details Of this truly wonderful work. suffice t TO
sly. that the dam had nearly reached completion
IN eight davs working time, and the water lrl
risen sufficiently ON the upper falls 70 allow the
Fort lIindman, Usage and Neosho TO get down
and be ready to pass the dam. In another iay
n wouli have been high enough to enable all the
other yesse.s 10 pass the upper tail-. Uni0riu-
natelv on the morning Of the 9th inst, the press
ure OF water became 50 great that Il swept away
TWO Of the stone barges which swung IN below the
dam on one side Seeing this unfortunate ac-l-
dent, I Jumped upon horse and rule up 20
where the upper vessels were anchored, and
ordered the Lexington 20 pass the upper falls Il
possible. and Immediately attempt TO 90 through
the dam.
PART OF TuE FLEET GET OVER IIE FALLS.
The Lexington succeeded in getting over the
upper falls Just in time, the water rapidly fill
ing IL she was pl>sjng over. She then steered il
rec,ly for the opening in the dam, through
which the water was rushing 50 furiously that II
seemed A. If nothing but destruction awaited
her. Thousands OF beating hearts looked on
anxious for the result
The silence Was great As the Lexington ap-
proachel the dam that i pm might almost
have been heard TO fall. She entered the gap with
a full head Of steam on, pitched down the roar
ing torrent, made two OF three spasmotlc rolls,
hung for a moment on the rocks below, was
then swept into deep water by the current, aud
rounded to safely into the bank
Thirty thousand voices rose in one deafsning
cheer, and universal joy seemed to pervade the
face Of every man present. The NeoshO fl-
lowed next-an her matches battened down aud
every precaution taken against accident. She
did not fare as well as the Lexington, her pilot
having become frightened as he approached the
abyss. and stopped her engine, when particu-
larlv ordered a full head Of steam TO oe carried.
The result was that for moment her hull dis
appeared from sight, under the water Livery
one thought she was lost She rose, however,
sven, along over the rocks with the current,
ami fortunately escaped with only one hole in
her bottom, which was stopped IN the course of
an hour The Hindman and Usage both came
through beautifully without touching thing.
COZ. BAILEY SoT DIsHEARTESED.
The accident to the dam, instead Of disheart-
cniug Col Bailey, only induced him 70 renew
his exertiors, after he had seen the success of
getting four vessels through. The noblehelrted
soldiers seeing their labor Of the last eight days
swept away in moment, eheerfully went 70
work to repair damages. being confident now
that all the gunbOsts would be finally brought
over The men hal been working for eight
days anil nights, up 10 their necks in water, IN
the hroiline sun, cutting trees and wheeling
bricks, and nothing but good humor prevl'ied
among them. On the whole, IT was very far;u-
nate the dam Was carried away, as the Two
barges that were swept away from the tre
swung around against some rocks on the .ef
and made fine cushion for the vessels. ani pre-
vented them, rs il afterward appeared, from
running on certain destruction.
The force Of the water and the current being
too great 10 construct continuous dam l- SIX
hundred feet across the river in "A short time,
Col. Bailey determined TO leave gap Of .rty-
FIVE feet in the dam, and build a series Of wing
dams on the upper falls. This was accOmp >1ed
in three days time, and on the llth inst, the
Mound Citv. the Carondelet and Pittsburgh
came over lut upper ltlA- y a'ANA- Na -e.tA
having been expended in hauling them through
the chanuel, the channel being very crooked
scarcely wle enough for them. Next day the
Ozark, Louisville Chilcothe and two tugs also
succeeded in crossing the upper falls.
PASSAGE OF IHE FLEET--A BEAUTIFUL sIGHr.
Immediately after the Mound City, Caronde-
let aud Pittsburg started in succession to PASS
the dam, all their matches battened down and
every precdution taken to prevent accident
The ptsslge Of these vessels was a most beau
tiful sight. only to be realized when seen. They
passed over without an accident, except the
unshipping of one or two rudders. This was
witnessed by all the troops, and the vessels were
heartily cheered when they passed over. Next
morning at ten O'Clock, the Louisville, Chilli
eothe, Ozark, and two tugs passed over without
any accident except the loss Of man, who
was swept Oft the deck of one Of the
tugs By three O'Clock that afternoon the YES
sells were all eoaled ammunition replaced. and
ali steamed down the river with the convoy Of
transports IN company. \ good deal Of difhcul-
ty was anticipated in getting over the bars IN
lower Rel river-depth Of water reported only
i've feet; gunboats were drawing SIX Provi-
dentially, we had a rise from the back-water Of
the Mississippi-that river being very high st
that time-the back water extending to Alexln-
dria. I5O miles distant, enabling US to pass al
the bars and Instructions with safety.
Words are inadequate to express the adnira-
ton feel for the ability of Lieut. Col Barley.
This is without doubt the best engineering feat
ever performed Under the best circumstances,
private company would not have completed
this work under one year, and to an ordinary
mind the whole thing would have appeared an
entire impossibility. Leaving out his ability as
an engineer-the credit he has conferred upon
the country-he has saved the Union a valusble
fleet, worth nearly S2,0OO.OO0 more, he has
derived the enemy of triumph which would
have emboldened them TO carry on this war a
wear or two longer, for the intended departure
Of the army was a fixed fact. and there WAS
nothing LEFT for me to do in case that event oc-
CURED but 10 destroy every part OF the vessels,
| 30 that the Rebels could make nothing Of them
| The highest hOnoTs the Government can bestow
on Col. Bailey can never pay him for the SER
vice he has rendered the country.
To Gen. Banks. personally, am much in
debted for the happy manner in which he has
forraried this enterprise giving il his whole at