Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-06-08
How the Red River Fleet was Saved.
High Praise of Col Bailey by Admiral Porter.

Admiral David D. Porter's official report to
the Navv Department, dated at the mouth of
the Red river, May l6, gives vivid account
of the ingenious devices by which the iron
clad feet accompanying Banks expedition
was saved from destruction. The following
is the material part of the report:
1.-THE water had fallen so low that had
no hope or expectation of getting the vessels
out this season and as the army had made
arrangements to evacuate the country, saw
nothing before me but the destruction of the
best part of tffe Mississippi squadron. There
seems to have been an especial Providence
looking out for US in providing a man equal
to the emergency LieutenantC Colonel Bal
ley, acting engineer of the Nineteenth army
corps, proposed a plan of building series of
dams across the rocks at the falls, and raising
the water high enough to let the vessels pass
over. This proposition looked like madness,
and the best engineers ridiculed 1t, but Colo
mel Bailey was SO sangulne OF success that
requested General Banks to have it done, and
he entered heartily in the work. He placed
at the disposal of Colonel Bailey all the force
he required, consisting of some three thou
sand men and two or three hundred wagons.
All the neighboring steam mills were torn
down for material, two or three regiments OF
Maine men were set TO work telling trees,
and on the second day after my arrival in
Alexandria from Grand Ecore the work had
fairly begun Trees were falling with great
rapidity; teams were moving in all directions
bringing in brick and stone quarrles were
opened; fat boats were built to bring stone
stone down from above: and every man
seemed to be working with vigor L have
seldom seen equalled, while perhaps not one
in fifty believed in the success of the under
taking. These falls are about a mile in length
filed with rugged rocks, over which, at the
present stage of water, it seemed to be i'm
possible to make channel.
''The work was commenced by running
out from the left bank of the river tree
dam, made of the bodies of very large trees
brush, bricks and stone, cross-tied with other
heavy timber, and strengthened in every way
which ingenuity could devise. This was run
out about three hundred feet into the river:
four large coal barges were then filed with
bricks and sunk at the end of it. From the
right bank of the river cribs filed with stone
were built out to meet the barges. All of
which was successfully accomplished, not
withstanding there was current running
| nine miles an hour, which threatened to
| sweep everything before it. 1t will take too
much time to enter into details of this won
| derful work. Suffice it to say, that the dam
had nearly reached completion in eight days
| working time, and water had risen sufficient
| y on the upper falls to allow the Fort Hind
| man, Usage and NeoSho to get down and be
| ready to pass the dam. In another day it
| would have been high enough to enable all
the other vessels to pass the other falls. I'm
| fortunately, on the morning of the 9th inst,
| the pressure of water became so great that
| it swept away two of the stone barges, which
| swung in below the dam on one side. Seeing
| this unfortunate accident | jumped on
horse and rode up to where the upper yes
| sells were anchored and ordered the Le1iagtou
| to pass the upper falls, if possible, and i'm
mediately attempt to go through the dam. /
| thought l might be able to save the four yes
| sells below, not knowing whether the persons
| employed on the work would ever have the
| heart to renew their enterprise.
| "The Lexington succeeded in getting over
| the upper falls just in time-the water rap
| idly falling as she was passing over. She
| then steered directly for the opening in the
| dam, through which the water was rushing so
! furously that it seemed as if nothing but de-
struction awaited her, Thousands of beating
| hearts looked on anxious for the result. The
| silence was so great as the Lexington approach
| ed the dam that pin might almost be heard
| to fall She entered the gap with full head
of steam on, pitched down the roaring torrent
made two or three spasmodic rolls, hung for
! a mnment 'on the rocks below, was then
| swept into deep water by the current and
| thousand voices rose in one deafening cheer,
| and universal joy seemed to pervade the face
| of every man present. The NeOSh0 followed
| next, all her matches battened down, and
| every precaution taken against accident. She
| did not fare as we'll as the Lexington, her pi-
| lot having become frightened as he approach
| ed the abyss, and stopped her engine when /
| particularly ordered a full head of steam to
| be carried; the result was that for a moment
| L,, hill Il Siybt -,
water. Every one thought she was lost She
rose, however, swept along over the rocks
| with the current, and fortunately escaped
| with one hole in her bottom, which was stop
| ped in the cours of an hour. The Hjnd1aaat
and Usage both came through beautifully,
| without touching thing, and thought that
| if | was only fortunate enough to get my
| large vessels as we'll over the falls, my fleet
once more would 10 good service on the Mis-
| sissppi.
| 1.-The accident to the dam, instead of dis
| heartening Col. Bailey, only induced him to
| renew his exertions after he had seen the
| success of getting four vessels through The
| noble-hearted soldiers seeing their labor of
| the last eight days swept away in a moment,
| cheertully went to work to repair damages,
| being confident now that all the gunboats
would be finally brought over. These men
| had been working for eight days and nights
NiNiA
| cutting trees and wheeling brcks-and
nothing but good humor prevailed amongst
| them. On the whole it was very fortunate
| the dam was carried away, as the two barges
that were swept away from the center swung
| around against the rocks on the left, and
made fine cushion for the vessels, and pre-
vented them, IA it afterwards appeared, from
| running on certain destruction,
90 The force of the water and the current
| being too great 10 construct continuous
| dam of six hundred feet across the river in
| so short a time, Col. Bailey determined to
| leave gap of ttty-hve feet in the dam and
build series of wing dams on the upper
| falls. This was accomplished in three days
time, and on the Il tn instant the Mound Citu,
| CarondeIet and PsttSblrg came over the upper
falls, good deal of labor having been ex-
| pended in hauling them through, the channel
| being very crooked, scarcely wide enough
| for them. Next day the Ozark, Louisville,
| CHiHcotIe and two tugs also succeeded in
passing the upper falls. Immediately after
ward the Mound CITY, Carondelet and Pits
| burg started in succession to pass the dam, all
their matches battened down, and every pre-
| canton taken IN DreyeQt accident.