Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-06
From the Mississippi Squadron Change o
= Base-An Expedition up White River.
spondence Of the State Journal
U. 5. 5. MOUND CIR,
MISS. SQUADRON. July II. is

1
MEssRs. EDIroRs Since my last we have
changed our base and left old Hurricane,
perhaps forever, and it was not without feel
/ ngs OF regret either, as all had become quite
| attached to the locality, and the fruits and
| vegetables will be sadly missed BY our mess.
We had made great calculations of feast on
| Jeff.'s figs, pears, peaches, &c. but the or
| der came to make all haste to White River,
some $50 miles above. As the emergency
seemed to demand, we hailed the first boat
for assistance, which proved to be the Nstlie
| 4ble, large, new ard frst-class packet, and
very fast. They disliked, very much, to be
detained by towing us, and plead large
| Northern mail, dispatches, &c. But there
was no such thing as avoiding US, so we were
| taken alongside. At Vieksburg we over
took the steamer Lun,inaTy, another large
boat, running opposition to the MOllie Abie.
| Suspeeting, no doubt, our intentions towards
her, she steamed away from the landing in
| great haste, and although we whistled re-
peatedly for her to stop, she held steadily on,
| but when we threw a twelve-pound shot
across her bow, she hove to instantly. She
made fast to the other side of us, and the
three vessels plowed the Mississippi at a
good rate of speed, the parties of either boat
| consoling themselves with the reflection that
neither one could get ahead; and so the
| Mound City, although always considered a
/ slow boat, managed to keep up with the oest
| of them l think it i'll behooves the masters
| of steamboats, to demur when called upon &C.
casionally to do job for the navy, as these
same gunboats are the only means by which
navigation is made practicable at all on the
lower river.
| Arriving at the mouth of the White River,
we found quite an expedition ready to start
| up that stream The Cdrondelet, Tyler, Len
ington, hound City, Peri and Hastings, the
whole under command of Commander Phelps,
| an old. experienced and most excellent Off
Ger, who makes the Hastings his flag ship.
| The next morning after we arrived, in com
| pany with the Tyler, a reconnaissance was
made up the river as far as Prairie Landing,
some thirty miles where we found no enemy,
| but shoal water to such an extent that the
heavy iron-clads could not get up. We then
returned to the mouth of the river and came
| to anchor.
The TYLER and Cayondelet proceeded up the
Mississippi. The next day, as all the feet
of transports had arrived, we started again
up White river The entire feet, consisted
| of nine large transports laden with stores
and stock for Gen. Steele's army at Duvalps
| Bluff, and three gunboats, the Lexington be-
| ing left at the mouth. We anchored at night
| some fifty miles from the mouth, and started
early the next morning. During the night
the monitor NeoSho came up and joined the
| feet The NeoshO is one of the most serv-
| iceable boats in the squadron. She runs well,
draws only four feet of water, and carries
| guns that throw shell containing about a
camp-kettle full of bullets, and III Red river
the rebels learned to their cost that they
were very bitter dose of pills for any squad
| of men to take at once.
] nr.x s, tnh in
point of width and its tortuous course. The
names of points also resemble those OF the
| last named river in their meaning-such as
the 0x-bows, Scrub-grass Bend, &c. We got
| along very nicely until the morning of the
| 18th, when we arrived at Little Island, about
ninety miles from the Mississippi, when we
| came to dead stop, as the bottom OF the
| river had got to be so near the top of the
water that it was impossible for boats of the
| Hound City's draught to proceed any farther,
and after severe days work The NeoSho and
four transports succeeded in getting over
Pilots say, however, that once past this bar
there is no more difficulty to the bluffs
| There is no doubt heavy battery some twen-
| ty miles below Duvall's Bluff. The tin-clad
| Queen City, while lying at anchor, was sur
prised one morning a few days since by bav-
| ing heavy fire opened upon her from bat
| terry which had been planted during the night.
| After short fight she was taken, burned and
| sunk but the Lexington arrived in time to
save her guns. We are all very much disap-
pointed that we can get no farther up, al
though this stream has been a very unlucky
one for the Mound City, as you will recollect
that at ST. Charles her boilers were shot into
and one hundred and fifty out of a crew of
one hundred and seventy-fve were scalded
| to death We did not anticipate any such
catastrophe this time. The Red river affair
has most beautifully developed the weak
points of our tin-clads, and the rebels fear
| them no longer. They still, however, have
wholesome dread of the iron-clads The wa
ter in White river is quite clear and not un-
healthy, as was that Of the Red river, which
| is no small consideration this sweltering
weather.
| 1t is said that Marmaduke, who has been
! quite successful of late in making captures,
has sent word that he has got all the mules
he wants now and prefers horses hereafter.
On the morning of the 18th, by means of
unloading the horses, the remaining trans
ports got over with the exception of one, the
| Monsoon, which still proved too heavy and
returned with. us to the mouth. Some five
hundred rebels came in with felonious intent
towards the horses; but were too late, as they
were all loaded again before they reached
them.
We arrived at the mouth in the evening in
time for the regular dispatch boat with our
mail, and our hearts were made glad by good
news from the loved ones at home.
There is scarcely any town here, only atew
miserable shanties and some two or three
fiat boats used as a hotel, store, etc. We are
to keep the river clear to the bar above men,
toned by going up every other day or so
while the feet is absent. As far as we went
there was not sign of habitation, and dense
forests on either side. Occasionally a deer
would start and look at us from the bank I'M
til very close, then bound away. The woods
are said to abound in game of all kinds
~ M J. B.