Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-27
Admiral POrtsr's Official Narrative OF the
Extraordinary Escape Of His Fleet
from the Red River

Mourn REL RIVER, May 10, 1874.
siRi have the honor to INFORM you that the
Vebses lately caught by low water above the falls
az Alexandra have LeeH released from their un-
pleasant position. The water had fallen so low
vesHeB out this season, and, as the army had m AIDE
| arrangements to eyRcuat0 the country, I saw
nothing before me but the destruction OF the best
part Of the Miisisslppi squadron
There seems to have been an especial Providence
looking out fOr us In providing man equal to the
| emergency Lieut.. Col. Bailey, acting engineer Of
the 18th army corps, proposed plan OF building
series OF dams AcrO1I the rocks at the falls, aud
raiSing the water high enough to let the vessels
pass over. This proposition looked like madness,
and the best engineers ridleulel II hut Col Bal.
ley was 30 sAnEuine OF SuceerG that / requested
Gen banks TO have II done, and he entered heart
lily in the work PrOVisiOnG were short, and for
age was almost out, and the dam was promised TO
he finished In ten dAYE or the army would have 10
leave us. ] wAB doubtful about the time, hut had
no doubt about the ultimate GucosLG, II time would
only permit.
Gen. banks placed al thc disposal Of Col. Bailey
all the force he required, consulting Of some three
thousand men and two or three hundred wagons.
Al the neghboung steam mills were torn down
Tor mAlerlai-two or three regiments OF Maine
men were SET al work telling trees, and on the
! second day after my arrival In AleE.nGrlA from
Grand EcDre, the work had fairly begun. Trees
were falling with greAt rApidity IL ans were moV.
Ing IN all dirtctlons bringing In brick and stoae,
quAnlra were Openedi nAtboAts were huilt to
ollnB stone down from above, and every man Eeen-
ca 70 DC working with q yiBOr hEVG seldom seen
rquHl'ed, while perhlpl NOS one Ia rfty believed in
| tne success OF the uniertERig TheAe fails are
| supNt p M IN ItLs Il, nlled with rugged rocks,
over witch at the Vrrs nj stage oi water itseemsd
to 6e IN. 'oan' 10 to maze a chaarsL
| , Lht Nw1IE was commenced hy runLlng out from
| lhe leit bsaE ot tho river tree dam made Of the
bodies OF very large trees, truAh brick and stone
efoha'tied With heavy timber, and strengthened in
every way winch Ingenuity could devise. This
was run out about 80 feet into the river; fpuT
| large coal bArgcs wee then filled with brick and
sunk st the end oft. F,Om the right bank of The
river, oFibs filled with stone were bullt out 10 .et
| the bargeB, all Of which waB SuoCeufully accom-
plishel, Notwithstanding there was current ran
Ming OF linc miles an hour, which tAreRtensd 10
sweep every thnT before IT, II will take TOO nu h
time 10 enter 10 the details Oft this truly wonder
iul work suce II 10 say, thht the Jan had nearly
reached completion in eight days working lime
and the Hstet had risen Bunlcienuy on tire upper
falls 10 allow the Fort HIndmsL Usage, ana
NeoShO 10 get down a1d be ready td-paSs the dam
In another day Il would have been high enough
TO enable all tile other yestcls to pass the upper
itllb, Unfortunately, on the morning OF the 9Th
| inntAnsr The pressure Of Wa1er became so great
ina T. tHept away iwo OF the ktOne bAfgeB which
! swung In below the dam on one side. Seeing this
unfortunate Aseldent, jumped on : horse and
rode up TO where the upper VtsGels were anchored,
anu ofueIed u LeNi0g on to pASs the upper falls
pohAlbls, and ediAteIy httsu ut to 20 through
the dam thought might be able 10 save the
IOuf vessels below not knoNing whether tho per.
sous rmP Dyed on the work would ever have the
heart 10 renew the enterprISe
The Lexington Bus,ar1ed in KettinF oysr the
upper fhs Juht In tine, the water r.pidlT falling
a. she WAS passing over She then steered dlTectly
for the opening IN the dam, through which tbs
water was TubhiHB so iurlOusly that il Asened a.
II nothing hut deBtrueliOn awaited her, , III DuH-
Rnda OF ting hearts looked on, anxious for tbo
result, The sllence was 30 great AE the LoXinRton
approached the dan that PiR might almost have