Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1865-03-09
Correspondence OF the .iou7Ha!.
\ GLANCE AT HENPHIS.
nr T. NJ. Il.

write, the broad. bright sunllght oil
cloudlcss morning rests upon its
spires. It's turcts and It's roofs, like {
divine bcncdic;ion. 1t sits upon its
throne Of bluffs with kind'ot regal
dignity and casts look OF defiance
at the great Mississippi whose angry
waters dash 2gainstits baSc, and then
tral away in the distance like cord
Of silver. Upon the walls OF its past
and present lang many pictures
some grim emil ghastlv-Otliers hcau-
tifuL Reader. if you would see the
City of Bluns, come and walk with me.
From this abrupt cliff. rising ma
ieSticalIy above. and casting its long
shadows over the levcc, the citizens
OF Memphis stood and witnessed the
gun boat fight on that June morning,
III 1862, which resulted in the de
struction o. tho robe! fleet and the
capture OF the city. The silver
/ waves OF the old river now ripple and
dance IN the sunlight rs TRANQUILITY rs
Z IL they never had teca disturbed by
battle or c,ins0ncd uy human blood.
Along the wharf some twenty steam
boats lie on their watery bed, and
tie forest OF smoke stacks rises
above them like the blackcned and
/ limbless trunks of old oaks spared
I too long by the wOodman aX -
That brown, queer shaped monster,
with lis iron mail and open ports.
showing those big mouthcd guns,
which i anchored just above, is the
old war worn Essex. II has proven
is PROVE with many arcbol battery.
and its metallic ribs still bear honorcd
sears from shell and round shot that
have ratified harmlcssly against them.
I 1t is stationed here and would be OF
invaluable service in case the city
was attacked. Those LONG, low,
/ shed like buildings nesting near it,
on the river bank and under the
bluff. with their tall chimnics sending
/ mp picturesque columns Of smoke,
about which are hurrymg. hithcr and
thither. men with bare arms and
Sootv faces. and from which come
emusic OF the anvil" and the buZ.
zing hum of machinery-make mp
The Navy Yard. This was occupied
/ hy the conspirntors, for naval pur-
( poses. up 10 the time Of the evacua-
ton of the city, which Immediately
succeeded the fall OF Fort Pillow
But short distance above the NAVY
I Yard, Wolf river adds the feeble
tribute OF its waters TO those Of the
! Mississippi. The hnlf dozen scat
tcring houses Y0n see on tho opposite
shore. are the remains Of the little
village Of liopclicld; the reslduc of
it was burned by the Federal authori-
ties, in retaliation for outragcs com
mitted by gucrrillas, who were har.
bored by its citizens. Frequent
skirmishes have happened there be-
tween small parties of our troops
and tho bushwhnckers, some OF which
were witnessed from this side by the
/ citizens. Now we Will pass down
tire street that runs parallel with the
river, and which is walled by com
pact blocks OF buildings of variegn-
/ ted colors. irregular nights and every
variety of architecture. except such
rs would be regarded rs either taste
/ ful or ornamental This is Front
+ Row and is the street of wholesale
dealers, cotton brokers, groccrs.
whisky vendors. land sharks and
/ MgSiers. II. in common with the
other portions Of the city, but TO 4
more Alarming and dangerous eXtcnt.
has. rs The saving goes. cotton on
the brain, and would barter It's in
! tercst i'll this or any government for
a dray. load Of that staple Toward
the southern end of this street stands
that autocrat of Momphian hotels
the Gayoso House, where you can
get the smallest conceivable quantity
of "grubb, of the most questionable
quality, for the largest bearab.e
price. rs our pocket books are not
plethorlc this morning. wo must pass
without. stopping.
That long indcnlod ridge Of earth
/ YOU notice at the lower end of the
city, and coiling. like huge Boa, fol
more than n half n mile along the
river bank, witt Is hundred bulldog
guns scowling in your face over IL
battlomcnts--with It's sand bags and
protecting ditcAes its arscnals
F., magazines and sally-ports. is For
Pickering. and is one of the mos
formidable fortilicatious on the Mis-
sissippi. Al It's rear is a clitf. almos
perpendicular, and in hight some
sixty feet, the base of which come,
10 the river edge, while upon tn;
land side. except at the northern cX
trenity, an open common. with here
! and there house. unrolls itself 70
considerable distance, making n
: almost open plain, every rood c
, which i covered by its guns. UpoI
the edge of this common village O
e shanties. occupied by contraband
and iugitives. has sprung M, hu
ono broadsidc from the fort wou.
sweep them from the face OF ih
earth. The upper end of the fol
wedges itself into the city and j. i
close proximity To some of lis mos
paiatial residences. Ail of its car
non. flyoa will observe. may b
breag ht to bear upon the city, an