The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-17
COrre-pOndenee Of the Ma hville Union.

FIorsnce-7he Military ''To-be,'' ~ viewed hei
Exchange Of Prisoners.
Correspondenee Of the IA hyille Union.
EAsrPoRT, Miss, March 9, 1865.
An old promise, made with one Q
those myriad Of. good intentions, Q
which it is said, a large kingdom in
warm latitudeis gaved, shall this day b
redeemed Twill write you letter Of wa
items, here and hereabouts, not psul
ing to apologize for the great breach 0
faith in epromises aforesaid In fac
my apology, like those common place
of fashionable women, would not b.
honest of itself, nor worth its space il
the estimation of the reader. | haV'
been lazy and forgetful, that's the shor
of it, so let's to our matters at once.
Leaving Nashville last week, anC
your city almost surrounded by the
food, found the Cumberland on the
rampage all the way down. Enormous
RATS of driftwood were to be seen,
and felt, constantly. Our fast steamer
trembled as it plowed through them al
speed of 20 miles per hour. The Ohio
river was rising, and a vast, majestic
inland ocean What other country ha s
such grand and glorious arteries, con-
ducive to healthful, national pulsation7
At Paducah the water was well up to
the main street, and the Ohio dotted
with drift, and mile or more in width.
Upon the islands above, and along
shore, observed the farmers busily
piling high their rails and cord wood,
and raising their corn and household
goods upon platforms and house tops.
Alas for a brace of hogs, which had
climbed upon a large log, and there
stood, near the river bank, in six feet
water
Well, at Johnsonyille navigation was
free and unrestricted City lots were
low. The only dry land at the land
ing" was the butt end of the railroad
embankment, "nosing' twenty feet
wide, and ten feet above the waters
Soldiers were padding about over
town on logs and RATS, as We used TO
on the frog ponds, some fifty or sixty
or seventy years ago, you remember.
The railroad to Nashville was badly
washed, more bridges down, telegraph
wire down, everything down except the
flood, and everybody down IN the
mouth. l did not invest in city lots as
l passed Johnsonyille. Eight hundred
government employees there were
drowned out Thework in the bottom
opposite, where mile Of timber is
being cleared, fort, &c, to be built,
was suspended. An other works we're
stopped-all were watching the river.
81 too" boring up the river on that
snorte of race horse, the Nick w.
Hughes" fastest boat that has yet
been here-we met fats, and logs, and
wagon beds, and myriads of rails and
cord wood, and biggest of all, great
warehouse building, one of the East
port cotton sheds 1t held pretty much
together, and remained right side up,
its roof being quite above water, and it
sailed down with majestic mien, and
had made sixty miles, thus far We
passed by submerged farms, where the
families were in upper stories and lofts,
had retired to bluffs in the rear, &c
As it is necessary that this river coun
try should be inhabited, suppose that
it is wisely ordered that some folks
should live subject to these floods. But
lucky for US, Mr.. Editor, that we we're
ordained for an existence upon terra
yrma. ,kfgEE flsstf
Arriving at Eastport, we found the
military status of the town changed
Where had been millions of dollars
worth of arms and material, not long
since, was now twelve feet of muddy
water. Gen. Hateh's division of cavalry
we're upon the bluffs in rear of the
landing" and the feet of steamers
had been removed to- Chickasaw, a
mile above, where the banks were high,
and as yet three feet above the rise
The river was at stand last Sunday
night, and it began to fall very slowly
by Monday noon, the day Of my arrival
Fifteen steamers were there Tor here
should say, for I write this at Chicka-
saw, laden with army stores.
There has been heavy loss OF gov
eminent forage, mainly but IEfnd
the loss has been greatly over estimated.
Coming up the river we were assured
that st least 50,O 900 sacks Of grain, alone,
had been lost. About 10000 sacks had
been submerged, most of which is
total loas. Excepting this, Ilearn that
the loss ia in tarpaulins, tent stuff, old
wagons, etc, which were strewed over
4 portion of the landing at Passport,
also some ambulances. The vehicles
will be saved in damaged state. The
ofdolIars' worth of wood, cloth
ing, medicines, hardware, etc, was
mainly saved with the above exception.
The rise in the river was remarkable.
Of course, the aoldest inhabitant" was
extremely surprised, and not a little
unsettled. if he lived near the river.
During the dark hours of one night the
rise was seven and half feet. Parties
of employees, suffers, etc, asleep in
heir tents in the rear Of the Eastport
anding. we're awakened by the wet
ing of their beds, and gained the
steamers BY wading knee. deep"
some of them are yet out on the hills,
Trying their goods, wares aud mer-
.aandise. At the landing above here,
PARTIES packed pork barrels several (
iers high, and were there perched [
many hours before relief came Sol /
liers. clerks, and laborers were picked !
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