Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-24
ALL ABOUT THE HIGH wATER
Chattanooga Submerged.
The Field Of Missionary Ridge
Battle Ground of C~hicamauga
Feet Prints In Tennessee and
Georgia.

1ANNNh<
Feet Prints i'm Tennessee ana
Georgia.
The great destruction Of property IN
East Tennessee by the late high water
has been immense-more than a be
surmised by the casual observer. We left
Memphis early in this month for the
purpose of taking q pleasure trip to
Georgia. When we reached Stevenson
we were informed, to our horror, that
we could proceed nc further, on account
Of the sudden high waters. Nothing
damted, and with a carpetsack weigh
ing some thirty pounds, we took g con-
strnction train and reacheda point called
Shell Mound, from which place we had
TO fOof6dck it some twenty-five miles to
Chattanooga. Being accompanied by
some half dozen gentlemen, we made q
ysry fair beginning and commenced OUT
tramp in good earnest. Late in rfhe
afternoon of the eth inst. we eao1ed
Wauhatehie station, where we met a
negro, who told us if we did not
hurry up we would not be able to
cross Lookout bridge, some three
miles further on. We all doubled-quick
to the point named, and found the
bridge entirely submerged, with a mum
Der of loaded cars placed over it to keep
the framework down. There being g
trestle Of some thirty feet to cross, we
had to get a stick and feel our way over
a current that ran more than ten miles
per hour. Reaching dry land again, we
thanked our stars that all was over, but
our satisfaction lasted but a short while,
for the Tennessee river, rising at the rate
of some three inches per hour, began to
| flood the entire country, and we found
we had to trudge through come one foot
and q half of water to reach the city.
We need not speak of the many funny
/ incidents. such as quite a number Of our
party falling full length into the cattle
guards, and others feeling their way for
fear of falling hesdlong into the stream.
Luckily, we all reached Chattanooga in
safety on Thursday evening and found
the city high and dry. Feeling salts
fed that our troubles were ever, we
walked to the Crutehfield house and
asked when the next train for Atlanta
would start. Imagine u surprise to
learn that we were 10dter-6Olad, with
ont a show to leave the place, and that
the water was rising at the rate of from
two to three inches per hour. Friday
morning we saw the water at the rear Of
the Crutchfeld house, and made ar
rangements to change u quarters for a
irst-elass boarding house, kept by
genial and popular gentleman named
Rawlings. We were laughed at eonsid-
erably during the morning for doing so,
but by three o'clock the entire hotel was
surrounded by water, and boats had to
come to it to remove the guests. By
Sunday morning the entire first story of
the house was under water, and Market
street, 1.-THE principal ~throughfare of the
place. was also submerged by ten feet.
In the meantime the whole city was in
a CONSERVATION, and all the merchants
were using their utmost endeavors to re-
move what goods they could from their
stores. The consequence was that an
innumersble quantity Of water crafts
Of every description were plying all
over the city to rescue merchandise
from the angry flood. By Monday morn
ing the bridge which crossed the Ten
nessee at this point was entirely carried
away, and every store in the city was
closed by the water. The picture that
Chattanooga presented is indescribable.
Excitement ran very high, and every
one had his story to tell Of the hundred
and one incidents that took place. In
credulous as the various stories that were
told sounded, any one who stood OF any
OF the high hills Of the Lookout "
city, nothing but water could be seen.
II was a vast eXpanse Of the angry
stream, running at various places, from
three to fifteen miles per hour. Down
the main channel of the river could be
seen houses of all descriptions, hay
stacks, and everything that water could
carry away. The streets of the town
were trsversed by boats, and take it all
in all, the sight 10 one who was only 8
spectator, was grand, imposing, msgnif-
cent beyond description. The loss Of
property in Chattanooga could not have
been more than five hundred thousand
dollars. The city was crowded with
strangers who were all eager to get away;
but as no avenue wal open, they all had
to bide their time. When the river
reached its hight all the negroes and
thieves in the city commenced building
boats for the purpose of plundering. The
consequence was that the military, at
the request of the citizens, proclaimed
martial law, and every water craft was
seized and not allowed out unless under
a special permit. The hue and cry that
Chattanooga was suffering for the want
of provisions was one of the good old
stories of that ever reliable gentle
mani who never misses the mark. The
poorer classes, of course, were much in
need, and the mayor, on N side, and
the military on the other, Of the city,
issued Fatiens to them. On Tuesday
morning, the 18th inst, the water began
to decline slowly, and We, in company
with three others, determined to leave
the Udter bound city. The prime
mover in all this was Mr.. f. N. Graves,
of Marietta, Georgia. The plan was
looked on as very dangerous by every one,
and to get out was considered a matter
Of impossibility but as one of our party
was on his way to see his sweetheart, he
finally persuaded the others, and we
started. Having no means to cross the
waters, we purchased a craftthat resem-
bled a dry goods box and, being nine in
number, we started. 1t was soon discov-
cred that our craft leaked so fast that in
a short time we would be swamped, and
two Of our party were set to bailing the
water out, and it was all they could do to
keep the craft above the water, which
reminded us very much of Mother
Goose's old saying Of
81 Three wise men OF Gotham went to sea in a
bowl
And II the bowl had been stronger
Ny song had been longer"
In this manner we managed to cross
about four and a-half miles Of water, and
landed at the foot Of Missionary ridge,
almost ia view of Bragg's old headquar-
tiers. Here we assembled the mountain,
and, having reached the top, We had a
magnificent view, not only of the flood,
but of the old battlefield, made famous
by the grand feat of arms which it wit
messed and made it classic forever.
When one has once reached the hight
of Missionary ridge, he viii no
longer want TO know why Bragg evaeu-
ated Chattanooga to fOrtify himself in
this position. 1t is a grand sight to be-