, 1870-12-12
-,Htn3rn1 Porter ORR sfae Mis%iSsIPps.
Z. the lit.f..r nf Ihs chtedna Tfthunks

r. rkr ka.f.r nf The Chicago Tribune: |
N1~ that the public mind IL eomewhAt ex~ |
c,rised over the remarkable letter Of Admiral |
d. n. Porter to Secretary Welles, written IN
1855, recently exhumed and brought to light
through, the columns Of the New York lForid.
il may 10 aPrvros to state come noatlcrs
ullc.. fell under my observation dnfing the
war, and which TO my mind exhibited the Ad-
mirsle Jealousy OF the SUCCESS Of tho army.
Tie same Ypirit crops ont very prominently
| il, ea:.l letter, aud 1t brings TO mind what
| an About 10 relate.
About tho 1st OF 3luy, 1868, General Grant
crneeed portion Ct lis army from the west
| TO tho east bank of tho Aissis=ippi: at brulns-
lurg. u short distanee bo]ow the rebel posi-
tion. Grand Gnlt, which was then held by
them in force. Tho army thus obtaining afoot-
lre Oh the hisklauds between the Big Black
and l,aSou picr1el our forces fought tho reb-
els at Port Gibson, and won the battle. The
r. bcis, finding their osition at Gra nd Gnlf
f,a,lked, abandoned their works prccipitately.
leaving the heayy Euus, which they hHd used
with telling and nlmort ruinous etfect upon
the gunbo1ts Of Admiral Porter's foti1la, to
fall Hfuto our hands. Tho gun 1oats had been
l,amme,ing 4 rag at the rebel wosk- for sever
al t,aEr, receiving more injury than they had
infic.etl. It VIA admitted Al the tiuas By OIL
GERS Of tie feet that, sc far ns the naval forcns
| we're Concerned. lue FtsHlou co.!u uut ~
taken. The writer had to do with forward
ing eupplieA to the troops. and VAS 20
occupied at Grand Gulf tho day following
the rebel evacuation. Dotsils Of men from
; tic gunboais, unlcr the Adu,isal'a diroc:,nn,
} encnt tho TING III collecting the ipsured prut,
erty 1t tho landing ready for shipmant- 1n
| the evening | "insnectel" the tebnt csrnon
lyiEg along the bank, and found e.ch Of tham
labeled in lesse1s ot wl,ite paint, l''s"cd there
hy the same aushoritv, - cnptIret by Me
Mss. May l, 1861" About three weeks sub
= =et,uvutv, and after tho tebs's had tsen
whipped at Raymond, JAckeon. Champion
= Hills. aud l,ig Black bridge, and had retresscd
Cd Al Haines' ls,uf1 {shicl, had bs"n A.nkel II.
I about the game sort "a IVES Grand Gu'f.
' tho rebo1s there also having abandon
, | ell, to fall into our h,nds, l. number
i. Of heasr guns). / observed rooe'itlon Of
: the labelling business bS officers T. from sae 3t
It nea. ard new1y-I,aintea letters, the arrogant
o | but mt wholly truthful. in.cription: Cap
!; tlr.d Jy the Unifxf Mates .haual Fortps, a
il Hnincs' Nintf. Miss. May ~. 1851" Tut
" Grand Gulf. ruSEc4te1 the idea that it wa.
% done u,.tcr the authority and direction OF thl
y naval commander, and w1s the result OF \ do
70 SERVICE the whole credit Of the glorious VIC
a. tories Which wnre thea being achieved by boil
r acting in concert, and tho honor of ~hich bc
70 e lcngch as much to the srny Al to the navy
H. This thing was uoised anro,a, aud "a. luit
e well understood in tho camns. AnT Of th
=, noble. bravo follows wto ba1ouget1 to tho arm
C. ard .harcd tho hard knocks and grand tr
o unrlts OF that immortal campaign, h13rouin
10 @ read this, will remember that cSfry7od
ne felt somehow uncomfortable o. acoount q
re the airs which tho gunboat people. anl espt
OK Gully those actlue directly under Of in th
he shadow Of Admiral Porter, were in tho hsb
tf putting on over tile volunteer tofdierr.
'ss On the morning Of July I: 1863, the reb
Is ,acsa. The writer vas one OF tllore who vel
y fortu-Ate enongh 10 obtain an ear1s positin
~ III tho dome of tho Court House. From tbs
n elevated place We could rec the renel reg
~ ments msTchinE to the dctignated POINTS ou
II side their works, and there atack.ug the
m NJ as tho eye conld resch, thtouring the reb
'o- Rampant, strainipg their eyes to get look
cs, Tie town they had fonght so long Ar
10 will 10 capture; our troops mazchis
ing tie fleet Of gnnboa.s and Transports fro
a. shove and bt low, under full head Of stear
~ witt, Whistles sounding a1d balls riaGin
asf ~ approaching tho wharf; and thus. amid II.
~" flying. fifoa screaming, drlitas beating. bug
on. bIasts, the thunder Of artillery. aud 4
IN cheers Of 1oo, 600 bravo toys, the victory v
aal- proclaimed on the nstion's birthday. T
IT. IT. ilrst craft which approached the wharf "
'ple the Adn,E4rs flagship. All eyes were turn
ata- 70 that 10 ah!o vessel III she round
Gle. 10, 4. thai moment Colonel s., Of Inlia'
~ ~ whom had accompanied into ths town, CT
aen cd sh" attention Of General W.. Of Wtnsans
aca' to the fact that there @as mAn Standing
ers' he deck of the Ajniral's f1ssship. wl,h st
se!. ayreared to be 4 bucket in Ilia hand. Said
1els cttl s.: :" General, who DO you suppose Il
'Ae mant~ with the bucket ?" Glasses were nj o1
= VI lcveleo At litn, and lho we'll -knnxu fortu
ues. the Admiral was recognized. Tho Geoe
1ont EXPRESSED the opinion that il WAS the .Aimil
se ..Ics." repitcd the Colonel, "thst. sir. IL .
IN miral Porter with buckle, Of viii . pa,at,
tho Of conrec, ss room ss ho comes a-hore,
sssn will proceed to paint every suu in yieke u,
.l,ca , 'Cnr..,rsd hy ne tMittd sSa!rs tdrni For,
.net at Iickstnir9, .Miss-, fully 1. 1sS}.
tun- ,s II would reen that the Admiral himself
!. NV tertainca the unworthy and resuic'ous Il
!. a,., ings which he has assembled to tientral Gsi
~. Such was u:sd-rstood in the army to be II
the time. Nc wcrc proud OF the grsst
!. ~ noble achievements Of The navy, and wc
~. not now aetract one lotA OF
,seM .1, honor jurt1y belonging to it,
VI. tory has alre.dy recorded that, potx
10 ~ standing the jes1oussos AID chickering's Of =
. A. na!copteuts OF high rAnk IN both bssuchc
: .ne tic service. the army aud nav, hand in h
Am, with hearts in tho cause. unAcr til, Euid,
y ~ Of noble men arl brave leaders, put down
e.!,. o,Ns most thoroughly organ1zcd and pose1fnt
fur5 bellion the world had ever seen. and =:
aoo their country. aud that to al, without dis
tlcu. who remained true and srsadfast to
~ - allegiance. and performed theit duty to
shaes .hes country. belongs the glory.
'nete OTTAWA, Ill, btt. =