New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-20
.'S orFlctAL JOURNAL or srArx o. Lou,s,AwA.


| operations of the Southwest Pass during
the years 1862 and 1853, when they we're un-
der my charge 40 experimenting engineer.
In 1856 was reliev from that duty 1T my
request, as had then too many other inn
portant matters requiring my special atten-
ton. The officer who relieved me was
Colonel S. II. Long, of the United States
Typographical engineers, appointed in that
corps in 1916. He had seen a great deal
| Of active duty, especially in the i'm
provement of the upper Mississippi and
the Red river. He enjoyed an enviable
| reputation as an engineer and gentleman.
His assistant, Captain C. A. Fuller, was
graduate of West Point, who had resigned
from the United States artillery to become
civil engineer. If still alive, those two
gentlemen may have something to say, also.
| relative to the gratuit0us charges of Major
Howell.
With regard to the operations under my
charge at the Southwest Pass, I will re.
mark as follows: During the year 1852 a
board of United States otficers-Captain
w. Ii. Latimer, United States navy; Ma
jors w. H. Chase, j. g. Barnard, &. T.
Beauregard and Lieutenant w. H. Stevens.
Of the United States corps of engineers
were ordered to make thorough reconnois.
sance of the mouths Of the Mississippi
river, and report the best method of i'm.
proving one or more of said mouths. An
elaborate report was made at the time, and
one of the recommendations was that an
offer of the Towboat Association Of New
Orleans to make a channel across the
Southwest bar, 300 feet wide by eighteen
feet deep at ordinary low water Thy plan
Of narrowing and scraping). for the sum Of
$4,000, in twelve months. shOul be &C.
cepted, on condition that no money should
be paid unless it fully complied with its
contract. This recommendation was ap
proved by the War Department, and a con-
tract to that effect was made with the said
company. As experimenting engineer Of
all government works In Louisiana. was
placed, contrary to my desire, in charge OF
that improvement.
The con tractors having many boats at
their command, fitted up, in q rough but
substantial manner, q large harrow and
in active operation. inspected personally
their work at least once q month. Toward
the end OF the time specified in the contract,
l applied to the War Department to have
another officer adjOined to Inc, to inspect
and receive the work, if done acc ording to
the terms Of the contract. The officer
selected was Brevet Major John +. Rey-
nolds, who lost his life at Gettysburg in
1863 as q Major General Of the federal
army; none stood higher in the service
tor intelligence. emery and a console ntious
discharge Of his duties. We repaired
to the Southwest Pass at the proper
time and made a close examination Of the
channel excavated by the Towboat Asso-
citation. marked out by temporary buoys,
placed by me at proper intervals on each
side Of saidchannel; the latter was sounded
lengthwise and crosswise in every direction,
with sounding lines of the proper size and
weight belonging to the engineer depart.
mens and used by the board the preceding
year. They were tested repeatedly with a
leveling rod brought by me from Fort st.
Philip. The day was calm and the current
slight, for the river was low. The bottom
of the channel was found t0 be generally
quite hard. owing to the constant passage
of the harrow and scraper. Major Reynolds
kept tally Of the soundings while ! kept
close watch on the manowho heaved the
lead: there could thus hare been no decep-
ton practiced.
While engaged in these examinations. the
tide being about twelve inches high. . tow
boat passed out with large ship drawing
nineteen feet of water; shortly after an
other towboat went out with one ship on
each side, one Of which drew eighteen feet.
They experienced no difficulty in passing
cut.
The tidal guage used by us was the one
established by the coast survey officers at
or near the lighthouse.
In the year lS4O, had been engaged as
assistant engineer to Major ) G. Barnard
lnow Major General by brevet! in making
the Typographical and hsdrographical sur.
veys Of Grand Terre Island and Barataria
bay, extending our soundings several miles /
into the gulf. During the twelve months l
was engaged on that duty made probably !
over IL. 600 soundings on all kinds of bay,
bayou and gulf bottome, with and without !
currents. in fair aid foul weather: there
fore. l have a right to believe myself a |
judge in ali hy typographical sur.
veys.
Major Reynolds and myself reported that
The Tow boat Association had fairly complied
with its contract, and was paid the sum
agreed upon. 1t is not surprising. then, to
say the least. that Major Howell, an able
and meritorious officer, should officially I
asperse the reputation and character of
gallant deceased federal officer who lost his
ife on the field of battle, basing his charges
principally on the ex parte statement of an
Individual who confesses his own infamy in
he very remarkable story he told. probably
.s good joke.
can but express my regret that Major
Howell should not have called on me for
he information he seemed so desirous Of
and which would have been
most happy to furnish. 80 far a. relates to
he operations of 1852 end 1853.
What happened during Colonel Longs
uperintendency of Messrs. Craig &
Ii ivhton's contract am not ahla IN nav huf |