Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-03-13


halt we're wishing for indoor quarters,
as it WAS cold and cheerless in the outer
air. Our rations consisted of crackers
and raw pork, with river water to wash
them down, for we had no cooking
conveniences. We were permitted to
hang chunks OF pork suspended from
strings into the exhaust pipes, but
every time the monster breathed the
pork would be violently elected and
would afterwards return IN greasy
shower upon the clnder strewn roof.
One day soldier was absent.mindadly
gazing into an exhaust pipe to see how
his meat was getting along, when there
came an upward rush OF steam which
scalded wherever it touched and the
poor fellow was carried away with his
face i.alf boiled aud his eye sight gons.
In the Coldwater river we experienced
no improvement of navigation faculties.
The river was very marrow. with series
OF abrupt turns and strong current.
Travelling down the stream, the boat
could not get steerags way and we
pounded along from tree to t1es after
the old fashion, only more 80. But on
the 3Oth of Marsh we entered the Talla-
hatchie river and there tha route waa
less difficult.
The succeeding day landing was
made and We enjoyed the luxury OF
tramp ashore after eight consecutive
days and nights of gent up misery
in our sardine box quarters. After this
IN our passage down the
Tallahatchie, our boats were frequently
fred into by lurking guerrillas aud on
such occasions landing would be af-
fected and we would go ashore and set
fire to all the houses and barns within
reach, as punishment for this cowardly
mode OF warfare. These interruptions
gave US opportunity for needed land ex-
ercise and afforded facilities for forag-
ing for kitchen supplies. After while
it was considered quite luxury, by
those who escaped the bullets, to be fred
into by guerrillas.
| The Tallahatchie run was expeditions
! ly made and the torn and tattered Te-
cumseh astonished us all by holding the
lead over most of the stretch. On the
Sd of April We reached the point
where the Yallabusha and the
Tallahatchle mingle their waters and
form the Yazeo river. Here the boats halt
ed and we disembarked and entered upon
the luxury of camp life upon terra ,tfiyma.
| We had an excellent reason for coming
to standstill. Ahead OF US, at the
junction OF the two rivers, had been con-
| structed powerful confederate fort, to
contest the further progrens of the exps-
dition. 1t was named, after the com
manjant at Yicksburg. Fort Pemberton.
1t mounted heavy guns and was sur
rounded by water. 1t could not be APP
preached by land foroes, and after two
stubborn trials it was found that the
armament OF the fort was too heavy for
our gunbeats. Fort Pemberton COM
manded the water route and
the gunboats could not
silence lts guns. We were cut off by
water from the high land and our only
refuge was the feet which had brought
US thus far. Prudence dictated speedy
withdrawal from this trap, and General
Quinby, who commanded the expedi-
tion. acted the part of prudent man.
The water in the pass was falling and
i Z 1sk af h, ,ctr &1o ka
tween the Coldwater and Moon lake.
i During the night of April 4th, after
tattoo and taps had been sounded with
more thap the usual vigor we piled high
our camp fires until they blazed against
the murby sky and then silently loaded
ourselves, our horses, artillery, mules
and wagons upon the waiting transports.
/ Before daylight of the 9th the
entire fleet was rapidly stsaming up the
Tallahatchie, out of harms way. p1o-
gress was swift against the current, 40
the boats obeyed every turn Of their rud-
ders. By night we were sixty miles
away from Fort Pemberton and on the
7th the feet entered Coldw river and
travelled most of that night against q
stiff current. The next day the boats
once more steamed into Yazoo pass and
headed for Moon lake. The track OF our
outward progress remained open and
was readily followed by the returning
steamers, 30 that many of the disastrous
experiences of the down trip were
avoided. The water was falling SO
rapidly that We could almost see it
60 down, and it was. With one
universal breath of relief that the boats
finally dragged themselves out OF the
pass into Moone lake. On the 10Th of
April the feet re-entered the Mississippi
;, river, the big Tecumsch cleaving her
way through the mud OF the crevasse ID
|. the levee as her powerful engines forced
. her over the hank into deep water. Our
second expedition for the resr OF
VIcksbutg had ended in failure, but
: we got there later in the season.
: After leaving the pass our boats
: crossed us. to the Arkansas side OF the
! mississippi, where we disembarked or
:, the 11th Of April. We had been beer
nineteen days on the boats, in crowded
"a quarters, and mast Of the time on raw
!. rations, without coffee. Sick
. ness prevailed to an alarming axteni
o &l,. t~-,.., !, IL 80 !.