The National tribune., 1890-09-11

| Texas, and, think, might be an agreeable resi-
dence in Winter for Northern people who dom
care to 60 with the crowd.
On the 5th O boat from the Planter made
soundings and staked out the channl, and OF
| the 9th both boats carried ont anchors and got
clear by hedging. As tho furnaces of the Mat
amoras used the least fuel, all the wood was pu
on that steamer, which soon made steam and
| took the Planter in tow, so that next day We
| returned TO Arkansas Pass. We got away none
| too soon, for we afterward learned from rebel
| deseTter that n party of over 100 had made
| arrangements to attack the steamers the night
| of the 9TH. Such an attack, il il had been made
would have been by no means certain of sue
cess, for n good lookout was kept all the time
! the boats were within supporting distance OF
! each other, and were well armed with rifles.
| besides having each two cannon. We were en-
/ tlrcly willing, however TO leave tho expert
ment untried. As there was no coal at the Pass
We had to cut wood again, and after collecting
| all the dTiftwood within reach, we completed
our stock of fuel on the 10th by destroying
/ Arsnsas City. Now, don't exclaim How ter
ribe! for this city consisted of four small
abandoned houses. The 18th we started for
Matagorda Bay, having on board Co. /, ODD
Iowa and the conyalescents at the Pass, and
that night anchored near Fort Espcranza. after
having carried in from the steamer Continental
load of supplies, which were sadly needed by
the troops
In the night of Dec 10 the Planter took on
board a supply of coal and the next morning
the SD III. embarked and went up the bay TO
lndianola after load of plank to use in build
ing wharf at the fort. When We arrived We
found both whaTves on fire, the steamers smoke
having given warning of our coming. The
fire was, however, easily put ont aud while n
part of the regiment reConuoitered the town
the rest went TO work tearing up one Of the
wharves and quickly obtained a sufficient
amount of plank, with which we returned TO
the fort before night. Dec. % Indianola was
occupied by Fitz- Henry Warrons Brigade, con-
ssting of the Sth and 18th Ind 33d and Goth
Ill, who were joined Jan. 3 by the DIST and
22d Iowa. battery, from Wisconsin. | think,
the number of which j don't remember WAS
also stationed there, and some other troops a
part of the time. lndianola before the war
was quite an important town, as, with Port
Lavacca, which is but few miles distant, it
was the seaport for San Antonio and most of
the Texan frontier; but since the building of
railroads IN Texas the port of Galveston, hay
ing deeper water, has drawn away much of its
trade. The troops remained at Indianola till
sometime during the Spring, when they left the
place, marched 10 Fort Esperanza aud there
took steamers for New Orleans. On the march
TO Fort Espcranza, during the crossing of a
bayou, for which they had not proper facilities,
escaped.
On Dec. p Cos. C, and K Of the 18th
Me. embarked on the gunboat Granite City
and went Up on the outer side of hiatagorda
Peninsula nearly 10 its head on "A recunuois-
sance. Landing in surf boats they made their
reconnaissance, intending to return to the gun
boat but found that "a souiherly wind had
raised the waves SO high as TO prevent their
embaTkIuE They then started 10 march down
her we fol md att I'D
by several hundred rebel cavalry with whom
they had two sharp skirmishes, but with the
assistance OF the gunboats Granite City and
SciotO drove them off without losing a man.
The rebel EunbOat J. q. Cass also took a hand in
The game from the north side of the peninsula
but without doing any harm. and in the night
Of the 10Th occurred the most severe norther
Of the Winter, during which she was driven
ashore and destroyed. The loss Of the enemy
was not known, but quite a number of them
were knocked from their saddles by the shells
OF the guHboats and some by the rifles Of the
soldiers IL was also reported by rebel de-
seTtcr that several Of them were frozen 70 death
during the norther after having had their
clothes wet while fOTding bayou. The next
day the boys were taken on board the gunb1at
Sci9t0 and returned 70 camp. few DAYS
slIerwaTd the whole regiment landed ~ nearly
the same place from The sioOp, Of war Mononga-
heia, and we're soon joined there by brigade,
which marched up the peninsula when the
encmy's position was TecJnnoitered, but no
attack was made.
Jan. II, 1854, the brigade to which the
Maine regiments belonged embarked on the
Planter, 70 be carried from Fort EsperapZa
across to DE Crows Point, on the east side Of
the bay, but the boat being 50 heavily loaded got
aground and remained fast While trying 10
work of, a steam pipe burst, which came near
being terrible accident Fortunately there
was q valve between the break and the boiler.
which was closed rs soon as possible, but not
tlll the boat was so full Of steam as 70 almost
prevent breathing The troops were packed on
the boat as closely as they could stand, and had
to remain IA that position till the middle Of the
next forenoon, when thoy were taken off and
carried across the bay by other steamers
Jan. 10Th the men Of our regiment on the
hatamOras and Planter were relieved from
detail and rcjoiaed the regiment on De Crows
Point There j found cur company FL and a
company from an Iowa regiment doing guard
duty at the headquarters Of Gen. Dana, who
commanded the part Of the Thirteenth CorDs
then On the point, consisting Of the Fourth Di-
vision aud small part Of the Third. OF the
Third Division ! only know that the 3fth Ind
lMortou Rinesy was one Of the regiments The
Fourth Division was commanded By Gen Ran
som, and had two brigades Tho first. com
manded by Col. Landrum was composed, AS
Hta44y a. can Fccollcct, Of the following Tegi-
mentg, viz: 10Th Ky, Goth Ohio, z3d Wis. nth
III. and 25ih Iowa The second commanded
by Col Rust, consisted Of the 18th and 18th
Me, 45th Ohio, both III. and 34th Iowa. There
were also two light batteries, viz: the Chicago
Mercantile aud one from Missouri, and one
company Of the 2lst Ind. H. A.
After January no movements were made
that know Of while the troops remained in
Texas, and suppose that about this time prem
aratiOns began 70 be made for the Red River
campaign. The regiments Of the Thirteenth
Corps, except the two from Maine, had been
almost constantly campaigning since they en-
tered tue service, aud had marked with their
blood almost every battlefield in the Miggissippi
Valley, from Pea Ridge and Belmont TO Vicks.
burg, 30 that their opportunities for drill had
been very limited. AZ there was now nothing
else TO do, drills were IA order, aud probably
The corps took the biggest dose Of drills and
dress parades during the last two months of its
stay in Texas that IL had at any time during
the war.
In the latter part Of February the Third and
Fourth, Divisions were ordered 20 Louisiana To
take part in the ili-managed and unfortunate
Red River campaign, and most, if not all, of
the rest Of the corps were withdrawn during
the Spring. Feb % our company embarked
as bOdy-g guard for Gen. Ransom on the quarter
deck Of the steamer Crescent, which also car
Tied the l5Oth III. We had very pleasant
trip the surface Of the Gulf being almost as
smooth as q mill-pOnd. Each evening while on
the steamer Gen. Ransom's staff, "A set of iolly
good fellows, spent in singing army songs such
as Benny Ravens" aud Comrades, touch
the elbow" Feb. % we steamed up the Atcha-
falaga EavOu and landed NJ peryvfcIr :. H..