Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-11

Mayor Brown. "To me even now it is an
exciting reminiscence. My anectfote viii
have the names of many old ST. Louisars
in it-many of them dead. At the breal--
ing out of the war was commanding
fine fast passenger steamer-the Louisiana
between St. Louis and New Orleans, ca
rying many passengers, as at that time
there were no railroads running into New
Orleans
"As was well known at the time, the
north and south, and particularly the
south, was marshaling her forces preparsl-
tory TO declaring her independence from
the northern states, and it was with some
hesitancy that l showed out the steamer
from the wharf at ST. Louis for New o.
leans at time when no man knew what
would be the next move in the drama, or
rather the tragedy, of the war.
when we reached New Orleans all was
excitement, business was entirely suspend
ed, and the levee was crowded with anxious
people inQuiring what Missouri would do,
what Arkansas would do and if Kentucky
would go out
AT II O'Clock on the day of our arrival
the United States flag was hauled down
from the custom house in plain view of the
steamboat landing, and then realized, if |
expected to get back to St. Louis, must
get away that night, and not wait for anup
trip of freight. Accordingly, shipped up
all the men that could be worked to dis
charge the steamer and as soon as dis
charged went to work TO fill her up with
the very best of combustible fluid, part Of
which was go cords of knots, 500 boxes Of
Pittsburg coal, 100 barrels of rosin, 20 bar
rels of turpentine in which to dip the wood
and 30 barrels of tar, so that if on the way
"a or aCul nil
could smother it in tar or turpentine In
the meantime we had heard that Arkansas
had declared out of the Union and we
knew that the excitement at Napoleon ran
very high as we came down and that il
needed only spark there to kindle flame.
Il told every man to be at his post at the
appointed hour, as | intended 10 slip out
very quietly. Just as we were about to let
go the line with steam at whistling heat
an officer came on board aud served paper
on me to the effect that ! would have to
take out Southern Confederacy custom
house papers, so we had to blow off steam
through the safety and other valves, while
/ went to the custom house and took out
new papers headed, The Confederate States
of America, and paying the fee l ran to
the boat, and without ringing the ready
bell gave the order to the pilot, who stool
ready at the wheel, and out bounded the
Louisiana. She was off up the river like 4
shot out of a cannon.
Il went back into the engine room anil
the engineers on the watch were both
standing by the throttle of their engines,
watching every revolution. / said TO the
chief engineer, How many revolutions per
minute are they making?' and this l had to
say in loud, harsh voice, as the boilers
were making more steam than the engines
could work.
why he replied, she is making more
than she ever did in her career; she is max
ing twenty-four a minute / said, If moth
ing breaks, when will that take US to Ma
poleon, for l expected trouble there oh,
in about two days came the answer.
That's all right l continued; give it to
her.
THE boats furnace was one seethiny
mass of flames. The engines groaned and
surged and seemed to leap ahead of the
boat. The river up the shore was as
smooth as a fish pond, and as we few past
a wood yard, where we had engaged some
wood coming down, the darkies called out:
Here's de wood. What's de malta wild de
boat? She's all afrer
But l called out: we can't stop now
Well take it when we come down THAI
boat never again came down, but war YES
sells took her place and death and destruc-
ton followed in her wake.
"On the second day out, before dark, We
reached Napoleon, and standing on the
hurricane deck, with spy glass could
see cannon pointed to the river and no.
less than 600 men on the landing Then
/ knew there was trouble ahead. / said to
the pilot, Let Us sneak by if we can: il
will never do to land.
$50 we surged up the river until we were
fully abreast of the town, when 100 throats
called out with an oath that would not b.
at all appropriate to put in a good Sunday
paper, Come in here and acknowledge the
southern confederacy, or Wen blow YOU
out of the water And at that instant
they fired a cannon across our bow thar
stood just above the crowd on the river
bank, with men standing ready to load il
again.
Il said TO the pilot, Let her near into the
shore, but don't land her. and he did so
Then / called out: What do you want:
We have no business at Napoleon Yes
you have they said; come in here and nc
knowledge the southern confederacy.'
Then the question came up what should
be done with the boat, and the decision
seemed to be almost unanimous to stCp
her, and then, as they said they intended
to>stop all boats in the southern Confed-
eracy,' the excitement was intense SO that
for half hour was afraid to say any
thing, but after awhile / climbed up on
the dining room table in the cabin, then
filed with excited men and many des-
per=te and intoxicated ones, and said
Gentlemen, I'm sorry to hear you have
determined to detain the boat, for she is
owned in st. Louis, / myself being part
owner, and a part of the crew are my
slaves and here trotted two or three OF
the cabin boys out, and said:
IF you confiscate this and other St.
Louis boats you will iniure the cause of
the southern Confederacy; and why should
you do anything to prejudice Missouri if
you want her to join the Confederacy7'
SAT that moment a hundred voicescalled
out, 'Thecaptain is right; let him go, but
the Cincinnati boats, wen give them the
devil And they did, for they never let
another pass up, but confiscated both boat
and cargo, SO that we steamed out of Ma
poleon by the skin of our teeth.
'"The next place we had reason to antici-
pate trouble was at GreenviIle, Miss, but