The National tribune., 1898-12-15

Is.
We called tie roll 10 see if any were
1ost, AID found that our pilot had mysteri
ously disappeared, although be had been one
of the f1sS on shore. We suspected III:
ireachery, and afterwards learned that he hac
purposely run US into the snag.
We then turned our attention to saving
such supplies as we could easily get from thu
sunken boat. Thus we worked all night and
the following dag. The mess-pork. bacon
and some other goods were stored in the hold
and in 10 immediate danger Of damaging, Sc
we left them to be fisied ont at leisure. The
other provisions were more or less damaged,
but net entirely raine3. We landed large
quantities OF feur. salt. sugar. beans, bacon,
moiasses, mess-perk, dessceatea vegetables,
canned goods, csaee and tea, but most OF the
cargo was lost.
We sUn-<;ries tiie recovered geeas as hest we
could, and fcusd the supply sufficient to last
Us many times leHeer ti.an we wished to stay.
We had no dessee 10 reInais theGe on purpose
TO use mp lie feed thus saved.
Our first thought after securing our rations
was to save ourselves. Fer we were III the
enemyis country, surrounded by Confederate
soldiers ard gzefrii4as, axs SO miles from
Union trOOiEs. Oar number was SO small
that we could ret safely return, and it would
be almost suicide te remain without con-
structing defensive works; So we worked like
beavers. building fartilcatieRs with logs,
earth and rocks, Of sufficient size to surround
Us and our grab pie"
Fortunately tsT us. near ear landing were
two large cottonwood trees fear feet III diam
eter and few reds apart. wkich haa been so
undermined during high water thst they had
fallen from the river hank, tops together,
forming "Y;' These we used for the
foundation of our Notification, which we
raised to a bisAt Of six feet, and outside of
that we built a dsukle stocSaae, which was
made by settisg the legs cndwise in the
ground and close tage Their. New, ear friends
thought that the Doan had met the same fate
as its predeces-er-tll it had been captured
and sunk and that We had fallen into the
hands of the bushwhackers. They based
their belief On the fact that their cavalry
scouts had heard the firing on US from the
hrstambuscaae, and seeing cur boats lading so
Eoon thereafter was then conclusive evidence
that our boat was lost. and SO they reported
10 our regiment, and the regiment sent the
news to our Northern homes.
GIVEN UP FOR LOST.
The story was that We wen Down with the
Doan or were drowned while swimming to
ghoIe, ard all had been lost. Thus we were
given over TO The inevitable, and dismissed
from the minds OF ali excepting the dear
Dnes at home, wbo mouTned as the millions
then mouIned Hhsse loved ones had fallen in
the war. bly, ewn mother was nearly wild
with erief. 1t was then common for friends
ut home to bold funeral services Tor their
relatives whose lives were lost 10 the army.
and such services were held for some of Us 10y
Dur people at home.
IL was now December, and the weather
cold for the time and place as time passed,
we busted ourselves with making our quarters
more comfortable, Strengthening our fort. and
wondering WAY Ne were thus abandoned.
Our pTeseDce was soon known to the sur.
rounding settlement, and we had daily
visitors-m mostly women-rangng 10 age FROM
young maidens TO midale-aged matTons, with
occasionally los from seven to Ia years ODD
But We were never visited 10y men. The
natives came to barter snch produce as they
bad for such merchandise as We had. Ihell
stock in trade was butter, eges, chickens,
potatoes, sweet potatoes corn meal. and NUT
ton, and sometimes hand-knit mitteus stock
lngs. and the like, which they wished tt
dicker for salt. tea, coffee, bacon, and pork.
Nearly all who came 30 dIcker claimed tc
be Unionists and good ones, too. We knew
nothing to the contrary until our reciprocity
act had been well established. Then quite
another class Of people began coming for onl
goods who had nothing to give IN return.
They too said they we're of Union families
whose fathers, husbands, sons, and brother.
had gone into the Federal army or had beer
driven from home or killed 10y guerrillas