The National tribune., 1902-04-24

port lHeN We Nele
some transport captured by the enemy,
with which they were trying TO get away,
So Capt. Mccarthy was ordered to take
his company at once on board the Frog, a
kind of an army police boat, and capture
us. OF course, after the necessary expla
nations, the soldiers and ourselves had q
good laugh about the matter.
That night at Milliken's Bend we had
another rumpus. They had wired from
Nicksburg to capture or destroy US. The
fort on the west side hailed us to come to
the levee or they would fire upon US. The
rOnclad anchored on the east shore hailed
us in no uncertain tones to come along
side or they would blow US out of the
water! Our Captain took chances and
went alongside the gunboat, where once
more explanations were made and we were
permitted to proceed on our journey, and
we continued our trip up the river.
At Helena, Ark, we received the glo
rious news OF Grants great victory over
Bragg at Chattanooga, or Missionary
Ridge. 1t is, perhaps, unnecessary 20 ex-
plain that at that time this was enchant,
ing news to us, the more so since We had
been blue for some time after the defeat
of Rosecrans at Chickamauga.
We remained five days at Memphis
waiting for coal We were tied up just be,
low the mouth of Wolf Greek, where the
Government had small repairing plant
which was called 4 navy yard"
Just above US, at the foot of the navy
yard" large gang of men were loading
some locomotives on barge, which was
pulled up tight, broadside to the river
bank. There were six locomotives, which
were needed by the Government on some
Of the Northern roads, and which could be
spared, as there was very little movement
of troops on the Memphis & Corinth Road
at that time. One engine was located on
the barge, but when the second locomotive
took its weight there was trouble The in
side of the barge went down and the out
side shot up. The locomotives were at
the bottom of the river; the men and ties
were floating. However, no one was hurt
of the barge was resting on q slippery
bank, and the men did not know this
The added weight caused it to slip off with
tue above result.
We received our coal in good time. how.
ever, and started up the river.
During our first night out the wind blew
fresh from the northwest, or nearly dead
ahead so with wind and current we made
little progress, and before daylight we
were blown ashore on the Tennessee side
Of the river. The trunk Of a tree 80 feet
long, projecting horizontally over the river
struck our cabin on the starboard side for.
ward. tearing out every stateroom. before
the boat stopped her Roadway. We had
run against "a snag" surely. We could
do nothing until daylight
We knew this part OF Tennessee was full
of guerrillas. We fully expected to be COB
bled, and visions of AndersOnville fOated
before our minds, as we were at the mercy
of any squad OF riflemen who might have
been behind those trees. Fortunately Oul
two lady passengers and the officers slept
on the port side. No one was hurt. Oui
Captain ordered all the lights out or GOV.
cred until daylight We had not long to
wait. and found our boat in a little blight
of the river bank, with driftwood fast
gathering around her and still firmly i'm,
paled on the tree trunk. We found two
or three axes on the boat, ground them as
best We could, and with our darky crew
set to work with a will TO get loose. By
~ a. m. we got clear, and started on ouI
Journey again with a feeling of relief
On the following morning, Just after
daylight, the writer was doing his guard
duty from to s: the morning was beau
| uful, with slight mist hanging over the
river. | was standing on the how, lean
ing against the flagstaff and keeping q
| bright lookout, as well as enjoying the
ever-changing scenery.
On rounding 4 projection of land. which
L learned afterward to be Island 81,
spied small boat just ahead in mid
stream. crossing TO the Tennessee shore
There were three men, two rowing and
one in the stern. The two men rowing
looked like laborers. The man in the stern
was well-dressed
We had no orders to stop small boats
but | knew that the navy down the river
did its best to keep the enemy from cross
ing The Confederacy should be cut in
two in fact as well as in name 1t is q
matter of pride to me, even in my mature
years, that at that time there was not O