The National tribune., 1902-04-24

lice UWTI~
points between Cairo and New Orleans
doing police duty; keeping the rebels from
crossing the river, and preventing the en-
terpriSing enemy from nterfuptIng the
navigation of the Father of Waters. If
the guerrillaS fired on a transport the gun
boats would shell the next town, which
would sometimes take fire and go up IN
smoke.
The writer was an ordinary seaman on
the t. :. :. Usage, stationed at the
mouth of Red River, for the purpose OF
patroling that river some 10 to ID miles
above and below. The Usage was OF the
monitor type. modified for river service.
She was all iron. carried two 11-inch Dahl
gren Smooth-bore guns in turTet SIX
inches thick. Owing to her low freeboard
and light draft, she was yeritable sweat
box. cramped and hot, and terror to 1--we
on in such a hot climate. She carried
about 100 officers and men, commanded by
Capt Courthei. Mr.. PeaSe was Executive
Officer. and Mr.. Doty Chief Engineer,
with the usual number of subordinate Off
GERS.
In looking back 80 years, still
remember these splendid officers with
gratitude-in fact, they were typical OF
the men who have made the navy famous
since its birth. Our Captain drilled us
night and day. In the end the men We're
quite proud of their skill and discipline.
He was quick to reprimand, but always
ready to praise good work. He showed
the prejudice of most naval officers against
the MonitOr-type vessel, and later got
transferred to the ironclad Chilllcothe. lie
was killed by 4 sharpshOoter the following
Spring i'll the Red River campaign. MIR.
Pease was an ideal Executive Officer, cool,
kind. and considerate to all on board,
while carrying out the Commanders or
ders to the letter. Mr.. DOty was one of
our best officers: the machinery of the
Usage was never known to be out of or
der when wanted. He led many of our
expeditions on shore, scouting and visit
ing abandoned plantations. The rank and
file were always pleased to have Mr.. Doty
in command.
Although not very exciting. our work
was plentiful and hard. We were scrub
bling and securing and drilling from 4 a.
IN. 10 g p. m. and then steaming up and
down the river, visiting plantations which
were often deserted by the whites. In
such cases the darkies would invariably
follow us bag and baggage; men, women
and children, blessing the Lord that
they had lived to be free at last.
The poor people had no idea Of the
hard road before them. We, however,
carried cut the orders of the Government
not to modest them in any way, but if
they came on the boat We were to give
them what protection we could.
The Usage, according TO estimation,
carried during that Summer about 5000
slaves from the surrounding plantations
lying between Natchez and the Red River.
They were taken to Port Hudson. the men
enisting in the army; the children sent
10 school. and the women sent to work on
some abandoned plantation about that
place.
About Nov. "a, in the afternoon, the
messenger boy came forward and called
the writer's name, and ordered me to re-
port on the quarterback with bag and
hammock. Some of the older men Opined
that | was bound for Cairo. /, of course,
promptly did as ordered. Our Executive
ordered that as soon as the tug came along
side | should go on board the Volunteer,
report to Mr. Beeman, and be subject to
his orders until my return to the Usage.
The Volunteer was a transport of the
usual river sternwheel type. She had
been trading, and had permit to buy cot
ton from the different plantations around
NatcheZ.
During the Summer our naval officers
had information that instead of paying
greenbacks for cotton, arms and ammuni-
tion were exchanged for the much-sought-
for article. So Capt. Ramsey, of the
ChOctaw. who commanded that division of
the feet had the Captain placed under ar
rest for cOntraband trade with the enemy,
and ordered the boat to be mt to Cairo
with Il prize crew, and to be tried by the
Admiralty Court for cOntraband trade. II
guilty. she was TO be condemned as prize
of war for the navy.
The Capt. Ramsey here mentioned is
the man who Is at present Rear-Admiral,
and who acted as one of the Judges in the
recent Schley Court of Inquiry. Capt.
Ramsey was popular, and had a reputa
ton second to none in the fleet. L have
never heard word against him during or
since the war. He was our Post Captain
for year and inspected our drill monthly
j have always remembered him as he ap-
peared TO my boyish mind, in personal APP
pearance and character an ideal officer
Well, we arrived on the Volunteer and
found three other seamen, one from each
ship composing our division of the feet
and reported 10 Lieut.. Beeman, who gave
Us our instructions.
Briefly. we We're to stand regular watch,
keep sharp eye on the old darby crew
twho were practically working the boat.
with the exception of the Captain. one
extra pilot, and an engineer from orr
feet. and keep u sharp lookout generally
My comrades and | sized up the state
Of affairs very readily. We found some
coy corners abaft the engine room in
which 10 hang our hammocks. After the
hard work of the Summer, this was what
we termed the "softest possible kind of 4
snap. There were no charges against the
crew; they were only too glad to take a
trlp up the river for a change. On this
account they regarded rs as friends. rather
than as guards or watchmen. They at
tended strictly to business and gave no
trouble whatever. We knew the rules
and so, as q consequence. there was no
familiarity between the crew and our
selves.
We left Red River on schedule time. our
captain stopping to report to the different
gunboats stationed along the river. At
Port Gibson our Captain gave passage
north TO couple Of young ladies who had
friends in Pittsburg. They were given
berths in the cabin, so we saw bur little
of them. We did hear that they were
rank secessionists,' and that Mr.. Bee
man had TO reprimand them at the table
for their hostile language. All this Cos
sip was Of interest TO us AT that time and
We enjoyed immensely such bits of news.
The historical places along the river
were full OF interest to us. as we
were intensely patriotic in those davs.
At Port Gibson Grant had made his
hrst crossing, fought his first battle
of the YickSburg campaign. defeated
the enemy and kept them on the
run until they We're bottled up in Vicks
burg. Then. too, there was Grand Gulf
a high bluff a few miles above Port Glib
son, where Grant wanted to cross FIRST.
and would have done so had the gunboats
been able to silence the guns-Grand Gulf.
from which the gunboats had TO Withdraw
with considerable loss after a hard DAYS
fight.
i shall always remember the afternoon
we passed Nicksburg. The Fall weather
was really ideal. Several batteries on the
hillside were plainly in view Men as