Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-02-23

boating, but no 80 oner was / out Of hcl
sight than turns my pct colt, which
| was riding, down to Smithland
There J substit .uted for John Order
taking his placi for slOO, and the first
news my moth er heard from me was
written on a Il cket sowed m my colts
name The ctlt was turned loose and
went back horue
My age at this time was I6 years and
) months
We had boisterous trip down The
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, some forty
or more hatboats running against one
another. My boat was called "The
Barn'-a very large old salt boat GOV.
cred with slabs like house and steered
10y an oar inside. Ia wind she went
whittier she listed She often would
jam up other boats, and they were all
afraid Of her.
We had merry timeThere were three
regiments, more than 300 men, in the
boats-the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and
Fifteenth, what was called the Ken.
lucky detachment Of militia. command
cd 10y Gen Thomas.
belonged to the Fourteenth regl-
ment, commanded by Col. Parker. an
old granny. Harris was our major, and
John G. Dodds my captain brave
and valiant officer.
We had many mock battles on our
way down, where we would land at
night, 10 the popping Of large cane
on the banks Of the river ] recollect
one morning In particular; we had land
ed opposite 10 what is now Cairo, m.
Many Of the soldiers, myself among
them, built fires aud we spread blankets
and slept IN the cauebrake In the
morning, when the signal was given by
trumpet TO make ready for starting, we
all cut loads Of big cane, and at the
second trumpet We threw them on the
fires aud ran 10 oursboats. just as we
Ioosed cable they began To pop, aud the
soldiers began TO yeil--like the Rebels
in the late war.
Many OF the boats that were above,
came opposite the fires just as the cane
got into good way Of popping. We
gained a splendid victory without the
loss Of one man.
We landed frequently, aud when
first got among the French and heard
them talk, / thought had gotten out OF
the world. We went ashore one night,
near a raj pen foil Of corn, and before
a guard could be detailed a fourth OF
the corn was carried of / got my
share, and had hominy and parcheo
corn for several days.
After tedious tip, on Jan. 4, 1915,
We landed fouF miles below the city of
New Orleans As We passed the city
the cannon were booming be
low, and sroke was arising in black
curls until the heavens seemed to be
darkened.
So intent was / looking at the smoke
and listening to the belchiug Of the big
guns, and surprising that battle was
raging, that all / could reccllect seeing
Of the city as we7passed was the snip
ping, close by winch we ran. Tho fact
Is, / was not conscious that / looked at
the city az all.
We had DO sooner landed than our
camp was laid oil in a four square, the
the river making one side, our regiment
forming parallel with the river. Six or
seven feet OF space was allowed for each
mess, with two feet between
Our old boat was soon knocked to
pieces and distributed, and carried 10
our camps. BY this time il was night
Shortly after dark their came a cour.
Ter from headquarters, two miles below,
calling for volunteers TO drive the Brit
ash from a mud hreastworks witch they
had been throwing Up the night before
New Years, and from which they were
annoying Ourarmy,
Our officers buckled on their swords,
paraded their men boy companies and
requested all who would 90 to step two
PAGES in front. A goodly number from
my company stepped out, myself
among them. There were several, how
ever who did not. These / rccollected
a long time, but now | have forgotten
their names,
We marched onto the levee beside the
river, and, as there were not volunteers
enough for all the captains to get com
mands, our captain, Dodds, was cut
out, on account, l suppose, OF his semi
ority. He went back, and many of his
men with him; but | concluded as | had
startad, that | would 90 on and attach
myself 10 Capt. Alene McClain's com
pany. He was lawyer and much OF
gentleman Afterwaru he represented
this district in Congress.
We lay there until midnight, and
when we drew our arms we were
marched down two miles TO the breast.
works where the battle was fought on
the Sth), and there stood guard until 10
O'Clock in the morning.
The next night we were all ordered
down to stand guard and in the morn
ing | was so tired and sleepy and hun
cry that did sincerely wish to see the
British coming. This was the only
time that | felt like | could fight. |
had strong fears for myself.
On the 9TH, in the evening, we moved
and pitched our camps-as yet we had
no tents-2O0 yards in the rear of the
Tennesseans at the breastworks and
while we we're measuring of our ground
| raised my head to look and saw for
the first time one Of the enemy's
Congreve skyrockets (Cougreve in
vented it) sailing oyer my head and
ahghting in the swamp.
We were then paraded-and here
comes one about head-high, in a blaze.
1t broke our lines and tremendously
scared our artillery horses. 1t struck
the ground and skated along for a dis
lance then arose and turned a different
course.