The National tribune., 1907-10-10
and rams and the badly damaged re-
manning one in swift flight, >
Journey Nv Rail.

manning one in swift flight, ,
Journey By Rail.
AS the Mississippi River below Mem
phis is dreary and monot0li ous beyond
description, which all those who Served
| in the Army of the TenGeSsee will sadly
recall, the President wisely took the
rest of his journey to his hunting
grounds by rail. StambouH tStatisn. six
miles below Lake Providence. f'wncIc
his train stopped. will be- recalled by
all survivors of the Armyoof the Ten
ncssee. 1t was the scene OF lone of Gen.
Grants many attempts Gdurine the
dreary Winter of 1S62-63 Ito avoid the
batteries in front of Nicksburg. aid get
on to the high ground in"Ihe rear of
the town. There are many thousands
alive yet who remember with n shudder
their hard, exhausting labor in the mud
and water in trying to clear out pas
sage for the RunboatS and transports
in what they called the Lake Provi-
dence expediti on. AS the President
looked around upon the country where
his train stopped he must have had a
much keener appreciation than ever Of
what it cost the Union soldiers TO bring
about their grand achievement of cap
turing Vicksburg and all Owing the
Father of Waters to flow unveXed to the
sea. There are few as dreary chapters
in the history of the war as that of the
Winter of 1863, when the Army of the
Tennessee, with its headquarters at Mil
liken's Bend and at times having scarce
ly ground enough above the rushing
waters to bury their dead. struggled
with the mighty Mississippi and the
swamps in one futile eff )rt after an
other to reach the high lana in the rear
of Vicksburg. The incess1nI labor in
the cold water in trying to cut out pas
sageS for the boats. to drag heavy. can
ashore huil6 forts and dig canals
in the seeping alluvium. killed far m ore
than the bullets of the enemy. The
end of their tolls and hardships came
at last in Grants daring move by which
he threw his army below Nicksburg
and there at last reached the highlands
in the rear of Bruinsburg. where his
men rejoiced in the opportunity of be-
ing on firm ground within fighting reach
of their enemies. There must be some
with the President wh) went thru all
that dreary experience from the begin
ming of December. 1862, and who can
properly explain to him what the SOL
diers suffered and achieved.
The Louisiana Canebrakes.
No verbal description can do justice
to the wild comfortless region which
the President has selected for his hunt
ing ground. The country there is the
fine rich soil which has been for ages
sippi Valley. 1t is fertile beyond any
thing known to man. The flood of
water seeking an outlet has cut a tan
gle of bayous as puzzling as the threads
of a crazy or rochet, and thru which only
men who have lived there all their lives
can find their way. The rich soil and
abundance of water under the hot sun
has sent up growths of cane from 10
to 30 feet high, and standing literally
as thickly as the hair on dogs back.
This gloomy waste Is inhabited by every
sort Of insect, reptile. fish and animal
life. Alligators, lizards of every kind
and turtles dispute with the fish the
possession of the water, and On the
ground bears. wolves. wildcats and wild
razor-back hogs feed upon. the snakes
and the lesser animals. They live COM
there are few hunters wifi, viii ffbrave
the discomforts and hardships ofta trip
thru that forbidding stretch of slHamps.