Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-18
I Sc 1

Island No. 10. and in one of his
letters expressed the belief that boat
could pass down al night under cover
of the darkness. But the flag officer in
variably declined. saying in one of his
letters to Gen. Pope that the attempt
would result in the sacrifice of the boat.
her officers and men, which sacrifice /
would not be justified in making
March 20 Flag Officer F'oote consulted
his commanding officers. through Com
mander Stembel, as to the practicability
of taking a gunbOat past the enemy S
forts to New Madrid, and all except my
self Were opposed to the enterprise. be-
lieving with Foote that the attempt to
pass the batteries would result in the al
most certain destruction of the boat. L
did not think so, but believed with Gen.
Pope, that. under the cover of darkness
and other favorable circumstances. a
gunboat might be run past the enemy's
batteries. formidable as they We're with
nearly fifty guns. l knew that the aid of
gunboat was absolutely necessary to
enable Gen. Pope to succeed in his opera
lions against the enemy, and thought the
Importance of this success would justify
the risk of running the gauntlet of the
batteries on Island No. 10 and on
the left bank. 1t was we'll known that
the Confederates had a number of small
gunboatS below, and We're engaged in
building several large and powerful yes
sells. There was good reason to appre-
bend that these gunboats would ascend
the river and pass or silence Pope's bat
teries. and relieve the Confederate forces
on Island No. 10 and the eastern
shore of the Mississippi.
The flag officer now called q formal
council of war of all his commanding Of
ficers. 1t was held on board the flag
steamer March 2S and 20, and all except
myself concurred in the opinion formerly
expressed that the attempt to pass the
batteries was too hazardous and ought
not to be made. When l was asked to
give my views, I favored the undertaking
When asked if I was willing to make the
attempt with the Corondelet, i replied in
the affirmative. FOote accepted my ad-
vice. and expressed himself as greatly re-
HeVed from II heavy responsibility as he
had determined to send none but volun-
teerS on an expedition which lie regarded
as perious and of very doubtful success.
Having received written orders from
the flag officer ] at once began to pre-
pare the Carondelet for the ordeal. All
the loose material at hand was collected,
and on the 4th of April the decks were
plunging shot. Hawsers and chain cables
We're placed around the pilothouse and
other vulnerable parts of the vessel. and
every precaution was adopted to prevent
disaster coal barge laden with hay
aud coal was dashed to the part of the
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pared for market.
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