The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-01-26

Burnside's Roanoke expedition had
been planned by himself and approved
by Mcclellan In October. 1861, and the
rest Of the year taken up in getting
! together the troops and vessels. All
the soldiers were selected from the sea-
board and were men used to the sea.
River barges and propellers we're over
hauled and converted into gunboats,
with parapets OF sandbags and hay
bales to protect the guns. River pas
senger steamers came into service for
transporting Burnside's lighting force
Of $4,000 men. organized into the divi.
sions under Generals J. G. Foster,
Jesse l.. Reno aid j. G. Parke. which
ultimately formed the Ninth corps Of
the Army Of the Potomac and the
West After numerous delays the DO.
tilla sailed early in January.
Up to November 1861. the Federal
government had done nothing toward
seizing the key to the situation in the
west. the Mississippi outlet at New
Orleans. During the summer Captain
D. d. Porter had cruised in the gulf
Off New OrleansN with the Powhatan
and had picked up information as to
what the enemy was doing behind the
scenes. The Confederates were vigor-
ously putting the forts in order for de-
fense and had several ironclad rams
under construction at New Orleans and
Memphis.
Captain Porter had sailed north in
the fall and. reaching Washington.
laid the case before the president. who
Immediately said. Let's so and see
Mcclellan" After n short consultation
in which the secretary of the navy
took part Lincoln. addressing McClel-
Ian and Porter. said. I'VE will leave
this In the hands of you two gentle
men," The matter was settled at once.
and David Glasgow Farragut was
summoned from his home on the Hud
son river to take command Of the na-
val end of the expedition. The fight
ing vessels Of the feet were to mount
at least 200 guns and be augmented BY,
a feet of mortar boats under Porter.
Ben Butler was selected to command
the troops. This expedition was also
delayed in fitting out and had not sail
ed at the beginning Of the new year.
The Situation In Missouri.
If the Federal army west Of the Mis-.
sippi was in unorganized condition at
the close of 1861, army headquarters
Itself was still more so. General John
G. Fremont had held the chief com
mand from July to November, and un-
der his regime Wilson's Creek was |
fought and lost in August. General Da-
vid Hunter succeeded Fremont Nov. !
and a week later gave way to Hal
eck. At that time the principal Fed
eral army lay at Rolla, north Of Spring
field, in southern Missouri, confronted |
BY the Confederates Sterling Price and
Ben McCulloch. against whom the i'll
starred Lyon had fought so CALAMITY |
1T Wilson's Creek. Halleck changed
he commanders of the force in front
If Springfield twice within a week at
he end of December, leaving it finally
n the hands of General S. R. Curtis.
Curtis Immediately started southwark
oward Springfield on a toilsome win
er march toward the Arkansas border.
Both Sides Building Warships.
While the war on land waited for
he muster and equipment Of armies
md the development Of plans the whir
# machinery and the din Of anvil and
hammer resounded in all the shipyards
f both sections. getting ready for a
truggle between ironclad vessels. The
am Merrimac was slowly and secret
= growing into shape at Norfolk. and
he pygmy which was to cut short her
areer was still in the hands of Erics-
on and his mechanics at Greenpoint,
I. Y. The Eads feet of paddle wheel
famous during the war as
he ninety day gunboats" on account
f the haste in their construction. we're
nder way on the Mississippi.
The Confederates. having few seago-
1g ships. fell back upon river boats
or defense and turned their attention
o the building Of clumsy plated ves7
els from old hulks. The Louisiana
nd Mississippi were built on the low
r Mississippi, the Arkansas and Ten
essee at Memphis. the Atlanta at Sa-
annah and the Palmetto State and /
.hicora at Charleston. OF all the Com
pderate ironcIads begun in 1851 only