The Washington herald., 1914-05-20

Fifty years ago today the Red River
expedition ended, when Federal ironclads
and the transports bearing 5000 men
loaned to Gen. n. p. Banks by Gen.
Sherman left the river and steamed up
the Mississippi toward Vicksburg. The
balance Of the troops who had served on
the expedition remained at Simspore. on
the Atchafalaya River. They were
temporarily to be retained in West
Louisiana. ~
The Federals had entered the Red and
Atchafalaya Rivers more than two
months before, seized Simsport, captured
Fort DeRussy, twenty-five miles up the
Red River, and occupied Alexandra,
twenty-five miles above the fort. The
force consisted of a detachment from
Gen. Shermans army at Vicksburg and
the fronclads of Admiral d. d. Porter's G
feet. At Alexandria the main expedi-
tionary force from New Orleans, which
had marched up Bayou Teche, Joined
the others, and the united commands
$1,000 strong, moved inland toward
Shreveport, 40 miles above Alexandria
Admiral Porter's ironclads, in spite of
the exceptionally lew water in the river,
succeeded in passing the rapids near
Alexandria and accompanied the army
in its march to the interior. A number
of the transports, bearing part of the
men from Sherman's army, followed the
gunboats.
Gen. Banks army was defeated by the
Confederates under Gen. Richard ray
lor-son of Zachary Taylor. twelfth
President of the United States-in the
battle of Sabine Cross Reads June s.
1t fell back to Alexandria. Admiral Por-
ter was notified of the defeat Of the
army and attempted to return to Alex
andria, but, on reaching the rapids which
were just above the town, he found that
the water had fallen SO low that it was
impossible for his heavy ironclads to
pass below.
Dam to Release ships.
The situation which then confronted
the Federals was serious one. The
river would not rise for another year,
and unless some special means was de-
vised for releasing the gunboats from
the trap into which they had fallen 1t
would be necessary either for the army
TO remain at Alexandria to guard them
or to abandon them to the Confederates.
The last was not to be considered, for
they not only represented a value of
millions, but their capture would give
the South absolute control of the Mis-
sissippi River on their release
At tthis juncture Lieut.. Col Joseph
Bailey, of the Fourth Wisconsin Cav
airy, an experienced engineer. came
forward with plan to save the ships
He proposed to construct a dam across
the river below the falls or rapids, and
thereby to raise the height of the wa
ter above. Many ridiculed the idea.
Admiral Porter declared that "if
'damning would get the fleet off II
would have been afloat long before"
Col. Bailey was authorized by Gen.
Banks to make the attempt and be-
tween 1000 and 5000 men, including
Michigan regiments, who had had ex-
perience in logging camps, were or
dered to assist him. In addition some
1000 horses. mules and oxen were
turned over to him for his use.
Work on the dam began on Sunday,
May /. On the north side of the river,
where the banks were wooded, several
hundred axmen from Maine felled
trees and an equal number hauled them
down to the river bank. Heavy stones
were brought down from above on fat
boats to weight the timber in the dam,
which was run out 800 feet from the
north bank of the stream, here about
$50 feet wide This was made of
Heavy timbers their tops upstream and
the interstices filled in with stones.
Four large navy coal barges were then
filled with stone and brick and sunk
at the end of the structure
From the left and south bank of the
stream a series Of cribs, constructed
from material obtained by demolishing
some old mills and barns in the vicin-
ity. was run OUT to meet the barges.
These cribs were filled with brick.
iron and stone and sunk in position.
In this work colored regiments were
employed.
Siany of the men had little faith in
the success of the undertaking, yet
they labored faithfully. and often were
in water up to their waists for hours
at a time. Gen. J. G. Wilson. at that
time a member of Gen. Banks stan.
thus told of the scenes along the river
bank while the work was in progress.
, Oak, elm and pine trees. whose gf-
gantic growth dated from the days OF
the daring De Soto. were falling to
the ground under the blows of the
stalwart pi>Ieeis of Maine, bearing
with them in their fall trees of lesser
growth: mules aLd oxen were drag
ging the treee. deauded OF their
branches. to the rivers bank; wagons
heavily loaded were moving In every
direction: nat boats carrying stone
were floating with the current. while
others were oetng drawn up the stream
in the manner of canal boats.
Meanwhile hundreds of men were
at work at each end of the dam. NOV
ing heavy logs TO the outer end of the
tree dam, throwing In brushwood and