The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-12-10
SAVED THE FLEET.
Brilliant Exploit Of a Brainy Wis
consin lumberman.
4 BIT OF WAR TIME STRATEGY


rnirsI portsr's Gunbosts Shot the
Rapids, Though the Scheme Had
Been Ridieuled by Army Engineers.
In the spring OF 1864 a Wisconsin
iumberman by a brilliant exploit saved
the Red river feet OF the Mississippi
squadron from destruction. To thwart
the intrigues Of Napoleon Ill. who had
sent a French army into Mexico. the
federal government desired to gain a
strong military foothold in Texas. To
this end II was planned to send an
army and feet into interior Texas by
way Of the Red river. which was
navigablc only in the spring.
The army under General Banks, sup
ported by Admiral Porter's feet of
gunboats. began the ascent of tho riv.
er. But matters went badly almost
from the beginning. The leaders quar-.
relied among themselves, the prepaa-
tons made were inadequate. and.
worst Of oil. the Red river suddenly
began 10 fall, when by all precedents
II should have risen Admiral Porter.
fearful thnt his feet would be caught
In the shadows. hurriedly descended
the stream. and the army. already sav.
ngely handled by the opposing Confed.
erate force. followed after.
At Alexandria. In central Louisiana.
tho retrcnting federnls found them.
selves face 10 face with crisis. At
this point the Red river In broken by
a mile Of rapids; the stream had fallen
40 quickly that the gunboas could
no longer navigate tho channel. The
water was but three feet four inches.
whereas Porters larger gunbonts drew
at lcnst seven feet Here was indeed
desperate situntion-thc army far
from its source OF supplies. the victori.
Gus enemy pressing In hot pursuit
falling water. II seemed 20 almost
every one that the only course open
was 90 blow UP the vessels.
But Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bailey
OF tho Fourth Wisconsin. who was
serving NJ the time M acting engineer
Of the Nineteenth army corps. came
forward with plan for bringing the
the level OF the water above the rapids
by constructing n great dam ncross
the river. when n sufficient depth OF
water had accumulated he proposed 10
break the dam In the center. thus fore.
Ing the vessels with the outrushlng
food through the shadows and Into
the deep water below. Before the war
Colonel Rnllcy hnd been lumhcrmnn
aud hnd often seen this scheme en-
ploycd Ia the Wisconsin pinerics 10
"llft" stranded RATS of logs 10 safety
The project was nc first received with
rldlcule by Colonel linllcy's superlors,
II was declared impossible OF achieve
ment by tho best engineers In the
army.
But there was nothing else 90 be
done. aud nc length the Wisconsin |
lumbcrmnn was dubiously granted per
mission 10 put his project To the proof |
His frst step was 90 rcqulsition de |
tnchmcnts of "pincry boys" from the
Twenty.third and Twenty. Wis |
consin regiments, who understood what |
was % be done and how 10 20 about H. |
In nll 1900 men were employed In
the enterprise. Hundreds of men were
set 10 Telling trees. other hundreds toll
ed In the quarrles that were opened
for the occasion. and two or three hun
dred wagons were engaged I'm the es'
sentlal work of transporting the ma
terials for the dam. Up to their necks
Ia the swift current. which swept over
the rapids ut the rate OF nine miles mn
hour. under the blisterng southern
sun. the men toiled.
At the end OF eight days the river
was sufficiently high 10 permit three
OF the lighter sunboats 10 pass the
upper falls. where they had been held.
md come down To position imnedi-
ately above the dam. ready Ia pass
the lower rapids. one more day aud
the dam would be high enough 10 per
NIT all TO come down In readiness for
the tnal attempt
On the morning or the ninth day,
however the steadily increasing pres
sure OF the water caused two OF the
stone barges In the middle OF the
lam 10 swing aside. and through the
opening thus created the accumulated I
torrent swirled. The three lighter YES
sells that We're In position 10 make the
passage. together with a fourth that
lad meanwhile come up. promptly took
advantage OF the break and. passing
he remaining rapids on the flood tide.
safely reached the deeper waters be-
ow.
Somewhat encouraged by the escape
u at least four OF the vessels. the men
lravely set about repairing the dam
Ige that had been done. Within three
lays the break had been closed and In
addition two wing dams constructed
N the upper falls. The remaining :
'unboats, somewhat lifted by the back.
water OF the wing dams. were now
lauled over the upper falls. and on
lay II. amid the tumultuous cheers OF
y. 900 soldiers lined up along the shore. u
made the perious passage over the
-.