Tennessee River Expedition – Official Report of Lieut. S. L. Phelps

U. S. GUNBOAT, “CONESTOGA,”

Tennessee River, February 10, 1862

Flag Officer H. H. Foote, U. S. N. Commanding

Naval Forces Western Waters

SIR – Soon after the surrender of Ft. Henry on the 6^th inst., I proceeded in obedience to your orders up the Tennessee river with the Tyler, Lieut. Commanding Gwin, Lexington, Lieut. Commanding Shirk, and this vessel, forming a division of the Flotilla, and arrived after dark at the railroad crossing, 25 miles above the Fort, having destroyed on the way a small amount of camp equipage abandoned by the fleeing rebels.  The draw of the bridge was found to be closed and the machinery for turning it disabled.  About one and a half miles above were several rebel transport steamers escaping up stream.  A party was landed, and in one hour I had the satisfaction to see the draw open.  The Tyler being the slowest of the gun boats, Lieut. Gwin landed a force to destroy a portion of the railroad track, and to secure such military stores as might be found while I directed Lieut. Shirk to follow me with all speed in chase of the fleeing boats.  In five hours this boat succeeded in forcing the rebels to abandon and burn three of their boats, loaded with military stores.  The first one fired (Samuel Orr) had on board a quantity of submarine batteries which very soon exploded.  The second was freighted with powder, cannon shot, grape, balls, &c.  Fearing an explosion from the fired boats (there were two together) I stopped at a distance of 1,000 yards, but even then our sky lights were shattered by the concussion, the light upper deck was raised bodily, doors were forced open and locks and fastenings everywhere broken.  The whole river for half a mile around about was completely beaten up by the falling fragments and the shower of shot, grape, balls, &c.  The house of a reputed Union man was blown to pieces, and it was suspected there was design in landing the rebels in front of the doomed house.  The Lexington having fallen astern, and without a pilot on board, I concluded to wait for both of the boats to come up.  Joined by them we proceeded up the river.  Liut. Gwin had destroyed some of the trestle work at the end of the bridge, burning with them a lot of the camp equipage.  J. N. Brown, formerly a Lieutenant in the Navy, now signing himself Lieut. C. S. N. had fled with such precipitation as to leave his papers behind.  These Lieut. Gwin brought and I send them to you, as they give an official history of the rebel floating preparations on the Mississippi, Cumberland and Tennessee.  Lieut. Brown had charge of the construction of gunboats. – At night on the 7^th we arrived at a landing in Hardee county, Tenn. Known as Cerro Gordo, where we found the steamer Eastport being converted into a gunboat.  Armed boat crews were immediately sent on board, and search made for means of destruction that might have been devised.

She had been scuttled, and the suction pipes broken.  These leaks were soon stopped.  A number of rifle shots were fired at our vessels, but a couple of shells dispersed the rebels.  On examination I found that there were large quantities of timber and lumber prepared for fitting up the Eastport, that the vessel itself, some two hundred and eighty feet long was in excellent condition and already half finished.  Considerable of the plating designed for her was lying on the bank and everything at hand to complete her.  I therefore directed Lieutenant Commanding Gwin to remain with the Tyler to guard the prize, and to load the lumber, &c., while the Lexington and Conestoga should proceed still higher up.  Soon after daylight we passed Easport, Mississippi, and at Chickasaw, farther up near the State line, seized two steamers the Sallie Wood and Muscle, the former laid up the latter freighted with iron destined for Richmond and for rebel uses.

We then proceeded on up the river, entering the State of Alabama and ascending to Florence at the foot of Muscle Shoals.  On coming in sight of the town three steamers were discovered, which were immediately set on fire by the rebels.  Some shots were fired from the opposite side of the river below.   A force was landed and considerable quantities of supplies, marked “Fort Henry” were secured from the burning wrecks.  Some had been landed and stored.  These I [secured], putting such as we could bring away on board our vessels, and destroying the remainder.  No flats or other craft could be found.  I found also more of the iron plating intended for the Eastport.

A deputation of the citizens of Florence waited upon me, first desiring that they might be able to quiet the fears of their wives and daughters with assurance from me that they should not be molested and secondly, praying that I would not destroy their railroad bridge.  As for the first, I told them that we were neither ruffians nor savages, and that we were there to protect from violence and to enforce the law, and with reference to the second that if the bridge was away we could ascend no higher, and that it could possess, so far as I saw no military importance, as it simply connected Florence itself with the railroad on the south side of the river.  We had seized three of their steamers, one the half finished gunboat, and had forced the rebels to burn six others loaded with supplies, and their loss with that of the freight, is a severe loss to the enemy.  Two boats are still known to be on the river, and are doubtless hidden in some of the creeks where we shall be able to find them when there is time for the search.  We returned on the night of the 8^th to where the Eastport lay.  The crew of the Tyler had already gotten on board of the prize an immense amount of lumber etc.  The crews of the boats set to work to finish it immediately, and we have brought away, probably 250,000 feet of the best quality of ship and building lumber, all the iron machinery, spikes, and plating, nails, etc., belonging to the rebel gunboat, and I caused the mill to be destroyed where the lumber had been sawed.  Lieut. Commanding Gwin, in our absence, enlisted some twenty-five Tennesseeans, who gave information of the encampment of Colonel Drew’s rebel regiment at Savannah, Tennessee.  A portion of the six hundred or seven hundred men were known to be pressed men and all were badly armed.  After consultation with Lieutenants Commanding Gwin and Shirk I determined to make a land attack on the encampment. – Lieutenant Commanding Shirk with thirty riflemen came on board the Conestoga, leaving his vessel to guard the Eastport and accompanied by the “Tyler,” we proceeded up to that place prepared to land 130 riflemen, and a 12 pound rifled howitzer.  Lieutenant Commanding Gwin took command of this force when landed, but had the mortification to find the encampment deserted.  The rebels had fled at 10 o’clock, at night, leaving considerable quantities of arms, clothing, shoes, camp utensils, provisions, implements, etc., all of which were secured or destroyed, and their winter quarters of log huts were burned.  I seized also a large mail bag, and send you the letters giving military information.

The gunboats were then dropped down to a point where arms gathered under the rebel (press) law had been stored and an armed party, under Second Master Goudy, of the Tyler, succeeded in seizing 70 rifles and fowling pieces.  Returning to Cerro Gordo, we took the Eastport, Sable Woods and Muscle in tow, and came down the river to the railroad crossing.  The Muscle sprung a leak, and all efforts failed to prevent her from sinking and we were forced to abandon her, and with her a considerable quantity of fine lumber.  We are having trouble in getting through the draw of the bridge here.

I now come to the most interesting portion of the report, one which has already become lengthy, but I trust you will find some excuse for this in the fact that it embraces a history of labors and movements day and night, from the 6^th to the 10^th of the month all of which details I deem it proper to give you.  We have met with the most gratifying proofs of loyalty everywhere across Tennessee, and in the portions of Mississippi and Alabama we visited. – Most affecting incidents greeted us almost hourly.  Men, women and children several times gathered in crowds of hundred, and shouted their welcome and hailed their national flag with an enthusiasm there was no mistaking.  It was genuine and heartfelt.  These people braved everything to go to the river bank, where a sight of their flag might once more be enjoyed, and they have experienced, as they related, every possible form of persecution.  Tears flowed freely down the cheeks of men as well as of women, and there were those who had fought under the stars and stripes at Moultrie, who in this manner testified to their joy.  This display of feeling and sense of gladness at our success, and the hopes it created in the breasts of so many people in the heart of the Confederacy astonished us not a little, and I assure you, Sir, I would not have failed to witness it for any consideration.  I think it has given us all a higher sense of the character of our present duties.  I was assured at Savannah that of several hundred troops there, more than one half, had we gone to the attack in time, would have hailed us as deliverers, and gladly enlisted with the national force.  In Tennessee, the people generally, in their enthusiasm, braved secessionists and spoke their views freely, but in Mississippi and Alabama what was said was guarded, “If we dared express ourselves freely, you would bear such a shout greeting your coming as you never heard.  We know that there are many Unionists among us, but a reign of terror makes us afraid of our shadow.”  We were told, too, “Bring us a small, organized force, with arms and ammunition for us and we can maintain our position and put down rebellion in our midst.”  There were, it is true, whole communities who, on our approach, fled to the woods, but these were where there was less of the loyal element.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. L. PHELPS,

Lieutenant Commanding, U. S. N.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 1

Additional Details of the Gun-Boat Expedition up Tennessee River

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 13.

The Republican’s Fort Henry correspondent gives further particulars of the Tennessee river gunboat expedition. At every village the people insisted upon loading their visitors with presents, and as far as Florence the river can be navigated almost as safely as the Ohio.

Blessings, cheers and the wildest enthusiasm greeted the gunboats everywhere. – Numbers of prominent men came forward and said that should the Union army enter Tennessee, 50,000 men were ready and anxious to protect their homes, and would at once cluster around it. Under the laws commanding them to join the rebel army or lose their property, they were obliged to succumb in self-defence.

The officers of the gunboats say that it is impossible to doubt the genuineness of the greetings that everywhere met them. The rebel press is wholly under the control of the politicians, and don’t speak the people’s feelings. The secession element is principally composed of lawless portions of the community, who overawe by violence the order loving Union citizens.

At Sarama Lt. Phelps learned that a rebel cavalry regiment was encamped about a mile distant. He immediately ordered a company of 130 men, under Col. Gwin, to march against them, but the rebels hearing of the movement fled in a panic, leaving everything behind them. Their camp was burned, and a considerable quantity of arms and stores were captured.

Only one steamer, the Dunbar, now floats on the Upper Tennessee.

The Appleton Belle had 4,000 lbs. powder aboard, and when fired was purposely anchored opposite the fine residence of Judge Creevatt, a noted loyalist, and which was just completed. The building was much shattered by the explosion.

A partially finished rebel gun-boat, Eastport, is a fine fast steamer 250 feet long, very staunch, and constructed so as to be rendered shot proof, by compressed bales of cotton and iron plates.

The steamer Illinois, brought down a quantity of tobacco yesterday from Paris. A large quantity of pig iron near there will be removed as soon as possible.

The Nashville Union and American of the 5th inst. says that Gens. Beauregard, Pillow and Cheatham were there. It also contains Beauregard’s plan of battle at Manassas, and prodigious speculations as to what he will do at Columbus.

Numerous articles are copied from Southern papers, asking their government to take some measures to keep the soldiers in their service, as their term of enlistment is expiring and they are fast becoming demoralized. The papers also state that a large amount of Confederate stores are lying on the Banks of the Cumberland.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, February 14, 1862, p. 1

From Fort Henry

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 12.

A special to the Republican, dated Fort Henry, the 11th, says gun boats Conestoga, Tyler and Lexington returned form the upper Tennessee last night. The boats went as high up as Florence, Ala., and were received with the wildest joy by the people along the river; old men cried like children at the sight of the stars and stripes, and invited officers and men into their house and told them all they had was at their disposal. Large numbers were anxious to enlist under the old flag, and the Tyler brought down 250 to fill up the gun boat crews. Our officers were assured if they would wait a few days, whole regiments could be raised, and if the Government would give them arms to defend themselves, they could bring Tennessee back to the Union in a few months. They said when the secession ordinance was passed, armed men stood at the polls and everything went as certain politicians said. At Savannah, Clifton, Eastport, and Florence, officers and men of our boats went ashore without arms and mingled freely with the people. The Union men along the river comprise the wealthiest and best portion of the inhabitants, large numbers of whom have American flags. Not a gun was fired either going or coming. The rebel gun boats Eastport, Sallie Ward and Mussel, only partially finished, were captured and are here. The Eastport has 25,000 feet of lumber on board, and the Ward had a quantity of iron plating. The steamers Sam. Kirkman, Linn Boyd, Julia Smith, Sam Orr, Appleton and Bell were burned by the rebels to prevent them from falling into our hands.

The railroad bridge at Florence was not destroyed. A quantity of papers were captured on the Eastport, belonging to Lieut. Brown, late of the Federal navy: among them were letters from Lt. Maury, stating that submarine batteries could not be successfully used in the rapid streams of the West.

150 [hds] of tobacco and a quantity of other freight will be brought down from the mouth of the Sanday river to-morrow.

A daily line of packets has been established between Fort Henry and Cairo.

Nothing during the war has been so prostrating to the rebels as the late victory and the gun boat expedition above named.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

From Cairo

CAIRO, April 22.

Special to the Chicago Times

The steamer Charley Bowen reached here to-day, from Paducah. From Capt. White, one of her passengers, I gather Pittsburg news of Sunday night. The weather in that quarter has been exceedingly unfavorable for movements of our army. For the last three days rain has fallen incessantly, and it is now an utter impossibility for the army to move on account of the great depth of the mud. Preparations, however, are going on steadily, so when the roads improve, the army will be in readiness for battle.

Beauregard is being constantly reinforced and the citizens of Memphis and New Orleans are throwing up their business occupation and flocking to his standard, believing on the ensuing battle depends the fate of the Valley of the Mississippi. It is thought by those who ought to know best that the majority of the Southern people are ready to throw down their arms and return to the Union, if they are defeated at Corinth; while the leaders are still as desperate as ever.

Major Belknap, of the 15th Iowa regiment, has been promoted to the Colonelcy of a Wisconsin regiment, for his gallant conduct at the battle of Pittsburg.

I have it from excellent authority, that every charge against Gen. Grant, will be shown to be groundless, and that facts not generally known, tend to exculpate him from any blame whatever. The charge among others, that he landed troops on the Pittsburg side of the river, contrary to the order of Gen. Halleck, is easily cleared up, by the fact that the whole opposite side of the river was flooded with at least three feet of water, making the debarkation of the troops on that side impossible. The impression is gaining ground that Gen. Grant not only acted prudently under the circumstances, but conducted himself with marked bravery throughout the battle.

Five of the rebel miscreants who fired on the steamer Minnehaha during her recent trip up the Tennessee, have been captured, together with a quantity of ammunition and a number of horses, bearing the U. S. marks. The rebels were to be shot.

Gen. Smith is lying dangerously ill at Savannah. His division was commanded at the battle of Pittsburg by Gen. W H. Wallace.

Capt. G. R. Gardner, Co. F, and Capt. R. R. Henderson, Co. H, 13th Ohio, reported killed in the battle of Pittsburg, are both alive, and though wounded, are doing well.

The gunboat Eastport, captured at Nashville, is now being rebuilt at Mound City. She is to be somewhat longer and narrower than the gunboats now in service, and is to be provided with a huge iron prow; otherwise she will be continued after the pattern of the Benton and other gunboats. She is to be completed in about four weeks. Capt. Pennock, the naval officer in command at this post, is superintending the construction of the Eastport.

The captain of the Minnehaha arrived here to-day, and brings particulars concerning the drowning of Gov. Harvey. The Governor was returning in company with a number of gentlemen of Wisconsin from Pittsburg, whither they had gone to relieve the wounded Wisconsin troops. At Savannah they stopped some time visiting the wounded in hospital, and at length started to return. The party were passing from the steamer Dunleith on board the Minnehaha, when Gov. Harvey lost footing and fell into the river. He endeavored to swim against the current, and while in this act Dr. Clarke, on of the Governor’s party plunged into the stream to his rescue. Before he could reach him, however, Gov. Harvey was carried under a coal boat, since when nothing has been heard of his body, though endeavors have been made to recover it. A reward of $1,000 been offered by the State for the recovery of the body.

The Postmaster at Cairo requests all postmasters in mailing letters for the army, which should properly be sent to his office for distribution, to put them in separate packages and endorse the letters “soldier’s letters, Cairo D. P. O.” The enormous increase of letters received makes this an absolute necessity.

The steamer Stringer arrived from Fort Pillow this morning, but brought nothing of importance from the fleet. She left our fleet on Sunday evening, and reports that there was no firing on either side during that day. A few shots were exchanged on Saturday, Mortar boats occasionally toss shell into the rebel fortifications. Nothing lively may be expected from the flotilla until after the battle of Corinth.

First Lieut. John Sec, Co G, 41st Ills., wounded in the battle of Pittsburg, died when coming down the river yesterday.

The river here is at least at a stand, and if any change is occurring is slowly receding.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 24, 1862, p. 2

Cairo Budget, A useless attempt to Whitewash Grant – Affairs at Pittsburgh – at Fort Pillow, etc.

CAIRO, April 22 – The steamer Charley Brown reached here to-day from Paducah. From Captain White, one of her passengers, I gather Pittsburgh news of Sunday Night.

The weather has been exceedingly unfavorable in that quarter for the movements of our army, for the last three days. The rain has fallen incessantly, and it is now an utter impossibility for the army to move on account of the great depth of mud. Preparations, however, are going on steadily, and when the roads improve the army will be in readiness for the battle.

Beauregard is being constantly reinforced and citizens of Memphis and New Orleans are throwing up their business occupations and flocking to his standard, believing that in the coming battle depends the fate of the Valley of the Mississippi.

It is thought by those who ought to know, that the majority of the Southern People are ready to throw down their arms and return to the Union if they are defeated at Corinth, while the leaders are still as desperate as ever.

Major Belknap, of the 15th Iowa, has been promoted to the Colonelcy of a Wisconsin regiment, for gallant conduct at the battle of Pittsburgh.

I hear it from excellent authority, that every charge brought against Gen. Grant, will be shown to be groundless, and facts not generally known tend to exculpate him from any blame whatever. The charge, among others, that he landed troops on the Pittsburgh side of the river contrary to the orders of General Halleck, is easily cleared up, by the fact that the whole opposite side of the river was flooded with at least three feet of water, making the debarkation of troops on that side impossible.

The impression is gaining ground that Gen. Grant not only acted prudently under the circumstances, but conducted himself with marked bravery throughout the battle.

Five of the rebel miscreants who fired upon the steamer Minnehaha, during her recent trip up the Tennessee river, have been captured, together with a quantity of ammunition and quite a number of horses bearing the U. S. mark. – They are to be shot.

Gen. Smith is lying dangerously ill at Savannah. His division was commanded at the battle of Pittsburgh by Gen. W. H. Wallace.

Capt. J. R. Gardiner, Co. F, and Capt. R. R. Henderson, Co. H, 13th Ohio, reported killed in the battle of Pittsburgh, in the Chicago Tribune of the 19th, are both alive, and though wounded are doing well.

The gunboat Eastport, captured at Nashville, is now being rebuilt at Mound City. She is to be somewhat larger and narrower than the gunboats now in service, and is to be provided with a large iron ram at the prow. Otherwise she will be erected after the pattern of the Benton and other gunboats. She is to be completed in about four weeks. Capt. Pennock, the naval officer in command at this post, is superintending the construction of the Eastport.

The Captain of the Minnehaha arrived here to-day, and brings the particulars concerning the drowning of Gov. Harvey. The Governor was returning in company with a number of gentleman of Wisconsin, from Pittsburgh, whither they had gone [to] relieve the wounded Wisconsin troops. At Savannah they stopped some time visiting the wounded in the hospital and started to return. The party were passing from the steamer Dunleith on board the Minnehaha, when Gov. Harvey lost his footing and fell into the river. He endeavored to swim against the current and while in this act, Dr. Clarke, one of the Governor’s particular friends, plunged into the stream to his rescue. But before he could reach him however, Gov. Harvey was carried under a coal boat. Since then nothing has been seen of his body, though every exertion has been made to recover it. A reward of $1,000 has been offered by the State of Wisconsin, for the recover of the body.

The post-master at Cairo requests all postmasters in mailing letters for the army, which should properly be sent to his office for distribution, to put them in separate packages, and endorse the letters “Soldier’s Letters,” Cairo D. P. O. The enormous increase of letters received makes this an absolute necessity.

The steamer Shingers arrived from Fort Pillow this morning, but brought nothing of importance from the flotilla. She left our fleet on Sunday evening and reports that there was no firing on either side during that day. A few shots were exchanged on Saturday. Our mortar boats occasionally throw a shell into the rebel fortifications. Nothing lively may be expected from the flotilla until after the battle of Corinth.

First Lieut. John Seek, Co G, 41st Illinois, wounded at the battle of Pittsburg, died while coming down the river yesterday.

The river here is at last at a stand, and if any change is occurring is slowly receding.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3