After a lapse
of several days, I again resume my diary. I was taken sick on the 1st inst.,
and have been unable to note the incidents as they occurred, and will have to
depend on my memory for the facts. On Sunday morning we met seven skiffs loaded
with men from the wreck of the Indianola, who reported that there was another
Federal gun-boat in the vicinity, and that our men had thrown part of her
armament overboard, and had burnt her to the water's edge. They gave, however,
a rather confused account of the appearance of the vessel, and all acknowledged
that they had not been near enough to make her out, but believed her to be
quite as formidable as the Indianola. Colonel Brand determined to go on up the
river until he got some more reliable information, and at Natchez the report
was confirmed that the Federal vessel was above and the Indianola was
destroyed. It was then determined to go up Red river as far as Alexandria and
prepare for the capture of another prize. Accordingly we returned to the mouth
of Red river, and ascended that muddy, crooked stream to Alexandria, where we
arrived on the morning of the 5th, and where we are now lying, waiting for
General E. Kirby Smith to assume command of this department and give us orders,
as General Dick Taylor refused to have anything to do with us.
We had a good
time generally at Natchez, and left there with regret. As soon as the boat
touched the shore, the boys struck a beeline for town, and paid no attention
whatever to the guards. In a few hours every man was in a glorious state, and
it was with a great deal of difficulty that they could be gotten on board
again. In fact, some were left.
The boys had another
spree here yesterday, but the fun was cut short by some fool officer emptying
the whisky into the street. I am sorry to see a strong feeling of jealousy
existing between the officers and crews of the different boats engaged in the
capture of the Indianola, and a strong prejudice in the minds of the people of
this place against the crew of the Doctor Beatty. The feeling extends even to
those highest in command, whose minds should be above such petty
considerations. General Taylor makes an open display of his feelings against
the men who are from another Military Department. This morning his Adjutant
came down to Colonel Brand with the request that we take ourselves away from
this vicinity, as we were a nuisance. Our Colonel didn't see fit to notice the
request, however, and we still lie at the wharf. I fear that there will be a
fight before we leave here. The officers of the Webb and Queen refuse to give
us credit for doing anything in the late action.
SOURCE: Edwin
L. Drake, Editor, The Annals of the Army
of Tennessee and Early Western History, Vol. 1, p. 123-4
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