The second sheet of the letter, unfortunately, is missing. The Cincinnati is still participating in the Steele Bayou Expedition in this letter.

Gunboat Cincinnati
Sunflower Bayou
March 24/ [18]63

Dear Sister,

I have not attempted to write for several days for the reason that I’ve not had time and because things have taken a turn so different from what I had expected that I’ve had no heart to do it. As I expected the rebels got news of our coming and commenced cutting down large trees and blocking up the stream. These, of course, had to be removed and caused considerable delay in doing so. Besides there was trees and brush to be removed which were growing in the streams.

On Friday the fleet reached a part of the Bayou about from 3 to 5 miles from Little Sunflower. A force of rebels were reported to be up the stream some distance ahead and about 60 or 70 men from each boat were sent out to drive them back. Each boat also sent out a cutter to remove bush and cut down trees that were in the way. Our men stationed themselves on a mound (supposed to be thrown by the Indians) about a mile from where the boats then were and near a bridge a short distance ahead of the mound. About 5 o.c. in the afternoon the rebels opened a heavy fire of shell and grape from several pieces of artillery which they had stationed in the woods. As soon as the rebels commenced to fire, our men commenced to run. I’ve heard of the retreat from Bull Run, but the retreat from that mound on Deer Creek beats anything I ever saw. Each man seemed to try to get to the boat before the other. Some left their muskets and cartridge boxes and off they started like deers. But I must say to the credit of the “Cincinnati boys” that they were the last ones to leave the mound and not a musket was left behind. The men in small boats left boats and ran. Our tug, which was then engaged in moving a large tree, was deserted. Everything was left and had the rebels come up they would have been captured. I was in the cutter at this time with three others (the remainder having run away) on the right hand side of the stream but deeming it safer we crossed over to the other side. One of the men, having hurt both feet so that he could not walk, another man volunteered to carry him and they made their way back to the Cincinnati. But Shull and I stationed ourselves behind two gatepost and waited till the firing ceased when we returned to our cutter. Just then the captain of the tug hailed us from the other bank, but our boat being fast, Shull and I jumped into the Carondolet’s boat which was near by, rowed over and brought him aboard the tug. After this we brought an Engineer from our boat (who was standing on the bank) aboard the tug as there was no one to run the engine. We then left the boat in charge of a couple of Carondolet boys we picked up on the bank and went back to the bridge and got into our cutter. After we had got a little below the bridge we met one of our officers and two other men who were coming after the boat. We took them aboard and rowed down to the Cincinnati. By this time it was quite dark and I found that our men had been mustered and that I was down among the missing. That night our boats commenced falling back, but I had no idea that we were going to retreat, but it proved to be true. Our fleet is now on the way back to the Yazoo (the stream is so narrow that we have had to back down up to a few minutes ago when we came to a fork in the river and got turned around).

We burned a few cotton gins and the houses belonging to a few plantations. The rebels kept following us up and we had to be at our quarter all the time, night and day. We dare not hardly go on the Spar deck for as soon as a man made his appearance he was fired at by some of the rebel sharpshooters who were skulking along the bank. Our ex-officer and a man named Gill were wounded in the head. We loaded all the boats of the fleet with cotton today and then burnt the gin and all the cotton that was left. I think there is about $25,000.00 worth aboard our boat.

I am entirely disappointed in the way this expedition has turned out. Although it is no more than I would have expected when I know the man who is chief in command of the Miss Squadron. Admiral Porter has not the confidence of a single man in the whole fleet. We are now making what I call a shameful, disgraceful cowardly retreat. It displays little foresight in a man who has command of a fleet to take five gunboats through a narrow stream without room to turn around in. I say it displays little foresight in him to bring these boats into a place like this without an army to support them. Commander Porter has done little or nothing since he took command of this fleet towards suppressing this rebellion. I hope that he will be removed. Vicksburg will never be taken while he has command, in my opinion. The idea of a man being scared by a small army of men with a few pieces of artillery when he had at his command five of his best gunboats and only a few miles to go until he would get into water where it would be almost impossible to block the stream is, to say the least, very absurd. I had no idea when we commenced falling back that we were going to retreat as it was reported that an army was coming to our relief as the Admiral had sent for them. On Saturday, the 8th Missouri came up and reported Gen Sherman’s army within thirty-six hours march. Gen Sherman arrived with his army on Sunday night. We have been put on half rations because Admiral P. didn’t know enough to bring enough along with him. I have given you my opinion of Com P. I may be mistaken in the man, but I think not. Everyone has a good word for “Old Foote” but not one says anything in favor of Com P. We have got about sixty contrabands aboard to help each our rations. I never was so sick of n-- in all my life, you can hardly step for them they are always in the way. We have taken four rebel prisoners: one lieutenant and three privates. I expected the rebels would be surprised when they [remainder of letter missing]

Footnotes

 

United States. Naval War Records Office & United States. Office of Naval Records and Library. Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. / Series I - Volume 24: Naval Forces on Western Waters (January 1, 1863 - May 17, 1863) Washington, GPO, 1911.

P. 474: Admiral David Porter's Official Report on the Steele Bayou Expedition, "Joint expedition to Steele’s Bayou, Mss., for the purpose of opening an entrance into Yazoo River, March 14—27, 1863".

p.494: Entries from the Officer's private journal

Friday, March 20.—Firing again at 8: 30 o’clock. Progress again checked by felled timber. Rebels are shooting 12-pound Parrott shell. At 1 they are driven off. Most of our men have been out on picket duty for the last thirty-six hours. At 6 p. m. the rebels opened fire again, and at 7 were put to flight. We made 1 1/4 miles to-day. At 9 o’clock, expecting and prepared for boarders. The firing continued until a late hour , and, no land forces coming up, we backed down.

 

Saturday, March 21. The enemy followed us closely, and at 6 firing commenced and continued briskly for some time. The negroes at Butler’s plantation came to the ship and told us that the rebels were cutting timber in our rear, and had been at it all night. The admiral was probably apprised of this the evening before. We also learned that Mrs. Messenger (formerly of Springfield, Ohio) would not permit her negroes to assist in opposing us; that they had taken vengeance by burning her cotton and selling her furniture, and had a “blow-out” with the proceeds. They stigmatized her as a Yankee, and her relatives by marriage (though the rankest rebels in the country) could do nothing for her. At 8: 30 a. m. the rebels are trying to flank us, deploying with sharpshooters, etc. At 9: 20 Mr. Pearce, our first officer, was wounded (he was on duty shortly after). James Gill was also wounded. We burned the buildings on Dr. Moore’s plantation. The firing ceased at 10: 10. At 3 p. m. news has just reached us by negroes shouting, “Your folks is coining,” that Colonel Smith is close at hand. At 8 p. m. three rebel prisoners are brought in. They say the soldiers of the Confederate army have been living on corn bread and molasses for four months. The coal barge which was sunk in our path for nearly two days is now being removed. The rebels have been meantime intrenching themselves and planting 20-pounders in good positions to annoy us.

Sunday, March 22.—Three o’clock a. m. started downstream, the Eighth Missouri nobly aiding us, marching overland. Yesterday we killed many of the rebels; several wounded on our side by small arms. At 10 o’clock today the rebels commenced firing again with small arms. At 1 p. m. news came that 5,000 rebel cavalry and infantry are within 3 miles of us. Active preparations for defense are made. We are now opposite Egremont’s plantation 14 miles above Hill’s plantation. At twenty-five. minutes before 2 o’clock there is firing on both sides, as General Sherman came up—and coming on board the Cincinnati, was received with three hearty cheers. The rebels have just been scattered by our fire, and are running like frightened sheep. At 6 o’clock the Eighth Missouri are camped near to us, on the right of Deer Creek. Monday,

March 23.—Rain all night and this morning. We have not been annoyed by the rebels since their skedaddle of yesterday, mentioned above. We took on 15 negroes yesterday. Today obstructions have detained us very much; at 12 o’clock we had not made 3 miles. Toward evening we reached Colonel Hunt’s plantation, 7 miles above Black Bayou, a beautiful place, much of it just cleared. The negro quarters are in the form of a crescent facing the bayou, with the mansion in the center—being a two-story frame building.

Tuesday, March 24.—Rained all night; still raining hard this morning; Sherman’s soldiers in bad plight, and presenting a ludicrous appearance, covered with cotton, adhering to their hair and clothes from planks of a cotton gin upon which they had slept the night before; still they were generally cheerful as larks. We took on board a few of them who were sick and exhausted. For the first time our boys took on board a quantity of cotton, some sixty-odd bales, and a box of medicine, from Fore’s plantation. The cotton averages 450 pounds to the bale. The rebels follow and shoot at us. The negroes, too, are following closer to us than the whites, and they form a motley group indeed, of all ages and sexes, the lame, the halt, and the blind, as well as the stalwart and active. They are in all kinds of vehicles that can be conceived of, and on horses, mules, and afoot, in high glee—” going to freedom, sure,” they say. Their antics and expressions are most amusing. Some shout to the animals they are driving, “Go ‘long, dar, old fool hoss, don’t know nothing; your’s gwine to freedom, too.” The cotton gins and outhouses on Fore’s plantation (4 miles above Black Bayou) are still burning. The gunboats are now turned around, bows downstream, and their speed is increased. At half-past 7 p. m. we reached Hill’s plantation, and stayed over night.