Running the Blockade. 287 Hard a-port!' and she obeyed her helm, and regained the current just in season to save her. Contrary to expectation, they found no battery at the foot of the island, where it was reported that one of the long-range guns had been planted. The floating battery, which had drifted from its moorings at the head of the island, was three miles below, and this remained to be passed. As the Carondelet was not in a fighting trim, she kept close to the Missouri shore, the battery firing only a few harmless shots as she passed; and then the peril of the passage was over, and exulting shouts burst from the crew and the soldiers; and the signal-guns were fired announcing their safety to the fleet above; and soon the gun-boat rounded to at New Madrid, welcomed by bonfires and every possible exhibition of joy. All felt that the fate of Island No. Ten at length was sealed. In rounding to, a slight accident occurred, through a misunderstanding of an order by the engineer, and the boat was run hard aground; but after an hour of effort, by shifting some of the bow guns to the stern and bringing all the men aft, she was safely backed off, and the perilous voyage was over at 1 A.M."* Foote sent the following dispatch to Pope: "U. S. FLAG-SHIP 'BENTON,' OFF ISLAND NO. TEN, April 4, 1862. "GENERAL, — The gun-boat Carondelet, Commander Walke, left her anchorage this evening at ten o'clock, in a heavy thunder-storm, for the purpose of running the fire of the batteries on Island No. Ten and those lining the Tennessee shore, to join your forces at New Madrid. By a previous concerted signal of three minute-guns, twice fired at intervals of five minutes, which have since been heard, as near as the heavy thunder would enable us to ascertain, leads me to hope that the blockade has been run successfully, although the batteries opened upon her with fortyseven guns while passing. "I am, therefore, so exceedingly anxious to hear the fate of the noble officers and men who were so readily disposed to attempt the hazardous service, that I beg you will immediately inform me by bearer if Commander Walke have arrived with his vessel, and the condition in which you find her and her officers and men. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, A. H. FOOTE, Flag-Officer. "Major-General Pope, commanding Army at New Madrid, Mo." * Boynton's "Hist. of the Navy during the Rebellion," vol. i., p. 549 seq. General Pope at once answered this, and accompanied his answer with a strong request that another gun-boat should be sent down to guard the transports in conveying over the troops, which request was complied with by the Pittsburg's running the batteries and the fire of seventy-three guns on the night of the 6th, also in a heavy thunder-storm. Commander Walke's dispatch to his flag-officer relative to the Carondelet's achievement was as follows: 66 “U. S. GUN-BOAT CARONDELET,' NEW MADRID, 'SIR,-I have the honor to report my arrival here last night about one o'clock-all well. On our way all of the rebel batteries and a large number of infantry opened fire upon us, which was continued until we were out of range. Providentially, no damage was done to the vessel or the officers and crew, who conducted themselves with admirable courage and fidelity. The terrible storm which prevailed at the time rendered it impossible to make any reliable observation. "Most respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, "H. WALKE, Commander U. S. Navy. "Flag-Officer A. H. Foote, commanding U. S. Naval Forces, Western Waters." In a letter to his wife at this time, the running of the Pittsburg past the batteries is spoken of by Commodore Foote: "FLAG-STEAMER BENTON,' April 7, 1862. "MY DEAR WIFE, Anxious night,' as Dr. used to say when he charged five dollars for his visit. Commander Thompson, whom you well know, ran the blockade last night in a heavy thunder-storm with the Pittsburg, under a fire of seventy-three heavy guns. We don't know yet whether he is hurt vitally or not; but the scene was terrific and grand, as you may imagine. At two A.M. Thompson started, and we could only see him as the lightning flashed. I am anxious to hear from him, though I slept well. A terrible cannonading is going on near New Madrid, caused, no doubt, by Walke and Thompson fighting the rebel batteries where General Pope must land to get here. They will prove too much for the rebels in my opinion. Thus we go ahead slowly, and God grant that we soon may take No. Ten, and all in and Surrender of Island No. Ten. 289 around it. The crisis is close at hand, and we are anxious to meet after this long suspense. My foot is statu quo. A chronic tenderness and swelling, uncomfortable up to the knee at times. I have no apprehension of a serious result; but it greatly impairs my activity and efficiency, as I can not inspect the steamers or make alterations. Still, we must submit to all that God sends us. "I have a great deal of writing to do, and much in the way of granting interviews and giving orders, which, as I trust nobody else to do, you will excuse my short and hurried letters. I will add, if any thing come up before mail. I write you, and have done so for ten or twenty days, every day. Do you get all my letters? I send some of Prentice's criticisms in the Louisville Journal. "Mail ready. Very affectionately, with kisses and love to all, "A. H. FOOTE." On the 7th, in the morning, the two gun-boats that had run the batteries went down the river and attacked and silenced the enemy's field-guns that had been stationed to prevent the crossing of the land forces. Thereupon the transports with the troops immediately prepared to cross the river; but before this was accomplished, the rebels saw that their works were rendered defenseless, and they commenced abandoning the batteries along the Tennessee and Kentucky shores that Foote was on the point of attacking with a grand assault in co-operation with the Army. Equal consternation prevailed at Island No. Ten; and at twenty-five minutes past three on the morning of the 7th of April a flag of truce came to Commodore Foote, surrendering to him the island. The surrender was made even before the news had arrived at the island of the silencing of the field-guns below, and the crossing of General Pope's army to the Tennessee side. Pope's forces, as soon as they were landed, were marched toward Tiptonville, to intercept the rebels retreating from the batteries and from Island No. Ten. They were successful in this, and drove the fleeing enemy into the swamps, and on the 8th made them prisoners in large numbers, but few escaping. Thus, although the Army and Navy were co-operative in the capture of this important stronghold, and both were essential to this end, Island No. Ten was at the last actually surrendered to the gun-boats. The following are Flag-Officer Foote's official reports of the event: "FLAG-STEAMER BENTON,' OFF ISLAND NO. TEN, April 8-1 A.M. "My telegram, three hours since, informed the Department that Island No. Ten had surrendered to the gun-boats. Captain Phelps has this instant returned, after having had an interview with the late commandant. I have requested General Buford, commanding the troops, to proceed immediately, in company with two of the gun-boats, and take possession of the island. The batteries on the Tennessee shore have been hastily evacuated, where we shall find, no doubt, in the morning, large quantities of munitions of war. "I communicate with General Pope, who has, under cover of the two gun-boats which gallantly ran the blockade, crossed the river in force, and was ready, as well as the gun and mortar boats, with General Buford and his troops, to make a simultaneous attack upon the rebels, had they not so hastily evacuated the Tennessee shore and surrendered Island No. Ten. A full report will be made as soon as we can obtain possession of the land-batteries, and I am able to communicate with General Pope. "A. H. FOOTE, Flag-Officer. "The Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy." “FLAG-SHIP BENTON,' Island No. TEN, April 8, 1862 (via Cairo). "I have the honor to inform the Department that since I sent the telegram last night announcing the surrender to me of Island No. Ten, possession has been taken of both the island and the works upon the Tennessee shore by the gun-boats and the troops under command of General Buford. Seventeen officers and three hundred and sixty-eight privates, besides one hundred of their sick and one hundred men employed on board the transports, are in our hands, unconditional prisoners of war. "I have caused a hasty examination to be made of the forts, batteries, and munitions of war captured. There are eleven earthworks, with seventy heavy cannon, varying in calibre from 32 to 100 pounders, rifled. The magazines are well supplied with powder, and there are large quan Official Correspondence. 291 tities of shot, shells, and other munitions of war, and also great quantities of provisions. Four steamers afloat have fallen into our hands, and two others, with the rebel gun-boat Grampus, are sunk, but will be easily raised. The floating battery of sixteen heavy guns, turned adrift by the rebels, is said to be lying on the Missouri shore below New Madrid. Two wharf-boats, loaded with provisions, are also in our possession. "The enemy upon the mainland appears to have fled with great precipitation after dark last night, leaving, in many cases, half-prepared meals in their quarters; and there seems to have been no concert of action between the rebels upon the island and those occupying the shore; but the latter fled, leaving the former to their fate. These works, erected with the highest engineering skill, are of great strength, and, with their natural advantages, would have been impregnable if defended by men fighting in a better cause. "A combined attack of the naval and land forces would have taken place this afternoon or to-morrow morning had not the rebels abandoned this stronghold. To mature these plans of attack, absolutely required the last twenty-three days of preparation. General Pope is momentarily expected to arrive with his army at this point, he having successfully crossed the river yesterday under a heavy fire, which, no doubt, led to the hasty abandonment of the works last night. I am unofficially informed that the two gun-boats which so gallantly ran the fire of the rebel batteries a few nights since, yesterday attacked and reduced a fort of the enemy opposite, mounting eight heavy guns. "I am, sir, respectfully, etc., "A. H. FOOTE, "Flag-Officer, commanding Naval Forces, Western Waters. "The Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy." In regard to the operations below the island of the two gun-boats, the Carondelet and the Pittsburg, that were so effective in the final result, this is the commodore's report: “U. S. FLAG-STEAMER BENTON, OFF ISLAND NO. TEN,} April 11, 1862. "SIR,-I have the honor to inclose a report from Commander Walke, of the gun-boat Carondelet, detailing the services rendered by him and the Pittsburg, Lieutenant-Commanding Thompson, in the vicinity of New Madrid, from which it will be seen that the boats opened upon and |