THE "BONES" OF THE STAR OF THE WEST,, BY F. W. MERRIUS, PLANT CITY, FLA.
The short but deeply interesting career of the ocean steamer Star of the West during the early days of the Confederate war, beginning with her effort and failure to land reénforcements and supplies into Fort Sumter, on the oth of January, 1861, and then quickly followed by other historic events, terminating with her capture by a Confederate gunboat and being towed into New Orleans as a Confederate prize—these events have been often related; but the final ending of this noted ocean steamer has a history romantic and interesting. With many the query may remain as to just where and how the Star of the West ended her career. To do this properly, however, a brief recital of some war reminiscences connected therewith may be found interesting to the readers of the Veteran, and especially those who participated in some of the events here related.
The disastrous battle of Corinth in the fall of 1862, followed by the occupation of the Memphis and Charleston railroad from Alabama to the city of Memphis, as also the Mississippi Central as far south as the Yocona River, about thirty miles from Grenada, by the Federal armies, put things in bad shape for the Confederacy in this field. Such was the situation of affairs in November, 1862, and this movement of Gen. Grant has ever since been regarded as his first scheme to get in the rear of Vicksburg, by steadily forcing his way down the line of the Mississippi railroad. But that sensational event of history known as "Gen. Van Dorn's dash into Holly Springs,' then Grant's base of supplies, guarded by a strong force, and resulting in the thorough defeat and rout of the Federal forces, and complete destruction of immense quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance stores, very effectively called a halt on that movement, and its results were marvelous. Grant's advance lines on the Yocona fell back pellmell to Memphis, and "'the order of going'"' has never been recorded or explained. But so ended the first movement of Gen, Grant to flank Vicksburg.
A second movement was inaugurated during the winter of 1862-63, which was to send a fleet of gunboats and transports through the Mississippi bottom by means of the Yazoo Pass into Moon Lake, thence into the head waters of the Tallahatchie River, and down that stream into the Yazoo River proper, which would carry the fleet to the rear of Vicksburg, in effect. This scheme was set on foot with strong purpose to carry it out in the early spring of 1863, while an existing overflow of the great Mississippi seemed to favor the project.
The Mississippi levee at the Yazoo Pass, a short distance below Memphis, was cut away, and quite a large fleet of gunboats and transports were passed into Moon Lake, and thence into the bayou leading into the head waters of the Tallahatchie River. Here the work of cutting away the abatis of fallen timbers began in earnest, and it progressed with a steady rapidity that not only surprised but alarmed the Confederate officials, who saw at once that the fleet would certainly reach the Yazoo River unless vigorous measures were used to prevent it.
Then it was that the work of constructing Fort Pemberton (called by some very properly "Fort Loring') was commenced, Gen. Loring being in command of
the forces watching this movement. The site for the fortifying line was most admirably chosen, it being a neck of high land scarcely a half mile wide, above overflow, lying between the two rivers, the Yazoo on one side and the Tallahatchie on the approaching side. The latter river, however, makes a detour of some fifteen miles or more, where it unites with the Yalobusha River, making the head of the Yazoo.
Now the part which the Star of the West plays in this sketch comes in, and a very important ally it proved to be in the defense of this point. The huge vessel was then lying in port at New Orleans. Later on she was moved higher up the Mississippi River, and finally up the Yazoo River.
In whose fertile brain originated the wise thought of sinking this huge ocean ship across the channel of the Tallahatchie River is not known to the writer, but it was well accomplished. The great vessel was towed up to the head of the Yazoo and then into the Tallahatchie to the site of the fort. Here it was swung squarely across the channel and sunk to the muddy bottom of that noted muddy stream, and there its wreckage, in part at least, remains to this day. (This writer is informed that the old hulk of the noted vessel is chopped all to pieces by relic hunters.)
Rifle pits extended from the fort to the bank of the river at the point where the vessel lay in silent determination to stop Grant's approaching fleet at that point, and so she did.
In the meantime work on the fort was pushed with all possible dispatch, including the mounting of two or three jheavy g guns, and also the famous "Lady Richardson," captured and brought off from the battlefield of Corinth by Loring's division, and a few lighter field pieces connected with the division of Gen. Loring. The heavy pieces had an open front of the Tallahatchie River for about a half mile from where the ship lay, up the river.
But these preparations were none too soon gotten into partial shape even when the curling smoke from the Yankee fleet could be seen rising high above the cypress and sweetgum timber, indicating their steady approach. A few days later the largest gunboat advanced into the open space in the river, followed by two or three others, and the battle of Fort Pemberton began in earnest, and continued for two days. An occasional shot was fired into the Star of the West, which had the effect of settling her down deeper into the mud and sand. The heavy guns in the fort did good service too, and held the enemy well at bay. The evening of the second day's battle was a hot one, and as the darkness closed the conflict the situation of affairs in the fort and on our line was not encouraging by any means. The ammunition for the heavy guns was wellnigh exhausted, while the effects of the enemy's guns had told sharply on the fort and its surroundings.
The night wore away, with a good deal of solicitude on the part of officers and men as to what the morning light would develop, when lo and behold, the gunboats had withdrawn up the river out of sight. A brighter sun never arose after a darker night's gloom than did the sun on that morning to the defenders a Fort Pemberton.
The enemy had evidently made a thorough reconnoisance of the situation of our silent ally, the Star of the West, blocking their way and preventing the fleet
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from getting into the Yazoo River even should the fort be silenced.
A few days were then spent in looking for some possible way to flank the position with land forces, but these all failed, and the Yazoo Pass expedition, in a few days more, took the back track, and made its tedious return through the Pass, where it had entered some weeks before; and so ended the second expedition to get in the rear of the invulnerable Vicksburg.
Reese Bowen, of Tazewell County, Va., sprang from a race of soldiers. During the dark days of our civil war he was a boy just entering his teens. His young heart swelled with emotion when he heard of the gallantry of his brother, Maj. Tom Bowen, then a soldier under Lee. His bosom heaved with pride when he listened to the stories (old but ever interesting) of his great-grandfather, Col. Reese Bowen, who led his regiment at King's Mountain. He was no less proud of the old story that Col. Bowen, who stood six feet six inches, was once attacked by a bear. Being without gun or knife, he had but one recourse: to carry the war into Africa. He actually "hugged the bear to death."
Reese gained his mother's consent, and with her blessing became a soldier. We shall let Maj. Thomas Bowen tell the story: "Reese came to my camp one night when everything was perfectly quiet. No one could possibly have known less of war at that time than he. Early next morning, without warning, the Yankees dashed into our camp, cutting right and left. Reese had a gun, and was in the thickest of the fight. — A big Yankee made a dash at him with uplifted saber. Reese squared himself, bringing his gun up, and said: 'If you hit me with that thing in your hand, I'll kill you.' Reese was like George Washington: he could not tell a lie. He still wears a deep scar on his head, but was responsible for there being one less Yankee on their muster roll."
During the great war there was a baitle on a hillside ov erlooking the quaint and beautiful old town of Lewisburg, Va. "(now W. Va.). Near this spot are interred the bones of about sixty Southern soldiers who — fell in battle. The little cemetery is inclosed in primitive style, but it faces the Virginia mountains. The soldiers are buried in trenches dug in the form of a cross, making a lovely and impressive picture.