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Page 14
An immense amount of work was performed here, and Columbus was often
called the "Gibraltar of the Mississippi river," and the Confederate
generals fancied that it could not be taken. The town itself is
built on a level plain scarcely above high-water mark, as it has
been submerged by some of the great floods of former years. A range
of hills running parallel to the river, rises directly north of the
town. On these hills most of the batteries were erected, and
extensive breastworks were also thrown up, since this was the
terminus of the Mobile and Ohio railroad, which it was important to
keep unobstructed, as the only land communication to Memphis and the
interior, should the river navigation be interrupted below Columbus.
On the river side were the heaviest batteries. A sand-bag battery
mounting six heavy guns, was constructed at the upper end of the
town, just in front of General Pillow's head-quarters. This battery
was constructed by filling corn-sacks with sand, and piling them up
in tiers, leaving embrasures for the guns. These tiers were carried
several feet above the heads of the men employed in working the
guns, so that they were comparatively safe; for if a ball struck the
battery, it was merely buried in the sand and no damage done. These
guns were thirty-two and sixty-four pounders, brought up from New
Orleans. About a mile north of the town, where the bluff juts out
flush with the river, a shelf had been formed by a landslide about
half way between the level of the river and the summit of the bluff.
This shelf was enlarged and leveled, and a battery constructed upon
it which completely commanded the river in the direction of Cairo.
This battery was large enough to mount ten or twelve heavy guns. On
the summit of the bluff was placed a large Whitworth rifled gun,
carrying a round shot weighing one hundred and twenty-eight pounds.
Minie shot of much heavier weight were also used in this gun. This
was one of four which ran the blockade in the Bermuda into
Charleston, South Carolina, in the early autumn.
All these works were constructed under the direction of competent
engineers, the chief of whom was Captain E.D. Pickett, since
adjutant-general to Major-general Hardee.
Torpedoes and other obstructions were placed in the river; but all
this kind of work was done secretly by the engineer corps, and the
soldiers knew but little of their number and location. Some of these
torpedoes were made of cast iron at Memphis and Nashville, and would
hold from one to two hundred pounds of powder as a charge. Others
were made of boiler iron, of different shapes and sizes. They were
to be suspended near the surface of the water by chains and buoys,
and discharged by wires stretched near the surface, which a boat
would strike in passing over them. I never learned that these
infernal machines did any damage, except that one of them nearly
destroyed one of their own transport boats, which had incautiously
ventured too near its resting-place.
After spending nearly two months in the monotonous camp life of
drill and fatigue duty, on the morning of the 7th of November I
experienced a new sensation, more startling than agreeable. I had as
yet been in no battle, and certainly had no desire to join in a
fight against my country and against my kindred, some of whom I had
no doubt were in the opposing army, as it was recruited where many
of them lived; and I knew they would be loyal to the old flag, and
ready to defend it with their lives. But the alarm came so suddenly
that I had no time to feign sickness, or invent an excuse for being
off duty.
Tappan's Arkansas, and Russell's Tennessee regiments, with a
battalion of Mississippi cavalry, about fifteen hundred men in all,
who were stationed at Belmont, across the river, were attacked,
about seven o'clock, A.M., by General McClernand, with a little over
seven thousand men, according to Union authorities. It was a
complete surprise to us. At first we thought it was a picket
skirmish with the cavalry; but soon Frank Cheatham, our brigadier,
came galloping through the camp, bare-headed, in shirt and
pantaloons, ordering us to "fall in," saying that the "enemy were
murdering the sick men in their tents across the river." The report
thus started soon took this form: "The Yankees have bayoneted the
sick men in Russell's regiment." This regiment was composed mostly
of Irishmen, as was ours. Instantly the rage of our men was such
they could scarcely be restrained, and many of them swore they would
swim the river if necessary, to reach the enemy, and would give no
quarter.
I called the roll of the company, as was my duty, and found
seventy-nine men out of one hundred and three present,--there was a
good deal of sickness then in the army. Soon four of the company
came in from the hospital, declaring they would have a share in the
fight; and fourteen who were on guard were added, making the company
nearly full.
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