THE CIVIL WAR DIARY OF JOHN G. MORRISON 1861-1865

tree. I had often heard of anchoring in the wood but I never
saw it verified until then. Our gun's crew, having to take
[82] the first watch from 8 til 10, we were armed with cutlasses,
boarding pikes, and loaded muskets handy in case of an
emergency. About 9 1/2 P.M., some of the watch were sent
into one of the cutters to pull one our officers on board the
Benton. Went in the boat, the first time in three years for
me to pull an oar of that sort. Turned in at four bells,
tired as if I had been working.
Sunday, March 16th. Turned out at 4 bells (6 A.M.). Got
breakfast right away. Cast off our moorings and got out into
the stream. Found that the white lines that we saw yesterday
had grown into tents today and they appear to have augmented
considerably since last night. The steamers are still plying
busily about. Ever and anon comes the boom of a distant gun
from the direction of New Madrid, telling us that Gen'l Pope
is not idle. Today is the birthday of my wife. I wonder how
she is spending it. She has got the sound of a church bell
in her ear and I am listening to the boom of the mortars,
which since 10 1/2 A.M. have been fired at the rate two per
minute, eight being now in position. About three bells, the
Rebs in the fort between the white houses hoisted a white
flag which the commodore immediatly answered, and a tug
bearing the emblems of peace at her flagstaff was sent on
shore to see what emblems of peace at her flagstaff was sent
on a shore to see what they wanted but she returned almost
immediatly and then the firing began. I have heard that they
have five gunboats waiting for us inside the point. They
want to get us between them and the batteries, but I don't
see it. The commodore does all the firing himself except
what comes from
[83] the mortars. The firing was kept [up] until dark. In the
meantime the rebels fired only twice (which fell short)from
the battery which we thought was silenced. As an instance of
the spirit of which our people are made, I saw some newsboys
come from Cairo down here over 60 miles to the scene of the
conflict to sell their papers. I see by them that the Rebs
have got another splendid threshing from Siegel and that the
last rebel in arms has been forced to leave Missouri. Pope
was too many for them at New Madrid. Turned in at 8 bells to
be turned out again at 4 to stand watch.
Monday, Mar. 17th. Roused out at four bells. Breakfast
right away. Soon after, fire was opened by the mortars, to
which they replied. In the meantime, a council of war was
being [held] on the flagboat to consider what had best be
done after it was dissolved. The Cincinatti, St. Louis, and
Benton were lashed together, the Benton in the centre, and
their heads turned downstream, where they took a position
close into the Tennessee shore. Our orders being, I believe,
49