d the guns. The next night the
Pittsburg, Captain Thompson ran the blockade safely. The four steamboats
which had worked their way through the canal were all ready. The Tenth,
Sixteenth, Twenty-first, and Fifty-first Illinois regiments were taken
on board. The Rebels had a heavy battery on the other side of the river,
at a place called Watson's Landing. The Carondelet and Pittsburg went
ahead, opened fire, and silenced it. The steamers advanced. The Rebels
saw the preparations and fled towards Tiptonville. By midnight General
Pope had all his troops on the Tennessee shore. General Paine,
commanding those in advance, pushed on towards Tiptonville and took
possession of all the deserted camps. The Rebels had fled in confusion,
casting away their guns, knapsacks, clothing, everything, to escape.
When the troops in the batteries heard what was going on in their rear,
they also fled towards Tiptonville. General Pope came up with them the
next morning and captured all who had not escaped. General Mackall and
two other generals, nearly seven thousand prisoners, one hundred and
twenty-three pieces of artillery, seven thousand small arms, and an
immense amount of ammunition and supplies fell into the hands of General
Pope. The troops on the island, finding that they were deserted,
surrendered to Commodore Foote. It was almost a bloodless victory, but
one of great importance, opening the Mississippi River down to Fort
Pillow, forty miles above Memphis.

When the State of Tennessee was carried out of the Union by the
treachery of Governor Harris, and other men in high official position,
there were some men in the western part of the State, as well as the
eastern, who remained loyal. Those who were suspected of loving the
Union suffered terrible persecutions. Among them was a citizen of Purdy.
His name was Hurst. He told me the story of his wrongs.

Soon after the State seceded, he was visited by a number of men who
called themselves a vigilance committee. They were fierce-looking
fellows, armed with pistols and knives.

"We want you to come with us," said the leader of the gang.

"What do you want of me?"

"We will let you know when you get there."

Mr. Hurst knew that they wanted to take him before their own
self-elected court, and went without hesitation.

He was questioned, but would not commit himself by any positive answer,
and, as they could not prove he was in favor of the Union, they allowed
him to go home.

But