vered with white flakes. The bushes
were lined with it.

As soon as the people along the banks saw the Federal steamboats, they
went to work to save their property. Some of them professed to be Union
men. I conversed with an old man, who was lame, and could hardly hobble
round. He spoke bitterly against Jeff Davis for burning his cotton and
stealing all his property.

While descending the river, we saw a canoe, containing two men, push out
from a thick canebrake. They came up to the Benton. We thought they were
Rebels, at first, but soon saw they were two pilots belonging to the
fleet, who had started the day before for Vicksburg, to pilot Commodore
Farragut's fleet to Memphis. They had been concealed during the day, not
daring to move. The evacuation of Fort Pillow rendered it unnecessary
for them to continue the voyage. They said that eight Rebel gunboats
were a short distance below us.

We moved on slowly, and came to anchor about nine o'clock, near a place
called by all the rivermen Paddy's Hen and Chickens, about two miles
above Memphis.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE NAVAL FIGHT AT MEMPHIS.

On the evening of the 5th of June, while we were lying above Memphis,
Commodore Montgomery, commanding the fleet of Rebel gunboats built by
the citizens and ladies of Memphis, was making a speech in the Gayoso
Hall of that city. There was great excitement. It was known at noon that
Fort Pillow was evacuated. The stores were immediately closed. Some
people commenced packing up their goods to leave,--expecting that the
city would be burned if the Yankees obtained possession. Commodore
Montgomery said:--

"I have no intention of retreating any farther. I have come here, that
you may see Lincoln's gunboats sent to the bottom by the fleet which you
built and manned."

The rabble cheered him, and believed his words. On the morning of the
6th, one of the newspapers assured the people that the Federal fleet
would not reach the city. It said:--

"All obstructions to their progress are not yet removed, and
probably will not be. The prospect is very good for a grand
naval engagement which shall eclipse anything ever seen
before. There are many who would like the engagement to
occur, who do not much relish the prospect of its occurring
very near the city. They think deeper water and scope and
verge enough for such an encounter may be found farther up
the river. All, however, are rejoiced to learn