Letter and sketches from Edward J. Rew to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 26, 1862

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Letter and sketches from Edward J. Rew to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 26, 1862

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Rew, Edward J.Walker, Leroy Pope, 1817-1884

Events

Military Engagements Military Engagements--Fort Donelson, Battle of, Tenn., 1862 Military Engagements--Fort Henry, Battle of, Tenn., 1862

Military Units

United States. Army

Organizations

Watercraft

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lauderdale County. Sageville Virginia--Independent City. Richmond

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Sageville Miss Feb 26th 1862

H^on Jno J Pettus

D^r sir

Your reply to my communi-cation of the 20th Inst came to hand to day and I hasten to make out a plan or sketch for your consideration and tho not as ample as I would wish yet I hope you will be able to discover its utility at a glance, and I shall refer you to the Diagram with but a few explanitory notes, This plan is only intended to resist a force decend-ing a river, ~~and~~ ^but^ you will discover that the Rafts should be anchord at both ends to resist a force ascending—First—These floats can be made of any light wood as Juniper cypress or pine and will answer better than Bouys or boats & much less expensive—they should be bolted together with iron Rods & screws horrizontally & perpendicular unless the timber can be got two feet square which would be inconvinient to handle—and Id suggest that they the floats be made 10 by 25 ft 10 ft wide & 25 ft long & at least 2 ft deep of this sollid timber which will make them ball proof and ^allso^ sloped head and stern like a skaw or common ferry boat—~~tho~~ ^though^ each should be a harse hole ~~set~~ at a proper angle for the cable to pass thro—On these floats should be a wide windlass to regulate the stress of the main chain accross the River=and allso for the purpose of heaving foward any number of floats ~~desired~~ from under the main, or lage, or cross chain, in order to pass, either, drift or our own Boats—the chain sinking to a sufficient depth to admit either as soon as the floats are removed, or have foward—and here let me add that I do not mean to limit the number of these floats for the more the better, as evry additional stream cable at-tatched to the cross cable—increases materially its power of resistance where force is brot against it—

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It will be necessary to have suitable fastenings on each float to secure the chain to the same whether forced under water or floating on the stream—It will allso be necessa-ry to sheild each windlass with R R or other suitable iron at such an angle as would caus a ball to glance—

The second consideration is the land fastenings which is by Pillering safely secured in a d^i^rt bank—in the absence of this or if the River bank is rocky the fastenings should be se-cured, well secured in masonry—which will be a matter of the greatest importance—

The third and last consideration of importance is the stream cables & anchors to be attatched to the floates—and Joist, the anchors should be heavy ship anchors & well beded in a gravel or mud bottom, as they would drag on a rock bottom, the cables should be of as great length as possible and as near the same length as possible—and as many as is necessary for floats to suport the cross chain near the serface of the water (for the near the the surface the better=and as before stated the more of these stream cables the stronger the cross chain, as each additional stream cable adds to the strength of the cross chain now sir after the achors are well beded in the bottom of the River—by the aid of the windlasses each ^stream^ cable can be sprung sufficient to take the heft off of the cross chain which will throw the whole arrangement upon a swing and before a decending Boat or Boats could bring the cross chain to a streach—stearage way would be lost and the Boat drift against it as a logs, and with Bat-terries planted on each side of the River—there would be but little difficulty in disposeing of our enemys as we wish—By this plan you are prepared for high or low water—Drift or no Drift whilst we avoid the abominable expedient of choking up Harbers & Rivers, and it is done on a much more sure & equinomical scale—beside a sub-

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mareene battery would hardly be necessary=while at the same time it would be entirely admissible if desired—

You H^on will allso discover that it is entirely unnessesary for ^a^ person to be exposed as no one is needed on the floats at the time of ^an^ engagement—

I can make one othe suggestion which would make everything doubly secure—which will be to add another similar obstruction just above and within cannon shot of of the Batterries which would afford our forces a double opertunity=

Now sir let me say in conclusion that in this we have no gaudy show—no grand display of arms—no costly array—trusting alone to God and our own resorces for our preservavtion—whilst at the same time our forces may be made secure behind such works as our military officers may see fit to d^i^rect—praying allways that God will save us from any more F^ts Henrys & Donnalsons to depend us from such ruthless foes—and if in this I can add to your Honour or to my Countrys Independ-ance or even save a city from the hell hounds that seek our subjugation Im amply paid. Moreover if my services are needed to carry out this plan Im at your service, tho my domestic concerns may suffer—for so well am I satisfied of its practicability had I have had the means to have gone to Jackson and Richmond I would have in person laid my plans before you & secretary Walker last October—

with evry Consideration
of Respect & Esteem—
I am sir Yours Resply

Edwd J Rew

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From
E. J Reed—
1862

Cables

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Explanatory Note

11111 Pileing to which the cross chain is made fast on each side of the River

2222 Floats or Rafts any number necessary according to the width of the stream

3 Cross Cable

4—4—4 4 windlass to each float

[Image: Hand drawn obstruction for passage of boats on the river]]

side view of a float
showing fastenings and timbers—Rods & windlass

Top view of a float
10 by 20