Question for Eugene Helms concerning the riverboats docking at Jefferson, TX..... While reviewing the list of riverboats passing thru Jefferson, TX prior to and during the Civil War, did you come across the name of the sternwheller, "Morgan Nelson" (description of the boat is provided below), whose master was Capt. Robert Withers? More importantly, can you provide me with the name and address of the folks in Jefferson that have this manuscript which you reviewed and can it be browsed by others? Capt. Withers and his partner, Augustus Levan Witherington (my gr gr granduncle) were owners of the "Morgan Nelson" (c. 1860-1865) which plied the waters of the Ouachita and Saline from Camden, ARK down to New Orleans. However, the following letter would indicate that the "Morgan Nelson" was involved in transporting foodstuffs to/from Monroe and Alexandria to Camden, Arkansas at the close of the war. The family lore of Uncle Gus Witherington's escapades with the "Morgan Nelson" during the WBTS leads me to believe that they were pretty active transporters of supplies, munitions and personnel in and around Camden during the war. Thanks for any help, Eugene!!! Bill King, Houston, TX (281) 493-6767. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Morgan Nelson: Sternwheel, packet, wooden hull, built at Middletown, Pa. 1859. 109 tons. 120' x 21'.8" x 4'.4". She appeared at New Orleans Jan. 24, 1861, owned by Josiah and James Dillon of Wheeling, Va., with Capt. Joseph Richardson, also of Wheeling, in charge. She had seven changes of ownership at New Orleans 1861-1868, when dismantled. 'Morgan Nelson, CSA Marine Service' Bill - found mentioned in a letter to General Buckner from General E. Kirby Smith. Will "snail mail" the letter to you but will transcribe verbatim below. I think this letter answers the question as to the role of the Morgan Stanley in the Civil War and why I could not find Withers, Witherington, nor Finch in the Civil War books. Headquarters Trans-Mississippi Department. Chuck ********* Shreveport, February 27, 1865. To: Lieut. Gen. S. B. Buckner,CSA Commanding District of West Louisiana: GENERAL: Major Buckner's communication from Monroe of 21st February with your indorsement is just received. The steamer Barkman was burned in the Bartholomew. The Fletcher and Morgan Nelson have by telegraph to Camden been ordered to Monroe, where they will be at the disposition of Major Buckner for the purpose of procuring corn. The Ouachita country above the Louisiana line is absolutely stripped of forage. To maintain that line the garrison at Camden is compelled to supply itself from the lower Ouachita and its tributaries. It is of vital importance for the protection of Northern Louisiana, as well as the planting interests in the Red River Valley, in the District of Arkansas, that Camden should be held by us. General Magruder estimates that 30,000 bushels of corn will meet his necessities and enable him to maintain the line of the Ouachita until the coming crop can be gathered. The boats will at the disposal of your officers, and I wish you would instruct them to use dispatch and energy in securing and removing the corn from the Boeuf. What is not needed for the District of Arkansas and your cavalry on the Ouachita can be transported up Little River to within sixteen miles of Alexandria, and be made available for the troops in the lower portion of your district. As the wants of the garrison at Camden are pressing, I wish the first load of the Fletcher sent to that point. You can afterward, as your necessities will allow, increase the amount of corn sent to Camden to 30,000 or even 50,000 bushels. The boats will remain under your control, and General Magruder instructed that he can depend upon your officers forwarding to Camden the corn necessary for the support of that garrison. Respectfully, your obedient servant, E. Kirby Smith, General, CSA Bill, the set of books I researched looking for any sign that Withers,Witherington, and/or Finch were in the Confederate Navy were: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. Published under the direction of: The Hon. Curtis D. Wilbur, Secretary of the Navy, by Dudley W. Knox, Captain, U. S. Navy, Retired Officer in Charge, Office of Naval Records and Library by authority of an Act of Congress approved July 31, 1894. United States Government Printing Office Washington - 1927 Chuck Jackson, St. Louis -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 1:42 PM Subject: [LA-LGHS-L] Jefferson TX-steamboatport of entry >Passing along this interesting info for the folks on the northwestern border >of LA. >Joyce >+++++++++++++++++ >Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 >From: Josephine Lindsay Bass <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Subject: Gateway to Texas > >From: "Eugene W. Helms" <[email protected]> > >A few of you were interested the last time I posted about Texas steamboat >port of entry at Jefferson. I have just returned from our annual cousins' >reunion at Jefferson, and learned a few new things. I had been most >interested in obtaining a copy of the rumored book by Jacques Bagur on the >history of navigation on the Big Cypress Bayou and Red River. Unfortunately, >the book has not yet been published, but I was able to briefly examine the >manuscript at the office of the Cypress Valley >Association. When published, it will be a very valuable resource for anyone >interested in traffic and migration through this area. > >Bagur will list about 295 steamboats that called at Jefferson, from the >first, the "Lama" in March 1845 to the last, the "Anna Tardy" in 1905. Many >of these made multiple trips, and the total number of documented dockings is >2,412. Of these, about 2,070 were before the arrival of the railroad in >1874, and only about 342 during the next 31 years. Adjusting for the Civil >War years, Jefferson averaged almost 100 dockings per year for about 25 years >until the arrival of the railroad. I have seen a >photograph in the Jefferson museum showing at least 7 steamboats tied up at >the wharf at one time. Bagur's book will list all boats, give their >descriptions, and give the dates of all arrivals. > >I thought some might be interested in the effect of the Civil War on >steamboat traffic to Jefferson, so I made a few notes. Here is a summary: >Year Number of landings >1858 62 >1859 98 >1860 46 >1861 106 >1862 15 >1863 21 >1864 0 >1865 16 >1866 187 >1867 115 > >It appears that traffic initially increased in 1861 (more farm products >headed east?) and then was almost completely shut down as control of the >Mississippi passed to the Federal side. The few trips made were probably to >Shreveport, Natchitoches or Alexandria on the Red River. But look at the >explosion in 1866! I have read that farmers had hidden out their cotton >crops during years it couldn't be marketed, fearing Union confiscation. As >soon as that (perceived) danger had passed, cotton simply "came out of the >swamps" and crowded the wharf at Jefferson. > >Another resource that I had never seen before was the book: "Account of a >Journey through North-Eastern Texas undertaken in 1849 for the purposes of >emigration embodied in a report by Edward Smith London, 1849" > >Keep in mind that this journey was undertaken only four years after the first >steamboat reached Jefferson. It is fascinating reading and I have to find a >copy of my own. It contains extremely detailed and practical advice to >settlers considering emigration to Texas. >A sample: When you arrive at New Orleans, book passage to Jefferson...it >then recommends several "suitable" vessels, and warns about other undesirable >ones. Then, go the Army Quartermaster in New Orleans. You will be able to >buy good wagons at half the going price out of surplus army equipment left >over from the Mexican War. There is a good discussion of the comparative >merits of draft animals for pulling the wagon: horses vs. mules vs. oxen. >The choice: oxen. They are better in the mud, and, when old, can be >fattened and eaten. And a word of caution: When you reach Jefferson, do not >buy your yoke of oxen in town. They will be of smaller >size and more expensive than available from farmers in the countryside. With >the number of people hauling cargo into Jefferson, one can easily rent a yoke >of oxen or a mule team for a couple of days, and pull your wagon at least 15 >or 20 miles away from Jefferson before buying your own oxen. > >Ah, the good ole days! Being street-smart in those days was an altogether >different thing, wasn't it? >Gene in Dallas > > >==== LA-LGHS Mailing List ==== >LGHS: Serving Louisiana Genealogist since 1953. >To submit an article to be considered for publication in The Register, >contact David Howell at <[email protected]> > >