I have sent this to the Bedford Co. list because I notice the unusual amount of traffic on this subject. I wrote the following for my family history epic on the Rowland family. I do not care if you use some or all of this material in your family history reports. However I would like you to please give me the credit for writing it. Ronald L. Hughes I hope you enjoy these stories. THE IMPORTANCE OF RIVER TRAFFIC AND COMMERCE IN 1800-1840 Information concerning the Tennessee River, and other rivers, and North Mississippi: East Port, Mississippi (located in Tishomingo Co.) in 1836-37, was then, one of the largest river boat towns on the Tennessee river. (steam boats were not able to travel very much farther east due to the "Muscle" shoals in Alabama). The Tennessee river brought in manufactured goods from the east, floated down river on the Tennessee from VA and NC or brought, by steam boat, down the Ohio River to the Tennessee River, then up river to East Port or all the way to Memphis, or north of Memphis, then shipped overland to Tippah County or up the Hatchie River to Pocahontas, TN . More imported and manufactured goods were brought up the Mississippi by steam boat from New Orleans. Cotton and other farm products from North Mississippi could be transported by steam boat down the Tennessee or shipped by "Keel Boat" down river. Later in the century the railroad companies began to compete with the river boats. A rail line was being built across North Mississippi from the Atlantic Ocean to Memphis. The railroad often used its power to extort monies from local communities. The town of East Port was given the opportunity to gain a railroad, through the community, for the paltry sum of $20,000. The towns folk refused and the railroad was built south, through the community of Iuka, MS. Eventually, with the decline in river traffic, East Port declined and eventually disappeared as Iuka boomed with the railroad traffic. (Note, Eastport, MS was a strategic point for the Union Army and Navy during the War Between the States. RLH-2000 The Hatchie River and (possibly) the Wolf river, were also used to ship goods, by raft/ flat boat or Keel boat, to the Mississippi river and downstream to Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge, and/or New Orleans. In high water periods, the Hatchie River was navigable all the way to Pocahontas, TN, which is just North of Tippah Co., MS, and the point of origin of many into the area, coming from Tennessee. The Wolf River, may have also been used to carry cargo from LaGrange or Moscow, TN to and from Memphis and the Mississippi River. Note, I have found some early records that mention the use of many of these small rivers during the logging era, during which large rafts of cut timber were floated down these rivers to saw mills, etc. The log rafts became so numerous and so many broke up and floated away that the rivers eventually became clogged and un-navigable due to the log-jams that resulted. RLH-2000 While raft trips were "one way", Keel Boats, would take goods all the way to Memphis or New Orleans, unload their cargo, take on a cargo of finished goods etc. and return upstream. These boats were basically poled (walked) up the rivers and floated down the rivers. A trip back from New Orleans to Tennessee could take three months, literally poling or walking the boat up stream. In essence, "poling" a boat meant that; men, on both sides of the boat, would stick a long pole in the river bottom, starting from the front of the boat (bow), they would form a line, and walk down a "catwalk" toward the back of the boat (stern), pushing against the pole, which was stuck in the river bottom for leverage, and walk the boat up river. When reaching the end of the walk way, they would "quickly" remove the pole from the river bottom, and they would run to the bow, or front, replace the pole and begin the process all over again. Going downstream they could go with the flow of the river like a raft or increase the speed by walking it downstream when the current was light and the water shallow. It is obivious that these boats could make little time in the midst of a strong downstream current, they must have had to stay close to the river banks on the weak side of the current. If I am correct they must have had to constantly cross and recross the river to seek the weaker currents. For those of you who may be old enough, do you remember "Mike Fink". RLH-2000 Farmers could also ship their goods to market on rafts called "Flatboats". These rafts would be built on site, or possibly purchased from local raftsmen, loaded with the product, and the farmer and his sons or hire a crew of raftsmen, (note that "raftsman" was a known occupation at this time and listed in Census records) and would or could accompany the goods downstream to Memphis, Natchez or New Orleans. They would then sell the goods, and the wooden raft, take the proceeds of the sale and return to North MS and TN via the Natchez Trace, which was a dangerous route filled with bandits, or back up the Mississippi River as a passenger on a steamboat if they had the money for passage, or as a passenger or worker on a Keelboat. These farmers were also exposed to the "seedier" side of river travel during stops at river towns, some of which were filled with the "Wages of sin", such as gambling, alcohol and prostitutes. Many a farmer was relieved of his goods or money by thieves, gamblers, prostitutes and swindlers etc. along both the rivers and the Natchez trace. The reader must realize that even though river travel had its dangers, and it certainly covered a route longer than a straight line drawn between two points on a map, it was the easier route by far. Going downstream, by raft, in a river, with a four mile per hour current, meant that a voyage, starting at sun up and ending twelve hours later at sundown, would cover a distance of 48 to 50 miles with virtually no effort, sweat or pain. Meals could be cooked and eaten right on the raft. Traveling by wagon, however, meant going over roads that were no more than mud trails, having to ford or pay passage at ferrys over every river and stream between you and your destination, stopping to feed your own family, water an feed the horses, mules or oxen, harnessing and unharnessing the same, going around low ground or swamps, going over or around hills or deep ravines, etc. It was hard to cover 15 to 20 miles on a "good" day. Remember, even though the old maps of the times appeared to show very direct trails or roads between two points the reality was a series of zigs and zags, running on ridge tops, when they were available, because in wet weather most other low routes were not passable. Everything else being equal, the river route could cover 25 to 30 or more miles each day, assuming a three knot current, with almost no effort. The early settlers of North Mississippi, must have found a very pristine area, virtually untouched by the Native American Choctaws that resided there. A later section of this report will give the reader some idea of what these settlers found. I found one reference to travel across the South in 1854. A trip was chronicled about a trip from North Carolina to Memphis, TN. This, of course, was a trip made by persons with money! 1st From Elkin, NC to Charlotte, NC via wagon or buggy. 2nd From Charlotte to some location on the Tennessee River by Train. Note, the train may have gone from Charlotte to somewhere near Knoxville, TN. 3rd From some location on the Tennesse River, they took a "river boat" to a "getting off place". 4th From the "getting off place", they took another train to Nashville, TN. Note the "getting off place" had to be somewere East of Muscle Shoals, AL, possibly near Chattanooga, TN, since I believe there was a train from Atlanta to Nashville. 5th From Nashville, TN they boarded another "river boat" on the Cumberland River, and travelled the rest of the way to Memphis. This would occasion travel down river to the Ohio, then down the Ohio to the Mississippi, thence downriver to Memphis. On one trip this family traveled on four rivers and two railroads, only traveling overland by horse drawn conveyance once on the trip. RLH-2002 Thus, as you can see, those that could afford it took to the rivers and the trains, any other form of travel was just too hard and too slow! A FLATBOAT TRIP As a young man, while still receiving some sort of education, I read an account of the early settlement of North Alabama, Mississippi and West Tennessee. In this account the settlers travel by flatboat, down the Tennessee River. As I remember the account, some of our family names were mentioned. At that time I took notice of the fact but, unfortunatley, did not make notes on the event. As I remember the account, it was a story about a flotilla of flat boats and the problems they encountered navigating the Tennessee River. The story recounted that past flat-boaters, in the early days, almost always encountered some problems with the local Indian tribes along the river. This activity was most accute in the areas of shallow water. The most prevalent area of shallows on the Tennessee occured at Muscle Shoals, in the Mississippi Territory, now Alabama. It seems that during most of the year the water at this point was so shallow as to allow persons, read hostile Indians, to wade out into the river and attack and board those flat boats that were not heavily defended. The local Indian tribe had discovered this was an efficent way to gather clothing goods, weapons, horses, oxen, cattle, women and children. It appears that through the months or years, they attempted this course of attack, they learned the best technique. I am sure, through trial and error, they found that attacking the lead raft, just led them to a greater chance of failure. When attacking in this manner, the following rafts, were able to provide support fire, and maybe manpower, if they were able to navigate close together. The Indians, probably through the loss of a number of their braves, made a change in tactics and decided to only attack straggling rafts. In this manner all support fire and manpower, would quickly disapear downstream. It seems this stratagy worked for a while, until one fateful day. On this day, a group of flat-boaters decided to pass through the Muscle Shoals. This group of settlers had encountered some troubles of their own, during their trek. It seems a number of their party had acquired, now my memory excapes me, either the measles or the Small Pox. For the safety of the whole flotilla, these persons were segregated on one of the flat boats. It happend to be the last falt boat in the group. The local Indians laid their plans for the attack, they watched intently and the boats came into view. They hid their intentions until the last moment, making sure the mass of the flotilla passed on downstream. Then they launched the attack! They were rewarded well. The flatboat contained many goods, clothing, supplies, weapons, etc. The funny thing is that the occupants did not put up much of a fight. I guess they went home and celebrated a successful attack. It was their last! According to the old accounts, the Indians, having no resistance to the sickness aboard the raft, all fell sick within days or months, succumbed to the disease. Rafters, for years, recounted that no more attacks happened at the Muscle Shoals. Ronald L. Hughes April 21, 2001 Copyright @ 1998-2002 Ronald L. Hughes All materials contained, on these pages, are furnished for the "free use" of those individuals researching their family origins. ANY COMMERCIAL USE, PUBLICATION, OR POSTING OF ORIGINAL MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT, IN ANY OTHER FORMAT, OF ANY "ORIGINAL" MATERIAL IN THIS REPORT OR ON THIS WEBSITE, FOR PERSONAL AND/OR CORPORATE GAIN, WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE HOST/AUTHOR/SUBMITTER OF THE MATERIAL/PAGE, IS PROHIBITED. All images used on these pages were, to the best of the authors ability, were obtained from sources permitting free distribution, or they are given proper attribution, or they are generated by the author, and are subject to the same restrictions/permissions. All persons, wishing to use the information contained in this report for their on personal family history reports (Not Commercial) are hereby asked to "only" give proper attribution to any material contained herin. Commercial (for profit) distribution of any items in this report, covered by prior copyright, are prohibited by Federal Law and, furthermore, all users are responsible to assure that no copyright is violated by their use of the above material. Any misuse of copyright material in this report is "unintentional", and not done with any hope of profit to me or any heirs of mine, or to any companies known or unknown to me. Ronald L. Hughes, Long Beach, MS-1998-2002