Matrix Games Forums

Folks,

Warhunter and I just started a pbem, he as the CSA.

After the first turn I immediately noted a huge difference between live opponents and the AI. Live opponents favor you with thinking of ways to challenge you.

Warhunter showed his deep affection for me by launching a raid that penetrated through multiple regions, destroying supplies and 50% tearing up my railroad. Kudos to Warhunter; the AI never did that to me. [&o]

My brilliant repost was to attempt to sink Captain Raphael Semmes with a burning merchant ship that tried to ram him as the merchant ship sank. Oops.

With friends like this, who needs enemies? [:)]

I've never done pbem before. I encourage everybody to give it a try. Apparently it is gonna make me a better player (or the game won't last very long).

Treefrog

Oh, I forgot to write that this will be an "alternative" after action report, focusing not such much on month to month details as much as interesting things that come up with human adversaries that might not come up with the AI.

I'm doing this for two reasons: first, I don't have the technical skills to do cool things like screen captures (I'll leave that to Warhunter if he is interested, he's good at that stuff), and second, this AAR is steeped in the tradition of yellow journalism: there is no debacle or government mistake we won't cover in depth exposing human ineptitude, folly, vice and corruption (in hopes of sparing you, our reader, the same in your game).

Greetings everyone,
 
I'll try and post some highlights and lowpoints of our game for those who want to be entertained by a couple of noobs to an AAR forum. Treefrog has a fun writing style, me, i'll let yu'all decide.
Whatever is said in this AAR, is a little fact, a little fiction and a little fun.
 
 

July 15, 1861

Dear Cousin Richard,

The city of Richmond is in crisis ! All the most passionate, patriotic and thus desireable young men have gone off to the army with their fathers, uncles and cousins. We poor ladies left behind have no partners for the summer balls and soirees. Worse, for our new group of marriageable young ladies, there is no one left to make proper introduction to suitable young men. This war is unsupportable.

Speaking of the war, we are told in the Richmond Times Dispatch that the Great Ogre (we here all call him that as we hate to speak his name and think him no less an Ogre that Napoleon himself) has ordered his forces to subdue us, but they have all stopped in the border states to victimize those good people. The paper prints that all people unsympathetic to the Ogre have either been arrested (the Ogre has suspended the Great Writ) or driven from their homes in Missouri and Maryland.

Worse, the Great Hypocrit, who refuses to allow us to separate from him and go our own peaceful way, has forcefully and with bloodshed occupied West Virginia and intends to separate our western counties from their Mother State!! Apparently what is good for the goose is not good for anyone else. Well, it is not so much that I shall miss those people for they are largely Jacobite refugees in any event, but the hypocrisy of the Ogre galls me dreadfully. The paper reports that General Garnett's brave souls have been driven from Grafton.

Our cousin William is north of Fredericksburg with the army and writes that it is very quiet there. He says they saw some handsome cavaliers with great black plumes in their hats riding north towards Washington D.C. led by that bright star Joseph Stuart, the one that helped capture John Brown at Harper's Ferry. I know it sounds dreadful, but perhaps he should give the Great Ogre the same treatment. He says they plan to burn every railroad bridge they find north of the Potomac.

In the salons the talk is all about how General Winfield Scott has taken to his bed and refused to receive anybody because some plan he devised was turned down in favor of one written by a civilian, a teacher at that. It seems that some eclectic savant named Harry Erwin, a professor at a northern college, gained entrance to the White House and pressed into Lincoln's hand his own plan to win the war, and the Great Ogre embraced it.

Our cousin Thomas is a secretary to our own Jefferson Davis himself. Thomas told me, in confidence so do not repeat this, that we have built a great fortress in Clarksburg, just north of Nashville, which fortress is guarded by three full brigades of Tennessee Volunteers, just in case the oppressors decide to continue to perpetrate their outrages by going into Kentucky. Thomas says this is not likely because their Guards and militia have gather at Louisville and sworn a blood oath not to let the Yankees pass.

The shopowners report that frigates and sloops are found vexing commerce off our shores from Norfolk all the way to Galveston. Posh. I don't believe it. We southrons will always enjoy the trade and support of our European friends. I cannot believe they will allow their cotton supply to be cut off for long.

Well, apparently this is to be a conflict with no action. Should any action come to my attention, I shall report it to you immediately after, an "after action report". My, that sounds so very military, after action report. I think I shall immediately sew up a vivandiere uniform that I might go around town speaking such military sounding phrases and telling everybody I am a true daughter of the regiment.

Your cousin,

Mary Chestnut

August 15, 1861

Dear Cousin Rickard,

General Stuart arrived in Richmond today to call upon President Davis. Crowds lined the streets and cheered him all the way from the railroad station up the hill to the Confederate White House. As our cousin Thomas predicted, Gen'l Stuart's men captured 6 wagon trains and destroyed railroad bridges from Washington to Baltimore before returning. They say half that railroad is destroyed.

Here in Richmond today the streets are full of people discussing the important news from the Kentucky and Baton Rouge. The Richmond Times Dispatch reports that the Kentucky militia was gathering near Louisville to protect their capitol from Yankee incursions (I"m sure you must have heard about the Union capture of our own western counties at Grafton) when unruly northern militia seized the railroad bridge over the Ohio and entered Louisville!!! Of course, the citizens immediately exercised their rights under the 10the Amendment and assailed their tormenters. The Dispatch goes on to say that other crossings were attempted at Paducah and Lexington, all with the same result - a bloody repulse to the oppressors. It is said that thousands of new recruits are clamoring to be admitted to our service and that former Gov. Breckenridge has organized 2 entire divisions. Cousin Thomas says the great, secret fort at Clarksville is being stocked with all manner of provisions and armaments. The program is going so well that even diversions for the garrison are being provided. He said that the Last Train to Clarksville was full of Monkees.

The Dispatch also reports that its Baton Rouge correspondent writes that a single brigade made up of escaped slaves landed in at the mouth of the Mississippi River but failed to advance. It is written that when they became unruly their white officers called them mutinous, retired to the transports in the ships' boats, and fired on their own troops before retiring to the Florida Keys.

We just had word this morning from a traveler from Norfolk who read in a captured Boston newspaper that after Captain Semmes triumph against the Yankee merchant fleet that almost all the merchant ship owners of New York and New England had sent orders that their ships sailing north of the equator are to return home or make local port immediately until the Union navy can properly protect them. This seems true because the sloops and frigates that had been cruising ineffectively off so many of our ports have disappeared. God Bless Captain Semmes and his brave boys for lifting this infernal blockade. Now our women and children may receive the foreign medicines the cruel oppressors would deny them. I wonder how the Great Ogre can sleep at night knowing he has sent his navy to make war on innocent children.

I went to the Broad Street canal shops today to purchase silk and cotton to make my vivandiere outfit, but was told that no shipments had arrived from England this month. My, this war is such a bother.

With affection, your cousin

Mary Chestnut

August 30, 1861

Dear Cousin Richard,

Disturbing news has reached Richmond. The Yankees have captured Ft. Jackson at the mouth of the Mississippi River and installed heavy cannon there to command the ingress and egress from that mighty commerical stream. Further they have installed three frigates in the river itself. This month they also seized the islands of Hilton Head outside Charleston, South Carolina and Roanoke Island off of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Local fisherman report that the Great Ogre is sending workmen in great numbers to build warehouses for supplies for the blockading fleet. Norfolk is blocked by the heavy cannon in Fort Monroe. Cousin Thomas, the secretary to Jefferson Davis, says our foreign trade has dropped from 139 to 80. I don't know what the means, except that I still cannot locate any silk for the vivandiere outfit I planned to sew this month.

Apparently the Great Ogre has defiled his mother's final resting place by violating the neutrality of Kentucky. The local military leaders, that old dinosaur TC "Pathfinder" Fremont and his minion AC Lyons spent the month of August taking the waters in Illinois, but that upstart AC McClellan, you remember I wrote to you that he had seized Grafton from our fine Genl Garnett, the upstart AC McClellan crossed the river and seized Lexington with 10 brigades of infantry that promptly spread out across eastern Kentucky capturing everything! The main Yankee army at New Albany, not being led by anybody with initiative, sprung into action with each commander seizing his own initiative. Many Yankee corps poured over the railroad bridge, disbanded the Guards and militia and spread south towards the Tennessee border unchecked. Other Yankees, not to be outdone in their lust to plunder the defenseless inhabitants of the Bluegrass state, seized the railroad bridge at Paducah, moved across and build a fort opposite Humbolt, Tennessee. In two weeks the Blue Ruin had occupied every town of consequence, although the citizens of the state have now declared themselves firmly aligned to the southern Confederacy.

The final indignity was that some little ugly short pug of an alcoholic named Grunt, or something like that, stumbled onto the secret fortress at Clarksville. Cousin Thomas says that the trap worked perfectly. The preparations of the local militia were not visible from Kentucky; Clarksville looked abandoned. But when the Yankee advance guard crossed the border, three brigades of militia simultaneously rose up as one and rushed to defend the fort. But Genl Grunt attacked without mercy and nobody reacted to help them! Grunt overthrew the fort, destroyed fully one third of the defenders and sent the other scurrying back across the railroad bridge into Nashville. Some other Yankees moved into defenseless Gallatin, Tennessee.

The good news is that our brave General Stuart continues to raid the Yankees, this month he captured 3 more wagon trains. He is joined by that dashing General VanDorn. My sister says that Genl VanDorn fancies himself attractive to we of the fair sex. Well of course any man that raids into the lair of the Great Ogre and identifies six, yes six, separate Yankee brigades must have the praise and hearts of our fair ladies. We applaud both these cavaliers, they raise our spirits so.

Our hearts go out to the brave transplanted southrons that lived in Poplar Bluff, MO and Worchester, MD as those fair counties are plundered by the legions of the Ogre.

But I save the worst for last: our brave General Garnett is dead, killed by invaders in Franklin County, Virginia when they defiled that place. I cannot bring myself to call any part of the old Dominion "West"; we are a sovereign state and not to be parceled out to Yankee satraps. Genl Garnett's body was delivered to his brother serving in the Valley with Genl Thomas Jackson to take home for burial.

Finally, conversation in the salons now dwell on the fate of the editor of the Petersburg Press. Government agents raided his establishment and found an outline of seditious article he was about to print. I copy the most inflamatory language below:

"Rebels look north at the gathering storm, while off shore more than hurricanes worry the new nation. New Orleans, has been hit hard by the Northern Blockade as well as the lesser cities of the mighty Mississippi.

Exports spoil or are given away, imports only found in the back alley's of black market activities. Where money is spent or stolen depending on human greed.

Weak politicals call for military action, while sending proxies to fight for them. Generals ask for guns and get muskets of dubious craftmenship. Most real men bring arms of their own, not trusting the politicos of really serving the people, but asking always for more money and blood to be spent in defense of states rights.

No one dares ask the slaves if they would fight for the south. No one is willing to free them so they could choose to fight for a new nation. Hobbled by the past unable to see a future, the south will fight for the present.

Only the Cavalry Generals, Stuart and Van Dorn are spoken of in awe, while a state burial is planned for Garnett, 1st officer of the South to fall in battle while leading a rearguard out of WV.

The people of the South know it is a struggle, against a Union with many advantages. It remains to be seen if the North can really fight or just occupie swampland and non-fighting neutral states."

For my part, I think the man was misled in his thinking by his Northern wife. I have never understood why good southern gentlemen marry such creatures.

Farewell my cousin and keep our boys in your heart and prayers,

Mary Chestnut

Dearest General Twiggs,

Enclosed is information vital to the war effort. May you use the knowledge obtained to give the beasts of the North a thrashing they will not soon forget.

Reports will be sent as we obtain them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My agents in the occupied regions of Kentucky smuggled through the Union lines the following.

1. A map of Union supply camps in the regions North of our great city Nashville.

2. Relative size of the opposing Armies.

3. What Generals the North plans to use against our beloved nation.

4. The relative popular support for this war of Northern aggression, based on many factors not the least being political backing, newspaper articles, recuitment drives and European sympathy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Virginia has fallen, stained with the life's blood of our gallant General Garnett. Tennesee is invaded and defiled by brutes of the north.

General, we know not the complete picture. Even now ships laden with troops fan out like a serpent, to strangle our port cities. Where they will strike is not known.

My part in this war is clear. To find what information i can, and make it available to you, a most senior officer and gentleman of the South.

My mother told me, "That General Twiggs, is the best hope for the South", That is why you are recieving this dispatch.
May God guide and protect you.

Your Most humble servant,
Belle

Oh most excellent correspondence. A mere military man can only read with edification the passions of the southern ladies.

(Goes and has a cold shower)

A.L. Freemantle, Col, Guards.

[center]Washington Post Ledger[/center]

October 1, 1861

The Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War blistered government leaders this week for their blunders in the war to date. The Committee expressed great frustration that the government was unable to make significant progress in suppression the rebellion, despite a two to one advantage in land forces and outright control of the seas.

Brig.Gen. Hamilton was recalled from Ft. Jackson, Louisiana and severly criticized for his loss of all his heavy artillery to a rebel tinclad that sortied from New Orleans. The loss of that battery, coupled with the absence of the frigates in the river, resulted in the resumption of rebel trade through the entire Mississippi Basin, much to the glee and delight of all the states of the deep south. The Committee observed that similar Union batteries protected by fortifications at Ft. Monroe had damaged a rebel tinclad that sallied from Norfolk to attack Washington D.C. itself. Hamilton explained that he was busy building a supply depot and that the officer sent to build the fort arrived after the supporting fleets had departed, with the result there was no supply line to draw on to build the fort. The Committee passed a resolution of censure regarding what is now known in the capitol as the "Hamilton affair".

The Committee then turned its attention to Captain Bell, commander of the Caribbean squadron, demanding to know why he abandoned his post at the mouth of the Mississippi River to sail off to Mobile Bay. Bell responded that he believed that he thought that Hamilton's artillery was sufficient to block the river and that he had received word that the rebel blockade runners had been frequenting Mobile after the Mississippi was denied to them. The Committee noted that he sailed up the estuary without any supply whatsoever and demanded to know how he could effect a blockade with unsupplied ships. Bell responded that by physically establishing his ships, with admittedly hungry hungry crews, in the estuary he had nonetheless blocked the port completely.

Brigadier General Grant was recalled from Tennessee and subjected to hours of grueling examination on how he could fail to note that the rebels had built a magnificent fortress in Clarksville, Tennessee, which he failed to observe from his position on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The Committee queried Grant on why his cavalry did not report the fort to him. Grant replied that when he arrived at Clarksville, Tn at the end of August 1861 all Federal cavalry was far behind him, having been dispatched to suppress rebel landholders in Missouri and West Virginia according to the plan of Profession Erwin. He further stated that it was his experience that mounted troops were not very successful in deteching forts that were ungarrisoned. Grant was censured.

Captain McCauley was then grilled on why he had remained on station at Hilton Head, North Carolina blockading Charleston and Port Royal after the transports that previously provided his chain of supply were withdrawn for amphibious operations against Wilmington. McCauley replied that although his crews were unsupplied from the sea, they were able to draw supplies from the depot created on Hilton Head Island by a general sent specifically for that purpose and that they successfully interfered with roughly 50% of the foreign trade attemptig to enter those places.

The Committee expressed outrage, to no one in particular, that Federal troops based in New Albany, Ohio invaded Kentucky without orders from either TC Fremont or AC Lyon. It also demanded to know why the ground commanders allowed partisans and southern sympathizers to increase in many Kentucky counties. The government offered no explanation for this failure.

The Committee approved a resolution demanding that the government provide an explanation for the failure to stop continued raids into Federal territory by secesh cavaliers based in Manassas, Virginia.

President Lincoln declined to send a representative of his government to explain why the army was making so little progress with the land war. The President did send a letter than he would write to TC Fremont and AC Lyon and suggest to them that if they showed some initiative the war might go better in the West.

Before the Committee adjourned a distinguished man with a slight southern accent entered the chambers, introducing himself as Mr. W.A.R. Hunter. Mr. Hunter said that he had received correspondence from loyal Union families living south of the Mason Dixon Line and prevented by the Secessionists from returning home. Mr. Hunter observed that the Union families were reporting that large numbers of highly trained and motivated rebel troops were mustering behind the screened frontiers and might at any moment burst through the inept Northern forces. He offered the continued successes of southern raiding forces under Stuart and VanDorn and the bold successes of confederate tinclads as evidence of what the North faced if it attempted to continue the war. He said his sources reported to him that southern civilian morale was high and that military morale was even higher. He noted that despite what he characterized as feeble attempts by the government to interfere with southern economic development, that production of field artillery and heavy artillery continued unabated at foundaries in Virginia and Georgia.

The Committee Chairman soundly scolded Brigadier Generals Hamilton and Grant, telling them Congress would not approve any future promotions for them if their negligence continued. The Committee then adjourned to the lounge of the nearby Washington Hotel where they feted Captains Bell and McCauley with rum punch for their audacity in interfering with foreign trade attempting to reach rebel shores despite the lack of supply to their ships.

LoL, Treefrog you should be a writer, I thought I was bad (sucked In). Great post, just watch that sucking sound, it may be your brain...

[8D]
Jon

PyleDriver,

You are too kind.

As advertised, there are lessons to be learned by the joint AAR WarHunter and I have fashioned.

If our forum members read between the lines they see clearly that WarHunter is schooling me on all the little things the CSA can do to have fun and vex the Blue Ruin. [&o]

Of course, as a newb I'm adding to my woes with my own mistakes (like moving the fleet away before the officer assigned can build the Union fort at Fort Jackson. Captain Bell may be hoisting celebratory toasts to the crews he left blocking Mobile Bay, but he doesn't mentioned that WarHunter's heavy artillery have those ships trapped; if they leave they'll face very ugly opportunity fire.

On the other hand, our readers can also glean some Union tricks: you don't need to leave a supply train for cruisers based in sea ares with offshore islands containing depost of 20 plus supplies. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if WarHunter recaptures those islands, he's pretty crafty. Ships blocking estuaries don't need to be supplied either (well, except for possible naval attrition, but we have more on the slipways.

Treefrog

November 30, 1861

Dear Cousin Richard,

Here in Richmond the entire city celebrated and understood Thanksgiving in a way not seen since the days of our grandparents during the First War of Revolution.

Our brave boys have held the Blue Ruin north of the Potomac River all year. Our cavaliers Stuart and VanDorn continue to ride unopposed where they will destroying federal warmaking property. While all death is so very sad, more of the young men have died from dysentery and influenza than bullets.

Our little navy has done so well. Captain Semmes continues to capture those few Yankee traders that remained on the seas. We are concerned that we have not heard of him or from him for six weeks. There was a great storm in the area of his last success and we fear his ship may be lost.

Our gunboat at Norfolk was damaged by the batteries at Fort Monroe, but their officers attended some of our soirees this fall and reported that the crew is eager to attack the Great Ogre's ships when our own is repaired.

And then there is the saga of our gunboat CSS Buchanan on the Mississippi. I wrote you before to tell you how it singlehandly destroyed the northern battery at Fort Jackson and opened the Mississippi. Well, that was but the start. The Ogre sent his own gunboat to park in the estuary and guess what? The CSS Buchanan sunk the federal gunboat too. But wait, there is more, after the yankees were pummeled by our heavy artillery at Mobile Bay with one cruiser sunk and the other damaged and forced to retired, the third ship put to sea and was promptly damaged by the tinclad. It is said that the ladies of New Orleans and Baton Rouge are all affecting naval attire and wearing three cockades: one to celebrate each of the Buchanan's unforeseen victories.

So much for the Great Ogre's navy. Two sunk and two damages and we with only a damaged gunboat for the price.

For my part, I have abandoned my notion of sewing a vivandiere jacket. There is simply no suitable fabric to be found.
General Butler has ordered expeditions against our coastline unabated all this fall and winter. The Yankees hold Wilmington and Savannah and are said to be attacking Jacksonville even now. The Yankees have built a great fort at Wilmingtom and show no signs of leaving. Their Genl. Hurlbut died in the fighting for Savannah; such is the fate of bullies. They have squadrons supplied from great bases on Roanake Island blocking New Bern and Elizabeth City and more squadrons based on Hilton Head acting as pirates at Charleston and Port Royal. Our Cousin Thomas, President Davis' secretary, says that if they succeed in reoccupying our old base at Fort Jackson, Louisiana with heavy artillery our foreign trade will be severely impacted. I heard him tell some gentlemen over cigars the other evening that our foreign trade would be 40, or something to that effect. I just don't understand economics. Cousin Thomas speaks gravely about numbers like 40 when all I know is that I can't find silk for a beautiful outfit.

That Genl Grunt fellow (I have his read is name is Grant, but Grunt seems so much more fitting so I shall continue to use it) is rumored to be in the area of Nashville. The papers report he was just promoted as a reward for his depredations on our poor farmers in Middle Tennessee. The newspapers report that a Yankee army of 40,000 hirelings led by AC Lyons has attacked it from the east, but our own force of 38,000 under A.C. Johnston holds the fort there still. One newspaper even said that Genl Grunt died at that place. Well, so be the fate of all our tormenters: the only portion of southern soil they may occupy is the oh so little plot they are buried in.

We called on the Tredeger Iron Works on the James River, Richmond last week. The manager was in fine spirits, telling us that the Southern Confederacy has produced lots of field artillery and heavy artillery to help defend our borders and coasts. His engineer was very sad though. Apparently his son, a conductor on the Chatanooga-Lynchberg Railroad had recently been killed by the Yankees shelling the railroad lines from the heights they occupy across the river in Cumberland, Tullahoma, and Murfeesboro.

Well, I must post this now and then I shall go to the newspaper office to secure news on what is happening in Nashville.

Your cousin,

Mary Chestnut

Confederate toymakers release a limited edition "Little Gunboat".

Due to shortages, the toy comes ready to make. 1 Block of wood, some scrap iron and instructions. Along with a narration of those few fateful days.

Don't be the only family without one.

If you buy now, A 2nd block of wood will be added for the 2nd "Little Gunboat". Supply is limited. Order now.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The little gunboat had a long voyage ahead.

She went along very well till she came to a bend in the mississippi. No matter how hard she tried, she could not move past the guns of the fort.

She pulled back and cleared the decks for action. She puffed and she puffed. She started off and destroyed the guns of the fort. Yee-Haw! Yee-Haw!

No fort would stop her today! The little gunboat was in the deep blue sea of the Gulf of Mexico.

She made straight away for the Union transports that day. Alone, unafraid Yee-Haw! Yee-Haw!.

But there was a cruiser that day, on board they did say, Do you think that little gunboat is coming our way?

Yes, indeed! Yee-Haw! Yee-Haw!

Some thought it impossible for the little gunboat to prevail. "Surely it should find help," they thought as they rose to the gunwale.

The little gunboat sped onward, its guns primed for action, the little steam engine puffing. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Yee-Haw! Yee-Haw!

Pretty soon that old Cruiser looking very big and strong. While she the little gunboat sped on,her crew singing this song:
"Will you dance with me this evening dear? Will your arms embrace me cold? Will you break my heart as our eyes do pierce? Will the sea be our home?".

The big old Cruiser in reply, its crew did say that day, " Its been so long since i've danced, so old and heavy you see. Yet a gentleman i am, let us dance and be merry today, for the night comes and i am weary".

So the Little gunboat and the big old cruiser, held each other close while the music played from the decks of wood.
Then suddenly...

The big old Cruiser looked down at the little gunboat, and said:
"I Don't know how but i'm sinking by my bow. My dancing days are through my crew to the lifeboats you see? I have been drubbed and scourged ready for the briney deep. Remember this spot for the dance we had, and to my crew be on the way."

The little gunboat its steam engine puffing, was sorry to see that big old cruiser slip beneath the waves.

But she went on, Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Yee-Haw! Yee-Haw!

Soon she came to a second old Cruiser sailing fast away. He was puffing and puffing, On to Mobile harbor to stay.

"That big old Cruiser yelled out as he left, " I'll be back for you little gunboat, after our harbor appoinment is done.

She ran as fast as she could but could not keep up. In a mournful cry, she was heard to say,

"Will no one dance in the pale moon light? Are the nights to be lonely and gray? The transports cannot dance, they only slink away."

The second big old Cruiser became trapped at mobile harbor and sinking away, had these last words,
"I have just come in from a long, long run. Don't you see how tired I am? Can't you get some other Cruisers to help, to dance with the little gunboat that can?

When out of the harbor, another little gunboat did appear. Off to meet her sister in the deep waters so near.
Off she went. The Big old Cruiser's mast sticking out of the sea, sails waving goodbye. Choo, choo! Yee-Haw!

After a while she came to a little gunboat just like herself. Sitting alone in the sea. She ran alongside and said:
"Will you dance with me my sister? It is so long being alone. If we stand together, we may see the dawn."

"Yes, indeed!" said this little gunboat. "I'll be glad to help you, if I can."

So the little gunboats started back to where the transports lie. Both little gunboats danced upon the seas and laughed! One behind the other, pulling a train of union ships behind.

Puff, puff! Chug, choo! Off they started! Yee-Haw!

Slowly the transports began to move. Slowly they moved to New Orleans. As they hit the current of the mighty Mississippi, each little gunboat began to sing:
"I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I think I can - I think I can - I think I can I think I can--" Pulling with all there might.

And sail they did! Very soon they were in the river and going up to New Orleans.
Now that they were in the harbor again; the little gunboat could pull her transports herself. So she thanked the little gunboat who had come to help her, and said good-by. As she parted ways to Mobile.

And she went merrily on her way, singing:
"I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I thought i could - I thought I could - I thought I could - I thought I could - I thought I could - I thought I could I thought I could --"

Yee-Haw!

THE END