Following are communications and reports by Military officers (both Union and Confederate) of activities in the field to their superior officers during the Civil War, 1861—1865, to keep them informed of those activities. The following reports are about an attack which took place on the Arkansas River in or around Pope County. The Pilot on the ANNIE JACOBS was Gibson MORRISON (my GGgrandfather) who lived in the Russellville area of Pope county. First is a report by the commanding officer who was aboard the ANNIE JACOBS. The next two are communications made with headquarters  made either with courier or telegraph, asking for instructions. The last report was made by the officer commanding the confederate forces who attacked the boats. There are many more communications and reports concerning the incident but most are a repetition of the enclosed information.

The Following entries were Extracted to add to the history of Gibson Morrison, father of John Carol Morrison, who was the father of Arthur C. Morrison, who was the father of Lilburn Lester Morrison, father of Jerry Wayne Morrison (that be Me), who is the father of Jeffrey Wayne and Teresa Marie, Morrison.
 

Report of Col. Thomas M. Bowen, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, commanding U. S. transports, of operations January 17-24.
                                                                                                                                                                                           Little Rock, Ark., January 24, 1865.   Major:  On the 17th instant steamers Lotus, Chippewa, Ad. Hines, and Annie Jacobs left Van Buren, Ark., each having on board a small scout under the command of the line officer.  On board of each steamer were a large number of refugees, also quite a number of officers.  On the Annie Jacobs, particularly, passengers and soldiers numbered about 500, en route for different localities via this place.  The Chippewa had the advance, the Annie Jacobs was next, the Lotus followed, and the Ad. Hines brought up the rear.  At about 4 p.m. on the 17th instant (Ivey's Ford. Eighteen miles above Clarksville) the Chippewa was discovered about one mile in advance, lying at the south shore of the Arkansas, and a few moments later I was requested to examine her through a field glass, when I immediately discovered that she was on fire in her center on the main deck.  I became at once satisfied of the presence of the enemy.  Being the ranking officer on board, I at once assumed the direction of affairs, giving the pilot orders to put on all steam and go on, but the order had scarcely been given before the enemy opened on us with artillery.  I ordered the pilot to round to and proceed up the river.  By the time the direction of the boat had been changed we were opposite the first rebel gun.  There being but little steam up, and it being impossible to get out of the range of the guns in any reasonable time I directed the boat to be landed on the north shore, which was accomplished under the most galling fire of the enemy, having received fifteen shot and shell, which destroyed the heaters before we landed and three after we reached the shore.  In addition to the fire from the artillery a continuous fire from small-arms was poured into us from the commencement of the action.  One shell burst in the front cabin, one immediately under the boiler, one at the front of the pilot house, and two in the hold.  The most indescribable confusion prevailed on board among the passengers, especially the female portion, and I ordered the landing of the boat, because it was impossible to get her out of range of the artillery, and had we been any considerable distance from the shore we would have floated into the hands of the enemy owing to the damage done to the machinery by the artillery, and for the further reason that I hoped to save the two boats which were behind.  The Lotus, however, was so near that before we could warn her of the danger she was within range of the artillery, and she also landed on the north side of the river; when, fearing an attack from that side of the river, I proceeded up the beach with two men, and collected the disembarked soldiers of the Lotus, and marched them to the line formed on the bank by those who had disembarked from the Jacobs.  Having restored order and made every possible preparation for the protection of the boats, I at once started a messenger up the river-bank with a dispatch to General Thayer and orders for the Ad. Hines not to approach, telling briefly of the danger, and sent to Clarksville for re-enforcements.  I also ordered a forage train, which happened to be within a few miles, with an escort of over 100 men, to move to us at once; which order was promptly obeyed by Capt. Thomas Stevenson, of the fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanding.   The arrival of the train after dark was mistaken by the enemy for a battery from Clarksville, and no doubt had something to do with their withdrawal before daylight on the morning of the 18th instant.  In addition to the shells already mentioned, the Jacobs received two solid shots through her pilot house, one back of the ladies' cabin, and several through her hold.  The Lotus received two through her pilot house.  Early on the morning of the 18th instant, a re-enforcement of 350 men and two howitzers arrived from Col. William R. Judson's command at Clarksville, and the steamer Ad. Hines, having failed to receive my dispatch, also arrived.  The dispatch, however, was received by General Thayer.  From the released crew of the Chippewa I learned that the enemy was 1,500 strong, with from two to four pieces of artillery, whereupon I sent the steamers Ad. Hines and Lotus back to Fort Smith, with a request to General Thayer that he would send the colored brigade, with which, in addition to our own forces, I proposed to cross the river and rout the enemy before attempting to move the boats down, on receipt of which he promptly started the brigade down the south side of the river, under the command of Colonel Williams, Seventy-ninth U. S. Colored [Infantry], on the morning of the 19th instant, and the brigade arrived opposite us on the afternoon of the 20th.  On the morning of the 21st Colonel Williams moved his command down the river to Patterson's Bluff, and on the afternoon of the same day the steamers Hines and Lotus arrived from Fort Smith, upon which we embarked, and proceeded down to Spadra or Clarksville Landing, leaving the steamer Annie Jacobs with her bow on dry land, having failed in all our efforts to get her afloat, notwithstanding the continued exertions of Captain Gear, assisted by a detail of all the soldiers he could use during the whole time we remained.  A guard was left with the Jacobs of 200 men and one howitzer of Colonel Judson's command, with orders to have the machinery repaired and everything put in order for moving, which I was informed by the engineer could be done in a very few days.  On the 22d Colonel Williams moved farther down the river, and we moved with the boats to Dardanelle without receiving a shot from the enemy.  At Dardanelle we learned from Colonel Ryan, Third Arkansas Cavalry, that there was no enemy between that place and this.  We therefore left Dardanelle at daylight on the morning of the 23rd and arrived here on the morning of the 24th without further trouble.  I recommend an investigation of the facts in relation to the surrender of the steamer Chippewa, as I failed to ascertain any good reason why she could not have been saved, and I am told she was surrendered before a shot struck her.  About the time the fire of the enemy was turned from the Jacobs to the Lotus the baggage of the passengers of the former was ransacked and a great deal of money and other property stolen.  The matter is being investigated, under direction of Colonel Judson, by Lieutenant-Colonel Waugh, provost-marshal at Clarksville.  I cannot in justice close this report without mentioning the gallant conduct throughout of Col. Charles W. Adams, of the Twelfth Regiment Kansas Volunteers, and Lieut. Col. Owen A. Bassett, Second Regiment Kansas Volunteers, commanding, both of whom gave me their full and faithful co-operation in all my efforts to save the boats, and displayed in an eminent degree the qualifications of coolness an courage so essential to success.   The same can be justly said of every subordinate officer present, and I regret that I have not their names.  Prominent among the later was Capt. C. O. Judson, Sixth Kansas Cavalry, who was not deterred from doing his duty by either the danger or fatigue.  A more faithful and gallant officer does not wear a sword in the department.  Lieut. J. S. Lane, Sixth Kansas Cavalry, fearlessly exposed his life on the shore to prevent a barge laden with Government property from falling into the hands of the enemy.  Lieutenant Ross, of the Fortieth Iowa Infantry [?], in charge of the guards on the Jacobs, won the respect of all by his gallant bearing.  Sergt. A. E. Lovell, Company H, Second Kansas Cavalry, and Citizen Troutman accompanied me up the river-bank, under a severe fire from the enemy, to aid me in getting the soldiers who were leaving the Lotus to join the command from the Jacobs.  The chaplain of the First Arkansas Infantry, Rev Springer, and Chaplain Randall, of the Fifty-fourth U. S. Colored, gave their full attention to the wounded and Citizen O. S. Dillon acted the part of fireman at the immanent peril of his life.  I have received no reports to enable me to state our loss, but have directed each detachment to report direct.  Quite a number were killed.  Especial attention is called to Capt. William Gear and Pilot Gibson Morrison, both of the steamer Jacobs.  These officers remained at the wheel in the pilot house until the vessel was safely landed and promptly executed every order I gave.  A less tenacious determination would surely have resulted in the loss of the boats and the capture of all on board.  Captain Jaques, of the Lotus, in person attended to the rudder of his boat and landed her in safety above the Jacobs.  Private Vincent B. Osborn, of the Second Kansas Cavalry, had his thigh bone shattered whilst making the cable of the Jacobs fast on shore.  His leg was subsequently amputated and his life is lost.  And last, but not least, Maj. S. B. Hunt, surgeon-in-chief of the district of the Frontier, was wherever he was needed, in danger and out of danger, attending to the wounded.  Nothing that I can say can add to his well-acquired reputation. I am, major, very respectfully, &c., THOS. M. BOWEN, Colonel Thirteenth Infantry Kansas Volunteers. MAJ. JOHN LEVERING,
          Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Arkansas. EDMUND P. TURNER,
  Assistant Adjutant-General. _______

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,          Little Rock, Ark., January 19, 1865-9 a. m.

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff: Three steamers left here on the 12th instant for Fort Smith with supplies for that command for about sixty days.  A force was sent to occupy Dardanelle and protect the passage of the boats.  They passed Dardanelle safely on the 14th instant, and have since been heard from in safety at Mulberry Creek, about twenty five miles this side of Fort Smith.  It is believed they arrived at Fort Smith safely.  Our force at Dardanelle under Major Jenks, First Iowa Cavalry, was attacked on the 14th after boats had passed up.  Enemy was handsomely repulsed.  Our loss 1 killed, 15 wounded.  Fifteen dead rebels were left on the field; also 15 wounded.  Another regiment and section of battery sent from this place are at Dardanelle, Colonel Ryan, Third Arkansas Cavalry, in command.  Colonel Ryan reports yesterday 9 p. m. that enemy is assembling to renew the attack on Dardanelle, and from floating pieces of charred [wood] he supposes that one of the boats had been destroyed in returning to Fort Smith.  River has fallen too much to warrant sending more boats up at present. J. J. REYNOLDS,  -  Major-General. _______

DARDANELLE, January 19, 1865 - 10 p. m. (Via Lewisburg.) Maj. Gen. J.J. REYNOLDS,        Little Rock:
Courier in from Colonel Judson, commanding at Clarksville, states that a force of the enemy on the south bank of the river near Roseville fired upon the boats coming from Fort Smith, capturing and burning the Chippewa.  The other three ran to the north side of the river near Ivey's Ford more or less injured by the enemy's fire.  Judson sent them assistance.  Scouts report hearing firing in that direction last evening and this a. m.  Scouts report the enemy to have moved camp to within eight miles on Rocky Crossing road, having been re-enforced by Parsons, of Texas, and waiting for co-operation of the force now engaged on the boats before attacking him.  Do you wish the force here to remain longer than to insure the safe passage of the boats down river; that is, if the rebels leave any of them in condition to run down?  The river will soon be fordable above this point.
          Respectfully, A. H. RYAN, Colonel. Series I Vol XL page 16-17 No. 3.

Order of Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder, C. S. Army, commanding           DISTRICT of ARKANSAS, of operations  January 14-17.

GENERAL ORDERS,                                                                                                                                       HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF AKANSAS, No. 18. Washington, January 25, 1865.    The major-general commanding takes pleasure in announcing to the army that Colonel Brooks, commanding Brooks' brigade, composed of Brooks' men proper, Newton's regiment, and Stirman's battalion, after a long and difficult march to the Arkansas River, attacked a heavier force of enemy near Dardanelle, drove him into his works, killing 8, wounding 19, and capturing 2; loss on our side, 1 killed and 15 wounded.  Colonel Brooks, hearing of the approach of steamers from above, by a forced march, with 400 men, reached the proper point at sunrise on the 16th instant.  Having placed a piece of artillery and his men in ambush, at 1 o'clock on the 17th, he permitted the leading boat to come well in range, when he opened upon her with his infantry and this piece.  She was raked from stem to stern and soon surrendered.  She proved to be the New Chippewa.  The prisoners consist of 1 officer and 29 men of the Fiftieth Indiana and 40 negroes; also captain, crew, and a large number of refugee families from Fort Smith.  After removing everything valuable the boat was fired.  The steamer Annie Jacobs next hove into sight.  She was immediately attacked, and the fire was returned by the troops on board.  She attempted to destroy our artillerists; our artillery, however, soon disabled her, and she grounded upon an island.  Here many men [were] drowned in the attempting to make their escape to the opposite bank.  During the engagement with the Jacobs the Lotus came down.  The troops on board were driven into the water and she to the north bank of the river, where most of them escaped, the iron axle of one piece of artillery having broken.  Finding the boats too distant for an effective fire of musketry, Colonel Brooks returned to his camps, taking with him 82 prisoners and the refugee families captured.  Federal casualties, 27 killed and wounded, besides those drowned; our own loss, 1 killed and 15 wounded. A large quanity of the enemy's stores were destroyed.
Colonel Newton and Stirman and Lieutenant Lockhart are spoken of in high terms by Colonel Brooks in his report of their operations.  Information has also been received from Maj. Gen. M. M. Parsons that Captain Webb, who was ordered to destroy the enemy's mills at Pine Bluff and to rid the country of graybacks, has succeded-capturing one company, thirty-seven strong, a number of horses, arms, &c. The commanding general takes great pleasure in returning his thanks to both officers and men of the several commands for their gallant conduct on this occasion. By command of Maj. Gen. J.B. MAGRUDER:

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       Jerry Morrison