Showing posts with label USS Cairo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Cairo. Show all posts

Monday, March 9, 2020

Diary of Gideon Welles: Monday, May 23, 1864

A late dispatch on Saturday night from Cairo informs me that a dam at Alexandria has been constructed and our fleet is passing the falls. Lieutenant-Commander Phelps had left my house only about an hour before the dispatch was received. We had passed most of the evening in discussing Red River affairs. The news of the passage of the whole fleet is since confirmed. It is most gratifying intelligence.

The author of the forged proclamation has been detected. His name is Howard, and he has been long connected with the New York press, but especially with the Times. If I am not mistaken, he has been one of my assailants and a defamer of the Department. He is of a pestiferous class of reckless sensation-writers for an unscrupulous set of journalists who misinform the public mind. Scarcely one of them has regard for truth, and nearly all make use of their positions to subserve selfish, mercenary ends. This forger and falsifier Howard is a specimen of the miserable tribe. The seizure of the office of the World and Journal of Commerce for publishing this forgery was hasty, rash, inconsiderate, and wrong, and cannot be defended. They are mischievous and pernicious, working assiduously against the Union and the Government and giving countenance and encouragement to the Rebellion, but were in this instance the dupes, perhaps the willing dupes, of a knave and wretch. The act of suspending these journals, and the whole arbitrary and oppressive proceedings, had its origin with the Secretary of State. Stanton, I have no doubt, was willing to act on Seward's promptings, and the President, in deference to Seward, yielded to it. These things are to be regretted. They weaken the Administration and strengthen its enemies. Yet the Administration ought not to be condemned for the misdeeds of one, or at most two, of its members. They would not be if the President was less influenced by them.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 37-8

Sunday, June 25, 2017

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: April 5, 1862

April 5, 1862, — One of our boys has just returned from Madrid and says he saw our gunboat Cairo there. She slipped by the batteries at Island No. 10 in the storm last night. Mosquitoes here already.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 78

Saturday, June 11, 2011

From Washington

From Washington

Tribune Correspondence

WASHINGTON, March 2.

The House judiciary committee will tomorrow report favorably on the Senate bill, making the final awards of the commissioners appointed to audit claims against the government, incurred in the Western department.

The President will nominate as Major Generals, Brig Gens. Grant, McClernand, and Wallace, who commanded divisions at the battle of Fort Donelson, and as Brigadier Generals the Colonels commanding brigades there.  Subordinate officers will also receive proper promotion.

The President, through the Secretary of war, will in his order of the day, accompanying the announcement of these deserved rewards of valor, strive to pay the just tribute to every man; high or low in rank, who contributed to the glorious result. – Flag officer Foote and his brave sailors will doubtless not be forgotten.


Special to the World.

The policy of the government is energetically directed toward supporting the loyal feeling in the attitude of resistance.  Abundant evidence is afforded that the truly loyal feeling exists which, although for some time overpowered and silenced, is now ready to avail itself of the presence of the U. S. forces for its manifestation, in meeting the enemy in battle.


Times’ Dispatch.

Gen. Buell telegraphed to Gen. McClellan, last night, that the rebels have abandoned Murfreesboro and are in full retreat towards the Tennessee river.  Crossing this river will place them in Alabama and free Middle Tennessee of every armed rebel force.  Inasmuch as the enemy retreat along a railroad line, tearing up the rails as they pass, it will be difficult for Gen. Buell to catch them.

It is announced the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers will be opened this week to free and unrestricted commerce, under the order of the Secretary of the Treasury.


WASHINGTON, March 3.

The Secretary of the Navy received a letter to-day, dated Cairo, Feb. 27th, from Flag Officer Foote, who says, I have the honor to forward a communication from Lieut. Commanding Bryant, the substance of which I have just telegraphed.  The captain of the steamer who brings the dispatch says, that six miles below Nashville, there was a battery which mounted 15 guns, but several of them were thrown into the river before the Cairo arrived.

He also reports a strong Union feeling manifested in and near Nashville, and that Gov. Harris, after vainly attempting to rally the citizens and others, left on Sunday for Memphis.  He also reports that the gunboats were welcomed by the people at Nashville and other points on the Cumberland river, and that on hearing of my arrival, supposing the gunboats would proceed immediately to Nashville, the enemy retreated panic stricken.  The unusually high water of the river enabling the boats to ascend the river is providential.

The following is the enclosure in Flag officer Foote’s letter:

NASHVILLE, Feb. 28.

To Flag-officer Foote, commanding, &c.

Sir: Uncertain that my letter of the 23d inst. reached you, I repeat that I departed from Clarksville for this point by the request of Brig. Gen. Smith, commanding at Clarksville, and arrive here this morning, preceded by several steamboats conveying an army commanded by Brig. Gen. Nelson.  The troops landed without opposition.  The banks of the river are free from hostile forces.  The railroad and suspension bridges are all destroyed.  Very respectfully,

A. C. BRYANT, Lieut. Com.


The following is an abstract of the tax bill reported to-day.  It provides for the appointment by the President of a commissioner of internal revenue, with a salary of $5,000 per annum; his office to be in the Treasure Department, with a suitable number of clerks.  The country is to be divided as the president may direct, into convenient collection districts, with an assessor and collector appointed by the President, for each district, who shall have power to appoint such deputies as may be necessary.

The bill provides for a duty on spirituous liquors of 15 cents per gallon.

The Baltimore & Ohio R. R. is being rapidly rebuilt and will soon be in running order.  About 40 miles of iron and cross ties have been carried off by the rebels.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 4, 1862, p. 1

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

From Fort Pillow

Special to the Chicago Tribune.

OFF FORT PILLOW,
CAIRO, April 19, 1862.

The Enemy’s gunboats have laid behind Criaghead Point for two or three nights past, fearing an attempt on our part to run the blockade.

The firing upon both sides on Thursday, was very heavy. The mortars opens at noon, four being in operation. The enemy replied immediately and briskly from the land batteries, throwing shell clear over us, and nearly across the river to the Tennessee shore.

Their firing was very accurate and from very heavy guns.

The St. Louis, Carondelet and Cairo, stationed as picket stops near the extremity of the point, where obliged to move up the river several times to get out of range.

A skiff attached to a mortar raft was hit by a shell and dashed to pieces. The shells flew thick and all about our gunboats, but none were hit.

On Thursday night the mortars commenced firing at 8 o’clock, the enemy replying immediately, and the fire was kept up until midnight.

A rebel shell exploded directly above the stern awnings of the St. Louis, slightly injuring one man in the wrist, another shell struck the broadside casemate of the Cairo, but did no damage. The firing ceased at midnight.

Yesterday but little was done except a few shots fired by the mortars. In the morning the mortars were shifted form the Arkansas to the Tennessee shore for the greater protection. In their past locality they have been in great danger from bands of rebel scouts prowling through the woods. These scouts have already cut the levee in two or three places, to embarrass the operations of the mortars.

Deserters are being rapidly taken both from the rebel gunboats and from their batteries. They say that nearly all of the crews of the gunboats have been impressed, and so great is the fear of the officers lest they desert that they frequently muster them every hour in the day.

The batteries now mount about forty very heavy guns. They have sixty more guns which they are rapidly putting in position. Within the past few days Bragg has arrived and succeeds Gen. Villipage, hitherto in command. There are about 6,000 troops there. Both troops and guns are from Pensacola.

There are but four gunboats in the river – the Mariposa [sic], Macray [sic], Ponchartrain and Livingston, mounting a total of twenty-four guns. The Ivy has gone to New Orleans with Hollins on board. The Gen. Polk is at Memphis repairing. Capt. Engee is acting Commodore in Hollin’s absence.

An independent company at Memphis has five boats below Fort Pillow, intended to grapple on our fleet and take it down to Dixie.

There are four rams at New Orleans, among them the Manassas. Active preparations are not expected at present.

Commodore Foot suffers severely from his wound received at Donelson.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 22, 1862, p. 1

Monday, December 21, 2009

Bombardment of Fort Pillow

OFF FT. PILLOW, April 19. – Enemy’s gunboats have laid behind Crag Head point for two or three nights past, fearing an attempt on our part to run the blockade. Firing upon both sides on Thursday was very heavy, mortars opened at noon, four being in operation. The enemy replied immediately and briskly from the land batteries, throwing shell clear over us and nearly across the river to the Tennessee shore, their firing was very accurate and from very heavy guns. The St. Louis, Carondolet [sic], and Cairo, stationed as picket ships near the extremity of the point were obliged to move up the river several times to get out of range. A skiff attached to a mortar raft was hit by a shell and dashed to pieces.

The shells flew thick and fast all about the gunboats, but none were hit. Thursday night the mortars commenced firing at 8 o’clock, the enemy replying immediately, and the fire was kept up until midnight. A rebel shell exploded directly above the stern awnings of the St. Louis, slightly injuring one man in the wrist; another shell struck the broadside casemate of the Cairo, but did no damage. The firing ceased at midnight. Yesterday but little was done except a few shots fired by the mortars in the morning. In the afternoon the mortars were shifted from the Arkansas to the Tennessee shore for greater protection; in their past locality they have been in great danger from bands of rebels scouting and prowling through the woods, these scouts have already cut the levee in two or three places to embarrass the operations of the mortars.

Desertions are very rapidly made both from the rebel gunboats and from their batteries. – They say that nearly all the crews of the gunboats have been impressed, and so great is the fear of the officers lest they desert that they frequently muster them every hour in the day. The batteries now muster about 40 guns very heavy. They have 60 more guns which they are rapidly putting in position.

Within the past few days Bragg has arrived and succeeds Gen. Villthige [sic], hitherto in command.

There are about 6,000 troops there. Both troops and guns are from Pensacola. There are but four gunboats in the river – the Malipa, [Macrov], Ponchartrain [sic] and Livingston, mounting a total of twenty four guns.

The Ivey has gone to New Orleans with Hollins on board. The Gen. Polk is at Memphis repairing. Capt. [Sug c] is Acting Commodore in Hollins’s absence.

An independent company at Memphis has five boats below Pillow intended to grapple into our fleet and take it down to Dixie.

There are four rams at New Orleans – among them the Manassas.

Com. Foote suffers severely from his wound received at Donelson.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 4