Special to Chicago Journal.
CAIRO, April 2.
The most terrible tornado that has visited this locality for several years, came upon us at 3 o’clock this morning. The storm came up from the south, with rain, hail, thunder and lightning.
Nearly all the transports, barges, steam tugs and floating property were torn from their moorings on the Ohio levee, and blown across the river. The slate roof of the St. Charles Hotel lies scattered over the town. Several rows of barracks were leveled with the ground, by happily they were untenanted, or the loss of life would have been terrible.
The Cairo and Columbus wharfboat lies high and dry on the Kentucky shore opposite here. The steamer Illinois had both her chimneys and upper cabins torn away, in the falling of which four or five lives were lost. Capt. Carroll, of the steamer Sallie Wood, had his leg broken, and several others were badly injured.
Several barges which had been covered broke loose and floated down the river.
The large piles of government lumber on the Ohio levee were blown into the river. The wooden barracks at Bird’s Point caught the gale about midships and had to cave in largely. So also Ft. Holt. No loss of life at either of the last two points.
Much anxiety is felt for our fleet down at Island No. 10. We have no news to-day from below, except that the gunboats and mortars are firing semi-occasionally, and the rebels reply just when they please.
Buford’s capture at Union City amounted to seven prisoners and about forty horses and mules, instead of 100 prisoners and 150 horses, as before telegraphed.
The water soaking through the levee in Cairo rose five inches last night, and is still rising. Both steam pumps are working however.
The stench in Cairo is intolerable, and much sickness must follow this flood. Medical gentlemen tell me that over two hundred distinct and separate odors were ascertained to exist yesterday, with several wards to hear from and classify.
The coal oil and turpentine leads on the Cumberland river, have nearly ceased, owing, of course to the high water.
Brig. Gen. Jno. A. Logan has so far recovered from his wounds received at Fort Donelson, as to be able to rejoin his brigade and to-day started for the seat of war on the Tennessee. His wound is still very painful.
Lieut. Col. Ransom has been appointed Colonel of the 11th regiment to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Col Wallace to a Brigadiership.
Lieut. Col. Dunlap of the 29th regiment has resigned, and arrived at Cairo, as have also several other officers of a lesser grade.
Brig. Gen. John Cook, of the 7th regiment, is here en route for the theater of operations in Tennessee. It is a very singular fact that those who have resigned are invariably those who have escaped unharmed, while the wounded ones are invariably returning to their duties. Comment is unnecessary.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 3, 1862, p. 1
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