CAIRO, April 22.
Special to the Chicago Times
The steamer Charley Bowen reached here to-day, from Paducah. From Capt. White, one of her passengers, I gather Pittsburg news of Sunday night. The weather in that quarter has been exceedingly unfavorable for movements of our army. For the last three days rain has fallen incessantly, and it is now an utter impossibility for the army to move on account of the great depth of the mud. Preparations, however, are going on steadily, so when the roads improve, the army will be in readiness for battle.
Beauregard is being constantly reinforced and the citizens of Memphis and New Orleans are throwing up their business occupation and flocking to his standard, believing on the ensuing battle depends the fate of the Valley of the Mississippi. It is thought by those who ought to know best that the majority of the Southern people are ready to throw down their arms and return to the Union, if they are defeated at Corinth; while the leaders are still as desperate as ever.
Major Belknap, of the 15th Iowa regiment, has been promoted to the Colonelcy of a Wisconsin regiment, for his gallant conduct at the battle of Pittsburg.
I have it from excellent authority, that every charge against Gen. Grant, will be shown to be groundless, and that facts not generally known, tend to exculpate him from any blame whatever. The charge among others, that he landed troops on the Pittsburg side of the river, contrary to the order of Gen. Halleck, is easily cleared up, by the fact that the whole opposite side of the river was flooded with at least three feet of water, making the debarkation of the troops on that side impossible. The impression is gaining ground that Gen. Grant not only acted prudently under the circumstances, but conducted himself with marked bravery throughout the battle.
Five of the rebel miscreants who fired on the steamer Minnehaha during her recent trip up the Tennessee, have been captured, together with a quantity of ammunition and a number of horses, bearing the U. S. marks. The rebels were to be shot.
Gen. Smith is lying dangerously ill at Savannah. His division was commanded at the battle of Pittsburg by Gen. W H. Wallace.
Capt. G. R. Gardner, Co. F, and Capt. R. R. Henderson, Co. H, 13th Ohio, reported killed in the battle of Pittsburg, are both alive, and though wounded, are doing well.
The gunboat Eastport, captured at Nashville, is now being rebuilt at Mound City. She is to be somewhat longer and narrower than the gunboats now in service, and is to be provided with a huge iron prow; otherwise she will be continued after the pattern of the Benton and other gunboats. She is to be completed in about four weeks. Capt. Pennock, the naval officer in command at this post, is superintending the construction of the Eastport.
The captain of the Minnehaha arrived here to-day, and brings particulars concerning the drowning of Gov. Harvey. The Governor was returning in company with a number of gentlemen of Wisconsin from Pittsburg, whither they had gone to relieve the wounded Wisconsin troops. At Savannah they stopped some time visiting the wounded in hospital, and at length started to return. The party were passing from the steamer Dunleith on board the Minnehaha, when Gov. Harvey lost footing and fell into the river. He endeavored to swim against the current, and while in this act Dr. Clarke, on of the Governor’s party plunged into the stream to his rescue. Before he could reach him, however, Gov. Harvey was carried under a coal boat, since when nothing has been heard of his body, though endeavors have been made to recover it. A reward of $1,000 been offered by the State for the recovery of the body.
The Postmaster at Cairo requests all postmasters in mailing letters for the army, which should properly be sent to his office for distribution, to put them in separate packages and endorse the letters “soldier’s letters, Cairo D. P. O.” The enormous increase of letters received makes this an absolute necessity.
The steamer Stringer arrived from Fort Pillow this morning, but brought nothing of importance from the fleet. She left our fleet on Sunday evening, and reports that there was no firing on either side during that day. A few shots were exchanged on Saturday, Mortar boats occasionally toss shell into the rebel fortifications. Nothing lively may be expected from the flotilla until after the battle of Corinth.
First Lieut. John Sec, Co G, 41st Ills., wounded in the battle of Pittsburg, died when coming down the river yesterday.
The river here is at least at a stand, and if any change is occurring is slowly receding.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 24, 1862, p. 2
Special to the Chicago Times
The steamer Charley Bowen reached here to-day, from Paducah. From Capt. White, one of her passengers, I gather Pittsburg news of Sunday night. The weather in that quarter has been exceedingly unfavorable for movements of our army. For the last three days rain has fallen incessantly, and it is now an utter impossibility for the army to move on account of the great depth of the mud. Preparations, however, are going on steadily, so when the roads improve, the army will be in readiness for battle.
Beauregard is being constantly reinforced and the citizens of Memphis and New Orleans are throwing up their business occupation and flocking to his standard, believing on the ensuing battle depends the fate of the Valley of the Mississippi. It is thought by those who ought to know best that the majority of the Southern people are ready to throw down their arms and return to the Union, if they are defeated at Corinth; while the leaders are still as desperate as ever.
Major Belknap, of the 15th Iowa regiment, has been promoted to the Colonelcy of a Wisconsin regiment, for his gallant conduct at the battle of Pittsburg.
I have it from excellent authority, that every charge against Gen. Grant, will be shown to be groundless, and that facts not generally known, tend to exculpate him from any blame whatever. The charge among others, that he landed troops on the Pittsburg side of the river, contrary to the order of Gen. Halleck, is easily cleared up, by the fact that the whole opposite side of the river was flooded with at least three feet of water, making the debarkation of the troops on that side impossible. The impression is gaining ground that Gen. Grant not only acted prudently under the circumstances, but conducted himself with marked bravery throughout the battle.
Five of the rebel miscreants who fired on the steamer Minnehaha during her recent trip up the Tennessee, have been captured, together with a quantity of ammunition and a number of horses, bearing the U. S. marks. The rebels were to be shot.
Gen. Smith is lying dangerously ill at Savannah. His division was commanded at the battle of Pittsburg by Gen. W H. Wallace.
Capt. G. R. Gardner, Co. F, and Capt. R. R. Henderson, Co. H, 13th Ohio, reported killed in the battle of Pittsburg, are both alive, and though wounded, are doing well.
The gunboat Eastport, captured at Nashville, is now being rebuilt at Mound City. She is to be somewhat longer and narrower than the gunboats now in service, and is to be provided with a huge iron prow; otherwise she will be continued after the pattern of the Benton and other gunboats. She is to be completed in about four weeks. Capt. Pennock, the naval officer in command at this post, is superintending the construction of the Eastport.
The captain of the Minnehaha arrived here to-day, and brings particulars concerning the drowning of Gov. Harvey. The Governor was returning in company with a number of gentlemen of Wisconsin from Pittsburg, whither they had gone to relieve the wounded Wisconsin troops. At Savannah they stopped some time visiting the wounded in hospital, and at length started to return. The party were passing from the steamer Dunleith on board the Minnehaha, when Gov. Harvey lost footing and fell into the river. He endeavored to swim against the current, and while in this act Dr. Clarke, on of the Governor’s party plunged into the stream to his rescue. Before he could reach him, however, Gov. Harvey was carried under a coal boat, since when nothing has been heard of his body, though endeavors have been made to recover it. A reward of $1,000 been offered by the State for the recovery of the body.
The Postmaster at Cairo requests all postmasters in mailing letters for the army, which should properly be sent to his office for distribution, to put them in separate packages and endorse the letters “soldier’s letters, Cairo D. P. O.” The enormous increase of letters received makes this an absolute necessity.
The steamer Stringer arrived from Fort Pillow this morning, but brought nothing of importance from the fleet. She left our fleet on Sunday evening, and reports that there was no firing on either side during that day. A few shots were exchanged on Saturday, Mortar boats occasionally toss shell into the rebel fortifications. Nothing lively may be expected from the flotilla until after the battle of Corinth.
First Lieut. John Sec, Co G, 41st Ills., wounded in the battle of Pittsburg, died when coming down the river yesterday.
The river here is at least at a stand, and if any change is occurring is slowly receding.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 24, 1862, p. 2
