From Cairo

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

By Telegraph

(Reported expressly for the Gazette.) THE WAR NEWS. Important Movements looked for on the Mississippi. Appropriation for the Steven’s Battery. Increased Efficiency of the Medical Department. The Rebel Force at Yorktown Exaggerated. AN ATTACK SOON TO BE MADE BY McCLELLAN. FEDERAL LOSS BY THE DESTRUCTION OF NORFOLK NAVY YARD. HIGH WATER AT CAIRO.

*~*~*~*~*

From Cairo. Correspondence of the Missouri Republican. CAIRO, April18. A Gentleman just from Pittsburg reports all the wounded taken away from that point. A skirmish took place at Savannah on Wednesday, between a detachment of our cavalry and a rebel picket guard; which were posted uncomfortable near, and very strong. The rebels were driven back, having 5 killed, 65 wounded. Refugees report that the rebels are fortifying at Lick Creek, half way to Corinth and strengthening their works at Corinth. Some state that trains are arriving and bring fresh troops through; while others say they are sending off stores preparatory to evacuation. CAIRO, April 18. The steamers Minnehaha and T. J. Patten were fired into by the rebels yesterday while ascending the Tennessee with troops. Upon the former one man was killed and one severely wounded. The Patten was uninjured. The Troops on the Minnehaha landed and burned a row of wooden buildings near which the firing originated upon the bluff in the rear, rebel guerillas were plainly visible in the interstices of the trees. Matters at Pittsburg drag their slow length along without perceptible change. We are gradually moving into the interior. Slowly, but surely, we advance and hold our positions. No more such Bull Run panics as characterized the fated Sabbath; and let us pray no more such slaughters. Ten Irish residents of Southern Illinois were arrested and brought into Paducah to-day, for preaching rebellion to the Egyptians. The will speedily be mad examples of. Captain Ferris of the 15th Illinois, died to-day at Paducah from the effects of a gunshot wound received at Pittsburg. Gen. Mitchell has burned the bridge across the Tennessee river at Decatur, Alabama, over which the Charleston and Memphis railroad passes, and thus effectually closed a rebel channel of communication eastward, whence the rebels have drawn liberally for troops and supplies. He has also burned the railroad bridge at Florence. He is now at Iuka, Miss. Recent intelligence from Corinth confirms previous reports of the magnitude of the enemy’s force and character of the efforts he has made to resist the onward march of the Federal army. A desperate stand will be made there, and our people must be prepared to hear of a terrible decimation of our troops. Gen. Halleck is cool and cautions, and will achieve success. The fight will commence soon. The steamer Planet arrived at Paducah this morning with the 71st Ohio, en route for Fort Donelson. This is one of the Regiments that ran so disgracefully at Pittsburg. Special to the Chicago Times. River rising very fast and has already attained a very [remarkable] height. It is up to the works of the break which flooded Cairo a few years since. It is over forty feet above low water mark. Great preparations are being made in anticipation of the water breaking through the levee. We have no special news from the Tennessee. Gen. Halleck has sent down an order prohibiting all civilians, including nurses, and the swarm of volunteer philanthropists who are seeking the battle-ground to gratify curiosity merely, from leaving Cairo. The wounded will be down here before the nurses can get up to savannah, and the other class are not wanted at all. What advices we have agree in saying that Gen. Halleck is infusing his masterly spirit of order and discipline into the army, and the belief that his strategic genius and executive ability will constituted a sure guard against future surprises, grows stronger every day. Rebel accounts state that Beauregard and the other leaders have become more cautious and less sanguine as these facts dawn upon them. Their soldiers will not flinch in the coming battle, as they have all been under fire now, which constitutes the hardening process. Those who retreated [in the Federal Army] were raw recruits, who had never been within sound of a gun. There were at one time ten thousand of them huddled on the river bank, whom blows, persuasion or curses would not move. An officer told me that in his excitement and indignation he could have seen the artillery turned on the solid mass of terror-stricken humanity without the least compassion. The movement on the Mississippi is deemed contraband. Important events will be looked for in that direction before long. Island No. 10 is occupied by Col. Buford, who has lately been promoted to a Generalship. Our gunboats had a brief engagement with four rebel gunboats on Sunday. Some dozen or more shots were exchanged and a shell exploded close over the Benton. No damage was done, and the rebel boats lost no time in retiring. Arrival of the pirate Sumter Prisoners. BOSTON, April 18. Thos. T. Tansall, late U. S. Consul at Tangier, and Mr. Myers, purser of the pirate Sumter, arrested at Gesiras, Morocco, arrived here today in the bark Harvest Home, to which they were transferred from the gunboat John. The prisoners were in irons, which were removed by order of Marshal Keyes, and they were sent to Ft. Warren to await instructions from the government. NEW YORK, April 19. The schr. John Roe at this port, reports, March 14th, 5 p.m., off Savannah, passed a propeller showing English colors, and after hauling them down, ran up the rebel flag. She was steering in the direction of Bermuda. – Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 21, 1862, p. 1

Cairo Budget, A useless attempt to Whitewash Grant – Affairs at Pittsburgh – at Fort Pillow, etc.

CAIRO, April 22 – The steamer Charley Brown reached here to-day from Paducah. From Captain White, one of her passengers, I gather Pittsburgh news of Sunday Night.

The weather has been exceedingly unfavorable in that quarter for the movements of our army, for the last three days. The rain has fallen incessantly, and it is now an utter impossibility for the army to move on account of the great depth of mud. Preparations, however, are going on steadily, and when the roads improve the army will be in readiness for the battle.

Beauregard is being constantly reinforced and citizens of Memphis and New Orleans are throwing up their business occupations and flocking to his standard, believing that in the coming battle depends the fate of the Valley of the Mississippi.

It is thought by those who ought to know, 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, has been promoted to the Colonelcy of a Wisconsin regiment, for gallant conduct at the battle of Pittsburgh.

I hear it from excellent authority, that every charge brought against Gen. Grant, will be shown to be groundless, and facts not generally known tend to exculpate him from any blame whatever. The charge, among others, that he landed troops on the Pittsburgh side of the river contrary to the orders of General 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 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 upon the steamer Minnehaha, during her recent trip up the Tennessee river, have been captured, together with a quantity of ammunition and quite a number of horses bearing the U. S. mark. – They are to be shot.

Gen. Smith is lying dangerously ill at Savannah. His division was commanded at the battle of Pittsburgh by Gen. W. H. Wallace.

Capt. J. R. Gardiner, Co. F, and Capt. R. R. Henderson, Co. H, 13th Ohio, reported killed in the battle of Pittsburgh, in the Chicago Tribune of the 19th, 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 larger and narrower than the gunboats now in service, and is to be provided with a large iron ram at the prow. Otherwise she will be erected 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 the particulars concerning the drowning of Gov. Harvey. The Governor was returning in company with a number of gentleman of Wisconsin, from Pittsburgh, whither they had gone [to] relieve the wounded Wisconsin troops. At Savannah they stopped some time visiting the wounded in the hospital and started to return. The party were passing from the steamer Dunleith on board the Minnehaha, when Gov. Harvey lost his footing and fell into the river. He endeavored to swim against the current and while in this act, Dr. Clarke, one of the Governor’s particular friends, plunged into the stream to his rescue. But before he could reach him however, Gov. Harvey was carried under a coal boat. Since then nothing has been seen of his body, though every exertion has been made to recover it. A reward of $1,000 has been offered by the State of Wisconsin, for the recover of the body.

The post-master 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 Shingers arrived from Fort Pillow this morning, but brought nothing of importance from the flotilla. 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. Our mortar boats occasionally throw a shell into the rebel fortifications. Nothing lively may be expected from the flotilla until after the battle of Corinth.

First Lieut. John Seek, Co G, 41st Illinois, wounded at the battle of Pittsburg, died while coming down the river yesterday.

The river here is at last at a stand, and if any change is occurring is slowly receding.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3