Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-04-12
MOVE MIN l..

The Powhatan steam SlooP-of-war at
Brooklyn was fitted out for sea last week
with unexampled celebrity.
The Powhatan is a first class wheel
steamer of 2,4l5 tons burthep, and was
built at Gosport, in 1850. She carries IL
guns and about 300 officers and men. Her
service list includes two general cruises, and
one special cruise. She returned from China
last summer. and was about TO be put in
ordinary, when she was ordered suddenly to
the Guif of Mexico and had nearly been
stripped at Brooklyn on Monday, when the
Instructions to get her ready for sea, came
from Washington. She is the only steam
frlgate ever converted from the "lying up"
condition, into the commission state, IN The
space Of three days. This is something that
could be done in very few yards IN the
world.
A large quantity Of ordnance stores were
placed on board, evidently intended for the
use of other forces than her own. The re-
port in the y. Y. World of Saturday says
"To the eye of the practical observer
there were many articles put on board which
would lead one to suppose that the fitting
out of this ship is for no idle or passive pur-
pose In the first place she has on board an
extremely large complement of nine and
eleyen-inch shell. She, it will be remem-
bered, carries ten nine inch, and one eleven
inch shell guns f; but among her ordnance
stores there is very large lot OF ten inch
shells She has no ten inch guns on board,
nor could she take them on board at the
present time. These are probably intended
to be put on board some OF the ships now
cruising, or are intended for land fortifca-
ton. There is also a large quantity OF T.
pound howlizer ammunition, consisting OF
canister, grape and schrapnell ; each of her
boats mounts l2-pounder fitted to slide ;
carriages are also on board, and, in event OF
landing. the guns are TO be transferred to
the carriages and the crew to man the train
ropes, and they are then in a position SINH
lar to that of artillery. Our reporter saw
the majority Of the ammunition taken on
board, and found that most of the powder is
that known as "shell powder. One OF the
officers of the ship remarked that "he had
never known of so much ordnance stores
being taken on board Of United States
vessel at one time before during 20 years ~
And said he, " have not the slightest
doubt that these movements are for the pur-
pose Of sheliing some one of the posts now
held by the Confederate States.
At o'clock the crew Of the Powhatan
was formally transferred from the receiving
ship North Carolina to the steamer. About
| l70 blue Jackets, and so of the engineers
department, embarked with bag and ham
mock, in the launches, and hauled alOngsid
amid three hearty cheers for the "Old Ship
| and the /" Union.' In less than 80 minutes
the men were at their stations, and finer
! looking set of seamen one would scarcely
wish to see At the same time the guard
of marines, about IS in number, marched
down from the barracks to the music Of fife
and drum. They were soon in their ole
quarters. and at bells e o'clock) the pend
ant at the main, and the stars and stripes al
the peak proclaimed that the sloop-of-wal
| Poyhatan was in commission.
The Powhatan has about 500 officers and
men. The New York Commercial says;
| "The captain OF the Io"ha'1n nav ="
sealed government envelopes handed TO hin
| when leaving the navy yard to 60 on boarc
his ship. One of them is to be opened wnii'
tho ship is under steam at the battery, an(
tbe other 9th when she gets 50 miles to sea, on
conrse indicated in the first despatch. No
one officer of the yard or frigate knows t
which point of the compass she will steer
The rapid loading of the transpor. steam
or, Illinois and Atlantic, with ample store
Of provisions, with shot and shell and can
on also betokens earnest work somewhere
The Atlantic is to carry seven hundred u )
soldiers including two companies oil hyini
artillery. The outfit of the Illinois is C OF
similar character. 1t is supposed the 20"
h.,an is to convoy the transport steamers.