The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-05-08
rha War excitement at Cairo.

We regret to learn that the steamer u H. dillliah
with $4,000 worth OF arms purchased Ia D. LOUIS
and destined for Nashville, was captured at caro- hiF
morning about4 o'clock
II annears that tile commander of the military forces
at Cairo having been made acquainted with the arSt
amount of ammunition On board the HIilmah stafte9
the steamer Swallow, steamer which had DeeH hIIeo
nm like the b. b. Cheney as a sort of manot-war, was
proyided with soldiers and cannon and started up the
river to meet the Hilman About o'clock tins morn
ing the Swallow met the IIlman, about eight miles
above Cairo and captain Corbet of the Hillman, beng
hailed from the Swallow, and snpposlng that they mercy
wished to makesome communication permitted her &c
land alongside when officer, backed by soidlery
presented himself and demanded possession OF the poa
! Captain Corbet having no means to defend hmsell,
was now compelled to obey.
| He however refused to land at Cairo, but did at
Byrds point on the Missouri side and the officer threat
ened to open the battery upon him. but he persisted IN
refusal saving that if they wished to destroy the boat
they might do So but he would never land at Cairo.-
| Afterwards the soldiers had the Himan towed over
to the Cairo side Of the river and he was told If he
would wait till the and ammunition were taken out
he might have his boat He refused to take her unless
they would let him have its contents This refused
him. and he and all his left his boat and took the
first train for Nashville This information come from
Col H. H. Harrison, the agent of Gov Harris, who was
the Hillman at the time and who has telegraphed
the substance of the above to Nashville.
Every Tennesseean justly indignant at this outrage
Some urge the proprety of going at once to Cairo and
cleaning out the abolition horde while others think
moderate course desirable There are three steam
boats oWnedin Cincinnati and running between Memphis
and New Orleans These are the Mars now being I'M
loaded at Helena and the Ohio Belle. Ought they not
to be seized by our authorities and held until the SIT
900 Tennessee property surrendered at Cairo? If this
suggestion il deemed WISE authorities ought to act
at once for of these boats now below, is expected
up in the course of this afternoon night The matter
is before the authorities, and content to leave 1t
70 Wn hplinVn however that a force cOulu be
obtained in Memphis in few hours, abundantly able to
capture the lost property and to clear out the vile horde
now preying upon our commerce at Cairo.
The Bulletin of Sunday has the following intelligence:
The steamer John d. Perry reached the city last
night From captain Alex. Zeiger we learn that the
steamer Swallow hailed his boat about four miles from
Cairo and asked him to land at that point. He told
them that he had intended doing so in any event. On
reaching Cairo, the commanding officer aboard,
examined his cargo and took % kegs lead and kegs
buckshot consigned to r. r. Hawley & CO.; and kegs
and 20 bundles of bar lead and sample case, con-
signed to Burton, Titus Co.. of this city. The Perry
had aboard cases guns and % packages gunpowder,
which were delivered in Missouri and yet perfectly
informed the Cairo authorities, to the arms and
ammunition board every boat leaving St Louis that
they inquire where this powder and guns had gone to-
The commander at Cairo says he has instructions to
touch anything board any boat that passes, except
articles relating to war.
There are said to be about $500 men at Cairo, and
the nuiDef Is lnCfedSeu ny every Ifdll 1uc OlCCIS
said when the Perry left, that they already had about
% guns mounted. The Swallow, when she went up to
meet the Perry had two guns mounted with large
lot of soldiers on board.
LATER-Since the above was written we have con-
versed with gentleman who spent two days at Cairo
He says colonel Prentice the commander at Cairo, is
kept perfectly posted the cargo of every boat eav
ing ST. Louis for the south and hence it is impossible
to get any arms through there. But what is singular
is that steamboat destined for the Ohio river, has
yet been stopped at Cairo Even boats for Louisville
are permitted pass But all boats
coming this way closely watched and whatever guns
they may have board is almost certain will be
captured There are about $500 men already at Cairo
and the Chicago Zouaves said to be watching bridges
not far off.
CONCENTRATION OF TRooPs AT CAIRo.-The Memphis
Evening Argus of the 23d ult furnishes the following
more particular statement of the arrival of federal
troops and cannon at Cairo;
Several passengers the Illinois Central railroad
through Cairo Memphis have informed us that they
we're accompanied by eight hundred men, who are now
stationed at Cairo with car load of ammunition and
four brass 12pounders. Four thousand two hundred
men more and still larger amount of munitions of
to arrive at the same spot daylight this
morning.
The first actions of the commanding officers of this
vanguard of eight hundred were to seize the telegraph
office, and detail company to guard the bridge over
Big Muddy, which is about eighty miles about Cairo on
the Illinois central road.
Were Lincoln not known a liar, the assemblage of
troops at Cairo might be taken as made with view of
simply protecting, not obstrucng the free navigation
of the Mississippi but when tell our readers that the
very passengers who informed of the arrival of the
troops also state that all the lines coming through
Illinois and Indiana to the Ohio river provisions con
signed to southern boys, who have actually paid for
Them are stopped and taken from the train; when we
recolect the action of Cincinnati and the remarks of
the republican press there be doubt that these
troops are stationed at Cairo to prevent the passing
southwark Of either arms, ammunition or provisions
The stealing of property paid for and returningit to
the seller, who keeps the money and takes back his
goods is beyond comparison the meanest mode of war
fare that ever people condescended to adopt Sepa
rated as we in feeling and in interest from the
northern States blush with shame to think that once
we were united in bonds Of political unity with men
whose idea of honorable warfare is the stealing of chick
ems. This is exaggeration for two hundred coops
of chickens actually taken from a train and con
fscated. They had been paid for
In the concentration of troops at Cairo no danger is
threatened to Memphis for it is five thousand nor
twice that number, who would venture to disturb us
here Our and children are safer here than
they could possibly be in Louisville in Cincinnaand
in two days city will be mpregnabe The idea of
starving by obstructng the navigation of the Misss
sppi is sy and the attempt to do it will simply result
in practical demonstration of its impossbility
AFFAIRS At CAIRo.-The Memphis Argus, saws:
George Flack, Esq, conductor on the Memphis and
Ohio railroad tells that 1900 federal troops arrived
at Cairo last night, and that still larger number are
expected there to-day.
number of engineers went from Cairo to Columbus
in order to survey it. with view to the erection of for
tfcatiOns there
The ferry boat P B. Cheney retained at Cairo by
the troops and communication between Cairo and Co
lumbus is thus cut off Passengers who yesterday went
by the train had to reach Louisville by way of Garks
vile, Kentucky.
The steamboat Baltic stoppedat Cairo, and forced
to round to.
\ gentleman arrived here from Columbus to-day for
the purpose Of procuring cannon for that place
The object of the terrifying of Cairo and Columbus
and the planting of troops there, seems simply to be
the obtaining of command the navigation of the
Mississippi for the purpose of preventing the passage
of provisions or of arms southwark The number of
troops expected at Cairo taken at the largest estimate
is too small for offensive operations in Tennessee
wholly So
LlNcoLNs BLOCKADE Whereas, an
instruction against the government OF the United States
has broken out in the States of South Carolina Georgia
Alabama, Florida Mississippi Louisiana and Texas and
the laws of the United States for the collection of the
revenue cannot be eecualy executed therein comfor
ab to provision of the constitution which requires
duties to be uniform throughout the United States
And whereas, combination of persons engaged in