, 1861-08-22
Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune

CA1Ro, August ~, 1851.
The ttree guE-boats cruising in the two
rivers oftnis vicinity are objects Of curiosity
to every body. They nre focmlt1a5!e looking
structures, and are, in fact, destined to prove
Of very great importance to the service. A
detailed description Of the Lexington, kindly
furnished me By sailing master Hurd, will an
swer ss well for her mates, the Cones;oga aad
Tyler, as they e1s an Of the same power; The
Lexington as lsS1ees n ie0gsh-beam ~ teet,
boilers Low cred iu the hold, working pair Of
80 feet water wheels. The best trims on
feet inches water There are three ~ feet
bulk heads in the hold, the entire length Of
the boat, and bulk heads running ercsa-
compartments under The main deck. There
are false floors and sidiugs, equivalent to an
inside OF double tu1l, made OF three inch oak
plank, with tasteniugE, string pieces and knee
braces running fore and afs On both s4des
the extreme length under tn: main eek.
Bulwarks extend clear around the hull, eight
feet high from the main deck, and twelve
inches through. With the exception Of q
small space forward for haadling lines, the
hulwarEs are decked entirely over. The quar-
ter deck extends from the boiler to the aft
end Of the wheel houses, s1d is five feet
| higher than the boiler deck,
| Tie chimreys are close together, nearly
atnidstips, piercing the boiler dack immeh
| ately torward Of the quarter deck The pilot
| house stands forward Of the chimneys and is
bulletproof. Then there is lockout on the
rear OF the quarter deck, which is also ballet
| pFcof. The bulwarks are piGFced for eleven
| guns, five OF either siGe, and one il the stern.
The guns are 80 end 64roundeTs. Capt. Hurd,
the sailing master, is tamous as the old CON-
| mapder ct the Ef6e Alton, OF Rock Island
bridge notoriet1. Capt. Roger N. stembel, U.
s. n, whs, IN the absence Of Commodore
Rogers, as se' ior officer controls the move
ment Of the fleet. Each boat is to be COM
mauded By regular navy officer.
On Friday Last the Lexington made trip UP
the Mississippi to Cape Girardeau- At Com
merce she found everybody badly scared over
the reported advance Of JEFF Thompson'e
army. The citizens were gathered upon the
Wharf-tbsir furniture and goods about theu
awaiting the coming ct some boat- Atthei'
urgent appeals, Capt Stembel took them o.
tsy, Euen . shipment was never before carried
up the Mississippi river. By actual count
| there were seventeen women aEd forty thre'
children at one time gathered II the cabin.
While the Lexington WAS at Cape Girardeat'
Lieut.. Col. Irwin returned from al expedition
to Scott county. whittier he went With som
500 men and one field piece, to look after
parcel Of rebels, who had been depredatin|
about Hamburg aid Commerce. His com
Mand secured the country for miles aroun
considerable brush with the enemy. They we:
hsvering about bin all the time, and the wood
were fall Of their sconts, but With On
. exception they Eept beyond reno
:, Of bis guns That exception cast tW
p at one aim Of his Sharp's rife Taese ms
: were Capt Stubenfeld and Jim Allyn. Ct.
= beE field had been for o long time one Of tl
: "ter1or" of Southeast Missouri. L!eut. CO
5 Irwin also teek II prisoners, and burned
a couple Of -four mil1s that had been Of grea
: service in feeding JEFF. Thompson's force.
The Lexington returned here on Saturday
0 all being quiet at Commerce when she passe
n down. Tie first i2timation Te had Of rob
battery there Was this forenoon, When th
= Dss Mc:nes, on her way up to St. Louis, VIE
J. stopped about mile this sida Of Cemmert
T. By ssme men On the Illinois shore, 81
= warned her that the-rebe1s had taken posse
:" sion Of the place. Their cannon were said
s. be planted On the hills back Of tie town, 81
e all the morning we're playing on the IGiEo
r ehore aDa On the village Of Sznta Fe, opp
site. Parties just down say that they ms
IL scme Two OF three Thousand troops at tn
ar place.
,e It is understood The gunboats will 60 up
=. tie morning and diElodge tEe93-somethlE
g By the Fay, they caH easly enough do, for t
t. Apoun3ere Of the baat batteries caa thr:
Is slot from point far beyond reach Of &
- Pillows afIpy il said to be gradually extel
- frg lis lines up,couutry toward Sykeston.
e, fact, Part Of bis command il thought to
,g along With JEFF. Thompson, operating in Sc
crun1y.
/ Bottle was found aoa:ing IN TIE Oaio =
5 tcrday, opposite Monnd City, in which Was
on paper directed to GeE. Pillow, giving the c
ut dition Of Camp Defiance ard Birds Point
nj detai1-the number Of troops; the
~ ~ kition aud number Of tie g@ne, t1e locatl
IT, OF the magazines, &c, 6Ic, The author OF
re, document was well posted, and came With
ra million OF giving Pillow batch Of va!u1