, 1862-01-06

Mound City.-...' 15 a Lexington ''''''''''. i6 io
The Flagship Benton was built outside Of !
the Congressional appropriation, having been
built by tue order Of Major Gen. Fremont. |
The contractor, Mr. Eads, was given almost .
carte blanche relative to her construction, and
the result is that he has produced one Of the |
finest und most formidable specimens Of naval
aTchitccture ailoat. In general outline she IS
like the rest, SO that particular description
Of her, while it may prove interesting, Will
serve to convey good idea OF the 6alance.
The Benton was formerly the United States
snag boat Tom Benton, subsequently Subl1- =
rine No. :, owned BY Mcssrs. Eads q Nelson,
and finally was sold for sc, GOO by the Wreck
ing Company to the United States for the rur-
pose Of being 1netamorthosed into ganboat.
Tie work was done By Messrs. Moore i
Daggett, Of the St. Louis Dry Dock Compcny
under the superintendcnce Of Contractor Eads.
The following are tho officers Of tile Heet,
with their commands, as far as made, and their
native States:
Flss-Oficcr 4. H. Fsose, commanding, Conn.
Commander VIM. D; Porter. Penn, Essex.
Commando commander !. i. kelis, Nd. hot assigaed
Commander A, II. Penn .k, Va. Fleet Captain.
Commander ]; 4; Winslex \: e, not assigned
commander 3. NJ. Dove, ~, nqt assigned.
| Lieut.. CommandingJ. +. sasofd, Ordnance Of
Lieut.. Commanding Z. n. sternbess:: y. T., Lex
Lieut.. Commanding S. l.. Phelps, Ohio, Cones
toga.
Lieut.. Commanding Leonard Paulding, N. T.,
Lieut.. ]. y, shirk, Penn. not assigned.
Lieut.. J. Bishop, Mo., Taylor:
| Asst Quartcfmaster Capt. George W. Wise,
Md on Gunboat Service. .
tt will be seen from this that majority Of
the officers arc Southern men. Commodore
! Porter comes Of good stock, being son Of
| Commodore Porter, whose name and deeds
/ fn1n1jnr to render 1f American lJia-
| tory. Lieut. Commanding Sanford gave up
lucrative business at Albany, N. T., to offer
| his services to his country-hns constructed 4
large amount Of war material for the Govern
ment, and has seen seen naval service before,
having been with Wilkes in his exploring cx-
pedition.
Capt. Wise is cousin of Gov H. A Wise,
IL brother Of the author, Henry Wise, now at
in the United States service engaged in the
Coast Survey.
Flae-officer Footc holds tile same rank as
Major Gen. Halleek, although his junior By
date Of his commission. Each is entirely in
dependent of the other, but, as matter OF
course, will cooperate in the proposed expo
dition.
The magnitude Of the preparations may to
| some extent be Inferred when it is known that
the salaries Of the officers reach the amount Of
$40, 900 month-that 5oo, 600 bushels Of coal
| have been contracted for and delivered at Cal
ro-that clothing to the amount Of $40, 900 has
been contracted for and Is on its way hithcr-
| that 500 tons Of gunpowder have been sent to
Cairo, and other war material beyond all COM
plltation.
The grade Of officers, the guppers, pilots
and al other classes necessary to ulan the
boats, arc arranged precisely SIS in the navy 0!
the United States, The number Of men re-
quircd on each boat cannot be giren without
afording Information to the enemy.
All Of the gunboats have gone to Cairo and
oil the nortar-boats except twelve, and they
will probably be towed down to-day.