The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1862-03-20

Correspondence Of the Missouri Democrat
CAIRO, March 10.

CAIRO, March 10.
l ain enabled to announce to you tina
the mortar fleet Of twenty boats is nov
10 complete readiness to cooperate will
the gunGoats, and only awaits the COM
mand Of Comu.odore Foot TO follow IL
his wake down the river to Island No
10, where the rebels are to make, rs il
seems, formidable stand. The mortal
boats thcn,selve. arc moorcd above here,
a, the point where the III. Cen. Il. Il
curve. away from the Ohio River.
The mortars are all on the boats; plat
forms have been built outside Of the bull
warks, on which the men may place
them:elves TO avoid the concussion; can.
vass is prepared to strs,ch across from
side to side to shield the crews from the
night air and cold, tnd everything that
may in any way conduce to the cum'ort,
convenience or efficiency Of the fleet,
ha, been donc.
About half way down. between the
mortar boats and Cairo landing lie the
two ordnance boats, the Judge Terrence
and the Great Western, which are to ac.
company the fleet These boats are we'll
known to river men. They are OF the
largest class Of steamers, and have been
fitted up for the especial purpose they
are now to serve, at Cincinnati. visi-
ted tho Jud &c Terrence to-day, aud
found much on board 80 interest me.
She is heavily laden with powder, shell
aud ro';ud shot, and bu, for the precnu-
,ions which have been taken to make her
safe against accident by fire and shot,
might be considered very dangerous
vessel in which to proceed through an
enemy's country or to take s"y part IN
an engagement Her business, however,
will be to lie off at Il safe distance from
the scene Of battle, aud by means OF
stca:n'ugs supply the m"rter boats with
ammunition d, they need it. In case OF
fire or danger of capture by the enemy,
she can be scut,lcd and sunk in FIVE m'n-
utes' time. The Great Western is pre-"
yided IN the same way.
Both steamers aud mortar boats. with
a total comp!"mru, Of $40 men. are un
der command Of Capt. J. p. Sandford. !
Captain Henry +. Nanad:cr, of the
Tenth Inf,o'ry, an experienced ordnance !
officer, is in immediate command aud sn-
p"rintedency of the mortar boats. Capt. .
T. b Pike. Of the Engineer Cops. is as.
sistant Superintendent of the mortar
boats
Undar the general commend Of Capt
Maynadier are four na tiers. to each Of
whom the control Of four boats il gwen.
These IN ,stcrs are II \ Giu-slord, G
+ Johnson. q. b. Simon aud F. b.
Gregory.
Each mortar boat i. manned with a
crew & fifteen men, three Of whom are
fla; boa'men who Mancuvcr the boat -
These crews are being drilled every day,
and are now ready for service.
The frs, master in command Of the
Jal = Torrenc' is Captain j. + Rich
,rison, well known among river mcn
Tic second master is " c. Newton
Thc pilots are ". e Shuly aud George
'aipni The first engineer is Samuel
'jr!vr~:af: seronl DO GEO. " s nith;
bird de-, " II Mannirg. and fourth j
TO-. James tu'ler. The Surgeon OF the /
'orrcncc is DR. Amassa Blake. The pay.
,a~;,r On board is Henry a. Mitchell, |
f = ilsdrIphia. His clerk is >alnu'
!. Wa'-rn.
The frs. master on the Grca. W"s
'rn i Cayt WIN + Hamilton. The +.
'iIo,. are john N,niirid-c and VIM. !
1an'z The chief engineer ia Cha:Ics /
christopher. and his trs. assistant J.
+ ro.vln.