New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-05
PYGM CAIRO.
The Steam Tpss-Vi-ii 20 the NEor'af SAs'''
Vheir ion-FTospcet oi
uc.perate Fight at Columbus.

s,oc, our Special Correspondent
CAIRO, H., Friday February ~, 1867
Racb Of the enrboats keeps a body-servant, IN me
.hsre Of a little steamtug employed as tender
d,,;nc hattie. aud to run Of erands while they are
living M for repairs. There are thirteen now here,
a few of which were bought in Chicago, but the
most bull, at St. Louis, by order OF Gen. Fremont,
10 accompany the grand ho,la down the river. Or
"Wednesday, desiring to visit the mortar RATS two
miles and half up the Ohio, ! made the effort on
horseback; but was turned back 10y the food which
encircles Cairo and threatens TO submerse II, when
the levee shall brea. ole Of these fine morning.
Yesterday, in company with Mr. Colin, OF TIT
Boston JOuraa repeated tie attempt more fuece's-
fully, through tie courtesy of Capt. Wise, Quarter
master of tho feet who furnished q the tugs 0i
the purpose.
Our little rocket.edition Of q steamboat, when
contains sleeping accommodations for Ian dozen
men, and can carry h.ty or sixty, upon "ii ehei'
gency, sent forth q startling premon'oFy scIeee"
from her whistle, hustled about for few minutes
IN disentanqling herself from the may web OF gun
heats TRANSPORTS and tuas, and then steamed up the
current At the rate OF twelve mics an hoar' we
found toe work upon the rats gong Tor
ward vigorously. In compliance with request
for eSicrieuc,j md sklul mechanics, ". H.
Osboru cd, President Of the Illinois Central Ran.
roaG Company, recently closed Tie machire shops o.
that corporation d Chicago, aud sent hundred an'
fifty oi It's employees here, TO work upon the rails
aud the assistance thus furnished has ADDED greatly
in ez,edirinc their completion. They are OF plan
tmoer, sixty lcet long by twenty WIDE Each car
r,iog one l3-ircn mortar, and projected from mus
kerr by balwarls OF IRON plating around the siCes
TIE mortar, asout four feet in length, with sey
en'een inches Of solid metal surrounding the cavity
making their diameter at the muzzle forty sever
incLos, are oniuoas-looking engines OF destruction
They are likely 30 play an important pat in he at
tack upon Columbus, always promising that tn'
Relics do n,t eyacnhe that Gibraltar before on
fleet moves down tie river. Many suppose 'n"
Geo. Giaut, win large land force, VIII start IRON
For ponels,n. 10 strike the Mississippi below Co
hlmAus aud that Gen. Pope at the same une, VA
go down on tbe Missouri shore TO New daoud
Should those movements be made, and batierie.
plated on tie banks. 10 stop steamboat eomuun ca
ton with Memphis, Coisnbus will be surrounded OF
ali siaes: ard wherever they commence, the Keoeh
may Ell back without fsLt, though Iresen; indi
cstoos aye IT they viii not do 30 but make "a des
perate stand q, Columbus.
The mortar rails can be tied up 70 the shore, three
nile. his s,de Of Columbus, quite hidden from II BY
tie .i.ls and ye,, it IS claimed, drop their she'll
right INTO the Notifications, with entire accuracy
Capt. S,emhel. Of tue Cincinnati, assures NE tia
they can Obtain the rtnge 50 perfectly as to throw
eisussiies Within thIcs feet OF the mark. Il tha
it the case, sheliiug ont Columbus promises to be
pleasant sor, Of rasume, Lot at al requiring TIA
our ,unboats should charge The batteries. as wa
oooe at Henry and Donelson. The gu..boais will b
in order tomorrow night. Commodore ioote think
that not than twenty OF the tbirty-eight raft
can be used 10 advantage 10 the attack; aud az III
m,Ftars IRE already mounted upon twcnty-tArte, u
preparations would seem 20 lie nearly completed
81 i IS not probable ihat the artacE viii TIC mad
Wit in q week. TIE impression here is that Ger
Halleek viii soon remove las heacquar ess 20 Cair'
and command operations III person.