Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-20
The Mississippi Marine Brixade---An I'M
pOrtant Organization,

pOrtRnt Organization,
From St. Louis and Chicago journals VIC
gather interesting details regarding the
newly-Organized department of military
OFense and defense known as the Marine
Brigade. The idea is said to have origin.
ated with the Secretary of War. It was
found that the old plan of fighting guer.
rillas with gunbOats, or by sending fol
troops, has usually failed, on account Of
the delay involved in transporting the re.
quisite force to the scene of danger, and
the impOssibility Of following them into the
interior. To remedy this, a movable
army kept on board fast transports, and
always ready for action, was conceived,
and the necessary plans were soon after
formed. st. Louis was selected as head.
quarters, and recruiting offices were OPEN
ed in various cities. Recruiting wassloE,
and at the end of December only ninety
men we're enlisted for the whole brigade.
General Ellet then originated the idea of
obtaining recruits from the'eenSaleseent
hospitals in the then Western Department.
He received authority for that purpose
from General Haueok, and speedily the
brigade began to fill up. The proposed
service was especially attractive to old
soldiers. It has the following advan-
tages; .-
lst. There are no trenches to dig.
I'd. There are no rebel houses to be
guarded. tr -.5s-5
Sd. There is no picket duty 10 perform.
4th. There is no danger of camps in the
mud, but lWays a chance 10 sleep under
cover.
9TH. There is no chance Of short rations.
9th. The command will always be kept
together. lfe rIr.seF
The recruits were obtained chiefly in
st. Louis and Louisville They were re-
quired to pass a rigid examination, so
that no chronic cases Of disability should
slip into the service again. The brigade
now contains Representatives from nearly
one hundred old regiments. Many Of the
men have been in several battles, and have
proved themselves heroes at Lexington,
Belmont Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Cache
Greek, Fort Henry, Shiloh, Perryville
Chaplin's Hill, MurfreesbOrO', Vicksburg,
and elsewhere.
The steamers selected for the use Of the
Marine Brigade are chiefly louisville and
New Orleans packets, and. are among the
heetest and best on the Western rivers
They were all purchased under General
Ellets superintendence by Quartermaster
James Brooks, and fitted up at New Al
bany Indiana The names Of the boats
are as follows:
AutOcrat (asS-ship) woodford.
Diana. B. J. Adams.
Baltic. John Rains. alr
Fairchild. -
The Fairchild and Woodford are retained
as eOmmissary and hospital steamers. The
others are fitted up to accommodate 120
horses and 400 men. The stalls are wide
and very convenient.
Each boat has, besides its regular off,
GERS, military commander, the former
sailing masters, and great care has been
taken in selecting experienced sailing
masters, pilots and engineers. The Auto
crat is the flagship, the Fairchild supply
ship, Snd the Woodford hospital-boat. They
are all encased with thick oak siding, or
bulkhead, enclosing the whole boat, with
another one inside around the boilers
All but the Fairchild and Woodford are
arranged for carrying troops, and each
will accommodate about 450 men. The
lower deck is fitted with stalls for about
100 horsas, as well arranged as any livery
stable. Between the lower deck and mid
die, or boiler deck, an extra deck has been
made for the men 10 sleep in, in three tiers
Of berths, running fore and aft, supplied
with msttrasses and pillows filed with
straw. The cabins are about 200 feet
long. About so feet is used by the soldiers
as their mess room. All possible care is
taken to preserve the health of the men,
Each boat is supplied with bathing tubs
and good washing places.
It is not intended that these steamers
shall contend with the rifed cannon or
rebel batteries They are therefore pro-
vided with defenses against musketry
Only-the boilers alone being protected
against artillery. The musketry defenses
consist of eight inches of oak planking
from first deck to level with the hurri-
cane deck. The planking is loopholed and
portholed, and will afford the boys ample
defense, while they are picking of guer-
rillas on the banks. The particular fea-
ture of the feet, however, is the means
provided for landing cavalry and artillery,
with the greatest possible speed, to chase
guerTillas. To achieve this result swing
ing crane on each side Of the bow is
worked by machinery so rapidly as to carry
out a wide platform with sides so prevent
aecidents) in less time than it takes to de-
scribe it. The platform may be showed
ashore the moment boat strikes the bank,
and artillery and cavalry, previously made
ready, can dash ashore at the highest speed.
1t is believed that the brigade WillIbe most
useful, for guerrillas can be surrounded by
detour in their rear, and cut of from
their retreat"