Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-27
from, the nississippi Squadron.
Nn TALLAHATcHIE RIVER. Miss..l
April "a, 1863.

EDITOR STATE SENTINEL: l cannot give YOU a
complete history of the namesake Of place
which stands ont so conspcuousy upon the pa
OF history, and which once rested on solid tounda-
tons.
However. we know that ancient Cairo was
in Egypt and that modern Cairo was in what i
called the Egypt of the great Sucker State OF
Illinois, now province or satrapy OF The kingdom
of Abe !, the Raisplitter, some Butternut
would say.
Many years ago, an English joint stock com
pany OF which the Rothschds were members.
bought up the site OF this Cairo, on which the
surveyors laid off an extensive plat, continuing
many hotels banks, churches and other inst
tutions" also found in modern railroad town
plot Local history does not inform "a whether a
Typographical map presented the darkest feature,
OF the site upon which "A splendid architectural
foundation was to be raised that should rival
ancient Cairo Indeed, it is not probable that
the crers OF town lots would have been artisiica.
or eloquent on the picture of bottom which was
needed Tor all this it would have been expeu
sive-and the visous.oi engineers, at slig lat cost
would Obvate all objections.
''Old Massassip" became enraged at this for
eign intervention He wiped the whole concern
out If We except an old hotel and few shanieS
which were the rendezvous of all that was virtu-
GUS vicious mean. and refined and squalid-all
thar was left of Cairo.
Thus the town remained until the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad projected and begun. 1t was
then re,urrecied. 1t rapidly grew into impor-
tance-nothing retarded it, but the rival City Of
the Mound.
Cairo now contains about eight thousand peo-
pie. From the river it preSeDtS fine view. is
levee i exciting and lively. But back of the
levee description beggars; IL has no parallel in
the world; il has not its counterpart on this con
tnent sure All that is needed 70 render il the
most 0utre place i'm creation, would be some Jottu
Cinnamon.
The evee is kind of boulevard for Cairo,
at least in the modern Specification of the term.
Afternoons and evenings, il is filled 10 use the
Eastern phraseology) with the hour and peri of
the city aud neighboring towns and those from
far distant countries, ioatng army officers and
other vagabouds and salma gundi strollers
Yesterday, the Federal gunboat Cloc,aw sailed
for the fleet of Admiral Porter She is mag
nifceut iron-clad carrying an armament that
on ht to do heavy work.
II Is supposed that the Choctaw will not be Of
much use to Admiral Porter. Vicksburg is on
the eve of evacuation.
The idea of Dupont. feet arriving to help
Porter and FarragGt. Is Simply absurd. out such
has been the on dit Ii the Monitors can run the
bayOus, let them come on.
Down here, we think thai The Monitors were
not tested before Charleston st Fort Peraberon
the Rebels threw the prujectile At the Chilli
Gothic ana Baron Dehalh, tnat they dia at tie
NoihtosS and M Ike distance. The Chiliicethe
had three inch iron plating with rine inch pine
board for backing me Monl0r- had nine and
and eleven inches ct iron plating with oak back
ing. The Chillcothe rem iined in action longer
than the Monitors. The Monitors had full crews
whilst the Chcothe and Dekalb had but half
no haH ..,i
eighteen wounded. The Kehalb three killed and
two wounded The nine Monitors did not have
more Than eight wounded The Chillicothe and
Dekalb aad iorpedoes and rats before them
Fori PetA6eftou and WHY enemy behind them
be Monitors had only to,pedoe> and stone forts
in fron,'oi them Fort Pemherton is AT earth
work bur practically i will resist the impact Of a
projecIile heiter than stone The Chilhcothe. in
fifteen ninuieS, fired seven time>-e even inch
Daih-reu guns Some OF the Monitors did not
fire more Than one time in fifteen minu,es.
" q