March 14, 1861; The New York Herald
The Steamer Empire City.
The steamer Empire City has been charted by the government for some particular service in the Southern waters, her clearance papers stating Indianola, Texas, as her destination. These papers have been taken out for several days, and the vessel has been lying at the anchorage off Quarantine, all person visiting her requiring an order from the army authorities here before they would be allowed to step on board. Whey lying at her wharf at the foot of Varick street, she was employed in taking on government stores, of which a more than ordinary quantity was shipped. The Empire City is a side wheel steamer of 1,751 tons register, and was built in this city in 1848. She has two decks. She has a side lever engine. Her length is 240 feet, breadth 48 feet, depth of hold 23 feet. She carries three masts, and is schooner rigged forward. She draws fourteen feet of water. Her owner is Marshall O. Roberts. She has had pretty hard usage, and, although a tolerable sea boat, would not stand five minutes’ cannonading, her sides not having been constructed to resist the impinging weight of hostile cannon balls.
The Star Of The West.
The Star of the West has, for the last few days, been busily engaged taking on board stores, &c. previous to her voyage toward the South. It appears that the destination of the vessel is Brazos Santiago, Texas, and the object of her visit to that port to relieve and bring away from that State the United States soldiers who have been left destitute. Her supply of stores, doubtless intended for provisioning the men during their passage to the North, consists of about two hundred barrels of meat (beef and pork), three hundred barrels of bread, two hundred barrels of flour, several barrels of sugar, beans, whiskey, and such like stores, a few large bags of potatoes, supplies of coffee, tea, &c. Yesterday her tanks were filled with water, and fresh provisions for the cabin table shipped. In addition to the foregoing, several hundred feet of scantling and planks for the purpose of erecting berths for the soldiers, were placed on the two upper decks. There was a small supply of coal on the lower deck and in the hold, but apparently not more than would have been required by the steamer for her own use during an ordinary passage from this city to Indianola and back.
The mysterious manner in which the stores have been placed on board the vessel, and the strict silence observed by those in charge when questioned, and who profess to know nothing of when or where they are going, caused some little curiosity to be manifested among person had nothing to do, and who therefore assembled on the pier, No. 29, and engaged in speculative conversation as to the destination, objects, &c. of the vessel at the present time, each person seeming to have a distinctly different idea on the matter. Occasionally one more courageous than the rest would walk the plank and take a peep around the vessel, looking out sharply all the time for fear of suddenly meeting with one of the officers.
The Star of the West has been chartered for two months by the general government, and on Tuesday evening sailed from Quarantine for her destination, having dropped down to the anchorage about sundown. This steamer has already achieved a notoriety for having once attempted to make her way up the Charleston channel to Fort Sumter’s dock. She is no better prepared now to stand a raking fire of cannon than at the time she received the unpleasant salute tendered her from the masked batteries of Morris Island. She is a lighter vessel than the Empire City, being 1,172 tons burthen, and drawing twelve feet of water. She is a side wheel steamer, has two decks, and was built in this city nine years ago. Her dimensions are 228 feet length, 32 feet breadth, and 24 feet depth. She is also schooner rigged forward. She is owned by commodore Vanderbilt. Captain McGowan was in command of her on the occasion of her recent unsuccessful trip to Charleston, but does not on the present occasion have her in charge.
The Gunboat Crusader.
The Crusader is a screw propeller of the third class. She is rated as being of 549 tons burthen, and on the present rip has a full complement of one hundred and ten men (including officers). Her armament has been increased to ten guns (nine thirty two pounders, and one brass twenty four pounder) and ammunition to match. She has on board a full cargo, consisting of stores, powder and other ammunition, coal, &c. which was taken on at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She was expected to sail this morning for Charleston to bring away the soldiers from Fort Sumter, and the following is a list of the names of the officers: – Lieutenant commanding, T. A. N. Craven; Lieutenants, James M. Duncan, J. M. Breese and A. E. R. Benham; Master, R. R. Wallace; Surgeon, J. W. B. Greenhow; First Assistant Engineer, J. A. Greer; Third Assistant Engineers, O. H. Lackey. P. A. Rearick and J. Waters; Captain’s Clerk, T. A. Craven, Jr.: Master’s Mates, Jas. L. Plunkett and O. H. Warren; Purser’s Clerk Joseph B. Turner. The Crusader – formerly the Cromwell – arrived last month at this station from the West Indian waters, where she had, like the Mohawk and Wyandot, acted as one of the Cuban coast fleet, whose duty it is to intercept slavers. She was not put out of commission, but underwent some needed repairs of an unimportant nature.
The Gunboat Mohawk.
The Mohawk is also a third class crew propeller. She is rated at 464 tons burthen, and is expected to have as full a complement of men as the Crusader – viz: one hundred and ten. Her armament has also been increased, she now having eight guns – six thirty two pounders, one twenty four and one twelve. She has been nearly ready for sea for some few days, having on board the greater part of her cargo, consisting of stores, ammunition and coal, and only requiring a small supply of officers’ provisions and water. She was engaged yesterday taking on board the remaining portion of her coal; and the general bustle of getting ready for sea was to be observed, although actual orders had not been received. The following is a list of the officers for the present trip: – Lieut. Commanding J. H. Strong; Lieutenants J. M. Arnold, C. C. Carpenter, C. Hatfield; Master, not yet on board; Surgeon, Delavan Bloodgood; Acting Chief Engineer, J. S. Albert, Third Assistant Engineers E. L. Dick, G. D. Emmons, H. Brown; Captain’s Clerk T. H. Hoadley; Master’s Mates, Geo. Van Duzer. J. H. Humphrey.
The Harriet Lane.
Has recently been placed in perfect order for active service. Her original armament consisted of four twenty five pound Dahlgren guns and one thirty two pounder. Recently she received an addition to her powerful batteries in the shape of three long thirty two pounders. The larger guns are placed in the ports about the paddleboards; the twenty four pounders are fixed aft. Her complement of small arms is very strong and of the best kind. It consists of Minie muskets, Sharpe’s improved pistols, Colt’s navy revolvers, navy boarding pistols and the improved navy cutlass. There is also on board a twelve pound boat howitzer, fitted for the launch. This piece of ordnance has a field carriage attached, so that the gun can be removed from the launch and instantly fitted on to the carriage, to be used for land service. The following is a list of her officers and crew: – John Faucne, Commander; D. B. Constable, First Lieutenant; D. D. Thompkins, Second Lieutenant; J. O. Porter, Second Lieutenant; Thomas M. Dungan, Third Lieutenant; J. M. Thatcher, Third Lieutenant; Horace Gamble, Third Lieutenant; James R. Dryberg, Chief Engineer; Walter Scott, First Engineer; Charles G. Dale, Engineer; F. F. Pulsifer, Engineer; seamen, firemen, coal passers, steward, &c.; in all ninety four persons.
The Corwin, Bibb And Vixen.
All three are steamers, formerly belonging to the coasting service, but which have been taken into the navy at the present time. The Corwin is about thee hundred tons burthen, carries eighty men and officers, and four guns – twenty four pounders. The Bibb is about three hundred and twenty tons burthen, carries a like armament and about eighty three men and officers. The Vixen has been somewhat noted in the service during the Mexican war, is of three hundred and sixty tons burthen, is similarly armed, and carries ninety men.
The Perry
Is a brig of two hundred and eighty tons burthen, carries six guns – thirty two pounders. She is not yet manned but, with the Wabash, is expected shortly to be gotten ready for service.
The Supply
Has been in commission for some few days past, and, having all her cargo on board, is expected to sail upon very short warning. It is not expected that Commander Walker will take charge of her during the intended trip.
The Coatzacoallcos
Has been chartered by the government, and is now coaling. This vessel is rated as A2, 1,953 tons burthen, eight feet draught, has two decks, is built of oak, copper and iron fastened; has a walking bean engine, with a stroke of twelve feet, and a seventy inch cylinder was built in Niagara City in 1854 for the lake trade, and was then known by the name of the America. She was brought down the rapids of the St. Lawrence with the Canada, another vessel of the same line, and was then, after great alteration, fitted out for the Havana trade.
The Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia has also been chartered by the government, and will shortly be gotten ready for service.
The Destination
Of the foregoing vessels is supposed to be Fort Sumter, but we should not be at all surprised to find that they are every one to be sent to the Gulf of Mexico for the purpose of reinforcing Fort Pickens and the other forts along the Florida coast. As these forts are not built for the protection of, nor do they belong to any particular State, the government intends holding them for the protection of the Gulf trade, and will do their best to reinforce them, lest such a valuable strategical key should fall into the hands of some other power.