Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of War, transmitting plan of James B. Eads for blockading the commerce of the seceding States on the Mississippi.
Navy Department, May 14, 1861.
Sir: The enclosed communication of Mr. James B. Eads, containing a description of Cairo and submitting a plan for blockading the commerce of the rebelling States on the Mississippi, is respectfully referred to the War Department, to which the subject more properly belongs. Mr. Eads has been informed of the reference.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Gideon Welles.
Hon. Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War.
[ Enclosure. ]
Washington City, April 29, 1861.
Sir: Herewith I have the honor to submit for your consideration the following proposition and information relative to the feasibility
of effectually blockading the commerce of the rebelling States upon the Mississippi River:
of effectually blockading the commerce of the rebelling States upon the Mississippi River:
Proposition.—Establish at Cairo, as the base of operations, a strong force, with such batteries on shore and afloat as will effectually control the passage of vessels bound up or down the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
Description of Cairo.—The city of Cairo has a broad levee front on the Ohio River, raised about fourteen feet above the natural level of the city and extending for a distance of about three miles immediately along the river. On the Mississippi side extends a levee of the same height and about the same length, but removed from the bank of the river from 100 yards to half a mile distant, to be out of danger from the caving in of the bank. From this levee, across from the Ohio River, a levee extends of the same height, by which the town is protected from the backwater, the whole forming a delta. These levees would afford admirable defenses upon which to plant batteries at proper points. The great Central Railroad of Illinois, in addition to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, would afford means of supplying this point with great rapidity with troops, munitions of war, and provisions, and the place would be capable of accommodating a force on land of 50,000 men, if need be. The levees are perfectly safe, and the drainage system established in connection with the steam pumps of the corporation are amply sufficient to remove all seepage water. The health of the place has been greatly improved by this system of drainage. From the bank on the Ohio side that river can be completely commanded. A large bar of sand lies between the Missouri shore and the levee on the Mississippi side of Cairo and throws the channel along the Missouri shore nearly two miles distant from the town. A floating battery upon the river would be needed to fully command the commerce on the Mississippi River. For the purpose of more readily comprehending the matter, I have drawn from memory a rough sketch , or map, of the place and its surroundings.
Floating batteries.—The Missouri Wrecking Company have one very strong boat, built originally for a snag boat by the United States, and purchased and altered for the purpose of raising steamboats sunk on the Mississippi. It is a twin boat, each hull of which is subdivided into seven water-tight compartments, and shot penetrating three or four of these would not sink her. She is abundantly strong for a complement of 32-pounders, and has four double-flued boilers and two independent engines to drive her. With $ 2,000 or $ 3,000 worth of cotton bales arranged properly upon her she could be made exceedingly effective for offense or defense. The erection of batteries upon the banks of the river by the enemy could be prevented by this means, and steamers could be overhauled or points on the river effectually attacked with her. I know of no boat or vessel on the Mississippi which could possibly resist her. By using the steam pumps with which she is provided she could be kept afloat with twenty 32 pounder shot through her. With her armament on board she would draw about 4 feet. We never find less than 5 feet from Cairo to Memphis. The same company have two other boats, lighter than the above, provided with steam engines, which would be very effective in shoaler water for similar purposes.
The result.—The effect of this blockade would be most disastrous to the South, as it would effectually close the main artery through which flows her food. It would establish a tollgate through which alone her dutiable goods could enter, or through which her products could find their way to market. The only outlets or inlets which would remain to her would be the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and the railroads from Louisville to Nashville and Chattanooga. The Tennessee and Cumberland rivers are navigable only by very small steamers, except in short seasons of high water. Their mouths can be easily commanded by batteries on the Illinois shore or by floating batteries. The railroad is very vulnerable, as one man could blow up a culvert or bridge and render it useless for the time being. If Kentucky were friendly to the Union, these three inlets could be effectually guarded; if she were unfriendly , their northern termini would be completely at our mercy. Once close them and the great Mississippi, and starvation is inevitable in less than six months.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
James B. Eads,
Of St. Louis, Mo.
Hon. Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy.