U.S. Gunboat Cairo. Unfortunately, records are not in accord on the U.S.S. Cairo. One possible explanation is that there were two such vessels. This is accountable by the fact that the days of the warbetween the states saw many Federal and Confederate boats changing names as well as affiliations. Official Union Naval records at Washington, D. C., show the Cairo as being built at St. Louis, under Captain James B. Eads and Company. She was officially known as an Eads gunboat, that famous group of vessels that made history on western waters. The Cairo was classified as a steamer, a wooden gunboat, rated like many of her companion vessels of the day as fourth class. Her tonnage is given as 512 and in January of 1862 she carried a battery of six 32-pounders; three 8 inch, 63 hundred weight; four army rifles, 80 hundred weight; and one 12-pounder howitzer. In September of that year she was listed as carrying the six 32-pounders , three army rifles, three 8 inch guns and one 30-pounder Parrot rifle. The Washington records show that the Cairo was sunk within less than five minutes after being struck by a torpedo, 18 miles up the Yazoo river, on December 12, 1862., May be a picture of the U.S. Gunboat Cairo
175 x 50 x 6; 512 tons. Casemate 150' x 50' - 21/4\" plating. Torpedoed Yazoo River 1863. Sides 8' high - single wheel. 9 miles per hour. 13 guns mostly 6\" rifles.
The fight at Corney's Bridge, Bayou Teche, Louisiana, and the destruction of the rebel gun-boat "Cotton," January 14, 1863.-Sketched by our special artist.-[see page 103.]
U. S. Gunboat Lexington. One of the first Union boats to put in at Cairo, after the outbreak of hostilities was the U. S. Gunboat Lexington, originally a packet steamer, a wooden vessel built at Pittsburg in 1860 and regularly used as a passenger and freight boat. She was sold to the government in 1861 and the War Department ordered her with the U. S. Gunboat Conestoga and the Gunboat Taylorto the Cairo-Mound City vicinity for conversion into a gunboat, after the declaration of War. The Lexington was of lesser tonnage than the Conestoga and when deeply laden had a draft of only six feet. Her maximum speed was seven knots per hour. The contracted cost of remodeling her into a gunboat amounted to $2213.44 which included new siding, decking and a paint job in addition to innumerable other repairs. What the Lexington lacked in size, however, she offset by her heavy armamant and her work during the war was among the best. After a series of meritorious engagements she was finally laid up and went out of commission in July of 1865. For the sum of $6000 (she originally cost more than $20, 000) the Lexington was sold at auction at Mound City a month later to Thomas Scott and Woodburn.
Destruction of the "Queen of the West" by Union Gun-Boats. Engagement at Butte la Rose. Bank's campaign in Louisiana.-Sketched by Ms. H. Holtz.-[See page 357.]
Bombardment of Island Number Ten by the mortar fleet, March 16, 1862. -- Sketched by Alexander Simplot. -- [ See page 219.] The gun-boat fleet dropping down stream to reconnoitre. Steamers towing mortar-boats into position.