. The photographic history of the Civil War : in ten volumes . erection of forts and batteries, and under the superin-tendence and advice of able engineers, had seized the most im-portant points from which to dispute the passage of river craftin either direction. The authorities at Washington, on theother hand, immediately began the consideration of plans toclose the great artery to the Confederacy. From Cairo, Illinois, to the delta of the INIississippi, fol-lowing tlie winding course of the river, the distance is abouteleven hundred miles, although on a straight line drawn northand south it
. The photographic history of the Civil War : in ten volumes . erection of forts and batteries, and under the superin-tendence and advice of able engineers, had seized the most im-portant points from which to dispute the passage of river craftin either direction. The authorities at Washington, on theother hand, immediately began the consideration of plans toclose the great artery to the Confederacy. From Cairo, Illinois, to the delta of the INIississippi, fol-lowing tlie winding course of the river, the distance is abouteleven hundred miles, although on a straight line drawn northand south it is but four hundred and eighty. The great valleywas destined to be marked throughout its length by a continu-ous succession of military and naval actions, of protracted siege,heroic defenses ashore and daring ventures afloat. The conflict was hardly a month old when the War De-partment, which, perforce, had to call upon the navy in suchmatters, borrowed the services of Commander John Rodgers,who, proceeding to Cincinnati, ])urchased for the Government [2121. THE WESTERN NAVAL BASE OF THE UNION—MOUND CITY IN 1862 After Captain Andrew H. Foote took command of the Mississippi flotilla on September 6, 1861, one ofhis first acts was to establisli a depot for the repair of his vessels at Cairo. Since the Governaient ownetlno land at this point, the navy-yard was literally afloat in wharf-boats, old steamers, tugs, flat-boats, andrafts. Later, this depot was removed to Mound City, just above Cairo, where ten acres of land were was frequently under water from freshets, however, and the machine-shops, c-arj>enter-shops, and thelike were still maintained in steamers. Captain A. ]\I. Pennock was placed in charge of tliis depot, andcontinued to render efl&cient service in that capacity, looking after the gunboats till the close of the war.
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Keywords: ., bookauthormillerfrancistrevelya, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910
