, 1861-08-11


Gen. Watkins Of Missouri.
Especial Correspondence OF the Chicago Tribune l
CAFE GIBAKukAU, No., Aug. 9. 1861.
1propose to tell you what have seen and
Eeaz1 curing two days tas1y in this famous
little city. The expedition Of Col. McArthu =
brought me here, and the cleyerness Of
the people, the fine table Of the johnson
HOUSE, and the beauty Of the town have kept
me thus far beyond Col Meas return. =
You know the result Of that expedition
that tie alarm WAS grouad1ass, the people OF
the Cape-eolGie1s and citizens-haying been
nore scared than hurt, and that after nights
stay tie Cairo lads tu1ned about for home.
And am satisfied there has never existed
any pretslng neceas1H tes these reintoree
Hentz. =
Since being here hare mingied with all
c1asses Of people secession and Unbn-and.
Is intimate, believe the JEFF Thompson al.
my is yet ct st.. Luke, near Bloomfield. They
have never jet been within thirty miles Of the
place, in any force. Their scouts, Of course
4re constantly about; in fact, On our way I'd
from Cairo, ne found half dozen Of them At
Commerce, who, upon our first appearan ca
Rea1tas Rent st1ugaog Of at . rapid gs1lop to#ard
Benton, but the enemy, in any considerable
tofce, Is Bay, hsye never been within days
hide Of the place. The rumo1s at Cairo. and
the graphic dispatches received there, we're to
the effect that Thompson Was within sixteen
miles, and that an attack from his advance
gusrdHas momentarily expected.
kneW Would be so-cuss the luck ~
eaid one OF Col Meas command. the day Of
cur approach to the place. There were Just
such expressions, toe, trembling On
1e a1 c,ips nps fo1 eVea5 man o. the boat:
to find one in progress, aud finding everything
in the most perfect quiet, not shot to be
heard, OF flow Of blood to be seen, was Alto
gether too much for soldiers eqnanimlty.
Tape Gifardeau, venture to say, is to day
ysos 9nly kneNn e. to thousands Of people in the
camp menaced By rebels And get it is the
most important city in South Missouri, wal
built, and finely Located, with 8 population
(before the war; Of about FIVE Thousand. It is
Immediately on the Mississippi river, one
a9n aandrsd req and lft5 miles below s. Louis, and
just here are high and rolling, giving to The
Plsce, iron an approaehIng bost, finely pic
tureegae appeara1ce There are fine schools,
Protestant and Catholic, in the place, two
printing offices. numberless churches, aour-
trg mills, &C., Ec.
"At~A Wy A-21c43 WILL LIE [tEQ lluQQ3S, hrEE
came here, he found the citizens Of the place
about equally divided between secession and
Unsonl6m-fhe more prominent, however.
generally secession. TIE little Union army
made rapid converts, and in very short time
there were but few seeessionists to be found
IN the place-the most violent Of that breed
fleeing to the embrace Of JEFF. Thompson aud
Lis Southern allies.
Col Marsh first located his eucampmeut in
the valley inst north of the hill upon which
he now Is. The change of position VAS made
at the suggestion Of Gen. Fremont; The hill
Is Immediately north Of the city; and com.
Dande the whole country for miles around,
with the exception Of huge hill off to the
west, which is to be occupied, or enflladed
against
It Is rot in the power of JEFF Thompson's
army to dls1odge the Federal force from their
present position, their entreuchments com
plete and properly mounted.
The January. and Empress brought down
400 well armed troops for Col Mar5h's re-
intorcsment. They are Of the 9th Missouri
and Rifle regiments under command Of Col.
DaSla Baylte- Six heavy pivot gunB were
brought along, which, when mounted on the
hhll entr6nchments, will prove the absolute
protection Of the position.
The effective force now here may be put
down At 5,000, made up a. folloTa: both 1lli-
1900; the 9Th Missouri and ths Ellie Reei..
menf, With one company of ssppers aud
miners, l400, and the Scott and Caps Gi1ardesu
counties Home Guards, 1000. Then Captain
Campbell Of the Ottawa Artillery, heretotoro
IN charge OF Fort Prentiss, is here, Wi:h SIX
g1rs and about one hundred men.
It Is thonght there will be no necessity for
further reinforcemeuts. At all events, Col
Ma1Eh Is well enough satisfied to risk an en-
gagement with any number Of rebels that,
may choose to come against him.
&c 7r1a
night and day, and, IS credit to the Federal
troops, it is proper to Say that good order gen
orally prevails. hear, in fact, no complaint
Of the conduct Of the troops, and have witt
messed no instance Of 1oWdyism on their
part
Several Isears ago Ifpaessda year In this
place, and as consequence, have something
Of an acquaintance with its people. Mauy Of
those whom remember as my good friends.
sreto day in the army Of JEFF Thompson-my
mortal enemies. 1t is more than likely they
would like to see me. and I knoE should
like to see them, but should prefer to have
the place Of meeting under the guns Of Fort
What q change since seven vears ago Then
Ee we're al Of one country and at peace, to.
Day the streets Of this city resound with the
tramp Of armed soldiers, and the prominent
citizens Of the plsce are fogitives from their
homes and fa1ni1ies.
What an abundance Of abuse has been
hsaped on the head Of Gen. Watkins, the ia
NOUS 1eader Of the Southwest Missouri rebels.
But what # the wo1}d l1t5 mistaken, snd Gan,
Watkins good Union man after allf Wat-
kinB II ha1Ebrcther Of Henry Clay, man
OF far more than ordinary talent, and an hon.
orable, straightforward citizen Of Cape Girar-
deau county Now, am going to state in
Ter9 few words what was told me BIZ glod
unlonist Of Cape G:rardeau:
Watkins TaE, up to the tine of C1aib. Jack
cons fight, strong Union man, asserting his
principles and defending them on every coca
SIGN Then came Wild hurrah throughout
this part OF the State, for the organization Of
the militia under Jac1eon's Infamous 8.ate
law. It Is asserted BY the profes .edIy knowing
ores, that Walking pat himself at the head Of
the militia Of this section, for no other pur-
pose Hhan to keep them IN check and prevent
collie:on with Union men. He hns all along
fetufed to let them move against Cape Giraf-
desu, Eor to arm themselves with proffsred
Tennessee guns.
And now, at length, when there il no longer
possibility Of preventing collision, you find
Ger Walking superseded in command by
JEFF Thompson
The eeeessionlsts OF Cape Girardeau, I fnd,
are bitter against him, and they openly assert
thAt his tymFathies are all with the Union.
"Giye the devil his due" is an old motto, well
enough. perhaps, In this case. &C.
LATEST FROM GEN LYON.