The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-25
OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.

Preparations for AdranceThe Strength Of HIS Army
J His Artllay-The Mineral Regions Of Missouri the
Prize Sought for tythe Opposing Generals Fremont and
| Pilop, dc.
Tho dearth OF items for the past four five days
prompted your correspondent to-day accompany Major
| Baldwin and Carson, "thc Tall Scout" upon expe-
dition into Missouri in quest Of the whereabouts Of
| the several rebel camps in this vicinity. We had
| boon annoyed in Cairo with conflicting accounts
| and false that it was deemed advisable at
headquarters to ascertain positively tho cnCmys po
siion and strength, and we were cmncntly success
ul to day In such undertaking. We started three Of
u.s. at eight O'Clock this morning from Cairo crossing
Birds Point thence down the river swampy and
broken road made more tortuous by being barred at
every nccnvenient SPOT by large ecd it, to
| Norfolk eight miles. Here found encanped Colonel
Turchins regiment, 'thc bloody Nineteenth who
al out in the grove listening to twoforty sermon
from their chaplain. From Norfolk pushed out
the country rather what would be country If it
not for the swamps bayous and ungs of undebrush to
Rdsk Ridge, and to within two miles of Cha tvton.
Then we came back to Camp Wallace, tho point here
Colonel Lawier, wrs his regiment is ercamped, the
Cairo and Fulton Railroad, eight miles from Birds FONT
and Ave from Charleston From Camp W. acc went
down two miles on The read towa laIlcstcn to
the bridge which burned by the re.els Monday
week, thonco back Camp Wallace and VIA rancho
| plantation to Birds Point am thus ext lett that you
and your readers may that mBraced
forty miles Of road in the very heart Of Southwest Nilsson
H. where secession grows ranket, and road, too
that Pillows army move if 1t visits Birds Point
Ncrfk by and-one which hope TO in force
unless the rebels by improper advances the
! trouble.
| At Camp Wallace we were enabled to ascertain that
the rebels under General Pillow had commenced their
| long promised advance northward from New Madrid
| Abaut thr lhrpc I-nn vha
had been prisoners at New Madrid, but escaped reached
Colonel LAWYERS hcadqra tiers, and reported that when
they left the place Of their confinement tho day before
active preparations were going on for advance Several
steamers lying at the lcvee there loading with
| heavy and infantry accoutiemenis while the
| lighter guns and cavalry coming by way Of the
| common road direct 10 Charleston. This news
rmcd while at the camp by the arrival of three
Of Colonel LAWYERS scouts from Charleston who reported
that several persons had arrived there during the day
with that the small artillery and cavalry of Pillow
were advancing and then only few miles distant, it hav-
ne left New Madrid Saturday morning; and that fifteen
steamers loaded with heavy guns and infantry left at the
same time for Norfolk, point some four miles below
there Colonel wer also receiv ed letter from Captain
Rrush, who is in command at the outpost at the burnt
bridge, conf matoFy Of the reports Ecoris came
IN that lr. Scales, Of Skcstcn, inrossing horses
from the fai Of that vicinity, aud moving them of
towards the under streng csco,t The stories all
came direct and positive that Colonel Iawier mmc-
datcly ordered forty rounds OF amunen be we'd
TO each man of his command, his troops to sleep upon
their arms, and by special train despatched Major Bali
win TO Birds Point to confer with Colonel Wa!act who
is now commandat ut that post, as TO what waisei
IN the exgency. This duty served, Immediately re-
turned to Cairo and the Major tcicgrahcd General
ir'mont at St. Louis, and 10 General renss, who
~ thc river, all Tie particulars while otting down
| the rumors a.d the effects of them.
may seem strange that General Pillow should divide
Tic road from New Madrid 10 Charleston is for the most
part laid through thcky wooded nt,y and entirely
without regularity, do gs around here and there escape
this tree and that ravine, and is such wonld az
ford but poor facilities Tor the locomocn Of heavy
rages, while light guns and horsemen would not be ser
olsy hc0nr by bringing The infantry and large
ns up the to near No fox good wagon
open to hom to Charleston by way of Rusks Ridge,
Che land water divisions could form junction there
ocsled by forces from whence they coald start
at heir cis re for Cape Gardcau or the Iron Mountain
90 much confidence do the people Of Charleston put in
the story Of Prow's coming that The entire population Of
the Town has fed TO the woods and roads leading to
hand Of safety Pillows force is reported by himself to
/; those who gave me my information, as follows
Infantry (r1einen}.. 1909
Infantry (muskets 40Os
Cavalry (well armed) OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1500
Iota .....'..'...''.'.... l25e0
JEFF rhomison's force, now bloomfield ..... 5000
Hardees, on the Arkansas line ......... 5000
Total rs, 500
He is reported aho have thirty small field pieces and
| very la sc train Of heavy guns.
Probably before this reaches you active war life will be
l ours
still think tina, Birds Point and Cairo are safe from
attack unless the enemy should take possession Of
point up the river into Southern Illinois and
destroy the railway from here northward, of which
think there danger notice that the Western press,
and the best informed men generally hcrcabdut coincide
with the idea Of your correspondent, advanced some
weeks ago that 1t not the object strike any point
upon the river but 20 make direct th mineral regions
ana, acting upon this hypothesis, Gen. Fremont IL
/ sending troops into that country
Gen Prentiss left for Cape Girardeau Saturday and
Col lsy tas the high stool in brigade headquarters
4 during his absence.
CAMP DEFIANCE, CAIRO, H., August IL, 1861
| Anticipated Advance and Attack by Gen. Ploc-The At
tack acknowledgement Of the Uni Troops
Thereot-Gcn. Pittow and army route TO Mem,phl-
CONSERVATION IN thai Coy in Consequence q Rumr Of
an Immediate A1ace Upon 70 By GIN. Fre'aont-Goo.
Jackson once More-Arrirat Of Gantcats at CairoRe-
inforcemcnts for Gen. Frenon-.Niucy Tho,ldnd Me-,
Under arms, dc.
Last evening the whole community hcrcabout was in a
fever OF excitement because we had heard and believed
that the rebels, under Gen. Pillow moving northward
from New Madrid by land and water; but tonight the
army and citizens wore sort OF disappointed lock, in
strange contrast with that OF only one day ago. 1t
Thai Saturday morning Gen. Pillow broke camp at
Ncw Madrid, and despatched his cavalry and light ar,i
iry by the Bloomfield road towards Charleston. His
ayy gins and infantry loaded Oh board a feet Or
I'm steamers, and the pilots had instructions to land at
The head Of Wolf Island opposite Columbus. After the
and forces had started and well on their march,
and the river craft ready cast OF lincs the two
scouts who brought the this point made their
escape, and with all speed wendell their ways by two
| roads to Camp Wallace. They left at New Madrid some
Owe ~ six Others who had been arrested for being Union
ISIS, two Oh VIII escaped Saturday night and have
I iast arrived here, with one day later 1t ems
hat when he ald forces had proceeded some rht
miles norhward. and about the time the feet ready