The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-03
OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.

OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.
CAMP DEFIANCE, CAIRO ILL.,, July %, 1861.
Runored Advance Of Tennessee Troops-ow The attack on
Birds FONT by the Rebels is 10 be Made-TopogrophyQ
The CountryDecencv Of AmJ,ance Outfits in the Camp-
Steamer Fired in Mistake By Union Troops and Sir
Passengers KHiet-The Three Months Troops Returning
Hone-A Dsscrter from the Rebel Camp at Union City,
What the Rebels Are Going 10 Do-The Secession Feeling
Repiued by the Affair Of Bull Run, de-, dc.
There was the largest kind Of commoton kicked up in
oanip on Friday by the report that several thousand Ten
nessee troops had crossed into Missouri the day before
for tho purpose Of marching upon Birds Point but from
whom tho story came or how well founded it was am
unable to ascertain inclined to think however that
it Of old 'scarcs rcvamped from the fact
that nothing has been heard from the Tennessee troops
since Thursday, which would not be the if they had
landed only twenty or thirty mixes below and gone
to camp or were marching up the river in force do
believe any attack will be made by the rebels upon
Birds Point or Cairo, for the simple that tho
vantage Of taking and holding tho first you'd be but small
without the latter, as the guns from Fort Prem
tiss so completely command the opposite shore
as TO render its occupation by enemics entirely
out Of the question Then, ~ a strategic point the
place would be Of earthly the rebels either as
base Of future operations, for the purpose of breaking
the blockade and general would be reckless as to
hazard the lives OF his such extent would be
necessary to take Birds Point for the purpose Of simply
dsodging foe from position which would be untenabIe
after its capture incline to the belief that the Ten
army after il forms q junction with the Arkansas
troops, will march up the valleys Of the Big Backwaer
and st. Francis rivers in two divisions 70 Greenvic
Donpban other place the opposite side of the
Min go or Niger Wool swamp, where they will be joined
by Watkins and Price These places in the vicinity
of the great copper and iron regions of Missouri the
very heart Of cessondom, and their importance the
rebels very great. Pilot Knob and the Iron Mountain
also in the vicinity of Donphan Then, in order
reach them the Iron Mountain Railroad from ST. LOUIS
must be used there is other Of gaining access
to the locality and the destruction Of few bridges and
culvcrs would most efectualy the Unioniss Off from
all chance Of reaching them except by way Of tedious
overland marches from Cape Grardeau and the The
topography the country between POcahontas in Arkansas
and the southern terminus of the Iron Mountain Railroad
in Missouri would 10 be all that advancing army
could desire From Pocahonas northward the land lies
high and rolling and travesed by three excellent roads
one (the Western ope running by way of the towns Of
Fmnence and Harmony; the middle one through Lester
Vile, to Iron Mountain and the Eastern road West
Prairie and Grecnvilc The most eastern of these
is nearly forty miles west Of the Mississippi RIVER and is
separated from by succession Of swamps and unges
totally impossible until point nearly in the of Cape
Girardcau is reached SO it seems that the rebels
march without hindrancc to the locality where, above all
others, they could encamp in safety until they may accu
muate by accessons from Missouri and the South force
capable Of causing us trouble To be sure, General
Cape Girardeau to the east, Birds Point to
the south, and st. Louis to the north yet, with
all these IL must be remembered that two hundred and
fifty miles mountains swamps and bridgcess rivers
parate from General Lyon and such is the face of the
cut of The retreat Sy movement from tbs popt
even had we the means for an overland movement 1t is
evident that the battle ground of the West is to be within
radius Of one hundred miles of Cairo principally in Mis-
souri,, the rebel generals have chosen their position
Your correspondent has Been in years past, this
vln and ole hat
tending armies at the East IN the vicinity Of Manassas
and give the HERALps readers better idea of the
Western ocahty than by referring them to your topogra
phca dcscrpo Of those to the southwest OF Washington
The for all practical purposes is but mirror Of the
other succession Of hills and valeysthe hills easily
ntrcnched and the valleys readily rendered impossible
by the telling Of the rank growth of forest with
which they are now covered. You may ask, 'Wby do
the rebels prefer 10 hold possession Of such country
retaining the points below upon the riverf Because
being cut of from the iron mines of Pennsylvania and the
East and the lead mines Of the West they have
OF gaining supply OF those materials except by holding
on with all their vgor to the only mines OF any extent
Knob This is the sequel TO the whole movement in this
! direction
We lave now in the neighborood of a thousand horses
and mules here in stable but as vet but very few har
nesses saddles army wagons. II understood, two
weeks ago that several hundred wagons were on their
way here but they have not made their appearance and
the reason learn is that the Pennsylvania contractors
have been able 10 furnish chem as fast as wanted
was IN Chicago few days ago and saw large ot-some
hundred or more-oi two, four and six horse wagons,
| made, in part, for the overland transportation
| panN, ana cmnsnty adapted Tor 3rmy use-Saunch
| strong and endurabG The Chicago man1fac
| turer informed tnat inasmnch as the trans.
porta0n company had broken Their contract, and the
vehicles useless his hands, he would be glad to
dispose of them to the government for twenty per
less than their actual cost one hundred per
less The Petnsy Mania manufacturers
ceving for the class of work and deliver the whole
in Cairo or sl. louis within week but he could
effect sale SO much for favorte Pennsylvania
tractors, while Of the West obi ged stand and
the rebels ntrenckng theselves IN natures strongl
holds right noses and almost within hearing
ouncavy guns, without wagon 10 transport single
rat ron o harness with which 10 tackle mule team
should bc ordered 10 march inland to dsodte them
The nes Names steamer arrived here today from
St Inus bringing number Of cassons for tho artillery
Birds Point. The captain Of Tho Des MONIES
informs me that, when about twenty miles above
Cope Grardeau, yesterday he met the steamer Maclay
bound hence for 81 Louis with discharged three months
troops board The captain Of the Macay reported that
IN passing Cape Guardian on Saturday he fredupon
by The UDon.troors located there andsx of his passen
gers killed and sevcra wounded 1t that the
officers Of the Naclay not that Cape Girardeau
occupied by Union troops and when he sgnalized
lay 10 he supposed he hailed by rebels anrefused
recognise the signal al The he pointed his
boat ae Illinois shore crowded steam The troops
shore seeing large nJers Of men the boat and
believing roia her refusal to land that she had rebels
aboard fired several voys musketry at her the effect
Of which rs have stated-sM killed. The affair
will be thoroughly Investigated.
The work Of paying OF the troops and mastering
them ont Of the service goes swimmngy, and
the troops leaving for home by every conveyance.
Three regiments have already been paid and two
more will BIZ tomorrow II is found that from three
to four hundred Of each regiment will enlist for the war
to remain with this brigade and nearly the whole force
VIII e9lt, bu, not IN tbs command Tue great ma,o