Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-10

Itis evident that one Of the great battle
fields OF the war is to be at Columbus, KY.
The Mississippi fotilla win there receive
their first check, aud that point passed, the
road 70 Memphis is comparatively clear
Great preparations are being made to Tor
tify and defend Columbus BY the rebels, and
that viii be regarded as the gateway to the
lower Mississippi It will need large
army to take it as its natural position gives
it great edVantages over any attacking foe.
That the fight must come soon, is expected
upon both sides. The rebels are recruiting
men to serve for thirty days in the defense
OF Columbus, while our officers know that
they-can look tor but few days or weeks of
navigation. OF the size Of the Federal ar
my that viii go down the river, We have no
information, but we know that the army
which is being collected in Louisville and
other points in Western Kentucky is not
small or weak, Our boys who are there are
bound for Memphis and New Orleans, and
will see the Gulf before they do Lake Erie
again.
Columbus is the most NOrtherly point
held BY the rebels upon the Mississippi since
they were olsveFly forestalled at Paducah by
Gen. Grant. It is 52s miles from New Or
leans by Railroad, and nearly 1000 by the
tortuous Mississippi. The high banks of the
river at this point afford excellent OppOrtuni-
ties for qualifications, which have been extern
siyely improved. At the north of the tOwr
upon what are called Iron Bluffs, extensive
earthWorks have been erected, as has also
been done below the town. Back Of the en-
tTenehments at the lower end of the town
there was, afew weeks sgo,an encampment o
eight regiments, while above were fourteen
regiments. This force has been greatly in
creased Of late. Gen. Pillow is still in COM
msnd soiar as is known. The town OF Co.
lumbas can be better attacked from the real
than in front, inAsmueh as the bluff slopes
away toward the northern and eastern sidel
of ths town. Hence the forces at Paducah
twenty-five miles above, can operate to BET.
~ -lsasataze thal those Occupying ts ssssl
bosts upod t1e river.
Having captured Columbus, Fort Wright,
sixty miles above Memphis, will be the mex
formidable ebstable. This is reported to b.
a ten gun fort, garrisoned with about two
hundred men. Ten miles below is For
Randolph, more formidable affair and de-
Tended by a garrison of several thousand
men. The fort is extensive and well built
andmounts more than twenty heavy guns.
1t Is built upon q bluff from thirty to forty
feet taboYe The river. At this fort is heavy
chain stretched across the river to step all
vessels in frontOf the batteries.
Ten miles above Memphis, at bend in the
the river, which it commands for several
milss mp and down, is Fort Harris upon the
east bank, mounting eight or ten heavy guns,
Having passed these, Memphis is reached
This city is the most important one between
st. Louis aud New Orleans. It had very
extensive trade with the North and South.
Its railroad connections were important and
extensive and its WhsrYes were at all times
covered with the busy signs of trade. But
as no city in the South has been more fierce
ly reasonable than Memphis, so no city has
suffered more in trade than she. Memphis
has been the very hOt-bed Of all kinds of in
Tolerance and lswlessness sgainst every thing
which had the lsintest symptom Of Union
ism about it. No mans life was safe. A
single hint from personal enemy Of 'aboli-
tionismp or Unionism was enough TO ensure
short rope and a sure moose. The rights
of property were totally disregarded, and
bloOdthirEsiness reigned supreme. As con-
sequence, trade is stagnant, and there is no
hope for its rising again, and but for the con-
tinued marching through the streets, grass
might grow undistuTbed between the pave
msnts. In Court Square, stands a marble
statue Of Gen. Jackson, with the motto 'sThe
Union, It must and shall be preserved. p
Last spring Che Stars and Stripes were trod-
den into the ground before this very statue,
and the statue itself was draped with the
vile secession colors. The city is not extern
siEely fortified, the authorities trusting to the
defence which Forts Wright and Randolph
viii afford them. Next to Charleston, South
CarOlinas Memphis deserves the direst retri-
button for her treason and rebellion.