The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-29
REPORTED ASSASSINATION OF COLONEL
CURTIS, OF IOWA.
OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.

CAP UkiIANCE. CAikO, ILL., juno ~, Aool
The Chase Aft1 Me Rebels Under Gen. Watkins end ObuM
WawA- GA. Pressin Sends an EaTediim after The
Insxyents-fhHguing March Of the Usion Troops and
No E.h-zh: Enemy Retreat a. TIE Untos Forces Ad.
vancs- K,ndnes Of ne People to Our Soldi1s-Goonoy
Jackson a. hsD Xadsid-AR Akack IN Birds Point
Expected, &C., &C., dc.
That you have heard nothing from me ance Friday
(20h) owing TO the fact that have been absent with
division Of the army in Southeastern Missouri hunting
for the rebel army under Gen. Watkins and Count
Waugh. and only returned late Last ngh-too late to ad
NIT Of eendng you detailed account Of the march by
last nights mail In many rcspe,s this has been one OF
the most important movements Of our forces In this
quarter though s results have been thing but graft
flying 10 Its projectors the troops who took part In it.
We have learned many things which will avail in fu-
ture sores have found the weak points In plans Of
detail sd gens- CALCULATION. Bat TO the narrative Of
the adventure your readers must discover for them
selves the importance Of the and in what points
failed, II any failure was In fact experienced.
On Saturday morning General Prentiss received posi-
tive information that q large body-some seven hun
dred--of the Missouri militia were encamped about ff
teen miles inland from the little town o. Commerce,
der Count Waugh preparatory TO making attack upon
our outpost at Birds Point, whenever their numbers
should be sufficiently augmented by accessons from the
Interior OF the State, from AIksnsas and Tennessee, 10
render such a movement practicable. The village Of
Commerce Is situated about thirty miles above here,
the west side Of the Mississippi river and abou. twelve
miles below the town Of Cape Girardesu in Missouri
As the Of the concentration Of rebel troops
at this point reached General Prentss detailed force
Of about seven hundred men to proceed to the place AMI
possible dispense them The following companies
the detailed and they marched, after dsembarking
at Commerce, IN the annexed order
BATTALION %, COLONEL D. MORGAN
COMMANDING.
Company +, Seventh regiment, Lieutenant Minter;
Company B, Eighth regi nenl Captain Grass Company c,
Eighth regiment, Captain Ashnan, forming the Frat d
vision, under the immediate command Of Lautenan.
Colonel Rhoa1es of the Eighth regiment F. G. Chapman,
Egg and Quartermaater Hatch acting as Aids
One section Of artillery with one Big pound brass
piece, from Captain Smiths battery Chicago Light AT
tiery, under Lieutenant willard supported by Company
X, Twelfth regiment, Captain Hugunin; Company G,
Twelfth regiment Captain Frazier, with the PrentiEs
Guards tndiana) Captain Walker composed the seconl
division under command OF Lieutenant Colonel Chetlsn
OF the Twelfth regiment.
Company A, Of the Eleventh regiment, Captain l.. D.
Atkins Company B, E.evenH regiment Captain g.
w. shaw, and the Turner Cnion .. Cadets, Cndiana)
Ransom, Ct the Eleventh regiment
Company c, Ninth regiment, Captain Tiedeman; Com
g. Seventh regiment Captain Wood, for nod the Fourth
or rear division under Major Phillips, Of the Ninth re.
giment.
At about seven O'Clock saturday evening the above
designated troops drawn up In line in front Of heal
quar.eIs a. the st. Charles aots and thence prosecuted
Commerce, arriving there at one O'Clock on Sunday
morning. The trip up the river was remark
Was heard ous the pusng Of the eSSas pps
with occasional cheer from our boys as they passed
the two or three camps occupy the rye banks or
Morgan called hs officers together in the forward cabin
Of the steamer and read 70 them his instructions and
guides introduced the ocsrs the strices silence
epoiDed upon all every preparation was made
secure the SUCCESS Of the enterprise.
DIsEMB1kI.ISG AT COMMERCE
As eoon as the steamer reached the levee at Commerce
detail OF twelve hastenet ashorc who procee lei
to take OF the thee 0Sde leading out Of town
Then comm the Decentralization. The companies,
the order have mentioned, were landed, ana took mp
their line Of march in the strctest silence Not
was given above whisper; and thoroughly taa
arrap gemeus perfected that within fifteen minutes ae:
the rst bowlinc made fast every troop, with the
who bad been detailed to quad the boat, was land
ed and pder march, without casualty happening
dozen river who were Ioursrg about thu lsvee
ing aware Of our preface 'rwas the most beautifully
impressive sight had ever beheld-those Six tuudfei
brave fellows In tho dead Of night, ding of the steamer
In the profoundeat Silence and ma ching as one man
closest tre, their bright gittering in the
light; ecers riding back and forth, harpg this division
al d hurry :rg that the whole reminding me o. the &C
counts had 90 often read Of tn: msycn upon Trenton,
In sy9asSns,y days which has esd and ever VIM al
90 In stice 70 the cavscade did fail TO mention very
mportar, adocnis in the shape Of huge lumber wagon
by two cinnutiye mues Containing ,hs rspo,to
rial corpe Of the most enerprisFg OF the Western io1r
pAs, now stasioned AZ CAIRO Co9ael Hickox, OF the
Chicago htb,e, drove the mules Lr. conducted thss
division OF the eSpedi.!cc, which perhaps the
successful department. o. the whole.
The frat eieh: miles Of ths march westwAydly
the little town Of Benton, thence soihxes. ward Gep.
Wa kirs plantation, SIX nlcr further on, where
gutes had told se tbs enemy wee enc7ped; tut here
learned bs they had feared attach from the Cairo
nry and moved TO Carpenters ferry, On Ln.le river
Ten miles urther IL the interior. Gera macy o. or
uoo2s ,opaiL cd Of feet sad exhaustion, bat the
greater par of them camoro1s FOR aivance
after an hours rest took up Line Of march O.,
mated Nih hope o? soon meeting a2i capturing
thar cur own number Of rebels. 50 on MARCHED
yeacbpg Carpenters ferry aboas nne O'Clock, opy
And tie ggani Cant Waugh and II be- General yatkne
with :hsr AMY, non e. they Having -. wind OF or
spp7osch ana re.sea'ed 70 SWAMP which ha b be- u
chrstened bigger Wool, soma tee rve, far.na: o.