Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-10
ERoM CoLUmaUs.

HASOA AOLAN8bS.
CoIUMRus. ny. oetober s. l26l
EnTT0GS hPrEiL: Owing So q condition Of
health which led 70 temporary residence in The
hospital, my pen has been Idle, ulrhoush the in
terals between the dates Of my letters have not
been entirely without incidents Of interest.
The second day following the expedition to
Eliott's mills, a scouting party o the Tennessee
Mounted Rifles, Capt. White, under command of
Lieut.. Moore, made a sortie upon the house in.
which the LincoInites who fred upon Che Hay
wood Rangers took refuge, and made the arrest
of q man notorious in these parts as one of the
boldeSl and most cunning Of Old Abe's p%artisans.
The name Of the individual is Mercer. He has
been a resident of this county for forty years,
and his intimate knowledge of men and things
in this part Of the State, coupled with his con
sunnate shrewdness, made him an inyaluablc
ally to the Lincolnites, and a troublesome neigh
Dor to the patriot army that oecupies Columbus.
Il was a bold movement on the part Of lieut..
Moore, with a party Of ten men, to pass over the
ground SO recently uayersed by a barge com
maud, thereby naturally inducing increased
wariness on the part OF the enemy, and after en-
tering within their lines, 10 capture and bear of
a guide and spy whose loss to the enemy cannot
well be estimated. Nevertheless, this expedition
was entirely successful, and sOld Mercer" as
he is generally known in those parts, now ocou-
pics lodgings in The prisoner, quarters a, Co
lumbu-.
Columbus Is srill alive with ,roop-, and .f.
sound OF the duIm J., almost O., constant us Inc
rafting Of wheels upon the streets Of a crowded
commercial city. Every available spot within
miles Of Columbus is converted into q camp
ground, ana st1l every means OF transportation
seems to be employed IN the concentration Of a
3" graHd e7aoe al This point. Enmor is rife with
reports OF early army movements, but It is I'M
possible that ,hcy should have the weight Of
authority, being SO publicly canyassci. 4 blow
viii be- struck somewhere very soon without
doubt, and where 20 is to fan The Fedcrals will
know, If no, as soon as they desire, al least as.
-non o. oar commanders wish them Co.. The rc-
cent brilliant victory at Lexington has filled thc
army here If possible with a greater desire to
exchange the camp for the field. and any expo
diuon would tc thought preferable 10 the
monotonous routine OF camp duty. a thorough
organization Of the army is being effected as fast
as the troops arrive, and under the mature ez-
perience and Proverbialabiity Of General John
ston, VIC expect when we do make q move that
it win be in the right direction, and effective Of
the end in contemplation. The prestige Of his
name is a tower of strength among u ]sollicrv
that are proud Of tbeir general
Our last reports from Paducah are to the e.
Zee; that about seven thousand Tejcrals now
occupy that point, and are rapidly intr5uching
themselves behind formidable b~raastworks.
which IS rendering oue carly occupation Of the
place more and more q matter Of necessity every
day. OF the seven thousand 81 is said that
about fifteen hundred are ID toe b0spial, and
be commandant of the post has thought 1t nee
eSsary TO make acquisitions on Anderson and
Fremont ior large niulorcements 30 secure him
in possession. From the condition Of things in
the commands controlled bv these two rcprcscn-
tatives Of the Lincoln ~despo.i~nI, IL is not likely
GIc requi-ition, via meet with any response, aud
"'
j." " I"' ~ r" '
".''" ''' - 'U'0"" ''''s' =" ~ "' '""'
~
iNrss ~ e"'' "'' SD ID 44'' '~'
p'''' p'-"7 i"i' 9ai'lso"s', '"' '''oF '"''
''lne'.5 o''uP.eI ms pace '''"s l,''''' III
me 's".na'-on 0, zen / 'eh''n'' i0' 'ne P''''',
Lon o. - LoulS rom 'io- n'i'"'ui"7h'' %
thompson, II',e ana '1ee TOT ms
reason bf' 5 ON ana sue "sne.!e'r "' O''iS
aDl''. u'''i'eu ol Lincoln ; "i''us
NJ '"4. Po'n' VIZ nave nl' .'''s 90 q" eA'",ls
nature since my 'a'i' WAN '"' exception OF "
"'"e harmless tNl''nSe o. n'i'"'y CIV "''''