Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-13
Report Of a scout Down the TIissis-
sfppi.
We find the following letter dated Cairo
October 18th, in the Chicago Posi-.

We find the following letter dated Cairo,
October 18th, in the Chicago Posi-:
Agreeable to instructions, left Cairo on
the morning of Friday. October 10th, and
reached Columbus at 4 P. NJ, of the same
day. Having met several acquaintance, l
was taken to headquarters and met there Gen
erals Polk, Johnston, and Pillow. (There is
an order existing in Columbus that every
person coming within their lines report at
once to headquarters. After being intro.
duced, was asked by General Polk by what
means had entered his lines. told him /
had gotten away from Padncah and run the
Cairo blockade in the night; at which Gen.
Polk laughed and said: "There is many a
man in the North who would like to be with
US in arms. as they are with US in hearth
After obtaining from me my limited amount
of information, / was at liberty to go any
where within their lines, and invited to in
spect their works L did So. 3
The Notifications at Columbus consist of
two batteries of long thirty -twos-eight or
ten in each battery. Work, however, is be-
ing prosecuted night and day upon The bat
tefies above the town, and guns are being
brought up from Memphis AID other points
daily. Some very heavy guns are being re-
ceiyed, many of them rifed. II pass over
that portion of events relating TO my betray-
al by the Union man. Introduced to you
by Governor Yates. e-.s~..<,E +
Randolph, formerly occupied by Cenfede-
rates, is evacuated, the guns being removed
| ten miles above, and placed in batteries at a
point called Fort Pillow. Fort Pillow occu-
pies the former site of Bragg's saw mill, and
| is on the Tennessee shore, about five miles
| below the town of Oceola, Arkansas. Anch-
ors and chain cable were landed at Pillow
| on Sunday two weeks ago yesterday. The
number of troops at this point is small;
many of them were sick, aud came toMemphis
/ by the steamer. Ten miles above Pillow and
at the head of island No. 10 is masked bat
| tery-the number of guns could not ascer-
tain. Thesnext battery below is eight miles
above Memphis, nearly opposite Mound City,
Arkansas. Ii is called Fort Harris, and
mounts eight guns. Not over fifteen men are
| at that point No more guns below until
| Memphis is reached. AT the mouth of Wolf
| river battery of FIVE or six thirty twos
command The channel; also at the foot of JEFF
ferson street is another battery ofthirty-tw
The fonndries at Memphis are running day
| and night, turning out large cannon, solid
shot and she'll The, navy yard works are
| also. manufacturing gun carriages, eaissons
/ wagons, sabres, Dc. The machine shop Of
Hargerford il CO.. was destroyed by fire noi
long since, but Is being rebuilt as speedily as
i possible. The manufacture of brass pieces
however, is about stopped, as the supply of
tin is nearly exhausted Very few troops are
in Memphis, mostly on furlough. -
At Helena, Arkansas, the battery of two
thirty wos has been. removed, and the guns
taken up the river, The only pieces at this
! point are Two six FOUNDERS (iron). At Ma
| poieon, Ark, there is no battery. The Home
Guards number eighty six men. and have
flint muskets aud about ten rounds to each
| man. No powder in the town.
Vicksbufg, 200 miles below, is defended
/ by a battery Of eight thirty twos- situated
! about ten miles above the whart-boat 1t is
the intention to put 5000 troops into winter
| quarters at this place. Several Texans have
| already arrived. There are no batteries be
tween Vicksburg and New Orleans. a =
/ At New Orleans there is nothing of mach
Interest The city is under sort of martial
law, the passport system being in full force.
/ The troops in the city are Home Guards en-
tirely. Some works have been thrown. up
at Carro1iton, and other points. but did not
see them. Two of the large dry docks have
been mounted by eighty-fours, and towed
down below the city. A s.chaiu,u composed
of logs linked together at the ends by chains,
has been thrown across about midway be-
tween jackson Square and the battle field
No further items of real moment to sou al
l New Orleans. On the 10Th of October the
j stock of pork ia New Orleans was six thou
sand barrels, of which the Government pur-
/ chased forty three hundred barrels. at forty
{ dollars per barrel. Fionr is eight or ten dol
lars per barrel; lard forty-fiye cents per
/ pound; potatoes. any price asked-none in
market; bacon thirty five and forty Cents pei
| pound. - 8 & - - E.'..s.-5ss.sF $50
ilea New Orleans on Friday A. NJ, came
| to vicksburg by rail- aud thence to Memphis
4 by steamer Left Memphis on the evening
/ of Tuesday. 22d of October, reached State
| line about o'clock Wednesday A. N. Walk
/ ed to HopkinsvI;fe, where Gen. Alcorn, oi
/ Mississippi, has command OF a Confederate
camp. / had obtained q letter of introduc-
| tion to Gen. Alcorn IRON Mr.. Paxton, O
vicksburg. Gen. A1corn stated that be had