New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-28
Western Military CORRESPONDENCE


Peep the Fneny-Appearance of Things around caroA
Properly Cool Meeng-Red Bu-The Weather, etc.
Special to the New Orleans Crescent
CoLuMBUs ny, December % 1861
Mr.. Editor-Day before yesterday the steamer
Prince, Capt. Trask, went up to Cairo, or rather
Fort Holt, under a linen damask table CLOTH sup
posed to signify peace. The errand was to hand
over nine more Hessian prisoners, released under
the recent treaty of exchange. The party was
headed by Col. Tappan, of the Thirteenth Arkan-
sas regiment, and officers of Gen. Folks staff and
others. Anxious to see one OF those cordial inter
views between our officers and the enemy, of
which had heard so much, accepted polite IN
vitation to join the party. 1t was bright and
lovely afternoon, and the ride up through the
tral waters was interesting enough. The houses
and farms along shore wore desolate and de-
serted look, though few people were to be seen
lady here and there coming out to shake white
kerchief at us. At the town of Norfolk, the only
signs of life were one man, two boys, little
niger and q dog. Above there lot of the
enemy's cavalry had their horses tied to fence.
We were stopped about mile and half this
side of Fort Holt, by a ball and shell from diff
ferent batteries, fired wide of us, though some
fragments of the shell came disagreeably near. AS
the boat laid to near the Kentucky shore, lot of
mounted officers came galloping down through the
woods to know our business. Receiving Col lap
pans reply, the spokesman answered, "'Tis well !!
I'll telegraph to the Fort and to Cairo imme-
diaely.N and OFT went the telegraph, IN the shape
of an officer on horseback. One gunbOat and
small steamer were at the fort, and at Cairo, two
or three miles further up, there appeared to be
quite feet of gunboats and other craft. At the
fort the men appeared to have gone into winter
quarters for long rows of substantial frame houses
were to be seen. The Lincolnites took great pains
to let us know they were prepared for us. All the
steamers began issuing black smoke; gunboat
came down from Cairo; and such firing of guns,
lal. tfo 3, bath
sides, for nothing ] have seldom heard.
Finally, the ferry boat Rob Roy came down and
lashed up with us. Gen. Grant and some half
dozen officers, all splendidly dressed, were on
agreeably disappointed, in not seeing such an in
terview as | had expected. Col Tappan and a
few officers went aboard the other boat. The Off
GERS sauted each other with cool courtesy; Col.
stad there a few minutes came out, touched caps
to each other again, and separated the prisoners
meantime having been passed over. No inter-
course was permitted between the crews Of the
boats; offers by men on our side to give Memphis
for St. Louis papers refused, their officers
having put bar to such exchanges. Gen. Grant,
however, exchanged papers with Col. Tappan.
The whole meeting did not exceed twenty minutes
in duration. And it was just the way such meet
ings should be conducted. [ have seldom met a
man in whom the dignity of the soldier and the
| grace and poteness of the gentleman are so hap
PLY blended as in Col. Tappan. You feel that he
! is a gentleman as soon as you get Wtlln Ten leet
| of him. As you know, he is the brother of the
Hou. BENZ. S. Tappan, of your city; larger and
healthier looking man than your Tappan. ex-
pect our truce meetings will be few and fer be-
tween hereafter.
1t is again reported and generally believed here
that the enemy concentrating at Cairo, in pre-.
paraon for their long contemplated descent upon
| this place, Memphis, New Orleans, etc have no
| means of knowing how true the reports are
send you Frank Leslies Illustrated paper and
a St. Louis Republican, the same being part of a
lot found upon a suspicious countryman outside
the piekets, and contseated by Sergeant VIM
Wilson, or Red Bill one of our teamsters ] sup
pose you have all heard of Red Bill. He is an ex
cellent WAGNER having served in that line during
the Mexican war, and in other respects is a first
| rate soldier, Bill says he is a newspaper cores
pondent, too that he has bred to write for
him, at dollar day. and that he has fifty-seyen
| pages of his first letter finished.
little son of Lieut.. Neal of this battalion, died
! suddenly the other day The little fellow was a
| great pet, and the whole battalion went to the
| funeral thus rendering it an imposing affair.
The weather has relapsed into the miserables
again. We have to-day had rain, snow, hail and
| sleet, and tonight it is bitter and freezing-a
| wretehed night for the brave fellows OF guard and
! picket duty. - e.