Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-07
--latest frsm So. LOuis western Senfl
ment..-MoVemOnIs OF the FsdeFals.

latest fTem 50. LOuis -. Wes1ern SenfI
] msns...MOvenOnIs OF the Federals.
From the Memphis AvAlanShe, DSs.sI
! We conversed yesterday with gentleman living
In New Orleans who left st. Lsuis lsst Friday. He
ia Southern man. having large possesaions In Hi
nois and st Louis and recently went up to look af-
ter the same.
| He says that two Of the gun boats left ST. Louis
for Cairo last Wednesday, and that two others were
getting up steam TO leave on Friday afternoon when
! he left on the Emma Duncan. Besides thsse, there
| il the Benton altered from the Bell boat, and
three gun boats which were built at Mound City
all Of which except the Benton" he heard were
already done and on their way to Cairo. He had
examined the Federal gun boats, and also our own
Southern gun boats and gives it his opinion that
cur boats can sink them. he is quite certain that
We can sink all except the Benton" and perhaps
| that also.
He Gays that the Federals had lot Of what they
called pontsons-the bottom made of wood and
lined with iron designed to anchor in front of CO.
lumbus and shell it. These are to be toWed by
steamboats,.
At St Louis everything relating to military
affairs was kept exceeding quiet. The people liv-
| ing in the city seemed to be ignorant of the pnm>
Der Of troops there, and Of the nature of the de-
| lenses
The Union feeling, our informant states, is at q
| low ebb IN st. Louis The South has many SYM
pathizers in that city.
The feeling against the South is very bitter in
portions OF lunOIS some OF the llllnOlSRnS con-
| tend that the war can only end with slavery, and
are for a war Of determination. Still there are q
| good many in Illinois who oppose the war. They
| are called the "Secessionists." There are in Nc
Donough county, no less than thousand men who
| oppose tbs war. II is q Democratic county, and
| but for Douglas last two speeches, there would
not have been volunteer from that county. There
are Of Douglas friends in that portion of Ii-
nois who do not believe yet that Douglas ever
made speeches in favor Of Lincolns war.
| The Inspector at Cairo, who is father-in-lsW to
McClernand, remarked to q friend last week while
travelling in the cars in Illinois, that he had Ris
doubts ,cheeT the FsdeTGls could succeed in stlbdainq
the South He added that the North had based their
success on numbers, and that every engagement
yet had proved that they were greatly mistaken.
He says the Federals last Friday gave orders TO
stop the regular St Louis PACKET boat from running
and that all except Government boats were forbid to
run-the object being to starve the rebels out No
boats will hereafter be permitted to touch on the
Missouri side below Cape Girardeau.
The Federals estimate our troops at Columbus at
rs 0OO outside limit and say that il useless to
attack Columbus with less than IS 900 men. The
people of Illinois believe that Columbus can be ia
ken with IS 900 men, and they are urging the pow
ers that be to do it at once There are come who
believe that the attack will be speedily made but
there are others who think that it will not be at
tempted till spring, as it was said on the Emma
Duncan that the troops at Birds Point and at Cairo
are building cabins to live in this winter.
Our informant says that II the FederalS attack u
at Columbus and are repulsed, IS he confidently
believes, it will have most hItterng effect on the
peace party Of Illinois, which is already growing
rapidly.
lie says that pork is selling in McComb, the ccun-
ty seat Of NcDonough county, for two cents =
pound, wheat at forty five cents, and corn at nine
cents per bushel. These low prices and no market
for produce touches the pocket nerve and tends not
4 little to strengthen the peace party.
Our informant, as beforce stated, left st. Louis
on Friday afternoon on ths Emma Duncan, the last
bo4t that was permitted to lssve-got of At Com
MERGE No, by land, some twenty miles, and thence
to New Madrid, reaching here yesterday, and i'm
mediately left for New Orleans. He is q reliable
gentleman, whose statements can be taken without
discount.