, 1861-05-18
RIR0sS POINT, aAIAHOURT.
Importance Of the Position N Com
mandlng Cairo,

Editors Chicago Tribune:
lapprehend that In = military aspect ut the
preaeat time, thero il no position except Cairo,
in al the Valley Of the Mississippi, invested
with u much import nce - Bird's F6int, on
the Mi: souri hAore at the confluence Of the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers; and yet ita ill.,
overlooked BY the War Department. am
not aware that my public mention has been
made Of it In military connection, NATL
within the past few days, during which have
observed several brief paragraphs in various
journals In this city iprelation to it.
,Having been = resident there for some time,
and Being well acquainted with its sitnation
aud approaches, I feel tho deeper interest In 1t.
I believe can appreciate its vast advantages
As Z theatre Of military operations, aud am
fully convinced that it is the imperative duty
Of the Federal Government to invest It as
domain. Wishing to extend the knowledge Of
the facts as they exist pertaining to Birds
Point, I essay to communicate it through the
medium Of the TRIBUNE, especially to those
quarters where these facts seem to be less
n14erstood and appreciated than they ought
toha
s ld's Point Is bold prcj ection Of the Mis-
souri shore into the confluence Of the Ohio
and Mississippi hyers, and presents an abrupt
front to the water. It lies little to the east
Of South from Cairo, and distant from the
southern extremity Of the delta In m ordi-
by actual mensuration. 1ta surface Is
nearly level; rather declining inward than 9TH
erwise, and coscred with deu4e TO. eat, ex
eept farm Of = few hundred acres, extending
directly to the southwark, and even that, ia
partially covered with great peeanA trees, The
IL 1f tn 1f.-n t.
that OF Cairo, by probably not less than fifteen
feet; its altitude be1rg greatnt than that OF
the leyee, with which Cal1o Is envifcnsd. II
IL much higher also than the opposite Ken
tacky shore.
The steamboat chanrel Of the Mississippi
clossly adheres 10 the b. nS along BIro's Point,
and fen heavy guns planted there would
ve It full eontol Of tho mouth Of fthe Ohio
Tho ehore m2ntatna its ho1dnees for several
miles up the Miastssippt, and Il not, like the
aat above Cairo, liable to frequent in1ndation.
Thus 1t hsa manifest advantags over the op
1.oaite shore, both, II plaza for military en-
cAmpment and aggressive oper .tions. Fort
present purpoee2tnfs may suffice concerrirR
natural s1tuation,.at leading fa Atures Of B rIs
Point LIT us now look at it. approaches, and
consider the facilities presented to ! hostile
forac, for its occupation. And first, the Cairo
AID Fulton Railroad. This is . road projected
from Biro's Point to Fulton, in Arkansa ~, On
the Red River Of tho South. It II completed
md IN operation to Big Prai1ie or Sikeston, ~
it ts now called, Routn Of west from Birds
Point, twenty seven milea. On this road there
ara In Ill, twenty Elk cars and two LOCOMOTIVES
capable Of conveying In litt. more than an
hour, from 6lkeston to Birds Point, fifteen
hundred men. By this line there could be
aion troops enough with SUFFICE supplies Of
provnions and munitions Of war, to bid ded-
anee to almost Any force that could be thrown
into Cairo, nay. even to do fearful execution
up,n them. But it may BE- asked from whencs
ean rebsl troops be eongIrga.ed 1t 5lkastoa for
and Fulton R R.! Iasawer- from any ps1t
Of interior Missouri, either by wy OF Bloom
eld, on the road, OF s'PAss," to he south Of
the famous "Nigger- Wool s~aap"-ths dis.
t.ace between Bloomfield and a*keston, being
de.u, On tho Missiesiepi, dlstant from
Sik&t n only one dNts march. Troops
from tho South fcAn come By STEAMERS,
On the Mississippi to New Madrid, themes dis.
embark and march 70 siksston, On good
n le.; thenee take the cars for Blro's Point.
Southern troops may also come BY railroad to
Columbus, Ky, md, crossing tho river there,
march about fWenty miles, On wagon road.
to CHARLESTON, = town On the Cairo aud Fulton
railroad, thirteen miles from Birds Point aud
then taxa the earn for the latssr placs. On,
having reached Columbus by rallroad, theJ
may embark On steamers for Norfokk, landing
Abont four Iniles below Blrd's Pofnt, whero
any number Of troops might now bs quistly
landed, being entirely beyond ths mach Of oh-
ssrvstion from Cairo, and coming: By N easy
open road to Bl. o. Point, under tha deep eov-
ar Of the mighty forest that stretches around,
would ftRaln wholly unobssxTed until they
should ehooss, By pteelpitatfaE upoa Cairo, !
storm Of shot aad shell, % &nupuhea THAR
prssenea Ths rsbels u1eo In possession Of
Bird's Point, could not b dislodged without
teaamdoas s3E,xt md fearful e12snss q ~