, 1862-04-29
GEN. 1IITCHEL'S OPERATIONS.
How Colonel Iurchin Took Tus-
cumbia,


Correspondence St Louis Democfatr @8th.
We found Tuscumbia occupied BY portion |
Of acting Brigadier General Turchin, the Colo |
mel OF the Nineteenth 1llinsis regiment from |
Chicago. The Colonelis dashing go~ahead |
officer, and with bis equally dashing and 60 |
ahead command is holding an extremely pre-
carious situation in the heart Of the eacmy's
country He is, however, yigilant and wide
awake, and if tl:c rebels get any advantage Of !
him, 1hey viii have to get up very early in the |
morning.
It has already been announced that Gen.
miles OF the Memphis and Charleston Rail
road, but there are very few, unless cognizant
Of the position, who are aware Of the dashing
character Of such movement. Gen. Mitch
el first moved on Huntsville, one OF the pFin-
cfpal towns Of Northern ;Alabama. and 50
surprised the inhabitants, to say nothing
Of several rebel officers who we're qai-
city 1uxuriating in the place. Here he
captured fifteen locomotives and sufi-
cient rolling stock to move large army.
Not waiting for the intelligence Of his ar
sent out portions Of his division by the rail-
road On either side Of him-one to the east,
TO take possession Of the rcad as far as Ste
vensou, where it is intersected By the Nash
to the west as far as Decatur, where it con-
nected with the Decatur and Nashville road
The command of the hitter expedition WAS
entrusted to Gen. Turchia. His command ar
rived at Decatur just In the very nick Of time
70 save the fine railroad bridge which crosses
smeared with pitch, tar and cotton, the
torch had already been applied to it,
| but the troops rushing on to it from the
| train, with the aid Of their blankets and
! the contents Of their cantecns, succeeded
! in quenching the flames before any damage Of
consequence had been done. regiment Of
rebels lad thrown up extensive cotton fozti-
| tcaiions on the westerly side, but on the ap~
| proach Of the Federals they bent mos:
/ speedy retreat, leaving their baggage, tents,
greater portion of the chlvalsy did not even
! take the tine to saddle their horses, but leay-
j ing their saddles behind, went off bare back
In the hands of 4 determined band of men,
the foEtltlcatlon6 could have been held with
considerable success against our forces. They
had four small forts and long line Of breast
works, all constructed Of cotton, and we'll ar
ranged. There were about 600hbales Of the
cotton, which, Of course, fell into our hands.
4 further advance toward the West having
been left discretionary with Gep. Turchin, OF
course he vent on The rebels fleeing from
Decatur, had destroyed Or partially destroyed
all the bridges to the west OF Decatur, but
this proved slight obstacle to the Genera1.
With an excellent engineer corps he repaired
them {six in all, almost as soon as they had
been incapaeitated, and be pressed on until
be had reached Tuscunbia, when he had
communication BY water with Gen. Halleck
ct Pittsburg, fifty Or sixty miles below.
Since he has been here he has not
been idle. The country roundabout has
been secured far and near, aud several inpor
tant captures made. In one of these expedi-
tions he penetrated rs far South as Russell
! vile, where he found quantity Of rebel
property. AT La Grange military institu.
lion was discovered, with valuable chemical
lab1atory, and its professor, an officer with
the rank Of Major. Near by, in cayc, still
another haul of rebel uniforms, shoes, &C.,
xss made, At Florence, four miles above
Tuscumbia on the other side Of the river, 8
tgn-pouna field piece WIS discovered, and so
Ill around.
! The railroad from Stevenson to Tuscumbis
is now in good running condition, and is al
held By our forces But one bridge on the
line is down. This one, fourteen miles easi
paired as soon as the water falls sufficiently
!; 10 allow work upon it. At present they art
: obliged to re-ship here, and send troops ant
, stores over the pike bridge, a little distance
/ above. When the aews Of the Federal ap
as they supposed, most caectgally dcmoushes
the only engine there; but, Yankee like, th
, mechanics Of Gen. Turchin's force put thi
T machine together again, and it now an
swers very well to run out to the destroyed
, : bridge 10 be sure but cne side Of it works
much difference. At the bridge they connec
with good engine, and trains are now ru1
l with more or less regularity over the entir
= rosd- Gen, Mitchell stll has, HIS headquA,
= tiers at Huntsville Some other Yankee trick
l. which Gen. Mitchell has perpetrated sfor th
# purpose Of humbugging the Southern con
- prehension are rather funny, but it Is ha7dl
time as yet to disclose them The skill m
energy displayed By Gen. Mitchell in the O
cnpancy and holding Of his extended line, c1
h titles him to no small share of consideration