Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-28
THE EXCURSION OF THE THE GUN.
BOATS 10 COIUMBTS.

n
BOATS 10 COLUMBUS.
MySierioHs VISIT Of Rsbel Flag Of T.ees-Loss
Conference Bsttcesn Com. Foots asd Ges. CHi-
lEnl dHd rae RebsI ofesTI-SETrsisss as 20 tks
Object ofths Visit.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
CAIRO, III, Feb. 23.-Information had been ,e-
cumulatng here for some weeks that Columbus
would be evacuated by the rebel troops and, az
ter repeated conferences with the authorities by
parties who had watched the movements, q rec
onnosance was made a week ago by Col " B
Buford, OF the 27th Illinois, the results Of which
satisfied the authorities that there was something
OF character to indicate that change wan going
on az the rebel strong hold which Nigh termi nate
In IN evacuation. Our successes on the Teu-
nessee and Cumberland rivers tended 20 siren 9TH
en- that belief Col Buford, who has been In
command Of Fort Caro- for some time past, and
who has been closely watching events. has been
mainly instrumental I'm drawing the attention Of
the authorities 10 this matter. From information
he had received an armed reconnaissance was
made to-day.
The expedition got under way this morning az
twenty minutes past O'Clock, and consisted Of
the gunboats Cincinnati, st. Louis, Carondelet,
Mound City and Conestoga, and the 27th illinois,
regiments. Two mortar boats were towed down
for the purpose OF testing their capacity, IL occa-
sion should offer.
The neet steamed down the river as far as Fort
Jefferson, seven miles distant, when the gunboats
took the advance, close after them the mortar
boats, and followed by the Transports The eI-
petition was under command Of Flag or,cer
Foote and Gen. Geo w. CulIum. Col Thorn
Engineer, member OF Gen. Halleckt STAFF, ac-
companied the expedition.
About 10 O'Clock gun was heard from Column
bus, which was soon followed bv two others
Half an hour after another gun was hred, as was
supposed, for the purpose OF getting range the
ball tell in the water a considerable distance In
font ofthe advance boat. The FIRST shots were
Columbus: probably being some distance down
the river. The last shot was from q heavy gun
from view.
careful examination Of the shore, to discover, 10
possible, any masked batteries which might be
planted. There Were, however, none found
Col. Buford, with one OF tie small steam tugs,
also made a close examination Of all points, bay
GUS &c. He landed In Lucas Bend, at the resi-
dence OF DR.. Francis. where be learned that
within the last week the ebels had secured the
river up as far as they dared TO 90, aud bad
seized all fat-boats and skis, and taken them
10 Columbus.
At different points mounted men, evidently
Rebel pick were seen, VINO suddenly disap-
peared in the direction Of Columbus As the
heet moved very slow, undoubtedly the Rebels
az Columbus knew Of cur approach before we
were within ten miles Of the place.
when going into tlucas' Bend steam wa shut
OF, and the whole feet fosted down. aud thus
proceeded to within five miles Of Columbus
when steamer rounded the point from TIA place
which proved TO oe toe Red Rover, with a white
AoS lckstdu IQt6 d strange
proc .edine, coming from the SebastopOl Of the
Mississip poi, which was only mensc-d oy Eve gun
boats and two regiments Of infantry No one
could give solution OF the matter. The Rebels
at Columbus bad heretofore been 90 insolent and
defiant, and now 20 send up a flag Of truce when
there was only possibility OF being attacked bv
an immensely inferior force 60 theirs, Il was In
applicable. After some half az hours DELAY, a
steam ting was sent OF from the Flag Oncer's boat
to the Red Rover, which soon returned, bringing
away some Rebel onacer, when a consultation ef
near three hours was held, at the ex yirstion Of
which, the Rebel ofhcers were set on board
their own boat, which immediately returned %
Columbus, and the Flag OfaCer signalIed the feet
to return When the Red Rover had arrived az
FAR up a. she came, Rebel 2unboet WA discov.
cred coming out from behind Island No. 4, cloee
TO the Kentucky shore, and under full head Of
steam made its way toward Columbus II 10 had
been desired to nre at the Rebs, the Tag Of truce
was In the way.
The strictesi secresy IL enforced on what few
persons were admitted 10 the conference nor will
anything be known an TO the object Of the Gag Of
truce until Gen. Hslleck 10 heard from, and prob
ably Gen. Mcclellan will be consulted. I'm
doubleday, II the Red Rover came up with Dag
Of truce from the rebel authorities, a proposition
has been made Of an extraordinary character and
Gen. Cullum did not feel authorized TO act In the
matter; and 20 will consult with his superior. IL
this Is the case IL may be some days before the
public will know anything Of the matter
There are variety Of opinions In regard 10 what
the rebels are doing, the most reliable being that
tue place 10 about to be evacustsd, and II II the
most reasonable; for losing both Forts Henry and
Donelson, and our gunboats penetrating % far
into the vitals Of the rebellion 10 reach Ala
bama and Mississippi without hardly any oppo-
sition, have rendered Il useless to hold Columbus
any longer. Kentucky and Tennessee will both
be rid Of rebel troops very soon, and the rebels
thereby they can save any Of their valuable srms
and ammunition.
Another opinion 10 that the rebels are evacust-
Ing, and that the citizens, supposing we would
q 10 = W,r@r
the fact, and prevent, II possible, the place from
being ruined
Others suppose that, to gain time for the pur-
pose OF moving their immense stores, cannon,
&c they came with propositions to leave Ken
lucky soil, which propositions would have 70 20
to Gen. Halleck 10 be acted upon, and in the
meantime they could make good their retreat
FURTHER From THE FLAG OF TRUCE.
The correspondent Of the Cincinnati Gazette In
describing the above interview, under the fsg Of
truce, says:
The bearer Of the Gag OF truce was Captain
W hat was the nature Of the "negotiationD sought
70 be made cannot say At present, further than
that the rebels asked for sVme sort OF terms OF
capitulation. Forspecial reasons nothing further
can be made known until the matter Is referred
70 Gen. Halleck. The parley lasted two hours
and 4 half. Commodore Fooie was % close 10 the
rebel batteries during his conference with Captain
Blake that he enabled to ascertain all he had
hoped TO learn from q recOnnoisance.
At three O'Clock the conference ended. The
cred Rover" returned TO Columbus, and our
feet, with the mortar-boats and transports started
FOR Cairo, which point they reached AZ O'CLOCK.
rhe Commodore Informs me that tue subject OF
the flag Of truce viii be Immediately referred 70
Gen. Halleck, and That the people viii be In
formed Of the results In a few days.
On the day following Dag Of truce was sent by
Commodore Foore 20 CoiuInbus Of which dis
patch dated Cairo, February q, says
The dag Of truce which left this morning for
Columbus returned about five O'Clock :his sfter-
noon, after an interview with the Rebel of1cers
fhe result is kept strictly private.
The Rebel transport Red Rover met the fag OF
truce, about two miles from the works, bringing
Mrs. Buckner and family. the wife Of Roger
Hanson, Of tue Second Rebel Kentucky Regiment
from Columbus. The truce brought them &C.
Cairo. They leave tomorrow for Indiana polls.
IL lis generally credited here that Columbus 10
being evacuated.