, 1862-03-10
TIE COLUMBUS MYSTERY,
Explanation Of the Truce Flags.
How 10000 Rebels were Permit
ted to Escape.

~OlllltAb. IL HlA O0 4C&AClAQE1E4 tI4ut ILL
expedition of gunboats and troops went
down for = Reconnaissance in force. Is it /
cane nesrly in range with Columbus, 3 Tag Of |
truce came ont, and the expedition returned |
Ten days after, IN imposing force OF gunboats, /
mortar boats and transports went down to !
attack the place, and after considerable ma |
neuve1ing, finally ascertained that the birds |
had flown. - -:~.. =: |
The letter Of our correspondent at that
PLACE shows that they were ready TO take
that our Generals were regularly sold, aud
that the Confsderates were negotiating to gain
time for destroying the property and de-
camping. The reply Of Gen. Grant to Buck- |
ners proposition to negotiate i better
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazettc.1
.EABo, H., March 9, 1852,
Tic loyal people Of the North are so much
,Ga:iEto over The news Of the cyaeuatien Of
Columbus by tue rebels, and its occupation
into the character Of the generalship that per
mitted e.00o men to make good their escape,
and to effect the removal Of ill their stores,
ammunition aud arms
q hundred different circumstances combine
to prove that the military authorities Of this
department knew little Of the rebel position
ut the ttGibEaltar Of America" Tic gun
boats reconnoitered the place Elk or seven
times. get st the last Reconnaissance Com!no-
dorc Foote was scarcely able to determine the
position Of The water battery, even after foar
Shots lad beeu fired from it. The on1y ttiufor-
nation with respect to the strength Of the
enemy was brought here by q set Of lawless
telloKs-a disgrace to the a1my-stV1ed the
that not one Of the Scouts was ever
within five miles Of Columbus, consequently
fhcy brought to headquarters nothing but the
basi6t fabrication, and these were always ta-
ken st par. As an illustration Of the 1elia5il-
itv Of the scouts: They returned from m ex-
tha arpf,nf $r,1ry In orn
and reported through their captain that they
had had conference with JET THOMPSON, in
the camp at Columbus, md that he had given
them valuable information, which they went
We have since leacned. from the records
st Columbus that JEFF. Thompson had not
been in Columbus for four weeks pre-
vious to the date Of the pretended visit OF
The Jessie scouts. The department oc-
~casloaally get In possession Of Memphis
paper, and read blatant articles abous the
pondesous eaztAworks and heavy cannon, IN.
til the Generals in command actually became
believers = the impsegnability Of Columbus.
bnG anq othces in 3e
they were injudiciously constructed, and
could not hare stood an hours bombardment
Ly the gun boats and mortar heet- The wate,
battery stood out In such relief from the bluf
buried it under hundred tons Of Garth from
above. There were no easements to protec
the artillery from the calling fire Of seven gn1
boats, and how long could men, uushe1tcFed
have stood continuous hail from twenty-on
guDs, throwing cight~inch shell.
Tic truth Of the matter is, that the rebel
. covered their retreat hy the flag Of truce ~hic
they first presented to Commodore Foote 0
the sd ult. On that date they were in ID
for@e20,000 On the following Tuesday the
commenced the work Of eyacnataon, Thic
thug continued during the week, while th
negotiations were still pending. On Sunday
March Q, The white flag treaty was cot
clnaed, and On that day the last renna1 p I
been attacked 1wo weeks ago, the
wou1d hare surrendered, or, If not, wou]
have beat hasty retreat, leaving eyesythfn
behind them: This have from ~ iutellige1
citizen OF Columbus, who WAS we'll aequainte
with their every movement. As it is. the
carried of oil their stores, amuunitInn m
small arIns:; The few heavy guns they Icft b
hind them are, spiked, and not worth dri}
ing" for future use. being nade Of cast iron,
Memphis and New Orleans manufacture,
Commodore Foote FaE opposed to eiyir
The Eebc1s auy chance to lea7e Columbus. 7
wanted to steu them into d surrender, and
felt confident Of his ability to do 50. with Il
gunbca1s and eight mortars. He gaye va
however, to the 44dno onf&ons" Of Gen. G,
1uul and others, 1alzt result has been vt
May be called etr6f eic fTlumph for the ret
cauEc. Gen. Polk knew full we'll that I
Southern Confeaefney's dow nfau would folk
lard cpo1 the defeat of the Sontheru arms
Colnnbus, hence the cunufng1y devised e1'
zlEtion7 carried OF while our Generals r,
sobe71y mus1ng orer the dag Of truce I
1e:3t1s kaew that they had to fall ct 0olum5
ano It vas their Policy TO FIJI as easily as P