The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-03-22

CHICAGO, March 21st.-A special to the
| Tribune, from Cairo, says a report is cur
rent this morning from Sykesten that jeff.
| Thompson was marching upon Cape Girar-
deau, pressing men and horses into the
| Confederate service. A skirmish has taken
place between the Union forces and his ad-
vance Three of the enemy were killed
aud wounded. Reinforcements have been
sent to the Cape.
| A gentleman, who has been contractor
| at Memphis, left there on Thursday aud ar
rived last evening, reports that Gen Harris
disappeared from Memphis the second day
after the one to which the Legislature adj
journed Harris has not been heard from
since. He is supposed to be at Corinth,
Mississippi.
The Legislature had adjourned and gone
on one knew whittier. The subject of
burning the city ia case of evacuation was
still discussed. There has been nc impress
ment of Union citizens into Confederate
service TO any extent except for guard duty
until since the fall of Donelson. Since
Governor Harris proclamation, impress
ments have been general. Hundreds are
picked up ia the streets, taken from stores
and dwellings, and marched off to camps to
receive instructions at the point of the
bayonet.
The floating battery which is constructed
so as to be sunk to the waters edge having
nothing exposed but the armament, which
consists of nine Dahlgren guns AMI which
was built for the protection of Memphis,
has been towed TO Island No. 10.
Holins steam ram has also been sent
there. The Union men are leaving Mem
phis ia great numbers, leaving their prop
erty to be con6scated and glad to escape
IL I,osv 4. Il, II.
were of frequent occurrence between Union
men aud secessionists. Shots were hourly
exchanged. They greatly needed iron and
have offered $50, 600 to any artisan that
will discover the process of making maea-
bic iron. Ammunition was plenty. Man
ufacturers were working day and night.
There were no mail facilities except along
the railroad routes. Letters and papers
were carried to towns by private enterprise.
Another correspondent telegrapha that be
left Island No. 10 yesterday noon. The
firing was only moderate from the Benton
and Mound City at intervals of I5 minutes
each, the object being to reduce the Upper
battery. Five guns were dismonnted, and
two left, from which occasional shots were
fired. Some of them came very near our
boats. The works on both the maitland
and island are far more extensive than is
generally supposed mere IS AT least 90
guns, many of them of the largest size,
several ri1ed, and 10000 troops. l saw
ten regiments on dress parade on the main
land. Their quarters are out of reach of
the mortars. The island is pretty well
covered with tents. Shells reach all parts
of the island and the works. 1t is evident
| the rebel batteries have bomb-proof case
mates, as the men can be seen to disappear
| when shells fall into. their batteries. As
soon as the first fort is reduced the gum
boats will advance to others in detail.
On Tuesday night the Mound City kept
up a steady fire on the upper fort pre-
| venting the rebels making their usual night
repairs. The result was that early in the
morning they commenced removing the
dead and wounded from the classmates of
the fort. Large numbers were carried out
and taken back into the woods.
On Monday 900 shots were from the
gunboats, mostly shell, besides 300 shells
from the mortars. On Tuesday Com. Foote
directed the fuses to be wet, with view to
destroy the works and dismount guns
The result was satisfactory. As yet, there
is but one man killed by the enemy.