The New York herald., 1862-01-18
OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.

CAIRO, Jan. IL, 1852.
Gnot Actirity in de Army-Erpedt,on to Worry se
ReJels--An Ambusoade Of Re,els-Ths Union Troops
Fired Upon and Some Kaled--Mowmsnts Of Mccl,r.
nonps Brgude-Eeidenos Of United Aoremae-The
Force at ysgerson-Shoo,ing Of Mounted PicIes-Sisws
of a Rebeiious Citi,sz-Loadea Guns Found in HIS
House, de-, dc.
The week has been one Of life and activity. On We'd
nesday it was made known ths. General Halleck had
issued orders for the concentration OF several large
bodies Of tQofs upon the borders Of rebeldom Since
that time the work has been rapidly pushed forward
The troops at this point, Fort Holt, Birch Point, Mound
City and Paducah all placed under marching orders
on Wednesday night. On Thursday company OF the
Fourth Illinois cavalry was. put on guard Of the classic
bridge at Big Muddy, and another detachment Of the
same cavalry relieved the regiments of infantry
toned al Mound City
The same morning the gunboa,s Essex, ST. Louis
and Tyler, accompanied land by a squad
ron Of cavalry from Birds Point, made a re-
connoisssncs towards Columbus. The gunboats came
within two hundred yards Of the range Of the batteries
at Columbus and exchanged few shots with the rebel
boat Grampus. Commodore Foote was in command OF the
expedition. they found cable internal machines 10
interrupt their navigation and returned uninursd That
evening General Pane sent force OF sixteen hundred
infantry and four companies Of cavalry to surprise
sncampmen Of rebel cavalry under Colon el Purcell Of
the Tenth Iowa They led into an smbuscade The
rebels red upon them killing four and woundins ten,
and rereated. The fog and darkness Of the night pre-
vented troops from following They bivouacked
the ned, and returned IN the morning, with their dead
and wounded, and the rebel by whose teachsry they
were led TO slaughter
On Friday General Mccernand brigade six companies
o tho Fourth Illinois cavalry Colonel Dicksy and four
companies Of independent Illinois cavalry and two Bate
Of Light artillery, embarked upon transports at the
evee About midday they sailed down the Mississippi un.
der convoy Of the gunboaA Essex and Louis the regi
mental bands playing national airs and the hardy West
troops making the shores Of Illinois. Kentucky and
Ms5ouri echo with their cheers. The men were tho.
roughly equipped aud appointed, hardy tough young
volunteers, confident and brave They viii tight when
| the field 10 reached
Tho brigade landed OF old Fort Jefferson on the Ken
tucky side and all IN camp ordor before dark The
point selected s seven and half miles below Cairo
az he mouth OF Mayned creek nearly opposite the upper
end OF Island No. the site Of fort built by Jefferson
| In LIES.
That movement OF great inportsncs is proceeding 70
s result very evident II is equally 40 certain that
tho point where the great blow 10 be struck only
30 conectured 50 far this division ~ concerned is
quite positive that its secrets confined 10 Generals
| iIajeck ahd Grant, and Commodore Foote. Positive
orders 70 that eject issued by General aeck In
the first instance n sconjectured that advance will be
made from paducah by land up the Tennessee river and
| 20 Camp Beanegard, near Mayheld, Kentucky Ihi'