New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-22

holding ont longer, or if braggadoco and bluster
could have been made to answer for stout hearts
and brave deeds.
Every one asks, what made $1,000 abe-bodied
men surrender with plenty of provisions and am
munitiop, ntrenched as they were behind breast
works that made them equal to any odds! How
could tley after all their insolence, arrogance and
assumption of superiority, yield to force very little
more than their own, and to men whose courage
they rdiculed and whose manliness they affected
70 despise
The sole answer ia that boastfulness is rarely the
parent of vaor and that insoence lie seldom the
Ianion Of magnanimty.
YANKEES HARD TO KILL.
In conversation with one Of the Rebel Captains
yesterday he asked me how the boats had contrived
10 escape all the torpedoes tina. had been placed in
the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and which he
thought would have blown our feet to atoms. When
told the torpedoes usually harmless, and that
some of them had been taken up and exhibited as
specimens of Intellectual malignty he declared it was
very hard to kill Yankee; that if you baited
hook with the Devil, the Yankee would steal tho
hook without the Devils knowing it.
THE MANNER OF FLOYD's ESCAPE.
Surprise has often been expressed in my hearing
that Pillow and Floyd should have been able to
escape with five thousand men, number Of pieces
of cannon and supply Of the best arms. This will
seem an easy task when it is remembered that We
had no force above the Fort the opposite side Of
the river and that steamers lying near Dover,
and had been conveying provisions TO the Rebels for
several DAYS without fear of molestation.
All that Pillow and Floyd had to do, therefore,
wac to 20 down to the boats, cross the Cumberland,
and 20 up on the opposite side as far as Nashville
ii was generally supposed we had troops and bate
ries to defeat such movement, but had not; and
that we had not is great mistake, for which some
one-I know not who-is responsible.
FLOYD / learn, carried with him about ten Of the
best Of the forty guns taken from at Manass.sthe
remainder having fallen into our hands
DESPERATE REBELS.
Several Of the Rebels showed during the engage
men recklessness Of life that proved their despera
zion. One of them mounted the breastworks in full
view Of our forces and deied the id Yankees;
but hardly had his defiance passed lis lps before he
fell pierced by score Of bullets.
Another remained outside Of the riae-Js after all
his companions had retreated behind them and
fought with his sword against half dozen of the
Unionists who had surrounded him and were anxious
90 take him prisoner. They asked him seyeral
times to surrender but be declared la would rather
die. and die he did on the point Of Union bayone;
but not before he had slain one and wounded three
of his Anniversaries.
One of the prisoners has since given tho history
Of this desperate Secessionst. He bad inherited d
large fortuLe; married 4 wife in Tennessee; sQGan-
dered bis means in riotous living and dissipation;
separated from HE spouse; became reckless joined
the army and declared his Intention to live no longer
than the first battle lie redeemed his fatal promise
and closed his wild career needleeS martyr TO
unhoy cause.
A third Secessonist, private in d Mississippi com
psny LETT his comp anons in srms and, with horrd
imprecaton rushed into the midst of one of our regi-
nents, his hand grasping bis musket barrel, and
aimed N blow at an Indiana captain, but WA shot
dead with revolver by lis opponent
UNION RECkLRSsNEss OF LIFE
THREE members Of the 9Th Illinois rushed over tine
rae-pits after the enemy bad retested and persbed
lighting against thousand foes.
TN Saturday, young mar, James Hartley, who
had Nos. brother the previous day. swore 10 be re-
yepped and in one Of the sorties by the Rebels, at
tackled six Of them single handed; killed three Of
them, and then lost bic own life.
Corporal Mooney, an Irishman, seeing that Tie
staff Of one of the remoomial flags wa.nan Ot away,
picked up The StsTs and Stripes, and wrsp9lng them