Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-10
We extract the following ipteres,;ng mar

from the Memphis Avalanche o:
Saturday March 1st
LATE PROM CoLUABus-Persons who reach.
ed the city by tho midnight train, state that
the Federa!s, $4,000 strong. were reported
at Milburn, eight miles above Columbus, on
Thursday. They were waiting for reinforce
ments, preparatory to an attack upon CO.
move down with an immense army upon the +
rear of Columbus, to surround IL ; and thus
capture it. All their plans have been proiec.
ted on the largest scale, and they entertain
no doubts about the result. ni ri l5pe t4Rl
The reports about the evacuation of co.
lumbus are premature. 1t has not been evac.
uated. But whether it is or not, our readers
may rest assured that endorsements will be |
sent forward IN sufficient numbers to enable
Our armyto make a decisive stand, and to
contest every inch Of ground. = ,s7t FL
Ii is also reported that a very large Federal
force is back of New Madrid, moving upon
the town. The report varies as to the dis
lance they are OF from the town, but there
appears to be no doubt Of the fact Of their
approach.
The enemy, it is said, propose to engage
US by land and water. The gunboats and
mortar fleets will engage us from the water,
while a large force will meve down on the
+ MtSSOuIi u 5hciituIh1 Siut, d1u GIlueaNOT p
to ~encircle our works. With a superior
force, the enemy hope and expect, so i is
reported, after a long siege, to take the po-
sition.
In anticipation of this contemplated for
ward movement of the enemy, our forces
have destroyed the bridges, mills. houses,
and in fact everything to retard their progress.
As to the measures in contemplation for
the reception of the enemy, it does not be-
come us to speak. A great battle will UNI
doubleday be fought there-and it may be
one which will decide the fate of the Confed-
eracy-and those who wish to live in the
history of the greatest battle of the war,
should. in our opinion, make haste to get to
E Columbus within the next few days.
LATE FROM CAIRo.-A gentleman just from
Paducah reports that the Federals have up
wards of one hundred thousand troops be-
tween Cairo and that place. He says that
! last Wednesday, while at Paducah, he saw
: forty steamboats, loaded with troops leave
there. They went ap Tennessee river a short
. distance, and then returned and started down
) the Mississippi. All the gunboats, except
f two, were disabled in the fight at Fort DON
r elson.. They admit their loss was twelve
e thousand, while others estimate it as high as
n twenty thousand. A forward movement was
tdIhco III IL L UuuCdu, allU III uUuDL was Cl-
o tertained that the force above alluded to was
destined for Columbus or New Madrid.
l. We learn, by way of Florence, that the
Is Federal gunboats are making frequent visits
up the Tennessee river. They frequently
accompany transports and trading boats, with
signs out in giaring letters, For Peace m
: The Federals profess much friendship, ant
afford the people the opportunity to buy goo,
coffee at ten cents a pound, bacon at six cent
a pound, and other articles in proportion
~ This system orr informant states is n having
- very demoraliziRg ~etiect-upnnsihe peoples
Tennessee river, which, embracing Ether
- idge's district, is supposed to contain NOR
ID Lincoln s~ympathlzers than any other PORTO
~ of the State.
no MEMPHIS, March 3.-Jonas Leilbetts, VIII
Id furnished the Union flag to the Federals a
at Fayetteville, Arkansas, and who pointed GU
,es the leading secessionists and their propert
il in that place, has been arrested by our troops
ny and was brought to Van Buren, in irons o
nd Friday last. E sa.
is The latest advices from New Madrid reprv
sent that the Feareal army, 10000 strong,
within two days march of that point.
no, skirmish occurred on Saturday with the a,
vanced Federal guard of over 1000 cavalr
>. and about 200 under General jeff. Thompso
= The small force under Thompson was driv.
nIs in. The Federal loss was TWENTY-FIVE. IT
nm Confederates are in large force at New Madri
II and they expect to whip the Federals ther
h The latest advices from Nashville represe
a ae that only three Union flags are flying in tn
city. The Lincoln soldiers are surprised al
'eu chagrined on account Of the little sympatl
" exhibited by the people. Captain Morg
IL captured ninety of the Federals on Thursd
=. night, and every night Federal pickets a
either killed or captured. The Federal pic
cts now exteud their operations to Frankii
IN ~ twenty miles south uf Nashville.
IN MEMPHIS, March I've have reports FRI
an- New Madrid up to Saturday. The Fede
50 army was then stated to be thirty miles
advancing. Their advance guard was with
rom five miles of New Madrid. No fighting h
are occurred up to Saturday.
Who The latest intelligence received from Ma
,ub. vile states that the Federal troops in the c
the are conducting themselves with marked p
-ap. priety. All the Confederate soldiers on f
ries Tough have been arrested. A company
side longing to Colonel Bates regiment was arr
ally ted on Thursday while crossing the river a
the making their way home The company C
YES. sisted of forty men. Two Federal flags W
Their hying-one on the capitol and the other
the courthouse. A few stores are open.
d., arrests of private citizens have been made
~ General, Johnston has fallen back to
o,r catur, Alabama.
the A despatch from Washington to the n
and York Times says that Andrew johnson,
way of Tennessee, will probably proceed to Ma
bree vile as soon as Gen. Bueirs army ia
possession of that city, and assist in the