Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-18


that so many months have been allowed to
eIapse without any movement from Cairo.
Since the unfortunate reconnaissance TO Bel
mont the operations from this point have been
confined to desultery and unimportsnt Skin
mishing. A vast force has been steadily con-
centratiug here for some weeks, both naval
and land. The enemy has been busily strength
ening bis position around Columbus, and has,
on the whole, manifested more spirit than we
have, considering the respective means Of
oFense and defense At length the ears of the
country will be gladdened by the announce
ment that a " forward movement" is at last to
take place.
The principal obstacle to the advance, it is
understood, has been hitherto, the presence Of
the Confederate army Of Price in the Missouri
territory. That difficulty has been easily and
summsrily disposed of, and nothing binders
the immediate precipitation of the great army
Of the West upon the keypoint Of the rebels in
Kentucky, There is the more necessity of
his course. SIS il Is will known that Gen. Buell.
Is already tasked with the advance through
central Kentucky, via Bowling Green, onward
20 Nashville.
Gen. Hslleck has already so far cleared Mis-
SUN of rebel troops as to dispense with the
immense force which has been kept in garrison
along the various roads in that State. Price
troops. Col. Carr. with large cavalry force,
will be heard from before many days. Nothing
IL TO be fssred from that quarter.
THE ARMY AT CAIRO.
None o. the troops engaged under Fremont
in his expedition to the southwest have as vet
been transferred to this vicinity, though il is
reported with some show of truth that nearly
10000 arc being shipped at St. Louis for this
point. The number Of troops now in the de-
partment of Cairo may be estimated in round
numbers rs follows At Paducah II 600: at
Cairo, Is 0C0 at Birds Point, 1000; at Fort
Holt, s. 900; Mound City. s, 900; with an avail
able force Of 5000 at Cape Girsrdsau, forty
miles further up the river. These troops are
principally from Illinois, though a spripklinp
of them are from Missouri, Iowa and the North
west. The great majority of the officers are
also Illinoisans. Gen. Grant. the commander
Of the district. IL from this State as are also
Gen. McClernaud, Gen 0glesby snd General
Paine. The men are, for the most part well
drilled, and, so far as mere drill can make
thea, are efficient soldiers.
Probably an exception might be found in the
teid artillery. which has undergone but very
limited practice. or the efficiency of the com
marting officers there is, as usual, great di.
Tersity Of opinion. tits noticeable, that a very
email proportion of them are regular officers
1nsonuch as Gen. Halleck has shown such
decided preference for officers of the old army
IN his appointments heretofore, it is 20 be pre-
sumed that when the time shall have arrived
for a simultaneous and decisive movement he
VIII assign to the command experienced officers
who have served in the more arduous campaiun
of the Southwest. The patriotism and pluck
Of the present commanders are undoubted. but
Bull Run hasunhappily demonstrated the value
Of the example Of cOmpeten and tried offcsrs
IN desperate and critical emergency.
THE NAVAL FORCES
The aggregation Of respectable fleet ON the
Mississippi has already attracted much atten-
ton. The fleet consists at present of ei0ht
iron-plated gunboats, one of which 1.-THE f50-
ship BentOn) carries Is large-sized Dsblpren
and rihed guns. On board Of her Commodore
Foote will hoist his pennant The Essex the
second ship in the feet, carries some of the
heaviest armament in the service. Besides
these are the wooden gunbOats Lexington.
Tyler, and ConestOga. The feet of mortar
boats, 80 in number, still lays on the river
shore, in progress Of mounting. The heavy
mortars to be used on these boats have lot all
arrived from Pittsburg, where they were cast
and it is probable that the casting of the neces.
sary 250-pound shells will take some DAYS fur
Their. These, with about q dozen little tu0s
complete the naval preparations at this point.
There will, when complete, be total of
nearly 200 guns ready TO launch forth their
deadly storm OF iron hail upon the rebel forti-
fcations at Columbus. The work of DIatin.
the gunbOats is not yet entirely Completed
They are probably in lighting trim, but await
tne plating OF some OF the upper works. The
steamer Maria Denning lies anchored in the
stream abreast Of the port az 8 receiving shin
where the marine are kept until thew are
transferred to their respective gunboats. Two
thousand seamen are employed in the service,
which are, In all respects, governed by the
navy regulations.
TIE MOVEMENT INTO KENfUSYY.
1t may be dlfneult TO point out the precise
destination to which the coming expedition ia
directed, but Its field Of operations can be
defined IN general terms. The position occu.
pied by the opposing forces may be described
As the Two sides OF a parallelogram The
national army resting upon Birds Point
Cairo, and Paducah, is faced by that of the
Confederates resting on Columbus, Hickman.
Mayheld and Dover, inclosing between them
the portion Of Kentucky west Of the Cumber-
land river The fort on the State line near
Dover has Of late been strengthened. but n IL
still an inconsiderabie work A rebel csmn
sixteen hundred strong is reported at that
point. West Of that, some sixteen miles ia
camp Beauregsrd, where the rebels have sir
thousand troops, at latest accounts. This Ia on
the line Of railroad between Bowling Green
and Memphis.
From the nature Of the preparation il is-dis-
coverable that the object Of the execution ia
70 attsck aEd capture this force if possible.
and then told the position. This, if successful,
Will efsctsSily flank the rebels at Columbus
and may be very seriously contested by the
rebel forces from Memphis, Columbus and
Nashville. It's great feature will be, however,
70 distract the attention Of the COnfederstes
before Bowling Green, and BY drawing off
IRON their forces give to General Buell. a chance
loE dis co1tp de MAN In Censrai Kentucky.
N order to carry out this plan with trium-
PhA1t success, 1t will require at least twenty
thousand men. Report says that fully that
nun Der are ordered To move; this estimate is
however, probably too high. This must NOT he
eoafoanded with the grand onset BY which the
passage OF the Mississippi is To be forced, as the
sooVe reasons will show that we are hardly in
shape 10 concentrate our entire strength for
thst purpose; but this must DO REGARDED a.
supporting movement, designed TO nnsb On
lines some ffty miles further south to the Tsnl
nsssee line. ~ '"e len
The chances are that small naval erna5;-
Ton VII fail OF to-morros or Saturday mn The
Cameerland river, and engage the bstt.r;.s
erected at Dover, driving them out of The Dos;<
ton and landing forcs sufficient 10 hold -.
transferring part Of the forces now posted NJ
Paducah 70 that point. Another, and more
pretentiOus squadron, will set sail at an an
pointed signal, down to Columbus, and. under
the elsAr-headedl commodore, not oplv kssn
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