New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-28
TIE Reconnaissance TOWARD COLUM
BUS

Ibe'Cairo correspondent Of The Cincinnati GG-
zefle under date Of Feb. % gives the following &c
count Of the recen, Reconnaissance toward Columbus:
At about 7. o clock this morning an order came
from Commodore Foote to Capt. Paulding OF the st.
Louis 10 prepare the vessel for getting under way.
vast quantity of work necessary to such prepare.
ton was accomplished in q very short time, and by
o clock we were IN the stream. The Cincinnati was
on our starboard bow with the fag officer on board.
We joined by the Conestogn and three
transports, carrying Col Bufords 9Th Illinois Regi-
Inent; slso the l.. q. Wilson, towing two mortar
boats, and the Lake Erie, laden with ammunition
and supplies for the mortars. We steamed down the
river ma far "a Fort Holt, when we were joined by
the Carondelet and Mound City, which lad been do
Ing sort Of picket duty in dim anticipation Of al
attack from tho Secession iotia.
Oar feet consisted OF the ironclad boats Cincin-
NATL ~. Lonis, Caronfelet, and Mound City, the
wooden gunboat Conesioga, three transports, two
moi,ar-bosts, and two tugs. The morning was clear
ana bright. The sun shone IN beautiful uster npon
tie river, and upon the banks on either side, and
viewed from the deck Of the forward vessel the
aotla presented very grand and imposing appear
snce.
Al on board had bv This time come fully to the
conclusion that cur ds,iinaion the vicinity OF
Columbus, and our object ia going there reconnois-
fance IN force.
/ We proceeded down the river at good rate Of
fTced, abogt nine miles an hour, reaching Lucas
/ Bend, az 10 O'Clock. We bad not steamed n mile
l. osg the bend when while many OF ns were eagegy
looking out for the Columbus Bluffs, we We're sud
denly ayldiscd Of ther Whereabouts by tie report OF
tie alarm am-a blank sho, fred by tbes,nemy iust
us so rounded point from which me tmOae ~ Our
yer.els revealed oar approach.
! The order was given, on sscertaining .he where.
abouis OF The Rebel battery, foe all our guns 10 be
prepared. On board ol eech Of the iro..-,ad ycsscls
/ the De8 wore lipei 10 quarters, and soon every
piece Of cannon IN tho feet was manned and loaded.
About ten minutes after the irrt report we heard u
second one. aId ths liue on looking toward he
hhn., We PAW what appeared to he "a 6i-yound bah
| dig into tie water.
! Our non seemed anSour 10 be,iu 10 contest and
nothing hut strict or,er from Cent. Paulling pre-
vented The crew oi the ~. Louis irom making n
response To The 0nd Challenge "a tic enemy. We
sill kent nca.ing tie Is,ni whence tie shots had
come wher about fifteen minutes htcr bird Hash
and third irport told rs hat We were REGARDED I'D
iiospaSser.
! Tie Cincinnati which had kept ahead Of all The
other boais d4riug the pms o. from Cniro and war
II nhead about 700 y.ids rounded TO- tie Connie
DOE hding HAT i've miiiJfcs' drifting would ilny
her ight under thc eu,mys gum Size headed NJ
8 r,lu, aNd tignaled lhe other yctscls e. fail into
iinothe S. lOuia on her afArboard quarter and the
Carond,lei aud hOund Cit' on her port qulGtcr.
The Transports aud the toneiiOtr. We're hove 10 \
Inc IN oar "a this lime. The molinr-boas were
abon, being led UP Oh Tie light haul of tte river
/ About ai hour was spent In tnc.ing and turning
tle ilon-cd boats, 10 gci lhem into The lire Of ba,
tie. just they vote about Ia lorm, after they hpo
al taken th,s position, snd closing ny, II ,ienm
bot, heading up The river toward us, hove in sght
around The Belmont Point. Ey Ire ad Of a glass
, We soon discovered that ,bc was the Red Rover
formerly "a Cumberland River nnd Now-Orican,
packes-aAd that white las was dying NJ her ia k.
ntn1.
Tic Comuhdorc, on observing the sisnal, sen, up
nmilsr one on The Cincinnati. lie then order.d
the -. Louis. Carondoet and Mound C'y 10 pro.
coed siowly up The river 70 Az 10 keep beyond the
teiesoopi, range OF ,be Red Rover, aud not TO dir
cover our nalure % argument % the rebel office r..
TIE Cincinnati lrdNyrd along ude the Collmbus
seinscr. The benrsl ,i the lag of truce war LapI.
Blake, commander Of lie post AT Columbus WfNi
vat 'ie LAIGre Of TIC nsyo'"'IoN' sooghs 10 b