Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-15
Ar CATRO.

The Cairo correspondent Of the Louisville
journal writes a letter which w find in that pa
per of the 7tb inst, and Of which the following
Is an extract:
Iopennow upon the first chapter of the new
yeaT, and though an eventfGl one has closed upon
our distracted country / viii not fret your read
ers by a dull essay upon its ills and grievances,
but leave 20 other and more gifted minds the
m%ournful task, whilst / relate unvsrnished tales
and facts.
I find ON my return today that !" things have
gone on here most execrably." Nothing new or
startling has occurred, for in these p~iratical times
It's nothing new to hear of treachery, frauds, or
any manner of evil doiugs.
Under the rule Of Gen. Fremont things ap-
peaTed TO 90 on very smoothly hereabouts, and
the nest Of swindlers who infested this rancho
crept snd gided along in confidence and seeuIi-
ty, and revealed in their ill-gotten gains but
" foul deeds viii rise though all the world Ger
Shelm them TO mems eyes" Under the new
tegent, Gen. Halleek, affairs are assuming q
widely different aspect, and the plnndereTs trem-
bic at the mention Of his name and the fTown Of
his justice.
But matters have net yet appeared in a sufi-
GENTLY vivid light TO warrant my mentioning
anything beyond generalites.
Among the recent removals is Commodore
Wash Graham, superintendent of government
transports.
Gen. Grant refuses to recognize recent con
tracts made by parties st this post and suspends
ali contracts until an investigation can be had
Parties who applied to him 10 have their con
tracts ratified yesterday and were denied, went
pOsthas4e 20 St. LOnis, to endeaYor 10 get them
approved tbeFe before Gen. Grant could get sd-
vices there, but be teleprsphed TO Major Allen to
await his adviees. The conclusion OF bis letter
20 Major Allen tonight read as follows
q would recommend that a law be passed to
press ell fraudulent contractors into the service
as soldiers, or still better, that they be placed as
marines on the gunboats, where they would have
no opportunity to desert"
The expedition which left Padueah, December
25th, VIA a force Of I39 cavalry, two companies
Of regular cavalry, and seventy dragons undef
command Of General Lewis Wallace, proceeded
in the direction Of Camp Besuregard as far as
Camp Creek, when they halted for the night.
At three o'clock next morning they started for
Mayfeld, where reaching, they Eested E short
time, AMI then marched forward TO within six
miles Of the camp. where they found the enemy
had an outpost guarded by sevenry-f5 re men.
Here taey learned from a Union man that Oh
the troops who had occupied Camp B~eauregard,
except q battery Of artillery and II Clay Kings
maraudeFs, had g0as 70 ~reinforee Buckner at
Bowling Green, bat that Il was ~T8qccupied by
three or four regiments Of SIXTY day men. As
our force was too small TO hazard against such
odds Of The enemy, Gen. Wallace with his force
returned again that night to a station on the Pa
ducah branch Of the Memphis and Ohio railroad.
near Yiola. At dayhTeGk on Monday one of
Waliaee,s piekets returned 10 esgfE and reported
that a large force Of rebel infantry and cssGlry
was advancing and abe8t to attack our men.
Learning this, Gen. Wallace crossed his com
mand over Mayfeld creek in good oder aud
drew mp on the opposite side of the creek TO re-
ceive tho enemy, but they showed no disposition
TO attack as. Ger. Wallace sent a messenger to
Padueah for reInfoTcemeate chile he retired again
to Viola, intending to engage tAe enemy in a
skirmisb. but he (the enemy retreatod.
Here our force remained awaiting orders,
which did not arrive until 3 o'clock Tuesday
morning. Quite a large force Of cavalry ap-
peared early in the morning, but made no dem
onstTatiens against US, and in obedience to orders
Gen. Wallace, with his command; returned to
Paducah without having effected anything.
According 20 the report of Gen. Wallace, the
country through which he marched is OF a char
scter such as TO render fighting with cavalry
extremely difficult and advantageous. It is
described as enc long stretch of scrub oak and
dense chapparel broken only now aud then by
a farm OF clearing. On account Of the scarcity
Of water it would also prove difficult to march a
heavy column through.