, 1862-03-17
THE EVACUATION OF NEW
MADRID.
THE SITUATION ON THE
MISSISSIPPI.


THE Feet 1T ss.f'0. TEvF.'
Thedispatehes Of General Pope announcing
the evacuation Of New Madrid, make that VIC
tory more solid and substantial triumph |
than VIC were led to believe it, from earlier re-
ports. General Pope made the rendezvous Of |
his column at Commerce, 4 few miles above !
Cairo, on the Mississippi, late In February,
and from thence took his march across the
country, through roads ofa description most
horrible. There were days in which the ad-
vance made vas not more than three OF four
miles. During This time there were many
runners Of disaster to his force, and our read
ers will remember that it was deemed neccs-
sary to throw out . reinforcement from Birds
Point, which went by ralIroadto CharlestoWn,
and thence marched to join Pope The col
umn arrived and invested New Madrid con1-
pletely, occurring Point Pleasant a place ten
miles below, with battery commanding the
river.
In our DISPATCHES we present the official re-
port Of General Pope, announcing his success,
and the announcement that our tlotilla, under
Commodore Foote, arc at Hickman. The
map will explain that Island No.
10, so often mentioned in our dis
patches, is situated in The corner Of that
bend Of the Mississippi river which touches
the border Of Tennessee, a few miles
fa,thcr up the river than New Madrid, although
nearly southwest Of that point It is located
about two hundred and forty miles from St.
Louis, and nine hundred and fifty miles from
| New Orleans. The elevation OF tho river at
| this point Is about two hundred feet above the
| level Of The delta, or its mouth The average
| depth OF the water at this point is from ninety
to one hundred and twenty feet, and the
breadth Of the stream from mainland to maiu.
land about nine hundred yards. The current
zuns by the island at moderately FAST rate
and with the powerof the three rivcrs-Mis
sissippi, Missouri and Ohio-combined- The
island is rear the southern, OF what might b{
termed the eastern, bank of the river, bu
that, at this point, the stream varies from it:
southern course and turns abruptly to tht
| northwest, leaving this island III the southern
angle Of the bend Its about fortg-ige miles
by the course of the river, south Of Columbus
and about twenty-six mites from Hickman
! It is near OblonE4,ic-
ST. LOTS, March 15.-Br;gadier Gen. Pope
in dispatch to Gen. Hallcck, says:
| Our SUCCESS at New Madrid has been cyc
srea!er than was reportrd. Twenty-Five piece
Of heavy artillery, cona :attpg of,s4 and riaet
3a-pornders. two batteries Of f1eld artillery
an immense quantity Of fixed ammunition
l several thousand small arms, hundreds {
i boxes Of musket cartridges, three hundre
: mules and horses, tents for an army Of L, 90
e men, and an immense quantity Of other proI
= erty. Of not less value than one million dollar
q has fallen into our hands:
u Their men only escaped.
The enemF's whole force is dcmoralizc
and dispersed in The swamps on the opposit
side Of tho river.
The enemy abandoned their works SO hu
a ricd1y Is to leave all the baggage Of the
S officers and the knapsacks oftheir mcn-
e Their dead were left unbu1ied. Their SUI
r, pers we're on the tables, and candles burni1
= in their tents.
h a furious thunder storm which ragged
- night enabled the enemy to get across t
river without being discovered.
u Our heavy batteries were erected during t
l vi Liz 4-kAl, NAtAAA osp eAAA9 ~ LIZ NJ
o. my's works, and opened at daylight on t
Of 18th, just 81 hours after the guns were del
lie cred to Us at Cairo.
ID During the whole day Of yesterday our liz
n wcrc drawn closer around their works undo
ed | furious fire Of sixty pieces OF artillery.
- The fear Of IN assault on their works
daylight induced them to fec prccipitat
~ during the night. Many prisoners have bt
III taken, also tic colors Of several Arkansas re
'as mcpts.
nd Our loss is about titty killed and wound
he Rollins was in command Of the fleet, 1
he Generals McCnnn. Stuart and Gnatt In C:
nd ma1d Of tie land forces. The gunboats "
> down The river.
Gen Pope las Is heavy guns planted in
+. ene1,y's works, which command every par
the river.
se" FROM TIE NAVAL EXPEDITION.
H1cKAAs, Ky,, March Ia, TO P. NJ.
| Naval Expedition, under command Of
S. Officer Foote, which left Cairo att. o'clock
Dc morning, now lies at this place. On lca'
red Cairo our force vas five gunboats-
and Louisville, Cincinnati, Carondelct and Co
ads | fog;,- Nc arrived at Columbus ut 9 L.
ie where VIC were Joined by the Mound {
lief Pittsburgh and st. Louis, and were oycrts
'ual by eight mortar boats in tow Of two steam
and by the transports and ordnance bt
Got under way from Columbus at $50 an
rived here at $50. The ene1ny's mou
.. pickets were in sight Of the bluff on our
val
ring Two companies Of the 9Th Illinois wen
4'3o@ the road at double-quiek in hope to c
,hu- them, but were too SLOW,
vice A train Of cars came within about two
nm. dred yards Of the troops, and was fred n
II, but escaped. So
4 I. 4 strong Unipn feeling is shown at F
pa4v man.
Tice The impression prevails that Island N
Voah will not offer, much resistance. Thers
= 3, said to be two or three Thousand troo
r. ngnr Uaion City, 600 at Humboldt, and $50
g and IN vicinity Of Island No. TO-.
4 r There are said to be twelve heavy gu
wee three batteries on Island No 10.
yice STILL LATER-THE FLoTMLA ARRIy,
,cant | W. ~
pany Oh BOARD FLAG SH1P, NILES ABOVE 1s1AH
No. IL, Saturday, r. N.
t H | FRoH CAIRO, Sunday, r