, 1862-03-26
Interesting and Important
from the South.
TIE SITUATION At MEMPHIS
MOVEMENTS AND CONDITION OF
THE REBELS,
a GREAT BATTLE PREPARING,
JEFF 1H0MPsOk'S E0lNCS I'm
MISSOURI,

S41Ho. MATCH ., 1861 |
a gentleman just from Memphis brings the
following information: He represents Mem
phis as in etate Of agitation and terror, The
fair grounds are used for camps. Every one
capable Of bearing arms is being impressed |
into the service. Men arc eyen dragged from
their beds.
The proclamation Of the Mayor, in regard !
to burning the city, has no influence. a ma
jotity Of the Aldermen, in connection with |
leading military officers, decided, at !, meeting
held fortnight ago, to burn the city when |
they evacuate, in spite Of the Mayor.
There are no Notifications at Memphis.
The news of the battle at Pca Ridge eaused
great Depression
Federal gunboats are expected daily. Two
hundred and FIVE Union prisoners are in the
city, who are made victims Of much abuse at
the hands Of the guards. One Of them was
shot at for looking out Of ! window.
Three gunboats are under WAY at Mem
phis, but It will take a long time to finish
them.
At Randolph only four guns are mounted.
At Fort Pillow, however, there is strong for
tifcation, mounting twenty-five 64pounders
A0A LAAA %C-tI<AA4EIS- 1ASEC AE aGO4b I, d,V2U
|! troops there )! Union City there arc only
| $50 troops.
Generals Beauregard, Cheatham, Polk and
Clark went to Corinth, Mississippi, a fortnight
| ago. The rebels have I force Of IS 600 men
! there, and expect to make stand either at
Co1inth or Bethel. It was the general impress
sion that this battle would be the decisive one
Of the campaign, and that the fortunes Of the
South would hinge upon its result.
| At Memphis and ut other large points-even
| at New Orleans-theIe is considerable Union
feeling, and southern papers do not represent
the feelings Of the mass Of tic people, as
they, Us well as everything else, are under the
control of politicians and the military.
At New Orleans, 13 gunboats arc on the
ways to be plated with railroad iron
Fort Pike is reported to be in our posses
sion, and it was 4 mere temporary structure,
mounting only three or four guns.
The report thnt the South is we'll supplied
with provisions, is absurd. They have not
stock enough on hand to last six months.
Clothing, Shoes &C., are also very difficult to
obtain No confidence is felt in Southern cur
rency, Southern politicians or Southern mill
tary leaders.
JEFF. Davis was unanimously denounced as
incompetent.
Floyd is everywhere considered an arrant
| knaTe.
Mrs. Buckuer had arrived at Memphis. She
complained Of not being allowed to go farther
North than Cairo. In the parlor Of the Gayoso
House she attracted universal attention by her
denunciation Of Pillow and Floyd The for
mer is represented to have said that he would
shoot Floyd whenever he met him.
It was the general opinion at Memphis thai
no stand would be made at Island No. 10, but
that battle would be risked at Fort Pillow.
At the latter place, however, retreat is cut Of
by land, as the country in the rear is undula
ting and swampy.
The above faets are reliable, as have then
from a Northern man, an old acquaintance
whose word may be relied upon.
A detachment from JEFF. Thompson's band
under command Of rebel Kitchen, made
. demonstration in the vicinity Of Bloomfield
Mo-, and succeeded in arresting tWo 1adic
residing there, the wife Of Lieutenant Mitchell
Of Powe]l's battery, and Mrs. s, D. Beauforth
Of Bloomfield. The ladies have been taken tt
, Holcomb's Island, 70 miles below Bloomfield
near the Arkonsas line, where Jeff's camp /
located.
Col. Michael Lawlcr, 18th Illinois, who wn
wounded at Donelson, arrived to-day enrout
for Pittsburgh.
LATER.
The gunboat Conestoga has just arrived
There Is no change in the position Of affairs a
Island No. 10. The mortars are firing irregu
y y la1ly and very moderately, about once an houl
t The rebels do not reply.
t There are no signs Of an evacuation Of til
: Island. The enemy, 30 far as can be discos
n cred, are In full force, both on the island an
: on the mnin land.
e The river is rising. Nothing Of importanc
:. | from the Tennessee.