New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-16

1
| CoxropoRs FoorX's FLo1ILh SEAR FoRr PLLov,l
| SxyEsIY-Yyx NILss ABOVE MEnrRs,
| THURSDAY, Midnight, May y, 1867
Alter three DAYS of unusual quietbess even toe
this oniet siege, we had at o'clock this morning,
tho Or spect of sensaiion and though the prospects
deceived u, we duly grateful for the slight ripple
in the vast pool Of our monotony.
| The enemy, as have said, bsve been threatening
for two weeks to come sround Craighead Point some
night with their gunboats and rams, take rs by sur
Prise, and sink the entire hos. No one supposed,
but every one hoped they would try the experiment;
and on the night Of Monday, the 2sJh ut, we were
all prepared for the gascon foe, who, however, did
not make bis appearance.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF TIE REBEL GUNB0ATS.
At daylight this morning, the watch on the decks
of the fleet observed hostile gunbost above the
Point, another Immediately in her wake, and
third partially visible. H. WIS supposed the enemy
were making their menace good at last that sll their
boats would be in the river below ~, and thai
an animated aud decisive action would be tho
result.
| In minute all was hustle on our boats and tho
gunners were promptly At their posts. lhe bentons
Mound City, Cincinnati, St. Louis Caroncelet rtts.
burgh and Cairo were moved IN Lie OF 3at'iS, anu
before minute had passed the flag chip let of two
of her 5O-pound riaed DaLlgrens, and the Cincn-
natl initiated ber example,.
The Rebel gunboa sh.d been moving very :lOwly,
but az soop as our shots were heard, they backed
down, literally well a. metaphoically, with aug.
mented speed, and passed out Of sight, without
firing gun.
SUPPOSED INTENTION OF THE ENEMY.
The enemy's intention, probably, was 70 make Q
Reconnaissance, without attempting anything ior'
ltber. unless they found favorable opportunity %
capture ore or two of our mortar-ooaIs, 'yne le,s
above the Point. Whether they were satisfied with
their reconnaissance hot, ain unable TO say, oot
seems to me II must have been toV bTief, and they
too much occupied with their own safety, 70 nave
been sll they desired.
REPORTED DESIGNS OF THE ENEMY.
For several days. reports bave been in circulation
that the enemy desigped to g. up the Hatchee River
with a tug and one OF two eunboats, ard cutting
their way through the swamps ~ the Forked River,
come in above US, and, descending the MiselssipPi,
destroy our transports and before our heavier
and slower Qunooats could prevent follow them.
The plan appears feasible enough, and the idea
GOOD one: but there 10 spprehe sion on our part,
because we do not believe they have We nerve 70
make the attempt; aud II they do make the attempt
they will hardly be successful. Had we occupied
their position, tnat would have been the thing We
would have done, probably, some time ago; bus We
opine they have the energy nor the COURAGE nor
the skill to endeavor much less to sccompLshrso
much.
UNFORTUNATE INDIANA REGIMENTS.
In the 43d and 46,h InoiaDs Regiments, commander
respec lively by Coils. Mclean snd Fitch, winch have
been encamped Oh the Arkansas SHORE since the sr.
nvsl Of the ao,illa as Plum Point, agrest dssi Of
sickness has prevailed and many Oh Tue poor .siS
have been sent 10 Cairo and not few have oaed on
| Ii cir way up the river These Two regiments have
suered greatly from lack OF clothing, supplies, and
~ sAcines and present most forlorn a. pearance.
PROBABLE EVACUATION OF PILLOW.
A couple OF deserteIs from Pillow reached tho
hotilla ths morning. and reported that PREPARATIONS
were making at the fort for evacuation, and that
portion of the garrison had already gone, corrobora:
ting the intelligence from similar source when
This afternoon, Lieut.. Bishop Of the Benton, pro-
ceeded to the Point in q tag and, landing on The
Tennessee shore, went as far az ne could on ran.
and then used his glass for over bali an hour. he
WA within three.qu quarters Of mile OF the fort,
and erer ytAimg indicated thdt partial not con.
D ete eraeuatt0n had taken pace. No mes cere rss.
Ible on the Bluff and not gsnboat wds TO 6e seen:
A few persons were Oberved at work at the base OF
the Bluff, but beyond those there were no signs of
life Not = camp was pereeptible, nor even the
smoke of Q campfire, and the iDpress OIL Of many
ON The flag sLip s that the ipf0rmsiion VI She do
serters is correct thoueh il lie by no means certain
Whether Pillow 10 evacuated or not, there 10 no
probai iliy Of an engagement at this poiIt, unless
we are attacked, ut least until after the battle be:
tween Gen. Hslleck and Beauregards forces; ana
the defeat of the latter will insure the abandon
ment BY Villipgue Of his position
One reason that has prevented Con. Foote from
making an attack on Pillow has been the lear 'nat
some OF tue Rebel gunboats would escape and gos
above the fleet, and then be enabled to DO great
deal of injury on the river, having no opposition,
because our boats from their greater sohdity and
Inferior speed, would be unable " overtake them.
Montgomerys present position between CONS:
Farrapnt and Fo0te cannot te pleasant one; but
he will doubtless contrive to escape by abandoning
bus boats and destroying thsm 10 prevent thsr isii
ing into our possession.
ACTIVE MORTAR FIRING.
Our mortsrs have been keeping up quite lively
bomt ardment since morning-ths most animated Of
any day since departure from lslaad NO. lo-bus
the accuracy efficacy VI their firing remains -
much mystery a. before
| OUR ANXIETY To REACH MEMPHIS.
| Every one on the fleet 10 anxious 10 reach Mem
pbis, rs you can well imagine, after months con-
fnement to the decks Of The holia, with no fairer
prospect than the murky stream OF the hississipp,
and tho submerged woods upon the distant shore.
Such life ID dull aud mOnotonous in the oxtreme,
especially 70 one WHO has been for months Bohemian
ling with the amy and leading the sdventureeome
and exciting, il even disagresstle, lie Of Wsr.
Correspondent.
Friday, 10 O'Clock, a. m.-Cspt Charles H.
Davis, OF the United States Navy, arrived here
this morning the transport DE Soto, to take tho
second command OF the hotilla, and relieve Com.
F0ote Of portion Of bis duties, with whom ne
now closstsd on the flagship. The captain oloet
looking than had supposed, but be appears nts =.
man Of frmness, energy aud nerve, weh-n!'eo "
I'LL the position to which he has been ssslgned'
NATIONAL FIorSLA. N.An Tc:r Pillow
S.vESry.yivR Mills ABOVE mk,pnss, ,ss, {
S.tnrdsv O'Clock = ~, May ". 1907
- -...;o, cofbino fnrther has vet