, 1862-03-06

GUIDED, the Cincinnati; bore the colors Of Com
modore Foote.
The fleet got under way at O'Clock Tues
tlay morning, headed for the c4usgota terru, |
the land Of mystery-Columbus. It was a
cold, chilly morning, tie wind cutting like a
knife, rcndcfiug an oyercoat and blanket dcci-
dcdly comfortable. For two hours VIC steamed
down the river, our pace accelerated By the
swift current some six miles an hour, between
amending files of cotton woods, sycainores
and willows, dead and dcca5ing in sTamps
and tic oycrflowed lowlands, with here and
there a tumble down, squat cabin, perehcd
upon some e1ninence fortunate in being terra
f. nsa BY margin Of 4 few inches.
ARRIVED At LCcAs's BEND.
The Geet arrived at Lucas>s Bend, about two
miles and a half above Columbus, just as the
sun WIS rising. The flag SLIP sisnalled the |
feet to COME to, and We lay III The middle oi |
the stream, the transports lar astcrn- The |
pcar edge Of the Columbus bluffs was in
siaht, hut the glass revealed no signs Of the |
enemy The fleet moved slowly down until
opposite the fatal field Of Belmont, at the
point where the transports conveyed away
our forces upon tllat tragic day. Upon the
margin Ct the river stands Fuinous looking
tenement, ut the door Of which was still
more ruinous looking native and his son,
1aul, long llmbed STRIPPING, who, upon sight
Of the gunboats, incontinently took to his
heels and r skedaddled'' through IN adjacent
eor1fcld and vanished in swamp. 4 tug
set out from the flag ship for the house, and
accosted the native, who persistently declared
&1,n eli 1,n1 tad fta1TYu1frG
the previous daf, and burned their quarters.
Little faith was rcposcd in the natives state.
mcnts. After lengthy and tedious into.
.:unboat communications, the line Of battle
was formed, tie drums beat to quarters and
The guns were manned for action. Another
tue, earring scouting detachment, set of
from the fag ship, gradually aud cautiously
crawled down to the point behind which
| frowncd the mysterious Qualifications and re-
posed the deserted village with its great an
cest4al name. The tug reached tho point
and rounded it in full range Of the
water batteries. Upon the crown OF the
bluff could be seen straggglcrs, here and there,
and as the tug rounded the point, one of
| them unfurlel flag aud waved it. The cha1.
| acter Of the flag could not be disccEned from
/ the cunboats, but 1t was evidently satisfactory
| | to the scouting party, as the tug suddenly in
creased her speed in dircct1lne for the watel
: | battery, and closely followed by second tug
with party from the flag ship.
HOSTING THE FLAG
= Both parties landed and started for the tol
c Of the bluff at double quick, and 1na fer
, moments Lieut. Phelps Of tho Cincinnati
uafurled the Stars and Stripes. They fouu'
+ themselves, however, second comers, for th
. Second Illinois Cavalry from Paducah la
= = rode overland the day before on scouting
e expedition and taken possession Of th
b town. The sunboats rapidly steamed down
{ tie town, and the crews enthusiastically sa
r uted the flag. The transports landed thcl
is troops, and possession was taken. The wor
/ was accomplished without the firing of i gu
~ orloss of life The bubble, when it VI:
l. gsasped, left tery thin suds iu the Land
re THE TOWN.
Columbus is situated upon narrow nee
a | Of land running sonth from the base Of
H. bluff Of steep ascent and some ninety feet
ds altitude above the present water marx
~ Upon this bluff the rebel batteries were
Gated. The town is simply hetcrogcnco
le- n,.st nf -,,,;c1, 60. at onc finn derotcd
he 1o,.,:-,rr ,,;,,,o,,a "a h;,o+o-v ,,-,oeos n
" " .;,,- -es,acnoa rsv. eo,ne ve11 daf,noa c1,;,
he .-.,,;taetas., -,:a,ans;ona ara sn,et n
1ae - s1';1a1a 5aoa,.+os s;da <-a1, ND =
" ah,ro1 iffs IT, 1neek vooden tnrat
% tho s11 como n;stance ahovc IT.
sn..,:d..na ao,o+~ta- ro,u,nh,s
e;a9;aa,st as r. "a cstah1,sbca
zen srean;n,~T c1s;r n commercial
s21- no-tancc - hc;no thc +erm,nns If t,,c Nal
-. ana rb1o Roi,road-tvo ~ thnce groc
ned sto,cs and n. many ins1pn;6cant tsyerne
ing mot Itf,ce. .comh;nirn Amid u,t1, its nosta]
!ble r,no-merts the whole 1,c1.ea hv swan
1en .nzn fTonted hv thc river and hemmed in y
an n1nf1s make the town. Everything horc
stay MARKS Of desertion and destruction.
honses VEN closed and the jnmatcs pt
" ~ r7,o .+o,ez hna 1,een ransactcd ,,d thr
as | +onte scattered through the streets. Me
that scs. dour. groceries, letters, .canale-bo
th;e n1ar,rr. c,Tds uhieky.bottles. house fu,nit
inl- md ofner 7r+;c1cs nj ;n6u;fua- littered
rider s5deu,1E. con+rahand n,ounted mn
II, forlorr md 7,,sa-aeasuhed nule. .nd q