New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-03

p;,iew-ynion r. petition up the F0rheo
n..r RiYer-T The Lnicst Enseihgense
., sece.sia-Thc River Sill Failing
r.n;dIy-The weather EnuSuatly Tenn
...,c-s.,ch of Ice and Fresh Meat
Appearance of srnrvy ON the Eioi'i"'
From Our Special Correspondent.
NATIONAL FLoTfLLA. rear Fort Pillow,
Saturday. Midnight, May "a 1909.
yovv much longer yonr correspondent, will be con-
,.ed out of geographical conscientiousness TO date
hi. letter nssr Fort Pillow, he will not undertake to
deteruine; but if your readers are One.teuth rs
weary--and doubtless they aieof reading as be IS
Of seeing TIE stereotyped date they are deserving o.
the severcst comGiseratlOn.
THE MEMPHIS QUESTION
Fo,ty-one DAYS have now elapsed since the aillVsi
OF the Flota at Plum Point Bend; ana 10 "oaiu "
hazardous to state that there is any greater
ity of our reaching Memphis at this inoue"' '''"
tbo,e was FIVE weeks ago. We have heard 50 oi'eh
that something WAS about to be done al once, thai
we have crown skep,ieal; and | saoald NOT re sur
,r;sed if tie coming Fourth OF July found lie neet
stin living idly here. While hope, cannot say
am convinced il will be otherwise.
Thers ,eems 10 be deadlock al this point; and
martial strategy, or otLer mystery, prevents as
from advancing although, to minds uneniighiened
by the science of warfare it appears the feet could
essy have reduced the fort, and driven off the enc
mys gnnboats st least month ago.
GOOD SENSE VS.. MILITARY SCIENCE.
We have been told that the chief danger to be APP
pretended is that, in tie event Of our attack, The
Rebel guneoats, portion OF them, Will get above
us, and holding possession of the Mississippi,
menace the cities and towns Oh ills and the ONO
rivers. THIS may be; but those who assume TO
know ontsioe Of the navy say that rhe channel run
ming bv Craghead Point anu la.t Pillow IS barrow;
that TWO of our gunboats and rams could guard this,
while tue remainder Of the Union fleet went down
and engaged the fort and the enemy's boas. II any
of the hostile gunbrGts escaped, they cond not, II IL
affirmed, ron the blockade OF our reserve without
being sunk crippled. an opinion Commodore DAVIS
certainly does not share, else ne would Try the eA-
perimcpt Immediately.
That complete success might be obtained in this
way seems very plausible; but wnGt civilians cpin-
ion is valuable, since IL bias been often Demon
strated during this war that military science and
good as much opposed 10 each other AS the
North aud South | am Tree 10 confess 10 not un-
derstaud why We Lave lain of Pillow Tor nearly six
weeks, but douot whether those who shonid be
able do could give satisfactory ISOLATION OF the
enigma.
ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT.
A few DAYS ago we felt confident that tie arrival
y
aud artillery meant something; that We ehould have
an engage uent at once that would prove decisive.
The land forces went TO work erecting battery on
the Arkansas shore, and this morning. Col. Fitch OF
the 46h Indiana Informs u.s. al attack was desenec;
but having been told that the cooperation OF the
iotilla could not be relied OIL, ibe soldiers, VINO
brought bur four daye ratlons, have returned 10
their posts up tue river, and matters reauced 10
their iOrmsI state OF inactivity.
No one anoWs what tue UOrr0H NAV bring forth.
Ruf IL the 81 Plum Point
Bend look very unfavorable for a fight; and if we
reach Memphis wi I'm tie next fortnight, / think the
passage thlther will 10 brou.L ABOUT By other
agencies than ours. The enemy afraid to attack
us and II is not pocy-that ID, believe, the tech
meal teIm-for Us 10 attack them According 10
Tertulans IDEA, ought 10 have great faith IN
commanders, for the very reason that cannot COM
prebend them in the least.
Perhaps there IL no good ground for iinpatienos
The siege of Troy is said 10 have lasted ten years;
aud presume lie siege Of Pillow has right 10
time ten mouths II our Aganeuuons, and Achilles,
and Ulysses fl that 1t should 90 Let us not
nurmur. Right is stTong--st H,er than Fort iii
low-and tue Rebel cause Is weak.
Since last wrote, q little gunnowder has been
burned, and the quiet atmosphere Of this vicinity
somew hat olstuJ5 ea thereby.
sKIRMIsHEs WITH THE EMMY.
At an early hour OIL Thursday morning, just before
dawn, while Lieut.. Browniee OF TIE 46th Indiana
was with a small body OF opposite Pillow, on
the Arkansas shore, where 1t War bis Intention TO
erect battery, he was pelceved by The enemy, who
crossed toe river below, aud came upon him. Z.
skirmish occurred in which Liert NJ. X. Graham,
Compauy d. was shot through both hips, aud dan
gcIouel, hurt, and two piiya'as Of the iCth were
siightly wounded; but mo Rebels were driven
back.
soon after, private Of the 10Th came mp 70 ont
of our pickeis anC Gas commanded - hat AID give
the oOlBtefsign. Instead Of DONG TO- however, n
bis confusion or alarm, he brought ~ his muskes il
front Of him. and the picket thinking hiu foe, shot
ire poor fellow dead.
lcsterday morning, as il was supposed there were
O number d. Rebels 10 the woods or the Tennessee
shore above the fort tie 81. Louis. Capt III. Erb y,
ir dropped do Gn OPT Osite Cfalgntad, and threw a
few sheIls among the trees. Ne sooner had they
done 40 than tbgee shots bred fIOsn the fort,
aud ttey fell III very close proximity 10 the Union
punbOst bot did lot strike her, though they were
very well aimed. TIE 81. Louis would have re-
turned the brc, aud was preparing % do 80, when
Capt. Err W.. silr.led nom tie fsgL.p 70 de-
rist, anC e wii-d;ew with great nwilLngness 70
bis old / siion Up tic river. So the burning Of
guDpowdtr ceased and 1t has Aot slnee been con-
tinued.
THE SITUATION AT FORT PILLOW.
II has been reported that the enemy have cvacu-
sted Pillow and gone TO Randolph; but there Il no
truth in tie report, 10 recent Ieeonnos.anccs have
shown. feSJunOis sltbCe was made Yesterday after
noon down tie Arkansas shore, iId the Office ~
command saw Ell j. OF me enenys guuto9ts and
rams. the same number they exhibited on che morn
ing o. the 10Th ins.. He thinks tbe feet is the sgme
that then appeared around Clfigaeai Point, and
that ii the rama or other craft Of the Rebels were
iuiured they must been repaired. lie observed
nun Ger OF TIE Secession soldiers iounginR about,
evidently at yeFtc' ease, and wholly without fear
o. the odous Yankees. The foe evidently thinks
we were irI htened alter the late engagement, and
that we dare not ave him battle again.
Pillow, according 10 The Union officers, has u
siege guns, some vi them casemsied, and or 8 of
I0..ach bore, with 3 large mor,srs only one Of
u,lci the a.,any ha We Il ~ f,r fire., Sore OF the