, 1862-04-08
GFrom our Regular Correspondent
CAF REAR NEw AADRlD,

ca" 1H4z zpxii M5s :, Asa9a'0'} IS.
Hare yoa 1Il ls1s eyer traveled e7ar cor
duroy soaa, ttrrueted in tbsnost ptftui~
tive manner Of logs and rails placed cross
ways ofthe pathway, IN = wagon p1aeed square
rpon tbs ax1etrea Without springs OF. othez
r1hicu1ar sppendages to break its jolt as it
goes bun1pfng and bounding oyer the roots
and rails, the hills and the yallies. 1fso, they
are prepared feab1y to comprehend the misery
Of q trip from Birds Point to spikeston, the
terminus Of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad
The track Is pneyen- and rough, the bridges
are set upon stills ,Ithe Rad bed under water,
the ties and the =raila BIC broken, sad Hhens
Jou add to this the fact that Government
runs the trains, you Imc the climax of the
sfffafr:!:. Vt - T.: : = - -.
Between Birds. Point and Charleston the
countP j. not worth the psa and ink itMeqld
reauirEto describe it. Il is . succession Of
sWamps,. forests, log :huts, oak openings,
broken railroads and more sEampz. / did
here and, there discover clearing, where be-
tween ,blaekenad;logs and dead trees fhe poor
farmer. attempted to scratch the earth with
hi6 >ploW for the spring. planting Peach
trees occasionally appeared IN: full blossoms
in the tnsterstices of trees Shading some
lonely cabin. but like burst Of sunahine in
cloudy day, ou1y served to make the land
5Ecape more insupportabfe. Passing through
the forests and swamps we emerged mot the
open prairie, and approached the village Of
.cHARLEsToN. -. - :
This is beautiful town, the county seat Of
Mississippi county, and before the surround
Ing. country Was rayaged By Jeff Thompson
and his horde, boosted a population Of nearly
fifteen hundred sonia: A.: tie present the
siye OF the Federal garrison, one company Of
the Gotta Illinois, Col. Tu1er, which does duty
here. The inhabitants were mostly secession
ists, end when the Confederates lost the pres
homes and possessions; and consequently the
town Is deserted. The churches are closed,
!, The stores and shops shut up, and instead oil
the busy hum of industry, almost the silence
Of death now prevails, broken noT and then
by the wild shout Of the soldier and the shriu
scream ct the locomotive. a momentary
speck Of life seems to be infused into the town
when the cars arrive, and 8 crowd quickly
gathers around the neWsboy for the TRIBUNE;
but it t>quiekly subsidies, The surroundings Of
Charleston resemble New England town;
There are waving wheat-tie}ds, .blossoming
peach, pear and apple trees, the same comfort
able houses, the same churches, and the same
school house but in all else how different!
BERTRAND has the sane natural surround
ings. a miserable collection of shaaties, upon
which the word "Saloon" shines conspicuous,
is Indicative Of the peculiar qualities Of its
population. What few people reside here arc
noted for their intense secession proc!iyitles
Two members tGtff The 51st regiment were re-
Gently poisoned while partakfDg Of fresh pork
at the table Of one: Of; these monsters. Be-
tween Bertrand and Sikeston one hundred and
forty Union troops watch the railroad dap aud
night, to pFeyeut its destruction.
s1KEsToN
Is the present terminus Of the Cairo & Full
| ton Railroad, and it ls occupied By two COM
panies Of the Michigan Second Cavalry and q
detachment Of the Fifteenth Wisconsin. The
place is noted as the residence Of ssOld slkes,''
! 4 nstorious secessionist, who has contributed
Gbefal1y Of his means to support JEFF Thomp-
| son in carrying on his predatory warfare. The
! road leading from Sikeston to New Madrid Is
! upon 9 comparatively narrow: strip Of solid
| land lying between two immense sWamps. Il
| Eas on this road thst the skirmish between
| occurred, in which the former lost several
t men and six Of his one-pounder guns. The
| swamps are the faunts Of rebel spies and the
| adherents Of JEFF. who are acquainted with
| every foot Of the morass, plunge fearlesslJ
into the deep reeesses, because they know ou1
]
| way, or lane by which JEFF. Thompson reached
the swaulps, Was shown me. a Butternu1
! gentleman was arrested by our guard wbe1
about half way to New Madrid, bestriding &
| U. s. caFa1ry horse. The prisoner Was taEer
/ to Headquarters.
In the latter part of the Last month the mil.
itary authorities had built 4 line of telegraph
extending from Birds Point to this camp
| The recent severe gale caused the prostratior
Of a portion OF the line, but to-day it has beer
! discovered that it is cut in at least dozer
places between the camp and Sittstowu..
Gen. Pope has issued the order which ht
caused to be read to each hovel along thf
route:
Special Order No. Is. ........
/ MARCH q, 1862.
Ali persons owning property or living alonE
the line Of telegraph from Birds Point K
New Madrid, is hereby notified that they vii
be held accountable for the safety Of the hne
and if the wire is cut Or in any way interferet
with in the neighborhood Of farms or resi-
dences, their houses will be burned to th
ground and themselves and families arrested
t brought into camp aud punisbed with the ut
most severity. By order Of GEN. PORE.
/ SPEED BUTLER, A. A. General ,,