The weekly sun., 1862-03-22

Tux WAr on tuE MIssIssirT-A DIsNr-
roINTMENT-tiIN PurEs MuvTNENrs "A
HARD Roam 10 THAyEL-RErAIRs TO THE
GuNEoArg-TiIr BrNroN- REMARKABLE
SrrEp-FoEr DoNrLsoN 10 BE EyAcUA-
TED, &c, &c.
Cairo, march ~ have delayed writing
for several days, with the expectation that ea,h
hour force would leave down the Mississippi, and
soen thereafter there weud be something beyond
mere commonplace events W writs about. Yeater-
day we had nearly H,Arted-were all aboard 'he
gunboA,s, and were momenIArily expecting the
Commodore W raise the signal Of departure, when
the word came that o. whole affair was indefinitely
postponed.
The true reason ~ the delay. In my opinion, IA
that II has been deemed best not o. make demon
StrAion tho rebels until Gen. Pope las 10 i1rti-
fed on the river below them " be able TO cut of
their retreat. The latest advices from Cen. Pope
represent tina, he ia rapidly making his position EN-
cient, both iOr offensive and defensive purposes.
or fortnight past heavy siege guns have bes
shipped nom Mound City by boat 20 Commerce.,
which have been dragged overland from thA, point
" Gen. Popes position In the rear Of and nsar,New
Madrid.
This operaiion is one scarcely less than gigantic
IN its character, Tue roads ara, just now, all
Of toe country, beyond conception. From SIX W
twtlye horses have been required Tor each piece,
sud with even this "rce the progress has ceon
so y, the siickinKs IN mud h lea and slough- iunu
merlbe, Added g. tles0 dIthcuhes was the hos
u.l'y ~ the hAtanrhirous butteruui natives, Ia
dlgenous trhc swamps Of Sluihesstefn Mii'outi'
BlD king up ths road 10y is-lirg trees a'ross IT,
stealing horrCs, aud, when 10 could DO u lnH with
autiro sA'sty - tne'usalvoa, pgur'ERE charge ot
bucksho' int the br'Ls' of aone tagging, Ue,ded
soldier, are AmonR a feN ~ trs plans sdDpN.1 by
the cLi7AroA hlasOur,'ns b. delay 'Ge progress Of
or troops,
Tho sntIro rsrrb ~ Gen. Pope rom Comme-cs
B. ris present Position, - one UNPARALLELED for ~
d.cultiea and LArdsaipa. Many days, when
uSr,hiIg RON daylight until lste Il night tho COLI
uIn volll not advance more thu ugo miles, and
uyen then, tie Veg ui unable 10 Keep up, would bc
att rcd ever tbs entire distIuceitu X, sLgly or
by dllsn4, Ia Iho depths NJ N 's mi mutt
For several dsys-in fat ever sincs the fight a
DUue Hpu--the gunh'a's nave been busy r'lpaung
dan ayes and TCugtloutig themselves, On vie n
W 'utne opergLuus Ia the rlsas m ssyar., of the
boats, the NOR ON tine plot houses hEve boon
taken %, Aad teAy7 ak uuer spiSal on over th .
old 'rRmo so az y materially inuTelsJ the power OF
r5uatAncr.
Tne ball Al Fort Donellon, which went through =
pi'ot-huuHe, killing ono man, wpundmg Rupthrr,
sId at the same time nearly dspr1ag the c1uutry
u the invaluable services aud experience u iui-
modore Fypte, wis n stunning rsUuks ot Ine pisn
which covered uua Ol tho mot important pa - ut
the boat with nissrably iueihgisnl prot I'ct,ln.
Tho Benton, Zoo, has apparently 'een preparing
Tor aomtthlng, for one day last week B'rAy - The
| surprise ot everybody, who had Tor long timu
supposed nor a fixture II t46 mud banks ~ Cairo,
IN which Ihe WAS N pOr Il, stcarh was observed ia
| suing from her pines, and after she mo red
out 10 the stream Fnd Leaiei mp the OHIO, All
thas afternoon shs sternned the leroe currents Of
that river snd at dark she ad gained some dozen
feet In order that iustce may be done all plrtss-
| will add that even thus remarkable progress
/ only aimed by the assistance of a couple o' small
Dut Wiling tugs.
The Importance Of the PROPOSED movement down
the river is fully appreciated by Flag officer fooes
and hence every sep will be made with del era
ton, and will not be- taken until Is can be done WAN
Q ltlre sAiety.
There is nothing Of great Importance here. Gen.
Cullum, from ilhesth has lfs Cairo, and has oeen
su coeeded by Gen. Strong
Among the features ordered 70 thN Department.
4 IL an asTonAuIc corps, under Professor Lowe. Q,
aerial celebrity. PROS ssOr Stener Is here VITA
portion OF the necessary apparatus, Including q