, 1862-05-07


forces at Corinth, and, if successful there-aad
this seemed highly probable when Ipassed
the rate of speed with which they
come across the country to this place to Of
tack Fort Wright in the flank, while the
aquatic army give it fits in 'front.' Taking |
every thing into consideration, the victory Of |
our arms ut Corinth, the fine condition and
oyerpo ~ering force of General Halleck's Ar !
my at Pittehurg Landing; the efficiency and
the constantly watchful STATE of preparation Of
Commodore Foote's fotiila; the known lack
Of men, .rms, and supplies Of the rebels
unc<r JEFF. Thompson at Fort Wright,
not to speak Of the determined energy Of the
troops under the cid Federal flag, think it
perfectly safe to predict that in less than one
week from the writing Of this letter, I shall
be enabled to send you the joyful Intelligence
of the surrender into cur hands OF the batter
les before which We now loat, and onr tr1-
umphant entree into 1l4e city Of Memphis ,
Thence the cry will be, "To New Orleans!
to New Orleans! onward, to the Crescent
City!" I mag be over sapguine, and may be
found on the wrong side Of the fence when
the matter comes to be finally decided, but
from the present evidences before my senses
cannot alter my augury in the least partic-
ular -
Three desertcrs from the rebel army at Fort
Wright we're brought to the flag ship Benton
on "Wednesday Of the present week aud sur-
rendered themselves to be dealt with as the
Commodore thought best to ,:eal with them.
He took them in, treated them kindly,
and to-day sent them on their way
| rejoicing to Cairo on the steamer Shingiss, en-
| route for Cincinnati, whence they were jour
| neyi1g on a river craft rs deck hands, when
captured by the sccesh and forced to join the
Confederate army. These men tell q very
! consistent story, taken is whole. although
in some unifnportant particulars they are at
slight variance. I paid them visit this morn
ing on the tug Danntless, Tor the purpose ol
eliciting what I could in regard to jeff
Thompson's preparations for defending and
holding his present position. They say JEFF
has from six to seven Thousand men, poorly
armed, some water batteries-1ow submerged
In the aqueous element, and OF COURSE just a
valuable to him rs though their guns wer'
effectually spiked or made Of woodland
twelve mounted canaon perched upoa th
bluff. The most of these latter guns are 0
light metal, and consequently Of small caIibre
There is not the least doubt, they say, that "
would be abundantly aole to carry the work
with the present force OF the fleet, but th
proyerbial neetncss OF foot Of the rebel
Aezeabouts, and the desire to capture the COT
tents Of the fort, undoubtedly deter our con
mander from making tue attempt for whic
every officer and man under him is imp:
tienty waiting.
The gunboats, Of which the Southern pa
pers have been Boosting 60 much, in the po
session Of the force here, have all along her
been numbered as high as twelve or fit eel
but these deserters say they have never ha
| but twelve poor, shabby, Inefficient ones, au
, nearly half of these have been taken away
guard other points within the past few week
They arc Of the opinion also that the 1ag-sul
Benton has more guns running out Of h
ports than all the ordnance mounted in tt
l. same manner By the rebels at Fort Wrish
u and that she alone and unaidcd, could easi
= whip the entire Confederate naval force iyi1
:, in this vicinity. These statements are CO
a fleet who went out day or two since in
;. small skia, climbed tall tree, and With
:, t powerful glass, made close reconnaissance
J the rebel works.
% Thus it would appear that Memphis has b
$, Its fate irreyocahly sealed-not by the hat
- Of Providence-as has been profanely remar
~ ed Of the decision ofthe battle of Shiloh, but
the hands Of the fair parties, among whom the
would appear to exist q feeling Of strife q,
e. competition as to who shall first besiege
IL I al1ude to Commodores Footc and Porter 81
Generals Ha:leck and Curtis. They all see
y to be approaching Memphic, with the exec
d ton Of our Commodore, who is calmly a
al wisely waiting to get "a good ready" Wh
T. be does move, "then will come the tuq
- war" This litter remark is supposed to
It late especially to the flagship Benton
rs The bomhardment has been kept up TO- d
X By the two mortar boats lying Within II
miles Of the fortress, the explosions occurri
at regular intervals Of about fifteen mtnut,
r. and the rebel gus have not fired once. tn
} have showed signs Of life within tue D
Ut week on one OF Two occasions, but they ha
lie maintained dogged and determined silica,
IT Without these little regular refreshments t
- drtar mouo'ony Of our life here would
oS quite insupportable, and one would easily
an ssduccd into the belief that he had by char
of fallen among the Inhabitants of the Island
ourselves would be far from delightful
ha currclce.
..S There Was report here the other dag Il
nv the commander OF Thompson's "dug-ou
to feet was about to issue from his place Of c.
H. cea]ment behind the point, engage our totj
.s. and scatter it to the four winds. Up to
-, present writing, oEever, notwithstandj
II, yonr correspondent has been watching as
riently rs he could for the occurrence, be
been unable to see It. ! do not expect to
is 1t very soon. The steamers are kept CT
~ stantly fired up, the men at their posts, mis-
H. and day, and every precaution observed
~ guard against surprise, which We have be
L. | taught by o late example on the Tennessee
ras more TO be dreaded than oil the hordcs
of JED. Davis combined, coming in open day