Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-03-13
Especial Cor. of the Chicago Tribune. !

- - -'A't ~ ~N.A'
Columbus. the Raw Head and Bloody
Bones Of Federal Fancy. and the subje,t
Of Confederate gasconade and braggadocio.
is to-day in our hands with its splendid
Notifications, its stores of ordnance, burned
barracks and deserted tenements. The
mystery of Columbus outwardly is solved.
The secret history remains unwritten.
At ten o'clock Monday night. the 81
inst. stepped from the Cairo wharf boat
into Capt. Panlding's gig. and crossing the
swiftly rushing Ohio. soon found myself
aboard the gunboat St. Louis. which was
lying in the lee of the Kentucky shore. in
readiness for the coming expedition Co.
lumbus-wari. in the morning. The fleet
destined for the occasion was composed as
follows: The iron-clad gunboats Cincin-
natl, Pittsburgh. Louisville. Carondelei
and St. Louis; the Lexington, Just down
from the Tennessee; four mortar boats in
tow of the steamers Lake Erie and Ike
Aleck Scott and t. L. Msgill. conveying
the 9th Illinois. COL Buford. SD Illinois.
Col. Roberts and 55th Illinois. Majoi
Sanger commanding. vice Col. Stuart at
Plducah. The Benton had originally been
chosen as flag ship. but her repairs not
having been concluded, the Cincinnati bore
the colors of Commodore Foote.
The fleet got under way at a o'clock
Tuesday morning, headed for the equipota
terra. the land of mystery-Colnmbus.-
1t was cold. chilly morning. the wind
cutting like knife. rendering an overcoat
and blanket decidedly comfortable. Fol
two hours we steamed down the river, orl
pace accelerated by the swift current some
six miles an hour. between unending files
Of cotton woods, sycamores and willows
dead and decaying in swamps and the over.
flowed lowlands, with here and there q
tumble down, squat cabin. perched upon
some eminence fortunate in being ferro
frnsa by margin Of few inches.
ARRIVED AT LuCAs's REND.
The fleet arrived at Lucas's Bend, about
two miles and half above Columbus, jusl
as the sun was rising. The flag ship sig
nailed the feet to come to. and we lay in
the middle of the stream. the transports
far astern. The near edge of the Columbu.
! bluffs was in sight, but the glass revealed
no signs of the enemy. The feet moved
slowly down until opposite the fatal field
of Belmont, at the point where the trans.
ports conveyed away our forces on that
tragic day. Upon the margin OF the river
stands ruinous looking tenement. at the
door of which was still more ruinous
looking native and his son, lank, long
limbed STRIPPING. who. upon sight OF the
gunboats, incontinently took to his heels
and .sskcdaddled" through an adjacent
cornfeld and vanished in swamp. A
tug set out from the flagship for the house.
and accosted the native, who persistently
declared that the rebels had evacuated Co.
lumbus or the previous day. and burned
their quarters. Little faith was reposed
in the natives statements. Alter lengthy
and tedious nter-gunboat communications,
the line Of battle was formed, the drums
beat to quarters and the guns were manned
Cor action. Another ting, carrying scout
ing detachment. set off from the hag-ship.
gradually and cautiously crawled down to
the point behind which frowned the mys-
terious fortications and reposed the desert
ed village with its great ancestral name
The tug reached the point and rounded il
in full range of the water batteries. Upon
the crown of the bluff could be seen strag'
glers, here and there. and as the tug round
ell the point. one of them unfurled flag
and waved it. The character Of the flag
could not be discerned from the gunboats,
but it was evidently satisfactory to the
scouting party. as the tug suddenly in
creased her speed in direct line for the
water battery, and closely followed By
second tug with party from the flag ship.
HOSTING THE FLAG.
Both parties landed and started for the
top Of the bluff at double quick, and in q
few moments Lieut. Phelps OF the Cincin'
natl unfurled the Stars and Stripes. They
found themselves. however. second comers.
for the Second Illinois Cavalry from Pa.
ducah had rode overland the day before on
scouting expedition and taken possession
of the town. The gunboats rapidly steam.
! ed down to the town. and the crews enthu.
siastically saluied tho Gag. The transports
landed their troops. and possession was
taken. The work was accomplished with
A. c.. r. -