, 1862-04-19

1ncfc before reaching Fort Pillow. This
placed there to retssrd our % movements W fes;
days, in order to give the enemy time to still
further strengthen Fort Pillow, which they
are no doubt doing. Indeed, nc may look for
masked batteries every hundred yards between
this and the stronghold that bears the name
Of fthe iilustzious digger Of bitches, in none Of
die.
FEELING THE ESEMY.
Yesterday morning the gunbo8ts took posi-
ton about two miles ADORE the Mythical fort
aud every half hour administered to the rebels,
If there were any in the vicinity, a "Lincoln
pill" as the 13-inch shells are termed; but
they made no reply Fresh crews we're sent
ing has yet occurred. What the programme
for the next forty. eight hours is am unable
to inform you. Newspaper correspondents, I
regret to say, have fa1len into disfayor with
the Commodore, who has heretofore been very
obliging to them, owing to the disclosures Of
reference to the canal from the head Of Island
Nc. toto New Madrid. He has, in obedience
to orders from Washington, denied them &C.
cess to the flagship, although they are still
permitted to accompany the expedition on
The transports.
1learn since my arrival here that Fort Pn-
low is situated near the town Of Randolph,
between that place and the mouth Of the
q .tclee river, and not ten or twelve miles
above, as has been generally supposed. ln-
deed it is the Randolph Notifications, about
which VIC heard Eo much last summer. This,
here among those who should know best, and
it seems plausible from the fact that we are
not now more than eight or ten miles from
Randolph.
One Of the rebel guuboats made very mar
row stape Sunday evening. After our boats
vi nd fYn+ {ha T-SoS 1f o1,o1
battery on the Arkansas shore, referred to
above, two or three Of them took position
under tllick1y timbered point, and shortly
afterwards one of the rebel boats came putting
up, thinking, no doabt. thst ours had fallen
back some distance. The intention on the
part Of our men was to permit her to run
past them, and then cut her of, which they
could have easily done, but unfortunately one
OF our transports just then turned the point
some three or four miles above, and not
knowing that the rebel boat was running her
head into moose, set up = frightful alarm
to fzightcn the noisy little gunboat away.
TWo deEerters from the enemy came within
our lines this morning, and report that the
batteries in Fort. OSccola, just below, are
manned By five regiments and that the talk off
iSl!5'nE dEfah p dssPsratsly "dSag IN the las1
all that sort Of thing: I did not learn the
commanders name. The deserters say the
shells fired from our mortars yesterday, fell
about two hundred yards short.
The tug Ercbus, belonging to the mortar
feet, caught fire on Tuesday, and was buraed
to the waters edge.
THE FORT AND IT'S COMMANDER.
Correspondence New York Tribune.]
Fort Pillow, as is well known, is the sole
obstruction between the Island and Memphis,
and spies who have lately come up the river,
fhEr f7Af
naNle, between Memphis and New Orleans.
What I have already mentioned Of the
strength Of Pi1low--itB twenty or twenty-five
guns, and its fifteen hundred dtfenderB-has
been co1ioborated By additional Intelligence;
though the parties have really seen think
the place will he openly Reinforced and its
number Of guns increased before the flotiCa
reaches there, and that Gen. Villipigne, the
commander Of the fort, will make ) forlnida-
hle resistance.
No doubt, however, is entertained by Com
Foote and Gen Pope, that the rebels eau
the principal batteries being near the water,
with deep bluff ubOye-that the shells. If
they strike on the high bank, will roll down
into the batteries and explode there with ter
rible effect.
Our officers have full plans and entire
to regard it as very formidable, OF likely long
TO rctard 'htir progress. Albeit, this prob
lem will be solved IN few days to our Salts
fact;on Or dissatisfaction, as the case may be.
Gen. fi]liPigue the commander Of Fort Pill
low is creole, Z native Of Louisiana, and,
like Pierre Toutant, now known as Beaure-
gard, had a Spanish mother and French
father. He is said to be IN excellent officer.
tine engineer and artulerist, and has many
qualities closely Resembling the 'ingiucible
hero Of Manassas as The Southern papers
call Him. The Louisiana journals decAre MIN
fully equal to Beauregard, and regret Will
p}gue has had 60 opportunity thus far to chi
pioy his great military genius. They say lie
earliest opportunity, and teach the Yankees a
terrible lesson should they ever venture to at
tack Pillow, which is now styled the key Of
the Mississippi, as Columbus and Island No.
10 were until they were lost to the enemy.