New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-14

audiences. Another night passed two or three
delightful hours at party where were assembled
some of the prettiest Of the Memphian bellies. But
truce to little things like these in war times, and
so near the seat of war.
1t was before daylight this morning when left
Memphis, but even at that hour, and especially
around the railroad depot the greatest excitement
was VI visible Al abont the news Of the fall of Fort
Henry. At all the stations along the road excited
crowds Of country people were assembled, await
ing particulars of the unpalatable news. -.
- At the Humboldt crossing we met Lieu. t.-Coi:
Chester of the 51st Tennessee, and a number Of
other officers and men, who had seen and been in
the fight. Col. Chester's relation was that the
bombardment lasted just an hour and a half, the
gunboats firing about four shots to the forts one.
When Gen. Tilghman saw that the fort could no
four transport steamers lying above there, with
detachment of 200 men, and go and defend the
Memphis and Ohio Railroad bridge, twenty miles
above. This was done as speedily as possible;
The steamers were taken through the draw, and
the draw closed and the chain cut. Above the
bridge the Colonel landed, on this side. At about
O'Clock in the evening three or four gunboats
came up to the bridge and opened upon it with
shot and SHE'LL Having no means OF defending the
bridge against such an attack this, the Colonel
and his men came down the road with the news,
and, without delay, all the rolling stock of the
road this side OF the bridge was brought down to
Humboldt. Col. G. says our whole force at the
fort was about 5000 men, of whom less than hum
dred were in the fort. All the rest were encamped
back Of the fort and separated from it by slough
of water, swimming deep, from the heavy rise in
the river. He says that if any Of those in the fort
escaped, it must have been by swimming the
slough. The infantry forces. he supposed, must
have retreated in the direction Of Fort Donelson.
on the Cumberland river. The day was cold and
as this evening it is freezing and showing, the
sufferiDgs of our men, il they retreated to any
distance, must be very great.
We have since heard that with the surrender Of
H.,
eighty men as prisoners, and that the gunboats
continued peppering the bridge with shot and shell
till they reduced it to perfect wreck.
As the enemy have cut off our direct communi.
cation with Bowling Green, and as large force of
Federals is reported to be encamped on the road
between Birds Point and New Madrid, in Mis-
souri,, all sorts Of coDjectures are aoat as to the
real designs of the enemy. We are not fighting
the lion who comes boldly to the front, but rather
the sneaking anaconda, who crawls around quietly
to crush his adversary in his folds without fighting
him.
There is the usual outcry in regard to this de.
feat-who was to blame? and many indulge in the
largest censure of this or that officer. But ! am
| not one of these. We have to hear all the facts
| yet, / never did think we would win every time
in this war. Just wait till the Hessians try it on
| at Columbus! |. G.
The Cold Weather and the Mud-Dsasters Men
| Rulnored Fight Fort Doneson-B -Bsauregard-
nens from the Lades-And Appeal for the Soldiers.
| Special 10 The New Orleans Crescentl
| CoLUMBus n.y.. February g. 1862.
Mr.. EGlito1'-The freeze last night was bitter ant
for the fifth time this season the hills and valeyf
| are covered with the white Borean sheet. But
before the freeze, the mud was SO positively awful
so tough in some places and so soft in other places
and so apparently bottomless in all places, that il
was perfect purgatory to both man and beast to
travel through it. l cantruly say that never saw
| mud before. The back streets of New Orleans il
wet weather were never comparison. To-day il
was if possible still worse. The freeze had only
hardened the crust of the mud where it was deep
so that the poor mules in most places broke
through, and as they patiently pulled out one Les
after the other, with that monotonous "sock
| particular leg before putting it down again, te
ease the smartng fetlock and be sure the foot was
still on; and many gay pedestrian, tiptoeing il
with dainty boots over the crust, lost polish
both boots and manners upon finding himself in uI
to his knees; and, before getting to hard lani
again, was too apt to explode with his wrath, anl
send fragments Of oath and epitlet flying all ovel
the neighborhood. Tonight there is no addition tc
the snow, but the wind whistles and the freeze il
improving upon last night.
We have no news worth mention. There were
rumors to-day of hard fighting at Fort Doneson
But they were rumors-nothing more.
Beauregard is expected here tomorrow. he i!
looked for with great eagerness, and his reception
will beof the heartiest kind.
4 What do you think, Judge? You remember the
notice Imade in letter some time ago, about {
lot of socks knit by some young ladies with pretty
names, in some part Of the country unknown tt
me, and distributed to Company G of this (Ken
nedy's) Battalion2 Wel this morning received
through the hands Of soldier of the Twelfth
Louisiana, one of the prettest lambswool scarf
you ever saw 1t had tackled to it a bit of paper
ern Military Correspondent of the N. 0. Dali,
Crescent, Fifth Battalion La. Vols, Columbus
Ky, by Miss Bette N, Of Claiborne Parish
Louisiana. It was explained that Miss Bett
was regular reader Of the Crescent and tina
though she didn't know the girls that knit tn
socks, she was so well pleased to see their patri
otto efforts noticed, that she concluded to taxi
notice of me- and SO went to work and knit me tn
scarf. l Immediately coiled it around my neck
with an involuntary I" God bless the fair Bette
the charming unknown one of Claiborne Parish
In this connection, I must not omit acknowledg
ing another unexpected compliment. | receive
Express. all the way from the Third District i
New Orleans to Columbus. That was almest a
, fancy compliment as the Empress Catherine pal
the Prince Potemkin, when she sent him turee
of soup, by horse express, some fourteen hundre
, mics.
Speaking of presents, dear girls and ladies, jus
; keep it up: not for me, having enough; but fo
the brave soldiers of our battalion, many of whom
are new andineedy men. Come on with your SOCKS
Z, and scarfs, or anything woolen, as heavy and a
often as you please, and will guarantee that the
shall comfort just as good men, and better lookin
men, than this writer-men VINO actually STAND
need of such comforts. The Kennedy Battao
has by some misfortune received fewer favors
l this kind than any corps at Columbus. So com
on, girls, with your presents; come singly if 70
will, hut in legions if you can l will not
afraid. will eXclam, with Fitzjanes:
Il Come one, come all This rock shall hy
From its firm base as soon as 1. e.
Il To the Young Men of Arkansas, Texas an
! Northern Louisiana.