, 1862-02-25

Especial Correspondence Chicago Trbune.I
CAno, Sunday Evening Feb. 23d |
Cairo, to-day, Is entangltd in a complctcweb +!
Of mystery. A most important movement, |
both Of land forces and gun and mortar boats,
l,as been made, but its results hare not yet
come to the light. It's inception and sur
rounding circumstances can give, and vague
II guess rs to what has been accomplished.
On Saturday, the 22d inst, orders were IS
sued to the eth Illinois, Col Buford, and the
StA Wisconsin, Col Murphy, numbering
togc:her 9c0 men, to report themselves on
board the transports Continental, Illinois and
Chancellor at six o'clock the following {Sun-
Gay) morning. The same orders were promul-
gated to the gunboats St. Louis, Conestoga,
Carondolet, Cincinnati and Mound City, and
two Of The mortar boats. At 6o'clock Sunday
morning the flagship st. Louis steamed out
into the river and sIgnalled the feet, which
WIS soon under way. The morning vas as
beautiful as one could wish; the air as balmy
as On May day, and the river alive with craft
| Of every description. The levee was thronged
| with civilians and soldiers, for the more
| mentor rcconnoissance-had spread through
| the city like wildtre- The feet steamed slow
l
| the regimentnl bands, and salute from the
port. and Tas Eoon lost to view behind Birds
Point.
! When six miles from the rebel works, tic
smoke Of signal gun curled up from the
| for;ifca1ions. This gave assurance that Co
luubus was not wholly evacuated at least:
Two miles nearer another gun WIS fired Still
onward pressed the fleet, and another mlle
lcssencd the distance, when q shot from tho
works came skipping over the water The
1 ~ YYar 11Y7Ha
the rebel batteries and took up their positions.
Tic transports, some distance astcrn, were
sfgua1lcd, and made preparations to diseuabark
At this jtlnctuTc rebel transport steamed on1
Under 2 flag Of truce and came alongside tn
fag-ship st. Louis. The rebel officers, among
them Col Thorn, went aboard and had an in
: te1yiew with Commodore Foote. The inter
/ | view lastcd some two hours. The result, a
| far as any one knows, WIS the signal from tn
flagship for the return Of the feet. Th
h ing here about eight O'Clock in the evening
Tie gunboats followed, the last, the Conesto
"a. reaching the lcyee about ten o'clock.
The result Of that interview under the rebe
&c batteries Is by 10 means apparent, farthe
H. than the probability that negotiations II
- pending for the eapttulaIon Of Columbu
~ MultiAued theories have beeu based upon tt
n | mysterious interview, but the foundation OF
as is apparsnt-the hopelessnes5 OF the reb
o cause. With Gen. Buell. in Nashville, as
Union, and the Unlonlsts Of that State q
>, maintain Their hold. With loyal State
~ their rear, Gen. Grants division ready to
H. operate either upon the right or left, &c
n. Pope's division at Commerce, no, and t!
~ gunboats on the river, escape was inpossibl
III The prison walls wsEc slowly but evident
nearing each Other, threatening to crush t
I'll victirnS, Whnt the direct results Of this mo
'o1 are. few days will shoW, and then On
at Ncmphis and New Orleans.
ed DuIing the past few days the1e has been
=: almost unending stream q visitors from . =
,, cseo, Springfield aud st. Louis, eager
mi g1stiiy their curiosity by Q visit to the bat
~. ground ut Doae1son, and the obtaining
'ea @cmcntoes of the fight. Far some time; nc;
ahot guns, ha5onets. pistols, caz9iaes.
: Il bowie k.iyes, would hare formed good
SOL cruiting stock for Falstaff's forces This st
Ia of civil jaJhawhtnE has nov been slopp
Fa. and ii Is related that q cbaplain 2f, one: Of
ErA regiments coolly marching of With II
found himself IN The guard-housc. The OF