, 1862-01-22
NEWS FROM SECiI,sss "a,
ARRIVAL OF DESERTERS FROM THE
REBEL ARMY.
Interesting Details Of their Escape.

Interesting Details Of their Escape. |
Thr.e Young, nlcn, named Charles Cox, jesse |
Gilbert and ". j. Morell, desert.rs from tac
southern army, arrived at the Trc:non! House !
Oh Monday night, hnyfng been forwarded from |
Cairo to this city by George ". Gage, Esq,
and other citizens who we're cognizant Of their |
condition. Cox, in company with Gilbert, |
Morell and a fourth party, named Gardner, who |
has remained in Cairo, are oil strong Union |
men, who, prior to the breaking out Of the |
war, had been engaged in various capacities at
the South. Upon the commencement OF hos
ulities, they, in common Hith Numerous other
Northern men, we're impressed into the rebel
army. Gilbert, who had formerly been con
nected with Rice's equestrian establishment,
was compelled to join Louisiana regiment.
Cox, who was compositor in the Office Of
that rampant organ Of secession, the Memphis
appeal, was offered his choice: to enlist iq q
Tennessee regiment or be confined in the
Laboratory and engaged In manufacturing
cart1idgcs. He chose the former as present
ing the best opportunities for escape. sMoreli
was also impressed into Tennessee rcgi-
mcnt and Gardner into a Louisiana regiment.
The concentration Of the Southern forces at
Columbus brought them together and their
sympathy Of feeling and sentiment soon dis
covered them to each other, and they laid va
rious plans Of escape.
The battle Of Belmont, in which their regi-
ments were engaged, Offering q favorable op-
portunity, they deserted and made their way
iu.o the woods, but we're arrested seven miles
below Cairo by Southern scouts, securely
bound and taken to Columbus, where, thrust
into irons, they were tried by general court
martial before the reverend rebel and pious
traitor, Gen. Polk, and sentenced to be shot.
They were put into heavy irons and kept in
the guard house until two days before the
time Of the proposed execution Wien the IN
happy quartettc were, made the happy rccipi-
cnts Of i file at the hands Of q friend. With
this instrument they fled off their irons, keep
ing them together for time with a wire taken
from their bucket 80 as not to arouse the sns-
picions OF the guard. Upon the night Of their
escape, although q heavy force Of sentine1s
was on guard, BY means Of knife
they cut through the floor Of the guard
| house and .tllen forced their way through
the dirt andfnbbish, BY means Of the file, un-
! dcrneath four buildings, and emerged in sight
| Of tho picket guard, who we're huddled to-
! gethcr round fire. They craw1ed along upon
their bands and knees and managed to elude
the observation Of. the picket. in this manner
they proceeded until they reached the bushes,
when they set off at rapid pace, which was
not slackcned until they came within the lines
Of the Twentieth Illinois, Col. Marsh, at Camp
Jefferson, at the mouth OF Marficld Creek.
Col Marsh forwarded them in safety to Cairo,
where Gardner still remains. The other three
were passed to this city, and left last evening
| for their homes, Gilbert for Brooklyn, n T.,
and Moren and Cox for Watcrtown, N. 7.
t The parties are quite young, but very intel
1igent and energetic, and are determined to
| once more shoulder the musket, this time in
! defence Of freedom. They have rendered our
forces at Cairo most excellent service By fur
nishing Commodore Foote much valuable in
| formation and drawings Of the defenccs at
| Columbus.
They represent that Columbus is strongly
/ A&4tCA3 }it1A AAat tAC I1OOth ELL AL NQCh
day and night in the intrcnchments. They
are in hourly expectations Of IN attack, and
sleep at night-when they do sleep-upor
their arms. The forces at Columbus number
some II, 600 men, composed Of all nationnlities
ard mainly from Tennessee, Arkansas, Missis
Eippi and Louisiana The Tennessee troop!
are well uniformed in "nigger cloth,
and armed with improved muskets. The 9th
CT troops, however, are Wretched1y armed 8it]
shot-guns, and poorly uniformed, many 0
them barefooted, but all seem hopeful, con
tented and confident Of Ultimate success. I,
the ranks are large numbers5of Union men
who hare been Impressed into the service, an
will seize the first opportunity to escape.
Columbus is defended by eighty pieces {
ordnance Commanding the river, the larges
q l2S~pounder. The submarine battery
planted three miles above Columbus, and riff
pits extend back from the river for dii
tance Of three quarters Of mile. At Memph
business was comparatively prostrate and larg
fires were Of frequent occurrence.
Arrival Of the .,'g1 Wisconsin First Al
The Second and Fourth Batteries of tn
First Wisconsin ARTILLERY arrived last eycnln
from Racine BY the Chicago and Milwauke
Railroad, en- route fors Baltimore and the Pot
uae. They left Camp Ut1ey, where they ha,
: been encamped since September LIST, yeste
day afternoon ut o'clock, and reached tn
4 city:at o'clock. They immediately took Z
/, tAe3r line Of march for the depot Of the Mic
igan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroa
and after hastF eu1barkation left for Toilet
and the East at Z o'clock. Owing to the lat
ness Of the hour and the necessity Of dispate
c there were no demonstrations along the III
I Of march between the two dcpots. The mt
: | were well uniformed and accoutred, but ire
c without their batteries. These will arrive t.
e day with those Of the First and Third b
' teries who are expected to pass through th
3 city this evening en- route for Louisville.
e The Second Battery is composed entirely
d Germans, under Capt. Herzberg; the Fourt
o Of Americans, under Capt. John F. Vale
:, The latter was the officer in command -a,a
r ing been placedi in that position BY the O.
IS mastering officer, in place Of Capt. Herzbcr
I. who Has entitled to the command by seni<
G, ity Of commission. The reason for this chan
vi Of command was the fact that at the time
l. departure, Capt. Herxberg was too deeply
IL tdx4satsd To bu cuNpetent for the post O
4 authority for t]lts Is the statement Of the o.
cers themselves. It Is to the credit Of t
NJ Wisconsin volunteers themselves that ve
~ do noeJesRernber a. parallel instance, aud
nc trust for the future :Helfare OF the Second B
"a terry that no such dise1aeffn1 displays npon
- part Of superior officers will be hereafter
- hibited.
ir The men we're fully up to the Wiscon:
re standard in physique, discipline and inte
e. gence, and this nc consider no mean praise
er The Fourth Battery was organized on I
d 1st Of September and the ranks entirely fill
is. on the aoth. It numbers 162 men. The 8
IL ond wus organized the latter part Of Angu
IL and completed on The 18th Of September, q
ID numbers 152imen. Through the Thought
ID ness OF Capt. Geo; N. Gray, coffee and
10 freshmcnts WeFe provided for both officers a
ly men before leaving, and Fill be furnished III
i'll their arrival at Balamore.
The following is the roster Of the batteri.
ID SECOND BATTERY.
ur Gsapaain--Et F. HesxterE
IT I.7St 1..xulenaatt-asa. = Stephan
eH Second Lfeutsn6Ht- CHARLES Beeer.
ne | Third Lteu2tndnt-John Schabel.
Fourth Ltettenunt-Not chosen
80 FOURTH RArraRY.
y. Captain John F. Tallee.
E,ss snd 1tsstseantIGse5&e esv vEsstezay
Third I{eHfEHuYsf-{11A A Rsf fh5,zna