New-York daily tribune., 1863-03-03
FROM CAIRO AND BELOW.
Affen'pt 70 Cnptnre the Belle Memphis BY
GuerriiIns-A Plan 70 Obstruct tli6
Navigation by Transports -Kigh Water
"A Colored Regiment a Memphis.

GuerriIlas-A Plan 70 Obstruct th6
Navigation by Transports -Kigh Water
"A COlored Regiment a Memphis.
From Our Special Correspondent. t..
CAIRO, Feb. q, 1868.
Our latest news from below is the attempted cao.
ture of the steamer Belle Memphis. the regular boat
raining between this point and 81. Louis and
Memphis. A party of O dozen guerrillas attempted
to execute the following plan: One of their mum.
ber, easily fndipg bis way within oar lines to Mem.
phis, took passage on the steamer for Cairo, TO bs
landed at certain point about thirty miles from
Memphis; and accordingly ho was landed, when bic
party jumped aboard, and there being among them
pilot and engineers, they at once took command Of
the vessel. But they had job on band too large
for them to carry out. There were about $50 pas
sengers aboard, and fight broke out at once, which
resulted IN the passengers shooting two 90 that they
died, when TIE rest escaped One of the two killed
lived three or four hours and he stated that it was
their intention to take the boat up the river where
several of their number were waiting for them,
when they would take out what they wanted from
the boat and then set her on fire.
Meanwhile, various parties attack and sink coal
and other barges; IN short the river is lined with
them and they avow it to DO their intention TO con-
tinue these operations, and make the navigation Of
There Is very good way TO meet these fellows
there is only one way-which is to hang ell we
capture and to send sufficient forces ashore either
10 capture them all or drive them from the river.
There is no enemy 90 eaelly managed as one broken
into parties of robbers.
We still have wet weather. There has been bnt
one fair day this month. All the upper rivers arc
full the Mississippi again is rising, and IL Is certain
operations at Vicksburg are likely at any time to
be interrupted, il not suspended, by high water.
Gen. Grant still vigorously prosecutes the plan OF
entering interior passages by passages cut through
the levees, and an immense number Of blacks ara
employed.
izing at Memphis. From all that hear l do NOT
learn that the soldiers are making objections, nor
measure. The public mind seems to come to the
conclusion that the Copscript Law framed for the
purpose of having them choose whether they them
selves shall be forced into the army or whether their
places shall he occupied by the blacks For this
reason they say very little and Copperbeads are ex.
tremely guarded on the subject. A state OF feeling
s very noticeable among the peace men. and this 10
by timidity and uncertainty. They
evidently fear that the Administration will follow
the example Of the Rebel Government, and drive
everything before it. They know 1t has the poweS
they are expecting il will be exercsed and my
opinion is that rather than have this result they will
make very little objection to negro regiments.
The sentiment Of the soldiers is illustrated by
the following incident: On Monday l heard .
finely dressed gentleman making some general ~
marks about negroes being in the State, which
showed him to be Copperhesd, when private
soldier boldly came up to him and called him Q
traitor told him that be though, much more of negroes
than 10 did, of him; that he aud all such men ought
10 be hung and be would not hesitate to help to Do
h. This was at railroad station In a large crowd.
The fine gentleman at once became quiet.
The health of the troops at VicksbuTg 10 ioprov-
NJ. At jackson and other interior towns they sre
q the finest nealth and condition. ~ M