From Cairo

Special to the Chicago Tribune.

CAIRO, March 6.

At 12 o’clock Wednesday last our pickets were driven in at Columbus, by rebel cavalry, numbering 80.  Captain Paulding, of the gun-boat St. Louis, lying at the landing, sent a messenger to Colonel Buford asking if he should shell the woods in the rear of the town, and having returned with an affirmative answer the St. Louis steamed across the river, and the mortar boat took position and shelled the woods vigorously for an hour.

The 2d Illinois cavalry was, at last accounts, in hot pursuit of the rebels.

At 12 o’clock last night, and again at 4 o’clock this morning, heavy cannonading was distinctly heard at Columbus, apparently in the direction of New Madrid.  Many of the inhabitants of Columbus are returning, who report that they left the town weeks ago, in fear of the depredations of the rebel army.

The Rev. Gen. Polk’s headquarters upon the bluff, present an entertaining spectacle being filled with champaign bottles, cigar boxes, perfumery cases, toilet articles, and other unmilitary utensils.  Col. Buford still remains in command of the town.

Adjt. [Habn], of the 23d Illinois passed through here last evening, en route for Chicago.

The mortars of the fleet are all mounted.

The Cumberland and Tennessee rivers are now in pursuance of Gen. Halleck’s orders, open for commercial navigation. – The Express in the first boat to avail itself of the new order, and left last night for Fort Henry, with passengers and freight.

A gentleman just arrived from Florence, Alabama, says the rebels of that section stand in mortal terror of the gun-boats. – He asserts that there were but two regiments at Pittsburg when the late skirmish took place.  The majority of the people thereabouts are strongly Union.

The reports in regard to Gen. Pope and his force are very conflicting.  The first is a rumor of the evacuation of New Madrid.  Second, that his forces had been shelled out by the rebel gun-boats.  Third, that Gen. Pope had not been within 18 miles of the place.

The rebel army there numbers 40,000 men, having been swelled by large reinforcements from Columbus and Memphis.  They have also 8 wooden gun-boats lying at the landing.

Steamers are rapidly arriving and departing.

The weather is very cold here.  There was quite a heavy fall of snow last night.

From late rebel papers I glean the following facts:

Gen. Polk, previous to the evacuation of Columbus, ordered every bridge on Mayfield creek and other creeks to be destroyed.

The Memphis Appeal says, “Columbus, we can positively state, is not to be evacuated and will not be unless at the point of the bayonet.”

The steamer Cambridge was sunk on the 23d near Grand Glaize, Arkansas, and 42 lives lost.

Heavy rains have fallen in South Alabama.

The machinery from the various workshops in Nashville was removed prior to the evacuation to Chattanooga.

The wheat and all ground crops in the South promise well.

[General] Bragg is in command at Mobile.

The people of the South are warmly urging and demanding Jeff Davis to take the field.

A bitter contest is going on at Memphis as to whether the town shall be burned at the approach of our gun boats.

A letter written to Memphis from Va. States that Jeff. Davis complains of lack of weapons, and Southern manufacturers cannot even supply the want.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 8, 1862, p. 1