From Island No. 10

NEW MADRID, April 8. – The Union force captured to-day 6,000 Confederate prisoners who were endeavoring to retreat from Island 10 and other rebel fortifications.  Three Generals and other officers were taken with them.  General McCowan was in command assisted by Generals Stuart, McCall, Gray and Gavitt.  Gen. Stuart was a class mate of Pope’s.

The rebel floating battery Pelican came drifting down the river last night.  It was caught and towed into Point Pleasant, where it now lies.  Some shots were fired into it from our batteries as it passed them, under the impression that some ruse was attempted by the enemy in thus giving up an engine of war, which was intended to accomplish marvelous results for them.  No one was on board, and no damage was done to the machine.

A gunboat also drifted down nearly to the upper fort, where it sunk and is now almost out of sight – the smoke stacks and some of the machinery only being visible, which the rebels stole last summer and transferred into the Confederate service, was scuttled by them last night and set adrift.  She was caught, however, and brought in to shore here just as she was sinking.  She has since been pumped out and is now nearly ready for use.

Gen. Pope returned to his head-quarters to-night, having been absent since yesterday morning.  He has not yet made public his plans for future operations.

This encampment will probably be broken up in a day or two.  A heavy rain is falling to-night, which in addition to previous storms, make our level camping ground quite too moist for comfort.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 3