From Cairo

CAIRO, May 14.

We have received the following dispatches from our correspondent, written just as the mail tug was leaving the Mississippi flotilla, off Fort Pillow, May 13, 12 o’clock m.

A rebel tug has this moment been around the point on a reconnoissance.  Everything seems to indicate a renewed activity on both sides.  We are expecting an attack momentarily.

From Pittsburg we have a dispatch from our own reporter, who had been in front of the lines, and judged that our attack would not be made upon the enemy’s position for several days.  Our siege guns were not yet in position.  Capt. Madison’s battery reached Monterey only on the 9th inst.

The general impression in the army was that the enemy would make no stand at Corinth, but he believes this opinion wrong.

Gen. Halleck is advancing upon the place continuously, and carefully fortifying as he advances.  All his movements are predicated upon the supposition that the enemy is in large force at Corinth, and that he intends to make a stand there.  Grand Junction is being fortified by Beauregard with the evident intention of falling back there if beaten at Corinth.  The number of the enemy’s troops at Corinth is estimated at Gen. Halleck’s headquarters at from 120,000 to 170,000.

The gunboat Mound City was considerably damaged in her bows in the late naval engagement at Fort Pillow, and is now at Mound City awaiting an opportunity of going into dry dock for repairs.

Gen. Strong yesterday visited the hospital at Mound City.  There are only fifty patients in the hospital at present.  Additional apartments are being prepared and improvements effected to accommodate the wounded at the expected battle of Corinth.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 16, 1862, p. 2