From Pittsburgh Landing

(Special to Missouri Democrat.)

CAIRO, April 26. – Passengers who reached here this morning on the Steamer N. W. Thomas which left Pittsburgh Landing Thursday night bringing highly important intelligence.

An engagement took place between the advance guards of the National and rebel armies on Thursday. The rebels were driven back towards Corinth. Halleck was pushing his whole army vigorously forward.

Mr. Stevenson of Danville, Ill., arrived last night from Pittsburgh Landing, he left there at 9 a.m. Friday, on steamer Thomas, on Thursday he accompanied Col. Smith of the 8th Missouri regiment on a reconnoisance toward Corinth with a strong force, they advanced by the lower road, when 7 miles out, surprised a rebel camp, men mostly absent and took 27 prisoners, destroyed camp equipage and advanced to Pea Ridge, within 6 miles of Corinth, remained there from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and saw no armed men but heard constant rattling of cars and sounding of whistles toward Memphis. They got the impression that the rebels were evacuating for Memphis. The feeling seemed to be gaining ground, that there would be no stand at Corinth. He visited our camps generally and gave positions and advances of our forces, not proper to telegraph. At Savannah he says we have 1556 sick and wounded, 800 from Illinois, the balance from Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana, all in great need of relishable food and care. Efforts were made to get 200 of the convalescent immediately sent down the river but hat not succeeded when he left.

Gov. Harvey’s friends and several members of the Illinois Sanitary Commission, came by the same steamer. Governor’s body was not found.

It is currently reported by deserters that Beauregard’s sixty and thirty days men are dissatisfied. They will not stand the fire of the dauntless north west boys.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 3, 1862, p. 4