Important Movement

On Sunday evening, at seven or eight o’clock, thirteen steamboats landed at Commerce, on the Mississippi, above Cairo, and disembarked a body of troops, supposed to be ten thousand strong.  The Atlantic and Ben Adams, from Cairo, and Henry Chouteau and Northerner, from this port, were among the number.  Destination of the troops supposed to be New Madrid and Arkansas.

When the steamer Continental passed Commerce, on her way to this port, at 8 o’clock on Monday night, four steamers were disembarking troops, and camp fires glared out of the scene for miles around.

The steamers Switzerland and Fairchild were close behind, coming from Cairo, with additional troops.  The number was supposed to be over 10,000.  It was rumored the number would be augmented to 40,000, and that the whole force were doubtless destined for New Madrid. – Mo. Dem., 26^th.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 3, 1862, p. 2