From Cairo

CAIRO, May 4.

Intelligence from the army before Corinth has been received up to 6 o’clock Saturday night, at which time no engagement had yet taken place, but a battle was momentarily expected.

Gen. Halleck has removed his headquarters 12 miles toward the front.

Our advance was within two miles of the enemy’s outer works, and the entire column is still pressing forward.  Skirmishes with the advance of the rebels had been of daily occurrence – the latter making but a slight show of resistance, and then falling back.

On Thursday 400 Germans from a Louisiana regiment who had been sent out from the rebel camp on outpost duty, in two detachments, came into our lines in a body, with white flags on their guns, and gave themselves up as deserters.  From this fact arose numberless rumors to the effect that our divisions had been attacked by the enemy and that the latter had been repulsed with great loss, in killed and wounded, and over 1000 prisoners taken.

Gen. Mitchell was within five miles of Gen. Parker’s division.

Deserters report that Gen. Lovell’s advance was at Grenada, Miss., at the junction of the Central Mississippi and Memphis & New Orleans railroads, fortifying the place which is naturally a strong position.

Beauregard was being rapidly reinforced from all points of Gulf States – merchants and business men, in large numbers having closed their stores and flocked to his standard.

The steamer Lacrosse brought down the body of Gov. Harvey.  It was found forty miles below Savannah by an old negro and some children, who had taken it ashore and riffled his pockets of their contents, which were subsequently recovered.  The body had been interred, and is much decomposed.

Fifty-four prisoners arrived here, who have been taken on the outposts since the battle of Shiloh.  Most of them are Germans from New Orleans.

There is no news from the flotilla.  Com. Foote is awaiting certain movements of Gen. Halleck, when his plans will be consummated.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 6, 1862, p. 2