CAIRO, April 23. – A gentleman has just arrived from Memphis with the Memphis Appeal of the 17th inst., from which I am allowed to extract the following:
In an editorial, devoted to the needs of the Mississippi valley, while acknowledging the danger of the success of the Federal flotilla, advises the employment of every one, black and white, to the extend of his ability, for defense, and advocates the construction of the most approved description of gunboats. Whatever can be done with wood and iron, and brain and muscle, must be done and done expeditiously.
The fearful mortality of Confederate officers in the recent battle of the west is explained by the fact that the enemy have organized bodies of sharpshooters whose assigned duty it is to pick all of the mean appearing on the field with plumes or epaulettes.
The Appeal advises the organizing of similar bodies of men in rebeldom.
The Federals had made no demonstration on the line of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad between Memphis and Union City; this road is operated to Taunton, Gibson county, only about 10 miles from Humboldt.
Capt. Bankhead, commanding Bankhead’s Confederate battery, when into the Shiloh battle with six pieces, and brought out twelve.
A report was current at Memphis by way of Corinth, that the Federals had abandoned Tennessee.
Gen. Prentiss, surrendered himself prisoner to private Simons, of Capt. Bethel’s company of the 22d Tennessee regiment, who conducted him to Col. Freeman; the Colonel received his sword and returning it introduced him to his regiment; when the regiment discovered the quality of their captive they vociferously cheered him. – Gen. Prentiss acknowledged the compliment by doffing his hat, and in a polite, set manner said: “Boys you have a right to cheer, for you fought like tigers.”
The Appeal says that the Confederate losses are enormously exaggerated. The killed will not exceed one thousand and their wounded five hundred, and their prisoners eight hundred, and ascribes their defeat to whisky found in the federal encampment on Sunday night.
Beauregard was not wounded, as reported by the Federal press.
The Remains of Gen. A. S. Johnston, after laying in state two days in the city Hall, were on Monday, the 14th inst., placed in the fault of the St. Louis Cemetery of New Orleans.
Our informant left Memphis the 17th, and on a pass managed to reach Humboldt, when he received safe conduct to Trenton, the present terminus of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad; from here he walked to Union City and Hickman. – There are no forces of either belligerents at Union City. From Hickman he came to this city on the Desoto. He represents that the existence of a Union sentiment at Memphis is all bosh.
Since the passage of the conscription bill by the Confederate Congress, all males between 18 and 35 have joined the army. There is no impressments; the people enter upon this service with zeal and ardor.
Business is almost entirely suspended, except in that class of goods needed for the army. – Confederate money is current, and readily taken at par in exchange for goods. There is no other money afloat.
Three gunboats were being constructed at Memphis, two of which, the Arkansas and Beauregard, would be finished in a week; the other would require a month to complete it. – The Arkansas is plated with two thicknesses of railroad iron, placed transversely, and is alone considered more than a match for the combined Federal flotilla. The Beauregard is a wooden boat with 30 inches of compressed cotton placed between heavy wooden timbers 18 inches thick, making a resistance to our shot of over five feet of wood and cotton. This they also consider impregnable. The rebels are thoroughly informed as to the construction of our boats, and think they have discovered and averted their weak pointes. Their boats are built upon a different model – are long and narrow, furnished with engines of enormous power, with all the modern improvements, and provided at the prow a la Merrimac.
He reports 18,000 in the rear of the Chickasaw bluffs, and throwing up intrenchments to provide against anticipated attack in the rear. The country back of the bluffs is now inundated.
Gen. Bragg is at Corinth. Gen. Price is to take command of Fort Pillow.
At Memphis the burning of the city is still discussed. The general impression seems to be that it will not be attempted. Cotton, tobacco, molasses and sugar is gathered in enormous piles upon the levee, and will be consigned to the flames upon the appearance of the federal fleet above Memphis.
The steamer DeSoto, just arrived from below, brings the first shipment of cotton from the valley of the Mississippi to northern ports since the war commenced.
Island No. 10 is to be fortified in accordance with plans from the War Department.
The DeSoto brings no intelligence of interest. The firing was resumed on Tuesday slowly and moderately; when the steamer left an expedition was being planned from the fleet to make a reconnioisance somewhere in the vicinity – destination unknown.
The 2d Illinois volunteers arrived from camp Dubois; they were assigned to this post in obedience to the request of Gen. Strong. Another regiment will speedily follow.
Now news from Pittsburg.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3
In an editorial, devoted to the needs of the Mississippi valley, while acknowledging the danger of the success of the Federal flotilla, advises the employment of every one, black and white, to the extend of his ability, for defense, and advocates the construction of the most approved description of gunboats. Whatever can be done with wood and iron, and brain and muscle, must be done and done expeditiously.
The fearful mortality of Confederate officers in the recent battle of the west is explained by the fact that the enemy have organized bodies of sharpshooters whose assigned duty it is to pick all of the mean appearing on the field with plumes or epaulettes.
The Appeal advises the organizing of similar bodies of men in rebeldom.
The Federals had made no demonstration on the line of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad between Memphis and Union City; this road is operated to Taunton, Gibson county, only about 10 miles from Humboldt.
Capt. Bankhead, commanding Bankhead’s Confederate battery, when into the Shiloh battle with six pieces, and brought out twelve.
A report was current at Memphis by way of Corinth, that the Federals had abandoned Tennessee.
Gen. Prentiss, surrendered himself prisoner to private Simons, of Capt. Bethel’s company of the 22d Tennessee regiment, who conducted him to Col. Freeman; the Colonel received his sword and returning it introduced him to his regiment; when the regiment discovered the quality of their captive they vociferously cheered him. – Gen. Prentiss acknowledged the compliment by doffing his hat, and in a polite, set manner said: “Boys you have a right to cheer, for you fought like tigers.”
The Appeal says that the Confederate losses are enormously exaggerated. The killed will not exceed one thousand and their wounded five hundred, and their prisoners eight hundred, and ascribes their defeat to whisky found in the federal encampment on Sunday night.
Beauregard was not wounded, as reported by the Federal press.
The Remains of Gen. A. S. Johnston, after laying in state two days in the city Hall, were on Monday, the 14th inst., placed in the fault of the St. Louis Cemetery of New Orleans.
Our informant left Memphis the 17th, and on a pass managed to reach Humboldt, when he received safe conduct to Trenton, the present terminus of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad; from here he walked to Union City and Hickman. – There are no forces of either belligerents at Union City. From Hickman he came to this city on the Desoto. He represents that the existence of a Union sentiment at Memphis is all bosh.
Since the passage of the conscription bill by the Confederate Congress, all males between 18 and 35 have joined the army. There is no impressments; the people enter upon this service with zeal and ardor.
Business is almost entirely suspended, except in that class of goods needed for the army. – Confederate money is current, and readily taken at par in exchange for goods. There is no other money afloat.
Three gunboats were being constructed at Memphis, two of which, the Arkansas and Beauregard, would be finished in a week; the other would require a month to complete it. – The Arkansas is plated with two thicknesses of railroad iron, placed transversely, and is alone considered more than a match for the combined Federal flotilla. The Beauregard is a wooden boat with 30 inches of compressed cotton placed between heavy wooden timbers 18 inches thick, making a resistance to our shot of over five feet of wood and cotton. This they also consider impregnable. The rebels are thoroughly informed as to the construction of our boats, and think they have discovered and averted their weak pointes. Their boats are built upon a different model – are long and narrow, furnished with engines of enormous power, with all the modern improvements, and provided at the prow a la Merrimac.
He reports 18,000 in the rear of the Chickasaw bluffs, and throwing up intrenchments to provide against anticipated attack in the rear. The country back of the bluffs is now inundated.
Gen. Bragg is at Corinth. Gen. Price is to take command of Fort Pillow.
At Memphis the burning of the city is still discussed. The general impression seems to be that it will not be attempted. Cotton, tobacco, molasses and sugar is gathered in enormous piles upon the levee, and will be consigned to the flames upon the appearance of the federal fleet above Memphis.
The steamer DeSoto, just arrived from below, brings the first shipment of cotton from the valley of the Mississippi to northern ports since the war commenced.
Island No. 10 is to be fortified in accordance with plans from the War Department.
The DeSoto brings no intelligence of interest. The firing was resumed on Tuesday slowly and moderately; when the steamer left an expedition was being planned from the fleet to make a reconnioisance somewhere in the vicinity – destination unknown.
The 2d Illinois volunteers arrived from camp Dubois; they were assigned to this post in obedience to the request of Gen. Strong. Another regiment will speedily follow.
Now news from Pittsburg.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3
