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[Special Correspondence of Moore’s Rural New-Yorker.] 
LETTERS FROM CALIFORNIA. 
New Series*. — Number Nine. 
Death of the rich banker—Damp of funeral obsequies — Moral¬ 
izing—Istwt and lawyers—Land titles—Occidental jour• 
nalists—Their difficulties, 
San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 1, 1861. 
Death turns a. deaf ear to bribery, and selects his 
victims alike from the abodes of the rich and the cot¬ 
tages of the poor. Death has no holidays, bnt works un¬ 
ceasingly on in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, 
entering cities and towns, villages aud country, read¬ 
ing iu hollow tone his stern summons to the young, 
the beautiful, the gay, the thoughtless, the rich and 
great, the poor and lowly. His is an absolute mon¬ 
archy; his subjects those of every kindred, and 
tongue, and nation, on the broad earth. 
The death-bed and funeral of a rich man in this 
rich and proud city, is fruitful in instruction. A 
short time since, Death entered the business circles, 
and selected a rich man in the very midst of life. 
He was a banker, doing business on Montgomery — 
the “Wall Street ” of San Francisco. He was forced 
from his counting house to his sick room, and 
closeted with wife, and physician, and nurse, and 
solemn thoughts. Weary days and weeks passed by. 
Human skill was baffled. Death was inexorable. The 
rich banker must meet the dread summons. His 
family gathered round the bedside. That apartment 
was interesting into which Death was entering with 
dumb foot-fall and ghastly presence. It was a 
princely room. Rare pictures flushed the walls that 
winter day with the glory of Arcadian summers. 
The fairest blossoms of Southern climes were piled 
thick upon the costly carpet, and the daintily em¬ 
broidered drapery fell In soft clouds from the massive 
bedstead; tables of rosewood and Parian marble, 
sofas and ottomans of latest pattern, and French mir¬ 
rors of the richest dimensions and cost, bespoke the 
wealth of the dying man. Tho owner of this mag- 
nificenee was unable to purchase a reprieve. Ho bad 
bought lands and city lots and sold them; had sent 
richly freighted ships to foreign ports; had owned 
Government stocks, and Rtocks in hunks; and now he 
must leave his treasures and go away as poor us the 
veriest hod-carrier. His riches afforded no guarantee 
of lengthened life. He lingered a few weeksand died. 
When the morning papers announced the death of 
Mr.-, President of the- Bank, everybody 
said what a pity; bnt "he died rich.” They said it 
on Montgomery street, where they count wealth by 
hundreds of thousands. They said it in elegant 
parlors and by luxurious breakfast tables all over 
the squares and avenues of the great city. They 
said it, too, in dark alleys and squalid homes. 
Everywhere it was the same story “He died 
rich.” Alas! his riches were not laid up where 
moth and rust lose their corrupting influence. Ah! 
there was an angel who stood at the bedside of the 
rich banker in that dying hour; and the man had 
nothing out of all his life to give him; no generous, 
noble, self-sacrificing deeds; no nets of Helf denial: 
no faith; no trust; no repentance and prayer, which 
would have been pearls, and gold, and precious 
jewels in the hands of the angel. So he wrote down 
at the close of the last chapter of that wastod life — 
“ lie died poor,'' 
And the dying man saw the wordH, as his soul 
followed the angel to that bourne from which 
none return, and ho heard him say, lawfully and 
justly acquired wealth is approved of Heaven. In its 
use lies the secret of securing the Divine approbation. 
So he knew then, for the first time, that all the 
labor, and toil, and struggling of his life on earth, 
had only brought him this verdict at tlio great 
assiy.e- “lie died poor.” 
The pageantry of his funeral obsequies exceeded 
anything I had ever seen. The turn-out of elegant 
horses, gayly caparisoned, attached to costly, silver- 
mounted coaches, glittering in the rays of the sun as 
they moved slowly throng!) the city toward the cem¬ 
etery, made au impressive and imposing spectacle. 
Several distinct orders of Masons and Odd Fellows, 
habited in their rich regalia, were largely repre¬ 
sented. ISaukers, merchants, artisans, citizens -each 
and all united iu swelling the procession, until it 
exceeded a mile ia length. Slowly and steadily they 
bore the deceased to his last resting place, in “ Lone 
Mountain Cemetery”—a romantic spot selected and 
fitted for the burial place of the city's dead. 
The death and burial of the wealthy banker affords 
matter for moralizing. Bo true as there is “truth in 
the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in 
everything”- so sure as we are nothing hut coasters 
along time’s shores, traffickers and hucksters in men¬ 
tal and moral com mod i ties, giving, receiving so sure 
will time develop veritable poisons, imparting, when 
added to our stock, mold and mildew. As it is uncer¬ 
tain when we speak a passing craft, whether wo shall 
receive wisdom for wisdom, and as we unlade our 
bark of its rich cargo of ideas ami practical phi¬ 
losophy, are made to receive iu exchange damaged 
wares, or low and squalid thoughts and soiled feel¬ 
ings, so it might be as well to shut up shop, abandon 
our traffic, und live on the riches of our own spirits. 
Or, perhaps, turn our prow to the beach, where lies 
the wreck of some stranded bark, whose goods lie 
scattered temptingly, waiting to be gathered by the 
survivors. 
Ay, indeed! Were we to direct our dealings and 
trading to the shipwrecked, the stranded, the lost—to 
the grave—the burial ground—the last resting place of 
the dead wo should secure a richer commerce, make 
infinite gains, and add to our little wallet of ideas 
and feelings stores of true wealth. There we can 
exchange pride, aud vanity, and pomp, for humility 
and lowliness of mind. Swap selfishness, and 
enmity, and hate, for benevoleuce, and love, and 
charity—barter mirth, and sin, and folly, for sober¬ 
ness, obedience, and heavenly virtue. 
Deatli and the grave deal largely in the merchan¬ 
dize of wisdom. Their supplies have never failed. 
No bankruptcy there; aud pride, and self-will, and 
folly, are the base metals that pass current at their 
gloomy counters in exchange for the pearls of heav¬ 
enly sapience. Wealth, honor, position, power, arc 
as nothing in the tread of Death. Companions, 
friends, loved ones, have us power in his courts. 
Yesterday man was (lushed with health; to-day he 
sickens; to-morrow lie dies! The banker counted 
1‘is wealth by hundreds of thousands—his voice was 
potent in financial circles. lie opened his baud 
Und commerce smiled; he closed it and she waned. 
*le walked the streets of the city a prince. He died 
a ,je Kgar! Of what avail now his title to stocks, and 
and lands, and houses! Alas! a narrow plot 
of ground in that “Lone Mountain,” suffices for his 
necessities. Ilis demise shook and jostled the strong 
Money circles. It caused ripples and- counter cur¬ 
rents on tlie sea of trade. They Boon, however, 
lively 
.flOPRA NO. 
a masrs ufrs wz urn die. 
E. G. STORMS. 
1. A farmer’s life’s the life for me; I own I love it dear - ly; Aud ev-cry sea-sou, full of glee, I take its la - bor cheer - ly. 
ALTO 
2. The law-yer leads a harassed life, Much like the hunted ot - ter ; And ’tween his own aud other’s strife, He’s always in hot wa - ter. 
3. The doctor’s styled a gen-tle-mau; But this 1 hold but humming; For, like a tav-eru wait-iug man. To ev-erycall he’s oom-iug. 
.TENOR. _ ^ . 
4. A farmer’s life, then, let me live, Ob - tain-lug while I lead it, E - no ugh for self, aud some to give To such poor souls as ueed it; 
I’ll plough and sow, To reap and mow, Or in the bam to thresli, sir; All’s one to me, l plain-ly see,’Twill bring me health aud cash, sir. 
For foo or friend, A cause de fend, How-ev - er wrong, must he, sir, in reason’s spite, Maintain its right, And dear-ly cam Ids fee, sir. 
Now here, now there, Must he re-pair, Or starve, sir, by do - ny - ing; Like Death himself, Un- bap-py olf, Ho lives by oth-ers dy - ing. 
C7\ /TS 
I ’ll drain and fence,Nor grudge expense,To give my land good dressing; I ’ll plough andsow.Or drill in row, And hope from Hcav’n a bless-ing. 
resumed their wonted action; time ignored his 
deeds and memory; his place was filled by another, 
and he is forgotten in the busy, restless activities of 
this modern Babel! 
Bankers and money lenders are not the only class 
that amass wealth in California. Lawyers thrive 
beyond precedent. Henry IV being told by his 
gardener that there were several spots at Fontainbleu 
where nothing would grow, said—“ Go plant a bed 
of attornies, for they will flourish anywhere.” This 
satirical remark of the shrewd monarch is strikingly 
exemplified here. No State in the Union of its popu¬ 
lation, has half the litigation. Two causes exist, 
accounting for this. First, it has been, and Is still, 
a land of outrage and crime, multiplying cases for 
the criminal courts. Second, the land titles are very 
uncertain, giving rise to numberless trials between 
contestants. The fraudulent claims set up by the 
Spanish or Mexicans, are counted by hundreds, and 
are supported by all the deception and cunning 
peculiar to that designing people. Borne of these 
suits involve lands valued at hundreds of thousands 
of dollars. Not only the best, legal talent, hut a long 
array is in constant employ. Their fees are large, 
and they amass fortunes In a few years. The uncer¬ 
tainty and doubt that hang over California land 
titles, Is a great impediment to the settlement and 
growth «f the State. It, will doubtless require a 
score of years before these disputes will be finally 
disposed of, and in the meantime, it will prove a rich 
soil for the planting and propagation of attornies. 
They grow and ripen into wealth and position 
rapidly. No seedy, half Hedged lawyers here. All 
are well dressed and full fed. They share largely in 
working out the destinies of the State, and take a 
commanding position in the ranks of citizenship. 
Law und order are bulwarks of defense. Lawyers — 
expounders and defenders of just laws, are a most 
r>nlliable and useful class of men everywhere, and 
especially so on the Pacific coast / Wo cannot 
indorse the remark of the Uni vernal ist minister, 
who on being asked by a lawyer, why the rich man 
called for water to cool his tongue, replied, “ he was 
doubtless once a lawyer, and his tongue is suffering 
lor its crimes committed while practicing the legal 
profession.” 
Journalists are also a prosperous class. Their 
standard of prices is favorable to rapid gains. Borne 
of the first talent is engaged in this department. An 
editor hero is not exempt from difficulties, any more 
than over East. He is solicited to lead off on sub¬ 
scriptions,- is shown a raw-hide by some poor dnnee 
be has unwittingly insulted, and lias to stop writing 
long enough to kick the belligerent ass down stairs. 
He is annoyed by particular friends, who love to sit 
around and tell long stories, which tho editor per¬ 
haps originated years before. He is appealed to to 
settle all disputes in politics, metaphysics, and reli¬ 
gion,—whether it was sinful in General Jackson to 
preface all hia declarations with “ By the Eternal?” 
who wrote the Bible? —when is the Millenium to 
come? will there be any dough faces in heaven, or 
what gambler ever won the most money?—do angle 
worms and lizards rain down, or what nag made the 
fastest time under saddlo?- as water inclines down 
bill, why does sap ascend the tree tops?- who got 
up the system of Counting chickens before they were 
hatched, or eating his bread before it was harvested?— 
ure Yankees accountable beings?—are they natural or 
artificial creatures?- would it he a sin to shoot one ?- 
who Is the author of humbuggery, especially that of 
village politicians?- has thero been more marriages 
than divorces for the last three years?—are women 
held accountable for any more than half they utter?— 
how many rows, quarrels, flirtations, and gunpowder 
plots have happened in the lust eighteen months?—is 
it any moro than fair to conclude that Prince Albert 
is tho father of most of his children?—ia it not 
unconstitutional for an attorney to stop to kiss his 
wife when ho has several neighbors awaiting prose¬ 
cution at his hands?—are California fleas u chosen 
scourge iu the hands of Providence for chastising 
the human race, and when will their term of office 
expire?—he is threatened with hard words, aud fists, 
and bludgeons, and sour looks, and everything base 
but money, (just when he needs it.) He ia written to 
by some consequential subscriber, to blow up some 
poor fellow who has just misused and insulted him. 
lie is expected to flatter everybody, to curse every¬ 
body, to please everybody!! lie must blow hot and 
cold with the same breath, smile out of one corner 
of his mouth and storm from the other, and logically 
prove 
*■ The difference them should bo, 
’Twixt tweedle dum aud tweedle dee.” 
And all to serve the piques aud innuendoes of his 
churlish patrons, just as though editors had not bat¬ 
tles enough of their own to fight, und no over-stock 
of courage withal. In short, in spite of themselves, 
the naughty world will show its teeth at editors. 
Well, take them all in all, they are a worthy, work¬ 
ing, reliable, hopeful, patient cla.-s of men. I would 
that their virtues were stereotyped aud lt-produced 
in all ranks of society the wide world over, s. u. n. 
►ual llrut-ijot’licr. 
NEWS DEPARTMENT. 
* * 
r 7 1 
“ Forbvbr float that standard Hheet — 
Where breathe* tho foo but falls before us? 
Wltli Freedom’s soil beneath our foot, 
And Freedom’s banner streaming o’er us.” 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., OCTOBER 12, 1861. 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS. 
FACTS, SCHENKS, INCIDENTS, KTO. 
Extracts Ciom tho Houtliorn 
Disease among tub Rebels. — A Manassas cor¬ 
respondent of the Savannah Republican writes 
“I regret to say there is a great deal of sickness in 
tho army. This is not a health!? country at this sea¬ 
son of the year. Tho remark applies to all the 
counties bordering on the Potomac, from the Great 
Falls down. There are other reasons, however, for 
the unhealthincss of the army, and tho chief among 
them is the want of proper police regulations in the 
camps. In plain English, the camps are not kept 
clean. This I know from personal observation. 
“When I ask the officers about it, they excuse 
themselves by saying that it is impossible to enforce 
the necessary hygienic discipline among tho volun¬ 
teers. Neither the company officers nor tho men, 
they say, will submit to those sanitary regulations 
without which it is impossible to preserve the health 
of the command. This plea, to my certain knowl¬ 
edge, Is not well founded. There is tho First 
Regiment Georgia regulars, CoL Williams, and the 
Fifteenth Regiment Georgia volunteers, Col. Thomas, 
where tho most rigid rules are enforced, and cheer¬ 
fully obeyed by all the officers and men. Tho result 
is, these regiments enjoy almost a complete exemp¬ 
tion from all kinds of disease except those of an 
infections character, which cannot well he guarded 
aguinHt in the camp, and suoh as ure incident to a 
change of water. In a certain Mississippi regiment, 
on the contrary, where every man is permitted to do 
as he likes, two thirds of the entire command is on 
the sick list, while tho deaths have reached as high 
as nine in one day.” 
The Charleston Mercury, writing upon the same 
topic, remarks:—“Tho terrible Hanitary condition 
of our army on the Potomac, is a matter of painful 
interest to the whole people of the Confederate 
States. The frightful condition of the camp is a 
subject of universal interest and alarm. In the spirit 
of Spartan fortitude, we are willing that our troops 
should be sacrificed, if need be, in tho cause of the 
country. But that they should fall victims to the 
mismanagement of an inefficient department, is 
utterly unendurable. Ten thouaund lives are now 
In Jeopardy through this folly. The fruits of the 
great battle at Manassas have been sacrificed to this 
almost criminal fatuity.” 
Report of One Hospital. —The report of tho 
managers of tho St. Charles Hospital in Richmond, 
shows that they have received into that establishment 
from the 1st of August to the 3d of September, tho 
following number of sick and wounded soldiers: 
From Smith Carolina 487 From North Carolina ... b 4 
From Georgia .. 22!i Fr»m Tennessee. . £>2 
From Missuxippi .... luff From Florida ...._ Of! 
From Virginia_16. r > From Kentucky .. 21) 
From Louisiana. 67 From Texas.... 4 
From Alabama ......... 08 - 
Total.1180 
If one Houthern hospital presents such a frightful 
list, how many sick and wounded must they all 
contain ? 
Floyd did not Steal Enough. The following 
article, from the Richmond Erammer, is the coolest 
piece of infamy that we have yet seen in connection 
with the war. There is a highwayman’s dash about 
it. which would have delighted the boldest gentleman 
of the road that ever swung at Tyburn: 
“ We gave the other day some account of the 
extensive preparations that are making in this city 
for the supply of winter clothing to the army. These 
preparations remind us of what the Boutli lias lost 
by the want of proper enterprise In Richmond, before 
the war, on this very subject of army elothing. 
“it is greatly to be regretted that the earnest 
efforts which were made in 1857 and 1858, by the 
then Secretary of War, Governor Floyd, to establish 
a clothing factory and depository for the army in 
this city, failed. Next to enlarging greatly tho 
capacity of the works at Harper’s Ferry, for the 
manufacture of arms, and tho establishment of a 
national foundery somewhere in the South, that 
gentleman was most solicitous to organize and set 
in operation a largo clothing factory for tho army in 
this city. 
“The entire clothing manufacture of tho United 
States Army had been conducted for many years in 
Philadelphia. It was an immense business, involving 
more than a million dollars a year. It was conducted 
on Government account, and not on the contract 
system. It had been very ably managed by Major 
Grossman of the Quartermaster’s Department, assisted 
by one or two of the leading dry goods mere bants 
in Philadelphia, to whom it brought a large revenue. 
“Gov. Floyd thought it was just that this vast 
business should bo divided between the South and 
tho North; and he determined, if any respectable 
merchants in this city would consent to take hold of 
it, that ho would divide the business, and scud half 
of it to Richmond. Accordingly he caused some of 
the leading drygoods merchants of this city to be 
spoken to on flu; subjoct. Beveral of them were 
sounded, and either from want of sagacity, or enter¬ 
prise, or of Inclination, they declined to lend their 
assistance to tho enterprise. Discouraged by the 
c.obi reception which the proposition mot with in a 
city that would have derived so much benefit from 
it, tin; Secretary, much to his sorrow, let the matter 
drop. 
“If the clothing factory and warehouse for tho 
army, thus projected by far-seeing statesmanship, 
had been established in Richmond, abundant stocks 
of all sorts of material would have been found in 
store here at tho opening of tho war, and an organ¬ 
ized system already in operation, capable of supply¬ 
ing all tho wants of the Southern army. As it is, 
tho Southern Government is, for the great part of the 
requisite material, at tho mercy of speculators, ami 
must pay two prices for stocks of goods which they 
might hare found on hand in the public depository 
here, paid for ami without price. The same enlightened 
and patriotic forerust which supplied arms to the South, 
would have accumulated here abundant supplies of 
clothing material. 
“The advantage to the cause would have boon 
almost as great, ia the matter of army clothing, as 
a like bold measure of the same Secretary has proved 
to the Bouth in the matter of arms, though he doubt¬ 
less would have been as bitterly opposed by political 
enemies here for the Richmond clothing factory, as 
he was denounced by certain newspapers in Missis¬ 
sippi in the most violent terms at the time, for send¬ 
ing 150,000 arms into the Booth!” 
Strategic l’ulnUi at the West. 
Tiik Chicago Tribune gives tho following topo¬ 
graphical description of Calre, Bird’s Point, Mound 
City, and Paducub, leading strategic points at the 
West. As active operations seem to have been sud¬ 
denly transferred to that portion of tho Union, the 
article possesses peculiar interest at the present. 
The Tribune says: 
For weeks past, the name of Cairo has been in 
almost every issue of every leading journal in the 
country. Its strategic importance, in a military 
point of view, is universally acknowledged; but the 
strength of that position to the army in possession 
cannot bu fully understood without careful study of 
the topography of its surrouudiugs. Let our readers 
take the largest and heat map at their command, and 
we will try and give them some idea of the strength 
and importance of Cairo as a military post. 
&l’hc first thing that attracts attention is tho extreme 
southern position of the city. It is the most south 
erly point in the Froo Btates, iB in the latitude of 
Norfolk, Va., within less than 40 miles of the southern 
lino of Virginia and Kentucky, and more than one- 
third of the way bet ween Chicago aud Now Orleans. 
The Illinois Central Railroad connects it. directly 
with the entire ruilroad system of the Northern 
States. Situated at the confluence of the Mississippi 
and the Ohio Rivers, it ia of course accessible l>y 
steamers to all the great rivers of the Mississippi 
Valley, and below Cairo the Mississippi is navigable 
for tho largest steamers the year round. The latitude 
of the country below Cairo, together wltli the warm 
waters of the Tennessee River, which flows, so to 
speak, up north from the Southern Btates aud enters 
the Ohio at Paducah, Ky., 60 miles above Cairo, keep 
the Lower Mississippi free from ice during the cold¬ 
est winter. 
Cairo, when iu possession of an army, is especially 
inaccessible to an opposing foe. The highlands of 
Southern Illinois terminate at Villa Ridge, twelve 
miles north of Cairo, The belt of country for Uio 
next live or six miles south of Villa Ridge, extending 
very nearly across from the Mississippi to the Ohio, 
is low and swampy, covered with very heavy cotton¬ 
wood, cypress, and other timber common to Missis¬ 
sippi bottoms. The Cash river, a deep aud navigable W- 
stream, after approaching the Mississippi within a 
mile, runs nearly east through this swamp, and enters KN 
the Ohio a short distance below Mound City. Tho [Jj 
Illinois Central Railway crosses this swamp on a Jg 
long trestle work, and besides this thero are but two C 
approaches to Cairo one by the roftd on the narrow ^ 
strip of land between the Cash and the Mississippi, 
and tho other by tho road on the banks of the Ohio 
from Mound City. All those approaches can be 
defended by a few troops and a battery of artillery 
against an immensely superior force. The burning 
of tho trestle bridge of the Illinois Central would 
leave but two points to be defended. 
The surface of tho ground on which Cairo stands, 
and from four to live miles north of the town, is ton, 
and some twenty feet of it above the swauip described; 
hut still a levee of five to fifteen feet high surrounds 
it, in order to protect it from inundation at high 
water. Tills levee forms an admirable breastwork, 
from behind which field artillery and infantry could 
do terrible execution upon an approaching enemy, if 
by any means ho had passed the natural obstacles and 
tho military defences placed north of the town, or if 
he should approach it by steamers on the water. But 
Fort Defiance, on the point at the lower end of tho 
city, in which are a sufficient number of sixty-four 
pounders, mortars, Ac., renders it absolutely impos¬ 
sible for a fleet to approach from the Lower Missis¬ 
sippi, the only direction from which danger can lie 
apprehended. Tho guns in tho fort command tlio 
Mississippi for throw miles below the point, at which 
an approaching fleet would first come in sight. Oppo¬ 
site Fort Defiance, across the Mississippi, is 
mud's roiNT. 
Here is the largo farm of Colonel Bird, now fully 
occupied for military purposes. A small breast work 
was at first thrown up near tho river; hut this is 
included in a much larger fort, now rapidly approach¬ 
ing completion, ft mounts a largo number of very 
heavy guns, and the wide cleared space they com¬ 
mand renders tho approach of a largo army almost 
impossible. At high water nearly the entire farm is 
overflowed. The country in the rear is about oh 
impassable as that back of Cairo. A large slouch 
leaves tho Mississippi directly below l’rice’s landing, 
twenty fivo miles above Bird’s Point. A part of it 
returns to the Mississippi a short distance above tho 
Point, hot a large portion spreads Itself out aud 
enters tho Mississippi above and below Belmont, 
opposite Columhns, twenty miles below Cairo. Tho 
Cairo and Fulton Railroad crosses this slouch on a 
high trestle work. Bird’s Point lias hut two roads 
leading to it. One from Charleston, sixty miles 
weflt — hut twelve on the line of the railroad and 
one up the bank of the river from Belmont. Both of 
these roads arc very easily rendered impassable for 
an army by the destruction of bridges and felling tho 
heavy timbers of the bottoms across them, so that 
the surprise and taking of Bird’s Point, except by 
regular approaches and an overwhelming force, is 
well nigh a military impossibility. The heavy guns 
from Fort Defiance can very easily throw shell over 
the works at the Point into the woods that surround 
tho farm of Col. Bird, on all save tho river side. 
About a mile below Cairo on the Kentucky shore is 
FORT HOLT. 
The goneralH iu command at Cairo have kept a 
dose watch upon this point all summer, hut they did 
not occupy it till tho rebel* bad taken possession of 
Columbus, twenty miles below. The bank on which 
the fort stands is high, bnt is overflowed to the depth 
of from three to eight feet at high water. Tho 
ground gradually falls off from the hank of tho river, 
and for the distance of from three to seven miles it 
is low and swampy, and filled with long, narrow, 
moon-shaped sloughs ami lakes, and impassable for 
an army. A few miles below Fort Holt tho outlet 
from these sloughs enters the Mississippi, and the 
crossing can ho so obstructed and defended that the 
approach of an army is almost impossible. The only 
remaining approach is by river, and the forts and 
gunboats interpose resistless obstacles to any such 
movement. Two other points deserve notice in this 
connection: the first is 
MOUND CtTY, 
six miles above Cairo, on tho Illinois Hhoro. Tho 
road from tho opposite side, in Kentucky, is said to 
he passably good, and fears have been entertained 
lest, the enemy by this route should throw a column 
across the Ohio, in the rear of Cairo. CoL Lawler’s 
regiment has been stationed for runny weeks at 
Mound City, and should the enemy attempt any such 
movement, Cairo Is so near that, before he could gain 
a position in Illinois, he would be sure to be utterly 
annihilated. The other point referred to is 
rADUCAH, KENTUCKY, 
fifty miles above Cairo. At this place the Tennessee 
river, navigable for hundreds of miles, and flowing 
directly north from Northern Alabama and Missis¬ 
sippi, enters the Ohio. A railway also connects it 
with all the railways of the Bouth. As soon as Gen. 
Polk, with his army of rebels, arrived at Columbus, 
tho terminus of tho Mobile und Ohio Railroad, Gen. 
Grant took possession of Paducah. Next to Cairo, it 
is plain that Paducah is the most important strategic 
point that has been occupied iu the Mississippi Val¬ 
ley. By the railway alone, as proved by the freight 
books now in possession of our officers, from one to 
five ear loads of flour and as many of bacon havo daily 
gono Bouth for tho last two months. Other military 
stores, ammunition, equipments and clothing, have 
gone forward to the full extent of the capacity of 
tho road. In addition to this tho Bteamera on the 
Tennessee river have been most actively employed, 
and the only misfortune is that the rebels did not 
invade the neutrality of Kentucky months ago, that 
this largo aud infamons traffic might have been 
stopped at a much earlior day. A careful reading, 
with tho advantages of a map, will show why the 
rebels have failed to attack Cairo and Bird’s Point, 
and why the earlier occupation of them by tho troops 
of Illinois was one of the most important movements 
that, has been made daring the progress of this cause¬ 
less and wicked rebellion. 
Ili-illluiit Nuvul Exploit. 
By a letter dated “ U. B. Steam Frigate Colorado, 
off Pensacola Harbor, Sept. 14, 1861,” we are putin 
possession of an act of daring on the part of a por¬ 
tion of the crew of that vessel worthy of those who 
uro battling for the Union. The writer says: 
Tlie monotony of the "Blockade,” so far as this 
ship is concerned, was broken, last night, by a most 
brilliant achievement. Home days ago, a large 
schooner was observed iu the harbor, in tho vicinity 
of the Navy Yard, and her appearance and motions 
led to tlie suspicion that she had been fitted up as a 
privateer, and had intentions of trying to run tho '■ 
blockade. Capt. Bailey went ashore on Santa Rosas yi 
Island, for the purpose of “fakin’ notes” in regard yi 
to the schooner and the reported battery, with the fh 
view of getting up an expedition against them. 4/ 
