ST. LOUIS, April 9. – Gen. Pope’s Official report says that the canal across the Peninsula at New Madrid, through which four steamers and several barges were taken, is twelve miles long, six miles of which were through heavy timber, which ad to be sawed off by hand – feet under water. This great and laborious undertaking originated with Schuyler Hamilton, and the work was performed by Col. Bissell’s Engineer regiment.
Gen. Halleck and portion of staff left for Tennessee river this afternoon, and will immediately assume command in the field.
The rebels were pursued by eight thousand of our cavalry.
Rebel prisoners state that Beauregard made a speech to his troops before entering the fight, saying that he would water his horse in Tennessee river or in hell; that the fight before them was hell unless successful.
– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 3