As to that article in the Hawk Eye it gives me no uneasiness whatever.  The Iowa regiment did its duty fully, and my report gives it full credit.  All who were on the battlefield know where General McClernand and myself were, and there is no need of resort to the public press for our vindication.  The other extract gives our loss in killed and wounded almost exactly correct.  Our missing however is only three or four over one hundred.  Recent information received through deserters shows that the rebel loss from killed, wounded, and missing reaches about 2500.  One thing is certain,—­after the battle about one third of Columbus was used for hospitals and many were removed to houses in the country.  There were also two steamboat loads sent to Memphis and the largest hotel in the city taken as a hospital.  The city was put in mourning and all business suspended for a day:  and the citizens thrown into the greatest consternation lest they would be attacked.

I wrote to you two days ago, therefore it is not necessary to write a long letter.

I believe I told you that Julia had gone to St. Louis.  She will pay you a short visit before returning to Galena.

ULYSSES.

[General D.C.  Buell commanded the Department of the Ohio with headquarters at Louisville.

To his sister Mary.]

Cairo,
Dec. 18th, 1861.

DEAR SISTER: 

I have been wanting to write you for some time and am not so indifferent as you would make out.  I wish you could be here for a day or two to see what I have to go through from breakfast until twelve at night, seven days in the week.  I have now just got through with my mail for to-night, and as it is not yet twelve and the mail does not close until that time, I will devote the remainder of the time in penning you a few lines.  I have no war news to communicate, however.

Julia and the children have returned from St. Louis.  They will not make you the promised visit whilst I remain here.

Captain Foley arrived to-day and I showed him all the attention I could but I regret to say it was not much.  He will excuse it however.

I am sorry you did not come with him.  I believe I should have allowed the children to go back with you.

I have learned through private sources that an attack has been made upon Fort Jackson, Louisiana, and that the place has been taken.  That is to say such is the report in Columbus, but I do not know whether to credit the report.  Something has taken place to call off many of their troops.  They still have a much larger force than I have.

Whilst I am writing several Galena gentlemen are in talking.  They will remain until the office closes so you must excuse a disconnected letter.

I do not now see that the probabilities are so strong that I will likely be removed.  A full disposition seems to have been made of all my seniors.

Father seems to be very much inclined to criticise all our generals.  It may have been a little inexcusable in General Buell not to allow troops to stop for a few hours when near their homes.  But he should recollect that General Buell was not on the spot to see the circumstances fully, and he does not know what necessity may have existed to have got the troops through by a certain time.