General Curtis to Pea Ridge and Arkansas. A considerable portion of what
was left was sent up the Tennessee and Cumberland to General Grant. On
February 14, 1862, General Pope was summoned to St. Louis by General
Halleck, and on the 18th General Halleck pointed out to him the
situation at New Madrid and Island No. Ten, and directed him to organize
and command a force for their reduction. On the 19th Pope left for Cairo
to defend it from an attack then apprehended from Columbus. This
apprehension being found to be groundless, he proceeded by steamboat,
with a guard of 140 men, thirty miles up the river, and began at once to
organize his expedition.

Major-General Polk, commanding at Columbus, having received instructions
from the Confederate War Department, through General Beauregard, to
evacuate Columbus and select a defensive position below, adopted that
embracing Madrid Bend on the Tennessee shore, New Madrid on the Missouri
shore, and Island No. Ten between them. The bluffs on the Missouri shore
terminate abruptly at Commerce. Thence to Helena, Arkansas, the west
bank of the Mississippi is everywhere low and flat, and in many places
on the river, and to much greater extent a few miles back from the
river, is a swamp. From Columbus to Fort Pillow, the Tennessee shore is
of the same character. The river flowing almost due south for some miles
to Madrid Bend, curves there to the west of north to New Madrid, and
there making another bend, sweeps to the southeast and then nearly east,
till, reaching Tiptonville, a point nearly due south of Madrid Bend, it
turns again to the south. Island No. Ten begins at Madrid Bend and looks
up the straight stretch of the river. From Island No. Eight, about four
miles above Island No. Ten, the distance across the land to New Madrid
is six miles, while by river it is fifteen. The distance overland from
Island No. Ten to Tiptonville is five miles, while by water it is
twenty-seven. Commencing at Hickman, between Madrid Bend and Columbus, a
great swamp, which for a part of its extent is a sheet of water called
Reelfoot Lake, extends along the left bank of the Mississippi, and
discharges its waters into the Mississippi forty miles below
Tiptonville, leaving between it and the river the peninsula which lies
immediately below Island No. Ten, and opposite New Madrid. Immediately
below Tiptonville the swamp for many miles extends entirely to the
river. The peninsula is, therefore, substantiall