y an island, having the
Mississippi on three sides, and Reelfoot Lake, with its enveloping
swamp, on the other. A good road led from the Tennessee shore, opposite
Island No. Ten, along the west border of the swamp and the lake to
Tiptonville. The only means of supply, therefore, for the forces on
Island No. Ten and this peninsula, were by the river. If the river were
blockaded at New Madrid, supplies must be landed at Tiptonville and
conveyed across the neck of the peninsula by the road. From this
peninsula there was no communication with the interior except by a small
flatboat which plied across Reelfoot Lake, more than a mile across, by a
channel cut through the cypress-trees which cover the lake. Supplies
and reinforcements could not, therefore, be brought to any considerable
extent by the land side; nor could escape, except by small parties, be
made in that direction. A mile below Tiptonville begin the great swamps
on both sides of the Mississippi. If batteries could be planted on the
lowest dry ground, opposite and below Tiptonville, so as to command the
river and effectually intercept navigation, the garrison of Island No.
Ten and its supports would be cut off from reinforcements and from
escape.

General Polk began the evacuation of Columbus on February 25th. One
hundred and forty pieces of artillery were mounted in the works. All
these, except two thirty-two pounders and several carronades, which were
spiked and left, were taken to Island No. Ten and the works in
connection with it. Brigadier-General McCown with his division went down
the river to Island No. Ten, on February 27th, and General Stewart, with
a brigade, followed to New Madrid on March 1st. The rest of the infantry
marched under General Cheatham, by land, March 1st to Union City. Next
day General Polk, having sent off the bulk of the great stores
accumulated at this place, destroyed the remainder and moved away with
his staff and the cavalry. The force that went from Columbus to Island
No. Ten included General Trudeau's command of ten companies of heavy
artillery and the Southern Guards who acted as heavy artillery. The
light batteries were brigaded with the infantry.

Some progress had been made in throwing up batteries on the island and
at the bend. Sappers and miners were at once set to work, aided by the
companies of heavy artillery and details from the infantry. By March
12th, four batteries, scarcely above the water-level, were completed on