, 1861-11-16
OBJECT AND RESULT OF TILE BELMONT
EXPEDITION.
E1ffhF4 FE Trihr,

CroakiDg has become the order OF the
nmee. After many unfortunate actions. our
gifnters seem to have adopted the policy Of
cicero In the matter Of flntroductlons-a1 wnys
hRVe 4 number On hand and soue one will
certainly answer for any occasion.
1t ts amazing, the promptness with which
many newspaper correspondents flg to the
marx OF representing almost every action as
" disastrous"
Our late descent Oh Belmont has been char.
aeter1Zcd as marching up the hill, and march
Ing down again, n,"-aeiM qre1t loss and nothing
mort-as il there had been really no object ii
view, Or IS If the ridiculous idea had been en-.
ttEtained BY Generals Grant and McClernnnd.
Of taking and holding Belmont.
The facts are these: Gen. Grant received in
etruction from Gen. Fremont to throw out
sueh iorce rs would prevent Polk and Pillow
where west. Accordingly, Col Oglssby was
sent out on the evening Of the 81 inst, to
move south from Cape Girardeau. In
pu1Eu1t OF JET. Thompson, and at the same
time watch all westward movements. Soon
after this, It WIS suspected that OzlesbY's
force (but three regiments, with some artil-
lery and cayalryl might not be sufficient to
prevent the westward movement, or might
even invite 1t. Rumors from Columbus favored
the idea that strong force Was soon to move
westward. Coz Oglesby must be protected
Then originated the idea Of q movement about
bad % bsta Esan5t saa
five to thirty thousand mo1. Our new
gunboats were not yet ready for SER
y1ce. It was resolved to make q " brilliant
dash" into Belmont, at the same time men~
acing Columbus trom Psducah. From some
accident, the Paducah force was delayed. But
70 time Tss to be lost at Belmont The
"oash" Was made, not an hour too soon as
We.noW learn that in twenty -four hours 1000
men would have started west-enough to cut
Of Col: Oglesby and proceed to reinforce
FIice no one thought Of holding Belmont,
even fer an hour. Such a thought would have
been madness, seeing that it Is directly under
the heavy batteries Of Columbus. A hundred
thousand men could not have held 1t for twelve
hours. -
We landed under cover Of point of timber
at Lucas's Bend, leaving the steamers under
Tyler, which vera Also charged to engage
the Columbus batteries, or as mxny of them
as could be reached in safety, and thus to
protect our troops while approachlng Bel.
batteries in sight Of our gunboata we're first
engaged, and then siieneed.. Rebel prisoners
saY that our shell drove their gunneB from
EH Of their guns. In thesmean time our troops,
the Iowa9th, the III. eth, 30th aad s1st, and
our artillery and cavalry acted in manner
enemy have not Jet ceased to swear that q
large part Of our troops were regulars. All
moved with alacrity to their work; aud all
that was proposed WIS accomplished In an In.
credibly short the. Tbs enemy were slaugh:
tered In vast numbers their field battery "a.
ken, with large numbers Of prisoners, and
their whole eucamPment lasd In ashes, while
their men fed In all dlrections-many On
boats to Columbus.
So complete was the 1out that our men were
too much elated and made themselves too
easy. The timely order to retire was not -
FRI 1nptly. obeyed M Gen. Grant desired.
"Pickings we're good In the camp; and
many OF our men Ind quietly opened theil
hxvereacks and proceeded to make their din
ners. Tie lines were formed, however, snd
the retreat to Tho boats commenced, accord
ing to the original programme, some tint
before the reinforcing boats Of the enemy
were observed TO be approaching from Co
1ulnbns. The ColHmhns batteries were NON
In full blaet-thuugh they wera aiming too
high, md did us Iittas harm. Our fleld pleces
Nere turned against the boats. but were toe
/ light to stop them. Soma 1900 sro beafs1od
10 haFe landed, Thoea, :*ogskksr with tht
| heavy batteries. embo1aeno6 yszt nxmbeE.