Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1862-12-17
THE EXHIBITION For THE OPENING OF
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Vt - -
The Albany Ledger gathers the fellow
inS information with reference to Gen.
McClernand's Mississippi river expedi-
/ ton
The expedition j being organized on
gigantic scale, Colum bus being the
pnint Of rendezvous. Maior-Generai
\ McCIernsnd i. there, giving his personal
superintcnience to the ar nament and
/ equipment of the force, and taking all
the uecessary step. to insure the success
OF the expedition.
Ills cyrps darmo will consist entirely
Of Western aud Northwestern regiments
1t will embrace ten regiments from Indi-
ana, twelve regiments from Illinois. four
regiments from Wisconsin, two regiments
from Minnesota. ani some ten thousand
truops-infaniry, cavalry, and artillery,
from the army now in Kentucky, prob
ably portion of Gen. G W Morgan's
command, and portion of The late COM
inaHd Of Gen. Granger The cavalry and
infantry force will be ample for any and
every emergency.
Ia addition TO this force, the gunboat
feet, under Commodore Porter, will 90
Operate with the expedition. The feet Of
Commodore Porter consists OF the fol-
lowing vessels Benton, flag ship,l
Capt Gwin, IL guns; Passport, Capt.
Phelps, Is guns, Carondelet, Captain
Wilkes. II guns Cincinnati, Captain
Stemb!e, - guns; Cairo, Capt Bryant,
, lG guns; M.unl City. Capt. Wilson,
III eur~; Louisville. Capt. Meade, Is
; guns Baron De Kalh, formerly the St.
; Lpuio,) Capt. Winslow, Is guns; Essex.
Capt. Porter, guns; Lexington, Capt.
! Shirk. guns making total of ten
/ -unbolts ami Ons HUNDRED aud twenty iona
guns.
: Wee it necessary, this naval force
colId be augmented by the Tyler, Cones
toGa, Chil!corlle, Indianola, Bragg, Little
: Reeel, Fort Henry aud those of the new
IA guIhCifs now nearly finished.
= The first great obstacle for the expe-
dirion to overcome, will be the formidable
Notifications a Nicksburs But when it ia
: remembered that Com. Farragut, with his
feet Of gunboats and mortar boats, is be-
r lOv these works and Gan easily Cooperate
\ with the feet from abe ve, it will be seen
: shat an overwhelming force will be thus
/. broaght to bear for he reduction of ths
rebel stronghold 4 N.ckeburg.
] he caua, dug by order of Gen. Butler,
last Summer, Till be IF no advantage tc
u il an attack. Gentlemen who have
lately beer With the transports carrying
rebel prisoners to Vicksburg, say tha
since The abandonment Of the work By
q, uu. troops, the enemy have erected yer;
formidable batteries there, commanding
tie iebOuche Of the canal, and had taken
the precaution of filing up the channel
. sr A. to prevent the washing out Of the
. canal when the river rises. Aud even
! should the water rise sufficiently to vast
out the channel, the guns Of the enemy
] would still com:nand the canal
+ The attack on Vicksburg last summer
failed for want Of cooperating land
force on our part Netherlands expe
diiiou will obviate this want in the future
and when Vicksburg i again attacked, il
. will be taken by storm by McClernand'.
: tronps- This city captured, and the way
I l. comparatively clear to New Orleans.
3 The expedition of Gen. McClernauc
Will BE- ready to move by the 10th Of
. he'cn Der, at farthest, perhaps much
earlier Ii will be followed b7 the gun
bnafs II Gen. Elicit, who, will have
! large force-infantrY, cavalry, aud artil
2 lery, TO keep the river clear Of guerrilla
! anG re5el batteries. Gen. Ellett's com
' mand will be quartered upon armed
y transports, 50 that 1t can be moved rapidly
4 to any point where IT. presence may b
: required and it viii have, in con unc
| tiou with the gunboats, complete surveil
lance Of the lower Mississippi and its navi
gable tributaries, so that when the rive
is once opened, it will remain open, an,
is navigation becomes entirely safe Il
! steamers.