The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-03
Special Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette
The Great Tennessee River Expedition.
Arrices at its Destination. Into tie
-1" o-ff .'.i Gulf States.


FoUK MILES ABOVE SAVANNAH. Tenn.
5o ! ~ March IA.
The march of Gen. Wallace's Diyis.
ion last night and the night preceding,
was in no wise different from other
marches the same troops and other
troops, all through the seat of War in
the West, have made, and yet, common
as were its fatigues, but few of the par.
tclpants VIII ever appreciate them.
PLAN OF OPERATIONS.
The plan Of the movement was
briefly thus: AT the towns of Purdy, in
Tennessee, and Cornith, in Mississippi,
pretty strong rebel forces were known
to be posted, and between them was
direct railroad communication. To at
tack one, was, therefore, to attack both; /;
till the railroad connection could be
destroyed. A few miles south of Purdy
was an important railroad bridge, with
long trestle work on each side. From
this bridge good road led to a landing
on the river, four or FIVE miles above
Savannah. Gen. Wallace was to move
up the river after nightfall, so as to
throw the rebel scouts off the scent,
move out on the road six or eight miles
with his infantry, and meantime send
his cavalry ahead to destroy the bridge
and trestle work, and capture pass
ing train if possible. The infantry
would be within calling distance to sup
port. the cavalry in case of attack, or
prevent their being cut off by move
ment in the flank or rear. 81 IL,
A sUCCESS-OHIO CAVALRY. ss9>
The plan was carried out exactly,
according to the programme. In a
night SO dark that rider could
only see his horse by. the frequent
flashes Of, lightning, and under pour
ing rain, Major Hayes, with battalion
OF the. 9Th Ohio Cavalry, guided by a
Union man of the vicinity, marched
some twenty-six miles, and reached the
bridge at an early hour, destroyed it
and the track and trestle-work for half
a mile, tried. to catch the down train
from Purdy, but were foiled by the
conductors having been advised Of his
presence in time, and got back to the
point at which the infantry were rest.
ing at 5 O'Clock in the afternoon.
THE REBELS BURNING THEIR COTTON.
For miles an il-defned lurid glow OF
light was seen illuminating the murky
sky, and shining dimly through the
woods As it was seen from diff
ferent positions in the curves of the
road, the men imagined each appear,
ance to be new light, and there was
much talk Of signal fires and admoni
tion to be ready for attack, any mo.
ment; but at last, just at the darkest
before daylight, they came up to it, and
the mystery was solved. A specula
tive farmer had bought some fifty bales
of cotton which was stored in an old
shed by the roadside. Late in the pre-
ceding eveding battalion of rebe
cavalry had been down. to the river
and returning, greatly alarmed at the
appearance of the fleet, had fired the
cotton to prevent the Lincolnites from
getting ii. : ~.
TAKING PRIsoNERS-sHARP PRACTICE
IN PICKETING. ,-,,.
Throughout the day Gen. Wallace
kept scouting parties out around thu
position of his infantry. The result
of their labors were the capture Q
three rebel privates and one captain.
4! foc Il dr. 81 TrLER's LANDING,
| PIsHoMING COUNTY, Miss, March Is.
INTO MISSISSIPPI. ernss
J. Phe National Armies have at las
made descent upon the North of tn
Gulf States. ] writc from the North