Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-31

CMEGECG5alou OF General buEleEs
The long kept secret is out and we al
know that General Banks, than whom
there is not q more popular man in tn
country popularity won by integrity
energy and unsurpassed ability-has as
sumed command Of the great Department
Of the Gulf, inolud1ng the State of Texas
Bis mastery Proclamation has been reas
and admired all over the land, and it only
remains for rs here to give some incidents
and details Of the progress of the expedi
ton from New York to its destination.
The North Star, the Aag ship, left New
York on the 9th inst. with General Banks
and Staff and the 4lst Massachusetts regi.
ment on board. General A. ]. Hamilton,
the newly appointed Military Governor Of
Texas, and General Grover, with their
StaGsi were also on board. OF General
Hamilton the correspondents speak in the
highest terms. He has experienced all
the prosecutions which befall Union men
in Texas, and has now gone back to regen-
crate the State, and is evidently the very
man of all others for the work.
An sorts Of rumors prevailed on board
among the reportorial corps as to the des-
tinatiOn Of the feet and Richmond,
Charleston and Savannah had their advO-
Gates until the passing Of the Florida coast
made it evident that the Gulf of Mexico
was to be plowed by the feet From the
full ezpeditiOnsry correspondence we quote
the following paragraphs:
SHIP IsLAND.
q 1t uas early O. shs nSrning Of Satur-
day, the 18th, that Ship Island, Which-in
spite Of all attempt at concealment-had
been, for two or three days previous, pretty
well Understood as our first stopping place,
came into view. This small island, one of
several similar scraps Of land forming the
southern boundary of the Mississippi
Sound, is nothing bot an insignihcantand
barren little sand-baDk, with lighthouse,
few wooden buildings, and the tents Of
the regiments now located there. 1t ap-
pears TO rise SO Little above the water level,
that at a small distance it seems strange
that 1t is not altogether submerged"
ASCENDING TIE MISSISSIPPI.
On Wednesday the feet passed the bars
at the mouth of the Southwest passage,
and passed up the river.
awe entered 9y the Southwest Pass, the
innermost passage Of the mouths Of the
Zreat river, which, with the spells Of al
luvial deposit, stretch something in the
shape Of a birds claw into the Gulf. At
hrst you see only light, muddy water and
long, sedgy banks, mere beds of tall
rushes. Then long, low shores, beyond
which lies an immense and monotonous
prospect Of alternate land and water.
Everything looks as fat as your hand,
and rudimentary; toquote, from recollee-
tion, from Mr.. Parton, Nature is caught
in the act, makinga continent
After rLshes, and long, low Shores
come trees, drift wood, perhaps a stray al
liRator, his body submerged, his head
resting on the trunk Of tree, moored by
accident in the mud Of the bank. Then
little, lonely houses, built Of rushes or of
wood in shape like those drawn by the
slate pencil of childhood. In front Of
them occasional white and black humani-
ty, the latter invariably offering us well
come by waving hands or handkerchiefs,
the former sometimes emulating their ex-
ample, but in most instances sullen and |
stolid-in one, shaking its fist furiOusly at
the North Star, which act (akin to Dame |
Partineton's assault on the Atlantic with |
her besom,) produced q roar Of laughter |
from the 41st Massachusetts. Presently, |
little houses, little groves Of orange tres rsss |
presses, manufactures and tall chimneys.
Ii was SUNDAY, UuU Uue negroes were AT /
work in the fields and at the presses; once
an oYerseer rode down from a group of |
them and gestieulated enthu iasm at our
arrival
"At II o'clock we passed forts St. Philip
and jackson; and, for the first time, I full
ly realized the matchless glory of that dar-
ing exploit Of our gunboats under Farra-
gut. The forts there are so near each
other, and Fort Jackson being all cssemat-
ed, it is scarcely conceivable how our gall
LIANT men succeeded as they did. The forts
the most beautiful and animated /
appearance as we passed the soldiers all
the ramparts and loud cheers
and counter-cheers passing between them
and their brave brothers on board, while
the cOlors were dipped and a salute of ten
guns fred in honor Of the occasion.
AT NEW ORLEANS
"At o'clock P. N. the domes and spires
Of the Crescent City burst upon the view
in one wide and SPLENDID panorama, aud