Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-30
I1lPoRrANT FROm NEw ORLEANS.
rEIE cs.UEsE 81 80 60.
Gloomy Conat,ion OF Ba.iao.. Airairs.

Gloomy COnditioa OF Busiaoss Affairs.
We have the New Orleans papers up to IN
18th instant
The Dclta Of the 18Th inst, says that coils
ion occurred few nights previously between
party of runaway negroes from the coast plant
ations below the city and the guard stationed
at Camp Charlarests 1t was reported that til
particulars Of the fray could not be arrived at.
1t is stated that nearly twelve thousand eiii
Zens of New Orleans have taken the oath Of ale
glance.
General Butler has issusd an order announcing
that all Tegimental bands are mustered out d
! service
On the night of the oh, Ex-Governor Wick,
life arrived in New Orleans under flag of truce
from General Henry d Taylor, commanding q
force of guerrillss on the right bank of the Mis-
sissippi. He threatened retaliation for the al
legged miscOnduct of Union forces inside the city
4 limits. General Butler replied that, should the
enemy hang any of the 13G prisoners in his pos.
session, the example would bs followed on ouI
ers = ~,.l Hauus s5 the enemy had in his, the
| result would not be favorable to the Conieds-
Tstes
HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL EXPEDITION.
On the 8th an expedition went up the river
composed Of this 4th Wisconsin, regiment Lieu
tensnt-C Colonel Bean; 2lst Indiana, Colonel
Mcmillan; 9Th Connecticut, Colonel CahilI; I4th
Maine, and the lst Maine bsttery-the whole
under the command of Acting Brigadier-Gen-
ersl Paine. The United States steam frigate
accompanied the transports.
The transports lett CauolltOn about one O'clock
Monday morning, and proceeded up the river
twenty-five miles, where the OH Connecticut,
l4th Maine, and one section Of the battery, with
General Paine, diSembarked. The 4th Wiseon-
sin and Is: Indiana kept on up the river, and
landed about five miles above, on the west side
of the river.
Hearing that large body-upward of 500
Texas cavalry was in the immediate vicinity,
the Wisconsin and Indiana boys, with sec
ton of the Isl Maine battery, under command
of Lieutenant Z d. Haley, started out to have
brush with them. They had not proceeded
more than mile from the leVee before they
came upon body of them in a rice fisld, who,
true to the Instincts of the Confederate race,
lied at the first FIRE, not, however, without losing
four killed and thee wounded. Then com
menced the grand skedadde" and pursuit of
the 'brave sons of Texas"
They fed to ths woods, our boys after them
The pursuit becoming too hot, the rebels left
their noTses, baggage, etc, and each one took
10 a swamp on his own hook by the underground
railroad, aRd were followed up until our boys
give up the chase from sheer exhaustion. They
succeeded in killing four m )re, Wounding sew
ersl, and taking about twenty prisoners, beside
two hundred aud fifty horses, all saddled and
briddled, two flags, and any amount Of private
baggage.
Among our prisoners are Colonel Waller, Of
Texas, aud Captain January, both prominent
partisan rangers. All this was accomplished
without the loss Of q man on our side
COMMODORE PoRTER's OFFICIAL REPORT.
The official report of Cemmsdore Porter, OF
the Essex, gives the following details ef the re-
cent attack on the city of Natchez and other
operations:
1 had received information that the rebel gun
boat Webb Was at Natchez, to which city, she
had convey transports with supplies from Red
river. followed to that city, bat found they
hsd sought the protection of the Vicksburg
guns At Natchez boats crew from the Essex
was sent ashore to procure some ice for my
sick, when they were wantonly attacked by over
two hundred armed citizens, and wounding FIVE
seamen. Immediately opened FIRE on the lower
town, and set a considerable number Of houses
on fire from which they were attacking Us.
After bOmbarding the place for an hour, the
mayor Internationally surrendered StAe city.
During the IRE one Of my nine inch Dahgren
guns exploded.
followed the rebel gunbost Webb to the bat
terieS st VicksbuTg, under the guns OF which
she, with two transports, lay. Heavy ordnance
batteries, extending three miles further down the
riven than during the seige of July, prevented
my nearer approach to these boats. Having ex-
changed some shots, and ascertained that the
upper feet was not in the vicinity of the town,
| being short of provisions, my battery weakened
/ by the loss OF two guns burs.ed, and also short
of ammunition, determined to steam down the
river TO New O.leans for supplies, and, if pOSsi-
bic, to ascertain the strength of the Port Hudson
batteries Leaving Vicksburg on the evening
of the 5th inst, on the 7th, at a quarter past
A NJ, we were off that place, and on coming
within range the enemy opened on US a vigorous
! fire with seige guns. The Essex was struck
heavily. AS near as l could judge the enemy
had in position from thirty-fve to forty guns OF
| 20-poundeTs. rihsd, ten inch smooth, pine inch
/ and eight inch caliber, in three batteries com
manding the river to the extent of five miles
| A 65-pound, a 32-pOund, and als9 ten inch rife
| ball lodged in the Essex, but without ma
| terial damage. We were under the fire al
| hour and three-quarteTs, during which time oul
| guns were well and incessantly worked, and
| have reason to believe the enemy suffered heavi
| ly, and the works were certainly in part De
stroyed.
A land force will be necessary to complete tht
destruction of the fort, which, if allowed tC
again be restored, would seriously interrupt tn,
free navigation of the Mississippi
In the various encounters OF the Essex since
leaving ST. Louis, on the 9Th of July, she ha
been struck heavily 12S times by heavy shot
glsncing shot left no record-three havinG
broken her iron, and but one penetrated, AM
that from rded sixty eight FOUNDER at the dis
tsnce of few feet, delivered by the ram Al
kansas.
COMMODORE PORTER'S FAREWELL address
TO HIS MEN.
From the Delta September l9.l
MEN or THE Essex: We have now been as
socistsd together on board this vessel very nea
one year, and during that period you have beel
successfully engaged with the enemy in si
hard fought battles. Your first achievement
was with four of the craven rebel gunboatsi c
vastly superior force, in Lucas Bend, all Q
which were disabled and driven below the bal
teries at Columbus. Your next achievemen
was at Fort Henry where you led the way, an
by yeur prowess and valOr cauSed the sunen
der of that stronghold in the short space of on