The New York herald., 1862-09-28
Our New Orleans COrrespondence.
OnI Sanf l6d2

SApesssso1 - kOnchdtottd-Cnton Troops DTedscd-Ihe
As,iayy Fo~ce-In,syes ing Movements Of the Onion
Aoquito FSea-7he E~emy Discor1ed-Destru OF
Rebsi PrTaty-TAe Disasters TO Our Force-fid9 Of
xruce-Nero Ssamt ede--Soymy Wsathr-Ayrivol of
General Sherman, de-, DC
Your correspondent has just returned from an expedi
esn to Penchaoaa which he regrets to say has ended
<isastrously to the Union troops engaged.
On Saturday afternoon was invited TO accompany
ssne troops on an expedition about to out without
knowng indeed caring much, what to be It's pre-
ope nature consented. As time pressed, took cab,
and was driven the Ponchar Railroad depot
WHITTIER had been directed 20, and arrived there
with floating notion uppermost in my mind that
IN guerilla hunt Such not the case, however
Shortly alter the troops made their appearance. They
consisted OF six companies, as follows
TwENTy-sixrH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS.
Comfdny I-Caitain, JOIN Pickering, commanding;
First Lieutenant, Charles E. Drew Second Lieutenant
W. h. Buchanan.
TwEsrH MAINE VOLUNTEERS.
Comp ntC-Captain, CD. Thornton, commanding First
lieutenant, H. Virgin.
Z wpasy E-Captan, - Winter, commanding; First
Lieutenant, - alton; Second Lieutenant, - Rich
Adson.
Compuny F-captan, - Harrington, commanding;
First Lieutenant - Can; second Lieutenant, -
Chase.
TIrRI ZENITH CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS.
Company B-Csptam, a. Comstock, Commanding; FRS!
Comp4ny c-cap.ain {. D. Blinn; First Lieutenant,
- Iibbets.
Mr. William f. Young, civil engineer, accompanied the
expedition. Captain Tnoraton, Of the Twelfth Maine
Volunteers, comm ndei the pist at Poncharlran. The
total sxpedtonary force numbered three hundred and
seventy five men, twelve-pounder field piece
taken on platform
On reaching the terminus al Lake Poutchartran, the
astachment winch under the command OF Major
Strong embarked The companies Of the Thirteenth
Connecticut taken board the gunb at New Lon
don Captain Reid while OF the troops
boa d the transport Ceres Your correspondent cast
his lot with the Connecticut boys the New London aud
shorty after this vessel moved OIL followed by the
towing the little Fancy, or Nachez, which
70 have been intended tender. She had troops
board
The passage up the lake very pleasant and short
after nighall having arrived convenient distance
from Pass Manchac, up which we were to proceed TO
make dash on Ponchatou.a the following morning,
came to anchor in ten feet water, await the
rising Of the moon by the light of which it deter
mined TO attempt the passage Of the bar.
In the meantime the Ceres had stood further
wards the opposite shore Of the lake and having cast off
the Fancy stood in towards the Pass which her light
draugbt enabled her TO enter. Passing up a narrow
stream ABOUT miles, it found that there no
room her TO turn around in, in order TO get back till
little bayou a short distance ahead Into this
hsr stern backed, order enable her to round
and the stern, which predcament she remained for
time, while rebel signal rockets the
cir. She vas however, eventually cxtricated, and
turned back 1he lake. after having captured all
The boats that could be found, to prevent informa
sion being gwen the rebels Of the presence
q . tpicn force
On the rising Of the moon the anchor or the New Lon
Aon weighed, and attempt made cross the
bar and tile Pass. The water shoal, how
ever and the ATTEMPT Jccsssful At about
O'Clock Sunday morning aroused from sleep b.
Q stentorian voice shouting " All hands 10 quarters r.
To put boots, hat and the work of
menis aud gaming the poop deck found nun Der Of
soldiers ready sharpshootcrs If with
guns cooked and brought the ready.n Casting my
eyes astern object fas; approaching locking
most uncomiortaby like rama sort Of customer that
would have been somewhat unpleasant to with at
that particular moment, seeing that aground.
The supposed RAM too seemed disposed stick most
viciousy stern, give chance bring
20 bear him. xl.ectation wound up the high
pitch, when Captain ked discovered that susp
vancy She alongside, when, having delivered a i
uncgton from Major Strong TO Captain Reid, and
received answer, she returnedto reon the Ceres
Shortly after day light the Ceres her appearance
and rsGrned down the lake followed by the New London
which waited for the which ordered to anchor
IN convenient place She subsequently, sent back
70 the foDcharirsin landing The New London and
Cores crused about the lake all day, of sight Of
rsbele the intention making another attempt
the night rdingly after nightfa Cap
tain Reid sent the pilot OF the New Londtn with lantern
In Of the boats place 1t in position to show the
channel The pilot his eturn reported that he had
fastened TO stump He added however that there
less than seven feet Of water over tue bar which would
render IL difficult, impossible, Tor the gunboat
get The Ceres guided by the light got safely
hswever anchored the mouth Of the the
NIGHT Ca tain Reid determined 10 endeavor to get
but the vessel struck eight feet Of water and
M ende1yors having iaed 10 carry her across, the at
tempt abandoned q bad job. The New London
backed and anchored in deeper water Next morning.
~ day light, the Oeres proceeded up Pass Manchac
and we soon lost sigh. Of her; Another inefsc
- anchor once In fact, the wind
had been unfavorable Tor tide Sunday and IL had
fsshonsd during the night, blowing the water back from
shc Pass and reducing the depth tho bar 70 FIVE
. hal feet.
AN this time IL would seem that the rebels were per
fscty Of intentions towards them though they
did know precisely where the landing 70 be ef
fected How thew obtained their information is hard TO
inag me- but certain IL Is they had battery OF Geld
pieccs place opposite Vaudeville with which 70 give
the Union troops warm reception. The landing, how
ever, not effected thcre.
Throughout the whole day great anxiety manifest
- on board the New London with respect 10 the fate Of
the men on board the Ceres and speculaons were rife
~ " whether they would make landing without their
coprades on the gunboat aud In the absence Of the
moral and physical effect o her guns In this state OF
tncerttudo We remained TIL midnight, when the
Qusrterasor ahead reported the approach Of the
The ira sort was soon alongside, whom learned the
u men who had been rash enough TO make a dash al
Ppnchatoula.
The Ceres after proceeding few miles up Pass Man
chae turned of towards the North Pass on the star
board Another chanue would have taken them TO the
South Pass the port hand both passes terminating In
In Mere Pan About eleven miles from the entrance
Pass Manchac the Ceres stopped at place where the
Union roous had burned bridge some months ago Here
Q landing effected and Company G, Captain Thorn
ton, and Company Captain harrington, OF the Twelfth
Name regiment thrown forward, followed by Com.
pany I, Twentysixth Massachusetts,, and Company L.
twelfth Maine The march a Of eight
miles, over very difficult road consisting for the most
part trese work the railroad, sort Of skeleton
bridge with water underneath
The difficulty OF stepping timbers arranged In this
way by men In heavy marching order under the Of
q nearly tropical sun, may be imagined. But nothing
seems impossible 70 the indomitabe Will OF brave
troots and Com panies and surm9unted the difficulty
arrived OF the town Of Ponchatoula where
tbey wefo al once Engaged with the rebels
All the way from the place Of landing 10 within short
distance Of the town is dense swamp. Near
" the is a small prairie, on which the
aOwn IA butlt Inst at the entrance the small expe