The New York herald., 1862-12-26

dreaInke The roads, however, remind rs tnat we Rc
stu In the worldof the earth earthly Though not bad
means mpassabe and fast drying up they afford no Sc
rsous obstacle 70 that forward movement which we all
nope 70 see the speedy beginning.
CAHr HELENA, Ark, Dec. IL. 1882
M UNron RAID.
We have gust returned from induging in short raid
into Mississippi and resting awaiting
the result Of endeavors On the 26th u force of
perhaps twelve thousand-horse foot and artileryeft
this point by transports, under command Of Gen. Hovey
Of indiana. We dsembarked twelve miles below, on the
Mississippi side, at place called Delta, city probably
otherwise unknown to history. and with hardly suf-
cheney OF dwellings make its existence than pro-
blematcai. From thence marched some forty miles
in direction south of east, whore the infantry
manned, whue the cavalry. with mountain howitzers,
went seventy miles farther to destroy some rail-
road bridges-the object OF the expedition. They
succeeded admirably, destroying track and bridges
on both the Central and Memphis branch. The inenton
was by this to prevent rapid retreat BY Pemberon,
Price and Van Dorm whowere encamped on the Central
the northern part or whom Grant and
Sherman about to attack In destroying the rail-
roads and compelling the enemy to retreat in the
manhsr that General Grant would PURSUE in ssening
his facilities for bringing forwprd supplies
accomplished all that required Of II. aud safe
conducted enterprise that occurred IN this depart
ment, not superlatvey famous for briilian,
msneuvers of any kind. The country through
which we marched was. like all that adjacent.
to the river from here southwark, liable to
annualA nrndation. 10 fact, throughout the whole
march the high water mark was visible upon the trees
as an elevation varying from two TO ten feet from the
surface The country has all been originally heavy tim
bered, and Is now settled exclusively by large cotton
planters who of course sof to the wars leaving
o1o.
usual cotton fields this year planted chiefly with
very happy circ umsance for Uncle Sans mules. In
ua ice the are apt 70 make axe
tisn between 'nsam d tIam would seem to justify;
but, while the Western troops are more habtuated
TO pundering than the Eastern enes nothing more Is
generally taken than would be deemed necessary to the
army few cotton gins were burned, the new troops
appearing to have peculiar sntpathy 70 these institY
tors. ..... '~s14S1u.~ -.asexs., .,.~. =
REBEL GUERILLA
Ins guerillas hung around US during the whole
march, bot in too small numbers to attack. Their prin
cpal ambition is to cut OF sraggcrs but, In anything
Hike reasonable marching few opportunities afforded
them One Of the finest displays Of military genius took
place here some four weeks although not entirely In
the military line Ton thousand troops and the proper
onate quantity OF horses artillery mules and negroes
were loaded on the transports here and great was the
mystery their destination Speculation rife Some
thought yicksburg was TO succumb Immediately, while
others positive Little Rock doomed Matters
continued in this state OF noertudo until sand bar in
White river, two miles from its mouth, put end TO
conectures in that behalf The expedition took the
foat yaw returned These might be considered rather
heavy preparations for merely asccrtanng the depth Of
water in White river; but all knowledge times is
important and the country has reliable information
that at this time thero is not above three feet Of
n s
as the rebels have enough to do without building forts on
streams not paygable where when the stream should
boats and there was no evidence 70 lead 10 such con-
ciusi il is fair TO presume it fabuons The troops
been arriving here lately large numbers. An Ill
the former calling the latter conscripts hundred
d.ar men - &c Tue f,e<t regiment here at pro.
sent is the Thirtesnth Illinois Although over eighteen
months In the service a the hast review turned Out
many men as the now regmonts This regiment has been
in Missouri and Arkansas since July, 1861, and has
marched over thirteen hundred miles.
HrLESA Ark, Dec 1. 1852.
4 SUCCESSFUL CAVALRY RAID.
Shortly after last wrote you Colonel Grierson, Of the
Sixth Illinois cavalry, with OF seventy five
arrived on the opposite bank Of The river direct from
Grants army Covered from TO foo: with mud, he
had evidently made rapid ride across the swampy
soil Of Mississippi With sin hundred and forty picked
cavalry he left Genors headquarters 1t Oxford
TIVE days BEFORE aud started his daring and advcn
turous ride Pushing rapidly ahead, he met With few
Incidents of interest unit, lc fcschsd Coldwater,
when no surprised and attacked rebel camp aud
short and decisive skrmsf succeeded in routing their
whole force, killing number taxing thirty forty
prisoners and also capturing srs destroying ali their
wagons horses and caTp c!'ipa:e Leaving here all blt
seventylve OF his Col Grierscn rapidly pursued
remainder Of his Journey ami on Friday night reached
this place The next night hc started on ais return VII IN
promised 10 bs Of even more daring and dangerous
than his Journey hther, the rebels i Doubt
less gather their scattered forces for the purpose Of at
you viii have heard from other sources the ul partcu
lars OF this brilliant dosh and through hitherto
untrayeiled portion oi the cDenlys country.
4 rAMi,Ite oll1-
Since the OF Geucrs' povcys expedition from
Misssspp tho Old quiet with wheh long acquaintance
had made as familiar hss bcon broken only by
sicnal skrms, in which sometimes two either
side are wounded or trkcn prisoncrs few nights ago
twenty four of picketS belonging To the Sixth Missouri
cavalry attacked and captured the ST. Francis
road. This being larger hand than usual. gave rise 10
considerable excitement ior time but il could long
withstand the ovcrpoNcrug uiucuce OF camp dulness.
GCSir,srs MovfsG.
Some time since, one by one; .ainber OF our gua-
boats passed down the But little interest
manifested in them, as il was supposed they had III view
nothing than the shcng Of the wood and bauks In
the timo that has elapsed their departure mad
anos, forGottcn them; but yesterday had from
then aud news Of anot very gratifying character which
is spoken Of elsewhere.
GEN. FRANK =. LIAR, IN
Brigadicr General Frank 4. Bar, Jr arrived here this
morning TO take command OF his brigade, the greater
portion OF which has already reached this point The
General looks well, and will doubtless prove as able in
the field as he has in Congress aud on The stump
AT uSApeCARrERs.
All is hustle aud activity al headquarters the wharf
boat. General Gormar's constantly thronocd
with VISITORS seeking him often on business, ana fun as
paratons for something, aud W ascertain what that
thing may be is just exercising the wits Of
than inqusitiye individual Though partially in the
secret your correspondent is moi NJ liberty to dvuge IT,
farther than to say that expedition, larger scale
than any yet sent out from Helena Is being prepared
When II will start s matter Of uncertainty and
unexpected tries may delay it beyond the utmost
limit To which we now look forward Whittier bouudS is
the question everywhere asked lime only will deter.
niue II for inost OF those nauirng and doubt IL any
bk the Commanding General knows more than the drec
tion OF the proposed movement.
MlssissIppr UNLOCKED
Though not so informed have little doubt that IL Is
Intended e be ono o series Of which shall
unlock the gates that bar the mississippi and open the
commerceof tho nation It's broad bosom from the Fails
o ". Anthony 10 tho Guf Whenever and wherever II
may 60 shall accompany IL, end possibly may date my
neS. from the only rebel stronghold n the Southwest
! vickscrrg
/ Go whore may, cannot possibly be more out Of
the world than are here at Helena Mai. commuica-
tons irregular enough to be the product Of rebel
postal dcpaI tmcnt Sometimes letters come from ST.
Louie in six days, and sometimes in forty i've To-day
the l7tb VIC without Nortcru Papers OF nts date
I her nd kn0W