New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-13
The Federal Invasion.

[From the Memphis Avsanche of Tuesday,
STEAMBOATS, DESTROYED Return OF The Gun
boats.-We had the pleasure of meeting in the
city last night several gentlemen who were en-
ployed on the steamboats, in the Tennessee river,
and who have furnished us detailed statement OF
the operations Of the enemy on their recent trip.
We have already stated that several steamboats,,
filled with provisions, ammunition, etc., passed the
Tennessee river bridge few hours after the cap:
ture of Fort Henry, and that they were pursued
by the enemy's gunboats the next day.. From the
information now at hand we are enabled to fur
nish the following report of their operations About
ten miles from the Tennessee river bridge the
steamboat Sam Orr, in the Confederate service,
and having on board the sick from Fort Henry,
injured her wheel, and was compelled to trans
fer her passengers on the fleet steamer dunbar.
The next day the Federal gunboats came up, when
she was Immediately set on fire. She had seven
teen hundred pounds of powder and twenty seven
submarine batteries, which made terrific eX-
plosion. All her crew were saved. ney
The steamboat Lynn Boyd Capt. Smedley, and
the Appleton Belle, Capt. Hoffman, were overtaken
by the Federals at the mouth of Duck river, and
were burnt by those on board.
The steamboat Sae Wood, which has been laid
UP for months past at Chichasaw, was captured by
the enemy. Chckasaw is about one mile from
Eastport and some Of the Federal officers are said
to have gone ashore and made themselves very
free with the inhabitants, protesting to be very
friendly and protesting that no should be in
jured SO long as no resistance was made.
The steamboat Robb made good her escape up
Five Mile Island, and was the only boat on that
river that escaped.
The steamboat Dunbar, which had the sick on
board, went to Florence and then up Cypress
Greek, one mile and half from the mouth OF East
port, was pursued by the Federals, and was finally
sunk by her officers to prevent destruction by the
Federals.
The steamboat Eastport, which was undergoing
repairs for a Confederate gunboat, was sunk by
the men engaged on her, in sight Of the Federals
| at Cerro Gordo. seven miles below Savannah, and
| fifty miles below Eastport.
| When the Federal gunboats got in sight of Flor
| ence, the steamboats, Sam kirkman, Capt. Smed
ley, Time, Capt Johnston, and Julius Smith, Capt
| Humphrey, were in port and Immediately prepar
atoms were made to burn all of them. The Time
| had on board about Sl00, 900 worth of Government
stores, but before the Federas could come up il
was all in flames, common confagration having
put all these boats beyond the reach of the foe
| The Federas destroyed the Tuscumbia ware
house, but committed but few depredatons al
| Florence. They went ashore and broke open the
| Confederate warehouse, and helped themselves tc
| about 10000 pounds of salt meat. They also
| broke open a private warehouse, and were help
ing themselves to the contents, when the proprie
tor, under flag of truce, went down and inform
| ed them that the property was his it was restor
ed-the Federal officer stating that they were no
there to interfere with private and individual rights
| but simply to possess themselves of all the Con
| federate Government stores. 1t is said that {
warehouse at Florence contained $50 bales of cot
| ton, but none of it was touched. 1t is said to bt
NOT Jtle singular lllaL llc FGuefdlS,
on landing went as straight to the Confederate
| Government warehouse as if they knew all abou
| it! ~ g = -s a
As already stated, the Federal gunboats lef
| Florence on Sunday, and it is supposed have mad
their report at headquarters before this. Whethe
they will return, and if so how far they will go up
remains to be seen. It seems to be generally con
ceded that their recent trip was a sort Of recon
nosance preparatory to an early return to tn
same field of operations-a field which places then
one hundred and fifty miles below Memphis, an
on the way to Nashville. They, tried to make
good impression, professed much friendship, an
expressed the hope that they should meet again.
In regard to the landing of cavalry force a
Savannah, there appears to be some conflict in th
statements. 1t is asserted that they did land
large cavalry force there; also, that they took
away when they returned; and, again, that q Lir
coin cavalry force was being organized there
This last statement must be unfounded, as Co
Crews infantry regiment was lately recruited
that vicinity. E. f1F $s'':tas ~ "a
The names Of the Federal gunboats on the Tel
nessee river, in the vicinity of Florence, were th
Lexington and Conestoga.
Il The passenger train on the Memphis an
Charleston road came through yesterday, and "
| learn will resume the regular schedule run to-da
thus again connecting us directly with the Coz
| federate and State capitals.
L CoSGREss,dEN AND tARMY WoRMsn-It is doub
less true that the Provisional Congress, in failir
to repeal or suspend, for the war, its idle and o
noxious revenue tariff, is Strengthening some
the most gigantic monopolies in the country, an
directly feeding the manufacturing harpies clu
I = -.