, 1862-12-16
TEE SITUATION At yICKSBURG.
The. Illicit Trade on the
Lower Mississippi.
REBELS BURN 4. STEAMER.
A Steamboat Captain De-
stroys Two Towns.
LATEST FROM THE HELENA
EXPEDITION.
Matters with Grants
Army.

!
Army.
Gallant Skirmish at Tuseumbia.
[NoTE.-The following dispatches should have
appeared in our last Issue, but failed to come to
hand.-ED=. TR1G.l
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.l
C1no, DECEMBER 13. 1867
The steamer DeSoto, }ete in charge Of Act
ing Master John R. Neil, came up to-day,
from Helena The 10fh.. It seems that not one
half the results Of the late capture Of steam
ers below Helena charged with contrabanl |
trading, have been yet received. I am now !
enabled to send you full report.
On the 9th inst. Capt. Ncill, under orders
from Commander A. McGigcn Of the gunboat
Benton, then lying of Helena, with Acting |
Master Lord and twenty men Of the Benton, |
got under way at All early hour in the NOR
ming and proceeded down the river. Accord |
ing to the log book Of the Desoto, otherwise |
the Gen. Lyon, at the foot Of Islands No. G3 |
and G3 she found the steamer J. B. Williams !
k1AI HA0 SA*1NEA III I44il! VI
ter's Mate johnson, and ordered to Helena.
Upon the ]. r. Williams it was reported
that the steamer Lake City had been burned
at Carson Landing, 60 miles below Helena, and
her passengers and crew captured The Dc
Soto proceeded down the river, and at Rod
sons Landing found the steamer Clarabel-
She was put in charge Of acting Masters Mate
Powell, and ordered to follow. When the Len,
ding was reached, . man was discovered on
shore, on horseback, who at once attemptcdto
get away. A shell was fred at him from one
Of two 12-pound brass howitzers, with which
the Dc Soto is furnished, but lie escaped into
the woods.
At Corcorn's Landing number of men
came to leave, bearing Tag Of truce. A gig
vas mounted, and Capt. Neill, with tic First
Assistant Engineer, went on shore to confer
with them. From these persons was obtain.
I'd tile confirmation Of the robbery and de-
struction Of the steamer Lake City. It bad
occurred on the 6tl inst. The ruffians who
performed the guilty act we're commanded by
4 Col. Adams, Of the Confederate forces. a
negro WOMAN named Joshua gave Capt. Nei1l
information that the rebels were yet near by,
and that he must be upon his guard. AL the
piclzets that could be spared ont Of force Of
twenty eight men were stationed about town,
within range, and by the aid-of the negro
Joshua they discovered The baggage Of the
crew and passengers Of the Lake City in d
warehouse II vas removed to the DeSoto-
The inhabitants we're then notified that they
must remove their property, as the town
would he burned
Paymastcr Steward and Engineer Ince were
then put in command Of . company Of men,
with orders to set fire to every house in the
town. This vas done, and thereby the build
i,'gs were soon in blaze, including ono
| warehouse, two dwellings, aud a number Of
negro quarters. No lime Was allowed Capt
| Neill aud Acting Master Lord to make close
examination Of the buildings, as regiment
! Of rebel troops were in the vicinity. In fact
some said they could sec the tents and camp
| fires from the pilot no@se.
While the work Of retaliation, justly merit
cd by the burning Of the steamer and capture
Of cargo, oficres, crew and passengers, was
| going on, the PARTY on shore WAS fired upon
| from the woods. After setting Corcoran's
Landing on fire the De Soto driftcl
down the stream few miles
to Concordia Landing, where were seve-
raj houses. After throwing several shells
through warehouse, intending to set firc to
it, finding it Impossible men were landed
pickets thrown ont and houses, stores and
warehouse destroyed By fire. All lad previ-
ous1y been deserted by their owners The
contents Of the houses were removed to the
street.
On the return from this cruise the DE Soto
took on five bales Of cotton at McNeirs Land:
ing. Some more was seen at various points
On the WY down, but it had been removed.
The results Of the expedition in the glory
Of which Capt. Neill and Acting Master Lore
should equally share, are five steamers cap
turcd, supposed to be in hecontraband trade
fyc prisoners taken as hostages, nine negroe:
captured and forty-two buildings destroyed,
This for an A 2 dispatch boat, carrying
twcnty-eight men and two l2-pound bras
howitzers, is not so bad. When it had gonl
part Of the distance to Concordia Landing
Capt. Neil1 was importunea by some Of hi;
officers to return, as it was hazardous to ven
turc SO far from the lines. His reply va
"M 20 to h;-or find the Lake City or he
! ! crew, and passengers, provided they are mort
| Of Napoleon
Capt. Neill has, for his bravery, been su:
! pended from the command Of his steamer.
Passengers late from Lagrange and Oxfor
), | report Ill quiet on Thursday in that vicinity
i At Lagrange there we're rumore aaoat tha
: the rebels meditated a raid upon them.
= WAS not much feared, and if undertaken nj
end in rebel discontinue.
e Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune
CAIRO, Dec. II, 1862.
The several steamers captured by the D
n Soto below Helena arrived here last evenin
; and today.
It The following is the order to special agen1
L Of the Treasury Department, under whic
l. they were trading at the time arrested.
u SPECIAL AaEscz, TREASURY DEPAR7x'1.
MEHPH1s. Dec. f. 1859.
q In pursuance OF instructions and regulations
ls Hon. Secretary OF United States Treasury, Augn
9s proved July ls iseI. aad Aay a. ises a1theFlzil
ID tend restrictions places in their repective i
Ct tricts and make euch local rules to be observe
@ s hei9 81 s aetop e 9he @ seeT
IS" ta1y Of the Treasury, for his sanction or dj1a
prosa1; now. IN accordance with auth! I I
aud naval commanding officers, :clearanc
H. viii be granted steamboats, to pass down the Mi
t,n tiseppi River as far as within ten miles Of Il
ne ,e mouth of White Rixcr with permitted sooJ
ne not. Of contrahand character. intended only /
er family supplies delivery thereof to be superyis
he By reSenae aid, and receipted for On oath BY t
as parties receiving the esme that they VIII noe
1sed directly or indirectly for any othnr purpo:
- | and receive In exchange for cotton.
-. In all cases it will be distinctly understood
~ 4 parties making such adventure that no reclaim
ae zion will be acknowledged BY the government
he the United States foI any loss Of boat
cargo by persons in insurrection: Ftutheruo
u- boats making trips Will be required to give bon
ha IN double the amount OF their value, to HelAna
~ ! Memphis, and An additional bond Of ,00 tt
II ne no goods Of any kind shall be landed from los
" not fully set forth on malifests and bills permit
Oh | br proper authorities.
Aids and other loyal. citizens will report
Of | name Of any person or boats paSin:5 ont god
ha | other articles of contraband ID exchange
cotton. (Signcd,) THos: B. YEAT4A1s;;
ba Special Agent OF Treasury Depf
he | The steamer Van Phu1 arrived from Nc
ng phis to-day, bringing dates to the 18th. ]
I'd aad Ertllain has an account OF the return Of G
LID Sherman, from the trip across the conn
y: with Gen. Smiths division, and a staten