The New York herald., 1862-12-29
VOYAGE OF otM. BANKS FLAGSHIP.

Special Report from our Correspondent
s ON Boara the North Star. as
On the afternoon Of Thursday, December 4, at two
o'clock the North STAR which had been selected as the
flagship Of the great and mysterious expedition swung
out Into tho from tho wharf At tho foot Of Eleventh
street. East river. little before dark she steamed
down opposite Battery when General Banks camo
board from Custom House Steamboat, which was laden
with his friends. Mutual cheers, greetings and adeus
wore exchanged. The huzzas Of tho soldiers
eel wore answered with huzzas not less vehement from
the steatug, where the passengers, though fewer IN
nuuer not By any means to be cutdcne In enhu-
sasm.
our Journey, leaving behind the magnificent hsr.
Dor, clothed in the calm moonlight, aud won
dering within ourselves whittier We were bound;
for We were as ignorant Of destination the
good people whom we have left behind usas ignorant
az were Ulysses and his companions Of their destiny
when, passing the pillars Of Hercules, they pushed
up upon the unknown waters beyond The General knew,
of course and possibly. two three others but the
rest had nothing ON which 10 found Ineligible theory
CURIOSITY TO THE DESTINATION oy THE rIxEr.
On tho hurricane deck were boxes marked "Hon. A. j.
Hamilton, Military Commandant, Texas" But Il was said
tha, this was an ingen device blind the public
was also the presence OF Governor Hamilton himself and
ssar and not few stoutiy maintained the doctrine,
generally credited in New York at tho time Of do
parturo that VIC were bound for the peninsula either up
the James or the York river.
Whatever else might be uncertain, point there
was not doubt among the uninitiated. II everything
elsc was obscure IL clear thc that were
70 stop at Fortress Monroe where the organization Of the
expedition was 10 be completed and the various transports
with convoy wore TO join Many were the little
plans by which IL was proposed 70 XIII the dull week
ten days which 70 bc spent at that point but when
the time came approaching Old Point Comfors
stil at sea, both in fact and In theorywo were sti
stcang the wide path Of tho ocean, headed for
hs warm lands Of the far South and Monday morning.
December the soft delicious breezss told u.s. unmsiaka
bly,, that We had left tho cold regions far behind us
The vessel was heavily mdcn we had board Colonel
Chickering'S Forty nrst Massachusetts, regiment bat
terry large quantity OF ammunition and baggage, and
far greater number passengers than had been expected
or could be suitably provided for.
There about one hundred and sixty cabin passen
gers but nevertheless through the constant exersns Of
tho officers OF the ship all made comfortable
possible, and none had occasion 70 complain.
Tnore was, as might be expected, a great rush for
rooms, and Captain J. W. Mcclure Of the Quartermss
tcr's Department, whom was sssigned the task OF
slowing away this multitude was pulled and hauled and
followed hber and yon by many anxious mon for many
hours. The captain In fact, subjected TO martyr
aom by no mems to be envied. He H. however, entitled
70 the credit H having maintained bic good temper