, 1863-04-13
FROM new ORLEANS,
Treatment Of Rebel Prisoners.
THE F1GRT IN LOWER JOUT-
SIANA,.
THE EXPEDITION ACROSS LAKE
P0ATcHARTRAIN.
correspondence Of the N. 7, Timcg,1
uErAnTNEST OF THE GULP.
NEW 0pfF4rs March On ieH4

women and young girls, who were vfeing with
each other In paying, attention to these cap
tuled rebels. The Hholc affair resembled an
ezttmporizcd leree held in honor Of heroes
Just returned from some victorious campaign.
The sccesh officers and privates seemed very
much at home, and the Indies seemed very
much at their ease-au parties seemed mutu-
ally agreeable to each other. noticed one
lucy attended BY negro man, carrying lnrgc
basket, which, from al appearances, contain
ed some very rich delfcacies-young ladies
also contributed the little nick-nacks,
and, there was much yhitpering-eyi
iu the Confederate lines. While look
ing upon this festive scene, my mind natural
y reverted 10 the times when the Federal
prisoners under confederate rule we're CON
fined in the parish prison. No one was
allowed visit them except by stealth. They
one Of the most respectable papers il the
city very coollJ suggested that they be taken
out and hung. There may be great deal of
sense In permitting these extraordinary priv
hegcs TO confederate prisoners; but do not
sec where the advantages to the Union cause
Inegin. One thing is certain, with rare excep-
Ilons, the women Of New-O11cans, whose
husbands and brothers Il 'eke1aldled' on The
appearance Of the Federal fleet, hare silent
more safely under the folds Of the Star SpaI-
gled banner and under the protection of
Yankee soldiery, and with their natural pro.
tectors away, than they erer did before in
their eycnttul history; and yet they do not
seem to possess that womanly quality Of a
ready Willingness to acknowledge the hand
that protects them, but seem 10 use their
ilberfy, their privileges and their beauty mere.
y to make themselves offensive to the Fedcr-
al oilcers aud soldiers, against whom, after
nearly years occupation, they have ret to
bring the first suspicion Of a charge Of q will
1ngness to insult them even with rude r.
mark.
a Union League is about to be formed in
this city Which viii include omong its mem-
bers many Of our leading citizens. General
Banks has given the parties interested per-
the purpose Of holding meetings. In this
connection, will remark that the 25th Of
April, tile anniversary Of the arrival Of the
national fleet, will be celebrated by magniti.
cent ball. ~, Tue preparations promise already
most brilliant affair."
Just at this time the Spring weather is tel
ling upon the tropical plants that hare Of late
years become common in this city. a nun.
Der OF banana trees meet my eye daily, and
can almost literally see them grow. At all
events, the advance Of each day is perfectly
perccptible. The leaf Of the banana is some
live or tix feet long, and at least fifteen inches
vide. One day noticed long, slendergrecn
stalk of some feet in length, that had pushed
itself out OF the enormous vegetable trunk.
A. tue sun and air toyed with this new life,
the broad part Of o1s side Of the leaf gradu-
ally nnroled itself from the stem-this ac-
coulplished, the other side Of the leaf also
nnrolled, and the whole form was complete
Nothing could be more simple or more truly
beautiful. Last summer, at Dan Hickok'R, j
''ccntury plant" or cactus, aftcr a reposc of
over thirty years, suddenly opened the long,
lancc.iike leaves Of its central growth, and
then shot up in one night shafc Of green
hut tough vegetation ofat least fifteen inches.
For several days this shaft grew q foot every
tWenty-fOur hours: it then grew six inches III
That time, until it reached the height of
thirty Jef. Now commenced the blowing
PROCESS, and a hundred persons who had auS.
ionsly watched this wonderful phenomenon,
and were waiting impatiently for the demon.
meat, were doomed to be disappointed, for
sudden storm arose and prostrltcd all this
magnificent beauty to the earth. Within a
lew days two more Of these wonderful plants
ha'c commenced the prcliminaries Of giving
birth to flowers and that no accident shall
:saln occur, the sha rs they rise in the air
":rc carefully protected by supports One Of
these plants in favoulbIe location in New
Iotk would realize to its fortunate owner 4
fortune by its exhibition.
FIGHT N LOWER LOUISIANA.
Correspondence Of the New Orleans Era.1
BRAsuEAR CITY, Monday, March 80, 1868.
Last Saturday morning, while sitting at =
table IN the cabin Of the gunboat Diana, writ
inS iu out my notes to seit By the morning
Tram, tue engine whistle sounded. Gathering
stood beside me. if he uas going to make
tt1p that dny: He replied that be was only
gong to ship some coal, and not do picket
duty as usual, and that he would be quiet for
tWo or three days at least,
1t apreurs that Capt. Peterson received |
orders on Saturday morning to take on board |
TWO companies of Infantry, and make recon- I
holrancc to find whether the enemy had re. !
celfcd requirements Of infantry. lie WINS to |
70 no iH'tiler than point where bayou |
1'om Grtlsd Lake ul,ites with the Atchafllsya, |
west Of Pattcrsonyille.
But he was not contentcd with simply full |
1illnE the letter Of his commands; aud hence,
With Il zeal which unfortunately proved fatal |
10 lin, he determined to carry his obserra- |
tions into the very midst Of the cncnly's |
stronghold.
p1ocecd1g cautiously along the bayou until |
within half \ mile Of Pattcrsonvillc, on tho |
upper Side, four Of the rebel cavalry suddenly |
came within range, and gallopcd along the |
levee road. A she'll was fired at them from, |
the Diana, without effect. They continued
retrcating until they reached the maIn body
OF the cavalry, consisting Of several co,npa. |
nits, which had remained concealed By
sugar houee.
Cpon discovering this force, instantly every
gun Of the Diana was brought to tear upon
thc enemy, shot md shell being poured into
their ranks With perceptible. effect. Several
companies Of rebel infantry now Joined the
cavalry, aud they formed in line Of battle, and |
Kept up sharp firing upon our men.
While all attention from tho gunboat was
directed to this force Of infantry aud cavalry,
g battery Of four brass tleld-picces was sud, |
denly hurried into a neighboring cornfeld, at
no greater distance than twenty yards from
the heat, whence . most active canuonadipr
was at once commenced.
It was at this moment that Capt. Peterson.
while standing on the deck, On the starboaTd |
men, received Il bali in his breast, which pros
I rntcd him to the deck. His only words vera.
~ nm dead man" He never spoke again
hardly had Capt: Peterson fallen, when / bali
struck Masters Mate Mr.. DolliVer, who was
gren cannon. BE was killed almost Instantly,
~ this time It became evident that tue OBJ |
]cct OF the enemy was to pick Off our men
from the large guns. Mr.. Mumforsl, having
charge Of the Parrott gun in the bow lad been
kllled, ana perfect hail storm Of bullets was
ward.
Accordingly these pieces were abandoned,
and IRON that time all firing ceased on board |
the Diana. The men could only lie 1at on I
tae decks and receive the shots Of the enemy,
whose firing completely ridd1ed the upper
we're knocked to splinters, which Jew in eyeTT
balls of the enemy. >''o
he third shot fired by the rebels cut the
t1ller ropes OF the Diana, and left her heIplcss
IN the current. This damage WAS not repaired
for some time, the boat meanwhile floating
down, stern foremost, toward the enemT'
who, from the short distance Of sixty frct'
raked her with round shot from stem to
stern. All the deck officers in command were
either killed or wounded. The boiler deck
was torn In pieces By the shot, shell and crane
poured into It by the enemy. When the boat
moved so That they might be worked with the
greatest effect.
. Mr.. Hall, officer of the deck, wa. shot in
the forehead, and went below, saying to the |
men. "Boys, fight It ont till tic last.''
All the ships officers armed themselves
With muskets during the action, and used
them constantly.
The gnnboat Calhoun went MP from Brashear
Cty to pattersonsille yesterday noon, under
killed: earring provisions to the wounded.
md, possible, secure thc parole Of the pris.
uHers.
The Calhoun returned during the evening.
bringing the bodies Of Can't. Peterson. NaS
tcr's Mate Dolliver, and all the priyates Of the
Two companies of infantry, and the sailors of
the Diana. All the officers were retained. and
With the exception Of Lieut.. Allen, sent to
New iberia. Lieut.. Allen is at the house Of
Dr. Grant, in Pattersonvil1c The paro1ed
men report that they were very kindly treated
oarlng their short imprisonment They we're
Kept IN guarl-house matched with palmetto
every attention WAS paid to the wounded by
The women Of Pattersonyii1e EVERYTHING in
their power to bestow was freely ciYen.
although they said that therc was not h.rr,i |