Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-10
Miscellaneous War News.
FROM PORT HuDsoN.j

FROM gentleman fully conversant with at
falrs at Port Hudson and in the department of
the gulf, who arrived at New York last night
from New Orleans, we learn some interesting
| iacts OF the situation of Gen. Banks army and
Its prospects. Our informant left Port Hud-
son late IN the evening of Sunday the 3lst
ult. There had been no fighting of conse-
| quence since the assault of the 9th, but Gen.
Banks had been industriously and rapidly
contracting his lines and approaching the
rebel works. The wings of our army rested
on or very near the river, both above and be-
| low, and there was no possibility of reinforce
ments reaching the bcleaguered garrison.
Gen. Banks had made up his mind to take
the place, and he had the men and means
to do it. The contest on the 9th was very
desperate and very bloody, the rebels fighting
with the most reckless courage and our men
being not whit behind in daring and pluck,
Our informant corroborates the good ac-
counts heretofore given of the conduct of the
colored soldiers. These sable warriors pro-
voked the most frenzied hatred on the
other side, and the rebels bent all
their energies to their humiliation. And
since the fight they have missed no
chance to kill negro pickets. In one instance
they bounced upon sin lie black sentry,
captured, and forthwith hung him. The
bloody instruction was quickly improved, for
almost within the hour some negroes got hold
of rebel picket and swung him up in full
sight of their murdered companion. All the
stories about lNrby Smith coming to the re-
lief of Port Hudson are probably erroneous
Smith is no doubt in Texas somewhere, or
possibly in western Louisiana; certainly no.
where near Port Hudson, nor could lie get
across if he were opposite. Col. Grierson is
"slashing around, as the Hoosiers say, and
was at last accounts between Port Hudson
and Vlcksburg, tearing up railroads, destroy
ing bridges, hunting for confederate stores,
and ''can' assing the state" generally. 1t was
understood that Joe Johnston was at jackson
on the 9th, but had no force worth bringing
against Grant. We regret to learn that Gen.
Sherman, wounded at Port Hudson, is hardly
expected to live. The weather is terribly hot
and the place very dry and dusty.-Ne,o York
Tribune, JHne 8.
COL. MONTGOMERY's EXPEDITION
HLToN HEAD, S. c., June 4.-One of the
most brilliant raids since the department of
the south was created, has Just been success
fully made by Col. Montgomery of the Sec
ond South Carolina regiment. Upon infor-
nation obtained from negroes who came in
from the main land, last week, Gen. Hunter
came to the conclusion that lie could fill one
ida. Although about to start upon another ex-
petition of more apparent Importance, Col.
| Montgomery was ordered to embark two hun
bred picked men from his regiment, and with
| the Harriet A. Weed, John Adams and the
| Sentinel, proceed up Coosaw river. effect a
| landings and penetrate the main land at least
twenty-five miles. How ably Col Montgom-
cry executed the task assigned him, the crowd
ed decks of the above named vessels and the
old Baptist church in Beaufort, filled with
stout negroes, fully testify. One thousand
valuable negro chattelS, several hundred bags
of hominy, a fine lot of blood horses, are the
trophies he returns with.
Col. Montgomery left Beaufort yesterday
morning, effecting his landing without oppo-
siton, found two deserted forts and any num-
Der of rifle pits put few men in the FORTS
few more in the rihe-pits, and then threw out
the balance of his little force as skrmshers,
thus completely deceiving the enemy and
leading him to suppose that he had a large
force in reserve, when in reality he had not Il
man. The enemy was about three regiments
strong, and had infantry, artillery and caval-
ry. The rebel artillery and cavalry advanced,
but upon discovering the strong picket force,
black heads pee ring over the earthworks, and
three steamers lying off in the stream came
to the conclusion that we were too strong for
them, and that it would be prudent to retire,
and that, too, prccipitately They did retire,
and left the splendid rice plantations for dis
lance of twenty-five miles entirely at the
mercy of Col. Montgomery. The moment
the rebel force retired the negroes from tine
plantations came tiocking into our lines by
hundreds and thousands, and had there been
time and transportation, five instead of one
thousand might have been brought off.
1t is impossible to describe the eagerness
with which these negroes sought the opportu-
NIFTY to escape. They were willing to come,
many of them almost in nude state, rather
than be left behind But Col. Montgomery
notwithstanding the value OF time, took every
thing very couly, and gathered together all
the provisions and furniture he could find,
and after sacking every house known to be-
long to some notorious rebel, set fire to it,
and under its light fell back to his boats, and
embarked his men and his property. BY
daylight this morning he lay anchored off
Beaufort, having been absent not quite twen-
ty-four hours.