The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-01-18

ya,o Il known As Ola river and most the pilots speak
OF the Ya2oc terminating at the ombonchuro Of tao
stream into tho odd 81 the Mississippi river soma
~ the officers proposed ascending Old river as Tar IA
possible and there landing Tor operations upon the town.
movement upon Hainss' Blras There every probability
that either OF tho latter attacks would have proved sue
cess. Al #
About the 26th the expedition reached the land
ing At Johsons plantation snd under cover OF the gun
boats tho men were put on shore. No traces
OF tho enemy wero seen, though It was
ascertaiHed that they had recently keH picket
at sps The a mss s
Johnston who paid the penalty OF his treason by his
deah at 5h"h Al the ,me the ganboats first assembled
the river the rebels had battery near the house OF GEN.
Johnst and distinguished themselves by nfing at tho
iron clads. Tho battery was st!encod and the men
landed from this gunbJat3 anu set fire 70 Tho buildings
From appearance u the ruins and the grounds the
establishment most have been OF considerable vaiie
Tho estate supported upwards OF 500 negroes nearly All
Of whom we're taken 70 Conirsl Mississippi at the tine
gunboats obtnred posse Of Memphis Tho oe
il now perfect picture oil dcsc4ation.
IASpiso
Tie Arsttroops thrown on shore were Gen. Blar's
bri gide OF Con. Stees dvison and brigade each from
tho divisions OF Gen NJ L. Smith and Cen Morgan.
These were ordered to ady two miles the
untry aid N Ike Thorough Reconnaissance IN the dircc
tion OF the blos whore Was proposed TO make the at
tack In the advance OF Blair brigade was colonel
John B. Wyman with tho Thirteenth Illinois Infantry.
Col wymau found picket q the enemy's hian.ry
they had evidently been oare''isy watching all
our movements lie did not succeed IN capturing
OF tho rebels. Before tho brigade matted Tor Tho
night three other pickes encounered from one OF
horses and ssdiobag full u papers and lat
ters were captured None OF tho enemy wero seen u
forco By General Blair
MOVING INLAND.
On General Bsir's right brigade thrown out from
General M. L. Smiths division TO the distance or two
miles from the landing. II did not succeed in hnang any
Of the enemy. Tue brigade from Gen. AofSan's
division succeeded in finding tho enemy force, with
infantry and artillery Shout t1c miles from tho landing
AS General ermlns orders were imperative 10 have no
engagement brought on that evening, the brgado OK
fn ahn IN
ternarehed 10 the landing There was no alarm during
the usht aud the troops arose In he morning ready and
anxious for moving upon he eneniy's works.
ORDERS MOVEMENT.
The order for moving from tho landing 70 attack tho
WAS 10 be as follow.-Gensral Steele TO have tho
extreme lett and General j. Smith the extreme right
n na w S" cas The yhe ere 70
nj the bluffs 10 make strong attack.
Dh,csTTIoN oy TN. COUNTRY.
Let the reader imagine before HIM an inverted v,
with Hanes Bluffs AZ the apex, Johnstcns plantation
ut the left hand corner. and yicKsburg at the
right, and with tho sides Of the letter about
twelve or fifteen miles long. lng Tho hand
Yazoo river and on the right Is the range OF hills from
bottom ald OF the Yazoo. II IL dry, but IN high
water Is submerged ten or ntteen feet little rain at
the present time would render the roads impossible
CnicKAslw BAYOU.
About one-thIrd the way from John5ons plantation TO
Hunes' Bluffs bayou puts of from tho Ya2oo, and
the Mississippi just above the town OF Vicksbug
This bayou wirds the low land directly towards
the bluff, and then follows along the base OF the bluffs
until !. strikes the Mississippi inc banks are quite
there Is but itto water In tho bayou, though In
1t is nayigasc FOR boats Of considerable size
II known to the natives az Chckasaw bayou and on lis
banks Tho baltic was fought
LAKE.
Parallel with IT, and from quarter 10 half mile dis
tant. deep slough, differing only from the bayou In
having connection with the river. At one point II
wdcns into lake of three or four hundred yards in
width AZ Il approaches the base OF the blui i. makes
sharp turn and enters Chclagaw bayou the point
wherc the latter makes Its angle AZ strikes the bluffs
AIutfn tOf autV hft
and is bottom quicksaua In which 10 impossible 70
mako footing Tho water is stagnaat In this slough and
s the resort VI agaors and other Injuries Of tho GUT
states. AIS aas s.Ht s. ..t4 ysl - i.s.
Tho bottom land OF the Yazo0 - covered with dense
growth os cypress trees much q quite clear and free
VI passage while In others has thick underground
Most Of the trees clothed with the farsmcd hanging
Of tho Southern States, and In some places Ia 80
abundant shut much OF tho sunlight With the
heavy growth OF trees, the thick underground, the r
stream al ones ieet do not know spot y the West
gloomy by nature than the banks o tho yazoo Tho
ridges Which ia
Others they slope or gently toward the interior. Tho
highest q them attain an eoya.on OF nvo hundred feet
Al oint whore they reach the river Hanes Bluffs
the banks are quite Sleep aud are easy Of Defence
ree n CHANGE OF PLAN
In consequence OF the non arrival or General A. J.
Smiths division, and the fall Of during tho night Of
tho 26h tina order Of battle changed TO throw
Of General steeos division on the extreme left General
seclss remaining brigades, under Generals Thaycr
and Hove were on tins and taken
Ihckasaw operate that part Of the no
The would thusbe betwccn General steele and any
support from General Morgan on his right. II was de-
sRned thai he should join General Morgan at Mr. Lakes
plant too, the point whero the bayou bends
the m the bluffs Tho road 70 bo followed by General
steele upon the evee running along the slough north
Of thickasaw bayou For half the river tho
ground cleared Of timber, and field
OF ccke burs. Beyond that the read plunged into the
Thick tcrest.
GENERAL srIELs CHANGING BAsE.
Tho boats carrying General steolcs command did not
"A tha
and tho dry consumed In getting tho TROOPS
shore. The bank tcky os ergrown with brush, and
Tor moving the WAGONS and artillery By dark the
mics from Shore and bad come Ia 81 hit Of
s ovsr the forest tho hola Of the column
cd after brief skrmish with the advanced ritemen OF
FIGHT NEAR mns rAxss HOUSE
In tho forenoon q tho 27th General Morgan, General
Blair and General Morgan L. smith advanced their
niands IN tho direction Of Mrs. Lakes plantation.
visor until I'll General Steele hsd come ' up into
his position on the LEFT. The advance was there
General Morgan's and General Blair advance in
sight u the rebel front Near Mrs. Lakes house Is
large open field which has been devoted 10 the culture Of
cation but is stripped and bare General Morgan
advanced upon tho side towards tho RI, while General
OF tho rebels NJ Mrs. Iako's plantation The
rebels had two pieces OF held artillery, with q tempo
rmy breatwork near the house. from Which they opened
Are UPON advancing troops General H'ar promptly
replied with Holman stUhio battery and succeeded in
silancing Il. The advance infantry had brief cngage-
with two regiments Of rebol Infantry, and drove
back 10 tho OF tho house. As Mrs LIKES house
appointed for the nston OF General stseo with tho
occs that had moved south Of the bayou, Il not
thought proper TO make further advance uutL the Tor.
mer officer arrived.
oYEsiHa or rms roHr ON SUNDAY.
A. daylight on sunday rebel battery opened On Gen.
Blair and Gen. Morgan from the bank Of tho bayou In
front u Mrs IAkes house. and followed by an attack
81 msrp Tss *: rssa sI .s
was but little damage d,ns BY either party during
echoed through the timber terrible 70 hear.
The AFFAIR ended with Tho exp 1lson OF tho rebos
from south side o. the bayou and occupation Of
the cnsirc region VI the plantation by forces The
poste banks q the bayou were s infested with rebel
shsrshootsrs and the infantry sndsavone TO dr.
lodge thcas speedily possible The thiok brush that
lined she bayou furnished oompstcc for the rcbsls
and rendered the oJrs Of Infantry utterly Ruthless
Gen. Blair ordered up Ho1mans battery 10 shell the
lhickc The rebels had In places erected shelters
o( teace rails which wore hnperyi,us TO rife balls
discharge c grape and sho ssnt these rails flying 10
tho air AID scattered the rebels who were crodchna 30.