New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-22
FROM Tub MISSISSIPPI EXPEDITION,
THE BATTLE OF ARKANSAS PoSI
CAPTURE OF THE FORT
A Large Number Of Prisoners ana Vast
Stores Of Ammunition Taken.
pTIJRE OF THE FORT
Ven, pDr speeisl Correspondent.

The last two days have Deeu iul VI o'ormy eA-
element and memorable events. The stronghold Of
,be Arkansas River, and the principal key to the
s,o,a cap;tal. has been taken. The gagement has
t4sn remarkably well contested and obstinate, and
,.ma,ksbly upsanguinary, The number Of prisoners
taken is very large and the Armament captured one
Of great eaiber aud strength. On the whole, it has
been rstrate success, aud ranks in the same class
of victories with Fort Donelson and Fort Henry
At my last writing we were about moving OH w.
mouth Of the Arkansas River. On the morning VI
the 9Th the immense feet,in ell not far r0n
hundred pessels--commerced its tortuous course uP
,be straam. Before and behind, intermlnabie Pill
lars Of amoke rose through the forest ana hDeieo
with the sky On either side the barren COTTON
,rood snd willow and cane, still green IN Winter;
shut in the banks like vast stockade. Inc gun
boats advanced slowly, with ports open and grim
with cannon The sharI-shooters were on DECK
with guns loaded, and on the lookout. Bat hardly
sight of man or beast or a vestge thereof, was to
be seen Here and there log hut, a pig.sty and
oorp field the home of the " old Arkansas gentle
man. - and ut long intervals the farm OF wel'o-
do planter, with its negro quarters aud gaping dar'
keys, would occasion a rush to the decks
and O. running dialogue or salutatons, compli-
mentary or otherwise. SO the day wore on;
the forest around dull and murky sky
above About 3, we brought TO, in nautical
phrase, cast anchor; in the uncasscal language OF
river men, tied up. Where the Post was, no one
of the uniniiiaed appeared 10 know. An indistinct
outline, taking almost any shape the fancy gave 1t,
like Pooniuss cloud, thought by the creduOus to be
the identical fort proved to be the cabins Of panta
tiop clustered together in the prospective.
At the point of landing, the troops were debarked.
The neighboriug cornfeld was soon Gil sgow with
camp fires. A fine stock of cattle contributed largely
10 fiji Uncle Sans laIder for an evening meal.
Early on the morning Of the 10th al Was in mo-
ton. Drums rolled, buges sounded, regiments were
forming in the ranks Of war. Ten minutes ride
brought one TO the extreme front, where long line
Of riIe-pits, marked by houses and commanding the
open area of cornfeld, showed fresh traces Of Sc
eesb. Further slong the river, through broken tim
Der, glmpses of a second red belt OF rAc-pts, with
head peering over here and there were visible
The unterrifed 9Th Missouri and a company of Ma
rnes, were pushing forward as ekirmishers and car.
ryDg on random fire. To the right, the Iowa
troops of Thayer's Brigade were feeling their way
forward into the wet soil and uoderbrush of the for.
tst. Steeles Division was preparing to take the
lead. The river, making sharp bend, lay in full
view for nearly mile. The main works were not
yet visible. But here and there borseman gallop.
ing at full speed in the distance, the cleaning
Of bayonets in the sunlight, for the fog had rolled
away betrayed the presence Of heavy body of the
enemy
THIS .s ms,ers Progressed during the day. Al occa.
sOnal shot from the ganboats could elicit reply.
,Jn,, u, foli-
ing back. The second line Of rfe-pits had been
evacuated, and in consider able confusion. Blankets,
camp utensils, spSdes corn.meal scattered Upon the
ground piles Of eoats ETC., were awaiting the army
scavepgeIs. AT last the Fort itself came in full
view. Grim aud silent il showed 10 signs Of occu-
papts, except a seDtry, or knot of observers,
scarcely disceruible. Oae Immense DahlgreD, en-
bsrbette on the left, and two twin monsters looking
out Of two sbarpydefned classmates, wefe ready at
any moment TO belch out terrible welcome to any
craft atich might venture too near their den. The
ball did not fairly open till dark. Possibly Com.
mOdore Porter waited till nightfal for the sake OF
pyTotechnie effect. shall never forget the scene.
Below, along the river, lights red and blue, and
iambent white, belonging half TO the earth and half
TO the air, shone like 80 many motioneos areolites
A hundred torch.light camp-fres cast G.ful glare
against the woods and sky far and near. To the
west the gunboats, looking, by their own flashes Of
cannon, ike phantom ships floating in mid air, and
Immediately lost in darkness sent forth peal on peal.
ill the brain fairly ached. II was now lund flash,
now long tongue OF f.ms-then Tor second "a
dead silence; then came "a crash Of sound swinging
along through the river and forest, aud
ending in longcontinued reyerberation.
Sometimes an angry tumut Of half Il
dozen shots would mingle together, fort and gun
boats in one terrific diapaton. Above in the ambsr
Of the dying sunset, serehriy shone the evening
altar. About eight o'clock the firing ceased.
BY daybreak ON the 18th the forces had forced
their way clear around Into the Of the FORT and
taken position in the following order: Gen. Steele
on the extreme right had succeeded in getting as lar
as a creek, nameess as FAR can be learned which
enters the river half smile beyond the Post. The
task Lad not been accomplished without great diff
Guilty. soughs next to impossible had to be crossed
juDgles of brentwood had TO DO cut away, and all
this in the darkDess. The General had got through
with an energy without which the passage would
have seemed hopeless. Gen. Hovey was placed upon
the extreme right, with the 18th Ohio, under Col
Wood, upon his leit wing, and in advance because
the regiment wac an old and tried one Immediate.
ly behiud was tie column OF Col Stone the 25th
Iowa. Az the advance of Gen. Hovcy's right wing
were posted the Sd Missouri, supported by the 3lst
Iowa. Hoyeys flank was protected by the l7th
Missouri, which were thrown out as skinnishers
Behind Gen. Hovcys brigade, in line Of battle, came
the brigade Of Gen. Thayer, in the rear that OF Gen.
Blair. Upon Steele's left was the division of Gen
Stuart, having the brigade of Cen @. A. Smith on