The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-03-31
Gen. Banks Expedition Success
The Fleet Passing Port Hudson.
An Unfortunate Blunder.

New YORK, March 30-In the Su-
preme Court to-day, the will of Commo-
dore Levey, bequeathing Monticello, was
declared null and void.
New Orleans advices, state that on the
advance of Banks forces the rebels re-
tired to Port Hudson.
Col. Clark of Banks staff was severely
wounded in the leg while accommodating.
The man who shot him was subsequently
killed.
Gen. Banks was at New Orleans on
the 23d.
On the return of the army to Baton
Rouge he issued general order an
nouncing that the entire object of the
expedition was accomplished and that
it was a complete success. The move
ment is understood to have been mere
diversion to enable Farraguts fleet to
pass the batteries, and not the reduction
of Port Hudson.
1t is sand information was received by
Gen. Grover that the rebels were about
to attack Baton Rouge, which rendered
retrograde movement advisable.
Our feet is now two miles beyond Ba-
ton Rouge, the Essex being near Port
Hudson.
The rebel force there is said to num-
Der 10000.
Report says the Mississippi, before her
destruction, had silenced two rebel bat.
teries which opened on her except one
gun, and that the Richmond, which had
passed Port Hudson returned, and mis-
taking her for a rebel gunboat which
might have come out of one of the bay
Gus, fired on her so rapidly that she
nearly swept her decks. This was not
discovered till she was aground and her
destruction inevitable.
A lame official account of the naval
engagement says, after the arrival of the
army from Baton Rouge and the skir-
mishes of Saturday afternoon, Admiral
Farraguts fleet, which Was at anchor
five or six miles below Port Hudson,
prepared to pass the batteries The sig
nal for the advance was made at half
past nine o'clock, a beautiful starlight
night. The Hartford, with the Albatros
alongside, took the lead, and success
fully passed the batteries, but with what
damage we are not informed, as there
had of course, been no communication
with them since their passage.
The Richmond and Genessee followed.
The Richmond was exposed to the fire of
all the batteries and received shot
through her steam drum and was obliged
to fall back out of range Her loss was
three men killed and seven wounded.
Lieut.. Commander Boyd Cummings
was MORALLY wounded. A shot from
the batteries took off his left leg below
the knee, and the same shot passed
: through the smoke-stack of the gunboat.
He died on the llth at New Orleans
The Monongahela and Hines went up
next in order Capt. McKsnstry of the
Monongahela was standing on the bridge,
when it was shot away from under him,
and he was seriously injured. 1t is gen.
orally reported that in his case the am
putation of one leg will be necessary.
The entire loss of the Monongahela
was 7 killed and 81 wounded
The Hines was under severe fire;
her rigging was badly cut; her rudder
post was shot away. A bawser was en-
tangled about her propeller and she be-
came unmanageable; and was obliged to
drop back out of the fire.
The Monongahela also fell back
The loss on board the Hines, if any
was not reported.
The side-wheel gunbout Genessee was
also somewhat damaged, and also fel
back. The amount of damage on this
boat is not known.