The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-13
The Louisiana Campaign.
eace Of the Netc York World:

against reinforcements being sent from Port
Hudson or Vicksburg to the rebel force on
the Teche, by which route it was understood
he expected to reach the Red river and Miss
ssippi, Gen. Banks at once set his army in
motion from Baton Rouge for Brashear City,
at which point all his forces were to rendez-
vous, preparatory to the grand advance up
the Teche. Gen. Growers division was con-
veyed in transports TO Donadsonville, and
marched thence to Thibodeauvie, where it
struck the railroad to Berwick's Bay. The
remainder of the troops were brought to this
city and sent to the place of rendezvous by
railroad. So rapidly did Gen. Banks move his
forces from Baton Rouge to Brashear City,
distance of over two hundred miles, that he
was ready by the 10th inst TO take up his line
of march
FROM BRAsHEAR CITY TO GRAND LAKE.
On the 10th his advance was crossed over
the bay to Berwick City. That day and the
next it was skirmshing with the enemy. On
the 18th the rebel cavalry in considerable force
opposed our advance, but gradually fell back
upon the Notifications above Pattersonvile a
distance of seventeen miles from Berwick CT
ty. On the afternoon of the 18th an artillery
duel took place between our forces and those
of the enemy posted behind his intrenchments
1t was renewed the next morning and contin-
ued until night put stop to the conflict. The
cavalry and infantry on both sides took part
in the engagement. Our gunboat Clifton and
the gunboat Diana, which the rebels had cap
tured, were also engaged. On the night of the
18th the enemy retreated in consequence of
Gen. Grover having reached his rear by way
of Grand Lake, after meeting with slight re-
sistance between the lake aud the Teche A
severe engagement took place between Gen.
Growers Division and the enemy on the 14th,
short distance above Franklin. 1t was life
and death struggle with the enemy. They
fought with desperation and succeeded i'm eff
fectng retreat, with the loss Of many killed
and wounded, and about five hundred prison.
ers. Many stragglers were afterwards picked
up, but they were mostly conscripts, who had
availed themselves of the opportunity afforded
by hasty retreat TO leave service into
which they had been forced. The Diana also
took part in this engagement, after which,
there being no means of escape she was de-
stroyed. Gen. Growers division suffered Sc
verely in killed and wounded
About IL o'clock Gen. Weitzel, who had the
advance, came mp. The dead of both sides
were then buried and the wounded cared for
The forces were united and on the next morn
ing took up the line of march, and pushed on
after the enemy, with whose rear they had
frequent skirmishes. The enemy did not seem
to desire general engagement, but to gain
time to make good his retreat.
THE BATTLE AT vERMILLIoN.
At Vermillion Bayou the enemy made q
stand, having gained naturally strong posi-
ton. He resisted several charges made by
our cavalry, but was compelled to give way
before the resistless courage of our troops
and continued his retreat toward Opelousas
with our cavalry in hot pursuit.
The destruction of bridges in his rear, and a
heavy rain, which made the roads almost i'm
passable for our artillery, saved the enemy
from capture or complete rout, with the loss
of everything that would in the least impede
flight The section through which the enemy
retreated was well supplied with horses, aud,
being mostly Texans, it is not likely they
wond walk when horses could be had for the
trouble of throwing redtd.
Notwithstanding all these engagements
skrmishes, and hindrances, the advance of our
army reached Opelousas on the afternoon of
the 20th, having marched a distance OF ole hun
dred and twenty-five miles in eleven days.
''StonewalP jackson could not have made
mnch better time. On reaching Opelousas
General Banks took the residence of the edi-
tor of the Courier, paper published in that
place, as his headquarters. The editor having
left documents In the land office which impli-
Gated him in reasonable practices, he was
sent to New Orleans for safe keeping.
OUR LOSSES HEAVY.
The loss sustained by our army iu this peril
Gus and arduous march has not yet been made
public. But judging from the number of woun-
ded who have arrived here and are said to be
losses must be heavy. And it is said many
fell by the way-side from sheer exhaustion.
The enemy having fought mostly from behind
earthworks, it is not likely he has suffered so
heavily in killed or wounded, but his losses in
prisoners and missing will reach the neighbor-
hood of fifteen hundred The decentralization
Of his forces will not be an Insignificant result
@of b is defeat
ALEXANDRIA NOT OCCUPIED.
When the news Of the occupation of Ope-
lousas by General Banks reached here it was
confidently predicted that when next heard
from he would be in Alexandria. His arrival
at that point was even anticipated. Imagine,
then, the surprise of those wiseacres who pro-
fessed to be perfectly familiar with the gener-
ais plans and designs, when informed on the
morning of the 2sth that he had arrived from
Brashear City the night previous by the nine
O'Clock train. But his stay here will be short.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT MOVE
MENT.
What have we gained by this arduous march
and these losses in killed and wounded? The
answer is, the mcst wealthy and most produc-
tive portion of Louisiana-the ar-famed Alta
kapas cOunty-the great sugar and cotton pro-
ducing region of the South. The occupation
of this section will give the government con-
troll of an immense amount of cotton, and mo-
lasses, and vast numbers of horses mules, and
cattle, sheep and hogs. In fact live stock has
been found in such great abundance that the
quartermaster finds it impossible to take care
of it, And il the Attakapas is to be devasta-
ted as other sections have been when overrun
by our army, incalcuable injury can be done to
the rebel cause by driving off and killing all
the stock, and removing or destroying all the
farming utensils. So it will be seen that the
expedition has been of vast Importance, aside
from its military influence and bearing upon
the course of the rebellion.
EXPEDITION TO PEARL RIVER.
Arecentexpeditionto to Pearlriver Mississippi,
succeeded in capturing steamboat, schoon-
er, a lot of cotton, turpentine, rosin, and tar.
| Three other schooners were captured, but ow-
| ing to the difficulty of getting them out were
destroyed. The rebels say this expedition was
fitted out and dispatched on information re-
ceived from men who have heretofore profess
| ed secesh sentiments, in consideration of which
they were permitted to take schooner load of
merchandise into the rebel lines to purchase
cotton and ship it to New Orleans. The suspi-
cion of treachery is strong against these men
and if the facts reach the rebel authorities in
time their great cotton speculation will be de-
feated, and their treachery may cost them their
lives.
From the New Orleans Era, Aprit 80.
The recent campaign of Major Gen. Banks
through the Teche country, challenges COM