Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-07-30
THE EXPEDITION UP RED RIVER
REPORT OF ADMIRAL PORTER.
UNIFIED STATES MIssIssIPPI SQUADRON.
United States Steamer Conestoea

UNITED STATES MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON
Flagship Black Hawk of picksburg, july Is, 1863
SIR have the honor to inform you that the exped
ton sent INTO the Red River region proved very suc-
cessiu Ascending the Black and Tensas rivers runuipe
parallel with The Mssssippi,) Lieutenant Commanding
Srlfridge msds the head of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Lake and
Bayou Macon, thirty miles above Vicksburg and within
five or six miles Of the Mississippi river.
The enemy taken completely by surprise. not ar
peciing such rce in such quarter The rebels that
have ascended to that region will be obliged to move fur
hcr back from The river, if not to go away altogether
Lieutenant Commanding Selridge divided his forces on
finding that the Transports which had carrying stores
to Walkers army, had escsped up Of the narrow
streams He sent the Manton and Rather up the Ltle
Red river Ga small tributary Of the Black and the Forest
Rose and Petrol up the Tensas The night dark and
it raining very hard AMI the Manton and R,ttler suc-
ceeded in capturing the rebel steamer Louisville one Of
the largest and perhaps the best ia the West
ern waters Up the TeDsas or one of ts tributaries The
Forest Rose and Petrol captured the steamer Elmira
loaded with stores, and for the rebel army
Finding that The steamers wbichNha conveyed Gen.
Walkers army had returned up the Wa,hta, the expedi
ton start up that river and came suddenly upon two
rebel steamers but the rebels set them fire. and they
were consumed rapidly that their could not be
| ascertsined Cne steamer, loaded with Ammunition
es,aped above the fort at Harrsonbure, which ia very
strong work, AMI uoassaiahle with wooden gunboats Ii
is an elevation hundred feet high which
elevation covers what water batteries Of heavy guns
Oh
Lieutenant Commander Selfrdge was fortunate enough
however tn hear Of large quantity Of ammunition that
had lately been hauled from Natcbez aud deposited near
Trinity On arly dus west Of Natchez) and from whence
stores provisions cattle guns and ammunition trans
ported lie captured &c cen thousand rounds Of tmooth
bore ammunition thousand rounds Of Enfield lie and
two hundred rounds Of red ammunition for guns, rife
hiry-pou der Parrot guncarrage, fftytwo hogsheads
OF sugar. ten puncheous Of rum nine barrels Hour fifty
barr Is SALT all belonging to the Confederate Government
At the time he heard Of large amount OF Ammu-
milton hat bad started fr, Natcbez fr Trinity and
lying wagons the road half way lie dispatch
ed boat around to inform Of It, but Gen. Ransom,
who had landed few days before at Natchex hearing Of
IT. so sent detachment Of cayslry and captured the
whole. Thus Walkers army is left almost without am
munition
The officers AMI men have shown great energy on this
ex dtion and have met with mshaps They procured
good deal Of information by which future movements win
be regulated
The people the whole Of that section are very hostile
To the Coiernmebt-rank rebels.
have the honor TO be, &C.
DAVID ID. PORTER,
r. A. Commanding Mississippi Squadron
Hon. GIDEON WELIEs Secretary Of the Navy.