Daily national Republican., 1863-05-01
GEN. BANKs's GRANDEXPE-
DITIoN IN LOUISIANA.
HIS DASHING EXPLOITS.
Three Battles Three Victories
NEARLY TWO THOUSAND PRISONERS
CAPTUREDl
The Ensmy's Land and Naval Forces
DIsorgNniIsd and DisPersedi

tFrom our own Correspondent with Gen. Banks J
The following letter is from our own cores
pondent, who accompanies Gen. Banks In the
Department of the Gulf 1t is more complete
in detail ns to the results accomplished by Gen.
Banks In his recent grand expedition into Lou
islana than has yet been published, and is pos
tiyely reliable in all Its statements having been
revised by Gen. Banks himself before it was
sent to US;
HEADQUARTERS, NEAR ST. MARTNsvILLE, La,
April II, 1853:
In the-last week Of March portion of Gen.
Banks's command began to leave Baton Rouge
Gen. Augur's division, with three regiments of
colored troops, remaining for its defence. To-
morrow night, the 18th, Gen. Banks hopes to
occupy Opelousas. Since that date our troops
have accomplished a march of over three hun
dred miles, have beaten the enemy in three bat
tles-two on land and one on Grand Lake
have dispersed his army, utterly destroyed his
navy, captured his foundrics at Franklin and
New iberia, and demolished the salt works ten
miles southwest of the latter place, capturing
his camp equipagc, several guns, and between
one and two thousand prisoners. The rebels
cannot for some months, If ever, reorganize
their land or naval forces in that part of Lou
isiana.
/ The guRboats Diana, Hart and Queen of the
/ West and four transports loaded with subsist-
ence stores and ammunition, have been de-
strOycd, and large supplies of salt and other
material have fallen into our possession.
| Gen. Grover fought a vigorous engagement
at Irish Bend. Gen. Banks's column engaged
the rebels in a very strong position at Bisland,
between Pattersonyille and Centreville, where
they had been constructing defcnces for many
months and believed themselves impregnable.
| The Union troops, in both engagements, be,
haved splendldly. The engagement at Bsland
lasted two days, when the enemy fed, abandon,
! ing his stores and tents, and our troops fol.
lowed Immediately in pursuit, driving him be-
fore us to this point, and completely dispensing
his infantry, leaving nothing now In our front
but his artillery and mounted men.
Gen. Banks moves to Opelousas, but does not
here and the prisoncrs) the enemy to make q
stand this side of Alexandria. Our troops will
undoubtedly capture Alexandria, but it is
feared our force is not strong enough to make
Its preservation certain, comprising, as 1t does
only about ten thousand men.
At Opelousas we shall have accomplished a
march of $50 miles in less than twenty days,
fighting and driving the enemy at every step.
Our loss, in the two battles, is about six or
seven hundred. Nothing could exceed the OK.
cellcnt conduct of Gen. Banks's command, off.
GERS and pryatcs. The enemy cannot reor.
ganlze his forces here again.
Gen. Banks has ordered movement of the
navy and army against Butte le Rose" for.
titled position on the Atchafalaya, which com,
mands this section of country by land and
water.
Our forces have not only destroyed the army
and navy of the enemy and captured his mate
rails for the reorganization of his forces, but
we have also in our possession his ablest OIL
GERS of the sea and land-Capt. Fuller, com
mandlng the feet, Capt. Sims, of the Louisiana
battery, and Col. Vincent, of the cavalry. The
last officer is reported killed.