Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-09-16
Gen. SteyensOn's Expedition into Louisiana
Interesting Details of that Region.
atch to the Chicago Trif une.
ASiNA'' 'N'J - ~
VIA CAIRO, Sept. 7, 1864


LOgar's division, under command of Gen
Stevenson, was sent into Bayou Beuf and the
Washita country, about sixty miles west of
here, on the Texas Shreveport and Yick5-
burg railroad, to break up, or drive, or cap
turc the rebel forces that have overrun that
country as the robbers did the forests of
England, in the DAYS of yore making laws
and leyying contributions Of the people. The
country has never been trod by Federal
troops since this contest, and reports reached
US of the business done between Monroe on
the railway and Texas. 4 small expedition
could not 90, yet it seemed small business for
a whole division, As the sequel has proved
1t is of great value. The infantry was pre-
coded by two battaions OF cavalry under
Major +. d. Osbaud, of Gen. Grants escort
this gallant band Is highly spoken of in the
official report of Gen. Grant, and they did
all that his praise bespoke them. They were
always from ten to twelve miles in advance
of the main body, cOntending with the cav
airy OF Col. Capers, of Texas at each ford.
At every place where they had an oppor-
tunity Of talking with people, they expressed
themselves heartily sick Of the Confederate
rule. From the Mississippi River TO Bayou
Mason, q distance of twenty miles, the coun-
try has been destroyed, everything combusti-
BILE being swept away. From there to BAYOU
Bcuf, the country is partly settled; thence to
Washita it is Eden-lke in its beauty. The
planters are wealthy. the buildings fine. and
the shrubbery and grounds splendid. l have
seen nothing so fine as the town of Monroe.
The people welcomed Gen. Stevenson. 1t is
a place of much wealth. The stores were
well filed with the necesSaries of life, but
held At fabulous prices.
Three cotton associations have their head
quarters here. 1t is an organization of Jews
and foreigners, for the purchase of cotton and
its transportation 10 Mexico, bringing goods
on their return trips.
These sharpers have a kind of Hudson Bav
monopoly, trading goods for cotton and sell
ing cotton for gold. At our approach they
burned 5000 bales, thinking We had come to
stay. The people are anxious to return to the
old order of things. The machinery of the
road, consisting of ears and locomotives. in
good order, are left The bridges are de
Stroyed so that they cannot be moved. The in
habitantS promise TO protect the road if we
viii repair il and restore trade. There are
rebel deserters enough TO do it. The country
is filed with them-thousands of Pember-
tons and Gardeners men are there, and pro-
test that they viii not return. The country
seems determined to free itself from Confed-
crate rule.
In the cavalry We had but one killed. but
of infantry | have not heard the loss 1t
cannot be large, as all the skirmishing was in
front with the cavalry.
Gen. Stevenson made hosts Of converts BY
his orderly army. Nothing was taken from
the people but forage and food. The store
houses were filed with cotton, the gin-houses
also. None has been planted by the people,
IS the buccaneers who ruled them forbade ii.
Several camps were found where rebels had
stayed, bnt all were empty. The people were
willing to give all the information in their
power, and say they viii die ere they viii be
conscripted into the rebel army.
The expedition has failed to find the enemy
in force anywhere, but, like those of old, has
spied on. the land and returned with the fruits
thereof.