Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-09

IOPPorbuhlVes VI making tkn0Wn ltsWahtS ana grew
ances. We therefore do not feel a. liberty to withhold
it. We DO not doubt that The authorities here have the
disposition TO do all in their power for the relief of the
people Of louisiana and that they will not hesitate to
make any change that the interests Of the people may
require: 81 o..
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA
MILITARY NuSM.AEAGE9ENT. 49,:
ST. MARrlNsvlLLE, Ia, Dec. lss, 1862.
To the Editor Of he Wig: e
Permit ma TO call your attention TO the condition Of
affairs in this military department.
The noble defense Of Ycksburg followed by the vic.
tory and the spOssesson Of Baton Rouge, atoned In
great measure for the loss Of the lower Mississippi
Our forces the Laourche with the help of some two
or three boats the different Blyous, kept the enemy
in check, arrested the Illicit traffic in cotton, and rem.
dered the use of the Mississippi as far up Donald
sonyie, unsafe to the enemy, while scarcely day pass.
ed without the capture Of one prisoner or more We
thus enabled to Keep up easy and uninterrupted
intercourse With the States the other side, and fur
lsh assistance not only in men, but also in the ndis.
pcn4able article sof meat and salt.
Artists iunc,ure, it pleased President Davis to send
to our help his brOthern.aw Gen Taylor in order TO
conduct convaasence complete recovery, or a.
least to guard against relipse "He came, he saw"
then in company with patriotic and energetic Coy.
crnor located his headquarters at Alexandra. In this
pharan retreat he enjoyed "dgnfed ease secure from
che disturbance Of :" wars rude alarms " for happy
length OF Iimr. WOrL however, brought to him Of
enc intended advance of the enemy and the time ap
pointed making IL but he gave incrcdulous ear 10
the information and continued At In the course Of
human (huniane events, conscrps were sent away
and siasneous with their departure, the enemy con-
menced to advance. Our troops at DOnadsonville
but retreated in good o without any effort to pre-
vent the landing of the foe, Gen. Mouton being IN CON-
mand. When our forces reached Bayou Des Aueuaandes
the remains Of the Crescent and 18th Regiments were
stationed on one side OF the bayou, while tho other
troops were on the other side The enemy came up,
with his undivided forces CsOne twelve hundred in ally
on the side where the Crescent and 18th (some three
bundled and ffty) we're stationed. These gallant men
sustained the fight for three hours and half, and
thrice broke the enemy wing, without being reinforced
by the TROOPS from the other side who from want Of
orders had remain idle spectators OF the unequal
contest although burning with zeal to participate And
when the sounded, By some oversight the
order was not communicated 70 said forces, who were
left to take care Of themselves, which they did minus
baggage, 'Sc., &c.
General MoutOn thought to make another stand az
Thibodeau and Issued call the surrounding coun.
try for help To this appeal from three to Eve hundred
men responded but when they reached the rendezvous
found not there, the army being still on the re-
treat They murmured their disgust and went home,
The same thing happened to about one thousand militia,
asmed and equipped who arrived short while after
Nor did we stop retreatirg until BerWick's Bay was
placed between and the cnemy Let it be remem-
bered that forces when the enemy landed numbered
az least fifteen hundred men, and, together with tie
militia, and those who at the call amounted to full
Z rec thousand! Is there any need of commentg
Now. General Mopton dispatched .Au express to in
form General TAYLOR of tile real bona I'll. advance Of
the enemy le had been duly app'ised of the intended
novel, yet, our embryo "Rough and Ready" could not
or would not and did not leave his quiet quarters on
the banks of Red River for two weeks'thereafer
and did not arrive in our midst until all was done and
forgotten save only the disSsaec of tho thing He then
came remained few days, gave few orders, published
card to aay our fears assuring he could nor check
anv further advance Of the foe and turned his face
wards seductive Alexandria "A, benl" Scarcely WAS
the ink On that consog card dry, when he informed
BY despatch Chat the gunboas Of the Yankees were in
BAYOU Petite AnSe, at our Salt Works, only eighteen
miles from where he then The only effect Of the
IL vs. was so far as can discover 20 hasten his de-
parture towards charming Alexandra. Be itremem.
bered we had not single cannon In position at this
important poiI aud only of small calibTe on the
premises Before pieces could be procured and put in
Place the wind veered, brought the water into the
BAYOU wheJe the gunboat had laid East In the mud for
FIVE or six days and the Yankees dropped down of
/ harms way
| The enemy now holds possession Of Berwcks Bay,
which gives him the key to all the bayous high up
Red River aud enables him. at his pleasure, to
of our only remaining means Of communication
the Mississippi that by way Of the Atchafalaya Thus
the victories of Vicksburg and Baton Rouge made
null and void, and Port Hudson converted into an ex-
pensive inutty. An too, since Gen. TaylOr's advent
To conclude Some say Gen. Taylors time and at
ention are occupied in eectOneerng. If So an lido.
could teach him abetter as'wel safer method Others
come out andsay he Is manifesy reckless negligent,
and incapable. Whatever the cause one thing is very
rerain and that is, State which has done and suffered
30 much id the cause whose noble sons nobly
barred their bosos to President Davis far Off home
deserves better treatment than Louisiana has received
at Governments hands 10 say nothing of its Importance
10 the Confedeacy. And We cannot but think that the
sagacy some Of his admirers claim for him. needs no
man to tell him what is in GenATayor He is his brother
| in-law aud must have known the man Besides, the
people Intelligent enough to and know that an
incdDa5e General is better far results are con-
cerned than trditor General and they regard each
with the same dstrust and disafecton They saw If
louisiana is not sold il looks very much like IT, And
oAl now in Office they say, as much injured officer
R6t long ago said'to Gen Tayors face this ,car gill
not last G9rays." 't ..- Vox.
= T1o.A;,,,-o 81 c.,.oks. -