The Portland daily press., 1863-04-11
Saturday Morning, April IL, 1868.
The Expedition through Steele's Bayou

Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune.
Between the Mississippi and the line Of rail-
way from Memphis TO jackson the country
north of the Yazoo for some fifty miles is ira
versed by three considerable streams, Steele's
Bayou, Deer Creek and the Sun Flower, all Of
which are fed by innumerable creeks, bayons
and lakes, and empty into the Yazoo, Steeles
seven miles from the Mississippi, near the scene
of the battle Chickasaw Bayou, Deer Greek
below, and the Sun Flower above Haines'
Bluff. The eastern part Of Issaguena county,
on Deer Greek, has higher land and some of
the most valuable cotton plantations In the
State. The soil is exceedingly prolific. We
found in It immense numbers of slaves, aud
great quantities OF cotton and grain. The
Admiral called 1t one Of the granaries Of the
Confederacy.
:, Il was snnnnsad u hA inaaasssihle. that
the plantations were In the usual process OF
cultivation, the fields planted with corn in
stead Of cotton, which was up. They belev-
ed themselves beyond the reach of the devas-
tations of war--had their gardens well stocked
with vegetables, which were growing most
temptingly, and iancying that 1.-THE invader
could not penetrate with gunboats and armies
the lagoons and forests which surrounded
them, devoted their fancied security TO the rais-
ing Of crops TO feed their brother rebels in the
field. The plantation upon which was the rem
{, devious of the land force was one of five own
ed by a wealthy rebel, James X. Hill, of New
Orleans. 1t had upon it in ordinary stock, l2I
slaves, and boasted the name Of Reality"
Another he called "Onward;' still another,
"Good Intent" A large part Of the cotton
was marked"C. S. AZ The appearance of
the iron clads at @Reality" was the first notice
J that was had of our approach. The overseer
hastily fed, giving notice of the presence OF
the Yankees in the garden. A contraband
told US his master called the Deer Creek coun-
ty the Confederate snuff-box that the Yankees
could not open.
Another plantation, nine miles above them,
on Deer Creek, is the celebrated "Shelby Plan
tation," of Uncle Toms Cabin. Mrs. Stowe lit
tie thought when she wrote her novel; that the
Shelby Plantation would one day echo with
cannon and musketry in a war growing out of
the institution she wrote to abolish. Yet SO it
happened last week.
The expedition consisted Of the Louisville,
Mound City, Carondelet, Cincinnati and Pitts
burg, iron-clad "turtles,' four mortar boats,
the ram Price, and mnsquito Linden, and the
infantry of the second division of the 18th ar
my corps, Gen. David Stuart's, except the 55th
Illinois, and section of Woods battery, It.
M'Cagg, the transports Silverwave, Diligent,
Eagle, Champion, Pocahontas and Monon-
gahela.
~ Going up the Yazoo river seven miles,
thence up Steele's bayou twelve miles, the
feet came to Muddy bayou, which runs across
from the Mississippi into Steele's. At this
point the troops came over on floating bridges
and embarked Hence they were transported
up Steeles and Black bayou, about twenty
miles 10 Hills plantation, and marched thence
twenty-one miles on eyee north along Deer
Greek nearly to Rolling Fork 1t was propos-
= ed at that point to embark the troops again on
transports and proceed on that creek dis
tance of seven miles, until we reached the Sun
Flower.s
Gen. Grant and Admiral Porter, with the
Musquito Rather, and tug, made a recon-
nossance far enough to establish the fact that
gunboats could pass from the Yszoo into
Steele's bayou. Admiral Porter, Immediately
started with his gunboats up the bayou. Gen
Grant ordered Gen Sherman, with a division
OF his army corps, to form the land force
Gen. Sherman started at once with aregmeni
the Sth Missouri-and the pioneer corps, tc
clear the bayou of obstructions-there was nc
delay. The reconnaissance was made on tn,
18th, Gen. Grants tug returning the morning
Of the 18th. Before night the advance of the
land force and the gunboate we're at Mudd,
bayou.
The construction of two long floating bridg
es occupied the 18th and the forenoon of th,
10Th. The division marched to Steeles Bayoi
at once. Arriving there we found only one
transport, the Silver Wave. Embarking th,
Och Missouri aud 10th Illinois, Stuart started
up at once. During the three succeeding day
the boats which we had were used with all tn,
dispatch possible, in transporting troops t,
the rendezvous. AT the mouth of Black Ba
you they were transported from the steamer
to coal barge which was towed by tug VI
Black Bayou. In the meantime the gunboat
had gone through Black Bayou into Dee
Creek. The great might and strength Of th
iron-clads enabled them to ride over almos
any ordinary growth of willow and cypress
! In the creek-the water was deep and the,
moved slowly and surely along, up Deer Creel