, 1863-01-06

OF A. Rebel Colonel DestroYed- [
Sherman-LandIng or the Troops-A |
Rr1ak Sbfrm1sh-Thc First Days
Work. |
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribnne.l
WITH ADMIRAL PoE1ER's FLEEE,}
TWELVE MILES FROM HE MOUTH or.
TIE YAzoo RIVER, Dec rs, 1862
An expedition to. clear out the Yazoo to
such points as might be'used for the landing
Of troops during the first fifteen miles from
the mouth Of the river, was sent up on the
Esd, under command Of Capt. Gwin, Of the
Benton. It consisted Of nine vessels, Of which
threewere large gunboats, two smaller ones,
Two rams and two steam tugs. Upon the arrival
Of the foremost Of the boats at the
mouth Of Cypress Bayou, eleven miles
up, they were fred upon from
several points, viz, the banks Of the stream
abore-named and tho right bank Of the Yazoo,
by parties wno were subsequently ascertained
chiefly to belong to o cn1np Of seventy; men,
stationed about a mile from the Yazoo, up the
Cypress Bayou. There were also few men
upon the right bank who fired into the small
boats searching for torpcdoes, of whom no
definite information could be obtained.
At this point was the only =" cleared spot
thereabouts, and this consisted Of planta-
|, ton comprising about twenty houses and i
mill, the property Of Col. ". H. johnson Of
the rebel army, who was knownt to be stationed
near VicRsburg, not more than FIVE miles dis
tant, overland. The place was named s' Belle
+ Isle,'' was we'll cultivated, and Lad had fifty
| six field slaves upon 1t, half Of whom were
| females, For long time, most Of the hands
had been at Viclsburg, digging in the in
trench1nents there. The part Of. the Gmily
resident at Belle Isle left upon the arrival Of
the first Of our boats. But three inttrm ne-
groes were found there when VIC landed.
BY the firing upon our boats one man had
been killed and about dozen wounded. The
Lexington and Dekalb were therefore order
ed to destroy the buildings md property upon
the place. The Lexington having secured all
the vicinity for several hours, boats were
landed from her and from the ,DeKalb, and
| everything of value, except one houee left as
shelter for the negroes, was fired and entirely
consumed. This work was completed during
II the first day and night Of their stay. there,
: and the Lexington, which had been ordered
to guard this point, remained there the next
day. Meantime scout WAS sent down ia
the mouth Of the Yazoo with the wounded,
and another was kept moving up and dowp
while the remainder Of the expedition stop
ped abont two miles above Belle Isle, and oc
casionally shelled the banks, and we're nov
and then Ircd upon, without serious results
About II o'clock on the mornin got the eth
| body Of rebel troops were oscsrtainod tt
! have arrived ut point short distance In tn
rear Of Col. Johnson's plantation. Th'
woods where they we're supposed to pe #er'
promptly sneiIe4h, sneiI4cr,s roo+o n,os 5,eco-o-oa i,
ior1neT a aiHt ad tho ni11,t hrfnrc % mer ~ sad !,
from tie Champion, nt the mouth Of til
tazoq} t1 q}hc 24tt, nj n mint alout two miles he
!. 1oE Haincss RinfF md where tarsre nnmf,er
Of OFT torpedocs were were discovered, the Ere Of som
Snnf {nfautrr sl,elierea hv rif1e Y,ifs. wns Ren
nrtfnnoi., ti,nn,, t,r f,,raai az
,r ,men Were rent n,'t ~ s;aht ~ Gn5 Int Cer
, fa,! -1o-a ;n;nred WV ' 'N~
len ro1s..,s ,,ora seoc stn,,,,n, ,b,r
) ,,onr ri iornsom,s n1ace tI,ev made no iT hos
IT, M "n,oystrnt;n,, ~. e,,d m 1 oceas;nnaI she
.ls 9,a,,, !.o.1t tho,,, ~ ~ Hssnantfr1 Il;
I'm tenaa ~ 'ns" Aep@ ''e4o ~ !" 'e'p9eAN"@ vi
1ange. IT, ,o,,.4 .,o,c 4h;. ,,,.o, i, M, oxoroo
Ine pslnAs ntuE .nlS anSa ~ a1s sa5ttE ~ +
1!onl t"cnty ~ LILLY . ~ 1En 5Sa ~ nau u, - =
river Is 'ery ,,a 10y ~ ~ ~ Y s:.f +
IL M ich ~ M Io5 x he % %,,arana ar "1 sco-ce ~,
tnat. Hnere .Is H1s. @rans MaS nAoH, ~, ~
Whefe rne 81 tsalng.otn tn VIZ 1En Ea3 ~
X celtaihiS not inele Wal !oo 9aus. - ~
Of tals hcti H. Ing 1oss o. mie s was atly snl ~
r tne neel' Liz S@on mas noe Aneu uPe
!. u IN m Christmas. Admin, Porter and Gener
| - - .r
sherman atIsu et " ata nS ianra luz NV z,
anu aoua sI ~ s ou;,.e W. TX at,u pnt ~
G. Ut a. is ,at l., AZ w. ~
o,;shad lev en4 n,nst of 4a haavV v,sse
cta 11eet mr haen scut NJ r. V;cTsburss ee1
et .nS nsee ss ts 3s ,N Ssih H. 81 ,snd
ettack upon tea ca.y W m ~ - aanu s ano nay nas
Of 1olces s!na!ane9astJ G1a VIZ & vs. "laoe, un'e
10 1hg1e Is ~ oe aslay aot 1tan.i a..,, .,t,
Us Ine emose'4eneoa ,, ensi au.n IN n4t piooagiy .sMy
dircclca 70 Eemoe!tons reit, ,,t,, nho o,;.,, VII
ne vickfbnIg, ana Gnnt coming r. upon aam
Or the same tfme VIII eompel MIN 10 skeoaoo
a towards Mopiie. @ xo - a,, H.,
Ut Ihousn ne reee.s ase Ssrt oEa ~ a1i.
If Vieksb1rg, and though Pemberton should
Of few days divert Sherman from his exp
Ill tlition against that city, VIC are still conae
be that it will fall: into the rightfnl possessi
to The force of Gen. Sherman intended
fn the land movement against Vicksburg hayi
nr most OF it arrived on Friday morning ID
nd 2Cth,) at m early hour in the afternoon,
~. ,tac],me,,ts. consisting Of Gen. Shcrman's br
re re ade, was sent ont towards vleksburg to
e. sufficiently to learn that their passage to Il
sa y, citV cnnid be disputed by artillery as y
ssa as infantrT throughout the way. Th
IL o1so surcccded. with The lid Of the gunboa
'hc nhta;nins, The information they want
H. ana 1aarfou n gona, Iine Of nfckets, returT
~ ~ to tha v;c@n;tT' 81 the transports. Tie T.
TN ;netnu @ nnd 1y1er. af3cr materially assist
: IL: reconnaissance by shcliinE tl,c enc
{h,n Wos1I ~ a. nprmitl IN 10 obeiIienco to The
rcctions ciyen them from time to time
nd retaineS the pos1tion to which they had b
he assigned for this purpose. They were ~
or. about, north OF Viekseurg, some slx ml
e. distant, and about TWO miles aoose Cspr