The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-23
The Victory at Arkansas Post.

The posltioH of Arkansas Post is one of which
the rebels had boasted greatly as q spot so forti,
hed as to DO extremely formidable. The casems.
ting OF the fort IS said to have presented formid.
able appearances thickness of three feet of solid
timber, covered with railroad iron, the whole look.
Tag as if it could resist the utmost force Of cannon
balls. The iron hail from our mongtrcus guns
shattered their most formidable defences. peue-
tratlng and demelishing the stronghold the enemy
had reared with so mEeh skill. The battered rails
OF iron came topping down, ard strong ribs Of
timber few with fatal effect among the ranks thew
should have saved. The aismountea guns fell
INTO the common ruin, proving the dreadful power
OF the gunbOatS and their armamsnts. Gen. Nc
CIernand's p ans for the capture Of this strong.
hold are THIS detailed by correspondent who ac
compsnied the expedition
Gen. McClernand had laid his plans 10 make
victory not oaly sure, but decisive. To this end
he had disposed his forces SO as completely to cir
cumyent the Post and prevent airy egress from il
in any direction whatever. The division that de-
barked on the south side of the Arkansas river
was designed to prevent any escape by crossing
the river. Another division, instead Of following
the same force into ths common rendezvous AZ
Belieylle, continued directly up ths White river
about twenty-five miles, where thew debarked on
the west side of that stream, whence, bv pusbinr
their way through the tipbered bot:sm-land for
distance Of three miles, they would emerge into
n,gher land and open prairie, continuing thus IN
til they again entered the woods Skigting the Red
river, about three miles Back of the Post.
This division struck the White river road
running nearly north aRd south--about tvo miles
and half from the Post. Following this road
about three-quarters Of a mile, to avoid an extern.
slve marsh or swamp lying northeast Of the town
they fled OF by Their right flank through piece
OF woods until their n. ht came upon the main
turnpike leading up the Arkansas river TO Iinlo
Rcrk, and took possession Of small bridpe nm
this road, across creek leading from the north
into the Arkansas, about mile and a half from
The town, Thus cutting off all retreat from the Post
ia ths direction
The two divisions that had dahaYked or the
north side of the river below the Post, denloved
into Line With THAR extreme right resting
lets OF the division from toe White river, and
their eft coming down nearly 20 the rivsr bslow
the town, thRs completing the circuit Of the enc.
my's position. a-..,.... ........l..- .,~
At first the enemy had difficulty in GETTING
their guns to bear uron our beats, owing to ther
elevation and the clsss position watch the boats
bad taken, and for a time their shot all fell fr
astern OF us. At the same time our runs were
TOO highly elevated, aud our she'll PASSED over tho
bluff, falling far into the rear Of The rebel l;nas
and, as the result demonstrated. dong mare
lam We to eur own forces than IT, those OF the
enemy. But by degrees, more perfect RANGES
we're obtained on both sides. and the rebel mis-
'!ies Tell around our vessels in uncomfortable he.
"a