The Portland daily press., 1863-11-02
BY TELEGRAPH
10 The
EVENING PAPERS.


-f"r""ce oT GEN. Ranks Expedition.
New YORK. Oct 81.
Inc Herald has 4 New Orleans letter of the
2oth inst, which says Gen. Banks had re-
turned TO the field. On the 18th inst. the ad-
vance OF zen Franklin's cavalry captured the
rebel Gen. Pratt and his nephew between Car
non Crow and Bayou Opelousas. The latter
was acting as his Assistant Adiutant General.
Gen. Pratt was born in Hartford, Conn. He
is ABOUT mtg years of age, twenty-five OF which
nave been passed in the South. Up to NAV
last lie commanded brigade of Louisiana
volunteers, but resigned on account of III
health. When taken prisoner he was engaged
IN enforcing the CONSUMPTION act in this State
on the 10th inst Gen. Franklin's advance was
at Carton Crow Bayou, where they have been
compelled to await supplies.
On the 18th inst skirmish of several hours
occurred, and section of Minis Mass. Light
Artillery was called into action before the
rebels could be compelled to fall back. We
lost one man killed aud two wounded.
On the 10Th, about 4.30 A. NJ, portions OF
the commands of Gems. Gillen, Mouton and
Majors, 800 strong, with one section of Semmes
battery, three guns, moved upon our right
flank for the purpose of turning it. About 5
A. M. the artillery opened. Lieut. MARYLAND.
with section of Minis battery, was soon in
position and replied to the rebel battery brisk
ly. The rebel skirmshers then moved for
ward, but were repulsed by our showing
bold front. Turning with great rapidity, while
the skirmishing was still going on, the rebel
force attacked our right, Gen. WeitzeIs.-
Here they again met a superior force and au-
other section of Minis battery, under the Cap
tain himself, who opening on them; they again
fell back, pursued by Col. Davis of the LIST
Texas cavalry.
About s A. NJ. Gen. Weitzel ordered the lst
brigade, Col. Paine, in position for the pur-
pose OF supporting the cavalry. About the
same time Gen. Franklin ordered the whole of
our lett to move and turn the enemy,s right
but as soon as they saw our skirmishers adj
vancing they retreated followed by our caval-
ry, who drove them about three miles to their
main body-1,600 strong. When the rebels
commenced falling back, Gen. Weitzel opened
on them with the remaining section of Minis
battery, which scattered them in every direc-
ton. The cavalry skirmished with the rebels
from daylight until o'clock, driving them
from dense woods, and holding the position
until the fourth division arrived and relieved
them. The same rebel force about two weeks
ago outfanked Gen. Danas division, and cap
tured 4S0 prisoners. They are nearly all
mounted. Our loss in the two days skrmish-
ing was two killed aud ten wounded.
The rebel loss is unknown. While the reb-
els were retreating, Maj. Hoffman, Asst Adjt.
ocH oh pSu. iduhliu Stttil, Illlue TecOnfl0lS-
sance with some cavalry as far as Grand Con-
teau Convent, but the rebels had just left.
The same correspondent says: | had a
lengthy conversation to-day with Mr.. Wheeler,
OF the firm of Dacey d Wheeler, of this city,
who has just returned from Matamoras. lie
left there on the Sd inst. He says the impress
sion was general throughout the State that an
invasion by the Unonists was not far of.
Magruder appeals to the planters to furnish
an additional quota of negroes to erect forti-
fications. He requests the services of one-half
the male negroes between the ages of IL and
so to rendezvous and report to Gen. Bee at
Houston. The entire cavalry of the State are
ordered to report to Gen. GoveSat Millicaw
forthwith. The latter place is on the Basque
River fifty miles west of Houston.
AT the latter place large numbers of State
troops were being massed. Camps of instruc-
ton have been established at several towns
There was great scarcity of corn meal, po-
tatocs. bacon and -four in Houston The reb-
els will have trouble in subsisting the army
they are massing at Houston. The Texans
insist that they were never SO well prepared
to resist an invasion as at the present time,
and say that no force likely to invade them
can penetrate any distance into the country