, 1863-05-18
FROM new ORLEANS.
Important from Louisiana.
FURTHER SUCCESSES OF GEN.
BANKS.

NEW YonK, May 17.-The steamer George
morning.
An OPe1ousas letter Of the 5th states that
Information from Grand Gulf and the gunboat
fleet had een,reeeiyed there, with details Of
its capture, and the capture Of Port Gibzon
by Gen. Ostcrhaus.
When the 1atter was nearing Port Gibson.
he was met by hundreds Of families fleeing
from, the Interior to escape the raid Of the Hi
nois cavalry, aud the prevalent opinion among
the Eecessionists was that Port Gibson was the
safest place in that region, The damage done
by the cavalry raid was i1Tepairable. 1t was
rumoEed at 0Fe!ousas that Port Hudson Ha3
cyacuated.
John E. Hays and G. G. Tracy Of the Era,
had been expelled from New Orleans for writ
Ing and publishing n questionable article.
Another editor. 4. Hills, had been arrested.
Quite an excitement occurred on the evening
Of the 7th, at the opers:, occasioued BY the
audience demanding natineai airs to be played
but nothing serious resulted.
Gep. sher1nan has ordered a1l places Of
amusement hereafter to submit their pro-
gram1ues to the Provost Marshal, previous to
their performance, and suggested that nation
nj airs be played.
Rhe Era, Of the 18th, mentions rumor
that Port Hudson was bonlbardcd by our
fleet, on the night Of the sth, aud all day on
The 9th.
Col. Grierson had arrived at New orle9us,
and has been presented, by the Unioaists, With
q magnificent charger.
Admiral Farragnt arrived at New Orleans
on the afternoon Of the 9th, from BHashear
City. The Admiral and his officers lett the
ilag ship in the Red River, and brings the iul-
portant intelligence that Alexandria WIS cap
t1red On the 9Th, bv Admirll Portcr's, and 4
ture of Alexandria, Fort De Russe, on the
Red River, ras demolished, after fight, and
q rebel EunltDat also captured-
After the capture, on the morning Of the 9th,
Of Alexandria, by our gunboats, tue advance
cavalry Of Brig. Gen. Dwight, dashed into the
place. thus forming junction Of farragutand
ticn. Banks forces.
Opelousas Gates of the 9Th state that our army
was then On the march. Gen. Dwi;llt's brig
a6e Was supposed to be in Alexandria, and
Gems. EmorA', Wcitzel and Grover with their
fo1ccs, were close behind
4 Baton Rouge letter ofthe ed, says thstCnl.
Gr1er<on's f1rce, the 9Th and It'll Illinois cly-
airy, and a battery Numbering some 800 lna,l,
followed by q large number IF prisoners, rode
into that city that day. They left Lagrange,
april 10th, burnt rebel stores and the rail
[:goad depot at 0kolona; the depot and two
| heavily laden freight aud commissary trains
and IN ordinance train at Newton, on the
Charleston and Ficksburg Rai1road. The or,
tllancc train contained ,0Q0 loaded shells for
the Vicksburg batteries, which exploded ter
riicallr.
From Newton they followed the railroad tc
| Meridian, burning all the bridges, thc7ce
| south On the Mobile & Charleston r. z. to Ell
tesprise, where they destroyed the rebel ord
nance works, thence back to Newton, burn
ing Ill tile bridges, from thence to Jackson
| including the great bridge over Pearl River
snd near Jackson tore up two miles Of ths
track. Thence they followed the jackson
and New Orleans railroad south to the Loui
sian: line.
4 rebel force Of 5Q0 at Clinton, was eyadct
| BY making circuit around them, our furc
destroying their camp equipage, stores, ALT
capturing 500 prisoners. While crossing TIL
branch Of the Aluite River, Lieut.. Col Black
burn was severely wounded, and left in tlt
hands Of the enemy. They crossed the AMT
River on tho morning Of tho lst, ten mile
from Baton Rouge, captured 4 rebel cavalr
picket Of 1C0 men and horses. burned Capt
Wetherby' s house, and captured his horses.
They then rode into Baton Rouge, looRia:
rough, but in good condition. Every raj
road In Mississippi has been cut by thcn
They have supplied themselves With fees
horses on the route, and brought In over &c
contrabanls on hsrses. Nearly all the latte
also leading horses.
The Era of the 9Th gives the particulars
the burning Of the ship otwpr Preble, ut Pei
eacola, on the eth Of April. The fire too
accidentally. All bands were saved. T!
vessel, after burning for several hours, bic