The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-27


The following, from the Missouri Re-
p'tbliout, will be found TO give good deal
Of information concerning the movements
Of General MoCLEsNANp;
at appears that General McClernand
has determined TO improve the time while
waiting for cooperation ef Generals
Banks and Grant in a movement some-
what different from the one upon which
be set out from Memphis ten days ago.
Having temporarily abandoned the attack
on Nicksburg, and Withdrawn the land
and naval forces up the river, the General
has, rs IL seems, directed the ascent of
the White River by the gunboats, ac-
companied by large military force.
There can be little doubt this time
Of the meaning Of the expedition in
question. Its destination must be Little
Rock, which can Just as well be captured
now as at any other time. The strength
of the enemy there at present is probably
Insignificant for We do not believe he
could concentrate above 1900 troops at
that capital from all the rebel commands
in Arkansas. IL is evident, however,
that the movement should be rapid, and
consummated before the rebel General
Holmes can be reinforced from Nicksburg.
1--WE hear no mention made of any
portion Of Netherlands command nm
derlaking TO go up the Arkansas River.
The ensmy's batteries at Arkansas Post,
and between that point and the mouth
are said to be very formidable, and il may
have been decided TO avoid them alto
gether by the flank movement on the
White River This latter stream takes
a course nearly south, from the junction
of the Big Black to the Mississippi into
which II emptiee, sixteen miles above
Napoleon. There are rebel fertilization
at st. Charles eighty-four miles from the
mouth, at Crocketts Bluff, thirteen miles
beyond, and at Duyalls Bluff, one hun
dred and seventy-seven miles from the
mouth. Itwould not be necessary, how
ever, TO go up as high as Duval's Bluff, to
reach the nearest point Of debarkation
for Little Rock.
"rhe movement by way of White River
may, however, only be intended 10 con.
vey the troops to point in the rear or
flank of Arkansas Post, compel the eyacn-
alton of the rebel batteries, and open up
the Arkansas River, which is now in
good stage for navigation. This, of
course, is the most direct route TO Little
Rock.
"As our readers know, we have long
looked forward to the possession of the
Arkansas River by the Federal military
as a most desirable contamination. The
command of that stream from Fort Smith
and Van Buren, to Napoleon would CIT
off the northern portion of the State of
Arkansas from the Confederacy, and do
more for the pHcification of the southern
part of Missouri than anything else that
could be done-next to the complete de-
struction of the rebels in the West. At
this time great amount of money could
be saved TO the Government by passing
the supplies for the army of Generals
Blunt and Heron up the Arkansas to
Van Buren,, instead Of overland ria Rolla,
Lebanon, Springfield, and Fayetteville.
We hope the report of an expedition to-
ward the interior of Arkansas is well
founded, and that our cOnjectures as to
its destination are correct.
"Since the above was prepared we have
dispatches stating that n portion of the
expedition went up the Arkansas River"