Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-09-24
IMPORTANT FROM NEW ORLEANS.
THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS TEXAS,

By tho steamship George Cromwell, from New Orleans
arrived at New York have New Orleans papers to the
18TH instant They contain news but in the annexed
letter from correspondent Of the New York World we
have some details Of the military expedition destined for
Texas OF the preparation Of which have had prior
NEW ORLEANS, SEPTEMBER ii, 1868
The important movement indicated in my last letter to
the World was planned with ability progressed with
more secrecy and perhaps proms of than
previous military operations in the Gulf Department
For the first time since the Federal occupation of Lous
there and generals and soldiers enough
to carry on an extended and important campaign
Ever since the arrival Of the large achievements from
the Vcksbug army and the concentration of troops near
this city, II has been sufficiently evident every who
walked the streets that the Army of the Gulf would not
be idle this autumn So the troll from Port Hud-
and Vcksburg had recovered 10 degree from the Ia
tgues of those two seges they put in motion The
regiments were moved with rapidly in some instances
with attempted secrecy and at first to widely different
points.
Thus there sudden concentration Of regiments and
military stores at Ship Island. This in connection with
the fact that Herrons division Port Hudson and
Augurs (now Weitzels) at Baton Rouge, sether
with generally believed report that men constantly
coming down the river to augment these divisions looked
like movement by two routssfrom the interior and by
the coast-upon Mobile There panic about it for
several days in that city.
Last week from ten to fifteen thousand men were
veyed by the Opelousas road from Agers to Bashear
City and to Bayou Beu the whole force under the
maud of Gen Washbufne Almost simultaneously Her
ron's men moved up the Mississippi toward Red River
Gen. Frankllns division meanwhile embarked trans
ports and at the camps above Carroton and
moved down the river toward the Gulf 1t was, there
FORE combined movement by three distinct columns and
by three routes.
careful study of the map and knowledge of the roads
and would enable TO form conectures to the
ius-commenced campaign; and, coJectures are not
contraband there is special improperly in communi
eating the possible plan of operations.
Let us suppose that Gen. Halleck had ordered General
Banks to make an immediate movement upon Texas In
that event the movement would be ths Fanklns corps
going by transports by way Of the Gulf would advance TO
Sabine Pass, the boundary line the Gulf between this
State and Texas. Herron's men, going by way of Red
River to Smmsport would march from thence to Ope-
lousss or to New IBERIA while Washburne's column
crossed Berwick Bay and made the old movement, via
Pattersonvlle and Franklin, along the Teche If Frank
lin succeeded in entering Sabine Pass and Lake could
march by good road Beaumont, in Texas proceed
up Sabine river to Orange, by point, with
road leading eatward drec ly to the Teche.
Now the entire Confederate force in Louisiana is
the Techs and below Red river the combined advance of
the three Federal columns would ind cate the following
probable results: Washburne would and attack
The old ground Camp Bsland st and then along the
line of the Teche If the enemy defeated and driven
before his advancing column Heron coming down from
the northeast would prevent their escape by Alexandria to
while Franklin would cut of retreat west
ward through the State to Texas The plan looks we'll
While the Confederates fighting Washburne the
Teche, Franklin and Heron would be closing in upon
Them actually surrounding them and the gobbe OF the
ported fifteen thousand under Mouton Taylor McCul
och Green, aud Major would seem inevitable.
This eobble effected is unlikely that Franklin with
sufficient force would march from Sabine river, seventy
said ~ be weakly fortified the laud side The Con-
ederate Teche army defeated destroyed at least de-
moraliEed Houston occupied and Galveston beseged il
not reduced would be fair fall campnign.
Meanwhile the Tbi t~enth Army Corps (Ord's) would
not be idle Beside the portion already sent Ship
Island the rest Of the corps would be sent eastward
PascaRoula and TO Join the ALREADY lree Pen
saoola; while the moment affairs in Western Lou,si-
and Texas would permit transports would bring hack
from the Gulf large part OF the frce-al in fact, not
needed to hold the posts beyond Berwick Bay and at
Houston and Gsvt ston-and every liable point Ia the
vicinity of Mobile would be occupied for attack by aud
upon that city.
DISASTER AT SABINE PASS.
When Frankins men went down the river and Wash.
burnes corps moved by railroad to Bashear and Bayou
Beuf week ago to-day, the two Federal sunboas Clifton
and Sachem moved down Berwick By TO the Gulf |
Fraukn's transports were mpanied by three eun-
boats The Arizona the Quaker City, and think the st
Charles. Herrns column was taken by steamboats, to
the mouth Of Red river to 90 10 SlmmspTt
Till to-day, beyond rum0rs, have heard nothing def
mite from the movement This evening it II known
in the CITY that number Of vessels chartered as trans
ports Tor the had been ged released
from the engagement Later knew of the arrival OF
one or two OF FsJkn transports from Sabine Pass and
learned that others coming mp the river At the
same time some of the vessels that the expedl
ton came back Berw ok Bay landed the troops
Brasbear City The 12h Connecticut which was lately
withdrawn from Brashear to Algers ordered back
again to-day and two regiments Of Wei xe div sion
under command Of Acting Brgadier Brig OF the 18th
Connecticut, remained 10 camp Thbodeaux
From various sources t,-n ght We gain the following
tbentic information about the movement:
The Clifton, at Brashear took board two companies
and the Sachem moved down the bay Coned Colonel
Msjors force at Camp Bi-and, watching the ment
y marched for Vermion Bay to repel the en-
of the Federal force at that point In the event
their not entering that Day. it known TO have been
iors intention TO push to abine Pass.
Day before yesterday the two gunbosts arrived at the
pass the Clifton taking the le ID and the Sachem follow
ing When they got in they exposed raking FIRE
from both sides OF the bay. 1T is known that Msjo
armament consisted of the heaviest siege guns Captain
Croker of the Clifton, fred broadsde and in turning
70 FIRE the other brosdsde his boat grounded stuck
fast on the fiat He exposed to a very heavy fre
Some of the soldiers sailors board without Crock.r
orders ran up white flag In view of his hopeless con-
don Captain Croker turned Of his largest guns aud
fred thr ,h the machinery, completely disabling the gun