New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-18
FROM THE LOWER 1IsslssIPPT.
The YazoO Pass Expedftfon-Thc Routing
and Capture OF Gems. sichnrdson's ard
Looney's Guerrilla Forces.


Iooney,s Guerrilla Forces.
"P''N' NiKhrHIs. March u, 1869.
The feet below Helena, having on board Gen
Quinbys divisions 10 waiting for 4o stern 'wheelers
and small sidewheel steamers to carry them through
the iazoo Pass, tue steamers they are now on being
too large.
An expedition OF iron.clad boa's, the lafayette
and some three four others, left Last Sunday for
Duvals Bluff in the YazoO River. where there is a
Confederate battery. Considerable fighting was az.
tcipated.
We have stated that Richardson's guerrillas end
Gen. Looney's force had been surpriscd and either
captured, killed or dispersed From an officer in Col.
Lees Cavalry We gather additional particulars. IL
appears that Richardson's guerrillas were encamped
near Covington, Tennessee, In Fayo'te County,
end Gen. Looney was encsmped at or near Wythe
Depot.
Col Griersor, with 60 men, marched upon Rich.
srds on's encampmoDt on Tueeday morning, COM
pletely surrounding them. RiehasdsoD's men, lily
prepared for fight, dispersed in small squads III
every possible direction. Richardson himself was
pursued by cavalry, but be made his escape. Twen-
ty-,ive dead bodies reported to be the ground.
At the last account, Grlerson's force had not re-
turned from pursuit. The exact number OF prisoners
not known. All the property about the camp was
csntured and Destroyed, aud the encampment left
swept and garnlshed, AT the same time Grierdon
moved upon Richardson III front II had been Lees
intention t. f. upon the reaP marching direct from
Germantown, via Wythe Depot, to Covington. but
near Wythe Depot Col. Lee utterly surprised Gen
I.ooney's encampment. They wiselY had their
borses gaddled, but they had not time TO get upon
them. They tried 10 get away, but the larger por-
ton OF them were captnred, together wien Gen.
I.ooney. Major Stanford, Capt. Bright. and Lieut..
Wmams are ut Col. Lees headquarters, near Ter
mantowp Part OF Looneys force,were run mile
and a half before they were captured.
HELEsA. March 9, 1863.
FROM YAZOO PASS.
The steamer Winona now runs regularly to aud
from the Pass connecting with the fleet IN the Gold
water and points beyond. From what we can learn,
more trouble has been experienced than WAS anticl-
mated. Tho outlet from Moon Lake had plenty VI
water in H. but was very narrow, and the steamer
Emma, in making short turn, was stuck fast, end
WIS with great difficulty extficated. At one time II
was thought they would have to barn her, but
after cutting away her guarcs, breaking her CHIN
news down aud smashing things generally, they
succeeded in hauling her through into the Codwater
where she now lies. Mr.. Hoover, the clerk, was
here Yesterday to oh ain her release II possible, as
she Is too long and broad 10 be Of any service In 90
marrow stream.
Our officers have no dolbt as to the ultimate sue
cess of the expedition, although there are various
rumors in regard to an inmenee fleet OF Rebel rams,
sad 10 be waiting the advent Of our fleet IN the Va.
ZOO: among them the large steamer Magnolia, which
report says mounts forty gans-the seagoing steam.
er Star Of the West, TWO guns-the y. +. Pargoud
lrsml-also the ex-Vicksburg and New Orleans
packets Natchez and Gen. Quitman. Report also
says they arc commanded by Capt. DE Haven. we'll
known on the Missouri River as master OF the Alon.
70 Child We arc inclined to doubt the existence OF
40 formidable feet; but II would be well enough
for our Generals TO keep bright lookout, aud let
the DeKslb and Cbillicothe lead the van. Our tim
clads) mosquito boats well enough to shell out
guerras but would fare poorly IN attacking forts
and batteries.
LATER.
Since writing the above the steamer Emma has
arrived almost perfect wreck, her cblmDeys are
down whee-house torn oil, nc. Her officers re-
port the expedition getting along al well as could
be expected, although encountering many obstacles
in the shape Of logs. trees, DC. Part OF them had
already reached the Taiiahatche. No resistance
was offered by the inhabitants. who are Secesh to
man. They seem pretty confident that thssexpedi.
ton will not amount TO anything. and express their
opinion very freely that troops are getting them.
selves into y scrape and will never return BY way
Of the Pass.
STILL LATER.
The steamer Superior, with Brighten. Qmmby
and staff board, has just arrived. We learn
from al officer on the Generals staff that an expedi-
ton with fifteen large steamers and eight thousand
troops are ut the entrance OF the Pass ana that
Iogan's division Of eight thousand more are on
their way up from below. 81
Our Generals begin 10 see that this digging canals
in a dozen different places has no. amounted to
much and that there are more ways than one OF
aankino the enemy. 1t s our humble opinion that
the new move is good one, and can only fail from
the fact that majority OF the steamers engaged as
transports are entirely too large TO maneuver prop
erIv 10 such ANAL streams as the Coldwater sad TAI
labatchie Stern heel or small side-wheel SEAM
ers, with barges or atboas, would move the troop:
with more safety aud convenience, and their speed
would be doubled The pass from the Mississippi |
into Moon Lake is about three.qusrters OF nile IN
md str
swiit, After leaving the lake it become crooked and
choked mp with fallen trees cypress stamps, &c.
The Codwator is narrow also, and navigation very
tedious.