Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-05-06
UNION succE.sEs I'M LoU1sIAyA.

military leader, to the fact that be is not
ambitious merely of the reputation of civil
ian. But having first given his remarkable
administrative ability to the task OF educing
order out of chaos, in and around New Or
leans, by the application of code for the reg
| ulation of labor and production, and as soon as
it was satisfactorily in operation he gave bis
attention TO an important military expedition
having for its object the reclamation OF the
| rich country TO the west OF New Orleans,
| whence the rebels have drawn inestimable
| supplies for their army, and whose numerous
lakes and ba,ous afford admirable facilities
for sheitering their river steamers and for con-
siructipg and fitting out their rams and gun
boats. This section comprises the parishes or
| counties of Terre Bonnie, Lafourche, Assump-
tion, st. ,MaIv's, and St. Martins, the whole
being rich alluvial country, traversed by
navigable streams, and sbounding in lakes,
| bordered by rich plantations OF sugar-cane
and Indian corn, and tracts OF excellent tim
Der, including live oak and cypress 1t also
| sustains dense slave population, which fact
has probably entered into the calculations of
Gen. Banks in planning this expedition.
At our last accounts. previous to those just
| received, Gen. Banks, after having concentra-
| ted his forces at Berwick's bay, hao divided
them into two columns, one of which made
detour to the north and west with the object
of fanking the enemy on the Teche river, at
Centreville, Franklin, and New Iberia, while
the other closed in upon them from the east.
BY the arrival of the Fulton from New Or
leans We have supplementary adyices TO the
18th instant, bringing the satisfactory intelli-
gence of the success OF Gen. Banks's compre-
hensive plans. The column under General
Banks's immediate command had moved along
the Teche river, occupying the towns cf Pat
tersonville, Centrevile, franklin, and New
Iberia, and entered Vermillionville. At all
these points the enemy were met in force and
driven out, large number of their steamers
and two gunboats were burned, and an i'm
mense amount OF ammunition and stores were
destroyed. AT Bethel P lace, new Iberia, the
rebels were strongly entrenched and after two
days desultory fighting, desperate engage
ment seemed imminent, but on the 18th they
evacuated their works, leaving behind them
two pieces OF artillery and large stores OF am.
oHd oOu4C sihail al lucy retreat
ed westward towards Vermillionville, whittier
they We're rapidly followed by Gen. Banks
who encountered them at the crossing of the
Fermillion bayou, short distance east of the
village. Here the rebels had posted force
OF one thousand infantry, with strong batter
les OF artillery in ambush. AS Gen. Banks
advanced fire was opened upon him from the
whole force of the enemy and far snp,., finn.
the fight ragged with fury, but resulted finally,
after considerable loss on beth sides, in the
retreat Of the enemy and the crossing of our
troops. The former retrea;ed towards Ope-
lousas, while Gen. Banks entered Verm illion-
vile, and was preparing 10 advance immedi-
ately on Opelousas, with the expectation of
reaching il on the night of the 18th. 1t was
believed the enemy would not stop their re-
treat short of Alexandria. which is one hun
dred miles northwest of Opeiousas, where
they expected to meet reinforcements under
Gen. Kirby Smith, and would make another
stand. No definite details are given of the
loss On either side, but it is known to be large
Meanwhile the cooperating column under
Gen. Grover had been even yet more success.
ful. Proceeding up Grand Lake, accompa-
MED by the gunboats, it recsptured the ram
Queen of the West and the gunbost Diana,
and, landing three miles west OF Frankliu,was
attacked by the enemy, but pushed forward to
Irish Bend, near the town of Franklin, where
desperate engagement ensued, the rebels be-
ing ten thousand strong, supported by batter
les of artillery in forest OF large trees. The
battle lasted nearly the entire day, but result
ted ia the rout and decentralization of the en-
emy, after heavy losses on both sides. An
immense amount of stores and ammunition
was captured by troops, together with
nearly six hundred horses and mules and a
large number of beet cattle. The two COL
nmns then formed junction, in the vicinity
of Franklin, and pushed forward after the re-
treating enemy in the direction of Opelousas,
as have already seen. The whole number
of prisoners captured thus far is about fifteen
hundred.
The important results already attained by
this expedition scarcely be properly ap-
preciated. The most fertile portion of the
State, bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, has
been wrested from them their concealed har-
bors for the Construction aud secretiug of yes
sells have been broken up. and an immense
number of steamers already completed or
nearly finished have been DESTROYED their
stores of food, ammunition and horses intend.
ed for the rebel army in NJ ississippi have been
seized and their salt m ines taken; and finally
an entire section of the State, amounting to
nearly one-fifth of its whole territory, hitherto
thought impenerrable and unconquerable, has
been brought under the authority of the Fed