Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-03-26
Corsspondence Of The Chicago Times.

TALLAHATCHIE RIVER, MISS MARCH o.
Rapidly of comotion ia quslity that seems to be
denied to this expedition We ara now or our fourteenth
day from Helena and have made in all about sixty mics
There is this consolation left however IA the conle-
platn of this progress: We have overcome the dhcut
part If rout-. The Yszoo Pass and the Coidwatr
river deserve to b. forever remembered as the most nj
cult watr through which steamboat expedition
ever attempted to pass Sernwhee steamboasot which
this expedton almost exclusively composedhave the
of being narrow with their wheels placed
that aud other obs aces on thu banks CANNOT Jure
them un ess the vessel backing but in other respects
they most complete nut ances that were ever set
aaoat The least puff wind throws them about as il
they were mere They very difficult to ma age
in all Respects having notorious perversty for going just
where and how they please Ini4 mas Deen tns eat
marrow aud so psrpexngy crooked, with such sharp
bends aud turns that the vessels We're constantly leaving
hs channel short expeditions inland On every Such
occasion some portion Of the vessels would be left hanging
upon the timber mementoes of the trip When t. these
incidents added the trouble OF towing three coal oarges
the of Glow advance will be at oncs spprehended
But happily, we arc past these troubles The Iala-
hatchie river which entered last night, Is much
broader than the Codwater the Yazoo Pass be-
sides having cleared banks that vessels can run along al
moderate of speed without the danger OF elrg ORR
to pieces should an uncky puff OF wind blow them on 10
lee 1t has been naygaed by steamers ever sEce
steamers have been known on the Western rivers L. Is
formed by the confluence # the Coldwaer and Little
Taahatche rivers and runs southeastery for distance
Of hundred and sixty miles, where JOINS the iaa-
busha river and forms the Yazoo Its course s wndog
crooked,
are gradual and wde and comp easy to be turned
by steamers under ordinary headway 1t leads through
the most fertile and productive region OF the STATE OF Mis-
sssippi It's banks ned with well cultivated plan'a-
TONS which cotton grows in abundance ne average
annual Yield of this staple the lands watered by the Ia
lahatche is not less than seventy-fve thousand bales
Our advent into thess waters seems to have been an
cpated weeks, yet have met WIN no serious
opposition frcm the enemy yet we her iJdcatlons
however nearly every step that preparations are max
ing to receive lower down the country PREVIOUS 70
Tho had N
the head-waters of this stream, evying contributors OF
cotton to build breastworks with The location oil the
cotton forts thus built is not readily ascertained Ac
counts very conflicting Some reports say that we VIII
find them at Greenwood Yszoo river four miles below
it's head while others pes.t in saying that We shall meet
with obstacles until reach lazoo Cry All that we
know definitely is, that we have net with no emmy as
yet Not shot has been fired at any boat oil tine 'et
Not guerilla has shown himself at point Not even
rebel scout picket has been discovered since the ex
petition left the Mississippi river. This msy b all part
Of very nicely aud arranged pan To lure US on
into the interior ami away from relnorcements as
possible, with the expeca ION OF then making mnce-meat
of us all or taking US in one rand boly prisoners of
but The fact nevertheless Is that have moved through
region that have known no'hHg OF war before,
and have had apprehesons that the Dreadful scouge
would ever be brought to it's own midst.
Our light draught gunb'ats are now beng hxed up
with cotton in such way be almost mpregnable
the regular ron-cads They wi BE- able to go up with
quite formidable battery without any particular danger
their vulnerable parts Their boilers and machinery
will be surrounded with cotton bales that v VIII b. al
most impossible to penetrate them with cannon ball.
Yesterday and to-day have been manly occupied IN This
work and in coalng. We lying but len miles b.
low the mouth Of the Codwater but shall be ready to
and be ng fully in readiness to meet the enemy We shall
move much more rapidly than have been doing an
tcipate that days, three at most will brng Us TO
Greenwood.