Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-06-05
Re.uru Of Gen. RarL. and A,m,.


From the New Orleans Era, 29d ultl
1t is now pretty well known to the people OF
New Orleens that the commanding general OF The
Department. of the Calf has reached this city,
and that be has left his army in good health and
spirits, encamped near the mouth of Rsd river,
where our feet of gunboats and transports is
also assembled.
Aswe have already stated, several days ago,
il became evident that our Srmy would be com
PEELED TO retire from the strongly fortified and IN
al respects excellent position which It occupied
at Alexandria, the gTest scarcity Of water in
Red river preventing our gunboats moving TO
advantsge, and thus laying our light draft
steamers liable to capture AID destruction by
tee rebels, who lined the right bank
In order to got the vessels over the falls It was
necessary to construct dam, the only alterna-
tive presented being to destroy and abandon the
feet thing which Gen. Banks mover had the
TemOtest intention of doing. a pFovidentisl
rise, it is true, might have taken place. but both
the army and naval officers were of the opinion
that providence would be most likely to help
those who helped themselves, and they "pitched
in
The dam was completed, the boats got over
IN safety, and in the manner before narrated by
rs reached Fort De Russy without much diff
Guilty, and with very few casualties.
The army left Alexandria, the mcuutsd scouts
of the enemy constantly lowering about on all
sides. The severe and sslutary lesson, however,
which cur gallant troops taught the rebels st
Pleasant Hill and M0net's bluff, made them
keep safe distance away, and no attack of
consequence was made st the start.
On Monday last, the l6.h inst, our forces
reached AVoyelles prairie, when information
was brought to Gen. Banks that the enemy, in
large force, had taken up 8 position which our
army would be compelled to psBs, and that their
hstieries were ready 70 open upon US. Oar
guns were Immediately ordersd up, and Skin
misheTs sent cut to draw their FIRE, and thus as
certain their exact position. This resulted salts
fsctOriy, the enemy opening with about twenty
pieces of artillery.
Every preparation was made for a battle by
the Union commanders. Oar artillery was
plscsd in position and heavy cannonadiug be-
gun and kept up without cessation for a spEca
of four hours. So vigorous snd well sustained
was this fire, that ma jOriiy Of the rebel pieces
was silenced. At the end Of this time the whole
line Of our army was ordered to advance on the
rebels, who were admirably posted. A narrow
belt of thick woods on the summit of gradual
rise il the open fields, was the site the rebel
chief had selected, and bis men were protected
by the timber.
disastrous, EHd partly unnerVed the rebel troops,
and the steady and rapid forward movement of
the long lines OF blue coats gave them still
greater dists5te for the work before them so that
after few Volleys of rife balls had been poured
in among thsm, they hastily Withdrew from the
field, carrying their wounded and many of their
dead with them. Their loss, chiefly from our
artillery fire, was ascertsined to be quite heavy.
L was not the purpose of the Unien commander
to follow the reireating foe and theline of march
for Simmsport on the Atehsfalaya, was once
again taken up.
The enemy kept well away from our column
the balance of Monday and all of Tuesday, the
only lighting being occasional brushes between
the Union and rebel cavalry. On thsse occa-
sions our troops were uniformly successful, and
throughout the entire fstiEuing march they per-
formed all that was required of them with nm
tiriBg vigilance snd bravery.
BATTLE OF YELLOW BLUFF.
On Wednesday,, the 1s.h inst, the battle of
Yellow Buff was fought, which, for the number
engaged, and tbs short time our boys took to
whip ihe rebels, may be set down IS one Of the
most gallant sffaiTs ehrOnicled on the war re-
cords Of the great rebellion.
The advance of the army reached this stream
snd crossed, with stores, trains, ETC., and not
until the greater portion had got over did the
enemy show himself il force. But when the
rebels supposed that there were no more than
they could easily defeat on their side of the
stream, they began q vigorous attack The
rebels were commanded by MAjor-Gen Prince
POigRsc, while ours were under the Immediate
command Of Brig Gen. Mower, than whom
there is not brsVer soldier in our armies. After
q severe fight of about an hours duration the
rebels were driven from the field, with q loss at
the lowest computation Of five hundred killed
snd wounded, and three hundred prisoners
About two hundred of tue prisoners taken in
this gallant afsir were brought ts New Or
leans yesterday on the transport steamer New
Dunleith. Although we could not obtain an
oticisl return of the casualties on our side,
they were not less than $50 killed and wounded
The disparity of losses between the Union and
rebel force engaged, is attributable to the fact
that large number of the enemy were killed
during the charge in which the prisoners were
taken, and which broke their lines and COM
PEELED their retreat Ia disorder. The vslcr and
bravery Of our troops are proved by the fact
that we lest not \ single prisoner, while, as
shove mentioned, more than thIee hundred Of
she enemy fell into our hands.
This was the last sttempt made to interfere
with the movements of cur army, Aad shcrtly
after Che engagement ended the AtehsalHya
was reached.
CROsSiNG THE AfCHAFALAHA.
On the 19sh instant tho river was bridged.
and in rather q novel manner. Twenty trans
port steamers were run up the stream, and with
them--the gsngWay planks forming the coDnac-
tioRS--an immense pontOon was formed, over
which the trains, artillery, army and hsngsrs-on,
even to the mesnest camp follower, passed on
Friday, the Goth, as ssfsly, and with - much
eonvensnce as though the bridge had been the
most substantial structure ever built Yesterday
all had reached The place where they are for the
present located, and. we suppose they will rest
for time until they recover from the fstigues
Of their srduous campaign.
GEN. BANKS ID NEW ORLEANS.
General Banks arrived here yesterday about
noon, accompanied by Brig Gen. Wm. Dwight,
chief of staff, and Col. James Grant Wilson, A.
D. c., LieUt-Col VIM. 8. Albert, inspector-gen-
eral, Major Geo. B. Drake, A. A. g aud Lieut.
ABdem, A. d G. The other members of the
staff arrived later on the steamer Universe
THE GREAT DANE
Ths dam constructed for the passage of the
boats over the falls is = work of immense labor,
the greater part of which Was accomplished by
the army. The first dam that was built burst
after being completed and before the boats were
ready to attempt the passage, not having been
built strong enough to Withstand the volume OF
wafer that pressed upon it. Thus . week was
lest in rebuilding it.
When the dam was a second time completed
all the water of Red river was forced through q
channel but tTife larger than the largest gun.
boats. As one steamer followed another into The
rapids thus formed, il seemed IS though they
muIt be dashed TO pieces, the waters throwing
them about as though they were not weighhel
than chips. Even cur large and heavily plated