Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-04-20

Era says ION Cane river some thirty Ave miles above
Alexandra The True Delta ntmates that it received
It's nioi nation from the military officers board two
transports which arrived on Thursday might, while the
Era vsguey credits it to passengers" As these pa
pers are the organs Of the Commanding General and as
Of military operations In this department can
be published without permission, il would have been
easy for them to set authority at headquarters to give
the facts appearing there without depending pas
ssngers. The telegraphis now at work up to Aexan-
dra having been put in operation since its occupation
by that indeiagable officer, Capt. Buckley If these
things facts they known at headquarters here
the very day the news reached Alexandria
Ca the contrary do know that on Thursday night
when these boats first arrived their passengers and OIL
all told this only that battle had been fought and
that the slaughter on both sides had been terrible and
that in consequence the Federal forces bad been com
PEELED to FILL back again to Alexandria Not a word
was said about prisoners being taken about any
success ether than general belief that the Oonied-
crates had suffered very severely in the engagement.
We hear the street, indeed, that the tattle, for
there certainly has been one ended very dsasrousy to
the Federal army, much that the exped ton will
have to be abandoned. gantlsmln who is rea 81 to
highly distinguished officer says that the latter has
written 70 his vile that the Losses of the Federal army
have been quite severe and that he expects to be hack
Another strange thing Is that one OF the steam
ers bring down thine hundred contrabands, mostly
women and children" We have an abundant supply of
them now and trying 70 put them out on the Isn-
tatonS. If the Rebel forces have been so badly de-
feaed and broken up Why bring away the negroes from
the plantations?
Perhaps the most significant item in this batch Of
news il the hurnng OF the steamer L. Crosse after
her capture by guerrias," this side OF AleIndra.-
Several days after they attacked the Mile Stephens,
and she escaped. 1t is said shat this was done by
guerri4s-mere irregular pu 1derers properly call
cd thus-sI the csptors of the l., Crosse paroed
toe crew and retained the officers (ncludDg an army
officer pisoners, there is reason to bevo thai they
were no more guerlas than any OF General Taylor's
army, to which they und uotedly belong. All these
thrgs seem to look as though there was serious a..
temp. being made to tn the bunt of the tiger iHto
hunt b. the tiger especially il is found necessary to
prohibit boats from leaving Alexandria during the
night.
believe nevertheless, that there has been battle,
aud though am unwilling to credit the stories current
kmopg sad aud sober men, thai the Federal army has
met with severe disaster feel assured tina. IL has met
with quite check to its advance. As to Du iley's
brigade, news brought here with the last To- Of
prisoners that cams down, iha: il eltrey brokeu
up in the engagement which resulted in their cap
This doubted so much that would not mention it IN
my last letter; bat Massachusetts, genl man, who is
interested in that organization, told me to-day that
il was true II so, DudleJ's brigade could not have
done the wonders the 2S with which the Era aud
Delta credit il.
ernmsnt residing here has received letter from Alex
dria from sufficiently high parsonage 10 be reliable,
assuring him that all the c)ton VIII ca may be xpected
from Red River has already been sent down. and this
is OILY hundred and twenty bales, the prospect is
very poor one. As far as heard FROM the torch has
been pu by the planters to every bale of cotton the
river above that point which is chiefly attributed to
the aw conduct of the naval part of the expedition,
which commenced ito work by the indiscriminate ces
q ron OF all private property within its reach. The
planters are finishing the work their own account.
have been altogether ind sposed to believe all sioi
tending 10 show anything like large force of Co iede
crates on the Tscse but tie arrival OF the transport
steamer Starlight from fh1Fe on thursday evening,
loaded down with quartermsster's and commissary
Stores al ringing the news that the res-three or
four more--w coming with all the oher Government
properly at Brashear, leaves other conclusion than
that the other side of the Teche is completely in the
hands Of the Conieder9tcs.
Again the ques ion arises, why not this property
taken up the Atcbaalaya which is the way Red
vr and far lees dang rous than 10 come around by
ssaG WIG did they not come by way of Bayou La
fourche ire easiest route TO the city? The an
is quesiionRbly that both these avenues
erdered dangerous by the presence of the enemy in
sach force that the beats could not be protected
against them.
Nevertheless tNe four thousand at PatteIsonvlle
mostly men 10 buukrem There is no doubt, consid-
er5be cavalry force ranging along the Teehe, few tf
whom went into ,Cenneve last week. and took some
two tbOusauddn money and the goods of suffer- bat
the loss made good out OF the citizens of the place
by gu1boit, which, next day, lay eff tho town AID
threatened il with aunihlation if this was net DONE
AS thiogs now look this Red River expedition has
sacrificed the whoe planting Interests in the Lafourche
Teehe Teribonne and all the region out of the reach
OF the gunboa,s he river; tos il is not 70 be
pected that the Conederstes will this occasion leave
the country full Of negroes and agricultural imple
mens stock and every thing else necessary carry on
plantation labor hey did last GUNNER, when they
were kind enough leave every hing pretty much
they fouad Is; except he military proper y, every par
ticI nf nh thavt n VIII
be Of any use 10 is now being brought away. 1
am in doubt how YER, whether the other property and
persons will be iltFused to them again. matter how
generous they were before The darkies, know have
been coming ia for time, having taken the alarm
even before their masters.