, 1864-10-21
col. AoeE's EXPEDITION.
Details of the Disaster.
A n1fsera1 Managed Affair.

Correspondence Of the Nashville Unio0.t
JouNsoSr1LIE, Tenn QGt. - se9a.
am ndEpted to Capt. j. Il. Woo0fnn, a
a. A. e., for the following particulars rela-
tennessee river, under command OF Ma1oF
General Washbufp, the troops on the notllia
being under the immediate command OF Col.
Hoge, 81 the 11Sth Illinois. ! regTas 70 SAY,
from what learn, that the whole affair "As
most mlserably managed. The feet arrived
taking aboard supplies. It started np the riV-
er 1T noon on the 4th, and reached Cluton on
SUNDAY morning; after short delay tt again
moved forward till opposite Eaetpors, which
point was reached early Monday evening.
In regard to tho landing OF the t1eot reports
ing the two versions, that may not unwit-
tirg]y do Injustice to the innocent Oneia,
that The gunhoats after laying opposite East
port for short time, and discovering no
signs OF the enemy, signal1ed the transports
enntsining the troops to approach and land.
side. or nearly so, with the remainder Of the
fleet, keeping the transports between them.
selves and the enemy.
But one thing is certain, the boats landed
with The utmost fndlscretlon, as I have
heard IN officer remark, they could not have
1sndea more carelessly Or With less regard to
discipline. II they bad been going into poet
ut Louisvl'le. The men had scarcely con-
menced dtsenbarking, wheo a terrific fire
opened upon them IRON battery Of eeyen or
eight well manned guns, but too effectively
st1uated On an elevated knoll. The battery
Was completely masked, and the ill-fated
boys had not tie slightest idea pitts ]oca-
ttoD, or or the presence Of any enemy, till the
Sstl Of shot and shell etormed through their
ranks. It is surprising that in an expedi-
ton, conducted as secretly IS this ol: had
7nra
enough sound Judgment. If not military
caution, to send out Reconnaissance teW
miles below the point OF landing, and ascer-
taln something Of the enemy's situation,
without p1unglng band Of brave boys m.
guardedly into the lions Jaws.
The havoc was fearful. Without discipline
or Organization, not jet having had time to
form for = on the bank nads1 tie calling fire Of
the eneny's guns, naught else could be ex-
pected. During the panic necessarily Gre
ated, the cry was rai.ed, We are ordered to
return TO the boats"' No one knew who
issued the order, and the few officers that re-
tained enough GOODNESS to rally their men,
persisted in their endeavors, notwithstand-
ipg the terrible defamation OF their ranks;
properly paying no heed to command that
was fatherless. The boats Immediately
showed IF, ltagtng the gallant few still upon
the shore. a number of men were drowned
in attempting to reach the boats.
INCIDENTS.
1t is utterly impossible to learn the euuu.
Der kllIed, The reports are eo conflicting. I
Will make rough gueEs aud put the killed,
wounded and missing at 100, which believe
will coyer the mark.
A shell struck caiseon on the Aurors, cx-
plodtd md killed the Captain of The vessel.
Pat Ma1shal, seTere1y burning several others
standing In the vicinity, some Of whom have
since died. The Cplor Sergeant Of the 61st
colored regiment was shot into the river
while attempting to leap ashore, with the
coloIs under bis arms.
Capt Hoyt, one Of tho most gallant officers
Of the expedition, it is supposed has been
cabtu1ed ~lth party Of SIX men.
The burned, manned snd wounded officers
and Len torna truly horrible spectacle.
One would almost sicken at the sight.
Nearly all the burnt I saw are sightless, their
faces being burnt to crisp. Had one-half
the shells exploded, the fatality would have
been far more terrible. The beautiful boat
City of Pekin, as well IS the Aurora and
Kenton,> are completely rlddled BY the
shells.
But the worst feature In the whole ipelori-
ous defeat Was that the transports .ere eitu.
ated between the gunboats and the enemy,
and these laEt as st,tcd bY stvcral officers
Of rank, killed more Of our own troops and
did more damage to our men than to the
enemy. OLD KENrUcK.