The New York herald., 1864-06-16
A. J. SMITHS VICTORY.
Additional Details Of the De-
feat Of Marmaduke.
BATTLE AT BAYOU FISH.
SHORT AND DECISIVE ENGAGEMENT.
TOTAL ROUT OF THE REBELS,
Mr. F. q. ch.pman's Despatch.

Mr.. r. q. Chapman's Despatch.
OK Board STEAMER LeviArHAn. I
NEAR GREENyuLx, Miss RIVER June o, 1854.
IN my letter yesterday gave you account OF ths
sailing Of the feet OF transports, conveying General A. J.
Smiths command from vcksburg, In qnest Of The rebel
Marmaduke, who has Of late been dsagreeably espass
Ing on commerce In this vicinity; and 10 becomes
my duty say that have successful 10 our
search not fully annihatins The enemy after his
discovery.
We arrived At little river port called Sunny side
yesterday Sunday afternoon, and that evening dsens-
barked the troops comprising General Mowers division
OF the Sixteenth corps, and ono brigade Of Colonel
Noore's division, Of the Seventeenth corps, may
being about one half or Gen. smltns command re-
Gently returned the Banks expedition on the ROD
river. The Decentralization took place quietly durln
the night and by daylight this morning the troops were
the march towards the interior and nahl
The country In which General Marmaduke had sakeu
his position b dicuh one TO describe, but VIII enc
approximate correctness ~ win enable
your readers understand why did NOS succeed In
gobbng the entire rebel force. Al Sunny Side bayous
known Old River bayou, counsctA The AississippS
with Old River ake, which 10 inland about sx miles,
on the Arkansas side. Old River lake ID body
Of water Of about eight miles In length, Of semcs-
cunr FORM and not many years ago the bed Of ne
Mississippi Al the extreme northwestern bend OF tha
lake but deep lagoon, called Fsh bayou, emptses
waters two miles 70 the north Of which the town ok
Lake Village, where Marmaduke had his headquarters,
s located Four roads together near Lake
Village where they mite with the main road leading to
Columbia the eide Of the river opposite where
We now lay.
Our troops marched by the road from Sunny SIDE
around the south end OF the Lake tho Forty seventh
Illinois and Thirty eighth Iowa regiments being ID
the advance early IN tho morning, hoping TO surprise
the enemy BY rapid and c,rcutous route but seems
that the enemy was, usual, faly posted Upon our
movements and had taken up strong position m line of
battle on the north side Of Fish baysu.
When our advance had reached point about SouR
miles Inland encountered the cnemys pickcts who
treated upon the main body forces came h sight
wc followed OF course, not knowing the country with
sklrmshers and nankers wen out 10 the right nd
left road but unmoested until arrived
at Fish bayou, where met the enemy ~
force. Upon the north side Of the bayou there 70
dense growth OF woods In which the enemy were post.
upon side few hundred yArds the
country Is open and cultivated, afording the snemy
aDe opportunity fer psuripg ia deadly md OBSTRUCTIVE
Ore upon troops emerged Into the clearing from
the woods-aa opportunity they ava,led themselves OF
with vigor success The rebcI nrc indeed
ribe; but Con- Mower ordered charge the rebel line,
not knowing. or Knowing not rsazug that deep and
impossible lagoon hidden In tho cgs OF tho woods
which better 10 the euemy for than would
be dozen batteries. Neverhsess the charge made
and when tro ps came to the banks OF the stream
many OF them plunged In from the precpi.ous bank and
met watery grave Finding the lagoon unfordable the
whole attention General Mower was directed 10 dis
lodging the enemy by OF his artillery and such
mannuvrng Of his antry he could mprovise FOR Oh
o,casion: and he successful After hour and ..
haK OF hard nghtns the anagonsic forces ssparassd
by the stream, which preciudsd the possibility %
charging, tho enemy gave way and fed h dls.
der towards Lake Village As soon as the cueys firing
had ceased men censtructed bridge and In two
hours were the Yazoo and In pursuit oe
the retreating foe but the shase one for the
rebels all mounted good horses ana they left
for the interior much faster than running infantry
could follow t@
al Mower led his around BY way Of Lake vl
hge and tho north edo o, the iakc, and reached the
river at night after march Of about thirty miles aud
| 6ght Of two hours
Our about hundred and twenty-five IN
killed and wounded that OF tho enemy of course
known. Our wounded oil brought back TO the eet,
and killed buried tho field Tho THIRTY. NTH
Iowa and Forty-sevcnth Illinois regiments who were In
advance, suffered most Major Johns tho Thirty nfsh
was killed. and Major ncs, OF tho Forfy.seventb,
moraiy wounded have not been able 10 get list q
tho nama0 the wounded and killed, communicative
between tHe boats is extremely difficult.
Tho results OF the Gsht may be summed up fof.
lows -
We have whipped and Dispersed Narnaduke's forces,
and pened the Mississippi river to Tree navigation
Narmadukc's forces reported by the people a.
lake Village numbering about six thousand mounted
infantry and cavalry, with three batteries Of artillery u
six guns each.
On ths Tuesday morning, General Smith re embarked
his forces and sailed for Memphis, an4 I wrlto
this on boird the flagship Leviathan, the most mag
nincent steamer that does or ever has noatsd
tho Father OF Waters, now desecrated,
however, by being diverted from her legitimate
business, which Is that OF regular passenger packet be-
tween New Orleans and St. Louis ana pro ts converted
into a headquarters and hospital chip %
her sze great speed and superior accommcda
tions
have no idea that the river will remain long open,
at elsf ing guerias, for though Marina
dukes whipped and scattered for the
present, they con at hour notice 20 renew
tneir attacks upcn defe.lceie-s passenger packets.
You may ssk witt 9eD. smith did not follow mp hfs
victory Fish bayou; and ant cipating the question:
vii answer that iorce entirely Infantry, save
one battery of artillery, white that o tho enemy wse
country bat tbcv could got out OF Tho way with
times the facility tht we could have followed. and thea
be- ready to harass from the - returned "
the river.
Cen. Smiths command 10 now emblrking for Memphis,
where u really belongs. part OF the Army Of tue
Cumberland IL is not probable, however, that will
long remain there, is the lighting division of the
Western army.