New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-03
ALEXANDRIA. La. May ?. leG4.
DEAR FATHER: Our situation at present IL

very similar TO that Of last juno.
| We are entirely cut of from communication will
New. Orleans or vicksburg surrounded on every side
by ruerrias and with no Of procuring supplies
or retniorcemenis.
Isolated as We are In this wilderness II j. almos, use
less to hope that what ] writing will stand muol
chance Of reaching you. but can but make the at
tempt a. it is Just possible that later mails
will reach New Orleans even though may not. Ny
last letter was gobbied by tie Rebels so must com
mence my account over again. AMER the seyere re
pulse that Gen. Banks experienced at Mansfield be
treated Grand Ecore point the right bank of The
river about eighty miles above Alexandria. lie re-
manned there three weeks and then. the ryei
continued 20 f and his communications were serious
y endangered he finally decided 10 give up the attempt
on Shreveport and retreat down the river.
What stores could not De removed were burned and
then the army and the fleet Of transports and gunboats
commenced their journey back together. The rear
guard. commanded by Gen. 4. j. Smith, was hard
pressed en the way down. and the van. under Gen.
Emory. was obliged several times 10 light It's way
through But the army. on the whole. managed 10 hold
its own, aud at Cane River administered 10 the Rebels
who cndeavored to oppose the passage severe thrash
ing.
At the close Of ten days Banks had the satisfaction
Of gathering his weared soldiers together behind the
HreDchments Of Alexandria, having ost within three
weeks from 900 20 1000 men, l33 wagons and 50 guns
beside "A large amount Of ammunition and commssary
stores and one or two Transports The greater part oi
the fleet managed 10 gct down the river within Few
miles 0f Alexandria but Of the boats were severely
"peppercd on the way. Two miles above Alexandria
some rapids which are only possable during tue
high-water months Banks had considerable difficulty
In getting the heavier Of his gunboas over these shOa
bis way up and he finds II impossible 10 bring
them back again. There ten boats In all thus lana
locked and among them are come OF the finest vessels
in the Mississippi squadron There are two monitors
four turtles and four plated river steamboats,.
Admiral Porter Is IN command Of the neet ana VOWS
be will not abandon the feet II the army leaves
him alone in The wilderness. The engineer corps is
trying the experiment Of making dam across the
river just below the rapids, by which means they hope
20 font the boats over They will probably succeed In
saving the monitors but the general impression is that
tie turtcs" will have 20 be abandnncd and blown up
Three days after the army got back the pickets were
attacked and there diminishing oil along the linc
The whole force called and placed ia rcadi.
ness for action. We were formed IN four long lines OF
battle one 10 support the other The 10th was III the
center Of the fourth line We were under arms all
night, but sent TO our corps IN tie morning III mas
since been discovered that the was caused by "a
large body Of Rebels passing In in order 10 OBJ
sruct the river below This they have succeeded IN
doing, M we have since found TO our cost.
On the night Of the 81. was awakened by an orderly
from headquarters with directions be ready to move
at daylight the next morning.
woke up the MOTOR, who rubbed bis eyes and rolled
over 10 the other side, say Ing. well. - YOU Tx H.
shortly after daylight and marched down a. the river
where the steamboat Silver Wave was supposed to be
waiting for US. But found she was not yet loaded
and boys kept waiting IN the aud dust I'll
or o'clock before we could get on board. have
never town where the dust deep. perinca
ing and sitting 1t Is in Alexandria. IL hangs In
clouds and about the town and horsemen or foot
men. trndgng along the way carry with them per-
petual halo.
Two other regiments and a battery WERE emhnrking
at the same time ourselves two steamboats, while
IA couple Of gunboats were 10 convoy down. One OF
the regiments. tie 5Gth Ohio was composed Of re-
enlisted veterans who were going home fufl0ugh
the rest of us bound for Fort DE Russy about Nifty
miles down the river. We were 10 be- stationed there.
and to Keep the rNcr banks free from gueiTillgs.
On account Of various delays IN getting battery
and stores on board pot able to start until the
next morning. While the boat Warner, having board
the OHIO men, and accompanied by the two ginboats:
started We were al much provoked at being delayed
behnd the rest Of the feet, little thinking that those
Few holun saved ~ from q fearful disaster.
On lhuIsdht morning the 9Th inst. started down
The ri'er accom- panied by tlN l3jd y. y. Vols We
Lad lot gone ihI wien rudlcr broke and were
Obliged % be- flowed hy the other boat This DELAYED m
some Lours more and u late ia the afternoon before
we were Aaf way 10 Fort DE Iius.y. Gen. NickcTson
(our IIigadcf lad been led 10 believe We should find