Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-10
PROM ST. LOUIS.
ST.. LOUIS, May 9.

OF. LOUIS may o.
The Democrat this morning publishes
the following:
The expedition Of General Steele toward
Shreveport has ended with his return un-
der rather exciting circumstances to Little
Rock.
A gentleman conVersant with the facts
has arrived here, and communicates the
statement to the T lowing purport;
Steele left Littl Rock with some I2,0GO
infantry and 5000 vslry under General
Carr. Arksdelphia y g occupied without
difficulty, and the for. moved forward to
Camden. Between Arksdelphis and Cam
den the subsistence trains Of one hundred
and eighty wagons were cut of and cap
tured by the enemy, together with an es-
cort Of four hundred and eighty men, who
Suddenly found themselves in the hands
Of q superior force and made little resist
snee.
At Camden Steele soon found the rebels,
about 5000 strong, with cavalry in his
rear.
FOrty-two wagons, dispatched from
Camden towards Pine Bluff, for stores,
with an escort of ], 900 men, were captured
by the enemy.
The steamer Alamo, with twenty tons
ammunition on board for Steele's army,
was sunk forty miles below Little Rock,
by coming in collision with another
steamer. The pilot who had charge Of the
boat was put under arrest on suspicion Of
treaehery, but subsequently, released.
General Steele found no stores to sub
sist bis troops, and had to reduce their "a.
tions to one quarter, IS his movement was
to be cooperative with the main one of
Banks, which had failed, there remained
no course but to return to Little Rock.
Price undertook to retain Steele at Cam
den, while Msrmsduke with 8 strong
force set off for Little Rock.
General Steele, to act for the safety Of
the Arkansas Capital, with its Union pop
ulstion and millions Of dollars worth Of
Federal stores, and for the rescue Of his
army, broke through Prica's lines and
then set out to get to Little Rock in time to
save it from MaFmsduke, who was max
ing exertions 10 reach and bag the propos-
ed game.
At Sabine Fork it became necessary to
give Price battle, which was Handsomely
done.
The rebels were we'll mounted and in
hne condition, and the fight was pTotracted
and bloody, lasting three or four hours,
resulting in the complete route Of the enc
my, leaving Steele to resume the exciting
race with Msrmsduke. The latter ap-
preached Little Rock, throwing shells in
to the city on the afternoon Of the first.
Shortly afterwards Csrr's cavalry came
up, Joining the troops at the post, and
compelled msrmaduke to relinquish his
undertaking. He made little resistance,
as the main body Of Steela's army was
rapidly arriving.
The Legislature was in session, and
probably not one Of its members, if caught,
would have been spared By the exasper-
atedifOe.
During the entire march from Camden
the troops were constantly skirmishiDg
with the enemy who hung upon their rear
and hanks, strenuously endesVoring to
impede their progress.
There were no ambulances for the
wounded, and they had to be left in the
houses Of residents on the road.
OF the captured escort Of 600 men COM
posed Of the 86th Iowa, 43d Indiana, 77th
Ohio, only 45 succeeded In escaping cav.
airy deplorably deficient in horses, our
men being compelled to use unbroken
mules in many instances, or to try to use
them for cavalry horses.
Prices forces are still lingering in the
vicinity, and were stripping the often de-
ISOLATED country anew.