The New York herald., 1864-05-27
Portcr,s Red River Fleet.

THE PASSAGE OVER THE FALIs-rHc BURNING oy
ALEXANDRIA, Ere.
On the 18th Instant the two gunboatB Lexington and
Mound City passed below both falls, where they were
ordered toremau TIL they should be joined by the resl
or the gunbo ITS and transports
On the morning OF the 18Th the dam at the lower fals
gaze way, which necessitsted tho building OF another
transports passed down When we arrived a.
the buildings on Front ss-ee, and that the whole town
was IN flames. Women aud children wore running
antlcay Up and down the yer bank IN great distress
powder grape, &c, on the bank near the 6re Orders
given 10 all the men TO assist IN removing them to
place of sacty Generals Banks and Smith were both
prescott and did everything TO check the progress OF the
Ore, but without avail. After time the heat from tho
burning buildings became so intense that ell the sbosts
were obliged to drop some distance down the river
where awaited orders Al Ave o'clock the order came
get undcr way. We passed down tho river distance
OF about eight miles, In accorlanee with the following
order from Rear AdmralD. y. Porter.
THE MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON
fIAGsHrr CRICKET, Orr ALEXANDRIA, In.
The gunbosss M transports VIII proceed In the follow
ing order in going down The river.
The 3rocsbeck viii attend United States steamer Fort
Hndman, WIN. l.. Ewing, ozark, Southwestern, Mound
City; Emerald, carondeiot Emma Bell pttsburg; Des
Moiucs Chicotho Choteau Usage; Mars, Neosho sioux
city, Louisville. Thomas Il. Tut, Lexington.
These s,e'mcrs Will drop In after the gunboais which
they are % attend, and keep their positions.
Tio TRANSPORTS s,ar.ht, iioucss, BED Chief, Belle
Creole Rob Roy ncia rogna, Nttie sephons. Arizona
the middle q The o7tvoy II attacked ahead they VIII
drop back and - the steam snnbaas pass on 70 tho
batteries DAVID u PuRIER, Roar Admiral
Tho following the signals employs i;--Nne long
whistle, when lied up, 10 gei under way: When under
way, long whistle TO tic up TO land; three Whistles TO
close up; -four, TO opep order Ave, wso 20 commuu
cate; six let mo 20 ahead and reconnoitre; gun
enemy in sight two short whistles ard one long one,
desire assistance, three short Whistles, eremy have
battery fonr short whistles aud one Inns orc the troops
will land one gun aad oac oEg whistle. all clear yol can
pass
started down the river. We nothing Of gGcrips ti
about eleven O'clock, when wc were fred into rom the
let bank VI the river We returned thcr hre brisky,
and sneeeeded In driving them on We were then soeu,
sbout ten miles further when wcro again oiened
upon. ihe hrng Was Kept ~ for tea Or Deen mnaes.
them on Two miles below the whistle was sounded 20
tie up for the night At ha6 past six o'clock steam 9s
the m, rp,n o tho l6th foarrg that torped0es might
have been placed D.the way the gunboats Carondeet,
Louisville and Lexington went aown some aisl.nee 70
under way til sbout noon. From Shaggy Point down,
for distancs'vf six miles, wo were subjected 70 con-
tuuous and destructive IRE o muketry from me cne'
nv who we're concescd n the bushes
About aye miles below snaasy rolDt NO were nred
into by about two hundred suerlas Five balls passed
through the Mlt,ie sieveps One man was killed and
sSsS's wsrs about eight ns above Russy when ws
hour va were 10, cred upon nom any batteries Sore
of the runboas were left al Fort De Russy and some
came down As far as .be mouth Of BLACK Iiv"'
Personal Intelligence.
Major General John A. hcCerpand 10 lyng dangerously
M al New Orleans.
Nrs General N. r. Banks b now on her way 70 attend
the 81 Louis sanitary fsir.
py,e.o,sr General stone lDow Colonel ssous) vas b
Cairo On The s3f iqes stsf Ng
Br,ssd,er Generals cibbou and Dodge have been ncmi
paed mNor generals % yeun,eers MYOr sepcrs nan
-----sip sat Gereral cslssly has nndared his res
nation three times, and 9 accepted now Tor tnc par.
pase OF making o vacancy cr General Dodge. General
hta uaa m 4