Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-04-20
From the Red River Expedjtion
Correspondence of the State Journal.

From the Red River Expedition.
Correspondence of the State Journal
ALEXANDRIA, March 81
Editors State .YouJTecl 1T is n storm 81
very disagreeable day, and while the mail
boat is taking lot of rebel cotton from ON
decks I will give you what of interest / ba,-s
gathered since my last This expedition TIM,
far has been one of the most successful! since
the beginning of The war. Fort DeRussey
abandoned, left Us an unobstructed passaca
to this place. We captured at that fort 2fl
prisoners and some very fine arms.@O ur
troops coming up in the rear, the whole force
narrowly escaped capture but their main
body got off and made the best-of their WAY
to Shreveport. Alexandria Is a small town
on the south side of the river and contained
before the war some 5000 inhabitants, but
the men here now are few and far between,
and was astonished at the destitution that
prevails among all classes Coffee is S20-a
pound, tea $50, and other things in proper
ton. The females are pretty strongly Sc
cesh, but are willing to barter anything the.
have in the world with US for something to
live on. Pineville, on the opposite side, is
only about half as large as Alexandria The
country is slightly undulating around If, but
is perfectly fiat on the south side. Cotton is
coming in fast. The gunboat men have tGrn-
ed teamsters, and it is laughable to see their
attempts al driving a four mule team. Dav
before yesterday the Baltic and lIars came
in from Vicksburg, bringing two regiments of
colored troops The Rob Roy arrived to-day
with more. The Lun2i7aaJy and Meteor came
in yesterday heavily laden with stores, and
the levee to-day presents the appearance of
fourishing business place.
Yesterday one ofthe cutest little affairs of
the war came Off Hearing of a force Of re-
bells some ten miles from here; a portion OF
the fifth Illinois. 35th Iowa and Sth Missouri
marched out to hunt them. They met pick
ct, and after securing him by dint of threats
of dire punishment, they succeeded in OBJ
tanning from him the eountersign. With this
they relieved several other pickets III the reg
ular way without any fuss or suspicion, as the
rebels were expecting reinforcements that
night and they supposed they had conc
They marched into the camp and gobbled
the whole lot prisoners. The surprise was
so complete that they had to wake up
some of the rebels to inform them theY
were prisoners. The Colonel in COM
mand of them barely escaped Our BOYS
leaving his clothes behind, which were cap
tured. \ battery they had with them got
alarmed iii time To reach their guns. Our
boys did not know the position ofit,t Tie night
being so dark that it could not be easily seen.
But while escorting the prisoners, rebel
Lieut.. Col. cried out, pointing to it, 'Charge
that battery for Gou's sake, on they VIII blow
US all to h-ll IN a minute" Our boys rushed
on the hidden battery and took it lust In time,
as they had got ready to fire and the guns
were loaded with canister This saved many
lives. The whole party came in yesterday
afternoon. The prisoners looked very much
chopfallen, and were not very wen clothed
The infantry were part Of the Second Louis
lana, a veteran regiment, that has been in
nearly every action in the West, since the
war began. The name of the battery I did
not learn. The caissOns were full of ammu-
milton and the carriages were well supplied
with horses. The guns four in number, were
fine brass field pieces, three of which were
cast at New Orleans and one 1t NicksbuTg.-
The prisoners number nearly 400 men and
46 officers These cannon, with six Others
that we have taken at this place and vicinity,
make ten pieces that have taken since
we came here. Yesterday, a large lot Of
railroad iron was found buried in the out
skirts of the town. This last raid will reflect
great credit upon all engaged in it. Our
folks found cotton and gins burning IN all Ill
rectOns as they marched along. We took a
rebel Major on our way up here. We stop
ped to look for cotton, and he was seen to
run out of house. One of our blue jackets
with rife took the track, and found him in
a corn crib. He has been very much pleased
with his quarters on board the vessel, but viii
probably learn something of prisoners pri-
yations when he reaches the army. We are
patiently waiting for the water, which Is ris-
ing slowly, before advancing on Shreveport.
Part of Gen. Banks command have already
passed up by US on their way to that point.
We are very busy just now making rakes
of long poles to carry ahead of the boats TO
fish up torpedoes. One came down vester-
day, and was picked UP. 1t was nearly five
feet long and would have proved a daDgnroug
snag for boat to run against. Several sui
lers have already opened up in town, and
soon one can obtain everything they want,
where all was restitution a few days ago
So much for the irreprsssible Yankee. The
health of the fleet is good; also that of the
army.
Yours in haste, J.B.A