Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-04-09

a. = HeiA knoHn, the column under 5enef2l
franklin crossed from New Orleans 70 Bra
sneaI Ciiy sbout the lst inst, and lhsnes took
up the ine Of march along The BAYOU Teehe,
substantially the same Togts pursued reagiy q
yesr age, vis OpeloGssS to llsxsndria. TIE
forces under Cen. A. J. Smith, from the dsuart-
ment Of the Tennessee, comprising the briesde
under Gems 7. K. Smith, Thomas and Ellet.
esahaTked at YiekSbUrg on tbs lOgh, and uro
cee1ed down TO the mouth Of Red river, where
they found an inmense feet Of gunboais ready
for the ascent.
The twenty transports, preceded By the
twenty gunboats, stsEted from the Mississippi
on the 10Th, and ssesnded the Red river as fsr
ss what is called the Old river, when we TUNED
into the Aieh3fslays, instead Of continuing I'd
Red river. We found It, for twelve miles. 4
desp and nsvigsbls stream.
Touching the naval force It may Be well 70
| remark that more formidable asst WAS usvsr
under a single command than that now on he
western rivers under Admiral Porter, sn1. II
| might be said also, never 10 less purpose. A.
/ the time Of departure, the strength Of tbs Ts-
belli0n in the inland Hatsrs had been crushed.
/ Is forts had been demolished ST Henry, Donsf-
| son, Columbus. Island Number Ten, VickE-
burg, P0rt Hudson and New Orleans. by lbs
/ gallant Foois and Fausg1t united With he
army. rs hsst had been sunk By Ellet, Farra-
| gut and Davis. All that remained 10 be sxtia-
/ guiBhsd was the insigni6caBt fort at Gorion's
Landing, and enc gunbo ct and rsm On Red
river.
To meet this fores, we had collected twenty
powerful War-vessels Of all classes, from the
light drEuSht TO the heaviest monitor Among
them we1e the monitors O8zTk Osags Neosho;
the iron-clRds Benton, Csrondslst, Pitisburg.
Mound City, Louisville, EIsex and Chilicoths;
the rams Price, ChOetaW, Laisysste; besides the
lighter boats BlsekhaWk, Ouschiss, Champion
and Tyler. Contemplating this vast stray of
armed vessels TO meet 90 weak a foe, those who
are familiar with the history eanuot but CON
tTsSt with It the different equipments with which
the lAmentsd Col Ellet was dispatched On the
sane errand more than year ago with the
| Queen OF the West only.
The new eaTthWOTks were found in course Of
| construction, and shundAnt evidences of the
tIsi6c across the stream at this point A short
| distsnee up the bayou, which enters at lbis
point, were lcund tWeRty-fouT ponsoons used
for long bridge also portions Of 9 raft Of tim
/ Der long enough TO stretch seross News
reached Us that camp near the river had seen
hastily evacuated at the sight Of the fset; sf.sr
/ ward, we heard that sboal two thousand hal
fortified camp three miles from the river, at the
/ intersection of Bayou Glaizs, yellow Bayou
/ Next morning, the land forces we're dissmbsrksd,
and marched sut By sunrise to fud The camp
broken up and the enemy gone, the bridge
leading across the steam burning, and eTi-
dencs of fright
There were two extensive esrshworks sill in
/ complete, and Prodigi0us raft bsinR construct
ed across Bayou Glzizs, SO as to prevent the
| gunooats ascending the hGtls cha1Eel during
high wafer. This location Of their DTinciDsI for
| a6eAtions is significant Of two things, thsir in
tention % make the Alchsfslays as ;hsiE Ers Of
defense, and their dIsrust Of their ability 70
hold forts Immediately OF the banks Of nsyiga
/ bic streams. Hence!Orth we imagine their policy
would be to hold the rosfs TO the interior bv
works erected beyond the range Of the ganboass.
\ Iheir abandonment Of Simmsport was indics-
tive that they hsd lost hope Of defending sue
eessfuly these latter
| Five miles further out, our forces Oysrtosk fys
teams loaded with tents, which they burnt. and
| loaded up the teams with sugar and rnolassss
which the rebels had unnecessarily assempted
to destroy. The whole column then retuTned
80 the boats / should not be z faithful histo-
risn II / omitted TO mention that the conduct Of
the troops, since the late raid Of Gen. Saermsn.
is becoming very pTejudicsl 70 cur good mama
and their efficiency. A spirit Of destruction
and UHnsOn taTOeity seems to have ssissd
| upon many Of them, which Is gate iueYsdi-
bic At BED river landing tbsy rubbed a houss
OF several thousand dolisTs IN specie, and thsn
| fired the house % conceal their crime Al
SimmspOrt, party Of them stole out and rob
bed and insulted family two miles distant. I
am glad to say that Gen. Smith is dispossd 10
punish all offenders severely.
1t was decided that the column should march
overland t1 Fort DeRUssey, the place 10 which
1t was supposed they had retIestsd, distant
| thirty miles Al Aybresk thsv stsr;s6 in
| light marching order. Tae boats were stesr.e3
up the Red river, which proved to be extremely
tortuous aud difficult Of navigation. A. point
sIXty-ttVe miles above the mouth, aad twenty.
five above Black river, we came upon a small
eaTthwork, without guns, distant by land sbant
i've miles frem the main forL HeEn plies and
timbers bad hOated past during lie iay. prepsr-
log Us for the evacuation above.
Meanwhile the column under 0aaersl Smith
with MorsS's brigade in the advance made
night march across from SimmspOTt Before
they had gotten five miles oRt on thar march
they were beset by the snemy's cavalry. which
kept hsrTasSing front and rear during ths entire
Touie- a company Of cavalry, under Captain
hughes, preceding the colHmn, skirmiShiuy
continually. Gen. Z. Kirby Smith, who com
msnded the division in ths rear, WAS often
obliged te form in line to repel their threatened
attack
Notwithstanding that = delay Of three hours
occurred IN rebuilding bridge destroyed By the
nying enemy the entire march, thirty miles,
nas accomplished IN tWenty-four hours, and as
she result showed, captured a strong positi5p
before shutdown, fsAt which has bsr,llT a mar
aliel; Ihe country back of the fort IS an uadu-
iAtsd table land, beautiful to behold, and iphsb
i.sd By descendants Of the early French set
uaTs Indeed, many Of them had hoista3 o,,ar
tneir Porches the tri-color of Franco. sltbon0b
tney have been living hero receiving the nri9i.
leges Of eiizsrship ior more twenty wears.
IL was about three O'Clock as the hesyi Of tbs
column neAred Fort Do Russey; some time was
spent IN making cautions approaches to the no |
sltlon, when the lines were moved IN 10 the edOa
OF the timber. The fort then opened heavily |
win four guns, firing shells and shrspnel. our /
forces bringing two batteries into aesisn. The
eAnnonsding continued two hours, when Can |
smith ordered line Of skirnnishers 10 Advance |
when heavy fusilade followed. A ebaT1e rs |
ordered the 5oih Illinois and S.h Wisconsin, /
led when just as the men had reached the |
ditch the garrison surrendered About This time i
the gunboats made their appearance. the East
pors IN ths lead. They fred two shots yitbout
eHeet across rock, when the cheers Of our de-
lighted soldiers told them the foFt yaq oars
Inc gunooats were not engaged. The honor Of
ms Vies9ry may be set down 70 the credit of
he land forces.
The Escape Of Ihe FIorida from, Fsr,s,.
The Paris eonespondsnt February 25.h) Of |
ne London Ayzy aaa Rasy Gazette writes:
For many months the Florida lay IN Brest
lsrbor, undergoing repairs and, though she has
ong been ready tor ssG, she could not put ont I
'eing IN want Of hands. Great difisulty was