Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-05-04
Latest Details Of the FIGHT.

more as TO the battles near Red River
Gcu will observe taut the Era fatty con
tradlcts the statements of the Times as to n
4 further battle on the 10Th near Pleasant
Hill. We had some tidings that there
was Fighting on the 10Th, bur il was in and
about Grand Ecore, and consisted in at
templs by the coniederatcs to crush ou.
the entire federal force.
/ Two reports differing from ore another
came TO us through persons arriving on
the Ohio Belle. One is that the federal
forces have fallen back, on Alexandria.
one hundred miles Gown the river; and
the other, that they are crossing the river
with the hope OF saving their stores and
portable things by gcing overland to
Natche2, thus putting the river between
them and their pursuers and relying on
the gunboats to keep them from follow
ing.
AN OVERWHELMING DEFEAT.
While the Fra IA disputing the state
ments of the Times as TO federal success
on the 10Th, no one in the streets pre-
tends to believe that the entire affair is
not an overwhelming defeat. What such
stor. es are told to produce | cannot con.
ceive, unless it is hoped that the North.
ern people will continue to believe all the
improbable stories which are thrust con.
tinuaIly down their throats under the pen
atty OF being considered disloyal if they
are rot crednlCus.
The report brought down to-day is that
there are fifteen thousand men unaccount-
co for, ii addition to all known to be kill.
ed and wounded. Another report is that
an order had come from sherman for the
return OF the Sixteenth army corps to his
command, which was peremptory, and if
obeyed would assuredly cause the nnnihi-
lalion Of the remains of the army, unless
they followed them. Perhaps this is the
reason why all are reported To- be on their
way TO Natchez. A cotton buyer who
came down SAYS the rebels took all the
trains, and did not leave Banks as much
as a toothbrush" regard cotton buyers
as by no means reliable persons, ami give
the statement of this one "for what 1t is
worth"
Just at night the steam boat Polar Star
came in, She went up with the second .
lot OF prisoners captured some time back
near Alexandria, and who were taken up
for exchange. This was not effected, as
the coniederates refused for some reason
TO have any communication with them,
and the prisoners were Drought back
These are the three hundred and fifty
rebel prisoners on their way TO the city"
mentioned by the Times. but they were
not taken in or after this engagement.
THE ARMY STILL AT GRAND ECoRE,
learn 10y an officer who came on the
Polar Star, that the remains Of the army
are still at Grand Ecore and on the north
bank the river, or were day before yes
terday morning. All the trains were lost
that is the universal remark ofall with
whom | converse, and the cavalry are said
to have lost all their horses, equipments,
and everything pretty much.
TREE STATE" OFFICER.
They tell a hard story on Colonel Dud-
ley. the hero Of many dress paradcs and
confscations in this city they say that on
Friday, the first day Of the battle, Dudley
was assigned the task Of supporting the
left wing under Ransom. Instead oil do
ing this, the moment it was attack ed, he
wheeled off his cavalry and turned them
over the ranks of tha very infantry he
should have supported, riding over them
and doing them even more damage than
the enemy themselves. Since then he
has not been heard from, and it is suppos-
ed that he is safe
GEN. smTE's STRATEGY.
The brilliant and successful strategy Of
jenaral Smith a. the second days fight
ng deserves a Distinguishing notice The {
whole two days had been full Of disaster, {
ynen suddenly, in the midst of retreat
favorable point struck the mind Of Gene !
al Smith, an educated soldier, and he at
once ayailed himsefoC it. lie placed a |
division in front in line Of battle, and ar |
'anging his artillery and the residue of G
MS forces along the ridges in the valley q
between which the road ran, he awaited I
The APPROACH Of the conlederdtes. i
On they came yelling and foaming as
before, and with rebounding speed they
'ished upon the troops they saw before {
hem. Then apparently alarmed AT their {
force, retrea ed, eTst in or I
Ter and then at trot, ind the enemy s
ollowed When the gorge was complete.
y filed, grape, canister and musk et-shot
opened upon them, and the desi iructon t
vas appalling; those who could fell back c
o their main body, the few that passed |
through were taken prisoners, and the
ederal troops reformed, the forces under
smith continuing to cover their retreat
until all safely reached Grand Ecore.
As soon as the army had thus be Ell ex- !
ricated from its crushing danger. Gen.
Banks rode up to General Smith, and said.
God bless you, General You have saved
he army from destruction" IL hope he
will bless all Of us" was the soldiers terse :
md significant reply.
THE LOSSES.
presume there has not been a single a
,erson who has come down from there S
Who has reported the Union loss 7
It less than 5000, the lowest estimate
have heard OF, or who does not admit
hat Il was not most gloomy and disas- {
rous de feat yet the papers go to you ]
lsiming a victory Read tbeir accounts, .