The New York herald., 1864-03-15
THE SHERMAN EXPEDITION.
Highly Important from South
ern Mississippi.
Full Details Of the Extensive
Raid Through Mississip-
pi from Our Special
Correspondent.
Glorious Success to Our
Arms.
...~~~--.~-~-...~----,.
the CAPTURE OF MERIDIAN.
One Hundred and Fifty Miles Of Rebel
Railroad Communication Destroyed.
The Key to the Rebel Military
Operations I'm the South.
west Irreparably II uined.
Mississippi Redeemed from
Rebel Rule.
Full Details Of the Entire Expedition
from Its Departure Until 1t Re-.
\
Mississippi Redeemed from
Rebel Rule.
Full Details Of the Entire Expedition
from Its Departure Until 1t Re-.
turned to the Mississippi River,
&c., &o., DO.
M. De D, Randolph KeiY's Despatches.
MRRrDIAN, Miss, Feb. 10, fs6l


ORGANIZATION or THE xxpEpIuoH-pIAN OF MARCH.
For several weeks prior 70 the setting out Of the pre-
Dnt expedition General Sherman had been
and quietly at work organizing force which destined
fo- one Of tho most brilliant and effective movements OF
ths war. At Memphis he gathered body Of cavalry
numbering about eight thousand under General VIM.
sooy Smith, and, WHOM II thoroughly organized
dered It to move at certain time and the rail-
roads somewhere In the vicinity Of this place.
From Memphis the General loft for vioksburg, having
previously moved thence the larger part Of the Sixteenth
sorps. This force, together with Q portion OF the
ssventeenth corps, consolidated into q column
fer movement In the direction OF Meridian,
along tho railroad connecting vicksburg, Jack
Don and Meridian. It determined also to transport
supplies FOR twenty days and ammunition for the
paign In the wagons For subsistence tho troo2s
70 depend mainly upon the country. By this plan the
necessity Of o base Of supplies obviaed and the
army unembarrassed by being obliged to keep open a
,eng line OF communication with the Everything
sscessary insure Of the enterprise was
thoroughly accomplished.
SPIRIT or THE TROOPS
was Of . character most fatering 10 success And IL
shoud be that, notwithstanding the promise and
expectation OF immediate furoushs under the enlist
mont act there was but little dissatisfaction among
sbe men, aud that only among a class OF
those who contented. The majority seemed
add another page to their bright record, aud
70 10 home crowned with the gores of another
Under such auspcious circumstances feelings the
forces The expedition left vcksburg the morning OF
February and moved by several roads each corps for
hs respective designated crossing Of the Big Black
As the expedition large extent OF Territory 1t
vii DO impossible give muutcness Of detail
which IL deserves. will conhne myself to the cardinal
features OF the expedition, and win require
very crude form Of narration
CROSSING rBR BLACK RIVER AND ADVANCE.
A. o'clock February the troops OF the Seven.
enth corps crossed the Big Black the railroad bridge
chile the sixteenth corps at the same time crossed
Messengers ferry, six miles above. siuce the occupa
Sion Of vcksburg by forces during last July the Big
black has been held by detachment OF our forces
outpost and defence against the close
q the cncmy's cavalry which has for any length
Of timo entirely disappeared from our front. Beyond
This stream We have never occupied though frequent
sursons have been made territory either
sonpoissance destruction o! the enemys supplies.
The passage Of the river therefore, found the
Try OF the adversary, aud his pickets aud parties Of
observation were seen encountered. On the
szme night the corps bivouacked roads about
ave miles from the river.
the ncxt morning seven O'Clock both commands
again moved forward upon their respective lines Of
march TIE sixteenth corps experienced little opposition
during the day the enemy attention seeming 70 be ex
susivey absorbed by the advance OF the Seventeenth
sorrs, having the travelled road Upon arriving
y the vciolty Of the oil battle Geld Of Champions R
Ne enemy showed signs of disposition oppose viii
. more determined hostility than We nad experienced
.sarins the earlier pari Of she day.
- noar
Afeu, one ocIocs N the sncrroon the cavalry
srmshers came iogsshsr. In cavsry ,hs part Of tbc
sspedsen deficient ihs man boz. 4 iSe mounted
nra :. s.s ssssrsmsut hssns beeo concentrated
NJ Memphis for tue purpose already ment'onea
A. consequence. sgef . orifk srar beiwsSs..
these tvo oOdrs u a'salfy Of TIE coyps wa
brought forward md taolsh The ossslss contest sevs
assumed ,hs d,meuson. battle n vas decidedly 20
. time, . considerable skirmss. The Fifteenth al
sixteenth iIhncis Infantry. Colonel Rogers and Majo
noty and an Ohio battery the forces snsagsa o
cur side. Al length troops succeeded forcing u
snsmy 10 retire. and pursued driving him aker
srs.k Our troops hsId up here, spd the entire corr
moved up snd bivouscked The enemy on the oppcsi,
side o the crsek also made preparations for the ugh
end the packe,s Of the two armies sod arrayed ssans
each other, separated only by smsi stream fe~ yard
y width.
fhs casualties os the day On the psr hs Seventeen,
corps about sx killed and fourteen wounded n
boss Of The enemy, learned from private letter os
cured several days after, sny killed and wounded
N prisoners, several lost Fosters battalion
which opened the engagement We captured . ncutepai
end seven pivaiss. Both parties used artillery duriu
sSe dsy Lieutenant Colonel A N. Powell, chlef s q
sery, superln,snded this arm, choosing We posi,loa
which 10 every case proved very srsctve me eusn
alsoovsred our pieces during the day.
II was anticipated that the following morning woui
Bring on an engagement Of some cbsas,sr 10 this ho~
ever, We we're disappointed. The creek was crosse
snder hight and sesl,erss are, ans sw lroops move