Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-04-29
special Cores pondence of the Chicago Evening Jour
-. nal)
Tmportant from Arkansas-Hsrd Fighting and
Union Victory on Saline River.

5sDacaI Cores pondence of the Chi eago Evening Jour
- nal)
Tro1orfsI,t from Arkansas--Hard Fighting and q
Union Victory on Saline River.
LITTLE Rock, ARE, April 5
| dated my last from Helena. have just
come up here from Pine Bluf, in JeHersvu
county, where our folks are in great glee= over
signal success over the rebels An expe-
dition under Colonel Clayton, consisting, 1of
about thousand infantry, three regiments OF
cavalry, and six pieces of artillery, (l2 pound
howitzers,l hasreaehed Pine Bluff after an
eveptfui raid down to the Saline Ever,~ where
tbey encountered force 0frebels, 5000 strong.
The first encounter took place near Branch
vile, where The rebels we're defeated after q
three hours fight. They retreated, and our
forces followed them up. Reaching Mount
EIba, on the Saline, next day, we occupied
that place without resistance, the retreating
rebels not daring to make stand there Our
forces were here divided-one detachment
crossing the river, and another accommodating
this side It turned out that the enemy had
not crossed the river, but were discovered
some distance from Mount Elba, with REIN
forcements, and advancing upon u.s. We
prepared to give them warm reception by
extempofizing Notifications of logs, rails and
cotton bales. The enemy came up with ter
rife "vigor," but were sent back by our
steady fire. Three times they charged on us,
and each time they were repulsed. We had
the advantage in positions, but they had at
least double the men we had Finally they
gave way, after six hours of vain effort to
disIodge u.s. We then rushed out and charged
upon them with tremendous effect, scattering
them in all directions. Ii this engagement,
and that at BranchvilIe, we killed "a of them,
wounded $50, and captured ever So. s-iHz5'-
In the meantime our scouting party, that
had been detached and sent across the river,
consisting of only about. 100 men, mostly col
ored troops, were equally as busy as we on
this side of the river. They returned to US at
dark, after having marched SO miles down
the other side of the river, where they came
upon rebel train of ifty wagons, filed with
supplies for the force we so tellingly repulsed.
The train was under an escort of 300 rebels.
The entire train was captured ard destroyed
by our men, and the entire 300 taken prisoners.
Over Thousand horses and mules fell into
our hands. s5 ze,sf Il
These achievements over, and the rebels so
scattered that it was useless for as to try to
get any more fight out of them, our expedi-
tion took up its line of return march, and have
reached Pine Bluff in high feather. Our loss
was very slight. The total rebel loss is "a
killed, 400 wounded, and $50 prisoners, be-
sides their train, horses and mules.
Gen. SteeIe's forces, which left here some
days ago, had at last accounts got beyond
Camden, on the Wasbita, and they are Proba-
bly, by this time near Red river. -f aaa
At Little Rock everything is quiet and
promising. There are now no considerable
rebel bands in the State-only some rowing
guerrillas, and the small Union forces
remaining hersabouts are enough for them.
The fight beyond Mt. Elba, above described,
took place on the Both of March, but the news
had not been received here until l. brought it
up to-day. In taste. -s'.43