The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-05-11
Washington, May T.

Fighting on the Rapilan goes on to-day.
There was heavy fighting yesterday, the 4th
inst, and the result is yarieusly stated. 1t
was not, and cannot have been decisive. The
Federals have crossed the river, and the fight
ing is on the other side.
Everything in New York in financial and
business circles, is uncertain-are awaiting
the result of the campaign against Richmond.
The people have generally great confidence in
Grant, and in his ultimate success. If he is
successful it will cause a temporary reduction
in prices, but they cannot be maintained until
the government cx penses are reduced and cur
renoy diminished, and taxation laid heavily
and oppressively.
TIL interest of everything hero centers in
the battles now going on. The Treasury De-
partment is full Of all kinds of corruption and
debauchery ; and the fact will be n ade appar-
cRt by the pending Congressional investiga-
ton. 1t is said, but 1 cannot believe it, that
Chase will be driven out of the cabinet. 1t
is universally conceded that the Presidential
nomination and election will be determined by
Grants success or failure.
MADISON.
ST.. LOUIS, May. 9.
The Democrat this morning publishes the
following:-The expedition under Gen. Steele
coward Shreveport has ended with his return
under rather exciting circumstances to Little
Rock. a gentleman conversant with the
facts arrived here communicates a statement to
the following purport:
Gen. Steele left Little Rock with some 49,
600 infantry, and 5000 cavalry under Gen.
Carr; Arkadelphia was occupied without diff
Guilty and the force moved forward to the
town of Camden.
Between Arkadelphia and Camden a sub
~sistance train of 100 wagons was cut off and
captured by the enemy, together With an es-
cort Of 4S0 men, who suddenly found them
selves in the hands of a superior force, and
made little resistance. At Camden Steele
soon found the rebels about 5000 strong, with
cavalry in his rear.
Forty wagons tha. werc dispatched from
Camden to Pine Bluff for stores with an escort
of 10000 men, were captured by the enemy.
The steamer Alamo with twenty tons of
ammunition for Steele s. army, was sunk forty
miles below Little Rock by coming in con-
tact with another steamer. The pilot who
had charge of the boat was put under arrest
on suspicion of treachery, but was subsequent
ly released. Steele found no. stores to subsist
his troops, and had to reduce their allowance
to quarter rations, as his movement was to be
cooperative with the main one of Banks,
which had failed. There remained no course
but to return to Little Rock.
Price undertook to. retain Steele at Camden,
while Marmaduke with a strung force set off
Cor Little Rock. Steele, to act for the safety
of the Arkansas Capital, with its Union popula-
ton and its millions of dellars worth of Fede-
raj stores, and fur the rescue of his army,
broke through Prices lines, and set out to get
to Little Rock in time to save it from Marina
duke, who was making every ~exertiOn to reach
and bag the proposed game.
At Sabine Fork it became necessary to give
Price battle, which was handsomely done
The rebels were we'll mounted and in fine con-
dition, and the fight was protracted and
bloody; lasting three or four hours. 1t result
ed in the complete. repulse of the enemy,
leaving Steele to resume the exciting race
with Marmaduke.
The latter approached Little Rock and
commenced throwing shells into the city on
the afternoon of the LIST. Shortly afterwards
Cars cavalry came up, and joining our troops
compelled Marmadukc to relinquish his under
taking. He made little. resistance, as the main
body of Steele's army was rapidly arriving.
The Legislature was in session, and proba-
bly, not one of its members, if caught, would
have been spared by the exasperated foe.
During the entire march from Camden our
troops were constantly skirmishipg with the
enemy, who hung upon their rear and TANKS,
%strenuously eneeavoring to impede their
progress. There were no anbulances for the
wounded, and they had to be left in the
houses of the residents on the road.