Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-04-21
The Campaign in Louisiana.


I,is ,,,hsr str.nge that We hear nothing definite
from Iouia.a in II l.ton to the battles reported to
have been fought near Shreveport The New Orleans
p,pers az all times remarkably seeretve as 10 military
operations which are not attended with unsqu Vo' |
success are more shan re'ieent in regard II The
great expedition iAto Northwestern Louisiana Wee
not iaSer from his silence that The battles referred IL
b.vs M, taken pace on the contrary this would rather
be an Indication ihas the Yankee forces had met WIN
anna kind of disaster. But the New Orleans CORES
poudsnts of the New York P'pes are not hAsii tbs
kiaa of csn,u.s. They have exhibited good deal Il
industry aud eandor in their reports Of snAs in Loua-
lana While The New Orleans papers have claim,
sometimes magnificent victories, aud at Others Lave
dismissed revsrses with some vague phrases Of ss-
acknowledgement those correspondents have given the
true versions, BY reducing the victories 70 very nSg
ni6cAn proportions and eevang the reverses to the
Dimensions Of damaging disasters. So uliformy p's
this besa the that the New ORLEANS public have oeeu
forced 10 look to the New York papers for inform oa
OF military events in Louisiana. Indeed, the only &C
counts that have been Published OF many import
ant actions in that part OF the Conederaey have iou'd
their way to the Egh. through the correspondence
the New York pIpers- We may be toleraoy sure
therefore thas as soon as any real definite ntorml
ton Of the alleged Shreveport engagements reaches
New Orleans it wi be desl patched 10 the North by Tho
correspondents But, up TO this lime, We zee nothing
ooo6rmatOry Of th3 reports Hhch have reached Us by
way Of Mobile and Meridian.
Bus what, undoubtedly, is true q tAas The soun
oommansel BY Banks has had battle ana been ba
defeated BY TaylOr's forces, not in the vicinity Of
Shreveport, but near Alexandra Il nus: b.
borne in mind that The Red River expedition
advanced in two columns; one By water from Veks-
burg, composed of the mssS Of Shernans force,
commanded BY General Smith, aud one BY land from
New Orleans, or rather from B:aSheAr City, uater
command OF Gene 81 franklin. Banks, Who p.Osa-
bly, subsequently joined Smiths command, vas, we be
hsve, 10 lead the combined forces. Smith, We knOW
after capturing Fort De Russsy, pushed On to AlS1a
driA, accompanied by POrter's feet OF guubOat -
Alexandra vas occupied Without resistance; and from
that point Smith continued his advance towards Sar,ve
port, one hundred and seventy miles higher up d
River Ia the meantime, franklin vas making bis pay
Sith all haste across the country via Franklin, NV
Iberia and OpelousHs, With the intention Of joining
Smith Alexandra; but he arrived at that place 90
late for the purpose Smiths forces had already gone
up the river and therefore, in Orier to cOnsumm-e
the Junction IL necessary for Franklin to move to-
wards Shreveport land Il vas, while attempt
to execute this movement that ne attacked by &C.:
Taylor Cane river, thitty6Ve miles above Alsxl'
dra From ell that learn, the result Of the
was . complete defeat Of the Yankee forces; and
very likely, that TO this battle the kilograms and epo
from Mobile and Meridian refer. The n. Orleans paprs
under the instructions Of the military authorities. +
course claimed great Yankee victory; bus the Lesser
of the correspondent Of the NeU Yok World, pub
ished in yesterday mornings RhA proves that tie
Oonfederstes must have Gon very decided triumph
The effect was certainly prevent Frsnklins juncd'
With smith, and to compel him to fAl back upon Alex
Andra As il was from Alexandria that the Baton
Rouge report received the susion might have been
70 the battle Of Cane River The discrepancy of dates
however, throws sill some doubt this expAnat On.
The battle of Cane River fought on the 24th, aud
It's result must have been known in Alexandra the same
day Now, a. there is telegraph from AlsXA-dri, 10
New Orleans, ga Baton Rouge it is almost incredible
that ten DAYS should have elapsed before provision
the wounded was sought in Baton Rouge. And, M re
over the despatch states that the battle fought
mar Shreveport. The Intervening tms had been 10
enough to permit Smith to make bis advance a-d 10
SIGHT his battle. But the aEkWlrd cart Of it is thai,
ubie the Cane River al ir Is reported in il,
nothing more is said, either BY New leans or New
York papers Of the Shreveport bghL Neither does tie
courier Warren Adams whose information appears in
the tsleerAPhic column Of yesterdays papers, say any
thing on this point But what be does say, if rue
makes it pretty plain that BInks is in very cit cal
condition and that the Aset caught by low Wstr, in
Red River in equally Preearious situation 1t Is
true that the Adams telegram a. published, is Y,Fy
Dephic and reconcile. Nobody could tell who or
where Hastcnup" said 10 be surrounded by cavalry,
AID hence supposed 10 be in great danger Those best
acquainted with Yankeedom failed 70 recognize tie
name of any Yankee General in this caeophonous COM
blnaton and no Louis.anian had ever heard Of such
a place a. Hastonup. Without pretending 70 superior
powers of penetration, venture to dive into this
mystery, and drag forth is concealed signi6caton.-
Here s the telegram:
"Warren Adams, courier from Trans Mississippi, re-
ports that on the Oh Banks! courier TO Franklin was
oaD,ured. Banks sayl that HsstOnup was surrounded
By rebel eaSalry-."
awe sDgges. slight alteration in the above, which,
We think, will make it clear. THUS;
'Warren Adams, courier from TrAPs-Aississippi re-
ports that on the sh Banks courier 10 Gen. Franklin
was captured Banks says hasten up; am lne val
surrounded by rebel cavalry
From this reading which doubt not 10 be correct,
ne must infer that Smiths forces had in fact suffered
r,pulse and that being cut Of from retreat 20 their
boats thew were turroundsd and arrassed by the Con-
fsdsrats cavalry Ia this view Of the case, Tayors
Vi, orr on Cane River would be extremely important,