Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-04

Banks and Porter's combined movement
IN western Louisiana seems thus far .
meet with nothing but uninterrupted sus-
cess 80 far as the public is informed,
tne eApeeinon consists Of two parts,-one
OF Whlch proceeded mp the Red River In
transports and gunboata; the ether. com
posed mainly Of cavalry, started sorosa
the country from New Iberia proceeSed m
the Teche River country, and Affected 4
junction with the other ct Alexandra.
The land forces Of the first named portion
were commanded by General A. J. Smith,
and the other BY General Lee, originally,
we believe, Of Kansas cavalry regiment.
After the surrender Of Alexsndria, il e
said that the troops which had hitherto
been on the transports were landed, and,
in connection with Lee, commenced 8
movement up the south bank Of the river
against Shreveport. This place lies al
rectly west Of VicksburR, and is distant
from it some two hundred miles. AIexan.
dria is situated about one-third Of the dis.
tance from the mouth Of Red River to
Shreveport,-the whole being, in 9 direct
line, $50 miles, but, BY lhs tortuous course
Of the river, nearly or quite twice as much
farther. L
Shreveport Is situated on the south bank
Of Red River, near the Texas line. It Is
supposed that Taylor, Msgruder, and such
other rebels as can be mustered, win
gather here to dispute the passage Of our
troops. Should we gain possession Of this
place, 1t viii throw into Federal posses
sion all that portion Of western Louisiana
lying north Of Red River This is not the
least valuable Of Lonisisna's -Missis-
sippi possessions, as it embraces soma
sixteen counties or parishes, all OF which
sre thickly settled and possess g soil whose
produetiveness in cotton, corn, and cattle
is unriVaIed.
The possession Of the Red River TO
Shreveport, and the consequent biseotinz
Of western Louisiana, has another value,
in the fact that it completely isolstes Ar
kansas, leaving it no connection Whstevsr
with the trans-Mississippi rebel Depart
ment. In other words, it extends the
present base Of Federal operations west Of
the Mississippi, from White River to Red
River, by which an enormous amount Of
territory in southern Arkansas and vest >
ern Louisiana is added to the Federal
possession. Il has the effect to complete
the subjugation Of Arkansas, for the rea-
son that Price, with the Red River In Fed
ersl possession, will find himself cut of
from the rest OF the Confederacy and BE-
tween two hostile armies. Shreveport
once in our possession, Steele, from the
north. on White River, and Banks, from
the south, on Red River, will easily dis
pose Of any force between them. In fast,
the possession Of Shreveport settles the
fate Of Western Louisians, both north AID
south Of Red River, for, without that
stream, the further occupancy Of that
portion Of the State by the rebels is use
less.
The possession Of the country west Of
the Mississippi Is only valuable to the
rebels IS a source Of supplies, to be snug
gled across the MississiI pi is only Valua-
BILE to the rebels as q source Of supplies, 70
be smuggled across the Mississippi Price
and Msgruder cut in two, they can here
after accomplish nothing except Is bush
Whsckers or guerrillas.
Shreveport taken, the whole States Of
Louisiana and Arkansas are substantially
recovered to the government if not in the
spirit Of the people, ct least to the extent
Of their cotton, cattle, towns, rivers, and
territory.