New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-01
Fhs Expedition to Wilmington Island.

Total Defeat OF the Union Army in Flor
4 ha-Lo-s OF 4 200 NHcn, KILLED, Wound
4 ed, aud Prisorers-Eiye Guns Captured
by the Enemy-The Battlefield and
the Wounded in the Possession Of the
Eebsis-ECtTCat Of tho Army TO InCE-
sonviiIe-Dcstruciiou of Stores, Amnu-
milton, etc.-CBpreoedeBted Proportion
of Losses 20 Aggregate Of Numbers.
From Oar Special Correspondent
OK BoIRD COSMOPOLITAN. BospITAL SHIP IN rRASsIT)
YRon JACKSONVILLE, Fla, TO HIroS HEAD &C..
kep. ", 1856
On Thursday, Feb. IL, Gen. Seymour and his
rsf LEFT Jacksonville and reached Baldwin q miles
distant the same evening. Here he had established an
Important depot of supplies for the army be leading
into the field At this point the two railroads of Flor
Ida cross each ether. Cars had been placed on the
track and locomotive in forward state Of recon.
frrction for service on the read from jacksonville.
Large amounts Of food, ordnance, and clothing had
been hauled up to Baldwin by horsepower Here. too
The thrice-bessed Sanitary Commission had store Of
comforts and necessaIies for wounded men. II was
place OF no natural strength Important only the
junction Of the railroads it had been seized and rudey
fortified. Slight eisvaEz srIss of frbranches had
been made end few blcckho and riflepits were
hastily prepared.
From Baldwin. on the morning of the 10th February
the General and his staff moved forward 10 Barber
Station 10 miles further near the railroad Here were
encanped tie brigade commanded by Co.'s. Barton
Hswley and Montgomery. In the immediate nsigbbor.
hood. also were the 10th Regiment Massachusetts,
Mounted Infantry Col Henry, the Independent Bat
TALON Of Massachusetts Cavalry under Major Stevens
and the Artillery consisting Of Capt Hamiltons Capt
Langdons and Capt. Elders Batteries, wen q sec.
tion OF the Sd r. l. Artillery. In ali the force amounted
to about 20 cannon 400 cavalry, and 1850 infantry.
This intended TO operate against enemy whose
strength was reported 10 be 1900 men, undeT Gen.
Gardiner Ter Gardner who said 10 have recently
arrived from Georgia IN order 70 defend the Pasture
Yard and ShaUbles of the COnfederaey from the
ION Of the Union army.
On the morning of the 20th at sbout . o'clock. the
troops to find the enemy moving in three Lines
almost peralel TO the road. II intended TO reach
Lake City the follow day, unless TIE enemy skou.G dis
pats the way. The route Was through the unysIying
pine forests Of the county, immense levels where
en,y the pines and the sandy soil could BIO seeu or
through swamps impenetrabie the eye the foot Of
man. On Monday, the army arrived ut sandcreon,
RAroed Station surrounded bya few houses inhabited
b. turpentins farmers Here the most positive state.
nent. we're made the large force that awaited the
The residents predicted that our men would return
before night and set there in of hurry than
they were when they pressed forward. Again the de-
voted soldiers formed and set out in three oonmns
keeping rs before the railroad track. The column
On the right wac led by Col Barton of the 18th New
York IN command Of hs brigade. consisting Of the 4ILh
18th and li5sn New. YORK Regiments. The column In
the center was mado mp OF the cavalry under Major
Stevens the mounted infantry, under Col Guy "
Henry the 7th Connecticut Col Hawley), and the 1th
Row. Hampshire Col. ABBOTT. The left wes COM
raaaed by Col. Montgomery, under whom were toe
SAN Massachusetts, CoL Ha,loweD the LIST North Caro-
Ina 1ieut Col. ReedA and eth Z. s. Vols under Col
fiibley.
About six miles from Sandesson the Rebel pickets
were driven in 10y our csyoly. and fe back upon their
main fcrees posted between swanps about two nilos
Gon Oustee railroad station 10 miles beyond Sander
SON. The railroad inteTsccted THEN position. Their
Hne rested upon the right on an earthwork very 10"
and slight and protected by rife pits In their center
they were defended by swamp. On their left was a
sieht elevation concealed by pines among which their
esyary was dsawn up. On the railroad track battery
WAS placed TO operate against the left Oh our me- OF
esp,s,s Of being turned against the center. rfed
pun was mounted on truck. and commanded the road
Ehhrpshooters swsrmed In the pine-tops
The position chosen By the Rebels for our troops 10
eooupy and which they did OCCUPY during the temporary
exigencies OF the occasion between two swamps;
chat one ia our front prevented charge upon the
Rebels frontthst one behind 10 impede our TO-
treat TIE railroad could only be reached by going Up
70 the waist In water, or BY an immenCe detour 10
fs away from the railroad to cut ourselves off from
our reserves which coming up the left Of the
track and endanger the safety of our train, which
also was near the reserve Nothing could have been
better planned or more cfyiy acqnesced In than
this whole scheme. Gen Seymour accepted the Issue
3ss Stood pushed his guns into position upon low
ground about 90 yards fom the nearest Rebel battery
unmatched equsnimity.
The 18th Nov Hampshire had 30 deadly FIRE poured
into their ranks that they broke and fell back in oonfus
lon Dissatisfaction and want Of confidence had been
created In the regiment by depriving 1t Of the Spencer
Repeating Rifle and the ISSUE instead Of the Spring
Geld muskets In bad condition; some lacking locks
others rpsted wanting screws. proper springs,
otherwise useless Unablc TO protect themselves with
fhese curious weapons wing OF the regiment gave
way and eOud no. be rallied. The other wing. which
Dad retained the Spencer arm remained until they
Asd expended their ammunition and their officers could
supply no mere TIen they withdrew 10 the rear, and
the 9th (coo,sd) U. a. ", commanded bg Col fribley
was pushed forward ID stand the brunt oSthe enemys
dre
In 20 minutes $50 men, including tie Colonel Niled)
we're stricken dom by the storm Of bu,le.s They
wore withdrswn aod the left did not again offer any
vigorous resistance W the enemy. Meanwhile on tho
nght and center persistent Efforts we're made 10 ctpsh