The Portland daily press., 1864-05-10
Failure of the Expedition of GEN.
Steele.
HEAVY LOSSES In MEN AND ARMY
WAGONS.
BATTLE WITH PRICE AT SABINE
PASS.
ST. I,oIrTs Nav

ST. LOUIS, May o.
The Democrat of this morning publishes
the following The expedition OF Gen. Steele
towards Shreveport has ended with his re-
turn, under rather exciting circumstances TO
Little Rock
A gentleman conversant with the facts has
arrived here, and communicates a statement
TO the following purport:- Gen. Steele left
Little Rock with SEINE 1900 infantry aud
5000 cavalry, the latter under Gen. Carr. Ar
kadelphia was occupied without difficulty. and
a force moved forward to Camden. A sub.
sistence train of $50 wagons was cut off and
captured by the enemy, together with the es-
cort Of $50 men, who suddenly found them
selves in the hands Of superior force and
made little resistance. AT Camden Steele
soon found the cavalry, about 5000 strong, in
his rear, and 240 wagons dispatched from
Camden towards Pine Bluff for stores, with
an escort of 1000 men, were captured by the
enemy. The steamer Aliens, with twenty
tons of ammunition for Steele, was sunk forty
miles below Little Rock by coming in collision
with another steamer. The pilot was put un-
der arrest on suspicion of treachery, bnt sub
sequently released. Gen. Steele could find no
store to snbsist his troops on, and had TO re-
duce their allowance 10 quarter rations. As
the movement of Gen. Steele was TO be CO.
operative with the main of Gen. Banks. which
had failed, there remained no course but TO
return TO Little Rock. Gen. Price undertook
to retain Gen. Steele at Camden, while Gen.
Marmaduke set on for Little Rock. Gen.
Steele, 10 act for the safety Of the capital of
Arkansas with its Union population aud mill
lion of dollars worth Of Federal stores, and
for the rescue Of his army, broke through the
lines Of Gen. Price, and set out TO get to Little
Rock in time 10 save il from Marmaduke, who
was also making every exertion TO reach and
bag the proposed game. AT Sabine Pass II
became necessary to give Price battle, which
was handsomely done. The rebels were well
mounted and in fine condition. The fight was
protracted and bloody, lasting for three or
four hours, and resulting in the complete re-
pulse of the enemy, and leaving Steele to ro-
sumo his exciting race with Marmaduke.
Marmaduke approached Little Rock, throw
ing shells into the city on the afternoon Of the
LIST. Shortly afterwards Cars cavalry came
up, and these joining tie troops at the post,
compelled Marmaduke TO relinquish his I'M
dertaking. He made little resistance, as the
main body OF Steele's army was rapidly ar
irving The Arkansas Legislature was in
session, and probably not one of It's members
would have been spared by the exasperated
foe. During the entire march from Camden
our troops were constantly skirmshing with
the enemy, who hung upon their rear and
Hanks, strenuously endeavoring to impede
their progress. There were no ambulances
for our wounded men, and they had to be left
in the houses OF residents on the road. The
captured escort OF 1900 men was composed of
the seth Iowa, 43d Indiana and nth Ohio
regiments. Only iorty-five succeeded In es-
Gaping.
Our informant represents Steele's cavalry
as deplorably deficient in horses, our men be-
ing compelled to use unbroken mules in many
instances, or try and use them to serve in the
place of cavalry horses. Gen. Prices forces
are still lingering in the vicinity, stripping the
desolated country anew.