New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-02
Naval. OPERATIONS ON THE BED
RIVER.

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NJ .s-IesIlPf SQUADRON FLAG SNIP tRiCktr,
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r. ue deemed The cooperation q the gunhsats
esseg,;al H. success that hd 10 iuh b5he t!sA ae
M ,s,al exert ons 20 get them over the Iils. The
49, stsTfpd Or the appointed day, and pushed up
the guaboats cover them a. thsre sh'ld " hoeG 10
fist as they ct over the ia,is t'e 5'itS a ca "a
the river apparently about 10 reach It's usual stage al
'' Tte CTict.t Esstror. Mound City. ChIcothe Ca
ro16clst PitsburgI Ozark Neoshc Usage. Lexington.
Fort HndmAp and Loasvi., vera the vessels seat up,
and feet Of 70 transports followed them NJ.
Grond Eoere was occupied by our forces without op
rasition the works having been GsscTted. Lieut. Com
Phelps captured ore y Fo9hcer on the IIor below
| Grand Ecorc, which he destroyed-inahlhe x guns
esrtured from the enemy since We entered the river;
| no army had arrived ct Nachitoches. near Grand
Ecore, whom got up here and were Preparing for an
/ inmedpt. march. Az The river was IlSlhg Hsry slowly
I wou,d Not risk tho larger vessels by taking them
higher up brit started on the IN Of April Sre'e-
port. with tho Cricket, fsrt nindInan, LeKington,
D,nre Nroehe end Chllicothc With the hope OF getting
tie rest Of tie vessels along when the usna rs. camc
| twenty transports sent s.oHg hiicd win army
stores and with portion Of Gen A. j. Smiths di'bion
on board II was intended that the nee stould ieach
Snrin field Landing on the third day and then eonInu'
ncate with the array portion q which expected to be
II Springfield nj that time.
| tornd tie difficulties Of navigation yer! great on
We reached tho Poiat specified within a. hour e tAs
tine appointed. at this point We wore brought 20
stop. Tho enemy had sunk very large s,enner VIC
New Falls CITY gbt scToSs the TlTer her elns re'nhs
ON each bank AID her huh hroEea In the MIDDLE reslh
n, Inc bcttonl This vas serious obstruction. bat
went TO work to remove It. BeHre cenineneea oPeT.
/
| bringing fhe uupeasant sRd most nsc1Ieeied news
| our army has mot with reverse, ana vas iHi.hs
tsoE 10 Pleasant Hil sono sixty Hiiss III our rear.
Orders also came TO Gen A. j. Smith 10 return to
Grand Eoors with tie transports and tie troops hs mo
with him. Here was end 20 eur expedition for the
uregc nj and we reluctantly turned back afer having
| nearly reached the object We we're aiming at
| TIE information received was Of very unsahs-
factory Kind and we did not know really what was ne
cIsot state Of affairs no letters NVns Deeh seh' ~
II would he very difficult to describe the return pas
sage Of tho feet through this narrow and snasgy iYer
A ionI as cur army could advance pbRnty, " hn
rot go bad but we had every reason N suppose that c
return would be interrupted IL every way and OF every
point by tao sDeuys land orcesi and We Wero not as
! appointed They commenced on us from ire hllh
banks from place called Cogsbatts ard Kept up hro
Of muskotr, vi eKsyr an sppertuniiy wG- ole 81 tsn
| by pr - tisiril ''ioa OF lie etnborts had 40
trouble IN trviHg thcm away, though fOIa the klgh
hanks they ceLd FIRE "a decks almost viii npgply
As we Proceeded dova the river trey Increased IN nun
beri and. GS We oAly made thirty miles a cay th.y
eoid cross nom point po and be r0sdy 10 nee! Us
on our arrival On tao eft Dank of tie EYeT Inin ny
The name Of Harrison vita so csvehy and fcur O.
Ave peceS on artillery was appeuted 70 .yn.w US eoEh
and annoy IL wes VERY fortunate Tor ~ That ths
person ard bis command were lately severely aanded
by gunboat IA few weeks ago.. which made then care
/ ful sS0ut coming within range.
on the evening OF tae aih inst we were attacked
from the night bank N the EiTer by detachment " men
N quite another ohafEot-r They were part Of ths
army which Two or three Jays previous had cameo spo
cess army. L@, rus ID with victory, o. uhdeI
tile excitement Of liquor hOy appeared suddenly upon
the right bsu and foaIisssy opese! are sAe O.sse
Lieutenant. Commander 7. o. Sefrld-o OTOnclad). sic
being hard aground ~ the time with transport Che
/ Blact HavD flOngrids OF her towing hor Cd. Tao
Reh-is o.ned with OO@ nnsLcs and soon drove ever
one oct the Back Hawk 20 the sos easracs Of The
merit0r. Lieutenant Bache lad just trne ron ~
yes Ell Ohe LeKihEtor) and 0rtusateiy enabled 70
pull Up her again keeping coee Hp 10 te bshs. hie
de Usage opened destructive ire on tacss peor, de
ludsd wrciehcs who, madlsned ~ suo aid led On by
their o1icera were YAiny attempting " capture az ZION
/ vessel.
ami,.cld that their hootne and aetisns hsFe do
scrpoH; force AFTER force seemed 70 bs bsOufh ~ 20
tie edge q tic bank, where tley confronted The ma
Of tic vessels only 10 be moved down b. sTape.sot
ara c4ister In tie meantime Llcut. betAs Tao
reached as vessel and giseEing tie a.Hnnec DoiwesH
hin and the Oaage hs opened crosshrs tbs iufuTi
ated Rebels. so fsght With such de.peras!on AAd
courage against certain deslrt elton that ecyd only
he accounted for In way. Our opinions were Ver-
fed il,pootiOn " ssEe OF the sEn the HeE astaay
smelling of LorfsBa This Affair." lasted two bogri
before the Rebels ssd They brought up two pieces Of
artillery. Of which was sachJ knocked over by ts
Tho cros.hre Of the Lexington finally decided t-s
curious affair Of hrlt between Infantry snd funDoSts
The Rebels were moved down by her cGI Is.-r and
fnA4 retreLed In ~ quick hsSte ~ trey he'd come e
the attack leaving the slgCc OF mhc covered With
dead and wounded. Lu-keis and %nsIsGess A dying
Rebel Informed cur men That zen Green mad biz heaa
blown oil which 90 not vouCl f0r ~ true. true, u %
eeTl0us loss 10 he Rebes Night c0Hlrg o. 80 tad
no means Of asceranng tho damage done 20 the Rev
es We were troubled more frou tk- Tglt bank -
the river ard party Of 300 men. who ser nnIcnag
t. cut US of were porfusdod 30 change thcir minds
AFTER lcarlnROf The unfortunate tTNiAtloA OF te brst
expedition. Thai same night ordered tho transports
20 proceed ard having placed the guubos;s al Po
where the Rebels had battery al the transports ere
PASSED safely. thu Rebels not firing slot IA reGrn 10
the many that were burstiIs over Tie hilis.
The next morning Ulo l2th inst) followed down
myself aAd finding al Gazette, fiI miles from Grand
Eoore by land that they had gOt aground, and would
be some time getting through. proceeded down II thA
vessel to Grand Eoore and rot Gea Banks 10 sehd UP
troops enough T. Keep Tie guerTiias away t0r tso
TIvrr. We tfcd on usuei. alter We started |
down; but when had the troOpt sent up tho trahs
along without any trouble. This has been sn e1
petition where great deal OF labor hns been expended
great deal Of individual bravery shown AMI - such
occasions The Commander In Chef IL apt 10 had out
the metal Of which Ms officers aado ard on future
occasions II viii enable him ~ select those who VII
likely fail in the time of need 10 Li3u.enHBt Com
handing 4. o. Selfr.dge. commanding Osege and
Lieut.. George n. Beche commanding Lexington. an /
particularly indebted for the gallant uarucr which
they defended their vessels and for their Management
during the expedition. always anticipating and iAtelJ
gently carrying out my wishes and orders.
fCu1d tie feet at Grond Ecore somewhat IN nm IN.
pleesaDt situation two II iAem bons GDO,e t1s bar
ard not likely 20 get away again tAs season, uL4ess
there q Mss Of foot could not provide against
this when over 100 miles up tho river. II nature !
does not change her laws there will no doubt be a
Of water bot there was one year. lao when there
rGe IN he Red River aud II may happen again. The
Rebels cutting Oh the supply, b. dlOrAs d!deg, nj
Of walcr into other channels al OF which wOd
have been stoppcd had our army arrived Us far
Shreveport Eayo done my best (and so have The "a
cerG and mon under NY conmand) u make the e1pecl
ton u success throughout. and do not know that NJ
have IL od IN anything We have undertaken.
sad go not heard of the retreat Of tho army fhould
hive gone on 10 the end A wise Providence, which /
rues and directs all things has thought proper ~ stay
our progress and throw iuipcdueHtS IN tho way iOr
tOme good reason.
We have nothigg left but 10 try II again and hold
this cOnptTy With all the force Taile. II IL
Just az valuable 10 us, and myortant 10 the cause
any ClhLt portion 'of tho Union. Those who have III
teTess here and are faithful 10 Lie Government have
night 20 expect protection and when this put Of
LDul6LDa IL conquered, hold ArsaE and al the
ftrr ka.k -,