Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-03-31
THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION.
Correspondence efiAs $, Louis Republican.


To understand the Importance Of the great expedition
up Red river it is necessary to review the military stua
ton in the beginning Of March Sherman had returned
to Vcksburg from his grand but disappointing raid into
Mississippi and instead Of directing his forces towards
Mobile tn point greatest and almost the only position Of
vital concern to the rebels he detached portion of them
to Gen. Banks assistance who, appears had predeer-
mined scattering demolshing the forces in West
Louisiana 1t is altogether probable that something in
the had dictated this choice to Gen. Banks For
example, the Red river is only high enough to be navga
BILE by the largest vessels during this month and the
while the task Of taking Mobile is which might be
undertaken at any time though it strange
that it was not begun in December instead Of May.
As is well known, the column under General Franklin
crossed from New Orleans Brashear City about the lat
instant and thence took up the line of march along the
Bayou Tecbe substantially the route pursued nearly
yoar ago, via Opeousas to Aexandra. The forces un
der Gen. A. j. Smith, from the Department Of the Ten
nessee comprising the brigade under Gems f. X Smith,
Thomas and Eet, emil arked at Vcksburg on the 10TH
and proceeded down to the mouth of Red river where
they found an immense feet of gunboats ready for the
cent.
Touching the naval force it may be well to remark that
q more formidable beet was never under single command
than that now on the Western river under Rear Admiral
Porter and 1t might DO said as0 to less purpose
At the time OF departure the strength of the rebellion in
the inland waters had been crushed Its forts had been
demolished at Henry, Doneson, Columbus, Island 10,
Vcksburg Hudson and New Orleans by the gallant Feote
and Farragut united with the army Its fleet had been
sunk by Elet Farragut, and Davis All that remained to
be extinguished was insignificant fort at Gordon's
lsnding and one ram and gunbcat Red river. To
meet this force had collected twenty powerful wal
vessels of all classes from the hight draugh to the heaviest
monitor. Among them were the monitors Ozark, Usage
Neosho; the roD-cads Benton Carondelet, Pittsburg
Mound City Louisville, Essex, and Chlicothe; the
Price Choctaw Lafayette besides the lighter boats Black
hawk, Ouachta, Champion, and Tyler
The twenty transports preceded by the twenty gun
boats started from tho Mississippi on the 10th, and as
cended the Red river far what called the Old river
when we turned into the Atchaaya instead of continuing
up Red river. Many the speculatons upon our
they descending the stream instead of as
cending To person unacqusned with the pecularies
of this region indeed ange that the water should
up aud down consecutively The whole of West u
siana overspread with network of bayous which are
terlaced with each other in very unusual manner Ia
deed, though Red river is usually accounted Of the
tributaries Of the Mississippi river there abundant evi
dence to believe that great period back the Red
river continued is course TO the Gulf through the Acha
iaiaya The latter stream is mainly fed by the former
aud should properly bear its We found iortwelve
miles deep and navgable stream.
At Simmsport the feet came To landing The town
itself does not exist few chmneys alone marking the for
site, having been burned up by Col Charles Rivers
Eet IL etaaton for their firing upon his boat the Queen
Of the West Col John Ele afterwards visited the place
with the Switzerland during the Siege of Port Hudson,
when he had severe engagement with the batteries
frished the work OF his cousin Two earthworks
were found in course of construction and abundant
dences oil the traffic the stream at this point
short distance up the bayou which enters at this point
were found twenty four poDtoOns used for BRIDGE also
portions OF raft OF long enough to stretch
News reached us that camp thu river had been
hastily evacuated at the sight of the feet
Next morning the land forces were disembarksd and
marched out by sunrise find the camp broken up and
the my gone the bridge leading across the stream
burning. and evidence Of fright There were two ex
tensive earthwOrks still incomplete, and prodRious raft
being constructed Bayou GlAze az to prevent
the gunboss ascending the little channel during high
water This location of their principal Notifications is
significant in two thsgs their intention to make the
Atchaaaya their line of defence and their dstust of
their ability to hold forts immediately on the banks Of
nayigabe streams Henceforth imagined their policy
would be to hold the roads to the interior BY works
erected beyond the range of the gunboa Their aban-
donment OF Simmsport indicative that they had lost
hope of defending successfully these latter Five miles
further out forces overlook FIVE teams ded with
tebts which they burnt and loaded up the tesms with
sugar and moasses, which the rebels had
attempted to destroy The whole column then returned
to the boats.
should not be ia thfu historian if omitted to men,
ton that the conduct OF the troops the late raid Of
Gen. Sherman is becoming very preudcial TO our good
name and to their efficiency spirit of destruction and
wanton erocy to have ICED upon many of them
which is quite Incredible At Red river Landing they
robbed house of several thousand dollars in specie and
then fired the house to conceal their crime At smms
port party Of them stole out and robbed aud insued
family two miles distant In fact unless checked by SUN
mary example, there is danger of our whole noble army
degenersting into band of outthroats and robbers
offenders severely.
Itws decided that the column should march overland
to Fort De Russey the place TO which supposed the
enemy had reiterated. distant thirty five miles At day.
break they started in light marching order The boata
we're steamed up the Red river, which proved to be ex
tremey torluous and difficult OF navigation At point
sixty five miles above the mouth and twenty-five above
Black river, we came upon small earthwork without
distant by land about Eve miles from the main fort
Hewn piles and tnbers bad foated past during the dsy
preparing us Tor the evacuation above.
Meanwhile the column under Grn Smith with Morss's |
brigade in the advance made night march across from
Smmsport Before they had gotten Va miles out on their
march they were beet by the enemy cavalry which kent
harassng front and rear during the entire route com
pany # cavalry under Capt Hughes preceded the column
Diminishing continually Gen + Klby Smi h. who q I'M
manded the division in the rear often obliged to form
10 lire to repel their threatened attack
that delay OF three hours occurred in rebuilding bridge
destroyed BY the flying enemy, the entire march b,Iv
miles was accomplished in twenty hours and as the reu
showed captured strong position before sundown. fsa
which bas hardly parallel The country back uf the fart
aB unduatiog table land beautiful behold and ;nba
bed by descendants Of the early French settlers Indeed
many OF them had hssed their porchcs the trcolor
Of France although they have been living here receivno
the privileges OF citizenship for than twenty yesrs
1t was about three O'Clock the head Of The clumn
neared Fort DE Hussey; some time spent in NAL inc
cautious approaches to the position when tn lines WERE
moved up 10 the edge of the timber The fort then opened
havy with four guns firing shells and shrapne our for
ces bringing two batteries into action The cannonsdnp
continued two hours, when Gen. Smith ordered line Of
skirmshsrs to advance, when heavy fusade followed