Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-29
SUNDAY NIGHTS
Dispatches.
TeIesraphed ExCLCsxVELT for the
journal"
From Memphis.
General smiths Expedition Into Mis-
sissippI - Interesting details 49, HIS
Colass,n returned to meinphiS.

MEMpuIR. Feb 26-The report b,
strarglers that Gen. Smiths expedition
had been cut up is false. That Genera
arrived here about ten o'clock last night
From an officers diery kept during
the progress of the expedition, | con
dense the following particulars, in addi-
ton to those already furnished:
On the 18th the expedition reached
OkaIona on the Mobile and Ohio Rail
road, seventy-fve miles south of Cor
inth and one hundrel and thirty miles
southeast of. Memphis. Here they hear
ed Sherman had captured Meridian and
was advancing east.
On the 10Th they marched to Egypt
Station, on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad,
where they captured and destroyed a
vast quantity OF rebel corn.
One column went through Aberdeen,
while the other went west of the railroad,
concentrating at Prairie Station.
The Aberdeen column, under General
Grierson, had considerable diminishing
near that place. They destroyed over
100000 bushels Of Confederate corn at
Prairie Station, also large lot Of Con-
federate cotton.
On the ooh it broke camp at half-past
FIVE A. VI.
Forrest was reported in force at West
Point, At eleven A. n. the advance
skirmished heavily with the enemy. At
three P. NJ. they halted within mile of
West Point. Lost one Lieutenant kill
ed and FIVE men in skirmishing. Killed
one rebel Captain and captured one
wounded Major and one private.
Very heavy fighting occurred both in
the rear and on the advance.
The I'd Iowa had a number killed and
wounded in a gallant charge Three
thousand rebels were on each flank and
heavy force in our rear, constantly
charging
We have lost three pieces of four
FOUNDER steel guns, which were spiked
before being captured. All our ammu-
milton was saved.
Smith now fell back slowly, our troops
ambushing the rebels as they advanced.
The rebel loss was quite heavy. Smith
burned every testle on the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad and destroyed several
miles of track aud very large amount
of corn rs he fell back.
On the 2lst we moved west, aud found
Forrest, Lee, Chalmers aud Roddy COM
biued against US. They tried to cut our
column in two, but without success.
On the 22d VIC broke camp at one
AN, after resting only two houss
Severe Sighting in the rear all day.
The rebels lost heavily, US The roads
were ambusbed at every available point
and volley after volley poured into them
at short range ~ they advanced but
having 50 much the largest force, they
continued to press our rear heavily
\ rebel column moved upon each
flank, with the evident design OF reach
ing the Tallahatche in advance of our
forces, and form Il junction 90 pregsnt
our crossing, aud capture our whole
command; but by forced marches Smith
passed both columns, and by marching
all night crossed safely at New Albany
at noon on the 23d, the rear-gqard Skin
mishing all the way.
On the oath skirmishing continued
On the 25th marched fifty-two miles, ar
irving at Memphis at ii P. NJ.
Most Of the expedition stopped a; Col
liersville.
The following is an estimate of the re-
suits of the expedition
Destroyed over 100000 buohel. of
corn, tore up and destroyed miles of
track of the NJ j O. r. r, burned many
bridges and TRUSTEES, captured and
brought in over 400 mules and horses,
over ! 900 negroes, and over 300 prison
ers, who are now in Irving prison.
1t is impossible to give our loss, but it
is much less than the enemies The ex-
petition was successful in every part and
in every particular, except the important
one of making junction with Sherman,
which is principally attributable to the
slow movements of the New JERSEY and
Pennsylvania cavalry, causing a delay
Of one week in the starting of the expe-
dition The retreat was at no time q
rout, although there was some Struggling.
The Presidents Amnesty Proclams-
ton and Gen. Grants order were ex-
tensively circulated throughout, the
country.