Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-29

Npeelai c0rrespGpdeRrs O fhe Chlcaxo kvsnlng
JssrnaLl
IarrLK RncK. Ark Anil &

JssrnaLl
LFTLE Rock, Ark, April S.
dated ny last from Helena | have
Just come up here from Pine Bluff. in
Jefferson counsy, where cur folks are In
great glee over . > z Il suceess over the
rebels. An expsaItion under Colonel
Clayton. CONSISTING Of about a thousand
infantry, three regiments Of eavalry al.d
six pieces Of ariiliery, (f2 pound kowit-
zers, has reached Piae BluH, after an
eRentful raid DIVA to tie Saline river
where they eneountere red . force Of rebels
5000 strong. The first encounter took
place near Branchville. where the rebels
were defeated after three hours fight
They Fetreated, aud our forces followed
them up Reaching Mount Elba, on the
Saline. next day, We oeceupied that place
without Resistance, the retreating rebels
not daring to make stand there. Our
forces were here divided--oae detAeh-
ment crossing .he-riSer, aud another re.
cenuoitering THIS side II turned out
that lhe eBemylsad noscrossed the river.
but were discovered some distance from
Mount Elba, sith re-enforcements, and
advancing upoa IS We prepared TO
give ihem warm reception by extempo
rizing ferliheations OF logs, rails and
cotton b les The enemy came Up with
terrific "ssgor, but we're sent back by
our steady src. Thrcs times they eh4rr-
cd on us, and each time they were re
pulsed. We bad tbe advantage in posi-.
ton, bot they bad st least double the
men We had Finally hey gave way.
after six hours u vain effort 20 dislodge
~ We then rushed out and charged
opon them 9Th 4remcndoss effect, scat
tering them ia all directions In this
engagement, and It BranehviIle, We kill
ed eighty-fonr Of them, wounded three
hundred and 6sy, aud captured over
ffty.
In the meantime our scouting PARTY,
that had been detached and sent across
the river, eonsistihg only Of kbonl 100
men, mostly coiorsd troops, we're equally
as busy as We on this side OF the river.
They returned 70 Us 81 dark, after having
marched hity miles down the other side
Of the river. where they came upon a
rebel train Of lfty army wagons, Elled
With supplies for the force that was so
tellingiy repulsed The train was under
An escort Of 600 retalz ghs train was
captured aod destroyed by cur men, and
the entire 300 taken prisonera- Over q
thousand horses and mules fell into oar
hands
These achievements over, Aad the
rebels 50 scattered that il was useless
for as 70 try 70 grs any more hght cot of
them, oar expedition took up sta line Of
return march. aud have reached Pine
Bluff ia high feather. Our losa was vesy
slight fhe total rebel loss is 81 killed,
400 woaaded. and $50 prisoners, besides
their train, horses and mules
Gen. Steele fofces, which ieft here
some days ago, had 81 last accounts got
beyond Camden, on the WashitA, and
they are probably by this time near Red
River
Ai Little Rock everything IS quiet and
promis.ag These are ho considerable
rebe! bands 10 the Stale--only some
rayiax gasrrillas. and che small Union
forces remaining hsreabouts are eaough
for them.
The 6ghi beyond NJ Elba. above de-
scFibed, took place on the s0th Of March.
bat the nsws had not been received here
until brought il up day. In haste.