Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-03-02
Success of the Cavalry Expedition
from Memphis.

MEMPHIS, Feb. 26.-General Smiths cav
airy expedition, which left here three weeks
since, has returned. From an officer we have
the following particulars: On February 18th,
the expedition reached Okolona, Miss. On
the 10Th they marched to Egypt Station, on
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, where they
captured and destroyed a large quantity of
Confederate corn. Thence they advanced to
Prairie, where they burned several hundred
bushels of corn and a large quantity of cot
ton. There was diminishing dear this place.
On the Doth the advance skirmished heavily
with the enemy until P. NJ, when the col
umn halted within mile of West Point. On
the 2lst they moved west and found Forrest,
S. D. Lee and Chalmers ready to combine
against them. An attempt was made to cut
the column in two, but without success. Very
heavy fighting occurred with the advance and
rear, while 1000 or 5000 rebels were on each
flank. Our rear was constantly changing.
We lost three or four steel guns, which were
spiked before being captured. All our am
munition was saved. Smith now fell back,
ambushing the rebels as they advanced. The
rebel loss was heavy. Smith burned every
trestle work on the Mobile and Ohio Rail
road, destroyed several miles of track and
large amount of corn as he fell
back. On the 22d he broke camp at A. NJ,
after resting only two hours. There was
severe fighting in the rear all day, the rebels
losing heavily, as the roads were ambushed
at every available point, and volley after vol
ley was poured into them at short range.
Having much larger force, however, they
pressed our rear, and rehsl column was
moving on each flank with theevident design
of reaching the Tallahatchie in advance Of
our forces, and forming junction to prevent
our crossing. On the 23d and 24th, Skin
mishing continued. On the 25th our column
marched fifty-two miles. General Smith
reached Memphis at eleven o'clock in the
evening. Most of the expedition stopped at
CollierSville. 1t is estimated that the eXpe-
dition destroyed over u million bushels of
corn, tore up and destroyed n number of
miles of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad,
burned many bridges and trestle works, and
brought in over sixteen hundred horses and
mules, two thousand negroes and three hun
dred prisoners. The expedition was success
full in every point, except the important one
of forming junction with Sherman, which
is attributable mainly to the slow movements
of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania cavalry
regiments, causing a delay of one week in
starting. The Presidents amnesty procla-
nation was extensively circulated through
out the country.
Sherman's March Astounding the
Rebels.
CINCINNATI, February Owe have news
from rebel sources to February 22d. The
Atlanta (Ga.) appeal says: "Sherman's
purpose is still a mystery, and it is not
known whether he will move against No
bile or turn eastward. Sherman, with a
sudden and unexpected rapidly, has moved
against our weakest point-the Egypt Of the
Confederacy; where, if not elected he can
subsist till Spring, and do more damage than
by winning pitched battle. He is making
war on our subsistence and resources, to de-
stroy which is to defeat u.s." Sherman
marches in solid body, with artillery in front,
rear and on the tanks. His cavalry are
close under his guns. No struggling is al
lowed. The rebel cavalry lowering around
are unable to harass him. ...