The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-13
STARTLING NEWS FROM THE
LOWER MISSISSIPPI,
Porter Saves His Fleet by Blowing
it Up.
Reported Destruction of Gunboats
and Transports on Red
River.
Special dispatch to Chicago Tribune.


CAIRO, May An officer who arrived on
gunboat last night, direct from Alexandria,
Louisiana, reports that not long since the
steamers Champion, No. Three and No. Five,
were used as transports with gunboat LeXing-
ton and iron clad Juliet and Fort Himan, and
were sent to Red River to endeavOr to get off
the gunboat Eastport They dismantled and
lightened her, but were unable to get her of,
and had to blow her up. On their way back
the boats were fred upon by battery of 12-
Founders from the shore. and fight ensued in
which our gunbOats lost several men including
the acting executive officer of the EastpOrt,
named Sylvester Poole, resident of Newport,
KY. He was behind a kind of temporary
barricade on the deck of the gunboat Hillman,
His body was taken to Alexandria and buried.
He lately married Miss Stewart of Conn.
1t was found necessary to destroy two trans
ports-Champions No. 8 and No. 5-to escape
the battery as the best that could be done. We
have no further particulars.
The steamer White Cloud, from Alexandria
yesterday, passed up for Memphis. She brings
the first load of private.cotton which has thus
far come out, being 600 bales belonging to
William Butler late State Treasurer of Illinois,
and others.
Gen. Banks and his army are at Alexandria
in defensive attitude. The rebels are reported
three miles distant, with skirmishing daily.
ReinfOrcements are going up.
A dam is being built above the falls for the
purpose of floating over the gunbOats. The
transport Hastings was sunk above Alexandria,
and the Champions, Nos. and 5, with sub
marine pumps on board were attacked by
batteries, forty miles below Grand Ecore, and
burnt.
Gen. Banks continues to be very unpopular
with the army Matters look very badly. Ma
jor General Hunter has returned to New Or
leans from Alexandria,
Special dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.
NArcuKz, May 2-via Cairo May 6, 1864.
A rumor reached this place yesterday,
through rebel sources, of a battle at AleXan-
dria on Thursday, but in which Dick Taylor
is reported to have suffered defeat 1t is stat
ed that he made a vigorous assault upon the
works recently erected there, and was repuls-
ed with great loss.
Boats are continually arriving at New Or
leans from Alexandria, but they bring no news.
The papers of that city were completely silent
respecting military operations in the Depart
ment of the Cult 1t is supposed by some that
Gen. Banks will retreat upon Simmesport or
Atchafalya.
Writ Adams cavalry are lowering near this
city, but there is little fear of an attack. Their
movements are supposed to cover the crossing
of arms and ammunition above and below this
city for Kirby Smith.
Gen. A. l. Lee and nineteen other officers
are under arrest in New Orleans, for declaring
that the Red River expedition was not for
fighting, but for thieving and speculation.
CAIRO, May Ga rumor is prevailing here
this afternoon, that the gunboats CrckeI, Ju-
let and Eastport, and the two Champions No
3 and 5 transports, have been blown up by
Admiral Porter to prevent their falling into the
hands of the enemy, who were harrassing the
boats from both sides of the Red River.
The steamer Metropolitan from New Or
leans, arrived at Memphis on the 4th, with the
intelligence that the rebels are concentrating
at several points on both sides of the river.
Rumors are in circulation regarding their
movements and intentions at Vicksburg. The
picket had been drawn in, and an attack was
momentarily expected at Natchez also. There
was much excitement consequent upon the
nearness of the enemy, and an apprehension
of an attack from considerable force reported
to be but few miles distant and approaching
at several points. Likewise on the Louisiana
bank the rebels were reported concentrating,
and fears were entertained of an immediate de-
monstra,ioD; in fact more or less excitement
exists in every town upon the river between
Vicksburg and Videlia, Louisiana and the
widest rumors are in constant circulation 1t
had been learned at the mouth of Red River
that the enemy were advancing upon Fort
Hudson in two columns, with sixteen pieces
upf artillery.