Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-04-21
From the Red River EynadItio,
Correspondence of the State Jonrna1


ALEXANDRIA. March 81
Edators State Journal 1t is A storm and
very olsagreeable day, and while the mail
goa. IS taxing lot of rebel cotton from our
uechs WIZ give you what of interest 7 have
gathereo since nay last. This expedition Tins
tar has been one of the most sTInoosG1 -:
the beginning of the war. Fo-t n M Silce
abandoned, left Us an unobstrnctad ,1a1Ss
to this place.. We captured at that for+ 81
| prisoners and some very fine arn,l o.
troops coming up in the rear, the Who'll foy",,
| narrowly escaped capture but their moi,
body got off and made the best of thrir rnI
to Shreveport. Alexandria is a small tow,
on the south side of the river and Contained
before the war some 5000 inhabitants Lrt
| the men here now are few and far between
and was astonished at the restitution that
prevails among all classes. Coffee is $50
pound, tea $50, and other things in propor-
ton. The females are pretty strongly Sc
eesh, but are willing to barter ANYTHING they
have IN the world with US for sometime tn
live on. Pineville, on the opposite side. is
only about half as large as Alexandria. The
country is slightly undulating around it. but
is perfectly fiat on the south side. Cotton Is
| coming in fast. The gunboat men have turl-
ed teamsters, and it is laughable to see their
attempts at driving four mule team. Dav
in from Nieksburg, bringing two regiments of
colored troops. The Rob Roy arrived today
with more. The L'm,ina1y and Meteor, came
| in yesterday heavily laden with stores. and
the leyee to-day presents the appearance of n
hourishing business place
Yesterday one fthe cutest little affairs of
the war came off. Hearing of a force of re-.
bells some ten miles from here. a norton of
the 47th Illinois. S5th Iowa and Stb Missour;
marched out to hunt them. Theymet pick
ct, and after securing him by dint of threats
of dire punishment, they succeeded in OBJ
tanning from him the countersign. With this
they relieved several other pickets in the req
ular way without any fuss or suspicion. as the
rebels were expecting reinforcements that
night and they supposed they had come
They marched into the camp and gobbled
the whole lot prisoners. The surprise was
so complete that they had to wake up
some of the rebels to inform them they
were prisoners. The Colonel in com
mand of them barely escaped Our bows
leaving his clothes behind, which were cap
tured. battery they had with them got
alarmed in time to reach their guns. Our
boys didn know the position ofit,t night
being so dark that it could not be easily seen.
But while escorting the prisoners, rebel
Lieut.. Col. cried out, pointing to it, ''Charge
that battery for Gods sake, or they will blow
us all to h-ll in a minute" Our bows rushed
on the hidden battery and took it lust in time,
as they had got ready to fire and the guns
were loaded with canister. This saved many
lives. The whole party came in Yesterday
afternoon. The prisoners looked very much
chopfallen, and were not very well clothed.
The infantry were part Of the Second Louis
lana, veteran regiment, that has been in
nearly every action in the West since the
war began. The name of the battery | did
not learn. The caissons were full of ammu-
milton and the carriages were well supplied
with horses. The guns, four in number, were
fine brass field pieces, three of which were
cast at New Orleans and one at Nicksburg-
The prisoners number nearly 400 men and
46 officers. These cannon, with six others
that we have taken at this place and vicinity,
make ten pieces that we have taken since
we came here. Yesterday, large lot of
railroad iron was found buried in the out
skirts of the town. This last raid will reflect
great credit upon all engaged in it. Our
folks found cotton and gins burning in all di-
rections as they marched along. We took
rebel Ma or on our way up here. We stop
ped to look for cotton, and he was seen to
run out ola house. One Of our blue jackets
with rife took the track, and found him in
a corn crib. He has been very much pleased
with his quarters on board the vessel, but will
probably learn something of prisoners pri-
vations when he reaches the army. We are
patiently waiting for the water, which is ris-
ing slowly, before advancing on Shreveport.
Part of Gen. Banks command have already
passed up by us on their way to that point.
We are very busy just now making rakes
oflong poles to carry ahead of the boats to
fish up torpedoes. One came down yester-
day, and was picked up. 1t was nearly five
feet long, and would have proved dangerous
snag for boat to run against. Several suit
lers have already opened up in town, and
soon one can obtain everything they want,
where all was destitution few days ago
So much for the irrepres8ible Yankee The
health of the fleet is good; also that of the
army.
Yours in haste, j.. A.