Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-05-12
The Hed River Dirasler.

TIE Washington correspondent Of the Bos-
ton 4d5srtiser ssys that no oficisl reports Of
tie recent battles on Rcd river have been re-
ceivad from Gen. Banks in addition to those
published in the New Orleans EIs Uncficisl
letteTs from persons upoR whose testimony Fe-
lance is placed in high quarters give an even
more unlEvorshle account Of the condition Of
things than any hsTetofoTs published, and com
ment severely on the lack Of prudence and
generalship said ts be displayed by Gen. Banks
and Gen. Stone, who was sent to him for chief
of staff ss his request. One Of. these letters
ssys:
Banks, with his foe srny of 80 900, wss To-
tally defested and routed by - 600 under Dick
Taylor. It was done in this manner: General
Banks sent out 900 cavalry in the advance,
with all their wagons, 200 in number, i1st be-
hind them. This soree Of cavalry was support
ed BY about 2 900 infantry, while the great
mass of the army was far in the rear coming up
in aeylhiDg but good order. The result can be
easily Unsigned. The whole I Del army charged
on the cavalry, stAmpeded them, threw them
back on the infantry, and the whole concern
turned around and ran, actually ran. II wss =
complete rous. The rebels captured 500 pris-
oners is guns, 100 wagons, and large supply
of provisions, and so forth, besides driving our
army back Is miles to Pleasant Hill.
The enemy attacked Banks on the second
dav a Pleasant Hill, and was defeated, but our
srny has retTeated to Grand Ecere. Our army
is now in state Of decentralization. All the
troops are in town, and seem afraid TO 20 cut Of
It. Officers and men blame each other, and
unite in saying that it was q most miserable and
criminal piece Of generalship. Brig Gen. A. j.
Smith must be excepted altogether from CON
domination His men fought like tigers.
Admiral Porter, whose dispatches come down
to the 18th inst gives guile as satiiactoEy his
tory of the campaign rs the above His Ao-
tilla arrived on the l0sh inst, the appointed
dsy, at Foggy bayou, five miles from Spring
6eld. to which place the supplies brought By
transports were TO be hauled to the army. The
only sppesrsncs of the enemy during the voy-
age was on the 4th inst, when q man rode cut
TO the bank and deliberately shot Acting Lieut.
Couthony, commander Of the Chillieolhe, and q
good officer.
An on the transports were in The best of spir.
its. Firing had been heard, and reports were
current that our army was victorious, and hopes
were entertained Of arriving at Shreveport al
tbs appointed time, but Immediately on arrival
at Fcggy bayou, Admiral Porter rscsived q
message from Gen Banks announcing his de-
fest aud resgeat. OF coarse the fotlla had tc
follow suit
"What could we do but come back To says
az officer attached to one of the gunhoats Ths
water was falling we had twenty-five trans
ports to protect, which the rebel army NIGH
/ destroy, besides inficting other injury on us
/ We came back and literally fought our way
through. The rebel army attacked Us at every
point, and We have fought them tor the las
| three days steadily.
Yesterday, the 18th, about twenty-five miles
above here, Gen Greene attacked the gunboati
and transports with twenty-five hundred mer
and three pieces Of artillery. We opened or
them immediately, secured cross fire on them
and although the banks were very high. vi
gained a brilliant victory. In half an hou
their artillery was sileDcsd, with two pieces dis
abled, and in another half hour they were com
pletely routed Over two hundred were killeC
| outright, two hundred or three hundred wound
ed muRkets, knapsseks, ETC., lying all srount
| the field, and their own wounded men uncarst
for. From tbs latter wo lesEnsd thst-we hss
killed Gen. Greene and q number Of ether on
GERS.
The next place at which they attacked as va
| d blnf, but We soon drove them oat Of that s1'
so on all down the river. Il was one eOntinus
fight; bus we bFoughs everything to Gram
EcoTe safely and with comparatively small loss
FRANcE-THE EMPERoR's LETTER.
Emperor had addressed the following letter, da
ted April Is, to NJ Fonld, Minister Of Finance
The happy solution Of the Mexican affair ere
stes IN me desire to see the coEntTy profit 3,
the frst repayment Of the expenses of the war
by diminishing taxes. Be good enough to so
If it be not possible 20 effect the immediate sup
preston Of the second decline registration fee
i only preserving Of the general law prepared B,
Ehe Council of State thos sngements whicl
may be strictly neeess for balancing th
budget. ibis measure, 20 her with the hope
Of peace, which every day Seeomes more ces