New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-11-04


y current of the river entirely the opening made by u
H. food was partially closed ard eight or ten wing dan
e were constructed the right and left bank OF d
river in accordance with the original plan, turning III
current of water directly upon the channel and rais.n
1t at the different points sufficiently TO allow the ve
sells to pass This work completed the I2t
of May ana the afternoon OF that day all the boat
passed below the Rapids to the dam at O'Clock i
the evening the Mound City aud Carondoet passed tn
: dam.
,de other boats remained above until the morning
The l3h. The water upon the dam steadily fall
ing but at o'clock on the 18th all the boats had safe
psssed.
Prem nations had been made for the movement OF tbs
army the evening after the passage Of the boats below
tbe dam on the 18th and after oil below, the
4 18th orders were given for the march. .
II The construction OF the dam exclusively the
work Of the army Bat lttie aid or encoufageicn ,
was rendered by officers OF the navy except By Lieut.
Il A. r. Lsnethorne commanding the Mound CITY, VINO
assisted ia setting the cribs and was always ready 10
answer the cal Of tie officers charged with ne con.
stuction of the work The soldiers lsbcred seduonsy
aud zealousy night and day. in and ont OF tne wafer
from the LIST to the 18th Of May inclusive, when the
passage Of the boats was completed.
Upon nv arrival at Alexandria on the 23sh on Aprn.
found Major-Gen. Hunter with dispatches from the
Lieut.. Gen. Comna ndng the armies, reaiiirming In
structions which had received at Grand Ecore. reat-
inc 10 the operations Of the army elsewhere, and 70 the
necessity ofurging the Shreveport campaign to an end
without delay.
The only possible means of executing these peremp-
| tory orders had already been taken.
Gen Hunter left the goth of April with dispatches
TO the lieutenant General giving report OF the con
diton Of affairs that the fleet could not pass the Rspds
that there was for the army but TO remain for
its protection; that the enemy would concentrate all
his forces at point for the destruction of the army
and the feet and that it was necessary to concentrate
our troops west of the Mississippi at the same point ny
which the army and navy could be relieved and tho
forces OF the enemy be destroyed. .
Maior.G NcClernand with the larger part or the
forces recently at Matagorda Bay-Whlch had been
evacuated by order of Lieut. Gen. Grant dated March
l3l-arryed at Alexandria on the evening OF the 18th
Of April Brig Gen. Fitz Henry Warren. left IN the
command at Msfagorda Bay. followed with the rest OF
the forces in Texas except those the Rio Grande.
where the batteries of the enemy on the river near
Marksyille obstructed his passage Not having sum,
cieut force to dslodge the enemy he seized Fort
DE missy below the batteries, which he held until the
passage of the feet and army. .
While engaged In the construction OF the Dam als,
patch was received from Major-Gen Halleck. dated
April 80 follows: "Leut.Gen. Grant directs that
orders heretofore given be so modified that no troops De
withdrawn from operations against Shreveport ana ON
Red River and that operations there be continued I'M
der the officer in command until further orders Ibis
dispatch not received until It was impossible 70
move either up down the river from Alex incria IL
vas of course impracticabe to execute these instruc
tons $50 -
Until the 4th of May communication with the Misss
sippi by the river, was unobsructed. Lieut. " lillian
Simpson of my staff left by the gunboat Signal, with
DISPATCHES for Lieut.. Gen. Grant, Admiral Ferragut
GEN Sherman and Gen. Rosecrans.
The gunboat Coyington, having IN convoy the trans
port Warren accompanied the Signal.
We received news on the morning Of the 9th OF tins
destruction of the gunboat and the transport
The enemy had established battery near MARKS
Vile supported by large infantry force Communica-
ton with the Mississippi was closed from tins date
4 bout 400 men Of the 10th ONO volunteers were on
board the Warren. part of them joined our troops
below and portion of them joined the lines OF tue enc
my and returned to Alexandria About loO we're cap,
tured Lieut. simpson was sapturfSa a Out 10 eI
andra with i25 men OF the l20th Ohio Volunteers was
captured by the enemy. Two hundred oil the troops
The fleet passed below Alexandria the 18th OF
Nav The army in its march from Alexandra Gu hot
encounter the enemy In force until near tue 'o"h "
Mansura. , =.
He was driven through the town on the evening OF
the 18th Of May and at daybreak next morning our ad
encountered his cavalry on tno pia'rie eas "
mshing the prairie TO belt OF woods which he
occupied. The enemys position covered three roads
diyergipg from Mansura TO the Atchafalaya He mani
tested determination then TO obstinatey resist our
passage The engagement, which lasted several hours
was confined chiefly to the artillery unIn our troops got
Of the edge Of the woods first upon our e
| by Gen Emory, and subsequently, on our rignt by
Gen. Smith, when he driven from the heid AFTER
sharp and decisive light with considerame 'osA
The 10th Of May we reached Smmsport on Tue
Being entirely destitute of any ordinary bridge mate
rial for the passage othis river about 600 yards wide
bridge was of the under directions
of Lieut. Col Bailey. This work was not OF the same
magnitude. but was as important to the army as tne
dam AT Alexandrrwas TO the navy. Ii had the merft
of being an entirely novel construction, 10 bridge OF
such magnitude having been constructed OF similar
materials. The bridge was completed al l O'clock On
the 10th Of May The wagontrain passed In tne ater
noon nd the troops the next morning In better spru
and condition. able and to meet the enemy az
at any period Of the campaign The command OF Gen
A i smith which covered the rear Of the army during
the construction of the bridge and the passage oil the
army had severe engagement with the enemy uhuef
Pohgnac on the afternoon OF the I9h az ie1" pnyo
which lasted several hours. Our loss was aoout LOO IN
killed and wounded, that OF the enemy much greater
beside many prisoners who were taken Dy our troops.
Major.Gen. Z. r. 5. Candy arrived at Smmsport on
~ onit Tho VI ia
the troops as portion of the forces OF the Military
Division of the West Mississippi the command OF
v hieh be had been assigned.
at Alexandria that upon the evacuation OF the Town
would be burned. To prevent this Destruction Oh Prov
e-ty-part Of which belonged TO loyal citneus-uen-
(,royer commanding the post was instructed 10 organ
ize thorough police, and TO provide Tor It's
by an armed force until the army MAD marcneu ior
Simmsport The measures taken were sufficient 10
nrevent conf agration in the manner In which IL hao
been anticipated But ON the morning OF tne e'acua
tion while the army was IN full possession Oh .ne
a fire broke out in a building on the leyee which had
heen occupied by refugees soldiers, In such MAN
ner as TO make 1t impossible TO prevent general con-
nagration | saw the point where 1t was hrst oiscoS.
cred The ammunition aud ordnance transports and
the depot OF ammunition on the ie'ee Were Within
few wards of the fire. The boats were noated into Tue
river and the ammunition moved from the eyee Win
a nossble dispatch The troops labored with aacrfy
and yigor 10 suppress the conagration but owing os
biSh wind and the combus,ibe material of the puLd.
it was found Of ,Ss tow, % V Was d.
ON the LIST Of April. two or three days before the
army moved from Alexandria to Natcbitoches an cleo
finn of delegates to the Constitutional Convention was
Leld at Alexandria by request OF the citizens OF the
Parish Of Rapiies No officer or soldier VILE
i or had any part whatever IN the mattel Twas ZEN
Exclusively TO the loyal citizens of the place Three
hundred votes given in this election whlen wac
large majority OF all the voting populaloa N tna. IN
Fftcen hundred votes full representation o. ,ne
peope before the war; nearly so men from TINS anu
neighboring parishes enlisted IN the arm! as moaeu
scouts anu rendered efficient and sanspie services
during the campaign .ro, ,,,,or;,;..