New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-11-04
THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION.
Official Report Of Gen. Banks,
To HI .Secr.,nrn Of Wdr.

ttnCit optldilons contemplated 1Ol the INFER cam
pagn, was Informed by dispatch received January
20 and dated January II, that lit proposed that
Gen. Steele should advance to Red River il he could
rely upon your (my) cooperation and be certain Of re-
eeying supplies on that iae and that "the best mill
ary opinions of the Generals OF the West seemed to
favor operations on Red River provided the stage Of
the water would enable the gunboats TO cooperate"
that this would open better theater Of operations
than any other for such troops Gen. Grant could
spare during the Winter" l also informed that
MaiorGen Grant and Maior-Gen. Steele had been
written to and l was instructed 10 communicate H'h
Nsm upon tbs salect.
Having mode known my plan of operations on The
coast and fully stated different times the difficulties
20 be encountered in movements by land in tho dIec
ton Of Alexandria and Shreveport, did not feel at
liberty to decline participation in the campaign which
had been pressed upon my attention from the time
1gas assigned to the command of this Department and
which now supported BY the concurrent opinions
of the general officers in the West on account of diff
cuies which might be obyiaed by personal conference
with commanders, or by orders from the Generalih'
Chief TWAS not, however without woli.iounded ap'
professions of the result of the campaign and clear
view of the (Which suggested Indispensable
~ success that 1 entered upon this new campaign.
The necessity Of perfect unity Of command and OF
e forces assigned TO this duty and then separated by
hundreds OF miles, was too apparent to admit Of ques
ZION.
Ireped 10 this dispatch the 23d of January stat
ing that with the forces proposed" to'wit' Gen.
sherman and Gen. Steele, and my own disposahle
force concurred in the opinion that the Red River
was the shortest and best line of defense for Louisiana
and Arkansas. and as a base Of operations against
Texas and that with my own forces and those Of Gen
Steele and the assistance OF Cen Sherman the success
Of the movement on that hne might ne made certain
and important, ard that should cordially cooperate
with them in executing The orders of the Government
In order that the inherent difficulties attending the
proposed combined mOyement-which had been thor
oughly tested in the campaign of 1863 ard lsol ana
which had represented with as much earnestheSS rs
scented 10 be proper-miglt be presented in manner
most likely 10 gain attention, ! directed Melor d. I.
Houston, Chief Engineer Of the Department who pos
sessed the highest claims 10 favorable consideration
from professional qualifications and experience OF lis
prSuan,auce with the route, 70 prepare memorial
upon operations on Red River which had been long
under consideration. This We transmitted 70 lie
headquarters of the army and appeared 70 have re-
ceyed the attention ard approval OF the GcheIslfh'
Chief II stated with precision the obstacles 10 De en-
countercd and the necessary 10 accomplish
The object in view. No change would - required in
This statement if il bad been written in review IaiieI
than IN anticipation Of the campaign ltGeconinendeu
as a condition indispensable 20 success; lst such com
plete preliminary organization as would avoid the least
delay Ia movements after our compoign had opened
ID that line OF supply De established from the Missis
Sipp independent Of water sources; 3D. the coneenra
Of the forces West ofthe Mississippi aud such other
forces as should be assigned 10 this duty irom Gen.
Shermans command in such manner as 10 expel
the enemy from Northern Louisiana and Arkansas;
Sch such preparation and concert ~ action among the
different corps employed 10 prevent the enemy by
kceDine him constantly employed. from Operating
.reusf ON Dositon forces esewhegc and 9Th. that
ire entire forces should be pacec under tie command
OF single General Preparations for long campaign
were advised and the month Of May indicated as tho
point OF time wien the occupation Of Shreveport might
ie autcpated Not one Of these suggestions neces
sory in e0nquering the inherent diculiies oil me eApe
diton were carried into execution DOT W9s II IN my
power to establish them. Tie troops uh9ef inc CON.
Inaud Of Cen Steele were acting INDEPENDENTLY oil my
command. under orders not communicated TO me, ana
at such distance that II was impossible 70 hceIthh MS
movements or inform lin OF my own. 50 that we might
eo,peyaie with support each other Inc oelnchhehi
OF troops from the command OF MaJorUen. ShefMah'
though operating upon tie same line Win my own men
under special ORDERS having Interior OBJECTS in view"
and ded an earnest but only partial cooperation
in The expedition. The distance which separated Inc
different commands the lmpOssibhity OF eshOlshIhg
necessary communications between themi the absence
of general authority 10 command theni the time that
was REQUIRED for the Transmission Of orders from ASH
nrton and the necessity OF immediate actoh on hc
OF the condition Of The rivers ana oPeraons con
templaed for the armies elsewhere gave rise 10 eboar
rasmens in the organization Of forces ana Ia The exc
eution OF orders which could not be overcome
In the instructions received from the Government
was Loft 10 nv discretion whether or not would
cin in this expeditions but was directed TO comlnuA
cate with Gen. Sherman and Cen Steele ana Ann.ra
Porter upon the subject expressed the satisfaction
shorld find in cooperating with them IN movement
deemed Of much importance by the Government TO
that with the forces designated II would be entirely
successful Having received from them similar aHsuTan
ccs both my discretion and my authority 70 far a. the
organization Of the expedition was concerned were az
an end
The disposition Of the enemys forces at that time,
according to the best information that could be OBJ
tanned was follows Naguder had GbOut - OOO nc
Of all arms. Of which 1900 were seryiceable. HE
main body covered Galveston and Houston from
ticipated 1noyemeA from Matagorda Peninsula. stl
held by our troops. Walkers division, numbering
900 men upon the Achafalaya and Red River from
Opcousas TO Fort Deussey: Morton division between
he Black and Wsshita Rivers from Red RIVER 10
Monroe numbering GOO mon; while Rice WIh Two
leayy divisions Of infantry, estimated al Oo' anu
large cavalry force estimated at from 1UDO 10 IVWH
he'd the country from Monroe 70 Camden ana ATch
deli Liza, confronting Steele. Magrnuer eouIu spaic
10 900 Of his force to assist attack nom the East
L. wing his Notifications well gaIrsOned on the coast
while Price could furnish at least an addluOhhl ouV
from The North making foImidable army o, $500
10 5000 men, equal 10 any forces that cOuu DE- drought
nesnst them even with the most perfect unity ana
c,;nerafion OF commands. This estimate OF the
strength Of the enemy was gwen IN my dIspatch OF
FEB . but was thought upon information received ny
the Government to be exaggerated. HE deiehses OF
Tie enemy consisted OF series OF works covering the
arproacLes 10 Galveston and Houston from the south
nc deenses OF Galveston Bay Sabine Pass ana SABINE
Rivers Fort DeIussey Formidable wofk located three
miles from Marshyille for the defense OF Red RIVER ana
extensive AID formidable works o; Trinity the Junction
OF tfe Iensas and Wasblta al IaMdeh' COMMANDING
approaches from the North.
To meet these forces OF the enemy II was proposed 10
concentrate in general Ian VI operations 'OOOo i
the troops under command OF Gen Steele hdetachmeht
OF 10000 from the command OF Geh oheimai, unu
force of from Is 900 TO coo from the Army OF the
GnfAmaking an army Of So 900 10 31,OoO men OF al
arms, but with such guBboats as the Navy department
should order. Orders were given To my colhmano az
suspend operations at once AT Ga'estOn' ana
vigorous preparations were made Tor the new cam