The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-12

We coHiiileilu Vic StSuCitJ vi IreSl
dent Johnson in not removing the res
trctive martial law from States con
trolled 10y such spirits.
Now, this article never could have
found a place in these columns, excep
for the purpose Of illustrating the poin
we are maintaining, that even the ill
timed speech of 80 insignificant states
man as Mr.. Logan Hurst, may provoke
retort and distrust at a time, when We
can ill-afford to quarrel with neighbos
who have given so many evidences o.
generosity. That is all.
-
ST0NEWALL JACKS0N'S COMMISSARY.'
There is good deal of ponderous
humor and grave irony in Lieut.. Gen.
Grants elaboratereportof the operations
ofthe army, during the closing months
of the war. His blows, so impercep.
table to the hurried reader, are as deadly
rs the guns of his heaviest artillery: In
the course of his review, he reaches the
Red river expedition of Major General
Banks-an officer well-known to the
army of Virginia, as Stonewall Jack
sons Commissary-and he thus dispOses
of that warrior-statesman
an the absence of official reports at
the commencement of the Red river ex-
petition, except so far as relates to the
movements of the troops sent by General
Sherman under A. j. Smith, / am UNI
able to give the date ofits starting. The
troops under General Smith, comprising
two divisions of the Sixteenth and de-
taclment of the Seventeenth army
corps, left Vicksburg on the 10th of
March and reached the designated point
on Red river one day earlier than that
appointed by General Banks. The rebel
forces at Fort De Russey, thinking to
defeat him, left the fort on the 14th to
give him battle in the open field; but,
while occupying the enemy with skir-
mishing aud demonstrations, Smith
pushed forward to Fort De Russey,
which had been left with weak garri-
son, and captured it with its garrison
about $50 men, IL pieces of artillery
and many small arms. Our loss
was but slight. On the 18th he pushed
forward to Alexandria, which place
he reached on the 18th. On the
2lst he bad an engagement with the
enemy at Henderson Hill, in which
he defeated him, capturing 2l0 prison.
ers and four pieces of artillery.
On the 2Sth he again attacked and
defeated the enemy under the rebel
General Taylor at Cane river. BY the
Goth General Banks had assembled his
whole army ut Alexandria, and pushed
forward TO Grand Ecore. On the morn
ing of April 9th he moved from Grand
Ecore. On the afternoon of the
18th his advance engaged the enemy
near Pleasant Hill, and drove him
from the field. On the same after
noon the enemy made stand eight
miles beyond Pleasant Hill, but was again
compelled to retreat. On the Sth at Sa-
bine Cross roads and Peach Hill, the
enemy attacked and defeated his ad-
vance, capturing nineteen pieces of ar
tillery and an immense amount of trans
portation and stores During the night
General Banks fell back to Pleasant
Hill, where another battle was fought
OH the 9th and the enemy repulsed with
great loss. During the night General
Banks continued his retrograde moves
ment to Grand Ecorc, and thence To
Alexandria, which he reached ON the
9th of April. Here serious difficulty
arose in getting Admiral POrter's fleet,
which accompanied the expedition, over
the rapids, the water having fallen SO
much since they passed up as to prevent
their return. At the suggestion of Col
)nel NOV Brigadier General) Bailey,
md under his uperintendence, wing
lams were constructed, by which the
channel was contracted SO that the
leet passed down the rapids in safety.
The army evacuated Alexandria on
he l4th of May, with considerable Skin
with the enemy's advance, and
cached Morganzia and Point COupee
hear the end of the month. The disas
rous termination of this expedition, and
he lateness Of the season, rendered i'm
the carryingout of my plan of
movement i'm force sufficient TO insure
he capture of Mobile.
On the 23d of March Major General |
Steele left Little Rock with the seventh |
rmy corps to cooperate with General |
Banks expedition oil the Red river, and |
cached Arlladclphia on the 2Sth. On |
he 10th of April, alterdriving the enemy |
etore him, he was joined near Elkin's |
cry, in Washita county, by General
'hayer, who had marched from Fort |
mith. After several severe skirmishes,
n which the enemy was defeated, Gen.
teele reached Camden, which he occu-
led about the middle of April.
On learning the defeat and conse-
uent retreat Of General Banks on Red
ver, and the loss of one of his own
'ains ut Marks mill, in Dallas county,
General Steele determined to fall back to
he Arkansas river. He left Camden on
he 2Gth of April, and reached Little
.ock on the. I'd of May. On the 3Oth of
.pril the enemy attacted him while
'ossing Saline river at Jenkins ferry,
ut was repulsed with considerable loss.
ur loss was about six hundred in killed
ounded and prisoners. A
Major General Candy, who had been
signed to the command of the chilli [
ny Division Of West Mississippi,n was t
erefOre directed to send the Nineteenth
my corps TO join the armies operating 8
.ainst Richmond, and>tO limit the re- I
ainder ofhis command to such opera
ms as might be necessary to hold the t
sitions and lines of communications O
then occupied. s.4t b., G
THE REGULAR ARMY.--The Secre- d