The New York herald., 1865-01-09
N E w B E r N.
Additional Details Of the Expedition
Up Roanoke River.

THE FLEET REACHED POPLAR POINT,
&c., &c.. 60.
Our Ncwbern IN. CO. Corresp0ndcnce.
NrwBzEs, N G., Dec 27, 1884
The expedition thae loft Plymouth, NJ G., on the 9th
instant has returned and anchored or Jamesve Roam
oke river having by srduous labor accomplished results
that reflect gcas credit upon its commanding ocer and
hls subordnates
ORGANIZATION KxPnprioS
Tho naval portion Of this expedition sailed from Ply
mouth the evening Of the 9th instant the following
order :-wyalusing, Commander Earl English bearing
the broad pennant Of Commodore W. H. Macomb com.
manding the Fourth division Of the North Atlantic
feet Chicopee Commander HanneI; Valley City, Act
Ing Master Brooks steamer Belle, Acting Master Green
picket launch No s, Acting Ensign Chapman the III
fated Otsego, Commander Arnold, and tho steamer
Bailey, Acting Ensign Ames and tho Shamrock was 10
follow.
land force Colonel Frankie commanding had started
from Plymouth at daylight tho same morning 10 co.
operate with tho feet.
TIKI orsEao DESTROYED By A TORPEDO.
Without interruption the squadron, at ten o'clock the
same night arrived Off GAINESVILLE small town above
Plymouth twelve miles, when the signal to anchor
made from the flagship The night DIRK and the
river flowing rapidly in its narrow and tortuous channel
II thought best to proceed further until daylight
The Wyausng had just let 60 her anchor few yards
above the town, when two loud reports werc heard
astern, and dense volumes OF smoke and steam
to envclop the Otscgo That fine vessel had struck
two torpedoes under the port coa bunker the other
beneath the keelson driving large hole through her
bottom, and throwing one Of her hundred FOUNDER red
PARROTS into the air She sank in fifteen minutes in
Her officers and lost all their clothing except what
they had at the moment OF the explosion but
cared for by their comrades Of the other vessels who
hurried to their rescue, and perillcd their lives
saving their shpwrecked fellow sailors. Commander
Arnold behaved with great coolness and his posses
sion restored order and discipline board the
sunkcn ship at least her hurricane deck which
alone remained out OF water
DESTRUCTION BAxELEY.
In the morning orders given drag for orpcdocs
when found that the Otsego had struck upon por
feet nest Of them The boats which had been passing
and repassng to and from her during the night had
rowed over numbers OF them, happily without touching
them Several picked up alongside Of the Otsego
and two found hanging to the torpedo fender rgged
at her bow The steamer Baze,cy, during the morning.
ordered ~ down To Plymouth to convey orders
and dcspatohes taking on board for that purpose Pay
master Louis Sands OF the Shamrock who had been de-
tailed of the COmmodores aids in this expedition.
On her down. being directed to communicate with
the Osego Captain Ames ran towards tho sunken ship
when torpedo struck tho Bazecy under her cabin blow
Ing hole clear through her killing William G. Rossel
lad and John Gcrrard first class boy and sinking The
escaped by swimming and werc picked up by boats
sack % 70 n n 70 .e as
his loss 70 Commodore Macomb Sir, the Bazeey has
gone up.
things look blue but the grit and metal that headed the
expedition was sufficient TO overcome such disasters
TREGH START.
Preparations fully carried out 70 drag the
river by boats for the torpedoes which constantly
eight ninc being PLACED the river in ne and
having susceptibities Of the most sensitive nature
going or on the slightest provocation Communica
tions with Plymouth having been obtained the signal
was again made to advance the Valley City taking the
Mr. Chamberlain, . civilian, had volunteered 70
go with the expedition with q calcium light, which
proved to be OF great advantage 70 the fleet in tho in
tense darkness OF the nights Tho light was placed
the leading vossc and made our path clear almost
The dcei proceeded slowly having six boats constantly
employed in dragging and picking up torpedoes, which
bers were found at shad island Bend and other points
shore Seven,y-fve were laid between Janesvilc and
Poplar Point distance or twenty nve or thirty miles.
LIVING ENEMY.
The feet anchored several Of the large plantations
along the river and the allowed to rotRlc
, win sm ~ .ma an r,c or
military value we're taken or destroyed, and quantity
cotton pressed the DuHArks le
fhnrpsbooers who lined the banks OF the stream NJ
Spclcr, rich planter owning place called Spoilers
Lan,iing, was arrested and sent to Plymouth Hc had
accepted nomination 10 scat in the rebel Ies,et,re,
had three sons In the rebel army and was h'nsef bit
ter reviier and opponent Of the government other
prominent rebels ALSO seized and sent TO Plymouth
One of them offered the Commodore and Captain English
large amount OF gold which he had hs person 10
release him but ike Pauldng and Van Vert o. old The
patriotism OF the sailor chiefs rcvolied the attempt
brbe them and order 10 place the rebel in closer
hnemen wa the only result OF the proposition. Cor
rstk.agn Ia. ham fla InnrNn IN Narn nplln
al officers and though many Of them FAR from
wealthy their honor and good name j. more precious In
their eye, than millions Of dishonorablc wealth
OPERATIONS
II was part of the programme that Col Frankie should
waiting Tor the arrival Of tie vessels, he pushed on bis
10 Fosters Mills, where skirmish ensuci with the
enemy, who were repuscd Tho mills were burned and
Col Clark left TO hold the place, while the main body
procesdod onward, the rebels retrcatng on Rainbow
Banks, very strong and commanding position on The
river, twenty miles above Wamston. The fleet learned
this by OF Col Cark's scouts and the dny
OF picket boats, which had boen sent back to
Jamcsvilc returned the feet bringing the haoitiona
intelligence that the army, getting out of provisions Ind
fatcn bsck 10 Jamosyiile The Commodore sen, de-
sIatch TO the Colonel commanding stating that time was
precious that the feet would proceed At oil haysrds and
would turn back for nothing until II reached The
bluG and urged that the troops should go forward %
promise was returned thst the troops would
again move forward ia short time
ArrEoAcgEs POPLAR POINT.
gng the river at every STEP exploding orpcdoc lighting
sharpslooers and pressing forward towards Rainbow"
until, the evening of the 10Th We turned a bend IN
the stream, exposing TO view Poplar Point high b!u
thoroughly com manding the river
MARINES on sHops prTr
On our left after doubling the bend, was = large,
marshy plain, projected by dyke behind which sharp
shooters Thought 10 BE- urking CoBmodcre M
comb ordered the marines of the sguIion TO land end
under command OF Acting Ensign fosset OF che wynlu
fng along the bank, behind the levce, and look
cut for the enemy They fbund the rebel pckets
and srmshed with them, thc rebels being driven hack
towards Tie point Soon large body Of rebels
was found, and brisk little action took place.
A PRISONER captured by Sergeant Kane, of The
shan rock belonged to whitiords rebel regiment,
and reported that bis regiment was IN the
the advance force OF the rabes whose entire
siren III was some siy thousand mon The marines
tinued the skrmishing until nigh,fail, when they were
recalled having throughout the day behaved admirably,
retaining the good reputation which that branch Of he
service has always held.
Tpr VALLEY cfTy ENCOUNTERS Rrrrr Bs1Tkfr.
No sooner had tlc Valley City which continued y ee
shown her the point ts