New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-11-19
AY MORNING, NOVEMBER lg, 1866.
.Eha st gaasph I.Ianl. 5se..a1 IL rensas 1.arI.l..

Ahs Nc. sEaseph FLANK ESossfi1n TenAas Parrish.
Every person that ever crossed the Mississippi
at ss Joseph during the war, mast have a vivid
remembrance Of the plank road that led back from
thaH tgwn, across the gloomy and almost impassa-
lis swamps of tiie Tensas bottom. Thiaroad was
zaissd above the level Of the surrounding country
hy haaping lp Tile earth from huge trenches Oh
eithsr side; and once fairly upon it, it was inpos,
sibe for the traveller To get off unless by backing
cutor by going forward 70 the otherend. Thiswa
ha eaosenline af travel for the Trans Mississippi
cpaEiers Tie ordnance officers III charge Of muni-
tons foT Kirby Smith, and the agents Of the
traasury with huge cases full of new issue1
Ladies' on their way to join their husbands speeu-
lators with their wagon loads Of tobacco, govern
n1snt trains with enormous piles Of WOOL and d
heferag eneous stream Of adventurers, refugees,
RInlsrants and negroes, were continually going
and coming, sometimes at long intervals and in
crowds sometimes ia solitary squads Of two and
three. The plank road was thus The best place
imaginable for ambuscades and surprises. Itwas
The fagorite resort Of the famous Lieutenant Earle
Of the Federal scouts, Who5 with his picked
sqaadron. ranging from fifteen to fifty, as occasion
rea1ired, was long the bugbear Of that region and
and tho terror Of all wayfarers Equally re-
n0Vned with Earle, but far more desperate, was
youihfal Missourian named Lee, with form
y lks an Apollo, Blended with the strength OF a
Hercules. who commanded company Of Con
5adagata independent SCOUTS. These latter, like
tEeiF leader. had been exiled from their native
Mls in iar4aff Mssoafi, for their adhesion to the
Sasltlern causes and the homes ef most Of them
iaa been deYastateds their brothers and fathers
HEaAghterad and their gentle relatives driven
iRta the land ef strangers. in poverty and help
laasness Homeless, reckless, hardy and adFen-
iFsua, Viii Tile romantic elivary Of the cavaliers
ani Die atQicism Of Indian warriors these men,
haTaia Withtha thirst Of vengeance, were utterly
realoseless towards any that bore the hated fede-
aal pniforan Aaay were the encounters between
Lee ana Earle. along the st. Joseph Plank Road,
during The latter's short career. Earle and hs
men Had the advantage in arms and horses but
he Gpnfederates he'd q more perfect knowledge
If lid country, and an utter disregard for per
aonal sAfsty. Sometimes Earle would succeed in
ensrappinE few 8tragglers from Lees force
sometimes Lee's men would ambush d number Of
EaFle's Ga saeh occasions, no matter what the
odds, shs weaker party fought unllnohingly to the
death fog no quarter was asked for ratforded
Probably no single vicinity in the entire South
vas moFs frequently the scene Of such sanguinars
and determined struggles Lee is probably liv
iug ap exile iii some foreign countrys Earle wa.
alel We thAks 1T Fayette, Mississippi, whilst on
raid
he approach to ST. Joseph by travellers wai
generally made att night, the darker and more dis
agreeabIs the better; the plank road, fromlong
use and the absence Of all repairs, was in herri
sle condition. aud once away from immediat tt
pe9 from the federals, the time, till dawn and 2
plaRe uflrest and shelter, seemed endless and in-
gupportable, H u diffieultto realize the amount
Ne anxiety aaasqf fatigue, both mental andbodily,
which had to be undergone on such journeys
The rsfurn of peace has changed all this; the
Foad las been repaired thoroughly and heightened;
and 10 necessity e2ists to be ever on the alert for
sasnlies 81 jaghawaFa Or to travel in the dead
lafEs 81 the night.
ghe rbats by the plank road through st. Joseph
Mas of that adventurous character which death
alone can efiaee from the memory Of those that
made il during the stirring times Of the late war.
d sgIous EaRoR III CALCULATIONS The as
ilonanaFs have just ascertained that they have
meade erioas error ia their calculations, which
aeeenlts f9f onr not seeing tue . Shooting Stars
aHAayefsisea. Theg all fell into the same error,
hseaHAs theY all predleated their predictions on
fhe GfesnWich Observatory Htatene ut II which an
error has been discovered. tits ROW demonstrated
iaaE tlsia extraordinary phenomenon WI come ~
sa te nghto of the s1st Of March ne2f, between
i1ie henfs of two and four o'clock 4, ". Those
Nlse NilEEake tAe trouble 70 be mp and ahont at
sasst tisas win see stars il abundance.
be eshibitora at the coming State fair will do
kssp their eyes pealed, or the commits
alaas s iae worlds fair, 70 he held in Paris next
lFlI4 silf relieve them Of some Of their curiosi-
sis Is is continually on the alert. Look out
faF ar 10 fair, stars Or no stars, James
10 aa. Charles street, continues on nj
sas senoF 81 his way selling drugs and medi-
81 cas aiis ship Had
81 Tsx4s hose deaifous Of securing
pe0Hnodations and & pleasant TIP "a
sa Y mt fail 10 read the notice o. the
"a ssgAg of the splendid side-W 'aeei steam
spa9s = eapt II B. Eaton. y Y her ap-
s eamnlats and bef officers sente-