The National tribune., 1901-12-05

Spmbled the fleet At MIlllken Bend, Na1'-
Gen. John A. McClernand. who had been
assigned TO command the Thirteenth Army
Corps, being the ranking officer, assumed
command of the entire military force, Jan.
4, 1868. Brig.-Geu. George w. Morgan
was given the command of the Thirteenth
Army Corps, and Gen. Sherman resumed
the command of his own, the Fifteenth
Corps.
Gen. McClcrnand had for some time
been anxious TO command an expedition
to open the Mississippi River. He had
communicated his wishes and ideas TO
President Lincoln, and the President was
strongly inclined to issue the necessary
orders.
When Gen. Grant, on Dec. s. 1862, at
Oxford, Miss, issued an order to Gen.
Sherman directing him to return to Mem
phiS and organize q large force TO operate
down the river against Nicksburg, be
communicated his order to Gen. Haileck,
COmmander-in-Chie at Washington, and
it was approved Dec. 8; but in his dis
patch Gen. Haileck observed 1.-The Presi-
dent may insist upon designating Sepa-
rate commander; if not, assign such Off
GERS as You deem best. Sherman would
be my choice as the Chief under you.'
Nothing further was heard from Wash
ington until Dec. 1S, when Gen. Halleck
telegraphed Gen. Grant, 1T is the wish
of the President that Gen. McClernands S
Corps shall constitute a part of the river
expedition and that he shall have the
immediate command under your dlrec-
ton"
When this dispatch was received, Gen.
Sherman, with 10000 men and an inn
mense feet of transports, was ready TO
move; the embarkation of the troops be
gan on the following day, and on Dec ~
Gen. Sherman started down the river TO
Helena.
MCLERNAND ASSUMES COMMAND.
Gen. McClernand was not with the
troops when assigned to this new duty,
but soon left his home in Illinois for his
command, and on Dec. 80 took 4 steamer
at Memphis for Vicksburg. On his way
down he called at Helena and in con-
sultatiOn with Gen. German suggested the
importance of capturing and destroying
Fort Hindman at the Arkansas port. This
was a permanent military post, well fOrtl-
fed and strongly garriSOned for the pur-
pose of maintaining hold upon the State
of Arkansas, defending Little Rock, the
capital of the State and as base OF ag-
gressiye operations against the free nayi-
CATION of the Mississippi River; but
few days before Gen. McClernand's ar
rival detachment from the fort cap
tured the steamer Blue Wing" a Gov
ernment transport laden with valuable
military stores.
Upon taking command of the forces at
Milliken'S Bend, and without allowing the
troops to disembark from the transports,
Gen. McClernand issued an order for
movement against Arkansas Post. The
General saw no Immediate prospect for
active operations if the troops should go
into camp at the Bend, so he decided to
capture Arkansas Post and thereby regain
for the Army and Navy, operating on the
Mississippi, the prestige resulting from
success Admiral Porter fully approved
Gen. McClernand's plans and entered ac-
lively into the preparations for making It
q success.
Gen. McClernand issued his orders of
march and Of battle to his corps com
manders.
Gen. Sherman was given the right of
the line, and therefore had the advance
in the movement of the great feet. Ad-
miral Porter, with his feet of armed YES
sels-the Blackhawk, Lexington, Mon
arch, Louisville, Cincinnati, De Kalb,
Rather and Clyde-formed the advance
guard, the rear guard and escort of the
81 steamers which conveyed the 10000
men of the Thirteenth and Fifteenth
Army Corps, with all their artillery,
horses, wagons, provisions, ammunition
and paraphernalia of war.
The great armada proceeded up the
river on its terrible mission, but was COM
PEELED to tie up here and there and send
ashore troops of men with axes to pre-
pare fuel for the journey, the old-time
wood-piles had disappeared and there
were no cargoes Of coal ready to be sold
to passing steamers.
Gen. McClernand decided not TO enter
the Arkansas River at its mouth. but to
reach that stream by way Of White River
and the cutoff which connects the two
rivers; his aim was TO keep the Confed-
crate commander in ignorance of his real
intentions as long as possible
On Jan. = the feet reached the mouth
of White River. The ascent of White
River, the passage of the cutoff and the
ascent of the Arkansas River to a point
within three miles of Arkansas Post, was
accomplished without resistance by 5
o'clock p. IN, on the 9th, and the work
Of debarkatiOn was Immediately begun.
There was a certain terror produced by
the APPROACH of Porter's gunb0at feet that
kept the Confederate land forces, with
their scouts and skirnishers. at respect
full distance, so that McClernand's forces,
working during the night, were ashore on
the left bank Of the river, ready for the
fray with all their enginery Of war by
noon of the 10th. In the meantime, the
gunboats had moved up towards the fort
BEFORE ARKANSAS POST.
Arkansas Post is a small town on the
Arkansas River, and is the County Seat
Of Arkansas County. 1t is situated on
high ground at the head OF great bend
of the river, 80 miles above the mouth Of
the river and III miles below Little Rock.
A permanent camp for troops had been
Constructed with log houses for shelter.
The position was skillfully fortified; an
extensive system of rihe-pits had been
constructed commanding every line of ap-
proach, and Fort Hindman, a square, full
Fashioned fort, was erected within the
town. The sides of this fort between the
salient angles was 800 feet. The parapets
were Is feet wide on top; the ditch 20
feet wide and eight feet deep. On the
river front there were large classmates of
great strength with heavy roofs, in which
were mounted eight and niDe-inch colun.
boat feet, and the fort also had four
three-inch Parrot guns and four six
pCunder mouth-bore guns; the magazines
were well filled with ammunition. Along
the rifie-pits six field-Pieces were mounted.
The Confederate forces at Arkansas
Post were commanded by Brig Gen. Thcs.
J. Churchill. He kept a picket post on
duty on the Arkansas River at the mouth
of the cutoff. On the morning of Jan.
8, 1868, the gunboat squadron, followed
by the fleet of transports, hove in sigh;
and soon passed into the Arkansas River.
The Confederate pickets retired and has
tened to communicate the facts to the
commander at the Port.
Gen.. Churchill nj once sent two bri-
gades of infantry to occupy the outer
works about one and a quarter miles be-
low the fort, and sent three companies OF
cavalry "a watch tho movements of the