The National tribune., 1902-07-31

manded by Gen. Alfred W. Ellet was
assigned TO the drIe of cooperating with
the land forces, by q movement up the
YaZoo River TO Yazoo City with his fleet.
The movement of these forces by land and
water began on the morning of May 4.
Gen. McArthur's command marched ont
from Ficksburg ut the appointed time in
the direction of Messenger Ford. They
Travelled over the country which had been
the scene Of intense activity year before
during the operations of Gen. Grants
army against Vicksburg. Nearing Mes
senger Ford, the head of the column was
turned northwest and the march WAS ,li
rected through Oak Ridge and Mechanics
burg. The command marched to SCOTS
Ferry, on the Big Black River. and de-
stroyed it. Here Gen. Macarthur came
upon two regiments of the enemy with Il
wagon train. These troops had crossed
| the river to reinforce the Confederate
forces then in front of the Union eXpedi-
tion. The cavalry advanced upon the en-
emy, who took the road to Benton. Con
stant skirmishing ensued. The Confeder-
ate forces fell back to Benton, where they
made stand and held the Union cavalry
but when Gen. Macarthur arrived with
the infantry and artillery the enemy was
soon driven from their position and retired
northward.
| The Union forces pursued their antag-
onists for six miles, but were unable to
overtake and bring them to battle. Gen.
Macarthur returned to Benton with his
command. where he put himself in posi-
ton to meet and resist the attack of Gen
Writ Adams, who had crossed the liver
with a considerable force and had given
out that he would 5000 drive the Union
forces from the YaZoo. Macarthur took
! the precaution to destroy the ferry at
Moore's Bluff and to send his wagon train
| J,.t.t Inl To
directed Gen. Ellet to remain at that
place.
After waiting two days at Benton for
Gen. Adams's threatened attack, which
was not made Gen. Macarthur marched
out toward Vaughan's Station, on the Mis-
sissippi Central Railroad, and was met by
the enemy, who contested his march at
every available point; but the General
pushed forward with energy. When he
reached Luce's plantation he found the
enemy drawn up ready to receive him. A
considerable engagement followed, the en-
envy being forced to retire.
Vaughan's Station was destroyed. the
railroad was dlsmantlcd. and all the trcstle
work burned to the Big Black River. Dur
ing all these operations Gen. Adams kept
n body Of troops close upon Gen. Near
thurs column, but was never disposed to
cCme to general engagement. After the
destruction of the railroad Gen. Macarthur
marched TO Yazoo, and from thence by
easy stages returned to Vicksburg by the
valley road. arriving May 21. Gen. Ellet
Withdrew the gunboat feet and returned
TO the Mississippi River. This expedition
lproduced good results; it conclusively
showed to Gen. s. d. Lee. commanding
the Department of Alabama and Missis-
sippi, that the force at Eicksburg was Of
sufficient strength, and was commanded
by men of sufficient enterprise and ability.
to move into the interior of Mississippi
and break up the railroads used for sup
plying the Confederate army whenever
they saw fit to do so.
The bearing of the troops on this cxpe-
dition, both on land and wafer, was that
Of confidence and courage.
This was 4 field OF military operations
where the Union forces had carried to a
successful issue one of the greatest cam
paigns in military annals, and these troops
were fired with the ambition to maintain
the high standard of enterprise and valor
exhibited by the great Union army which
campaigned over the same ground in 1863.
| ITO 10 continued