May 18, 1863, The New York Herald
By the arrival of the steamer George Washington, from New Orleans on the 9th instant, we have a full account of the capture of Alexandria, on the Red river, by Admiral Porter, the arrival of Admiral Farragut at New Orleans, and an intensely interesting and most valuable description of the cavalry raid of Colonel Grierson with his gallant Illinois cavalry, which will be found in our Baton Rouge correspondence. His expedition was a magnificent success. He cut his way through the enemy’s country with two regiments of cavalry, destroying on his route four millions of rebel property, capturing over a thousand men and twelve hundred horses, demolishing a camp of instruction, with all its equipments, cutting the communication on the great Northern and New Orleans and Jackson railroads and destroying a large number of cars, telegraph wire, water tanks and army stores. After passing through many dangers and working terrible damage he arrived at Baton Rouge on the 1st inst., to the great surprise of the inhabitants. From thence he pushed on to New Orleans, where he was received with great eclat, as will be seen by our correspondent’s description. The whole movement only occupied seventeen days. This is certainly one of the most brilliant feats of the war.
We have received from the Southern journals a number of highly interesting articles, chiefly dwelling upon the disastrous effects of these grand cavalry raids of ours in Virginia, Mississippi and Georgia, in which it will be seen the enemy admit that terrible damage has been done by our forces in these States. The Richmond journals also lay great stress upon the occupation of West Point, Virginia, by the Union forces, intimating that its possession would be an incalculable damage to that large and most productive portion of Virginia, which, having thus far escaped the ravages of war, has supplied the people of Richmond and the troops and hospitals with large and indispensable supplies of breadstuffs and other provisions. Such is the opinion of the Examiner. And it further states that the presence of an army at West Point will completely paralyze the agricultural energy of more than seventy thousand persons, the most distant of whom do not reside fifty miles from Richmond; because, not having suffered from the ravages of war, the farmers throughout that whole region are making the most extensive preparations for large crops. These are significant admissions, and show not only the value but the necessity of gaining and keeping a secure foothold at West Point.
Lieutenant Colonel H. Davis, of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, sends forward his report of the part which his troops played in the great Stoneman expedition in Virginia, and it was a highly efficient and well conducted one. In his dash from the South Anna river to Gloucester Point he destroyed an amount of the enemy’s property, consisting chiefly of army stores, found in wagons and railroad trains, of bridges, roads and depots, to the value of over a million of dollars. In his expedition he came into collision with the rebel pickets at several points; killed and captured many of them, and only lost on his own side two commissioned officers, and thirty-three privates killed, wounded and missing.
We have it stated on the authority of the Chattanooga Rebel of Saturday that Jackson, Mississippi, was then occupied by the Union forces; that the rebels held out against our troops all day, but could not hold the city. It will be remembered that at the latest accounts the rebels were driven from Raymond to Mississippi Spring, where they intended to make a stand. We presume that if the above report be true – and both stories come from the enemy’s side – they were unable to maintain themselves at that point, and fell back on Jackson, where they were overwhelmed by our forces.
Our expeditionary correspondence from the Big Black river, dated the 3d inst., which we give in another column, details very briefly the operations of General Grant’s army in that region, the capture and occupation of Port Gibson, and the spirited actions which preceded it.
The rebels in front of General Hooker’s position are throwing up new and formidable earthworks along the line of hills to the left and in the rear of Fredericksburg. They are evidently preparing to resist a second advance of our army. It was reported yesterday that every soldier available for service in the field who may be now detached on duty, either around Washington and Baltimore, or on the railroads of Virginia and Maryland, will be at once forwarded to General Hooker’s army, and their places supplied by the Pennsylvania militia, with the consent of Governor Curtin.
A party of United States cavalry having been captured at Charlestown, Va., on Friday night by a body of rebels, Gen. Schenck sent out a force of Gen. Milroy’s command to intercept the rebels. They were overtaken at Piedmont Station and recaptured by Milroy’s troops, together with forty rebels.
Our files from Nassau, New Providence are to the 9th of May. They contain ample evidence of the fact that the trade of running the blockade of the Southern ports from that British harbor continued as brisk as ever. Our marine columns today show a list of the vessels engaged in the traffic. The Nassau Guardian of the 9th instant states that the steamer Kate arrived from Liverpool on the 7th; the steamer Orion, from Hartlepool, on the 8th, and the steamer Ella and Anna, from Charleston, on the morning of the 9th. These arrivals enabled them to publish news from the mother country to the 19th ultimo, and from the Southern States of America to the 6th instant. The following blockade runners cleared from Nassau on the 7th and 9th inst.’– Steamers Britannia, Emma, Norseman, Pet, Antonica, Victory, Calypso and Banshee. The ship New Era, from New York for New Orleans, with a cargo of provisions, was wrecked at Cat Cay on the 15th of April.
The steamer City of New York, with dates to the 6th and 7th from Liverpool and Queenstown, four days later, arrived here late last night. The American question has been receiving the further consideration of our Minister, Mr. Adams. A deputation of the Trades Unionists, introduced by Mr. Bright, had waited upon him to present the address recently adopted at a public meeting of that body, sympathizing with the North and applauding President Lincoln for his emancipation policy.
Mr. Adams made a reply, recognizing their right to present such address, as, no doubt, they saw in the present war an attempt on the part of the South to establish a government on the destruction of the rights of labor.
The tone of the provincial journals was more moderate, and a general desire for the preservation of peace between the two countries was more freely expressed. The English funds were buoyant. The Liverpool cotton market was firm and active. Consols were at 93 3/8 a 93 1/2.
The communications interchanged by the leading Powers of Europe on the Polish question were published, and excited much interest. They do not appear to be regarded as at all satisfactory in the present phase of affairs.