Otago Witness, 12 March 1864, Page 3
St. Louis, 21st December. A Fort Smith telegram of the 20th says an attack was made on the outposts of Fort Gibson on the 17th, by Standwaite, with a force stated to be 1600. He was repulsed, and fell back, taking part of his force across the Arkansas, below Gibson, moving north-east. The Third Wisconsin had just returned from a successful scout southward. They went within fifteen miles of the Red River, and finding that the enemy had changed position since last advices, they were unable to go further. Their return was a constant skirmish for over one hundred miles, strong bodies of the enemy being posted at all the cross roads to intercept them. Their loss is trifling. Among the prisoners taken is the notorious Handy Lane who boasts of having killed over one hundred union citizens with his own hands.
Otago Witness, 19 March 1864, Page 18
General Cleburne is the son of an Irish doctor. He ran away from home at 17, and enlisted in the 41st Regiment. Buying his discharge, he went to Arkansas, studied law, and got a good practice. When the State seceded, he became a soldier, and rose to command a division - "the highest rank obtained by a foreigner in the Confederate service." He ascribed his advancement to his training in the 41st.
Otago Witness, 2 April 1864, Page 7
The Legislatures of each State in the Confederacy have recently been in Session, and have dissolved, breathing threatenings and slaughter against their hated foe. The Federals have, it is true, what lawyers call pedis posspssio in Tennessee, but it has taken nearly three years to give them a gain of little more than 100 miles intersected throughout their length and breadth by two large and convenient navigable rivers, and in the end the sentiment of the large majority of the population remains bitterly hostile to them. All the best and bravest of the Arkansians are fighting in the field — most of them, like Arkansas' adopted son, General Cleburne, in the army of General Bragg — and because, out of a population scarcely exceeding 400,000 souls, of whom one-third are slaves, there are not found men enough to hold the soil against a few scattered Federals, it is claimed, forsooth, that Arkansas is loyal to the Union !
Otago Witness, 4 June 1864, Page 6
General Price has issued an order, dated Longwood, Arkansas, the 3rd, resuming command of the rebel Department of Arkansas.
St. Louis, 18th March. The capture of Jacksonport, Arkansas, by the rebels, is reported. They drove out two companies of the 4th Missouri cavalry, and came near capturing the steamer Dave. It is also reported that Quantrell is preparing to make a raid into Missouri in the spring.
Otago Witness, 16 July 1864, Page 11
General Clayton has been defeated by the Confederates with heavy loss in the Arkansas, which has since passed a Free State Constitution.
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, 25 August 1864, Page 4
Southern papers state the entire number of Federal prisoners captured during the recent campaigns in Louisiana and Arkansas was 16,000, and that Colonel Alexander, on the 7th ultimo, captured two Federal gunboats and three transports in the Calasian river, in South-western Louisiana. The same journals allege that the Federals destroyed all property on the Red river, from Natetrilochy to some distance above Alexandria. Dwelling-houses, sugar-houses, cotton gins, &c, were indiscriminately burned, thereby causing great suffering among the population.
Taranaki Herald, 3 September 1864, Page 6
The Federals have been driven out of Arkansas and Louisiana by the Confederates, with a loss of 16,000 prisoners. The Fugitive Slave Law Bill was repealed by a vote of 84 against 58. The Republican Convention at Baltimore re-nominated Lincoln for President. The Federal public debt is 1700 million dollars. The daily expenses of Government amount to 2 and a half million dollars.
Otago Witness, 17 September 1864, Page 21
THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES.
The actual present strength of the rebel forces : — Under General Lee's immediate orders, on the River Po, including Longstreet's corps, but not including any recent reinforcements 115,000
Under General Beauregard's at Richmond, and recently engaged against Butler 50,000
Imboden's Cavalry 5000
Recently under Breckenridge and Echols 20,000 At Wilmington and Petersburg, and between those two points 25,000
Under General Johnston, at Dalton, before he left that point 80,000
At Charleston and Savannah, since Beauregard left 20,000
At Mobile 5000
In Arkansas and Missouri, under Kirby Smith, Price, and Holmes 15,000
On the Red River, in Louisiana, and in Texas ; 25,000
Total 360 000
That the troops under Breckenridge and Echols proceeded to join Lee immediately after the defeat of Siegel, leaving Imboden's cavalry to watch the movements of Siegel or his successor. That between the time of the evacuation of Dalton and the time that General Sheridan entered Rome and Kingston, General Johnston had sent from 20,000 to 30,000 of his troops to Virginia to reinforce Lee. And that immediately after the repulse and retreat of Butler on the 16th, General Beauregard sent from 15,000 to 20,000 troops from Richmond to the South Anna River, to be ready to reinforce Lee if he should need them. If these statements are correct, it would give General Lee 175,000 troops with which to maneuver against General Grant.
Daily Southern Cross, 12 December 1864, Page 6
St Louis, September 25. It is now said that Price entered Missouri with a force estimated at thirty thousand His plan is supposed to be to control a portion of the State, and with three columns endeavour to capture all the important points and hold the country. It is expected that Kirby Smith will join in with ten to twelve thousand men. The Arkansas guerillas are also concentrating for this movement. The column now southeast is doubtless under Shelby, who has some six thousand to eight thousand men.
New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, 24 December 1864, Page 3
The Invasion of Missouri. Advices from the South-west announce that a force of between 20,000 and 30,000 Confederates had been concentrated under General Price for the invasion of Missouri, and that the advance had already entered the State, driving a militia regiment out of the town of Bloomfield. The main body bad crossed the Arkansas River between Little Rock and Fort Smith all communication between those points being suspended, and it, was rumoured that Little Rock bad been captured. It was expected that Price would attack Fort Smith before be entered Missouri. Shelby, with 8000 men, was at Powhattanon the 20th, and, was about to enter Missouri from the southeast. Subsequent accounts represent General Price moving against Rolla, his right being commanded by Shelby, his centre by Marmaduke and his left by Cooper. He has received 5000 recruits since he entered the State. Rosecrans had taken the field against him.
Price is last reported to be six miles west of Union City on the Jefferson City road. It is supposed that he purposes attempting the capture of Jefferson City and the establishment of a State government. It it reported that Price attempted to cross the Osage River, but was prevented by the Federals. The Pacific railroad, eight miles from Jefferson City, has beea burned.