Memphis Daily Appeal, CS 16 July, 1862
INTELLIGENCE FROM THE ARMY OF GENERAL CURTIS.
Arrival of his Force at Helena.
Communication Opened with Memphis.
From the Memphis Bulletin, July 14.}

The ram Hornet, which has just arrived from below, brings us important intelligence from Gen. Curtis' army.
She brought as passengers Capt F. S. Winslow, chief quartermaster of Gen. Curtis' army, and Lieut. J. W. Noble, of the general's staff, from whom the particulars given below were obtained, and in whose statements perfect reliance may be placed.

The advance guard of Gen. Curtis army reached Helena, on the banks of the Mississippi, ninety miles below Memphis, at 9 o'clock Saturday morning, the 12th inst. The entire force undoubtedly arrived there before night.
The army left Batesville on the 27th of June, and marched by way of Jacksonport and Augusta to Clarendon, expecting there to meet the gunboats and transports attached to Col. Fitch's expedition with supplies.
Unfortunately Col. Fitch had left Clarendon just twenty-four hours before Gen. Curtis' advance reached there, and had dropped down to St. Charles.

Finding this to be the case, Gen. Curtis determined to leave the river and follow the military road to Helena, as affording a surer chance of obtaining supplies, of which his army began to stand in need.
On the 7th of July at Bayou de Cache, the advance guard of the army, comprising four companies of the 11th Wisconsin and four of the 33d Illinois regiments, under Col. Hovey, of the 33d, encountered a force of fifteen hundred rebel guerrillas, mostly conscripts, terming themselves mounted infantry, under Gen. Albert Rust. A sharp engagement ensued, during which the 1st regiment of Indiana cavalry came up with four mounted howitzers, and after a most determined fight of an hour and a half, the rebels finally broke and fled, leaving 110 dead bodies on the field.
The Federal loss was 8 killed and 32 wounded, including Major Glendenin, of the 1st Indiana cavalry, severely wounded, and Capt. Sloan, of the 11th Wisconsin, killed.

A force of five thousand rebels, reported to be stationed in the immediate neighborhood of the battle, did not make their appearance.

On the 4th inst., the 13th Illinois regiment, under Col. Wyman, while descending White river in a flatboat, was fired upon by a large force of guerrilla's concealed in a thicket. Fortunately they had taken the precaution to place barricades of cotton bales around the outer edge of the boat, and no one was seriously injured by the fire of the rebels. The 13th immediately returned the fire, and the guerrillas were seen to spring from their hiding places and runaway. It was reported that ten dead bodies were left on the bank.

Our informants represent the army to be generally in good health and fine spirits, although somewhat exhausted and a good deal dilapidated in regard to clothing, from their long march.

They have not suffered to any extent from want of food, as has been reported, although but three-quarters of the usual rations have been served out during the last twenty days.

The country through which they came is in better condition than has been represented hitherto. They found abundance of corn for forage, most of the way, and occasionally could procure fresh provisions.

They did not meet any portion of Gen. Hindman's forces, who aero supposed to be concentrating at Little Rock.

Since writing the above, we learn that Lieut. Noble has returned down the river with a steamboat load of stores for Gen. Curtis troops.

It is not yet known whether they will be brought here immediately, or will march in some other direction.