The capture of the
Platte Valley by
Gen. Jeff. Thompson has already been briefly referred to. The following are the particulars of the affair, which we copy from the
Charleston (Mo.) Courier, of the 22d ult.:
‘
On Monday last,
Brig. Gen. Jeff. Thompson, with a part of his army and a battery of artillery, went from New Madrid to
Price's Landing for some purpose, said by the St. Louis
Democrat to be the capture of the
Marie Denning, supposed to be coming down loaded with guns and ammunition for the new gunboats, and also to capture
Gen. Grant and a Paymaster, who were to go up on the
Platte Valley to
Cape Girardeau.
Well, it seems the Marie did not come, but the
Platte Valley did, and
Gen. Thompson had her rounded to in irregular style, under fire from his cannon.
Upon boarding her, however,
Gen. Grant and the
Paymaster, with the money for the Cape troops, could not be found.
Rumor says they were hid, but the writer says they were not, for they were left at
Cairo; however, it was all the same, as they were
non comeatibus est boatibus.
Gen. Thompson arraigned
Captain Postal and the other boat officers before the bar, where, after a long time the most of the men, as well as the
General, were old practitioners, they together with a number of
United States officers on board were sworn to support the
Government of
Jeff. Davis, and not to take up arms against Dixie, or give aid and comfort to its enemies, and were then all discharged,
Capt. Postal and his boat going on their way rejoicing, minus a half barrel of brandy, which they presented to
General Thompson, who, with his army and the half barrel, evacuated
Price's Landing and retired in good order, passing through
Charleston to
East Prairie, where they were met by another detachment sent out to cut off any troops who might be detailed from
Bird's Point against him. Here they encamped for the night, and the next day returned to their camp at New Madrid.
’
