Points of interest in Louisiana.
In view of the recent news from Louisiana a description of the places invested with new interest by these advices will not be uninteresting. Shreveport is the capital of Caddo Parish, La., situated near the foot of Caddo Lake, in the northwestern part of the State. It is finely located for business on the Red river, being surrounded by an exceedingly fertile planting region, about thirty miles below the "great raft." Since the war Shreveport has been an extensive depot for commissary and other stores for the Trans-Mississippi Confederate troops, and up to the time of the siege of Vicksburg, formed an important link in the "chain of supplies" for our Western army. There is a military prison there, which has at times contained a large number of Yankee prisoners. It is two hundred and thirty miles from the mouth of the river.Alexandria, one hundred and fifty miles from the mouth, is, we believe, the highest point on Red river ever visited by the enemy before the present expedition.
Eighty miles above is Natchitoches, an old French town, settled in 1713. It is noted in history as the scene of a hard battle between the inhabitants and the Natchez Indians, 1732, resulting in the extinction of the Natchez as a distinct nation. It was formerly situated on the Red river, but that stream has "taken a new channel" of about thirty miles in length, and is now about four miles from the town. During high water the old channel is full and navigable for about three months. The remainder of the year it is nearly dry. The place once used to be a great resort for Texas traders. But all its glory has departed; and it is now dwindled into comparative insignificance — but few prestiges of its prosperity remaining.
From Shreveport a railroad has been graded westward to Marshall, Texas, and sixteen miles beyond, making a line in all some sixty miles in length. The work on this railroad was stopped by the war. There is a fine wagon road running from Shreveport west to Texas.
Many years ago a railroad route was projected to Vicksburg, which was completed from the latter place west as far as the Monroe or the Ouachita river. This was almost completely destroyed by the great freshet in 1863. It was afterwards repaired, but was destroyed by us when driven back by the Federals. We understand it has been repaired and used by them in transporting troops, &c. The rivers of Louisiana are navigable only during the spring freshets. After that time but few of them are deep enough for steamers or transports of any size.
