The following is transcribed from the New York Times, dated November 12, 1861:

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Correspondence of the Chicago Journal.

CAIRO, Thursday, Nov. 7.

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          Having returned from the disastrous, yet glorious, expedition down the river at too late an hour to furnish you the full information for your paper of today, by the telegraph, I avail myself of one hour's leeway in which to write, to send by a train that is now making up to leave. When it was proposed to start an expedition down the river, the best information that had been received at headquarters left the impression that there was but a small garrison of rebels at the little town of Belmont, Mo., nearly opposite Columbus, and its proximity to Columbus, the rebel headquarters, made its occupancy desirable as a strategical point. In order that its occupation should be effected with the least possible expenditure of blood, and without precipitating a general battle, the movement was kept, or attempted to be kept, a profound secret. But the result proves that there were traitors in camp, who availed themselves of the earliest possible information, and not unlikely of full details of the expedition, which were transmitted without delay to the rebels in ample time for them to complete perfect preparations for our reception. Last evening the detail for the expedition was announced, composed as follows: Twenty-seventh Illinois Regiment, Col. BUFORD. Thirtieth Illinois Regiment, Col. FOUKE. Thirty-first Illinois Regiment, Col. LOGAN. Twenty-second Illinois Regiment, Col. DOUGHERTY. Seventh Iowa Regiment, Col. LAMAN. Taylor's Chicago Battery, Capt. TAYLOR. Two companies of Cavalry, Capts. DELANO and DOLLEN. The whole was under command of Gen. GRANT. Gen. MCCLERNAND accompanied the expedition and rendered very valuable assistance, taking the immediate command of the Cairo troops as one division of the advance, the Bird's Point troops constituting a second division under Col. DOUGHERTY. The force embarked upon the steamers Alex. Scott, Chancellor, Memphis and Keystone State, the whole under the escort of the gunboats H.O. Tyler and Lexington. The total available force of the expedition was about three thousand live hundred. The design was to reach Belmont just before daylight, but owing to unavoidable delays in embarking, it was 8 o'clock before the fleet reached Lucas Bend, the point fixed upon for debarkation. This is about three miles north of Columbus, Ky., on the Missouri side. The enemy were encamped upon the high ground back from the river, and about two find a half miles from the landing. From their position they could easily see our landing, and had ample time to dispose their forces to receive us, which they did with all dispatch. They also sent a detachment of light artillery and infantry out to retard our march and annoy us as much as possible. A line of battle was formed at once on the levee, Col. FOUKE taking command of the centre, Col. BUFORD of the right, and Col. LOGAN of the left. The advance from the river bank to the rebel encampment was a running fight the entire distance, the rebels firing and falling back all the way, while our troops gallantly received their tire without flinching and bravely held on their way, regardless of the missiles of death that were flying thick and fast about them. The way was of the most indifferent character, lying through woods with thick underbrush, and only here and there a path or rough country road. The three divisions kept within close distance of each other, pressing over all obstacles and overcoming all opposition, each striving for the honor of being first in the enemy's camp. This honor fell to the right division, led by Col. BUFORD. It was the gallant Twenty-seventh Illinois who, with deafening cheers, first waved the Stars and Stripes in the midst of the rebel's camping ground. The scene was a terribly exciting one -- musketry and cannon dealing death and destruction on all sides; men grappling with men in a fearful death struggle; column after column rushing eagerly up, ambitious to obtain a post of danger; officers riding hither and thither in the thickest of the light, urging their men on, and encouraging them to greater exertions; regiments charging into the very jaws of death with frightful yells and shouts, more effective as they fell upon the ears of the enemy than a thousand rifle balls -- and in the midst of all is heard one long, loud, continuous round of cheering, as the Star Spangled Banner is unfurled in the face of the fog, and defiantly usurps the mongrel colors that had but a moment before designated the spot as rebel ground. In the hurry in which I am compelled to write this letter, I have no time to arrange a clear and concise narrative of the battle, if that were possible, in the excitement now existing here. But as confusion and excitement prevail on all sides, and part of the regiments are now at Bird's Point, and just now inaccessible from here, and others are away in camps on this side of the river, the particular exploits of the different corps cannot given in this communication. The Twenty-second boys have the honor of having silenced and captured a battery of twelve pieces, which had been dealing destruction with marked success. The Thirtieth had been badly cut up by this battery, and were straining every nerve to capture it. They express considerable disappointment that the prize was snatched from them. They turned away in search of new laurels, and in charging into the very midst of the camp, were drawn into an ambuscade, where they were again suffering terribly, though maintaining their ground unflinchingly, when the Thirty-first came to their assistance. An impetuous and irresistable charge was then made, that drove the rebels in all directions, and left the field in possession of the Federal forces. The rebel camps were fired, and with all their supplies, ammunition, baggage, etc., was totally destroyed. The discovery, on the Kentucky side, that we were in possession of their camp, led to an opening of the rebel batteries from that direction upon us. The fire was very annoying, the more so as we were not in position to return it. Just at this juncture the report was brought to Gen. GRANT by Lieut. PITTMAN, of the Thirteenth Illinois Regiment, who had, with his company, (F,) been on scouting duty, that heavy reinforcements were coming up to the rebels from the opposite side of the river. Indeed, the discovery was also made that the enemy were pouring over the river in immense numbers, and the danger was imminent that our retreat would be cut off. The order to fall bark to the boats was therefore given, but not a moment too soon. The way was already filled with rebel troops, and as we had fought our way up to the encampment, so we were obliged to fight back to our boats, and against desperate odds. But the men were not lacking in courage, and fought like veterans, giving ample demonstration of their determination. Every regiment of Federal troops suffered more or less severely in their return march, but the general opinion prevails that the rebels suffered far greater losses than we. Wherever they made a stand we put them to flight, and, although we lost many brave men, either killed, wounded or taken prisoners, we made at least two of their men bite the dust for every one that fell from our ranks. Our regiments all reached their boats, though with considerably thinned ranks. We also brought away, as near as can be ascertained, two hundred and seventy-five prisoners, two cannon, and a quantity of muskets, small arms, equipments, blankets, &c. Our losses, as far as known at the present writing, are as follows: Twenty-second Illinois Regiment: Col. DOUGHERTY was wounded on the field, and is now missing. It is supposed he was taken prisoner. Capt. SHELLON, killed; Lieut. SMITH, killed, and four privates of his company missing. Thirtieth Illinois Regiment; Maj. MCCLERKIN, wounded, and supposed to be taken prisoner. Capt. MORELEY, killed; Lieut. DOTTERY, killed; Sergeant GOODWIN, missing; supposed to have been taken prisoner. When last seen, he was ministering to the wounded, and refused to leave them. Besides the above, there are one hundred and sixty-two missing from the regiment. Thirty-first Regiment; Company A, twenty missing. Company B, six killed and two wounded. Company C, Capt. Looney, wounded; private McGowan, killed; seven wounded and three missing. Company D, two killed and wounded, and five missing. Company E, two killed, two wounded and fifteen missing. Company F, Capt. Rigby wounded by a spent grapeshot and taken prisoner; Orderly Sergeant Lappea killed; private Lawrence, and eight others, killed; privates Jesse Rotherfield, P. Hagers and four others wounded; ten missing. Company G, Lieut. Strickler and a private wounded slightly; five missing. Company H, Second Lieut. Roberts, private Joseph Bowles and eighteen others missing. Company I, Capt. McCook and ----- Brochu captured; thirty missing; the number of wounded has not yet been ascertained. Company K, Corporal Van Kening, private J.C. Cole and another private killed. Capt. Summerville wounded in the hand. The Assistant Surgeon of the regiment, Dr. Whitnale, was taken prisoner while ministering to the wounded. Lieut.-Col. White had several narrow escapes; four bullet holes appear in different parts of his clothing, but he escaped unhurt. Of the troops at Bird's Point no information whatever can be obtained to-night. TAYLOR's Chicago Battery lost one of their guns, but captured two from the enemy in return. The battery captured in the engagement in the midst of the encampment we were obliged to leave behind. The guns, however, were first carefully spiked. Gen. GRANT was everywhere in the thickest of the fight, and performed wonderful deeds of bravery. The men never tire of lauding his gallantry. He had two horses shot from under him. Gen. MCCLERNAND was also among the bravest of the brave, and won imperishable laurels. He lost one horse from under him, and a second was wounded, when he mounted a gun that had just been captured, and rallied his men to fresh onslaughts. Capt. BIELASKER, of Gen. MCCLERNAND's staff, was killed by a cannon ball. Capt. DRESSER, of the same staff, had a horse shot from under him. Assistant Adj.-Gen. BROENAN, though equally conspicuous in the fight with the other officers, was the only one of the General's staff that was not wounded or hurt. It is reported at headquarters, that Col. LAUMAN, of the Seventh Iowa Regiment, is dangerously wounded. Brigade Quartermaster HATCH is wounded in the leg. He was the last to embark for the return, staying behind, regardless of personal danger, to assist all on board. The best information I can gather to-night, places our loss at from 300 to 500. I think 350 will cover it. The battle lasted from 11 o'clock in the morning until sundown. Had the day been longer, we should have stood the ground later, and doubtless have achieved a decided victory. The rebel loss must be greater than ours. Among their killed was Col. JOHN V. WRIGHT, of the Fifteenth Tennessee Regiment, formerly member of Congress from that State. It is supposed that the rebel camp at Belmont numbered not less than 7,000. These were wholly routed by the gallant assaults of our little band of less than 4,000. Our fatigued and wounded men were then obliged to overcome a body of 5,000 fresh troops in fighting their way back to the boats. Such fighting against odds so vastly superior is seldom recorded. The rebel reinforcements crossed directly opposite Columbus, and their movements were concealed from the gunboats as well as from our main forces, until they had formed on the Missouri side and were marching up to cut off our retreat to the boats, when our scouts discovered them, and reported to Gen. GRANT, as stated above. I have no time to give the unfounded rumors and reports that are now floating about, and close in great haste.

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