port road, General Lee with his cavalry leading the column. At night the head of the infantry column rested at Bayou du Paul, seventeen miles from Natchitoches, and the cavalry rested at Crump's Hill, twenty-one miles from Natchitoches. During the day, the cavalry skirmished with the enemy, who fell back slowly before our advance firing continually.

coyed into an advance too far beyond the main two days at Natchitoches, marched on the Shreve body of the army, considering the resistance which he was encountering, which very clearly indicated an enemy in heavy force; and, second, the placing of a long baggage-train between the advance and the infantry column, in a country where the nature of the woods rendered it almost impossible to pass it without delay, was a very dangerous experiment. But for the presence of this train, Cameron's division might have reached the front in time to have taken position on our left, and then, if we had not been strong enough in the first encounter to repulse the enemy, we could have protected our line from that fatal flank movement, saved our batteries by forming a new line on the ridge in the rear, holding the rebels in check until Emory arrived, when we would have been strong enough to assume the offensive with a fair prospect of success.

Although this letter was only intended to cover a description of the battle on the eighth at the Sabine Cross-Roads, still the history of this day is so intimately connected with the events that immediately followed that I will, as briefly as possible, narrate them. During the night of the eighth our entire force fell back in safety to Pleasant Hill, fifteen miles from the battle-field. General Cameron and Colonel Landrum collected together the main body of their scattered troops, and the cavalry brigades were also got into camp. General Smith had reached Pleasant Hill on the night of the battle, and on the morning of the ninth all the baggage-trains were placed in the rear, and Smith's and Emory's forces united were placed in fine position ready to receive the enemy.

At daylight on the morning of the seventh the army was in motion. The cavalry found the enemy in considerable force, but drove him before them with some loss until two miles beyond Pleasant Hill, where the rebels were drawn up in line, and strongly posted in the edge of a wood with open fields in front. The force consisted of some two thousand five hundred cavalry, under the rebel General Green, and occupied the crest of a hill on the farm of Dr. Wilson.

General A. L. Lee ordered Colonel Robinson, commanding the Third brigade of Union cavalry, to advance and feel the enemy severely. The Eighty-seventh Illinois mounted infantry was accordingly sent forward on foot, and soon became heavily engaged with the enemy. Seeing them hard pressed, Colonel Robinson ordered forward the First Louisiana cavalry to support the Eightyseventh, and the action now became general. The Sixth Missouri howitzer-battery was put into position, and opened on the enemy with shot and shell; but despite the storm of bullets hurled against them the rebels pushed steadily forward at all points, and our left flank was in great danger of being turned.

General Lee, at this stage of the action, arrived on the ground, and at once ordered Colonel LuAbout half-past two o'clock the rebels made cas, commanding First cavalry brigade, up to the their appearance, and commenced skirmishing support of Colonel Robinson. Colonel Lucas and shelling our lines, and at half-past five they deployed his line and moved forward in fine attacked us in position in full force in the open style, the men going into action with a shout. field, and after a severe contest were repulsed The contest now raged with renewed fury, and with great loss. Our men, charging over the the pluck displayed on both sides was remarkfield, driving the enemy into the woods and able. Our troops slowly gained ground despite taking six hundred or seven hundred prisoners, the stubborn resistance they met at every step, besides recapturing two of the guns (belonging and drove the enemy into the timber. The to Nim's battery) lost on the previous day. This rebels attempted a charge, but were repulsed was on Saturday. On Sunday and Monday the with great gallantry by our troops. entire Union army retreated in good order to Grand Ecore, thirty-five miles, without any molestation, the rebels being evidently unable to follow us after their defeat at Pleasant Hill. The retrograde movement was doubtless the best that could be made under the circumstances, the loss of the cavalry train, and the necessity for obtaining additional supplies rendering a forward movement very difficult and hazardous. The Union army is still strong enough to fight its way through to Shreveport, unless weakened by the withdrawal of Smith's force, in which event the Red River expedition must be abandoned for the present. A. W. M.

NEW-YORK "HERALD" NARRATIVE.

GRAND ECORE, LA., April 11, 1864.

Early on the morning of Wednesday, April sixth, General Banks's column, having rested for

It was now discovered that our ammunition was giving out, and that the enemy was massing on the right of our line, which he soon after attacked with great vigor, compelling our force to slowly retire some hundred yards. The action now became lively, and the loss of the day was seriously apprehended; but Colonel Robinson, sabre in hand, cheered on the men, and the gallant fellows, many of them without a shot in their guns, rushed forward and drove the enemy into the woods and off the field. The day was won, but with severe loss in both officers and men. Captain Moss, of the First Louisiana cavalry, and Lieutenants Graham and Meader, of the Eighty-seventh Illinois mounted infantry, together with several privates, were wounded, and six or seven privates were killed.

Colonel Lucas, with his First cavalry brigade, closely followed by Colonel Robinson, with his

Third cavalry brigade, pursued the enemy several miles, as far as Carroll's saw-mill, where he found them drawn up on a wooded hill, with four guns in position. Heavy infantry and artillery firing continued until nightfall, when, in the dusk of the evening, a heavy rebel force charged on the Eighty-seventh, coming up to within ten feet of their line and firing rapidly. The gallant Eighty-seventh held their position, and, when the enemy were close upon them, delivered a volley and charged upon their assailants, driving them back in confusion. This ended the fighting for the day.

On the morning of the eighth, at an early hour, the cavalry, supported by Colonel Emerson's brigade of infantry, from Landrum's division of the Thirteenth corps, moved forward, and almost immediately discovered masses of the enemy in front. Colonel Lucas deployed his cavalry brigade on the left of the road, and Colonel Emerson's brigade was deployed on the right. Rawles's battery, (G,) Fifth United States artillery, was put into position in the road, and opened on the rebels, who were posted in a thick pine woods, with open fields in front. The day was beautiful, and the sun shone warm and bright from an unclouded sky as our lines moved forward to the music of the booming cannon and the brisk rattle of musketry. Fighting continued throughout the forenoon, during which time the enemy had been pushed back through dense piny woods a distance of six miles.

From almost every hill-top the rebels hurled their shot at our advancing columns, but doing little harm. In one of these many skirmishes Lieutenant-Colonel Webb, commanding the Seventy-seventh Illinois volunteers, was shot through the head and almost instantly killed. Lieutenant Jones, Sixteenth Indiana mounted infantry, was also killed, and Captain Merklein, Fourteenth New-York cavalry, slightly, and Captain Breese, commanding Sixth Missouri cavalry, severely wounded.

At midday the enemy was found in position in strong force at Sabine Cross-Roads, and heavy skirmishing began, which was kept up until two o'clock, when the calm that usually precedes the storm occurred. About this time General Ransom came up with another brigade of Landrum's division. General Banks in the mean time had arrived on the field, and at once sent couriers for General Franklin, who was some miles in the rear, to hasten forward with all possible despatch. Generals Stone, Lee, and Ransom rode to the front and carefully reconnoitred the enemy. He was in his favorite position, on high ground in a thick wood, with open fields in the form of a semicircle running around his front.

At half-past two o'clock all was quiet, and except an occasional shot from pickets here and there along the line there was no indication of the dreadful scene to be enacted. To look up at the clear blue sky and down at the green earth smiling in the sunlight, one would have thought it impossible that before the sun in the VOL. VIII.-Doc. 36

heavens went down, the turf beneath our feet would be made slippery with human gore, and strewn with the dead and dying. The day was fine. The infantry lay stretched on the ground, the troopers lounged lazily in their saddles, and the cannoneers sat upon their guns, enjoying the warm sunshine, while groups of officers gathered around their leaders and discussed the campaign, passing many a careless joke.

At three o'clock masses of the enemy were reported to be moving toward our right, and skirmishing became lively. At half-past three o'clock the enemy were restless along the whole front, and seemed meditating mischief. Anxiety now began to be felt for the arrival of General Franklin, and the right of our line was reënforced by taking troops from the left and centre. One brigade of Landrum's held the left, another the right and centre. Rawles's United States battery, with the First Indiana and the Chicago Mercantile battery, was posted on the right and centre, and Nim's celebrated battery on the left, supported by the Twenty-third Wisconsin infantry. The cavalry brigade of Colonel Lucas was ordered to act upon the right flank, the cavalry brigade of Colonel Dudley was ordered to act upon the left flank of our line, and the cavalry brigade of Colonel Robinson to remain opposite the centre, in rear, on the road, and to guard wagon-trains.

At four o'clock, or a little before, the enemy was reported to be advancing, and Colonel Wilson, of General Banks's staff; Colonel Brisbin, of General Lee's staff; Major Cowan and other staff-officers, were sent to ascertain the truth of the report. These officers soon returned, and reported the whole rebel line to be in motion and rapidly advancing. Our troops in silence awaited the attack; and soon it came, the right being. brought into action first. High and dreadful swelled the conflict. The enemy, pressing forward at all points, met a terrible resistance. Volley after volley was poured into their ranks, sweeping down hundreds, only to give place to new hundreds, who pressed forward to supply the places of the fallen.

Our troops stood firm; but the rebels, who outnumbered us more than two to one, began after an hour's hard fighting slowly to gain ground, and our thinned and bleeding ranks. were pressed back by overwhelming numbers into the woods. The rebels now began to show a heavy force on our left, which was the real point of attack, their movement toward our right having been a ruse to induce us to weaken our left by sending troops to the right, in which they had succeeded.

It was plain to all that no human bravery or skill could long withstand the odds against which our troops were fighting, and that unless Franklin speedily arrived we would be forced to retire. General Franklin, with his staff, did come up, but his division, under command of General Emory, was yet in the rear. Our thinned and wearied ranks stood up nobly against the masses

Many instances of personal bravery might be recorded unsurpassed by any thing in the annals of history; but there is not time to enumerate them now. One sergeant of artillery, however, In the mean time our right was fiercely engaged, deserves especial mention. This brave fellow and our centre was being pressed back, and final- would not leave his gun, though the horses were ly the right also gave way. Six guns of the shot down, the enemy close upon him and the Mercantile battery, two guns of Rawles's G bat-piece hopelessly lost. Still he stood by his gun tery, Fifth United States artillery, two mountain howitzers of the Sixth Missouri howitzer-battery, four guns of the First Indiana battery, and six guns of Nim's battery were left on the field.

Nim's battery, when the time was approach-cavalry brigade, is missing and supposed to be a ing that it could hold out but little longer, loaded each piece with a case of grape and canister, spherical case shell, and a sack of bullets containing about three hundred. This hurled death and destruction into the ranks of the enemy, who wavered and fell back at every discharge of these fated guns. The battery lost twenty-one officers and privates, sixty-four horses, and eighteen mules.

After the close of the battle of Friday, a council of war was called by General Banks, and it was decided to withdraw the army to Pleasant Hill, that place affording a better position to give battle to the enemy, who, it was expected, would renew the attack early in the morning. It was also known that General A. J. Smith's command had reached Pleasant Hill, and General Banks was anxious to unite the forces of Smith with his own.

The withdrawal of the force commenced at ten o'clock, and before daylight the rear of the army was well on the road. The enemy, in the night, had pressed his pickets down on our front, but he failed to discover the movement of our troops, the withdrawal being conducted with the greatest silence and expedition. It was not until morning that he was made aware that our army had left his immediate front, when he followed after with his main force, sending forward his cavalry in hot haste to find our whereabouts. But they failed to come up with our forces until they had reached Pleasant Hill. General Emory's division brought up the rear, and arrived at Pleasant Hill about seven o'clock in the morning.

Colonel Gooding, commanding the Fifth brigade of the cavalry division, as soon as General Emory had arrived at Pleasant Hill, was sent out on the Shreveport road to find the enemy.

tion on an eminence on the left of the road and in rear of Benedict's left. Hibbard's Vermont battery was in the rear of the division.

General A. J. Smith's division of the Sixteenth army corps, under command of General Mower, were massed in two lines of battle, with artillery, in rear of Emory's division. The right of the first line rested on the road, and was composed of two brigades, the First brigade on the right, commanded by Colonel Linch, the Second brigade on the left, commanded by Colonel Shaw. The Third Indiana battery (Crawford's) was posted in the first line of battle, on the right of the Eighty-ninth Indiana. The Ninth Indiana battery (Brown's) was in position on the right of the First brigade. The Missouri battery occupied ground on the right of the Eighty-ninth Indiana.

Other batteries were on the field, but neither the positions they occupied nor the names of their commanders were learned. All, however, did good service. General Smith's second line of battle was fifty yards in rear of the first, and was composed of two brigades, one on the right of the line, and that on the left commanded by Colonel Hill.

General Mower commanded the Second brigade, and was temporarily in command of the whole force, while General Smith commanded the corps as a separate command.

This disposition being made, our army waited the approach of the enemy, but as the day wore away, many began to believe that no attack would be made.

He had not proceeded up the road more than a mile when he met the advance of the rebels coming down. Finding the enemy approaching in strong force, Colonel Gooding skirmished with him until General Emory had completed the formation of his line of battle, when the cavalry It was now five o'clock, and but two hours of retired in good order, the enemy keeping up a daylight remained in which to fight the battle. hot fire on them as they fell back, killing and The skirmishing, which had continued all day, wounding some forty men belonging to the Sec- at this hour became lively, and at ten minutes ond New-York veteran cavalry, Eighteenth New- past five, General Emory sent word to General York cavalry, and Third Rhode Island cavalry. Franklin that the skirmishers were being driven Two officers were wounded, Captain G. W. Beech-in and the enemy marching down upon him in er and Lieutenant Hall, the latter of whom has three lines of battle. since died.

The battle-field was a large common just on the outside of the town of Pleasant Hill, on the Shreveport road. The ground was open and rolling, and ascended both from the side of the town and from the side on which the enemy was expected, a belt of timber extending almost entirely around the field.

At twenty minutes past five, the enemy ap peared on the plain at the edge of the woods, and the battle commenced, our batteries opening upon him with case shell as he marched at a doublequick across the field to the attack.

Our left, Colonel Benedict's brigade, came into action first, and soon after our right and centre were engaged. The battle now raged fiercely, the air was full of lead and iron, and the roar of musketry and artillery incessant. The carnage on both sides was fearful, the men fighting almost hand to hand, and with great desperation.

Nothing could exceed the determined bravery of our troops; but it was evident Emory's division was fighting the whole army. Pressed at all points by overwhelming numbers, our line fell back up the hill to the Sixteenth corps, which was concealed just behind the crest.

General Emory's division was drawn up in line of battle on the side of the hill, his right resting across the Shreveport road. General McMillen's brigade formed the extreme right of the line, and his right rested near the woods, which extended along the whole base of the hill, and through which it was expected the enemy would advance. General Dwight's brigade was formed on the left of General McMillen's on the right of the road, the left resting on the road. Colonel Benedict's brigade formed on the left of General Dwight, the right resting on the road a little in the rear of General Dwight, forming an echelon to his General Smith made all preparations to receive brigade. Two pieces of Taylor's battery were the advancing foe, and as the human tide caine placed in the rear of Dwight's left, on the road, rolling up the hill, he looked quietly on until the and the remaining four pieces were got into posi-enemy were almost up to the muzzles of his guns,

Taylor's battery for a time fell into the hands of the enemy.