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when a sheet of flame flashed along his lines, and, with the crash of ten thousand thunders, musket-balls, mingled with grape and canister, swept the plain like a besom of destruction. Hundreds fell dead and dying before that awful fire.

Scarcely had the seething lead left the guns when the word "Charge!" was given, and seven thousand brave men precipitated themselves upon the shattered ranks of the enemy. Emory's division, which had only yielded to superior numbers, and remained unbroken, now rushed forward and joined the Sixteenth corps, driving the rebels rapidly down the hill to the woods, where they broke and fled in the greatest confusion and dismay.

Colonel Benedict, while gallantly leading his brigade in the charge, fell dead, pierced by five balls.

The battle was fought and the victory won. Our troops followed up the rebels until night put an end to the pursuit.

In the last charge we recaptured Taylor's battery, which had been lost in the earlier part of the action, and retook two guns of Nim's battery, which had been lost in the battle of the preceding day.

The ten-pound Parrott gun which the rebels captured last fall at Carrion Crow was also retaken.

Five hundred prisoners, all the dead and wounded, three battle-standards, and a large number of small-arms, fell into our hands.

Our victorious army slept upon the battle-field, which was one of the bloodiest of the war.

Early the next morning our line of march was taken up to Grand Ecore, to obtain rest and rations, the army being too much fatigued by the three days' fighting and severe marching it had undergone to attempt pursuit of the enemy.

This battle was one of the best appointed and delivered of the war. It reflects much credit upon the head of the army of the Gulf, and is equally honorable to all who were engaged in it. General Banks was present from the beginning to the close of the engagement, and rode over the field through showers of bullets, personally directing the movements of the troops. General Banks's staff ably assisted him, freely sharing the danger with their chief, and behaving throughout the action with the greatest gallantry.

General Franklin and staff were in the hottest of the fire. Of the soldiers who so bravely fought the battle and achieved a splendid victory, it need only be said, that the men of Maine, Missouri, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, NewYork, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana, sustained their reputation, standing shoulder to shoulder with the loyal Louisiana troops; and well may their States be proud to claim them as sons of their soil. The heroes of Vicksburgh and Port Hudson may now add the name of Pleasant Hill to the list of their glorious victories.

dry, the main body having been sent to convoy
the wagon-trains to Grand Ecore.
No part of the Thirteenth army corps was in
the battle.

In the battle of Friday, the rebel General Mouton was killed by the unerring rifles of the Nineteenth Kentucky. He received four balls in his body.

The rebel General Kirby Smith is reported to have commanded the troops in the battle at Pleasant Hill.

The entire losses of the campaign thus far may be summed up as follows: Twenty pieces of artillery. One thousand five hundred men in General Ransom's corps. Six hundred men in General Emory's division. Five hundred men in General Smith's Sixteenth army corps. Four hundred men in the cavalry division. One hundred and thirty cavalry, division, and brigade wagons. One thousand two hundred horses and mules, including the great number that died on the march across the Teche from disease.

Our gains thus far are the capture of Fort De Russy, Alexandria, Grand Ecore, and Natchitoches, the opening of Red River, the capture by the gunboats of three thousand bales of prizecotton, one half of which goes to the Government, and the bringing of other considerable quantities of cotton to our markets. Besides this, we have captured at Fort De Russy, Henderson's Hill, Pleasant Hill, Mansfield, and elsewhere, two thousand three hundred prisoners, including three lieutenant-colonels, six majors, and thirty line-officers at Pleasant Hill, twentyfive pieces of artillery, any quantity of smallarms there and at other points, four hundred bushels of meal, thirty barrels of beef, and a dépôt commissariat at Pleasant Hill.

Besides, under the administration of ProvostMarshal Neafie, of the One Hundred and Fiftysixth New-York volunteers, Alexandria has returned to its allegiance; eight hundred citizens have taken the oath of fealty to the Government of the United States, and eight hundred have enlisted there into the military service of our Government.

The material for at least two full colored regiments has thus far been garnered in, and the rebels have been deprived of the service of five thousand able-bodied negroes, male and female, who have abandoned their happy homes and cast their fortunes with the Yankees.

Forage nearly enough to supply the immediate needs of the army, and beef, cattle, and horses have fallen into the hands of our advancing army.

When Shreveport is taken and occupied, and the rebel State government is driven therefrom to seek another temporary resting-place, the chief object of the present campaign will be accomplished.

Colonel Gooding, of the Fifth cavalry brigade, which went to the front to "entertain" the enThe cavalry division, except a part of Colonel emy on Saturday morning until General Emory's Lucas's brigade, was not in the action on Satur-line could be formed, was shot at by a rebel rifle

man, who sent a ball into the Colonel's hat, perforating the crown and lifting it from his head. An orderly dismounted and handed the Colonel his hat, who was saluted by three rousing cheers from the men of his command who observed his coolness and gallantry.

Captain Becker, of the Second New-York veterans, was shot through the neck Saturday morning, but vaulted into his saddle after his wound was dressed, and remained with his command during the entire day.

The rebels made seven distinct charges on General Dwight's line, which held the extreme right; the One Hundred and Fourteenth, One Hundred and Sixteenth, and One Hundred and Fifty-third New-York volunteers maintained their ground manfully, and repulsed the enemy most gloriously.

The Eighty-ninth Indiana regiment recaptured two batteries.

The Thirty-fifth Iowa repelled three charges. The Colonel of the Thirty-third Missouri was wounded.

The rebel General Scurry, commanding McCulloch's old Texas brigade, was slightly wounded; Major Muller, Seventeenth Texas rebel infantry, was killed.

ant Hill. Eight miles out, a small party of the enemy, fifteen or twenty in number, were seen, who fled precipitately. From the bridge, scouting-parties were sent out, who touched their pickets, but discovered no indications of the enemy in force. One of these scouting-parties, led by Lieutenant E. V. Hitch, Assistant AdjutantGeneral of the brigade, was fired at by the rebel pickets. Lieutenant Hitch received a slight wound in his arm, and leaves for New-Orleans to-day.

Our troops are in excellent spirits and anxious for another advance. They can whip the enemy in any stand-up fight, unless a much superior force is encountered, of which there is no fear whatever.

The repulse of our advance-guard at Sabine Cross-Roads, is freely discussed, as well as the victories which afterward followed. When Emory's division came up, the enemy was pressed hard, and his losses must have been terrible, as that division, though fighting almost alone, punished the rebels severely and forced them back with immense slaughter. Our losses in the early part of the action that day, must have been equalled by the enemy's loss at its close, though the capture of our artillery and trains was a point gained over us.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg, one of the captured In the succeeding day's fight at Pleasant Hill, rebels, reports that Kirby Smith commanded the the enemy must have lost three to our one. The rebel forces in person, numbering twenty thou-battle-field, which we occupied that night, was sand the first day, and twenty-five thousand the second.

strewn with their dead and wounded, who also dotted the roads by which our victorious army pursued them, until night rendered longer pur

General Banks having fallen back to Grand Ecore, thirty-five miles from Pleasant Hill, fifty-suit impossible. five miles from Mansfield, and ninety-five miles from Shreveport, will advance again as soon as he is reenforced and adequate supplies are received. The loss of artillery is a trivial matter, as nearly the whole fighting, owing to the nature of the heavily wooded country, must be done by infantry.

Admiral Porter's fleet will coöperate as far as possible. The extent of its cooperation depends on the depth of water in Red River.

Other battles must soon follow, and glorious victories will be won over the trans-Mississippi rebels.

The enemy appears to have moved his whole forces near here to crush out the Union army. According to the reports of prisoners, Kirby Smith, Dick Taylor, Green, Magruder, and Price are all in the field against General Banks and his commanders.

The rebel loss in the battles of Sabine CrossRoads and Pleasant Hill was three to our one. The lack of water between Pleasant Hill and Mansfield rendered it prudent to fall back to Grand Ecore, where new supplies will be issued sufficient for a long and uninterrupted forward march.

GRAND ECORE, LA., April 14, 1864. A detachment of the Third cavalry brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Kieb, of the Eighty-seventh Illinois mounted infantry, made a reconnoissance yesterday to the Double bridge, twenty miles on the road toward Pleas

In the continued prosecution of the campaign there are difficulties to encounter which General Banks and his army hope to overcome. The Red River, navigable usually over the falls above Alexandria, is lower now than ever before at this season of the year, and it is possible that the safety of the gunboats and monitors above Alexandria will render the abandonment of military occupation impracticable. Light-draught transports can pass the falls for some weeks yet, and the army cannot be cut off from its supplies. Still the supplies will not come forward so rapidly as if the waters of the Red River were of the ordinary depth at this time of the year. Should the river fail to be navigable, and an advance, therefore, be rendered impracticable, the certainty of holding and occupying Alexandria and Natchitoches remains, and so far the forward movement is a success.

Between Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, a distance of twenty miles, there is a deficiency of water, without which an army cannot be subsisted or marched. It is therefore quite desirable that the movement from one to the other of these points shall be rapid.

Rebel citizens and rebel prisoners have all agreed in the statement that the enemy were determined to dispute this road, and that they expected to fight against us there because it was remote from the river, and where we could not receive the cooperation of the gunboats.

The latest advices from General Steele were

that he was within either sixty miles or one prompt obedience to orders, cheerful endurance day's march of Shreveport, with fifteen thousand of privations, will alone insure our independence.

men.

Admiral Porter, with two monitors and his flag-ship, went up the river from Grand Ecore a week since, it is presumed to operate against the rebel seat of government in Louisiana.

REBEL ADDRESSES AND ORDERS

R. TAYLOR,
Major-General Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT WESTERN LOUISIANA,
MANSFIELD, LA., April 13, 1864.

GENERAL ORDERS, NO.
SOLDIERS: A chief has fallen. A warrior of

The following is General Taylor's address to Warriors has gone to his home. On the twelfth

his army:

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT WESTERN LOUISIANA,
MANSFIELD, LA., April 11, 1864.

instant fell Thomas Green. After braving death a thousand times, the destroyer found him, where he was wont to be, in the front line of battle. GENERAL ORDERS, No. His spirit has flown to the happy home of heroes, where the kindred spirit of Alfred Mouton Soldiers of the Army of Western Louisiana: awaited it. Throughout broad Texas, throughAt last have your patience and devotion been out desolated Louisiana, mourning will sadden rewarded. Condemned for many days to retreat before an overwhelming force, as soon as your re- friends; much greater is the loss to this army every hearth. Great is the loss to family and enforcements reached you, you turned upon the and to me. For many weary months these two foe. No language but that of simple narrative have served me. Amidst the storm of battle, by should recount your deeds. On the eighth of April you fought the battle of Mansfield. Never heart has learned to love them. Their families the lonely camp-fire, at the solitary outpost, my in war was a more complete victory won. Attacking the enemy with the utmost alacrity when have been their beloved friend and trusted comshall be as mine; their friends my friends. To the order was given, the result was not for a mo-mander is the highest earthly honor I can ever

ment doubtful.

attain.

The enemy was driven from every position, Soldiers! the fall of these heroes shall not be his artillery captured, his men routed. In vain in vain. Inspired by their examples, this army were fresh troops brought up. Your magnificent will achieve great things. Moistened by the line, like a resistless wave, swept every thing beblood of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, and Blair's fore it. Night alone stopped your advance. Twenty-one pieces of artillery, two thousand five Landing, the tree of national independence will hundred prisoners, many stands of colors, two all may repose in peace under its grateful shade. grow apace, and soon overshadow the land, so that hundred and fifty wagons, attest your success The memory of our glorious dead is a rich legacy over the Thirteenth and Nineteenth army corps. to future generations, and their names will be On the ninth instant you took up the pursuit remembered as the chosen heroes of the chivalric and pressed it with vigor. For twelve miles, prisoners, scattered arms, burning wagons, proved how well the previous day's work had been done

by the soldiers of Texas and Louisiana.

The gallant divisions from Missouri and Arkansas, unfortunately absent on the eighth instant, marched forty-five miles in two days, to share the glories of Pleasant Hill. This was emphatically the soldier's victory. In spite of the strength of the enemy's position, held by fresh troops of the Sixteenth corps, your valor and devotion triumphed over all. Darkness closed one of the hottest fights of the war. The morning of the tenth instant dawned upon a flying foe, with our cavalry in pursuit, capturing prisoners at every step. These glorious victories were most dearly won. A list of the heroic dead would sadden the sternest heart. A visit to the hospitals would move the sympathy of the most unfeeling. The memory of our dead will live as long as noble deeds are cherished on earth. The consciousness of duty well performed will alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. Soldiers from a thousand homes, thanks will ascend to the God of battles for your victories. Tender wives and fond mothers will repose in safety behind the breastworks of your valor. No fears will be felt that the hated foe will desccrate their homes by his presence. This is your reward; but much remains to be done. Strict discipline,

Southern race.

will be draped for thirty days in memory of their The colors of the cavalry corps of this army

late heroic commander.

R. TAYLOR,
Major-General Commanding.

Doc. 132.

COLONEL GALLUP'S EXPEDITION INTO
WESTERN VIRGINIA.

CAMP LOUISA, LAWRENCE Co., KY., Feb. 20, 1864. On the twelfth instant our District Commander, Colonel Gallup, with his usual sympathy for suffering Unionists, sent a scout over into Western Virginia to rid the citizens of the unscrupulous Colonel Ferguson, who, with his plundering band, had pillaged the country until even the women and children were brought to starvation. This impudent rebel, knowing that Virginia was not in this district, and therefore not under the protection of our gallant Colonel, sent him word that he would quarter there until March, but would not molest our troops provided we would let him alone. Colonel Gallup treated the message with that silent contempt it deserved. His silence was taken for acquiescence by the other party. So the wily old fox was allowed to play around until he met with an unpleasant surprise in the capture of himself and command. This hap

Lieutenant Preston, of the Thirtieth, who was sent up Sandy on a scout a short time since, returned on the twenty-second with eleven prisoners. Reuben Patrick, a contract scout, brought in a rebel captain and ten privates the same day. Lieutenant Brown, of company G, Fourteenth, with twenty-five men, left on the eighteenth for Cat's Fork, to break up a thieving band which had been disturbing that quarter. He returned the following day, having killed one and captured two of the marauders. Captain Charles A. Wood, of Louisville, of the Fourteenth, is having fine success in recruiting veterans in this brigade. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, of Frankfort, is now in command of the Fourteenth. In camp he is jolly, genial, and generous, and his military qualities are best estimated by those who have seen his commanding coolness in the excitement of battle, and his unshrinking intrepidity when exposed to a heavy fire. The regiment is proud of him, and may well be of such a "noble Roman." Major Yates, Medical Director of this district, informed the writer to-day that he had seen a deserter from the rebels whom he knew to be reliable. This man brings news that John Morgan is collecting a force of twenty thousand cavalry at Abingdon, Virginia, preparatory to a raid into this State.

pened in the following manner: At dark on the a larger number were killed and captured here evening of the twelfth, a portion of these troops than in that engagement-this work gratuitously left camp under the lead of the District Com-done by the generous and efficient Colonel Gallup. mander, and marched all night in an easterly His command has captured over one thousand course. At dawn next morning the force was prisoners in this valley, and he is still pushing divided into two detachments. Colonel Gallup, the work vigorously along. at the head of one, pursued a trail which led toward Wayne Court-House, ordering his senior Captain, J. C. Collins, with the other, to scout through the hills in the opposite direction, and follow any track which he supposed would bring him in collision with the enemy. This enterprising young officer, whose quickness of perception is equalled by his celerity of action, is as sharp-scented on a rebel trail as the hound in chase of a hare. He was attended by Captain William Bartrum, who is as quiet and unassuming as he is faithful and resolute, and the trusty Lieutenant Osborne. These officers at the head of companies B, G, and H, soon succeeded in discovering among the dead leaves signs of marching cavalry, which led some eight miles further into the uninhabited hills, to a famous rebel rendezvous known as the Rock House. This is a concealed recess, sheltered by an orchard and overhanging rock in the side of a steep cliff which bounds it on the west. On the northern and eastern sides the surface slopes to the edge of the cave, where there is an almost perpendicular offset of some fifteen or twenty feet. In this place, and in the ravine a few steps below, the rebels were busy chopping wood, cooking rations, and guarding prisoners. When our forces reached the summit of the hill, Captain Collins ordered the strictest silence, deployed his men in skirmishing line, directing them, when they had silently surrounded the cave, to give a shout as the signal of attack. As soon as the signal was given, Captain Bartrum stepped to the edge of the precipice and demanded an unconditional surrender. The astonished rebels instantly sprang toward their guns, whereupon our boys opened on their ranks a scathing fire, which soon brought them to terms. The fight lasted about four minutes, with mortal effect, twelve men being killed, and four others wounded-three of them mortally. Not one of the attacking party was harmed. The only sad feature in the affair was the killing In my despatch of Monday I mentioned the of three Union prisoners who were in the hands fact that the expedition, which consisted of deof the rebels-Captain Pinckard, Assistant Quar-tachments from the First, Second, and Fifth Unittermaster, of General Scammon's staff, from Al-ed States, Sixth Ohio, Sixth Pennsylvania, First ton, Illinois; Lieutenant Griswold, of the Thir- New-York, and First New-Jersey cavalry, in all, teenth Virginia; and a private whose name has one thousand five hundred men, passed through escaped me. Fifty prisoners were taken, sixteen Madison Court-House early that morning. One Union prisoners released, eighty stand of arms section of Captain French's battery, commanded captured, with all their ammunition, horses, and by Lieutenant Porter, accompanied the cavalry. subsistance. Colonel Ferguson was captured The troops were in light marching order, and apart from the command by Stephen Wheeler, [moved rapidly toward Stannardsville, distant a private of company G. In the battle of Rock south-west from Madison twelve miles, crossing House such accurate and fatal shooting was the Rapidan at Banks's Mills Ford. At Standone, that of sixteen wounded men, only two are now living, and one must die; the counties of Wayne and Logan are cleared by it of the plundering guerrillas who had been infesting them. The results of this success are more important than that of Middle Creek, inasmuch as

Doc. 133.

GENERAL CUSTER'S EXPEDITION TOWARD CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE, VA., Wednesday Morning, March 2, 1864. GENERAL CUSTER's reconnoitring expedition returned to camp last night after having completed, when the time employed and the numerical force engaged is considered, one of the most daring raids of the war.

nardsville the enemy's pickets were discovered, who retired precipitately before our advance. Meeting with no opposition, General Custer pushed forward to the Rivanna River, crossing at Berner's Bridge, a long wooden structure spanning the river at a point distant three or four

miles from Charlottesville, which place he had received orders to reach if possible. The rebel pickets on the opposite bank withdrew over the hills as our force crossed, and soon after the enemy opened with artillery, without, however, doing any injury to our men, who were sheltered by the hills on the other side of the river.

Owing to the peculiar topography of the country, which was wooded and hilly, the exact location of the enemy was not at first discovered, and a squadron of the First regulars was deployed up the river on our right to reconnoitre the enemy's position, while a squadron of the Fifth regulars, under command of Captain Ash, was sent down the river on our left for a similar purpose. Discovering an artillery camp some distance down the river, Captain Ash, with his squadron, consisting of only sixty men, immediately charged it, destroying the huts, blowing up six caissons, and burning two battery-forges, together with a quantity of harness belonging to the battery.

Captain Ash's gallantry, and the bravery of his men in accomplishing this feat in the face of a rebel cavalry brigade (Wickham's) drawn up in the woods not over three hundred yards distant, are universally mentioned in terms of the highest commendation. The enemy seemed entirely at fault as to our strength, and for some time made no direct advance. Flanking columns of infantry were afterward seen, however, moving on our right and left, and General Custer, having ascertained to his satisfaction that Wickham's brigade of cavalry, together with a considerable force of infantry, were in his immediate front, seeing the hopelessness of advancing further in that direction, determined to recross the river. While on the other side of the river, five trains of cars were distinctly heard at Charlottesville, undoubtedly bringing up reënforcements. On crossing to the north bank of the river, the bridge, together with a large flouring-mill, was burned by order of General Custer.

The utter impracticability of reaching Charlottesville with his insignificant force being apparent, General Custer retired his column up the Stannardsville road, halting soon after dusk to feed the horses, jaded by their march of over forty miles. Several faint charges were made on our rear-guard by a small pursuing party, but no casualties were sustained by our men.

Owing to the hilly nature of the country and the bad condition of the roads, it was found necessary to halt for the night eight miles south of Stannardsville, in order to recuperate the exhausted artillery-horses.

Lieutenant-Colonel Stedman, of the Sixth Ohio, commanding the detachment of five hundred men from General Gregg's division, being in advance of the main body and ignorant of the fact that the column had halted, continued the march toward Madison Court-House, arriving there some time during the night. Orderlies were despatched by General Custer to Colonel Stedman, directing him to return, but owing to the darkness of the night and the distance Colonel Stedman had ad

vanced beyond the main column, they were unable to intercept him.

By this, General Custer was left with only one thousand men, nearly twenty miles from any infantry support, and in extreme danger of being intercepted and cut off by a vastly superior force of the enemy. Understanding the peril of this isolated condition, General Custer was prepared for any emergency which might arise. Should he be intercepted and find himself unable to retire by the road he went out, he was prepared to strike to the northward into the Luray Valley, returning through one of the gaps of the Blue Ridge. The skilful manner in which he subsequently completely outgeneraled the enemy, rendered this route unnecessary.

Early yesterday morning the column began its march toward Madison Court-House, being but slightly harassed by the enemy, who seemed to be manoeuvring not for the specific purpose of fighting, but with the intention of surrounding and capturing General Custer's whole party. A short distance below Banks's Mills, the point at which General Custer intended to recross the Rapidan, is Burton's Ford, from which is a road running north-west, and striking the Stannardsville road two miles from the river. At the junction of these roads, on an eminence, a large force of rebel cavalry was discovered posted. They were immediately charged and driven back in confusion on the Burton's Ford road, while our artillery, which was soon placed in position on the hill formerly occupied by them, poured in a well-directed fire upon them, the first shell killing three of the enemy.

In the first charge, thirty rebel prisoners were taken, who stated that the whole of Wickham's brigade, commanded by Stuart in person, was in our front, the major portion being at Banks's Mills Ford awaiting Custer's approach. Without a moment's hesitation, General Custer conceived and executed a plan for his extrication from his perilous situation. Ordering another charge upon the enemy on the Burton's Ford road, and leading it in person, as he is wont to do, he again drove back the rebels still further toward the Ford, until their allies at Banks's Mills, comprehending the danger of their friends' position, and believing Custer determined to cross at Burton's Ford, came down the river to their support. It was then that Custer's tactics became apparent to the astonished enemy.

Facing his battle-lines by the flank, his whole force was almost instantly moving down the road with the speed of the wind toward the Stannardsville road, which striking, he wheeled to the left, and reaching Banks's Mills Ford, recrossed the river, thus completely eluding the mass of the enemy, who seemed confident of "gobbling" his whole command. The tactical ability displayed by General Custer, is spoken of in the most complimentary terms.

There can now be no impropriety in disclosing the object of the late movement. It is doubtless generally known that the reconnoissance by Custer, supported by infantry, was a simple diver

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