as circumstances would permit, after reconnoi-manded by the rebel General Mouton, who fell tring and feeling the rebel position. Colonel shot through the body with four balls. Emerson's brigade, of the Thirteenth corps, was The fighting on all parts of our line was now stationed on the left of the line, with Nim's Massachusetts battery; Colonel Landrum's forces, parts of two brigades, on the right and centre, with Rawles's battery G, Fifth regulars, and a battery of the First Indiana artillery in rear of his right and centre. Colonel Dudley's brigade of cavalry (of Lee's corps) supported the left, and held itself in readiness to repel any attempt to flank; while Lucas protected the right flank. Colonel Robinson, with his brigade, was in rear of the centre, protecting the wagontrain, which was on the Shreveport road. General Banks and staff rode upon the field by the time this disposition of our forces was effected, and word was sent back to General Franklin to make all speed for the scene of the momentarily expected battle. It was the design of General Banks to remain quiet until the balance of his army came up, and then open the battle himself; but Kirby Smith, knowing his own superiority in numbers, began the conflict before they could arrive. About five o'clock the firing between the skirmishers became very hot, and in a short time our skirmish-line was driven back upon the main body by an overwhelming force. The whole strength of the enemy was then advanced, and heavy and repeated volleys were discharged and replied to on our right and centre. Soon this portion of our line became heavily engaged, and all our available strength was required to prevent its being crushed by the masses of the enemy. Our left, which was now also hotly fighting, was necessarily much weakened, and it was observed that a strong body of the enemy was massing in a dense piece of woods, preparatory to dashing down and flanking this end of the line. The danger was plain and imminent, but there was no remedy. General Stone ordered General Lee to have Nim's battery withdrawn, although it was doing great execution, in order that it might not become a prize to the enemy, and General Lee sent his aid-de-camp, Colonel J. S. Brisbin, to withdraw the battery. On reaching the point, its removal was found impossible, nearly every one of the horses having been killed. In a few moments more a solid mass of the rebels swept down upon the spot, and four of the guns were taken, the other two being dragged from the field by hand. The havoc made in the ranks of the enemy at this point of the action is represented as appalling, the whole six guns belching forth double charges of grape and canister; and some five or six rounds were fired between the time the rebels left the woods until the artillerymen were forced from their pieces. As the rebels were in mass, the execution such a shower of missiles caused can be easily imagined. The two senior officers of the battery were wounded, Lieutenant Snow mortally, he having since died. The forces that made this charge were com at short-range, and to use the expression of one of the participants: "We were holding on by the skin of our teeth only." It was known that Franklin's troops had been sent for, and anxious and wistful were the glances cast to the rear. General Cameron with his brigade came up, and going at once into action on the right, where the battle again waxed hottest, created the impression that the veterans of the Nineteenth had arrived, and a glad and exultant shout went up from our wearied and desperately situated little band. This belief was strengthened by the arrival of General Franklin, who dashed boldly into the thickest of the fray, cap in hand and cheering on the men. General Banks, too, seemed ubiquitous, riding wherever the men wavered, and by personal example inciting them to renewed deeds of daring and reckless valor. Colonels Clark and Wilson, with other members of the staff, sabre in hand, mixed with the soldiers on foot and horseback, and cheered and encouraged them to continue the unequal fight. But human beings could not longer withstand such fierce and overpowering onslaughts as our men were bearing up against, and our line finally gave way at all points, and the men fell back, fiercely contesting the ground they yielded. fortunately a sad mishap befell them at this time. Un The large and cumbersome wagon-train blocked up the way; the frightened horses dashed through the infantry lines, entangled themselves with the artillery, and created a momentary but unfortunate confusion. This gave the rebels, who were rapidly pressing us, possession of several pieces of artillery. General Franklin was conspicuous during this part of the day, rallying the men, and two horses were killed under him; Captain Chapman, of his staff, had both feet taken off by a round shot, and the horse of Captain Franklin was killed at the same time. The enemy followed our men step by step for three and a half miles, but he was advancing to meet a fearful retribution. The Nineteenth army corps had been ordered to stop and form its line of battle-the retreating Union troops passed through this line and formed in the rear. The rebels, thinking they had repulsed our whole army, dashed impetuously on, and through the line, but half visible through the woods before them, was another feeble but desperate stand of a few men. General Emory commanded this force, consisting of two full brigades, and he ordered the fire to be reserved until the rebels were within shortrange, when from both infantry and the artillery posted thickly along his line, a storm of iron and lead was hurled upon the foe that literally mowed them down. The rebels halted in amazement, but still they fought, and bravely. Volley after volley was discharged from each side full into the ranks of their opponents, but neither gave signs of yielding, and night charitably threw Thirteenth corps was in reserve in the rear un her mantle over the ghastly scene, and enforced a cessation of hostilities. The two divisions under command of General A. J. Smith, belonging to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth army corps, had reached Pleasant Hill, and were there halted, General Banks determining to withdraw his army to that point, for the sake of the advantageous position which he could there occupy, knowing that the enemy would follow what they supposed to be a demoralized army. In accordance with this plan of operations, all our men were quietly withdrawn from the enemy's front, and the line of march taken up for Pleasant Hill. This conjunction of his forces was satisfactorily effected, and the result confidently awaited. So well was the movement conducted that although the first body started at ten o'clock, and the remainder were not all under way until nearly day, the rebels had not the slightest suspicion of what was going on. der General Cameron-General Ransom having The skirmishing was kept up with considerable vigor until about five o'clock in the afternoon, when the rebels had completed their arrangements for the attack. At about this hour General Emory's skirmish-line was driven in on the right by the rebels, who appeared in large force, coming through the timber above mentioned. They soon reached the open ground, and moved on to the attack in three lines of battle. Our batteries and infantry opened with terrible effect, doing great slaughter with grape and canister, while the enemy's artillery, being in the woods and in bad position, did scarcely any damage. At seven o'clock on Saturday morning, our forces were all at Pleasant Hill, and the rebels were advancing, cavalry in front, endeavoring to discover our position. Colonel O. P. Gooding, | with his brigade of Lee's cavalry corps, was sent out on the Shreveport road, to meet the enemy and draw him on. He had gone about a mile when he came upon the rebel advance. Skirmishing immediately ensued, and according to the plan he slowly fell back. The fight was Colonel Benedict's brigade on the left was first very sharp between these cavalry bodies, and engaged, soon followed by Dwight's and McMilGooding lost nearly forty men killed and wound-lan's. This fighting was terrific--old soldiers ed, inflicting, however, as much damage as he say it never was surpassed for desperation. Notreceived. Among his casualties are Captain withstanding the terrible havoc in their ranks, Becker and Lieutenant Hall, of the Second NewYork veteran cavalry. Lieutenant Hall has since died of his wounds, Colonel Gooding made a narrow escape, a ball passing through and tearing the crown out of his hat, and grazing the skin. The brigade behaved very gallantly, covering General Emory's front until his line was formed. The battle-field of Pleasant Hill is a large, open field, which had once been cultivated, but is now overgrown with weeds and bushes. The slightly elevated centre of the field, from which the name Pleasant Hill is taken, is nothing more than a long mound, hardly worthy the name of hill. A semicircular belt of timber runs around the field on the Shreveport side. General Emory formed his line of battle on the side facing these woods, General McMillan's brigade being posted on the right, General Dwight's on the centre, and Colonel Benedict's on the left. Taylor's battery L, First regulars, had four guns in rear of the left wing, on the left of the Shreveport road, and two on the road in rear of General Dwight's line. Hibberd's Vermont battery was on the right. In the rear of Emory, and concealed by the rising ground, were General Smith's tried troops formed in two lines of battle fifty yards apart. All his artillery was in the front line, a piece, section or battery being on the flank of each regiment, the infantry lying between them. The the enemy pressed fiercely on, slowly pushing the men of the Nineteenth corps back, up the hill, but not breaking their line of battle. Α sudden and bold dash of the rebels on the right gave them possession of Taylor's battery, and forced our line still further back. Now came the grand coup de main. The Nineteenth, on arriving at the top of the hill, suddenly filed off over the hill and passed through the lines of General Smith. We must here mention that the rebels were now in but two lines of battle, the first having been almost annihilated by General Emory, what remained being forced back into the second line. But these two lines came on exultant and sure of victory. The first passed over the knoll, and, all heedless of the long line of cannons and crouching forms of as brave men as ever trod mother earth, pressed on. The second line appeared on the crest, and the death-signal was sounded. Words cannot describe the awful effect of this discharge. Seven thousand rifles, and several batteries of artillery, each gun loaded to the muzzle with grape and canister, were fired simultaneously, and the whole centre of the rebel line was crushed down as a field of ripe wheat through which a tornado had passed. It is estimated that one thousand men were hurried into eternity or frightfully mangled by this one discharge. No time was given them to recover their good order, but General Smith ordered a charge, and his men dashed rapidly forward, the boys of the Nineteenth joining in. The rebels fought boldly and desperately back to the timber, on reaching which, a large portion broke and fled, fully two thousand throwing aside their arms. In this charge, Taylor's battery was retaken, as were also two of the guns of Nim's battery, the Parrott gun taken from us at Carrion Crow last fall, and one or two others belonging to the rebels, one of which was considerably shattered, beside seven hundred prisoners. A pursuit and desultory fight was kept up for three miles, when our men returned to the field of battle. And thus ended this fearful and bloody struggle for the control of Western Louisiana. The accounts from all quarters agree in stating that General Banks, during the entire contest, showed the greatest possible daring and valor, as did General Franklin, and the staffs of each. They will reap their reward in the grateful hearts and prayers of the American people, and in the increased devotion and love of their soldiers. General Ransom, when wounded, was directing the firing of the Chicago battery, standing among the men, and he had scarcely been removed when the rebels were in possession of the spot on which he fell. Among the rebels taken were three lieutenantcolonels and six majors. Colonel Brisbin, of General Lee's staff, had his horse's head blown off while riding across the field by a shell, and would have been taken had not some of the men pulled him out. He succeeded in capturing a rebel horse and leaving the field on its back. Colonel Brisbin lost his trunk, in the baggage train, the sash taken from General Barksdale on the field at Gettysburgh, which had been made a present to him, and General Villipigue's sabre, taken from him in Virginia. Colonel Robinson, while defending the wagontrain on the first day, was shot in the hip, but refused to leave the field for two hours after. It was supposed he would lose his leg in consequence, but the surgeons now think it can be saved. GRAND ECORE, LA., April 11, 1864. The army under General Banks left here on the sixth, via Pleasant Hill and Mansfield for Shreveport, with the exception of Smith's forces, consisting of detachments of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth army corps, which did not leave until the seventh. On the evening of the eighth, we camped at Pleasant Hill, thirty-five miles from Grand Ecore. General Lee's cavalry division was advanced to Robinson's Mill, eight miles beyond Pleasant Hill, where it camped for the night. After a short skirmish with the enemy, in which we lost thirty-seven men in killed and wounded, General Lee now sent back requesting a brigade of infantry to be sent forward in the morning to his support, and at three o'clock A.M. on the morning of the eighth, Gen eral Ransom, commanding detachment Thirteenth army corps, by order of General Banks, sent the First brigade, Fourth division, Thirteenth army corps, under command of Colonel Landrum, of the Nineteenth Kentucky, to report to General Lee at daylight, at Robinson's Mill. The balance of General Ransom's command marched forward on the Mansfield road at halfpast five o'clock A.M., and was followed at eight o'clock A.M., by the last division, Nineteenth army corps, commanded by General Emory. General Smith, who was bringing up the rear of the army, was to move up to Pleasant Hill on the same day. The forces under General Lee, moving in our advance, met the enemy early in the morning and skirmished in line of battle for some seven miles, when the resistance to their march became so obstinate as to hold them in complete check, and General Lee, who was now within five miles of Mansfield, sent back word to General Franklin, advising him of his situation, and General Ransom, who had just reached a small bayou ten miles from Pleasant Hill, was immediately order. ed forward by General Franklin with the First brigade, Fourth division, Thirteenth army corps, which came up with General Lee at half-past two o'clock. About three o'clock, General Banks and staff reached the extreme front, and found our advance force deployed upon the right and left of the road, skirmishing very heavily with the enemy on the right. The position of our army at this hour was as follows: In front, and on the ground where a most terrible battle was soon to be fought, was General Lee with Colonels Dudley's and Lucas's cavalry brigades, with Nim's battery of six guns and one section (two guns) of battery G, Fifth United States regulars. United to this force there was now the Fourth division, Thirteenth army corps, with the Chicago Mercantile battery, (six guns.) Next, in the rear and completely blocking up the road, was General Lee's train of some two hundred and fifty wagons, to the presence of which the subsequent disaster of the day is largely attributable. Back of these was the Third division, Thirteenth army corps, under General Cameron, moving up to the front as rapidly as possible. Next to the Third division was General Emory with the First division, Nineteenth army corps, seven miles from the extreme front, while General Smith was back of Pleasant Hill, one day's march in our rear. The battle-ground was a large, open, irregular-shaped field, through about one half of which on the right of the road a narrow belt of timber ran, encircling inward as it extended to the right until its base rested around upon the woods in the rear. The road passed through the centre of the field in a north-westerly direction toward Mansfield. Meandering diagonally through the field and across the road was a small creek or bayou, from the banks of which the ground rose gradually along the line of the road, terminating in a considerable ridge on each side. The ridge at the entrance to the field on the side of our advance was close up to the woods, and commanded the whole battle-field, while the ridge on the opposite side ran through the open field on the left to the belt of timber dividing the field on the right, along which it sloped gradually until it reached the level of the hollow on the bayou. The outer line of the field beyond the belt of timber on the right was an irregular semicircle, the extremities drawing inward, so as to correspond somewhat to the outline of the dividing wood. The outer line of the field on the left was very nearly at a right angle with the road. The rebel forces, occupying a front of about one mile, were stationed under cover of the woods along the further line of these fields. Their front, therefore, extended from their right flank (our left) in a straight line to the road, and then, following the shape of the field, circled inward until their left flank reached a point that would be intersected by a line drawn across the road at a right angle near the middle of the first field on the right. The main body of the rebels was evidently on the right of the roads. A battery was seen in position near the road, but it was not brought into action. The Union forces were stationed as follows: On the right and in the belt of timber which separated the first from the second field was Lucas's cavalry brigade, mostly dismounted and deployed as skirmishers, while beyond and supporting this brigade was the Fourth division, Thirteenth army corps, under the command of Colonel Landrum. The Twenty-third Wisconsin, however, which occupied the left flank of this division, was on the left of the road acting as a support to Nim's battery. The Fourth division was composed of the following regiments stationed in line of battle in the following order, commencing at the right, namely: Eighty-second Ohio, Ninety-sixth Ohio, Nineteenth Kentucky, One Hundred and Thirtieth Illinois, Forty-eighth Ohio, Sixty-seventh Indiana, Seventy-fifth Indiana, and Twenty-third Wisconsin. Between the Eighty-second and Ninety-sixth Ohio, on the right, two small howitsers were placed. ing over the entire ground during the skirmishing before the main attack on our line. About four o'clock, P.M., the Fourth division was moved forward through the belt of timber, and took position in line of battle behind the fence that inclosed the field beyond. At half-past four, General Ransom and staff passed on foot along the outer infantry line; our boys were firing very briskly across the field into the woods where the enemy was posted, but as the fire was of little or no effect, and only wasting the ammunition, the General directed it to be withheld until the rebels came out into the field. For half or three-quarters of an hour, every thing remained quiet along the lines. When all at once we were startled by a heavy and continuous discharge of musketry on the right, and on riding rapidly to that side we beheld the rebel forces marching steadily in close ranks across the open field to the attack; while at the same moment a heavy column was moving across the road upon our left, where our only protection was in the cavalry brigade under Colonel Dudley, aided by Nim's battery, the two howitzers, and one small regiment of infantry (the Twenty-third Wisconsin.) Most gallantly now did the old Fourth division sustain its well-earned reputation, and the sad roll of the killed and wounded will fully attest the firmness and obstinacy with which our brave boys resisted the rebel advance, stimulated and encouraged by the conduct of their officers, and wakened to a perfect enthusiasm by the presence of their corps commander, General Ransom, who, utterly regardless of all danger, rushed into the thickest of the fight, rallying the line where it showed any signs of wavering, and disposing his forces so as to protect the weakest points. Every regiment coolly but rapidly poured its destructive fire upon the advancing foe, opening at every discharge great gaps in the rebel ranks, and strewing the field with an almost continuous line of killed and wounded. Under this terrific and well-directed fire, the rebel line was checked, broken, and driven back, the only considerable body remaining together being a mass of some three hundred or four hundred directly opposite the Thirteenth Illinois, which was badly cut up, but held its position without breaking. The field on the left side of the road beyond the Twenty-third Wisconsin, was occupied by Colonel Dudley's brigade of cavalry, the main body being deployed in line with a small force Before we had time to rejoice over the repulse in reserve near the centre of the field. Nim's of the rebels on this line, the evidences of a battery, six pieces, was stationed on our extreme much stronger and infinitely more dangerous front, just at the point of the belts of timber on attack were observed on our left, where the the right. One section was on the right of the enemy in great force was charging rapidly over road and trained so as to fire through the woods the field to the left of the road. At the very into the field beyond. One piece was in the first indication of this movement on our left flank, road and three on the left. To the left of this an effort was made to withdraw the Eighty-third . battery there were two small howitzers. The Ohio from our extreme right for the purpose of Chicago Mercantile battery was stationed not far supporting the left, and the entire division enfrom the centre of the first field, on the right and deavored to fall back, and form a new line under near a cluster of loghouses, where General the protection of the woods on the ridge to our Banks had made his headquarters. The section rear. It was about this time that General Ranof battery G was further to the left and rear, som, while engaged in a successful effort to get and trained so as to fire to the right. I have the Mercantile battery back upon the ridge, given the position of our forces precisely, as I where it would have been saved but for the comnoted it down in my memorandum-book in pass-plete blockade of the road by the baggage-train, fell from his horse, shot through the left knee, and was carried to the rear just in time to prevent his capture. This is the fourth time that General Ransom has been wounded while fighting bravely for his country. With a courage that shrinks at no danger, he unites a clear and cool judgment on the battle-field that is rarely found in men of the largest experience, and though he could not have saved us from the disaster of this day, had he remained unhurt, still we all felt how seriously we had been weakened by his fall, and both officers and men unite in awarding to him the highest praise for his conduct as a man and a general on the field. The effort to retire the Fourth division and form a new line in the rear was defeated by the rapid movements of the enemy, who rushed in overwhelming force across the road, captured Nim's battery, drove Dudley's cavalry in utter confusion from the field, and turning the left flank of the infantry, broke the entire line and precipitated the fragments into the woods in every possible direction of escape. The scene that followed baffles all description. Over the field and into the dense and tangled thicket the routed troops fled in disordered masses, followed by the exultant foe, yelling like demons and pouring volley after volley into the fugitive ranks. The effort to arrest or drive back the panicstricken crowd was like flinging straws back at a hurricane. Appeals, commands, threats, curses or prayers, were alike of no avail. Literally oblivious to any thing but the danger behind, men on foot and men on horseback, promiscuously intermingled with negroes on foot and negroes on mules, charged into the forest and through the thicket in a manner that would have utterly routed the foe if the tide had only set the other way. Amidst this rushing storm the Commanding General remained cool and collected. into a more open piece of woods, we came upon Emory's division, of the Nineteenth army corps, forming in magnificent order in line of battle across the road. Opening their ranks to permit the retreating forces to pass through, each regiment of this fine division closed up on the double-quick, quietly awaited the approach of the rebels, and within less than five minutes on they came, screaming and firing as they advanced, but still in good order and with closed ranks. All at once, from that firm line of gallant soldiers that now stood so bravely between us and our pursuing foes, there came forth a course of reverberating thunders that rolled from flank to flank in one continuous peal, sending a storm of leaden hail into the rebel ranks that swept them back in dismay, and left the ground covered with their killed and wounded. In vain the rebels strove to rally against this terrific fire. At every effort they were repulsed, and after a short contest they fell back, evidently most terribly punished. It was now quite dark, and each party bivouacked on the field. A sad and fearful day it had been to us. The Third and Fourth divisions, Fourteenth army corps, were completely broken to pieces. Out of two thousand six hundred men in action, the Fourth division had lost one thousand one hundred and twenty-five men killed, wounded, and missing; and the Third division, out of one thousand six hundred men, had lost three hundred and fifty. Every brigade commander of these two divisions was either killed or wounded and a prisoner. Dudley's and Duncan's brigades of Lee's cavalry were scattered in every direc tion, and seventy of the cavalry baggage-wagons, with all of General Cameron's ambulances filled with our wounded, were captured. The Chicago Mercantile battery was gone, Captain White wounded and a prisoner, with twentyAbout a half a mile from the field, the Third two men of the battery missing. Nim's battery, division, Thirteenth army corps, under General the First Indiana, and two guns from battery G, Cameron, came up and formed in line of battle, Fifth United States regulars, had fallen into the and here two guns of the Mercantile battery hands of the enemy, with the four howitzers were put in position and opened with good effect stationed on the right and left of our infantry upon the enemy. For a short time it seemed as line, in all, eighteen field-guns and four howitzers, if a successful rally would be made at this point, with caissons and equipments complete. Colonel but the effort was in vain. The entire strength Webb, of the Seventeenth Illinois, fell early in of the Third division on the field was only one the day while skirmishing with the advance. thousand six hundred men, and after a short and Major Reed, commanding the One Hundred and courageous resistance, the line gave way. A Twentieth Illinois, was killed on the right, and check, however, had been given to the panic, and Captain Dickey, (a son of Colonel T. L. Dickey,) many of the troops formed into squads and con- on General Ransom's staff, was shot while carrytinued the retreat in better order. Efficient aiding an order to the Nineteenth Kentucky, in the was also rendered by Colonel Robinson, commanding a cavalry brigade detailed to guard the trains, who, hearing the rapidly approaching firing, hastened with a large portion of his command to the front, and wheeling into line in perfect order, delivered a most destructive volley into the rebels who were swarming in the road, and then fell back in good order. For full a mile from the place where Cameron's division had met us, the retreat was continued, the rebels following closely upon our heels, and keeping up a continuous fire, when all at once, as we emerged woods on the right. As you will doubtless receive a list of killed and wounded as soon, if not sooner, than this letter, I will not name any others here. The loss on the side of the rebels must have been very severe. They suffered severely while crossing the field on our right, and still more from the fire of Emory's division. So much will of course be said and written in regard to the causes that led to the disaster of this day, that I feel justified in making a few suggestions upon this point. First, the forces under General Lee were de |