, 1863-11-23
FROM LOUISIANA.
The. Disaster at Bayou Corteau.
a Union Regiment Flanked and
> Captured.

| Au1 y. tno ou14, CONSISTING o1 tWo d1
ion commanded by Bsigadief General Weitzel
The third division By Brigadier General Grov
| CT; two divisions Of the 18th army corps. IN
der Generals Washburne and Burbridge, tht
entire force under Major General franklin
marched to Opelousas and Barrels Landing,
large ea1alry force, nader Brissdier G1 Genera]
Lee, which drove the enemy from these points,
and then secuted the country in that yicIni.
~. They overlook only partisan bands Of
rebel troops, and they captured, killed and
wounded some Of them.
The army remained in camp eight or ten
forward, but backto CaHiod Crow Bayou and
Ve1million Bayou; fthe 18th corps to take up
quarters at the f4rmer place, the nineteenth
It the latter. Bnrbridges' division, consist
ing cf the first brigade, under Col Owen, {the
elher two bttgadss having been ordered, one,
the other to New 1be.1.) Was ordered to camp
At the edge ofthe woods, the right resting on
OpelouEas road, with the prairie in
front. It Was dangerous position,
General Washh-1ne's division being
encsmped ut Carrion Grow Bayou, three and
woods On the right tor the enemy to advance,
end prairie front and rear and around; but
the General posted his pickets strongly, and
placed his artillery in good positions, and dis
posed Of his cavalry SO that they could net
promptly and effectively, The day following
Tuesday, Nov. 3 the enemy's cavalry began
tklrmishtnR With ouzs, but after short time
fru back. Pickets upon the right were
doubled, and an hour before daylight the bri.
gade was ordered Under arms.
Col Owen, with his staff, rode to tbs front
to e1amlne the position Of the enemy, and
remained m hour, during which time Capt.
Ftiedley rode With some men twomtles on the
II
with section Of the Seventeenth Ohio bate
r, supported BY the Etghty-tni1d Ohio regi-
Mtnt, while the 6fKtitth Indiana watched the
right flank The firing ceased. a forage
t1a}n, originally ordered BY General Burbridge
to go with m escort at nine q. H., was now
Tie Eignt;-thi1a i osio 10 was @ desisnassd ] aas It
eleven a. m. to go with 1t. Scarcely had the
train emerged from the woods on our rear
when the pfckets on our right began firing,
vhen Col Owen ordered the regiment to
bold themse1yes In read1nees, at the same
lime Informing Gen. Burbrtdgc. a section
Of artillery was now ordered to that point,
supported by the 96,h Ohio, and the Goth In
diala was sent to hold the bridge and small
bayou in the skirt Of the woods, and TO throw
cut skt-mishers in advance to feel for the en-
tiny. bis force and position. Horse artillery
was sent out !; but our forces In the field we're
thelled the woods wherever a-man showed
himself Our cavalry and plckets NOW fell
into the woods. Gen. Burbridge NOW ordered
the SNtieth Indiana to advance. Lteutenant
K;chardhon, Acting Assistant Adjutant Cen
esal OF Col OWENS staff, remained with him
until his horse was shot under him, rAllying
the men, when Gen. Burbridge ordered him
to bring up the 96th Ohio TO their support,
the General braVely cheering on the men.
The enemy and onr own men were now SO
clcEe together that It VAS impossible to use
the artillery. Captain Slick, Brigade Inspec-
tor, Was to place section of the 18th Ohio
battery IN position on slight eminence of
the pIa1rte In our front, supported by the
9th Ohio.
The Ninety.si Ohio we're now holding
the road on the left and In front of the Tweu.
ty:thlrd Wisconsin, which WAS On the left Of
the Sixteenth Indiana.
Ohio, called attention to q heavy cavalry,
force coming on the left flank to surround
Us; but section Of the Seventeenth Ohio
battery had been placed there to hold them
in check. The Sixteenth, being now hard
pressed, had to fall back, the enemy adyanc-
Ing four sf: ranks deep, the men fl.
directed Col. Oven to rally them. The latter
found it impossible to do 50 at once, they
being cut up 50 badly. Before succeeding,
the Ninety sixth Ohio and Twenty third Wis
consin fell back, the latter losing Its colonel,
after which 1t held its ground under disas-
trous fire, but making havoc in the eoemy'
ranks. The gallant Col. Gappey, Of the
Twenty-th.rd Wisconsin, Is serious loss.
He was esteemed by his men, and was q
brave officer. The enemy's cavalry WAS NOM
seen converging from all points Of the woods
and from the prairie In our front on our
email force. The remnant Of the brigade fell
back into the woods, and through them six
hundred yards Into open ground. While
Fa1ytng the men around the battery General
Washburne rode up and informed them rein
torcements were coming.
The capture OF the Sixty.seveuth Indiana
was effected in front Of section of the Ssy-
enteenth Ohio battery. The enemy's cavalry
were surrounding them, when General Bur.
bridge sent three consecutive orders to the
Colonel to fall back He disobeyed orders,
and thus nearly the whole force Was captur-
ed. Meanwhile the General had dismounted
and personally handled oue Of the pieces, and
with such dexterlty did he use canister
that the enemy were alarmed, apparently;
hut they closed round the Sixty-seventh, and
it was impossible to fire without killing our
own men. Captain Rice, commanding the
battery, wss conspicuous for his bravery. By
this time the rebel cavalry had nearly sur
rounded the battery, and the order to Timber
I'D was given, and they escaped into the
woods, but subsequently lost one Of their
pieces. Gen. Bu1bridge now rode forward
ind ordered the remnant to Join General
Came,on'e brigade In forward movement,
the Twenty.third Wisconsin forming on the
right, under Lieutenant Colonel Hill; Col.
Moore, Eighty.third Ohio, commanding the
rrntre ana fhe Ninety.efytY Ohio Colonel