Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-05-04
The Battles in Louisiana.

ties in louisiana:
The Republicans Red River letter of the 18th
says that Gen. Smiths command began cross.
ing the river opposite Ecore that day for an
overland trip to Vicksburg, it being under
stood, Gen. Grant sent orders for Gen. Smith
to return to that place. Rebel prisoners sly
they had $4,000 men in the. recent battles,
and that they lost 5000 in SATURDAYS fobt
They left their killed and wounded on Tho
field. Our loss on Saturday was about 900
Our wounded were taken to Grand Ecore and
the killed were left on the field, but were re.
captured afterwards by the cavalry.
Gen. Smiths command consisted of portions
of the 10th and i7S army corps belonging to
Gen. Hurlbut and Gen. McPhersons.
The correspondent says that great disat
isfaction is expressed at Banks Generalshp.
Fridays battle was fought contrary to Frank
Inns plans and both Franklin and Ransom pro-
tested against having the cavalry so far in
advance. Gen Smith protested against re.
treat from Pleasant Hill after the victory Of
Saturday, he wishing to pursue the fleeing
rebels but Banks ordered the return of the
entire army to Grand Ecore.
1t is difficult to determine what the result
Of the expedition will be- 1t will require
some time to re-organize the expedition. and
if the river continues full, Alexandria will
necessarily continue to be the base of opera
tions.
The following from the New Orleans Fra
is an account of the final victory of the Union
forces, after some terrible fighting At seven
o'clock on Saturday morning our forces were
at Pleasant Hill, and the rebels were adyanc-
ing their cavalry being in front, and endeay.
oring to discover our position. Col 0. P.
GoodiIg, with his brigade of Lees cavalry
corps. was sent out on the Shreveport road
to meet the enemy and draw him on. He
had got about mile, when he came on the
rebel advance. Skirmishirg immediately en-.
sued, and, according to the plan, he SLOWLY
fell back. The fight was very sharp between
these bodies of cavalry. Col. Gooding lost
nearly forty men in killed and wounded, in
hicting, however, as much damage as he re-
ceived.
The 18th corps was a reserve in the rear
under Gen Cameron. Gen Ransom had been
wounded the day before. Gen. Smith was
commander in chief of the second lines back
of the crest, while Gen. Mower was the com
mander of the rear. The commander of the
right brigade in General Smiths west line
was Col. Lynch the left brigade was Col
Shaws the Sd Indiana battery was posted
on the right of the seth Indiana infantry, and
the 9Th Indiana battery on the right of the
line of battle. The Missouri Iron Sun battery
and others whose names and numbers we
could not ascertain, were also in this section
of the battle.
able vlgor till about o'clock in the otter
noon, when the rebels had completed their ar
engagements for attack. At ahout this finn
Gen. Emory's skirmish line was driven in nm
the right by the rebels, who appeared in
large force coming through the timber They
soon reached the open ground and moved on
the attack IN three lines of battle. Our hat.
teries and infantry opened with terrible eff
feet doing great slaughter with Crane and
M 10 tha
in the woods and in bad position, did scArcelS
any damage. Col. Benedicts brigade on the
left was first engaged and soon followed by
Dwight's and McMiians. The fighting was
terrific. Old soldiers say it never was sur
passed for desperation. Notwithstanding the
terrible havoc in their ranks the enemy press
ed tiercely on, slowly pushing the men of the
18th corps back up the HILL but not breaking
their line of battle.
A sudden and bold dash OF the rebels on
the right gave them possession of Tavlor'g
battery and forced our line still farther hack.
Now came the grand coup de main. The 18th
corps on arriving at the top of the hill sud.
denly filed over the hill and passed through
the lines of Gen. Smith
we must here mention that the rebels were
now in but two lines of battle, the first hay-
ing been almost annihilated by Gen. Emory
and what remained having been forced back
But these two lines came on exuitant and
sure of victory. The first passed over the
knoll and all needless of the long line of
cannons and crouching forms, passed on. The
second line appeared on the hi, and the death
signal was sounded. Words cannot descrjbe
the awful effects of this discharge of seven
thousand rifles and several batteries of artil.
lery loaded to the muzzle with grape and can.
lister. They were fired simultaneously and
the whole centre of the rebel line was crush.
ed down, frightfully mangled by this one dis
charge.
No time was given them to recover their
good order, but Gen Smith ordered charge
and his men dashed rapidly forward, the boys
of the 10th joining in. The rebels fought
boldly and desperately back to the timber, Oh
reaching which large portion fed, fully
1000 throwing aside their arms In this
charge Taylor's battery was re-taken. as was
also two of the guns of Minis battery the par.
rot gun taken from US at Carrion Crow last
fall, az. one or two others belonging to the
rebels, one of which was CONSIDERABLE shat.
tered, besides 700 prisoners.
A pursuit and desperate fight was kent Nd
for miles when our men returned to the
field of battle and there ended this fnsrfnl
and bloody struggle for the control of W..
tern Louisiana.
SENTIMENT OF IST-oron