New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-25

,ort road the cavalry advancing 81 miles, and resting for
nc night at Crumps HILL tb infantry hating three or
our miles to the rear tho banks Of bayou On the
following morning at dsybro * the cavalry again started,
md came upon body of mounted Rebels before they
had marched two miles, Fighting began at once, and
the enemy were 1Gpdy driven before our troops This
running style Of fight kept up for fourteen miles,
until they had got two miles beyond Pleasant Hill
Here q force 500 Rebel cavalry, commanded by
Gen. Green were found strongly posted on wilson's
plantation. The Rebels deploycd along the edge
of dense strip of woods with an open field IN hoh'
over which we had 30 charge in order to reach them
The only Union soldiers hat had advanced far enough
to take part in She fight which was inevitable was the
cavolrv brirade Of Lees corps commanded by Col
Usr.l Robinson As he had either 10 attack or he a.
tackled be decided 10 take the initiative, ana ne ed LIS
men I'm with sach dash and vigort That at LAST tie enemy
was completely whipped and driven from the heia
Tis enfagclnoz lasted two hours and hall, ana our
losses amOUaiod 70 ak0ut forty eod ana wounded the
encnvis l-inc OF Least rs many. Col. RoblaLon pGr
sued The rctroating Rebels as far "a Bayou du Paul
whore he found they had received heavy reinforcement"
including four pieces Of artillery, aud were again IN Inc
of battle Whiting attack. As it nearly dark ana
the risk was too great in again attacking with his small
force he placed Lis men in the most advantageous po
si;on avHisblc and awaited the progress OF events
Nothing further was accomplished on tic first day.
SECOND DAYS FIGHT.
During the night brigade Of infantry commanded
by Coond L.Ddrum, came up, and early IN the morning
OF tie following dny Friday the st) the maIcn va.
resumed The Rebels found % be On the alert ana
ready for the fray and fighting commenced almost at
once. -.
The disposition Of our forces at the beginning Of this
DAYS battle was: Col LandrIms iHflnlry brigade on
the ht Of the Shreveport road, and Col Lucass cav
nlry Eigade on the left. The skiTmishinC fierce,
and every foot of ground from the enemy had to be
taken by Lard knocks but at o'clock in the afternoon
orr forces Lid compelled the Rebels 90 retreat seven
miles Our losSee as well the enemys were very Sc
ven during this time Lieut.. Col Webb, Of tie 7ih
Illinois, shot through the head and instantly killed, and
Cipt Breese, commanding 9th Missouri Cavalry, &C.
yIey wounded IN tie arm, beng among the casualties
u our side
The enemy were now met in strong force under com
mand OF Gen Kirby Smith. That Gen. Dick Taylor,
Mouton, Green and Price were also there were hilcF
ward asceItaincd from prisoners, VINO also stated that
they had under them from 49, 30 =, 600 Ieb Wlle
our force comparatively were q mere handful Tie
Rebels occupied strong position in the vicinity Of 81
bine Cross Roads concealed In the edge VI dense
wood with open field IN front, tie Shreveport road
passing through their lines. Gen. Ransom arriving on
the field with his command, formed his line weil as
CIRCUMSTANCE would permit, ai!eT reconEOiielns and
feeling tie bel position. Col. Emers0ns brigade Of
the 18th Corps stationed the left Of the buc,
with NIms Massachusetts Battery; Col. Laadrums
forces pats Of two brgsdes the right and center,
with kaNles Battery q, 9Th Regulars. and battery
Of the lst Indiana Artillery in OF his riclt end
center. Col. DGdley's brigade Of cavalry (sf Lees
corps supported tie left and held ef IN readiness to
lcitl dy allcdlt W udlhi WHO Iucis plutcttd VIC
right fdnk. Col. Robinson with his brgaGc was IN rear
OF the center. protecting the wagon train which
the Shreveport road.
Gen Baiks and staf rode upon the field by the time
this disposition Of forces effected and word
wac sent back to Gen. Franklin 20 make all speed for
the scene Of the mOmentgrlly peCed battle IL was
the design Of Gen. Banks ~ remain quiet until the bal
ance OF lis army up and then open the battle HIM
self but Kirby SIHuh Knowing his own superiority IL
nbefs began t9e conflict before they could arrive.
About o'clock the firing bet u cen the sgirrishers
gf lgT IN Al i'm Oh
was driven b.tk upon the main body by OycrWhr,m
ny force. ne whole strength Of The enemy then
dVanoed, and heavy and repeated yoiioys were d,s-
charged and replied 10 on our night ana center Soon
his portion OF line became heavily eEgagcd and s
,uf ayaebie stss n was required ~ prevent being
rushed b. the masses OF the enemy. Our left which
was now, also, hOtly fighting, was necessarily much
weakened aid 1T was Observed that strong body Of
4e enemy massing IN a dense piece Of woods, pre-.
,aratory 10 dsshing down and thanking this end OF our
iAe 1be danger was PLAN ana imminent but mere
was no remedy Gen. Stone ordered Gen. Lee to have
MINIS Battery withdrawn, although II was doing great
execution, In order that IL light not become lflze 70
he enemy and Gen Lee Ecnt his aidde-camp Col j. 5.
Brisbin. 10 withdraw the battery
on reaching the point IL removal found imposS
lie nearly every one Of the horses having bcch Killed
la few moments more solid mas Of the Rebeh
swept down upon the spot and four Of The guns
aiken, the other two being dragged from the field by
lgnd The havoc made In the ranks Of the enemy at
his point Of the action IS represented as appalling the
Whole xix guns becfg fOItn double charges OF grape
md canister; and i've or 81 rOuLds were tired be-
eryAen forced from their pieces. As the Rebels
we're in mass tie execution such shower Of missiles
aused can be easily imagined. The two senior officers
4 the battery were wounded, Lieut.. Snow mOrtaly,
The iorcos tsat made this charge were commanded
y tie Rebel General Moulon Who fell shot through tbs
,Ody with four balls.
1he ngnting on AL parts Of our line was now at short
auge and 10 TIE expression OF OF tho partci
ANTS I've holding by the skin Of our teeth
MY II was known that franklins troops had been
md md
the rear. Gen. Cameron with lis brigade came up.
md going at into action the right, vhc-c the
ate ain waXcd hottest created the impression tat
he veterans Of tho 18th had arrived, and ghd and
xutant shout went up IRON our weared and Gesper.
tely situated little band This belief was strengthened
y tire arrival Of Gen. Franklin, VINO dashed boldly into
he tAckCst OF the Fray cap IN hand and cheering on
hc men. Cen Banks, too seemed ubiquitous, riding
here, er the waycreG, and by personal example |
netting them TO renewed deeds Of daring and reckless
aiOF. Co.'s CLARK and Wilson, with other members OF
be staff saDer in hand mixed Sitn the soldiers foot
nd horseback. and cheered Cad encouraged them 20 1
ontinuc the unequal fight.
But human beings could not longer Withstand suoh /
eTce ana Oyerpowering Onsaughts as our men were ,
earring up against, ana line finally gave way IL al
Oiuts, and the fell back beTcely cOntesting the
round they yielded Unfortunately sad mlsnap be. I
Ell them al this time Tie large aid cumbersome /
agOn train blocked up the way; the frightened horses
asAed through the infantry lines entanlled themselves
18th the artillery, and created In0mentary but IN /
Jrtunate confusion. This gave the Rebels. who were
1pidy pressing possession Of several pieces OF az
lAcTy.
Cen. Franklin was conspicuous during this part Of
he day. raylng the men. and tao horses we're KILLED .
nder him; Capt. Chapman, Of his staff lad both feet
,kcn oil by Ound sho ana the hCiSe OF Capt. FRANK
j Wa killed a. the same time.
me enemy followed our step by step for three
nd half miles. but he advancing 10 meet fear
4 reributlOn. The 18Th Army Corps had been ordered
stop and form its line Of bAltetfo retic.iing Union
oops passed through this iAe and formed IN the rear
he Rebels thinking they had rcpulsed our whole army
ashed impct ulsly On, and thought the hne but hall