Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-05-19
ssPip'' Continueth his "Tear."
New Orleans, La. April 9th, 1854.

New Orleans, La, April 9th, 1854.
DEAR JAcK:-Mv first effort as historian O
the Department of the Gulf brought ny mar
rative to the time of the expedition up Rec
River The Sd and 4th Divisions of the l3tl
Army Corps were ordered back from Texa:
and massed at Brashear City about the last
February They were commanded by Gen
Ransom They went up the Teche and Joined
the rest of tie force, which consisted Of the
18th Army Corps under Gen. Franklin and q
The expedition thus constituted moved from
New Iberia and commenced "dragging Its
slow length along toward Opclousas. Twice
before since Banks took command Of this
Department, had our troops mada al advance
through this very country, without any dcfn-
able purpose, and as often had they inglori-
ouslv retrcatcd for reasons equally incomprc-
hcnsiblc. While this army was marching to-
ward Alexandria in this roundabout way, in
tcllioencc reached this city that Gen. \. j.
Smith, with command from the l6th and
18th Army Corps, had gone up Red River,
captured Fort De Russv and occupied Alex
andril. This was awful At headquarters,
the CONSERVATION was affecting to behold
Gen. Banks anticipated in the victory which
was to fill ten columns in each Of the city pa
pcrs .-forcstailed in all the glory which he
had designed for EiInself.-and by Briga-
dier General and with Western troops! =,
Shocking. But he acted with the most aa-
a,ircj!c promptness. II Gen. Smith was not
suppressed, he would push forward and prob
ably take Shreveport before the rebels could
collect force to oppose him Accordingly,
Gen. Stone, chief Of Banks staff, was dis
patched to dctaiu Smith at Alexandria. In
The meantime Gen. Franklin had heard of
this substantial victory, and the effect was to
hasten his march very considerably.
On or about the Goth ult Gen. Banks went
up Red River to Alexandria. He had sent
up before him a number Of boats loaded with
some munitions Of war and great deal of
cotton bailing. At this point, he made a long
pause though Eranklin's command had come
up and he had thus as splendid an army as
ever masscd west of the Mississippi. There
seemed no reason why he should not push for
ward, and his delay was giving the rebels
time 20 prepare for him.
When at length he moved, his line of march
was as follows: Lees cavalry was in the ad-
vance, followed hv its long wagon train then
at distance Of four Or FIVE miles came the
Sd and Ith Divisions of the 18th Corps aad
the lath Corps and Is miles behind, Gen.
Smiths command. They were marching in
,niS way when on the morning Of the Sth
INST, they found their advance seriously har-
asseL by body Of rebels. Perhaps this WAS
one Of the instances where ignorance is bliss,
bat it would seem that they should not have
been entirely unacqnaintcl with the very i'm
portant fact that large rebel army was with
in two miles of them. Yet such appears to
have been the case. The 18th, and subsequent
ly the Sd Divisions were sent forward to as
sist the cavalry i'll rcpclling what was sup,
posed to be party Of gucrillas, when they
found themselves overwhelmed by vastly
superior body Of rebels. The cavalry broke
at once, the infantry fought molly, and Gen.
Ransom performed prodisies Of yalor until
severely wounded, bat the difference in num-
bcrs was too great. The retreat was bad
enough at first but when it came Oh tAis
,raiu Of wagons, it was confusion doubly con-
founded.
The troops fell back all night and reached
Pleasant Hill about morning, where they were
Joined by Gen, Smiths force. On the follow
iue day, the rebels made another attack, bat
were repulscd, our forces achieving a victory,
which in part atoned for the reverse Of the
former day. But on the whole, we were
largely the losers. and this too under circum
stances which would have enabled us, with
even tolerable gcneraIShip, to have DESTROYED
the rebel army west of the Mississippi. We
lost l6 pieces of artillery and the entire sup
ply train of the Cavalry Division. Our losses
in killed and wounded, too, were immense
though they do not, as far as can be asccr
tanned, exceed those of the rebels.
Yours, Pr.