Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-10-20

lotn, at II P. NJ, and at A NJ
as.ln ordered to march. Nv men were n m0nJ
.a.suea' having had but little sleen and v eUn
SUI ra'lons they, however, marched ort
WIN aIacrlty. Gen. Smiths army now 80 as
rear suaro 10 zen. Banks army.
we marched By daylight sir m;1os 20
narhsVnie, where Gen. Banks, artillerr vss
engaging the enemy in our front c.
Smiths army deploying to the rirb+ n,, oeL
ment was the extreme left one
was now advanced in column NV
We advanced three miles, in this rorS sa.on
Mansurura, where the enemy made -, "
We had an open prairie, three miles ~ ~
advance over. The enemy opened On NJ "
we advanced, with heavy and light niecas -
artillery, giving US canister and spbericaI
case. Our brigade was now advanced s~
| echelon. This order was continued a baIf
mile farther, when the brigade was formed
IN line, my regiment upon the left. Musket
ry was row freely sbowered' upon us. Our
brigade charged forward upon his guns, but
ne succeeded IN limbering up and getting
them oil by way of by-road that we were
not aware OF lie left his dead and wounded
on the held My skirmishers captured some
prisoners. My regiment in this action had
severely wounded and 25 slightly wounded
This action vas one of the worst and most
continuous artillery fires nv command we're
ever fredericksburg and Corinth not ex.
cepted. We advanced for five, miles over AN
| open plain, and after we had succeeded in
| gaming the woods, charged the enemy,s lines
ana guns and drove him off ANONYMOUSLY;
had 1t not been for the bye road in his rear,
as before mentioned, which was unknown to
Us, we should have captured his guns 1858 s<
on the morning of the 18th at Calhan plan
tatioh, ana the same evening at BAYOU de
Glalse, our brigade and the Sd brigade of our
DIVISION lay IN ambush with y pieces of ar
| tlllery awaited the approach of the enemy,
| ana upon each OCCASION when he came up:
punished him severely. His loss was great.
L was much panied at the severe wound lin
the head) of Capt. King, Co. &C" Early on
the morning of the 10th the rear cavalry was
pressed IN upon our rear skirmishers. Co.
3D." under command Of Lieut.. Mcclure, of
| Co. Of" was deployed from nv regiment,
and our skirmishers having repulsed them,
we were moved within four miles of Smme--
port, our original point of debarkaton in
March last. ....t ...
Gen. Banks army and most of our train,
| having nearly completed the crossing of the
| Atchafalaya,-we crossed on our pontoon of
| boats-Gen. Smith decided to give battle A
| portion of his army was put in motion to the
rear. Co. d, and the whole line of skirmish-
ers advanced, covering the line. A short but
| terrible conflict Immediately took place We
| had thirty pieces of artillery engaged on our
| side, and presume the enemy had Us many
| They were repulsed and driven three miles.
Gen. Smiths loss vas 200 killed and wound
ed. The enemy lost 325 killed and wounded,
and $50 prisoners. Ny Co. lost four
wounded, and 1t. Mcclure, mortaly He ex-
pired the following day. The next day, We
crossed the Atchafalaya, and reached the
mouth of the river on the Mississippi Isl
The campaign having closed, our army is
embarking to move up the Mississippi River.
This campaign has been one Of the most ar
duous, fatiguing, and the most continuous
fghting-for n days-that my regiment has
| ever before been engaged in. Half the time
my men have been on short rations, and no
opportunity have l had to get clothing for
them in the past three months Ny noble
soldiers are barefooted and in rags, neverthe-
less the health and efficiency of the men
never was better. The campaign has been
a failure, but in every instance that our army
(Smith's) has had occasion to fight the enc
my, we have whipped him and drove him in
disorders and l am thankful that my casual
ties are no greater. (They are less than
some other battalions.) The regiment has
been among the first to the front, and the
last to leave it, of many of the conflicts we
have had during the expedition.
I am sir, with high regard, @ r..
Your ob'd't servant,
j. w. JEFFERSON,
Lit Colonel Com. Sth w. V. Inf. Vols.