New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-27
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
GULF.
The Red River Campngn-Why Ii Failed.
From Our Special Correspondent.

I
NEwORIFANs May Il. lsoi.
Now that the smoke Of the Red River cam
paign has drited away and it is clearly seen that tic
expedition a costly failure il wei 10 consider
the general causes Gifts want Of success.
These causes may be reduced 10 two. First Delay.
If the army Of Gen Banks had left Franklin five days
earlier, it would have marched to Shreveport without
serious opposition. Our cavalry and horse artillery
would have reached Cheneyyle on the 18Th Of March
instead Of the lsh and Walkers division. driven from
Fort De Russey would have been caught and crushed
between tie army Of Il j. Smith and The mounted force
Of this Department Our army moving mp thence TO Al
e1andria Natcltoches. Pleasant Hin. and Shreveport
would have found Dick Taylor unprepared t. combat
advance. His army would have consisted merely
OF the ugacions division Of Gen Alfred Mouton. Gen
Tom Green. the prince OF Trans. Mississippi Rebels
with his seventeen mounted regiments. would have
been still In Texashis division dismouuted his hor-ot
off TO Craze. Had Gen. Banks arrived at Sabine
Cross Rocds on the % Of pr instead the 18th there
would have been battle at that dangerous point. or
with Mouton's division and the struggling bands Of
Louisiana Rebel cavalry the enemy would have made
no stand
But army too late On the eth Of April, near
Pleasant Hill. cavalry force fought drove, and took
prisoners from regiments Of Tom Green's division.
which had that day arrived from Texas. ~ Sabine
Cross Roads We encountered Walkers division,
Moutons and Green's, supported by reenforcements
which during the fight, were coming from Price st
detaehments Of Prices army, was hurled upOnps
Second, recklessness. Our army was marched from
Naichitoches toward Shreveport as II there was no
enemy in our front The mounted force under Gen 4.
L. Lee was pushed forward with lis horse artillery and
trains Gen. Lee directed by superior authority %
attack the enemy wherever lie should lind them. lie
could disObey snc order without being CHARGED
at with dsObcdence and timidity On the l;h Of
April, three miles beyond Pleasant Hill be met the
enemy in force aud drove them seven miles. On the
morning Of the sth brigade Of infantry from the 18Th
Army Corps was sent forward 10 assist him in the
conduct Of the advance and he again directed 10
push On and take his train with him and keep well
closed up He had no alternative save 70 push OH
and so. with heavy diminishing, he slowly advanced
seven miles further TO the sad battlefield OF Sabine
Cross Roads
At this moment Gen. Ransom with another brigade
Of the 18th Corps up, and assumed command OF
the infantry. Gen Charles L. Stone. ChefofStaf of
the Department also presents and By Stone, Ran.
sOu and Lee the dispositions made-thc infantry
in the center and the cavalry on the ia ks.
About the time tac dispositions were made, and
than three hours before the battle really began, Gen
Banks on the field took his position within half
mile Of the line Of skrmshers, and was immediately
informed Of the nature Of the dispositions and the ap
parently heavy force Of the enemy.
Gen Banks directed Gen. Lee 10 retain his position
and wait for the rest Of tie infantry to come up.
Now where was this expected infantry The day
before it had been closely behind The cavalry advance
its officers loosely complaining that it was running
over the cavalry But now when the terrible onset Of
the enemy was imminent. part Of II was at midday
going into camp al CAROLS Mill seven miles in Of
vision Of tho 18th Corps and Emory division Of the 18Th
Corps-seven thousand good fighting mcn-cooking
coffee. The thousand Of A. j. Smith were nearly
days march behind. They did not reach Pleasant
Hill till the night Of tie 9Th
And thus this 8ry Of martyrs was strung out Tor -
miles while 1900 Of the enemy lay hidden at the Gross
Roads ready To spring upon and bruse the head OF the
column. Tie result was Inevitable. While Gen Banks
sat securely on Lis handsome horse Dignity, hdmlrng
bis every feature, the enemy charged in upon The in
laniry Of Ransom and the cavalry Of Lee. The latter
fought brayey-the acknowledged loss Of the enemy
attests thaibut were forced back TO the woods on TINS
side OF the hcd. Then Camerop up with his d.
vision, so enieebod by fIoueh that did not number
as much as On ordinary brigade lie fought bravely-
was thanked and crushed.
And still Emory's division fnr behind, and the
1000 bayOnets Of A. j. Smith were distant 20 miles.
And 30 our adyance-Lec Ransom and Cameron
were pushed back past the cavalry train which had be-
come blocked IN the attempt retire. II is idle TO say
that this train lost the day Cameron in coming up 10
the rescue had no trouble In passing the train which,
while advancing was kept Oh side Of the road. If
Emory's division had come up in time it could also
have passed the cavalry train II 4. j. Smiths force
had closely followed II could also have passed the
airy train and would not the train then have been as
safe as # parked in New-Oreansf We should
have routed tie enemy IN twenty minutes. and IN two