Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-05-04
THE WAR NEWS.
The Battle at Grand Ecore.
LEInln Ihn nninnrn Tinn-1


GRAND EcoRE, La, April ll.-Pefore
this reaches you, you have probably heard
thfouSh the newspaper reports, concern
lngthe disaster that has u ST belallen our
army. Trlelly, the facts arc these: We
had been successfully driving the enemy
until Friday, the Sth. Upon that day
they made stand near Mansfield, 10 miles
from shreveport. Our corps, with the
cavalry, were in advance. Until about 4
O'Clock we were pushing them. Sudden.
Iy they rallied and began to DIR i've US. Our
battery was then ordered forward We
were put in battery in the middle Of a
large field, and ordered 10 shell the woods
a lew hundred yards from US, from V hich
our men had just been driven, and which
was swarming with rebels. And this un-
military position was assigned to US under
the very eyes OF Gems. Banks and Frank
I'm. Or course, being without the least
support, we could not hold our position,
Atter trlng few rounds we were order
ed to retreat to the edge of the opposite
woods. Here we unlmbered and fred
with great raPidity into the approaching
rebels. We were still without supporl.
The handful OF men composing our little |
corps, not more than three thousand in all. 1.
were captured or disabled The 18Th |
corps were back in the rear. Tie cavalry .
acted shamefuily, with some few except .
ions. The ID Illinois among the latter.
Although implored by all they held dear /
they ran like sheep. We held our second .
position until we saw the rebels massinr
to outtlank our left. At this time they |
were pouring upon US a perfect storm of .
shell and bullets.
By this time the rebels had come into
the woods where VIC were, aud were com. /
ing upon us pell-mell. Gen. Banks and
staff were along, trying with curses and
lmprecatlOns to stop our cavalry. Butall +
in vain. The rout had now became zen
eral. The train Of The cavalry had beer /
brought up, and now entirely blocked up |
the narrow road through tho pine forest.
We got our battery about 4 mile from the
field, through the woods, over trees aud
stumps, when the blockade in front being
perfectly impossible, the order was given
by Capt. White to unhitch and make our
escape as best we could. The rebels were
less than fifty yards from US. Every man
for himself, and devil take the hiDdmost,
was the motto. Bull Run was out,lone.
A few miles further back we came on the
18th Corps, drawn up in line Of battle
They stayed the rebel advance with a tre-
mendoUs fire of musketry. We of the
18th Corps were ordered TO continue our
retreat 10 Pleasant Hill, twelve miles back,
where We arrived about 8 o'clock on Sat
urday morning Here we found Az.
Smith, with his 10000 ofthe 10Th and 18th
Corps, TO reinforce US.
On Saturday we continued our retreat,
travelling nearly all the time, day and
night, and arrived here yesterday after
noon.
Everybody is cursing Gems. Banks ana
franklin. The defeat is attributed TO the
conduct of the latter entirely. A single
regiment was sent in at time when that
was cut off, then another; and so on un-
Ill we were defeated. Then the 10Th Corps
was not in supporting distance. 1t /, said
that our Gems. Ransom and Lee sent three
times for the 10Th Corps, imp.oring them
to come and save the day end that Frank
lin would not bulge until ordered by
Banks. Our loss in officers is very heavy
Among the wounded is General Ransom.
90 Saturday the battle was continued I
at Pleasant Hill, under the directions of
A. =. Smith, who did prodigies OF valoT.
We get all sorts OF reports from the front. !
The latest is that Smith has whipped the
rebels, taking 1000 prisoners and Is pie
ces ofartillery. Our lost must have been
immense in the first days fight. A mere
handful is left of our corps. The expedi- Z
is 70 doubt broken up, and our troops are {
falling back.
BY falling back General Banks had Of
fected a junction with General a. J. Smith,
and arrangements were made TO receive
the enemy with effect. General Emory ,
had charge of the first line OF battle, with
Generals Mcmillan, Dwight and others. 8
Behind Emory, posted in hollow, we're
General Smiths forces. Skirmishingwas
kept up until about five o'clock in the ar-
tcrnoon, when ihc rebels came Up 10 their {