The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-29
The Battles In Western Louisiana.


some terrific Sighting, at 7 O'Clock Saturday
morning our forces we're at Pleasant Hill
and the rebels were advancing. the cavalry
in front endeavoring to discover our posi-.
ton. Col. o. P. Gooding. with his brigade
of Lees cavalry corps was sent out on the
Shreveport road 10 meet the enemy and
draw him on. He had gone about q mile
when he came upon the rebel advance. and
skirmishing Immediately eusued. and &C.
cording TO .be plan he slowly fell back -
The fight was very short between these cav.
airy bodies. and Col. Gooding lost nearly
40 mon killed ard wounded, inflictinp how
ever, as much damage as be received. The
18th corps was reserve in the rear under
General Cameron. Con. Ransom having
been wounded the day before. Gen. Smith
was commander. in. chief of the second lines
back Of the crest, while Gen. Mower was
tho commander OF the mon The com.
mander Of tho right brigade in Con. Smiths
west line vas Col. Lynch. The commander
Of tho left brigade was Col. Shaw. The Cd
line aiso consisted Of two brigades. Craw.
ford's Sd ludiana battery was posted on tho
right OF the 80.h Indiana Infantry, and the
9th Indiana battery on the right of the line
OF battle.
The Missouri Iron Gun battery, and 9th.
ers whose names and numbers We could not
ascertain, were also in this section of the
battle.
The skirmishing was KEEP. up with con.
siderable vigor until about Ave O'Clock il,
the afternoon, when the rebels had compile
tod their arrangements for tho attack. At
about this hour, Gen. Emerys skirmish line
was driven in on the right by the rebels,
who in largo forco came through the timber
above mentioned. They soon reached the
open ground and moved Oh to the attack in
three lines Of battle.
Our batteries and infantry opened with
terrible effoct, doing great slaughter with
grape and canister, while the enemy's ar
iillcry, being in the woods and in bad DO
sition, did scarcely any damage.
Col. Benedct's brigade, on tho left. was
Srst engaged, and was soon followed BY
Dwight's and MoMiian's. The fighting was
terrific. Old soldiers say il never was sur.
| passed for desperation. Notwithstanding
tho terrible havoc in their ranks, the enemy
pressed fiercely OF. slowly pushing the men
of the 9.h corps back up tho hill, but not
breaking their line of battle
A sudden and bold dash Of the rebels on
tho right gave them possession Of Taylors
battery. and tboy forced our lines still fur.
tber back.
Now came tbe'grand coup do main. The
18Th. on arriving at tho top of the bill sud
denly Rled over the hill aod passed through
the lines of Con. Smith.
We must hore mention that tho rebsls
wero in but two lines of battle. the hrst
having been almost anpihiiated by Gen.
Emery. What remained wero forced to
back into the secend line, but those two
lines came on exutant. and sure Of sucoesa.
The first passed over the knoll, and oil
hocdlcss of the long limo Of cannon and
crouching guns, pressed on.
The 81 line appeared on the ores. aud tho
death signal was sounded. Words cannot
describe tho awful effects of this discharge
Seven thousand rifles and several batteries
OF artillery loaded to tho muaxle with crane
and canister we're fired simultaneously. and
the whole center of tho rebel line was
crushed dowr. frightFuly mangled by this
one discharge. No time was given the to
recover their good ord.r, but Gen Smith
ordered charge and his men dashed rapid. |
forward. tho boys of the 10Th joining in. |
The rebels fought boldly and desperately
bnok TO tho timber, On reachng which a
large portion broke aud fsd. fully 1000
throwing as'de their guns. In this charge
Taylors battery was re,aken. as we're also
two OF the guns Of Kim's battery. Tho Par.
rott gun taken from US al Carton Grow last
fall. and one OF two others belonging to the
rebels. ono OF winch was considerably shat.
terod besides TOO prisoners. :.
A pursuit aud desultory fight was kept
up Tor three miles. whom our men returned
to the held OF battle, and thus ended this
fearful and bloody struggle for tho control
of western Louisiana.
Sr. Louis. April s4th.-The Rapubli
cans Red River correspondence Of The
18th says:
Gen. Smiths commend began crossing
the river opposite Grand Ecore that day,
for the overland trip 10 Vcksburg, i, be
ing understood that Gen. Grant had sent
orders for Smith TO return to that place.
Rebel prisoners say they had a5.OOJ
men IN the late bsttles-that lhey lost
s'OOO in last Saturdays fight. They leu
their killed and wounded on the field
Our loss on Saturday was abou, 800
Our wouhded were taken to Grand Ecore.
The killed were left on the field, but re.
ports afterwards say they were buried
by cavalry.
| Gen. Smiths command consisted O.
portions of the 18th and l7,h army corps,
Gems. Hurbut and Mcpherson.
Correspondents say great dissatisfac.
tioI is expressed Of Banks generalship.
Fridays battle was fought on the contra.
~ to Frauklin's plans. and both Franklin
and Ransom protested against having
cavalry so far iu advance. Smith pro.
tested against the retreat from Pleasant
Hill after The victory on Saturday. He
wanted TO pursue the rebels, but Banks
ordered the retreat OF the entire army 10