, 1864-04-26
THE RED RIVER DISASTER.
Further Testimony on. the Western
Louisiana Rcpnlae.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribunc.1
ErENaETELp, Ill. Apr2l q. 1894.

Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Trbunc.l
srE1Sof1E1p, Ill, Apr'l Is, 1864.
hare been shown a letter from a prominent
officer in the 18Th Army Corps. the use Of whose
name would obviously be improper, giving In The
strongest light the criminal blunder which cost rs
our recsnt repulee On the Red River, and laying
the undivided responsibility on Gen. Banks. ue
confirms the statement before published that the
heavy cavalry train OF army wagons Was following
the cavalry, the Infantry being In Its rear That
the army thus slnsulasly disposed was marching
forward In elnsle: column, along na1row road,
through q thick1y; wooded region. That when It
became necessary to throw forward Ranaom's NO
bic troops it could only be done in drthlets crowd
cd through By the side Of the army wagons. Thus
the tebe1a vera able to deeat aud cut up detail
the heroes Of the 18th, whose pzodfgies Of yhlor
were wasted, and whose Withdrawal in good order
was prevented bJ the wagon train.
The letter ia written to i brother officer, and
discusses very freely the feeling in the army. The
zepu]te is confessed to have been very costly
ore, both in men and material, though there is no
In the location OF the blame.
THE RETREAT OF THE CHICAGO HERCAN-
TILE BATTERY. :.
Testimopy Of Jancsville Boy.)
We remained unttl our horses commenced to
drop when Capt. White told us to lfuher up and
make for the rear a. nc could not do thing more
without support. So, We llmbered up and started.
Just then Lieut. Throop Tas mostalIy wounded,
, shot In the bowels. We could not 70 great way,
however, as tho wagon train loaded with forage
blocked up the road aud We had to 20 through the
denae pfno woods. But ne rot our guns and cas-
eiopB about two mes. the rebs right after us cry
ing out ''halt and surrender you ID Yankccs." 1t
was not long before We got stuck last, between
about dozen wagons, log1, and In big mud holy.
Then the Captain told to the traces and save
Ourselves. Well We started. leaving everything
We hau behind M except the clothes on our
bucks and what VIC had in our pockets. It was 4
perfect 1asbie; , 1egu'as hna Ilnn; It was dern
ers On mules, niFseEs, ear7lry. artillery,
e!ely rank eTesiasting getting to the rear or any
the field BY our guns, tryinD to rally the men, until
he was wounded and had to be taken to the rear.
The ammunition train Wns to the rear and our in
fantrJ. what few there were, Nere entirely out.-
Thus. NC went 1t about two miles from where ne
left our guns. when the 18th corps came up aud
formed in line Of battle. The rebs came on and
they did pour the votleys into them from way back.
They checked them for time and AZ 1t WAS almost
dark the rebs did not follow ua. Our force fell
back nine miles that night We aaw Gen. Smith.
Be WAS very angry and sworc terribly about the
way thines were conducted. Well, his division
came pp, abont eight thousand strong. He ma4lc1
big forces aCafn and got erery thing ready to re-
eeiye the rebs. Oh, how glad the troops were to
zee some one fit to command. The 3rd diCtsioa
stacktd Meir arms and s.c0Te they zrou!l not fQht
unler DQnks, but would stay By Smith a long AZ
mai 7EG$ lEf{,