Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-04-29
War N Q W s.

from Grand Ecore, Red River, to the
18th, are received. They confirm the
report that the result of the two DAVIS
fight at Pleasant Hill was decidedly in
our favor. The battle Of the 9th was
fought at Sabine Cross Roads. The en-.
envy were commanded by Gems. Magru-
der, Holmes and Taylor, all under Kirby
Smith. The enemy's loss on the first
day is placed at 1900. The second
days fight was at Pleasant Hill, where
the enemy was most gloriously routed
and driven from the field by our forces
under Gen. A. j. Smith, Gen. Banks
commanding in chief. The enemys loss
was heavy-two to our one. Among
their killed were Gems. Morton and Par.
sons.
After the first days Eight, Gen. Banks,
being short of rations, sent word to the
admiral to return with the feet, which
had advanced to within eighty miles of
Shreveport, and was preparing to blow
the Delaware, at New Falls City, which
the rebels had sunk in the channel. On
the reception OF Gen. Banks dispatches
the feet hurried back, and on the way
down was attacked by large numbers of
the enemy on both sides of the river,
who attempted to capture the transports.
A fight ensued between the gunboats and
rebels, in which the latter were splendid
ly repulsed, with 500 or GOO killed and
a large number wounded, while none on
the gunboats wero injured. Gen. Greene,
commanding the rebels in this action,
had his head blown off by shell.
Private letters received at Cincinnati
confirm these accounts. They say tina.
Gen. Banks had countermanded his or
der of retreat to Alexandria, and Gen.
Lees cavalry had been put in pursuit OF
the enemy. 1T is believed, says letter
from a staff officer, that Shreveport will
be occupied this week From all &C
counts our victory was complete, and we
recovered most Of our prisoners and
guns, with many belonging to the enemy.
The fleet cannot get up to Shreveport in
consequence of the low water Admiral
Porter is much chagrined at bis inabili-
ty to render that assistance to the army
which he had planned. Much is being
done, however, by the light draught boats
and the marine brigade in the Red,
White and Ouachita rivers.
A letter dated the llth, describes the
fight and rout on the 9Th as follows:
We had been successfully driving the
enemy until Friday, the 9Th. Upon that
day they made stand near Mansfield,
40 miles from Shreveport. Our corps,
with the cavalry, were in advance. Until
about A o'clock we were pushing them.
Suddenly they rallied and began to drive
US. Our Chicago Mercantile) battery
was then ordered forward. We were
put in battery in the middle of large
field, and ordered to shell the works
few hundred yards from, US, from which
our men had just been driven, aud which
was swarming with rebels. And this
unmilitary position was assigned to US
under the very eyes of Gems. Banks and
Franklin. OF course, being without the
least support, we could not hold our po-
siton. After firing a few rounds VIC
were ordered to retreat to the edge of the
opposite woods. Here we unlimbered
and fired with great rapidity into the ap-
preaching rebels. We were still without
support. The handful of men compos.
ing our little corps, not more than 5000
in all, were captured or disabled. The
10Th corps we're back in the rear. The
cavalry acted shamefully, with some few
exceptions-the I'd Illinois among the
latter. Although impIored by all they
held dear, they ran like sheep. We
held our second position until we saw the
rebels massing to outhank our left. AT
this time they were pouring upon us a
perfect storm of re- Is and bullets.
Throop was directing our fire on the left
with the greatest spirit. Suddenly /
heard him cry, Pm shot Nash and
Chase Dickinson ran to his aid, and car
ried him off the field.
by this time the rebels had come into
the woods where we were, and were
coming upon US pell NELL. Gen. Banks
and staff were along, trying with curses
and imprecations to stop our cavalry.
But in vain. The rout had now become
general. The train of the cavalry divis-
ion bad been brought up, and now entire
ly blocked up the narrow road through
the pine forest. We got our battery
about a mile from the field, through the
woods, over trees and stumps, when the
blockade in front being perfectly impas-