The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-04-29

charged from each side full into the ranks OF
their opponents, but neither gave signs of
yielding, and night charitably threw her
mantle over the CHASTITY scene and enforced
cessation of hostilities.
BANKS wITHDRAws To PLEASANT HILL.
The two divisions under command Of Gen.
A. ]. Smith, belonging to the 10th and 10th
army corps had reached Pleasant Hill and
we're there halted. Gen. Banks determined
to withdraw his army to that point for sake
Of the advantageous position which he could
there occupy, knowing that the enemy would
follow what they supposed to be a demoral-
lied army. In accordance with this plan OF
operations, all our men were quietly with
drawn from the enemy's front and the line
of march taken up for Pleasant Hill. This
conjunction of our forces was satisfactorily
effected, and the result confidently awaited.
So we'll was the movement conducted that
although the first body started at 10 o'clock,
and the remainder were not all under way
until nearly daylight, the rebels had not the
slightest suspicion of what was going on.
THE BATTLE OF PLEASANT HILL.
At o'clock on Saturday morning, our
forces we're all at Pleasant Hill, and the reb-
els were advancing, with cavalry in front, en-
deavoring to discover our osition. Col. o.
P. Gooding, with mis- brigade of Lees cav
airy corps, was sent out on the Shreveport
road to meet the enemy and draw him on.
He had gone about mile when he came up
on the rebel advance. Skirmishing imme-
diately ensued, and, according to the plan.
he slowly fell back. The fight was very
sharp between these cavalry bodies, and Col.
Gooding lost nearly forty men killed and
wounded, inHicting, however, as much dam
age as he received. The brigade behaved
calamity, covering Gen. Emory's front until
his line was formed. The battle field at
Pleasant Hill is large open field, which had
once been cultivated, but is now ovsrgrown
with weeds and bushes. The slightly ele-
waited center OF the field from which the
name of Pleasant Hill is taken, is nothing
more than long mound, hardly worth the
name of hill A semi-circular belt of timber
runs round the field on the Shreveport side.
Gen. Emory formed his line of battle on the
side facing these woods, Gen. McWiliiams'
brigade being placed on the right, Gen.
Dwights on the center and Col. Benedict
on the left. Taylor's battery, first regular,
had four guns in rear of the left wing on the
lief, of the Shreveport road, and two on the
road in the rear of Gen. Dwight's line
Hilbur6's Vermont battery was on the right
in the rear Of the enemy, and concealed by
the rising ground were Gen. Smiths tired
troops formed in two lines of battle fifty
yards apart. All his artillery was in the first
line, piece, section or battery being on the
flank of each regiment. the infantry lying
between them. The 18th corps was reserve
in the rear under Gen. Cameron, Gen. Ransom
beving been wounded the day before. Gen.
Smith was commander-in chief of the two
lines back OF the crest, while Gen. Mower
was the immediate commander of the men.
The commander of the right brigade in Gen.
Southers first line was Col. Lynch, the left
brigade under Col. ShaHs. The second line
also consisted OF two brigades. Crawford 5
! Sd Indiana battery was posted on the right
of the S9th Indiana infantry, and the 9th
! Indiana battery was posted on the right of
I the line OF battle. The Missouri Sun battery
, and others whose names and numbers could
not be sscertained were also in this section
of the battle. The skirmishing was kept up
with considerable visor until about 5 O'Clock
I in the afternoon, when the rebels hal COM
pleted their arrangements for the attack. A.
about this hour Gen. Emory's skirmish line
was driven in on the right By the rebels, who
appeared in large force. Coming through
! the timber above mentioned, they soon reach
| cd open ground and carried on the attack in
three lines of battle. Our batteries and in
fantry opened with terrible effect, doing
great slaughter with grape and canister while
the enemy's artillery being in the woods and
in bad position, did scarcely any damage
Col. Benedict's brigade on the left was first
engaged. soon followed by Dwight's and Nc
Milans's. The fighting was terrific. Old
soldiers say it was never surpassed for des.
peration. Notwithstanding the terrible havoc
in their ranks, the enemy pressed fiercely on
slowly pressing the men of the 18th corps
back up the hill, but not breaking their line
of battle. A sudden and bold dash of the
rebels on the right gave them possession OF
Taylor's battery, and forced our line still fur
Their back. Now came the grand coup de
main. The 10Th corps on arriving at the
top of the hill suddenly filed off over the hill
. and passed through the lines Of Gen. Smith
The rebels we're now in but two lines of bat
tie, the first having been almost annihilatet
by Gen. Emory. What remained of it wa:
forced back into the second line; but thes,
two lines came on exultant and sure of vic
tory. The first passed over the knoll, anC
all needless OF the long line of cannon and
crouching forms of as brave men as ever troC
mother earth, passed on. The second lin,
appeared on the crest, and the death sigma
was sounded. Words cannot describe tn,
awful effects Of this discharge. Seven thou.
and tleS and several batteries of artillery
each gun loaded to the muzzle with crap,
and canister, were fired simultaneously, and
the whole center of the rebel line was crushed
down as field Of ripe wheat through which
a tornado had passed. 1t was estimated tina
one thousand men were hurried into eterni
ty or frightfully mangled by this one dis
charge. No time was given them to recove,
their good order, but Gen. Smith ordered ,
charge, and bis man dashed rapidly forward
the boys of the 18th corps joining in. Tn,
rebels fought boldly and desperately back t,
the timber, On reaching which large PORTO,
broke and fed, fully 1000 throwing asid
their arms. In this charge Taylor's batter,
was retaken, as were also two of the guns o
Minis battery, the Parrot gun taken from u
at Carton Cross last fall, and one or tw,
others belonging to the rebels, one of which
was considerably shattered, besides 700 pris
oners. A pursuit and desultory fight wa
kept up tor three miles when our men return
ed to the field of battle, and thus ended thi,
fearful and bloody fight for the control Q
wastern Louisiana.