Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-04-21


Pieces sf Artillery.
GRAND EcoRE, La, April II.
Before this reaches you, you have proba-
bly, heard through the newspaper reports,
concerning the disaster that has just befal-
len our army. Briefly, IT, lasts ass thess:
We had been successfully driving the enc
my until Friday, the 9Th. Upon that day
they made stand near Mansfield, As miles
from shreveport Our Corps, with the cav
airy, were in advance Until about o'crk
We were ypuGhGng them. Suddenly they
relied and began to drive US. Our 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 fom US, from which our men had just
been driven, and 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 position. After firing few rounds VIC
were ordered to retreat TO the edge Of the
opposite woods. Here we unlimbcrcd and
fired with great rapidity into the approach
ing rebels. We were still without support
The handful Of men composing our little
corps, not more than 1900 in ali, were cap
tured VI disabled. Tho 10Th Corps were
back IN the rear The cavalry acted shame
tmliy, With soIne few exceptions the I'd IL
linois among the latter Although implor-
cd by all they held dear, they ran like sheep.
| We held our second position until We saw
the rebels massing 10 outlank our left. At
| this time they were pouring upon us per-
feet storm Of shells and bullets. Throop
was directing our fire on the left with the
greatest spirit. Suddenly heard him cry,
I'm shot ~ Nash and Chase Dickinson
run to his aid, and carried him of the field
| helped timber up squad SIS gun, tour own,
squad SIS, having been disabled and sent off
the field = few minutes before), caught
Thro0p's horse and galloped to the rear for
an ambulance and stretcher. found both,
returned, and took him to a Surgeon. who
pronounced his wound mortal He had
been struck by piece of shell in the abdo-
men. The skin was not broken, but badly
bruised and much swollen He was put in
to the ambulance, with Hugh Wilson to
take care Of him, and sent to the rear.
BY this time the rebels had come into
the woods where VIC were, and were coming
upon us pell nell. Gen. Banks and staff
were along, trying with curses and impre-
cations 10 stop our cavalry. But all in vain.
The routc.had now become general The
train Of the cavalry division had been
brought up, and now entirely blocked up
the narrow road through the pine forest
We got our battery about mile from the
field, through the woods, over trees and
| stumps, when, the blockade in front being
| perfectly impossible, the order was given
by Capt. White to unlltch and make our
escape as best wc could. The rebels were
less than fifty yards from u.s. Every man
for himself and the devil take the hindmost,
was the motto. Bull Run was outdone. A
few miles further back we came upon the
18th corps, drawn up in line of battle
They stayed the rebel advance with heavy
fire Of mushetry. We Of the 18th Corps
were ordered to continue our retreat to
Pleasant Hin, twelve miles back, where We
arrived about o'clock on Saturday morn.
ing. Here We found A. j. Smith, with his
10000 of the 10th and 10Th Corps, to REIN
force us.
Besides our battery, the enemy captured
Nimm's, the LIST Indiana, the 9th Missouri.
and 2 guns Of Battery G, regulars-22
pieces in ALL Every piece Of artillery
could have been saved had not the pro-
vision train been brought SO near to the
'front.'
Everybody is cursing Gems. Banks and
Franklin. The defeat is attributed to the
conduct Of the battle entirely. A single
regiment was sent in at time when that
was cut off, then another; and SO on until
we were defeated. Then the 10Th Corps
was not in supporting distance 1t is said
that our Gen. Ransom and Gen. Lee sent
three times for the 10Th Corps, implorinc
them to come and save the day; and that
Franklin W ould not bulge until ordered by
Banks
Our loss in officers is very heavy. Among
the wounded is Gen. Ransom.
On Saturday the battle was continued At
Pleasant Hill, chiefly under the direction Of
4: j. Smith, who did prodigics Of valor.-
We get all sorts CT reports from the front.
The latest is that Smith has whippcd tho
rebels, taking 1000 prisoners and Is pieces
OF artillery
Cur loss must have been immense in tho
first days fight. A mere handful is left
OF our Corps. The Expedition is no doubt
broken up for the present, and our troops
are falling back
II will be a long time before the battery
will be lit to take the field again, and prob
ably never in SO splendid style in every
respect as we entered upon this campaign.
4 Remarkable Vision.
\ solicitor, resident in the Isle of WIGHT