Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-05-05
The Late EattI In I4ouissano.
Tho Nom VI, L Commer1iI A DIV. riser nnhlishaa

Fayetteville obferver, Raleigh Confederate Please copy
ana forward b.s to Col. W. L. DeRosfet for payment.
| The Late EauI.s In Lou.,an..
| The New Yoik Commercial Advertiser publishes the
following letter received from of the officers who
partic ipatcd in the first battle in Louisiana:
GRAND ECeRE, La, Monday, April IL.
Before this reaches you, you have probably heard
through the newspaper reports concerning the disaster
these We had been succ ssfuGly driving the enemy
until Friday, the 8th. Upon that day they made a
stand Mansfield 40 miles from Shreveport: Our
corps with the cavalry, in advance. Until about
4 O'Clock we were pushing them. Suddenly they raj.
lied and began to drive Our battery was then Or
dered fot ward.
We were put in battery il the middle of large field
aud ordered to SHE'LL the Wor few hundred yards from
u.s. from which our had just bt en- driven, and which
swormpg with rebels. OF course, being without
tie least support, could not hold our position. At
ter firing few rounds, ordered to retreat to
the edge of the opposite woods. Here we unIim5ered
and fred with great rapia'y into the approaching re-
bells.
We were still without support The handful of men
composing little corps, not more than three thou
sand in al, captured disabled. The 10Th go ps
were back in the rear The cavalry acted Slametuly
With some few excaptioos-the ID Illinois among the
latter Although nplored by all they held dear, they
ran like sheep.
We hell cur second position until we the rebels
massipg to Gu faux our left At this time they were
pouring upon US a perfect storm Of shells aud bullets
By this time the rebels had into the woods
where we were, ard we're coming upon US pe NEIL,
Gen. Banks and Siaf were alopg, trying to stop our
| cavalry. But all i'll vain. The teain Of tue cavalry
division had been brought up, and entirely blocked
up the road through the pine fsrest. We got
cur battery about mile from the field, throughs the
woods. trees and stumps, wien, the blockade in
front being perfectly impossible, tie order was given
by Capt White to nnh CD and make escape best
We could
The rebels we're SIS than fifty yards from Every
for himself, n the devil take the hiGdmost, was
| the motto. Bull Run was outdone. few miles fur
ther back we camp upon the Nineteenth CORPS drawn
up in line battle They stayed TIE rebel advance with
a tremendous fire Of musketry. We of the Thirteenth
Corps ordered to continue our retreat to Pleasant
Hill, twelve miles back, where we arrived about three
O'Clock on Sunday morning Here found 4. j.
Smith, with his 10 900 Of the Sixteenth and Seven
teenth Corps, to reinforce ua.
On Saturday we CONTINUED cur retreat, travelling near
" all The time day and night, and arrived here yeser
day afternoon. We fnd that have twenty miss
ing land two wounded in the hcspita, and every,
OF cur commissioned Cficere, except LII Roe. Among
the 70 mer is Willie Mum. He lest in COM
pany with bis Sergt Bryant, endeavorng to get the
horses loose from The carriage. The rebels then
so close upon that i: is wonderful that many OF
US have escaped. Willie ard Bryant were, fear, a
moment too lac, though it is posi- BILE they may yet
come.
Hugh Wilson remained with Troop in the ambu-
| lance until the last moment The doctor made him
| Jump out juet the rebels up, mount horse
and escape. Thoop is, without doubt dead and in the
enemY's hands. Some Of our a rebel cavalry
man hold a pistol to Capt Whites head, and make
him SURF ender. Lieut.. Cone and Bar we're last seen
assisting the to get loose from the carriage Bars
horse vas caught 1uonng Wild in the woods by of
cur men, with 40 .bullethtles in the saddle, which
bodies al evil fate.
Besides our battery the enemy captured Nmms,' the
Ftrs Indiana the Sixth Missouri ard twoguns Battery
g. regu' ara twenty, two cas in al. Every piece
of artillery could lave been saved had not the provision
| train beeR~btought SO e r the front.
The defeat is attributed to the conduct OF the battle
entirely. single regiment was sent in at time !;
when that cut off, then another and until
defeated Then the 10Th corps not in support
ing distance It is said THAT Gen. Ransom and Gen.
Lee sent three times for the 10th corps imporing them
to come and save the day. and that Franklin would not
bulge ust ordered by Banks
Our loss in officers is very heavy Among the woun-
ded is Gen. Ransom
On Saturday the battle was continued at Pleasant
Hill, chiefly under the direction of A. J: Smith, who
cid plodges of valor We get all sorts OF reports from
the front Tae latest is that Smith has whipped the
rebels takig 600 prisoners and eighteen pieces OF ar
:ery Oar loss must have baen immense in the first
days fight. mere handful is left Of our corps The
expedition is no doubt, broken up and our troops are
falling back.