, 1865-11-06

.I4. G1eCiHG jEUf11Cn Win Inc t0FCt3 OF Gfh,
Smith ard the colored BRIGADE under Col. Diekey,
which had reached that point the evening previous.
Early On the 9Th, the troops were prepared for &C
tion, The movements Of the enemy indica'ins that
be wcs on our rear. A line OF battle formed Ia
the following order: Let brigade. 18th corps. from
the right, resting On r4'tne; I'd brigade tn the
s9r1ss1 DS e efsae Of hf : r.
faosed toHaid % our s rishs l aanE. 16e d s:ssae
Withdrew t1om the centre to the support Of the 1s
moved up luto petition. aud another Of Gen.
stolhs bncTdes WAS ported to The ex-
feTe r. lsi. position on the hl r. s5os 3
tn3elnpE occurred during the afternoon between
4 end o'clock 1t increased in yfgor, and about 5
r. m., when It npp:arcd to hare nearly ceased. the
fore, bis 1rF ou<c, being against the lei&. lie I'D.
t1rccd In two ohf1une lines, extending vel over
towards The right Of the ID Brigade, 18th Cops.
A!c1 determined resistance this part Of tbs line
gase way and went slowly lAck 10 the reserves.
font. right and rcar: By eki'iul movements Of
lcasius the blGnt Of the battle, were covered The
enemy pursued the hrtgades. passing the 1cil and
sen1le. Until be approached The seecTrc., under
Gc1t,a1 Mower, and checked. The whole OF the
1escFsts were now ordered up. and IN turn re drove
the enemy. continuing the pursuit until night
compelled n 10 halt.
EEAkoxs Fon RE1UExIso TO TIE x1ss1ss1rr1 11yxR
-uIsrATc1Es FHon IIEuT. GEN. GRANT.
The hattie Of the 9Th w.s desperate and eanc1in-
aty- The defeat Of the enemy Was complete and his
Iots Of Officers and men more than double that sus
tnined BY our forces. There nothing in the i'm
mettate po>tton or condition Of the two armies 10
prrsect i forward 1norement next morning, and Or
der were given 10 prepare for an adsance., The
trafn which had been Turned 10 the rear on thc day
81 the b4ttc, was ordered TO fctozm and advance at
aayb1eak: ! communicated this purpose at tho
s'ose q the day to Gen ~: Smith, VINO expressed
sequent}y received from Gen. FI3okiIn and al the
cene:al of s1t Of the l9lh cos1s, to thr condI-
lioE Of their respective commands for immediate
active operations hEaEnsi The enemy, caused a tns-
PENSION ol tlts order, and conference Of the gen-
etal onfcers uas held in the evening, in which it
wst determined. upon the earnest Recommendation
Tic neqniesccnee Of Gen Smith, TO reslre upon
Grapd Eccre the following dry. The reasons urged
for tut eourse By the officers commanding The lHh
walcr made it absolutely recee sary 10 advance Of
retire without delay. General Emo.y'd command
kao been without Ia1ione tor two days and the tran
tie could not be put in condition 10 move forward
upon the single road, through dtnse noods in
Mhsch STOOD, without difficulty and loss Of time.
Hect 1t Springfield Landing ron the Sabine Cross
hcads 10 the river, as wei If 10 prevent the con
eendatton oi the Team troops With The enemy ut
Mansfield, th8t re bad pushed Tor the early occupa-
lion Of that point Considering tie dilcnlty With
Ehtch the eunboats passed AleSsndrta and Grand
EcoFe, therc was every resson to believe that the
rsH5ss sS5sation Of The sef would be found tpFnct.
a equsdron Of cavalry under direction Of Nj,
Aoung, who bad formerly been employ I'd iu the
frtscye of this country. and was nor connected
with the engineer department, which had been
sent On Eecnnnoits tsance To the ls4, returned 10
Pleasant IN On The DAT Of The battle with the
report that they bad not been able to discern tic
t:ert nor learn from the people its passage M tho
1iyes.' This led to the belief that The low wstef
had prevented the advance Of the feet The candi.
lion oi the sfrcE. which had been steadily talpg
Gin
doubtful, If the feet ascended the rre1, whether II
could ttlutn from any intermediate point and
probably Il not cettaln, that II It reached Shrere-
r1se1, Of which al hops began 10 fau. Tbs fo:ccs
designated 10! this o1mpaign numbered Il, ,0no men
Less TRAN that number was actually available
progress. The distance Witch % seps.atsd Cd
1en. Steclet command from the line Of our oprra-
a:ons tnearty tuo hundred miles> readeTcd hie
and reduced the strength of the fighting column 10
thc extent Of his force, which was expected 10 be
from 1o,40 to 13,no 1asp, The dcpoi Al A1cxan-
ton. Withdrew IRON onr Iorces 3,0O mcn, unGcr
Gen. Grover. !he return Of The Marine Brisade
,9 H. defence @ q he Mississippi npon The demand
Ac1Hndra without It's steamers, nor move by land
iSs xans of 3s9d I'd transportation, made further
oqf.gn 81 % .san:9 ne % q ths es
the 1is nsde II necessary for Gen. 4. j. Smith to
dctrch Gen. T. k,lbr Smiths division Of $50 men
nou ~ masn o945 Iof MAJ ant5. Ihe eommls-
t1hi deiaehmsne. which 1t WIS impossible to
avoid, and tue distance Of Gen. steele's com
mand. which WIS not in my power to cor
tect, sGduced the number OF troops that We
we're able at any point to bring into action, ffon
= &c mcn to about y, 900. 1he Losses sustained
4 a9f M hte1 ~ Of The h sh and th Of
dused our active forces TO TINT extent The enemy.
haaI- - =. ~ ,i - - ~ u ne outkeL oy lallinE
. "as ap.e ~ aeSostI no4 MS E1eat iosscA BY
meRs ee as o. h. which wefe within hi
11rs Mne u "fas f91mng Weakeras *e Departed from
1t .1'ont y IL I'M aga .aS oatae q fieasant i1
!1a.a1s men a:alnst q w men and Won
- ta. ~ n"'Sn 6., sos .uess 5eaSons We were unable
~ ~ son1~ 9p, tnes eohxaefahons connected with
ndd,t;a...1 ,o.enas a. euouoa ~ o. anals ah1sded
Wrtmes, ~ 11a tne eonsse Iee9mmended
onG ,Sc 1n,, ,ne } Or the exnition
+n.oJ ~ r. ~ .ea- y. aos NJ. SaanEe haa oc-
csnss - s " o! tne army which
10 Ills expeslitsons u n's INSTRUCTIONS IN regard
Nareh WIFI o ForI n aesp3lcn &c M e aaed the 18Th
ain|. na,fs GnI% a,e+ ~ oa the %t11 Aafeh At
Fco1c ~ s.i eEn1 aa5s 1ssoIe re reached Grand
aIs..s.st .,,, ono0d sou md that the taking Of
S;nie'epost ;;1 VI oSenpy Ten Or flteen days more
a5e absent from their commsad, you viii send
t0em n1eE " The time SPECIFIED tn bis note Of blink
~ t,1a,o atSd. 81 Soaa teod 70 at7sioaaeat
, nsSess.nl. holu Shreveport and led River WIN
hs1aan ln F a. soa acem necessary and return The
naapce q s99f troops 10 the ntishboFtood of New
Wtr 11yen far gse ,5e ,,15 m w ioeorned
tAe army, OF rather al ARMIES act much in con-
=. - as possible, and with view 70 movement
se11a!n 70 be made "if troops enough could be OBJ
tAtned without embarrassing othcf movements, in
rhich e:ent New Orleans would be the point Of de-
a subsequent despatch, thouch It It'd mt conz
rol fully Ink tited nv action. re7ate3 these ,e
"a "a! siSns; md stated th., he Commanding Cen
'ad ntser Jttn 6agsns- Man Mat you aaox1 r. H.
sRed ont day teIond dc lit Of Hdv u, eo1n1aScnr
lS Moeea<nt al ef ne X:.r:.jp,a." ''''s'''03
aichce was based upon an oninion. xhicb had
etbafly expressed to Gen, Sherman at New fIr- |
ans, that Gen. Sn1lh could be .epared IN ,hif1y
aed npon The expectation that tho nayjsat1pon a of
he river would b unobttructed; TINT We Should |
dEance d m without delay At AlcxapdEia. Grand Ecore
On sseo 2. Low inter and
hectaaiy at come point on He'd Kiyer, near Match
ochss 9r Monroe. II Hat neyer understood TINT
expedition thst involved on the part Of my CON.
= anea ia lnso 1he cnemys country. and which ter
aina'en a. point which re MIGHT not be able to
M Or ibs ne FL NJ Q, fae snsh Sf the
~. IaA.sg na % % taiy aase. lhe condition Of our
1,ts 70 3 81, n,9 aaG IT, . cnsmys country, aer he
os ~ NUMBERS 10 our oan, rendered 1t probable |
,aa We d9n1d % n9t occupy Shreveport wi,liu Tic
1e river, tile troops necessary 10 bold ii acniast
ne enemy Would be compelled to csacnaie II for |
mt OF liIPp1fes, and i.upo-xiblc thar the rvn.,f
on should rrt1fn in any c,ent 10 NV 11,,csps =.
rmy, contemplated fof tie sprinr ca1,u.,c,, nc
~; va stoTa At tlis tine that .tlc Gcet
o1ld not rc-psss the rapids nj Alexandria |
r T. point ahoFc Ssana Esote. whether i would be
,ould be able 10 Ascertain The condition of ,,,e
ct the prnctlcabiliiy Of Continuing ibe naoy"
ent p tEe HseF, reoFganize I.art IT the forces
.na e. pot,i.sy a:eezsain nc poslhon Of Gen'
cted for new advance north Of Tie riyer, or upou
. eoutheIa hank, and perhaps obtain deani.c IN. {
pursued Upon these GENERAL conditfon.. ana
ltGo1t reference 10 he sctua1 cnn5tiian Inn
the Respective a.ru,es. at fwe1rr n'cnrE
ianight. on The III conntermandes] |
G order for lie return Of the train md tirected
rpa1ations to b. made for tle re,nrn nf thc nrmv
Grand Eco,e. The dead wcsc bnrfcd and thc
bundled brought from The ield Of hsttie and nI.ccd
H. I