The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-12-07
The Louisiana Expedition.

| .oh, unueT reileral stevenson, from the
advanced sheets of a forthcoming work,
entitled "a History of Iowa Troops by
LID. Ingersoll, ESD, Librarian Interior
Department.: ,asyr1
"There was one expedition, however,
that took place during the heated term, in
which the Eleventh, regiment took part,
which must not omit. mean the ex-
pedition TO Monroe, La, sometimes called
the Washita Expedition, but by the troops
engaged therein, more generally, "The
Louisiana Expedition nsa !.
After the campaign of jackson, when
all armed forces of the enemy had been Ell
ther captured or driven far beyond the
Pearl river, the grand army which had
achieved the great victories, was, as we
have seen, most justly granted rest. Many
officers, general field and line, wefe giant
ed leaves of absence. and one-fith of the
rank and file received furloughs. Whilst
the army was thus depleted, Brig. Gen.
John ID. Stevenson, temporarily COM
manding Logan's division ofthe 18th corrs.
took it into his hoad to get up an expedi-
ton into Louisiana, considerable dis
tance west of Vicksburg-a region which
had not yet been overrun by any consider
able force of either army, which was re-
ported to abound in cotton and supplies,
and to contain a population which might
easily be induced to throw off their allegi-
ance to the confederacy and return to
faithful duty in the Union. Representa-
tions of this nature being made to Gen.
Grant, he ordered fhe expedition with
such instructions as We're proper under the
supposed state of facts. A..
Accordingly, Gen. Stevenson organized
his expeditionary force, consisting of the
Sd Division. 18th Corps, Brig. NJ. d. Leg
gett, the Iowa Brigade of the 18th Corps.
Col. Chambers. two or three battalioris of
cavalry, Capt. E. Osband. End Illinois cav
airy, and some other troops, the infantry
numbering, perhaps, 4,5O0, and embark
ing on steamers moved to Goodriche's
landing, whence the march into Louisian
was commenced about the middle of Au-
gust The troops moved in light march
ing order, With little transportation, ta-
king sufficient quantity of small rations
sugar, salt, coffee. and hard bread for
twenty days, depending upon the country
for meat and OF her substantial edibles.
Thus prepared, the devoted troops of
this little army commenced an expedition
which for suffering. intense hest. thirst.
unprecedented, unaccountabls, and unnec-
essary forced marches, was without par
allel in the history of ..Logan's Veteran
Division" or the Iowa Brigade, which be-
fore and afterwards made high reputa-
ton not only in lighting, but in, what is
regarded by the tried soldier as
more serious matter-marching. Consid-
er, that the route taken was nearly due west
from Goodriche's landing; that the coun-
try was low and marshy at best, densely
covered with heavy timber and a rank un-
dergrowth Of precocious and fruitful sap
lings; that the levees of tbs Missippi at
Lake Providence and elsewhere above
had been previously cut, whereby all this
section o country through which Steven
son moved had been submerged, the high
water mark being plainly visible TO the
troops as they marched through the bot
toms, in many places twent or thirty feet
above their heads; that when the waters
subsidized they had left rich alluvial, from
OF vegetation, coming up to the very road
side, and shutting out all breath of air as
effectually as walls of stone; that Shiny |
ooZy bayous crossed the line of march ey-
cry few miles over which bridges had to !
be repaired or pontoons laid; that from
these bayous alone could water now be
had, and when had it was nearly hot |
enough to blister the tongue, and filled |
with animated nature of the most repul- |
sive kind; that when the march commence
ed in the morning the hot rays of the sun |
fell upon the men with most ensrvating |
Influence, pursued them all day as with |
flames ofvengeance, leaving hundreds ev-
cry day PROSTATE on the road, completely |
overpowered, and other hundreds with |
hands and faces covered with blisters,
like the paint of ships in the torrid zone; |
that notwithstanding bridges were built,
pontoons laid. and tie enemy in consider
able force harrrassing the advance, the
column marched from fifteen to twenty |
miles IA day-consider all these these things
and it will readily be seen how terrible
was this march. Upon the evening of the |
first day, when the 18th Iowa halted at |
Bayou Macon, fifteen miles from the Miss |
issippi, and stacked arms to go into bivou-
ac, there We're less than an hundred mus |
kets i'm line. uot ofan aggregateoftwo hum
dred and etsii.,v-niue, The others had fal-
len out from sheer exhaustion and want of
water. SO it was with the other regiments
of the whole command, and as was the
first day so were all others of this raDid n, =
vance. But for the wagons and ambu
lances, crowded with worn out men, more
than half the troops must have been left
on the way. ... ...
The army several nights bivouaclsed on
the east bank ola bayou, with the enemy
opposite on the west side
once or twice when such was the fact, the
troops We're addressed by Gen. Stevenson.
as they filed by TO go into bivouac, with
very encouraging words, TO the effect that
the enemy had at last been brought to hay
and fine fight would take place in the
But in every instance the enc
my showed his heels. At Point Jefferson,
"a hamlet about half way between the Mis-
sissippi and Monroe, the Union column
came so close upon the rebels that they
were compelled to abandon their sick and
wounded, who numbering l60, with hos
pitals and considerable property. fell into
our hands. The enemy was pursued to
Monroe, where he made a slight resis-
tance, and retired across the Washita riy-
er into the wild regions between this point
and shreveport, destroying the pontoons
behind him ......... ... ~