Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-11-10


y nine miles from Pleasant IIjll, where Ou
! forces bivouackcd for the night We su,
tanned IN this action a loss of fOuTtee
killed. thirty-nine wounded, and min
: missing We captured many prisoner,
n and the enemy sustained many losses i
: killed and wounded. Duringthe engage
j. mpnt Gen. Lee sent TO Gen. Franklin 10
\ reintorcemeuts, and q brigade of intantr
: was sent forward, lut the firing having
. ceased il was Withdrawn. The officer
e and men fought with great spirit in thi
. affair. a daybrcGS on tie eighth, Gen
I Lee, 70 whose support a brigade of tn
r thirteenth corps under Col. LandTum, La,
4 been sent hy INV order, advanced upon tn
enemy, drove him from his position on Jh
( opposite side OF 81 Parick's Bayou, an,
I pursued him 10 Sabine Cross Roads, abOu
= three miles from Mansfield. The ad
: vance was steady but slow, and the re
+ sistance of the enemy stubborn. He wa
: only driven from his defensive position
Z on the road by artillery. At noon on the
! eighth another brigade of the thirteenth
corps arrived al the Cross Roads, undel
= Brig.-Gen. Ransom, 70 relieve the frs
brigade. The infantry moved from
= Pleasant Hill at daybreak on the eighth
2 the head OF the column halting at ST
Patrick's Bayou, in order that the rear
.
! Inns headquarters az ten PM, giving di-
rections TO close up the column as speed
! liz as possible, and rode forward 10 ascer-
tain the condition of affairs at the front,
where I arrived between one and two
o'clock. Gen. Ransom arrived nearly al
the same time with the second brigade OF
the thirteenth corps, which was under
his command al the action at the Cross
Roads.
found the troops in line Of battle-the
skirmishers sharply engaged, the main
body Of the enemy posted on the crest of
a hill IN thick woods on both sides OF a
road leading over the hill to Mansfield
on cur line Of march.
twas apparent that the enemy was in
Tnueh stronger force that al any previous
point on tine march, and being confirmed
in this opinion by Gen. Franklin, imme-
diatcly upon my arrival [ issued state
ment of the facts, and orders to hurry
forward the infantry with an possible
dispatch. directing Gen. Lee al the same
time 10 hold his ground steadily, but not
advance until Teinf0rcemCnJs should ar
rive. bUr forces were for @ long time
stationary, with some skirmishing ON the
tanks. iy a0on became apparent that
the entire force Of the enemy was in our
front. Several officers were sent 10 Cen
Franklin g. hurry forward the column.
Skirmi1lling was incCssant during the
afternoon. AT half after four o'clock in
the evening the enemy made general
attack all along the lines, but with great
vigOr upon our right flank. II was re-
sisted with Iesolute determination by our
troops, bat oveTpOWering numbers COM
pelle6 them, after resisting the successive
charges 0f the enemy in front and ON the
flank 20 tall back from their position 20
the wp1ds in rear Of the open field which
they occupied, -etreatlug in good order.
. The eaenly pressed with great yig0T upon
the fianks as well as in 'front.'. for the PuT-
pose lf getting to the rear, buj were re-
pulsed in this attempt by our cavalry.
Atthe line of woodsa new position was
assumed, supported 10y the third division
Of the thirteenth army corps, under Gen.
Cameron, which reached this point about
five p. NJ, and formed a line OF battle
under the direction OF Mai Gen. Frank
lin. who accompanied its advance. The
enemy attacked this second line with
great imuetuosity and oyerpOWering
numbers. turning both fignk-, and adj
yancing heavily upon the center The
assault was resisted with gallautry, but
the troops, finding the enCmyin the rear,
were compelled TO weld the ground ana
fan steadily back. The road was badly
obstrIcted by the supply train of the
cavalry division, which prevented the
retreat Of both men and artillery. We
lost ten Of the guns Of RansOm's division
ia consequence Of the position OF the
train, which prevented their withdrawal.
Repeated efforts We're made 10 reform
the troops and resist the advance Of tho
enemy, but, though their progress was
. checked, il was without permanent sue
cess.
Brig. Sen. w. i. Emory, command
!; ing the first division nineteenth corps,
I had been early notified of the condition
= Of affairs, and directed 70 advance a-
rapidly as possible, and form line o
battle in the strongest position he couI,
select 10 support the troops Iurgtrgat, ant
J check the advance of the enemy. Tho
order TO advance f0uIAl him seven mile
to the rear Of the first battle ground. H'
/ assumed q position al Pleasant Grove
, about three miles from the Cross Roads
on the edge Of tine woods commanding
an open field sloDing TO the front. TIT
one hundred and siXty-frst sew Norl
= volunteers, Lieut.. Col. t4-nsey command
D ing. were dCployed as skirmi-hersa and or
= dered 10 the front OF the hill, upon tn
= crest Of which tka line was formed L
: cover the rear of the reureating forces, Z
{ check ihe pursuit Of the enemy, and Civ
d time for the formation Of the troops.
= Gen. Dwight, c0mmandipg tAo firz
y brigade, formed nis troops across the rOai
D upon which the enemy was moving
i commanding the open field in fronts tn
l. third brigade. Col Benedict commanding
e formed TO the left, and dthcscc1nd brigade
I Gen Mcmillan in re5erve. The line wa
u scarcely formed when the one hundre
a and sixty-fir-t New York NolurtsGy
srrrl,
: being threatened, a portion Of Mcmillan
> brigade formed on the right Of Gen
= Dwight. The fire Of oU tf0pFs was rs
+ served mul the enemy were az clos
u Quarters, when the whole line opcne
d upon them with most destructive vollCl
$ of musketry. The action lasted an hot
Dl a-.s h1ls Ih9 enemy was rePGlse
j with very great slaughter During III
E. fght a determined effort was made
? turn our left flank, which was defeated
il Prisoners llrs3atea tno i0-s Ol tne euem
e in officers and men 10 be very grea
be Gen. Morton was killed in the first Onse
N Their attack was made with great dEsp
F. ratios. apparently with the idea thBt u
j. dispersion Of our forces at this point wou
L. end the campaign, and, with the aid
D. the steadily falling river, leave the fie
10 Of transports and gEGboats iu tnelr hand
e. or compel their destruction, NothiT
% could surpass The impetuosity Of the q
l sault Of the enemy, but the infeXib
al steadiness and valor of our troops, III
Pc FIRST division Of the nineteenth corps, I
% IL great bravery u this action, saved Il
G army and navy. But for TINS successl
le resistance 10 the attack Of the enemy
n Pleasant Grove. the renewed attack ot =
enemy with increased force could u
have been successfully yresisted at Pleasa
I'd, min ON the ninth Of April. Nf occupi'
the battle grounds at night
re From Pleasant Grove, where this o
IA ton occurred. TO Pleasant Hill, vs.
IS fifteen miles Il was certain that q
l- enemy. who was within reach OF Tel
ld f9rcement-. would renew the attack
be- the morning, and il was wholly uuCerta
b. whether lie command Of Gen. Sml
Jn could reach the position we held
I'd season for q second engagement. r
]. this reason the army, towards mornln
4. fell back % Pleasant Hill, Gen. Emol
~ covering the rear, bUying the dea
or bringing of the wounded and all u
he material OF the army
9f II arrived th6re az eight and a ha
M o'clock on the morning Of the mint
-, efiecting q junction with the forces
ilt Hen. Smith. and the c0lOred brigad
liS under Col. DiCkey, which had reach'
~ ulal point the evening previous. Ear
oi on The ninth, the troops were prepar'
n lof action, the movements Of the enen
leI lndlcaling that he was ON our rear.
OF line oil battle was formed I'm the followiI
le. order; flIst brigade. nineteenth corr
he from the right resting ON a ravin
sd. second brigade I'M the center. and thi
ld- brigade on the left. The center was reil
y, forced by q brigade Of Smiths force
Of whose main force was held i'm resarv
rs 4 The enemy moved toward our right fan
in / The second brigade withdrew from d
.th center 70 the support of the GTst brigad
lut The brigade IN support Of the cent
lg. moved up into position, and another
he Gen. Smiths brigades was posted 10 L
1T, extreme left position on the hill in echet
lril 70 the rear Of the left main line. Lig
vi diminishing occurred during the aft
de- noon. Between four and five O'Clock
lir- increased in vigor, and about i've p
irst when it appeared to have nearly eeas'