The Louisiana Democrat., 1880-04-14

Missouri Arkansas troops at Keachi,
was ordered to march for Mansfield at
dawn of the 9th, and advised that a
battle was impending My medical
director was instructed to prepare
houses in the village for hospitals, and
auartermasters were told to collect
snpplirss and pack snrplns wagons.
An officer with u small guard was Sc
ected to preserve order in the Town,
and especially among the wagoners.
always disposed to "stampede." Wal
ker and Monton were ordered to move
their divisions in the morning, ready
for action, to the position selected;
and a staff officer was sont to Gleen,
with instructions to leave small
force in font of the enemy, and be-
fore dawn withdraw to the appointed
ground. These arrangements made, a
dispatch was sent to General Kirby
Smith at Shreveport, informing him
that l had returned from the front,
found the enemy advancing in force,
and would give battle on the follow
ing day, April 9th, 1864, unless posi-
tive orders were sert te me. his was
abont 9 P. NJ. of the 9TH.
My confidence Of success in the i'm
pending engagement was inspired by
accurate knowledge Of the Federal
movements, as we'll rs the character of
their commander, Gen. Banks, whose
measure had been taken in the Vir-
ginia campaigns Of 1862 and since
On the morning Of the 9TH Of April,
Admiral Porter left Grand Ecore with
six gnnboats and twenty transports,
on which last were embarked some
twenty five hundred troops. The pro-
gress of these vessels up the river was
closely watched by an officer OF my
staff, who was also in communication
with General Liddel on the north side.
Banks began his movement from Grand
Ecore tn Pleasant Hill on the 9th, with
an estimated force Of twenty FIVE thou
sand. Though lateral roads existed
his column marched by the main one,
and in the following order: Five thou.
sand mounted men led in the advance,
followed by large wagon train and
much artillery. Infantry succeeded,
then more wagons and artillery, then
infantry again. In the afternoon OF
the 9th knew that the front and rear
of his column were separated by a dis
tance of twenty miles.
My troops reached the position il,
front of Sabine cross road 1T an early
hour on the 9th, and were disposed as
follows: On the right of the road tc
Pleasant Hill, Walkers division o
three hrigades, with two batteries; on
the left, Mouton's, of two brigsdes aud
two batteries. As Green's men came
in from the front, they took position
dismounted, on Mouton's left. A reg.
iment of horse was posted Oh each u
the parallel roads mentioned, and De
bray's cavalry with McMahon's bate.
~, held iu reserne on the main road
Dense forest prevented the employ.
ment of much artillery, and, with the
exception of McMah0n's, which rcn.
dered excellent service, none was used
in the action.
had on the field fifty three hundred
infantry, three thousand horse, and
five hundred artillerymen-in all eight
thousand eight hundred men, Il yer!
full estimate. But the vicious DISPOSE
tons of the enemy made me confident
of beniing all the force be c,,ld con
centrate during the day, aud on the
morrDw, Churchhill, with folty.f"n'
hundred muskcts, would be up. The
forenoon of the 5th wore ON as the
troops got into position. Riding along
the line, | stopped in front of the Lou.
isiana brigade of Mouton's division,
and made what proved to bc an uLfnr
mnate ,cmark to the men: GAS they
were fighting in defenco of their owr
soil, l wished the Louisiana troops tt
draw the first blood" But they were
already inhamed by many mntrages on
theta homes, rs well AZ by camp ri.
n,urs that it was intended to al,ando,
their S.ate without Il fight. At lhi:
moment onr advanced horse came
rushing in, hard followed by the enc
my. A shower of bullets reached NJ vi
toms line, one of which struck my
horse, and II body of III 'untcd men
charged up to the front of thte ISL
Louisiana. a voilry from this regi
mcnt sent them back Will, heavy luss
Infantry was reported in the wood op
posite my lett. This WAS new dispu
sition of the enemy, for on the 9th and
9TH his advance consisted ot ho. St
alone; and to meet it., Mouton was
strengthed by moving Randall's bri
gode of Walkers from the right to til,
left Of the road. To cover this chars.
skirmisllers were thrown forward and
DeBray's regiment deploycd in til,
field.
The enemy showing no disposition
to advance, at A P. NJ. l ordered for
ward movement of my whole line
The ardor of Monton's troops, especi
ally the Louisianians, could not be re
strained by their officers. Crossin.
the field under heavy fire of artiller.
and small guns, the division rcache,
the fence, paused for moment t.
draw breath, then rushed into til,
wood on the enemy. Here our los
was severe. General Monton was kill
ed, as were COlonels Armand, Beard
and Walker, commanding the 18th
Crescent and 28th Louisiana regi
n,en,s Of Gray's brigade. Major Can
field of the Crescent also fell, au'
} Lieutenant Colonel Clack IF the SAM
regiment was mortally wounded. A
these officers went down, others, anon;
I whom Adjntant Blackman was con
spicuous, seized the colors and led OF
the men. Pollgnac's brigade, nn tn
left of Gray's, also suffered heavily
Colonel Noble, 18th Texas, with man,
others, was killed. Polignac, left il
!, command by the death of Mouton, dis
played ability and pressed the shat