The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-05
Battle OF Fordoche, La, septembsr
40. lk63

General Tom Green, in letter 10 his
wife, says of this battle ut was ona OF the
most desperate fights or record snd one
where there was more dauutiess courage dis
played than any other, perhaps, during the
/ war. Nothing could ba imagined more ter
ribls on the same scale"
On the 2Sih of September. 1863, at night,
Moutop's, j. w. Speghts and General
Green's brigades aud Walters battalion,
tcom nandcd by Major Il. II. Booue) and
Rounlree's cavalry and Semmes' battery
crossed the Atchas4laya 10 two small flats
and bivouacked on the east bsnk the rain
pouring down all the time.
AT u. m. on tie 20.h (shIl raining) Mou
tons and Speights brgsoes, under Colonel
Gray, marched in Single file through
the muddy swamp alons blind
path, and resched the enemy's resr
at 1880 =. IN. at poiut live miles
west of MorganZs, on the Mississippi. Mou
tons brigade WAS held IN reserve, sbou!
mile and half from the enemy's position, to
meet AIRY force that might be sent from tn.
fortified camp at Morganzs. Speight's bri-
was sent forward 10 attack the enemy's in
fantrv camp. at Mrs. Sterlings plantation,
on Bayou Fordoche General Green. in
command OF all the forces, marched with his
brigade and Semmes' battery by the main
Morgsnzs rosd, to attack the eoemys I'D
vanced cavalry camp st Fordooho bridge,
one and half miles distant from aud neare.
to inorganic ferry than the infantry csmp.
StnpR'g IA. II
were left on the west bank of tho Atcbafsl.
ava, below Morgans ferry, 10 protect the
recrossing of the troops In case of repul,a
The federal infantry force, the nineteenth
Iowa snd tho tweuty-sixth Indiana regi-
menta, and ole section Of the battery OF
light SrtillerJ tpreciSe strength not known,
was strongly posted at Mrs, Sterling's sugar.
house snd negro quarters with high levee
=, front
rSpcight's brigade was composed of
1IpeiShFs regiment, pndor Major j. W.
Daniel, Hawpe's regiment, Major Malone,
and Spalghts bottallon (commsndet by
Lieutenant Colonel A. w. Spaight), Texas
volunteers, and Clarks battalion, Louisiana
volunteers, Lieutenant. Colonel Clark.
The regiments We're posted in line of bat
tie In the order named, from right TO left,
about four hundred yards from tho Oug.r
house, We received the frat fro of ths
enemy from the sugar house. before their
line was entirely formed. We responded
with emphasis, but the high sugar.cane
rendering our shot ineffective tho word
forward" was passed down the line.
now line of battle was then formed on
inc edge OF al open field, about Two hun
dred yards from the enemy's position. and
we now had the enemy in full view. The
rattle OF small arms and tho Shrek of lhe
minnie balls were continuous and terrific, Wa
were lighting in the open field wbio tho
enemy fought under cover of the
sugar-house and negro cabins. Our men
began to tel! thick and fast. 1t became
evident that charge must be made. and n
charge was made. Then arose from earth TO
sky the Texas yell, and "up and at them~
was The word. The Texas brigade careeriDg
through that Held OF death looked as sun.
pose would look thousand furies turned
loose from Pandemonium.
In the transit our loss was severe Spaight's
battalion was the frs, to reach the sugar
house. but was immediately joined, in
chivalrous emulation, by ClaCk's, Hawpe's
and speghrs regiments The enemy fought
we'll, but were forced to retreat toward and
our men, yelling still like -like--Tex,ns Ia
the negro quarters u hand-io hand conflict
commenced, The enemy fought from houua
to house, giving back toward the levee, while
their two h,ld-pieces, posted in gaps in the
levee, lot loose their destructive missiles.
sweeping tho streets of the negro quarters.
AT length the yard was ours, but it was
costly purchase, for the enemy,
Iriu hnI,
not moro than sixty yards distant,
poured deadly fire upon our men. A flank
movement was attempted in order to turn
Their position, which conld not DO overcome
by tho front without tremendous sacrilce.
Our men were jaded by tho wet bvouac and
long march, and had now fought like heroe,
more than an hour. An attack being threat
ehed from Morganzs, Mouton's Brigade was
held IN reserve, and did not come up. Gen.
oral Green, detained longer than was an.ici-
pated in routing the cavalry camp, which
was, however, eiiectuslly routed. had not
brought up his old, glorious brigade. For
moment the battle wavorod but only for
moment. The yell of Green's brigade and
walters and Rouhtree's cavslry was heard
In tho distance on tho left Our mon an
swered back with cheer rushed again upon
tho Wo'hs, huu luo aIheVb gave way. AT
this instant up camo Walters and Roun-
trees cavalry by tho road from the left, and
the enemy scattered Ill o sheep.
The victory was won, but dearly wop; our
loss twenty-six killed add eignty-one wound.
ed. Spsigbt's battalion, which suffered
most in proportion to numbers, lost, in killed
and wounded, one.sevSnth of tho men
brought into the engagement. Spuight',
regiment suffered severely, and was next in
proportion. Major Boone, commanding
Walters battalion, was dangerously wound,
cd; Msior j. w. Daniel, commanding
Speighrs regiment, was shot down, severely
wounded, q. the hosd Of his regiment, in the
first charge, and Lieutenant Spivey, of Roun.
trees cavalry, was killed by the retreating
foe.
The fruits Of tho victory were 475 prs.
oners, among them two lieutenant. colonies
and thirty.fo other otllceu; two splendid
six-pounder Parrot guns, large quantity of
medical stores, and u considerable number of
EnIeld rifles The two regiments thus cut
up and destroyed wero veteran troops, who
had borne part in all tho battles on the
Mississippi.
General Tom Green, in his official report
10 General Dick Taylor, after bestowing
warm praise on the six hundred Texas In
fan,ry, which wss tho attacking force IN this
monstrously unequal passage a. arms, "for
their persistent courage and valor," thus
mentions the field and company officers:
NTo liputpnant. Colonel Harlan onnn