The National tribune., 1884-02-21
ITO be continued
Interesting Letters.


Interesting Letters.
THE "REMINISCENCES OF AN OFFICER on GEN.
ERAL BANKS STAFF.
Among many interesting letters which we
have received from our subscribers relative to
the Red River expedition, the following seem
to be deserving of special attention. Comrade
w. Simpson. of New Orleans, formerly first lieu
tenant, and A. A. d. c., General Banks staff,
writes:
Ihave read with much pleasure the very interest
ing communications which have appeared in THE
TRIBUNE from time to time the Red River
paign, about which have intended to write for
months past.
The accounts published are so full as to enable
me to eurtaii my intention and sum up what de-
sire to say in simply answering the several ques
tions which your correspondents have raised from
what knowledge l have OF tie campaign referred
10. and propose doing so by reciting my per-
sonal experience and knowledge of facts at the
time, noted III my diary.
made the march from Grand Ecore to Pleasant
Hill fApriI z, ga in company with General Banks,
as my memorandum bsok shows, reaching the
heavily all day making the poor roads anything
but desirable Tor the movement of troops
Soon after our arrival at Pleasant Hill General
Stone ordered 10 proceed TO the rear, at early
morn, with orders for General A. j. Smith, being
instructed that / would meet Colonel Gooding
commanding brigade of cavalry, the road, to
whom / 10 deliver the orders for General
Smith, requesting him to send them to him (Smith
| at once, when should return and report
ed with escort of ten men. After ride of thir-
teen miles 1 found Colonel Goodng in lbiyouac)
camp and delivered my dispatch and orders at
8:l5 a. m,
On my return to Pleasant Hill, there was not a
| soldier IN sight anywhere Everything had been
moved forward so cIeanly that for time was at
| a loss which road TO take to reach the front On
my way there | passed the 18th corps in biyouac,
headquarters tent pitched and 18th corps flag flying
therefroIn, and butchers killing beeves by the road
side just before reaching the field passed Gen.
1 eral Cameron, with his small command marching
in quick step to the music of the guns in the front.
! On reaching the field reported TO General Banks
at once. His quick response was: Where is Cen
eral Emory? cannot understand why he is not
here have sent half dozen officers after him.
On informing the general that / passed him in
| camp about four miles TO the rear, he ordered me
/ to ride back as rapidly as could and tell him
| Emory TO come forward On the doube-quick." l
| had scarcely started to the when met Gen
eral Camerons force advancing in line. short
distance III the rear | also passed small cavalry
force drawn up IN line the side of the road and
as galloped by recognized and saluted some of
| the officers of the LIST Louisiana cavalry.
On reaching General Emory, found him at the
| head of his column, just fling out the road.
| Saluting him. delivered General Banks order.
he making no response, saluted again and asked,
! Have you any reply, General" He answered,
Tell the general am coming forward fast as
can" Galloping back to the 'front.' had not gone
| two miles (as recoiect) when met infantry,
airy, artillery and baggage coming peil-nell TO the
rear. Refining up on the crest of hill, did what
| / could to check the retreatng troops, informing
them OF the near and rapid approach of the 18th
corps In a very short time General Emory
rived and formed his command on the crest of this
same hill, when General Banks who had just
| reached this point from the front, rode along in
front OF Emorys line and, with hat in hand, cheer
ed the troops to hold their line. The effect of this
seemed TO me TO perfectly eleetriiy the men. The
instant he had passed the corps opened up and
kept up perfect blaze OF fire upon the yelling and
exnait foe, who were at the base of the hill. The
18th corps never moved an inch and saved the day
from further disaster.
| What precious time that was lost when they lay
in byouac along the road as passed them on the
way to the front, where the gallant Lee and RAN
som were lighting so desperately against such
odds Who can doubt the result of the presence
of the 18th corps at Sabine Crossroads? Who can
explain their delayed advance?
TIE CARNIVAL OF WAR.
Soon after the firing ceased, General Banks, adj
dressing his staff, said Gentlemen, the battle
will be renewed at daylight in the morning" No
doubt he counted on A. J. Smiths presence on the
field at that time During the night council of
war was called, and, Banks. Franklin, Emory,
Dwight. and others sat on rail fence in council,
their respective STATS lay around III the adjacent
| fence-corners.
After the council broke up, the orders were that
we should hold our line until IL o'clock, when
we would quietly fall back leaving the pickets TO
follow us mt daylight.
AS your correspondents state we reached Pleas
ant Hill early next morning, and that afternoon
we gained handsome victory over the enemy,
who had followed us, flushed with their victory
gained on the preceding day ! only dwell here
TO correct one of your correspondents, Lieutenant
James Hahn, 47th Pennsylvania vounteers) who
says, at midnight We retreated, leaving all our
!, |
the hour of our retrograde movement, we were
, busy IN bringing therwounded of both sides into
and around that large white house--the only house
there-where our surgeons and others were dress
ing the wounds and caring for them as best we
could; and when we left. surgeons remained in
. charge, with supplies
Now to sum up. What the orders to General A.
! j. Smith Were which delivered to Colonel Good
ing, as ordered, at S:l5 on the morning of April g.
cannot tell for they sealed. As to the posi-
ton of the train General Lees being close
behind the advance, which, caused such disaster
and loss, heard it stated at the time, and have
never heard it contradcted, that General Lee
! after the engagement of the 7th Wilson's farm
realizing the growing strength of the enemy, re-
| quested OF General Franklin (who was in charge
of the marching column) permission to move his
4 train in rear OF the infantry and in advance Of
its train This request was refused; and it was
reported that General Franklin complained Of
I Lees train being in his way and kept pushing il
on, and, as the sequence proved into the hands Of
the enemy-to say nothing of its interference with
the movement Of the troops, whose presence was
1 so sadly needed at the front, and which Genera
Banks informed me on my reaching the field he
y had sent for a half dozen times.''
have always believed it to have been Genera
Banks intention to have brought General A. J
Smiths command forward from Pleasant Hill dur
ing the night, and as he informed his staff have
renewed the fight :. at daylight in the morning
from the ground (crest of hill) occupied by Emory
: line but II he ever proposed it at the council o
war referred to, he constrained to give it VI
and keep Smiths forces fresh at Pleasant Hill,
and fall back on him - which was done. Fo