The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-31

full of whistling singing and shrieking missiles
blow like the kick of mule sent me
sprawling in the dust. A bullet had struck
the brass plate on my shoulder belt When
regained my feet, dizzy and bewildered the
line was falling back. Near the edge of the
pine woods we met General Cameron's adj
vancing brigade. which went Immediately into
action on our left, and for an hour we held our
own until again outilanked, and almost sur
rounded, we were pushed back into the woods
The scene along the road was now indescrib-
able 1t was damned full of wagons in every
conceivable position. Mule teams were in an
inextricable tansle, kicking, struggling and
braying. Frightened and enraged teamsters
were making frantic efforts TO clear their
teams; squads of rebel cavalry on the right of
the road were firing into them, and from the
whole confused mass there went upa rear Of
pain. The day was clearly lost, the road to
the rear was impossible. to retreat IN order
through the woods was out of the question
and the only alternative was to break into
squads and make our way out as best we could.
In this way running fight was kept up for
two or three miles. The shades of night We're
settling down in the forest when we reached the
line of the 18th corps, with the Johnnies close
at our heels. The boys of the 10Th corps re-
served their fire until we were all In and then
gave them battery that evidently astonished
They were repulsed and fell back to gloat over
the stores they had captured from u.s."
ANOTHER PARTICIPANTS REcoLLEcTIoSs.
Referring to the fight near Mansfield, J. A.
Schleck, of the 23d Wisconsin, says in a letter
TO TIE TRIBUNE written from Bennington,
New York:
"Our division arrived at Pleasant Hill late
on the 7th of April where we found the 18th
army corps in camp. OF course, we expected
to remain there until the 10th corps came up,
but our hopes were soon dashed by receiving
orders to prepare rations and be ready to
march at q moments notice At 2 a. m. on the
Sth our regiment marched to the support of the
cavalry. About daylight the rebel advance
was found, when running fight was kept up
until we arrived near Mansfield, where we
formed in line of battle our regiment on the
left of the road supporting Minis Massachu-
sets battery, the rest of our division on the
right, with cavalry on our TANKS. Our divis-
ion numbered 2, 600 men for duty on that day.
About 3 p. IN. our scouts reported the rebels in
three lines extending beyond our TANKS, and
estimated them at $4,000 strong. OF course,
we looked to the rear to see if our re-enfoTee-
ments were at hand, when that rebel yell,
which every soldier remembers so well, was
heard, and on they came. There was a Louis
lana division in our front, which was being
moved down by our battery at short range but
rounded, when orders came to fall back, and,
taking our battery with US, we crossed field
to the edge of the woods, where we expected to
find re-enforcements. Instead, we found the
entire wagon train blockading the only avail
able road-whieh was heavily timbered on
both sideS-for our retreat Captain White, of
the Chicago Mercantile Battery, seeing that
the artillery was lost. spiked the guns, and we
formed line after line to keep the rebels back,
until General Cameron came up with his COM
mand, 800 strong. But what could this hand
full OF men do against victorious foe? They
were swept away like chaff before the wind.
We fell back until we reached the 18th corps
the 161st New York in advance, Colonel Kin
zie commanding who wanted to know where
the rebels were. l told him they were upon US.
when he filed his command into the woods aud
formed line, the rest of the corps following
Just at dusk the rebels struck their line when
the 10Th corps gave them such a reception as
they did not care for Had our army been
kept together we would have routed the enc
N.Y. but at the commencement of the battle
CaTneron's command was five miles away, the
18th corps eight miles, and the 18th corps ff-
teen or twenty miles from u.s. do not know
what cavalry regiment covered our regimental
retreat on the left across the field. Can any
one tell me?"
A PENNSYLVANIA SOLDIERS EXPERIENCE
Lieutenant James Hahn, of the 47th Penn
sylyania infantry. writing from Newport Pa,
refers as follows to the engagements at Sabine
Crossroads and Pleasant Hill:
g The 10Th Corps had gone into camp for the
evening about four miles from Sabine Cross
roads The engagement at Mansfield had been
fought by the 18th Corps, who struggled bravely
against overwhelming odds until they were
driven from the field Ipresume the rebel Gen.
Dick Taylor knew of the situation of our army.
and that the 10Th was in the rear of the 18TH and
the 18th still IN rear of the 10Th, some thirteen
miles away, eneamped at Pleasant Hill. They
thought it would be good joke to whip Banks
army in detail: first, the 18th corps, then 18th,
then finish up on the 10th. But they counted
without their hosts; for when the eouTierS
came flying back to the 18th with the news of
the sad disaster that had befallen the 18th
corps, we were d0uble-quieked distance of
some four miles, and just met the advance of
our defeated 18th CORRESPONDING pell-mell, in
fantry, cavalry. and artillery all in one con-
glomerated mass, in such a manner as only a
defeated and routed army can be mixed up-at
Sabine Crossroads, where our corps was thrown
into line just in time TO receive the victorious
and elated Johnnies with a very warm recep-
ton, which gave them reeoil, and which
stopped their impetuous Roadway, and gave
the 18th corps time to get safely to the rear.
do not know what would have been the con-
sequence if the 18th had been defeated also,
JndI evening Oh the ctI, at >aDlne NfOSS-fO2uS,
and the victorious rebel army had thrown
themselves upon the guerrillas then lying in
camp at Pleasant Hill. 1t was just about get
ting dark when the Johnnies made their last
assault upon the lines Of the 18th We held
the field until about midnight and then fell
! back and left the picket to hold the line while
| we joined the 10Th at Pleasant Hill the morn
ing of the 9Th of April, soon after daybreak.
1t wasnot long until the rebel cavalry put in an
appearance, and soon slzirmishing commenced.
| About o'clock in the afternoon the engage
ment become general all along the line, and
| with varied success until late III the afternoon
| the rebels were driven from the field and were
| followed until darkness set IN, and about mid
night our army made retrograde movement,
| which ended at Grand Ecore. and left our
dead and wounded lying on the field, all Of
whom fell into rebel hands. / have been in
| formed since by one of our regiment, who was
left wounded on the field, that the rebels We're
so completely defeated that they did not return
to the battlefield till late the next day, and
| have always been of the opinion that, if the
/ defeat that the rebels got at Pleasant Hill had
| been followed up Banks army, with the
aid of A. J. Smiths divisions, could have got TO
| Shreveport (the objective point without much
| let or hindrance from the rebel army"
Cavalry Equipments for Posts.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
large number of members of our Posts were