The National tribune., 1884-04-17
FIGHTING THEM OVER
Ehal Oar Veterans Have TO Say About
Their CID Campaigns.


IT, the Editor NATlogAL TRIBUNE:
The oath 81 October. 1852, Weitzel's brigade,
Department of the Gull. Bnown Is the Reserve
Brigade aud composed Of tie l2th sud 18th
Connecticut LIST Louisiana, 10th New York, 9Th
New Hampshire, Perkins Massachusetts, cay
airy. Barrels, Godireg's and Williams Louis
iana cavalry JargEthis 5th Massachusetts, bat
teTr. md Ihdmpson's list Maine battery, left
Camp hlalner for Doualdsonsille, La, where
We arrived The next morning l25thl Monday
morning 29ah1 we moved down Bayou IA
F0arche. the enemy falling back IS we adj
Eanced.
As We passed the plantations the negroes
jOined as in great numbers. They were de-
lighted 10 carry our knaFsacks and there were
lew soldiers ia Ihat brigade willing TO refuse SO
slight iaE0r--it WAS IL case where both parties
To d transaction seemed equally pleased. We
found shc enemy posted I'D bend OF the bayou,
af place called Georgia Landing SkilInIsh-
ing commenced about 8 o'clock. October p, on
both sides tiIe bayou. the Sth Agw Hampshire
and Perkins cavalry being on The right side. the
rulaainder oi the brigade ca the lett. Fight
inc had continued seme tame, when the enemy
suddenly concentrated their forces Ga the right
side OF the bayou BIZ means of d bridge, and,
hoping 10 DEeTwheim cur forces Oh that side
before assistance could reach them, sent
strong force Of cavalry, with a section OF artlI-
lerg fF Z circut0as route to their rear. All
for = JAS soon as the designs OF the enemy be-
came apparent two Aatboats we had tcwed
alGnn with us 3Cr lle purpose were swung end
ab 1Id, and 0ar bridge was ready for US, the
teTees were rlt. and the 18TH Connecticut VOL
lnteers, being on the spot guarding baggage
and trains, dashed across and out into the open
field. TIE T5th New u 0rk and 18th JonnecE-
cut came back from the 'front.' the 10Th re-
manned on the left bank to gnard the baggage.
AT this time the adiutaDt fGrosTenort OF the
18Th Connecticut got MP a little circus OF his
OWL. Dgshing at full speed II the right of the
regiment. his horse dropped TO the ground, and
the aliufant with lis saddle, rose about ten
feet ID the air, tgrned two or three summer
sauits. and came down as ii sent from cata-
pull. landing on his back. Nobody applanded,
aHd he got M locking solemn and rem0anted
hs horse The 18th crossed the bridge to the
music of SHOT and she'll that sprinkied Us with
water. but Gid not do rs much harm. Advancing
INFO the opcn field ne saw the oth New Hamp-
shire TetFeliing slowly, firing as they fell back.
We lCrine1 line with the oth New Hampshire
CD the left next the bayou, the 18th Connecti-
cut in The center. the 18th Connecticut on the
right We advanced short distance, halted,
an1 stood "a few minutes while the hail-storm
flew around us David Black, Of company Il,
fali with q bullet through bis heart-the first
man Of his regiment to die On the field of bat
lie. General Mellzel remarked il was getting
rather warm. and We had better lie down.
Next came the order to rise up and fix bago-
nets. a. the cavalry were coming But they
did not come; instead, we received the order to
advance We had been sometime under fire
ages. 1T seemed-without the privilege Of re-
turning shot a severe ordeal TO a soldier IN
his first battlel, and the order to advance came
IA relief; now it seemed we should have
chance 10 Tetarn the enemy compliments; but
as We advanced the order was continually re-
pested to reserve our fire iii we cot the word.
Cur Impotence grew with every STEP until it
became the greatest desire and object IN life TO
send a ballet into that line 0f ire and smoke
thai rose from lle further edge Of that level
IisiH. Shot, shell and bullets Whizzed,
hamnod, Rhistled and shrieked In our esrs,
aN1 our 1mPalFeHEe to shoot rose 10 fever
height Then. on sweet EnusiE,-I think every
e0Hrade Of the 18th VIII agree that II was the
EReefest music Of the Ear.-there came the
clasE pt Tic four hundred rifles Of the 18th
Csinrscicut on nmF right, and III an instant
al1 hanlrel cleaning bay0ncts came 10 a level.
and TIC tx hundred rifles of the 18th sent back
she Tar I2ih. The fence hahiisd which
faE lE Ars 4he III the rebels was .Ialled and
a lHtgsed. their ranks decinlaiId. and. rs we
reache1 then, they broke and fed. Oar FIRST
battle had beeIi fought and won. Many Of the
Crescent City regiment lay dead and dying IN
frsIlt of the 18th. Their colonel, McPheeters.
rlse commander Cf the rebel center, lay d.
rerts ~ front Of the coiors Of the 18th, with a
bu4iet through bis head A Little over two
hundred prisoners, = brass I2-P9nnder aud
1lalE slnsIl arms were among our captures.
He Union loss was ab0at ninety, the 5th NRB
Hampshire losing half In q few days we went
inta camp Ak Thib0aaux, where NC remained
tiii l3eeelsbeT ~, when the 18th Connecticut
let 4hibedaHx en- route for Baton Rouge
Ills severed onr connection Bifh Weitzei's
brigade, but We always retained friendly feel
Ing iDr the regiments OF that organization.
especially the 18th Connecticut and Ist Louis
lana. 4 wish SEINE cOnIade Of the 18th would
TEL rs something q what they did from the
tine tire 18Th Connecticut ard ist Louisiana
were detached up to and inciuaing the battle
OT siege ID Franklin.
j. u. PHFSEEY.
GO. r, 18th Conn. Vols
eOuTE CAETEEBI IL, CCNN-