The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-02-28
UP THE RED RIVER.
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should have been mentioned as present at
Pleasant HILL In coming upon the field, the
men crossed Bayou Avoyelles. near Bayou De
Glaize, driving back the skirmishcrs of Polig-
macs left brigade, exposed meanwhile to heavy
skirmish ERE from across Bayou De Glaize.
Colonel Hill describes the part taken by his
brigade as follows: after marching about
two miles, we found the enemy in force with
quite number of pieces of artillery. After
heavy artillery fire from both sides, lasting
about an hour, we were ordered forward With
much difficulty We moved by right of compa-
MES to the front through dense briar thicket
about half mile, all the time exposed TO a
severe fire from the eneny's artillery. In the
edge OF this thicket we encountered the
forces of the enemy. They could not long
stand the fire from our ranks and fell
back under cover of their batteries BY order
of General Mower we now moved back to
prevent threatened flank movement on our
left, carrying with us our dead and wounded.
About three-quarters of mile back we formed
new line and advanced our skirmishers
At p. M. we again advanced, and found the
enemy posted near the edge of the thicket-
this time greatly outnumbering us We charged
them promptly, pouring yolley after volley
deliberately aimed, into their ranks As we
advanced they fled before us, leaving many of
their number dead and wounded ON the field
Colonel Hill was wounded, and his son Fred
acting as orderly, was killed"
sHAw's BRIGADE TAKES 4 HAND.
At the beginning of the action Colonel Shaw's
brigade was placed in reserve, but upon being
called upon for a regiment, sent the 9th Mis-
souri, to the right, and soon after the 18th Iowa
was dispatched to the support of the batteries
on the left. Finding that the enemy was
pressing Lynch's brigade, Shaw moved with
out orders with his two remaining regiments
the 9th and 32d lowa-to the left at double
quick. striking the right of the enemys line
while making its second attack upon Kinney
Shaw says: Immediately ordered the re-
serve into line at double-quick, facing the left
when the enemy made his appearance through
the timber in their front; but well directed
fire from the whole line on the left sent them
back with heavy loss. The enemy. having
been heavily REINFORCED, again advanced,
when was ordered to move forward and meet
him. | advanced, meeting him on the edge of
the timber and driving him out and across the
open field under protection of their artillery
inficting upon him heavy loss One hundred
and fifty-six prisoners were captured from
Taylor's command. General Mower now with
drew his troops to their original position and
darkness closed upon the scene. The Union
loss in this engagement was thirty eight killed,
226 wounded and three missing
General Taylor's report of this engagement
claims victory on his right but admits defeat
on his left. He says: Yesterday a very Sc
we're action occurred at Yellow Bayou between
my forces and the fresh troops of the enemy
recently arrived from Texas We drove the
enemy handsomely on our right, killing all the
horses and most of the gunners of battery
and forcing the enemy to abandon it, On the
left, near the De Glaize, we were severely re-
pulsed and were forced to arrest the progress of
our right. General Po.ignac restored order in
his left brigade after time, McLaughtons
battery preventing the enemy from following
up his success In this part of the field We
held the field, on which the enemy, who fell
back at once, left thirty dead. Our loss viii
reach five hundred, Of which thirty were killed,
fifty severely wounded, and some hundred
prisoners taken from the left brigade; the re-
naming wounds are of trifing character
This engagement terminated the active pur-
suit by General Taylor. In his numerous let
tiers, written during the march from Pleasant
Hill TO Simmesport, he constantly regrets the
absence of Walkers division, with which he
thought he could have accomplished the cap
ture of General Banks entire army
Thus, IN ignominious retreat, ended the Red
River expedition, conceived in the War De-
partment and entered upon by the department
commander against his advice and with an
inadequate force with which to accomplish the
result desired. What would have been the
outcome if everything had gone smoothly, and
General A. J. Smith, command had been present
when the 18th corps, under the able leadership
Of General Emory. repulsed Taylor's attack
| on the night of the 9Th of April, is a
matter of speculation. A battle would have
been fought on the 9th In better posi-
ton, possibly, for Banks army, when, if he
had pushed his success after repulsing the
enemy and followed in rapid pursuit he would
probably have reached Shreveport, where he
would have been joined by Steele, then on his
way from Camden, Ark. Whether the position
was tenable, after occupation, is another mat
ter. The writer has made liberal quotations
from official reports, TO the end that he might
furnish indubitable evidence Of the accuracy
of his narrative. Many points in the history
of this remarkable campaign trench so closely
upon the marvellous as, in his opinion, to re-
quire evidence of the principal actors, to pre-
serve the narrator from the charge of having
passed the line, always vague and dim, which
separates history from romance.