The National tribune., 1886-04-01
THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.
An Important Service Which Gems. Smith and
Mower Performed While on that Expedition.

To THE EDITOR: 1 have read with very
much interest the many letters that have ap-
| peared i'll THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE in relation
| to the famous Red River campaign, but there
| are quite number of things that have looked
for, but have never seen. The part taken i'll that
expedition by Gems. A. J. Smith and Jos. A.
Mower has been given only III an incidental
way, and then very impericctly.
In March, 1864, Smith and Mower were with
| their commands-part of the Sixteenth Corps
| at Nicksburg, and were ordered to report TO
| Gen. Banks at Morgan2a, the mouth of Red
! River, and within short time Smith and Now
| or, with their "guerrilas," were at the desig-
| mated place ready to report, but there was no
! one there to whom they could report, nor were
/ there any new orders. They waited two days,
! and then learned from citizens that Gen. Banks
! was marching across the country iii the dircc-
| ton OF Alexandria, and without further orders
! or waiting longer for them, Smith and Mower,
with their two divisions of the Sixteenth
| Corps proceeded to move toward the same point;
! but on the river and on their route there was
| formidable obstruction. 1t was Fort DE
Russey, and hitherto the gunboats bad found
| it invincible, it being armed with heavy ritled
guns taken from the Indanoa; and this fort
must be taken, if at all, from the rear or land
side. Gen. Smith moved to the south, crossed
Bayou Atchaialaya, and by forced march
moved upon the fort and captured it, and again
was reached and captured in due time; but Gen.
<oankS had not yet arrived, nor was there any
word from MN, and it is part OF the un-
written history ofthe war that Gen. Banks was
not at all satisfied with the audacious course
pursued by Gems. Smith and Mower in moving
into the enemys country, and directly in his
own front, and without orders. Smith and
Mower waited several days for the arrival of
Banks, and during that time Gen. Mower
moved a rebel commando think the ID
La Cav.,-and, after pursuing the force all
day through rain and mud, and seeing at night
that it had gone into camp protected bya bayou
and burnt bridges, Mower left force enough
i'll front to give the appearance of an army III
bivouac and with force of infantry and cav
airy for an escort moved down the bayou to an
old dilapidated bridge and soon crossed over,
and in the darkness Of night plunged into the
pine woods without road, and with an uncer-
tain guide. After persistent struggling the
main road, directly in rear of the rebel camp,
was struck, and very soon a courier going to
Dick Taylor was met, who, being challenged
by Gen. Mower, and supposing he was then
meeting General Dick Taylor, advanced,
and like little soldier gave the countersign
to Gen. Mower. We moved Oh cautiously and
as noisessly as possible, relieving the several
guards found on the road, making them all
prisoners, and without firing a gun, until we
finally came in full view of the rebel camp-a
cavalry regiment and two pieces of artillery.
Our orders were to charge upon the camp,
but not to fire without orders. With tired
bodies, bleeding feet, and beating hearts, at 2
o'clock at night we charged into that rebel
camp, and without the loss of a man. and with
out firing gun, except to shoot down horses
hitched to caisSon and on the run, the
whole command was captured, and we made
quick work in repairing the burning bridge
and getting back on the other side Of the bayou;
for Dick Taylor was expected hourly, and
under all the circumstances Gen. Mower did
not care to see Mr.. Taylor until later The
rebels called their capture Yankee trick"
and it was believed that Gen. Banks looked
upon it somewhat in the same way, as he gave
no one credit for it, and from that time on
during all that memorable campaign he saw to
it that Smith and Mower were kept in the rear.
d. c. HAGLE Co. d, 18th Mo-, Flora, Ill.