The National tribune., 1903-06-04
Red River Expedition.

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: When the
| Red River expedition commenced was
First Lieutenant, Co. G, 18th KY, serv-
ing as Added Camp on Col. w. J. Lam
dram's staff. Fourth Division, Thirteenth
Corps. Gen. L. Z. G. Ransom COM
manded the Third and Fourth Divisions of
| the Thirteenth Corps. Our corps had the
advance; that is, of the infantry. Nothing
of Importance happened until we reached
Pleasant Hill. April Z. That evening Col.
Landram received orders to take one brig
ade of his division and report to Zen.
Lee at daylight next morning. Gen.
Lee same six or eight miles in ad-
vance. Col Landram started with the
First Brigade at o'clock on the morn-
ing of the Sth, and We reported to Gen.
Lee about sun-up.
| Gen. Lee ordered one regiment out as
skirmishers, as it was impossible for cav
airy to get through the underbrush. Col.
Landram sent the 23d Wis, who formed
their line and drove the Confederates for
some time. After awhile the nth Ill.
was, sent to relieve the 23d. After they
had been on the skirmish line short time,
1 rode to the front. / reached the ad-
vance. and rode up by the side of Lieut.
Col Webb, in command of the regiment.
The Colonel was walking in the main
road, while the regiment was deployed
on each side. l had been there but a
| few minutes, when / saw man step out
in the road some 100 or $50 yards in
front of us; he was leading his horse: he
raised his rifle and fired, and Col. Webb
| fell forward, shot in the forehead. /
called some Of the regiment, and they took
his body to one side of the road. l think
there was q small cabin near where he
| fell.
| I went back and reported to Col. Lam
dram what had happened. He then or.
dered the 10Th Ky. to relieve the !itii
III. After they had been in front short
time, l again went to the front. The
regiment had just reached an open field
which was probably n half mile wide. and
it was a gradual slope with ridge at
the far side. l went oack to Col. Lam
dram and told him that If the rebels were
going to make a stand at all they wouid
do so there. He and his staff went to the
front, and as soon as he toek in the sltua-
ton, he sent for Gen. Ransom, who was
soon on the ground. The 18th were cross.
ing this field, and Gen. hanson wanted
them stopped Capt. Wilkins, 130th ILL.,,
was sent to halt the regiment, but before
he reached them his horse stumbled OF
fell and the Captain did not reach the 18th
until they had gained the ridge. The Con-
federate line could be seen from this ridge.
Gen. Ransom reported to Gen. Banks
and pretty soon he and three or fouI
other Generals were on the field, and took
in the situation. The Second Brigade
came up. and the Fourth Division. Thlr-
| teenth Corps, numbering little over
26O0 men, was stationed along this ridge.
After everything was done that could be.
Gen. Ransom and STAT and Col; Ian
dram and his staff went into small grove
and proceeded to take lunch. After
that sat down by tree and fell asleep.
| The next thing l knew some one was call
ing me. Gen. Ransom asked me if l knew
where any of his staff were. l answered
that l did not. for while l was asleep
everyone had left.
Gen. Ransom told me to get on my
1 horse and 60 with him. We went to tie
right of the Division, and then rode along
the line until we were near the left.
The General then sent me back to one
of the regiments, and ordered it to close
I'D a gap between it and another regl.
ment. After ,had done this | started
back to find the General. and about this
time the fighting commenced. When L
| found the General he and Col. Landram
were together. 1t had been determined
to withdraw. I was sent to the I'D WIS,
while other officers were sent to the dill
ferent regiments. Capt. Dickey. of Gen.
Ransom's staff. was killed. My horse was
shot, and I thought was going to fall.
jumped off. and the horse started off on
\ trot toward the rebel lines. One of
the 23d Wis. caught him for me, and |
mounted and rode back to where l had
left the General. Gen. Ransom had just
been wounded, shot through the knee.
Col Landram, Lieut.. Ayers and myself
got the General on to my horse until they
found an ambulance, and put him in, and
he was taken to the rear. BY this time
the Johnnies were getting pretty close.
One of the Chicago Mercantile Battery
seeing me afoot, pointed to the horse that
Gen. Ransom had been ri,ling. l mounted
this horse and got out of there. l came
| to where the Nineteenth Corps were
forming a line, and got in the rear of it.
Then we commenced to stop and form
what had escaped of the Fourth Division.