The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-09

shirts, like those we drew when we first
entered the service. Later, while rest
ing by the railroad, one of my COM
rades said: Bob. that white shirt of
yours will make splendid mark to shoot
at" Not having time to change, l opened
my wardrobe, and put gray one on over
the white, and that night | think l was
the only man in the Thirteenth Corps
who had two shirts.
Our regiment wore no shoulder straps on
our cartridge boxes, considering them a
superfluous convenience. My belt was
secured with an officers belt buckle. In
the mix-up and the subsequent scramble
to escape the trip to Camp Ford, this
buckle few open and let my cartridge
box fall to the ground, and the press OF
business being so heavy just at that time,
1 deemed it most prudent not to attempt
to recover it. Just after this l stopped
where my Lieutenant was attempting to
rally the men, when we received another
volley that killed the Lieutenant and
several men and dispersed the remainder.
Firing my last shot into the ranks of the
advancing enemy, and wrapping my gun
around a convenient pine, l again started
large field in rear Of our hospital, l saw
cavalryman on a large white horse cash
out of the woods away to my left and
rear and come galloping toward me. Just
as he came up to me he sweryed to the
left, caught mule that was grazing in
the fence corner, and calling to me, said:
Come here, partner, and get on this mule
and get out Of here" accepted his invi-
tation to mount most gladly, and thank
ing him for his kindness, l managed to
pull myself into the saddle, when Mr..
Mule, without any orders or urging from
me, whirled in his tracks and followed
my friend on the white horse through the
woods on lope. 1t took all my time
lodging the limbs and brush.
We were apparently on cow-path that
eventually brought us out to the road Just
as the 18th n. Y. Cav. was going to the
rear on a gallop. There being several
vacant places in the ranks, the white
horse jumped into one and my riule took
another, and in this manner we got back
to our old camp, where the cavalry de-
ployed across the road and through the
woods to stop those who by this time
began drifting back from the front and
pulled out to one side and sat down by a
fire to rest and wait for the next move
on the program.
My mule belonged to the cavalry, as he
had the whole outfit complete-carbine "a
Burnside), saber, etc, and in the saddle
pockets l found 60 rounds of ammunition,
curry comb and brush. I regret to say
that the owner of this fine outfit must
/
bine nor the saber had been in use that
day. nor for several days previous, fol-
both were fastened to the saddle in true
cavalry style, and on examination, l found
the carbine dry and clean, with no stains
Of smoke or burnt powder about the
breech.
If the cavalryman who caught and gave
me that mule is still living and remem
bers the incident, l would be more thar
| DlpaSed TO hear from him.
I'm eighteen hundred and sixty-four we
all skeddadled for Grand Ecore," where
l turned my mule over to one Of our team
sters, and once more entered the rank:
as an infantryman.
1.-THE loss of the Federal army at thi.
battle was 600 killed and wounded ani
1.25O captured. The loss Of the rebels, a.
taken from their official reports. wa.
3, 100 of whom 10 days after, 1000 wer,
dead. Texas and Louisiana were II
mourning for the calamity that fell upol
them. Very many prominent officers wer
!; killed. Gen. Green, Of Texas, and Gen
Morton, Of Louisiana were victims
! loss OK all or nearly all Of its commits
stoned officers, and the victory in ever.
way was most dearly paid for"
CAUSE OF, THE DISASTER.
| do not know the loss Of our littl
DIVISION, but our regimental loss was 1O
! killed, wounded and missing, out of
e total Of less than 300 men. This was tn
? battle of Mansfield, or Sabine Crossroads
where an expedition fitted out withou
r regard to expense, finely appointed il
e every necessary material, with an arm
never before defeated, men who had stoo
D at Vicksburg, Jackson, Port Hudson an
Baton Rouge, was defeated and dc
r stroyed, with q loss of material inestima
a Ia nd nn,.sfS 80 l.
: template, through a plan Of battle whic
5 threw into the fight detachments Of troop
(: only as fast as they could be destroyed
) According to Gen. Landram, Gen. Banks
E in his testimony before the Commute
. on the Conduct of the War, said: 9TH
? disaster was caused by the expedition
E being under the command Of four differen
: Generals, neither having the right to OF
, der the other" This always seemed YER