The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-01

within sound of our guns, and let Col
Landram's Division of the Thirteenth
Corps fight it out on that line, all alone
was not blunder, it was crime. Those
in command had to appear before the
Congressional Committee and give an ac-
count Of the mismanaged Red River cam
paisn.
Gen. Taylor, in his history Of the bat
tie, states:
Sitting by my campfire to await the
coming of Churchilrs column. l was sad.
dead, and the pleasure Of victory was
turned to grief as l counted the fearful
cost at which 1t had been won"
After our capture the enemy was
checked by the arrival of Gen. Cameron's
and Gen. Emory's Divisions. The day
following Gen. Banks concentrated his
army (detachments of the Thirteenth, Six,
teenth, Seventeenth and Nineteenth Corps
at Pleasant Hill. and defeated the enemy
after hard-fought battle. Gen. Banks
then withdrew to Grand Ecore Landing
on Red River. From there. April %, the
army started back to Alexandria. The
next day, April %, they met Gen. Bee dis
putting the passage at Cane River Gross
ing, or Monnett's Ferry, at the Legree
plantation, which was the only passablt
ford on the way to Alexandria.
THE BATTLE AT THE FERRY.
the south side of Cane River for one mil,
and a half with four brigades and II
pieces of artillery planted on the nights,
commanding the crossing and the plain.
on the north side. On the hills above
the ferry the Confederates could see Gen
Bankss army as far as the eye coult
reach. advancing in solid column.
The army under Gen. Emory, with the
cavalry under Gen. Arnold, took position
in front Of the enemy, while Gen. Brig
| with his division of the Nineteenth Corps
supported by Gen. Cameron's Division o.
the Thirteenth Corps, moved three mile
up the river and attacked the enemy OF
their left flank. A force of cavalry wa.
sent down the river to operate on the ex
IRENE right Of the Confederates.
The enemy opened the battle with {
heavy fire from their batteries. At til,
same time the Confederate General Whar
ton attacked Gen. A. ]. Smiths com
mand. that was guarding the rear Of Gen
Bankss army. Gen. Smiths troops, be
hind hastily thrown-up works. engaged
the enemy and held them at bay while thu
battle ragged at the ferry.
In the meantime, Gen. Bee was bein;
driven back on his center by Gems. Brig,
and Cameron. In the afternoon Gen
Birge carried the nights that commanded
the ferry. After seven hours continuou
battle, Gen. Emory opened with all Of his
artillery. 1t was a torrent of fire and
sheet of flame that swept the Confederate
stronghold. Gen. Bee then withdrew, an,
the nights and ferry were occupied by tn
| Union army.
Beyond a doubt this is the most singu
lar coincidence in the history of this Ma
hat
published Uncle Toms Cabin" which i
now generally conceded to have hat
much to do with bringing ON tn,
war, brought down on Legree's plan
tati0n Northern army of 2o,00(
men, and there met in deadly con
fiict Southern army nearly equal il
numbers. 1t was Greek against Greek
and the old Legree cottOn-felds wer
stained with the best blood of the Mort
and the South. The deafening artiller
fire from the cOntending batteries shoO
the old Legree mansion to its very founda
ton, and all that saved the building iron
total destruction was that it was convert
ed into hospital. and the yellow flag tina
hoated over it protected the wounds
from further injury.
That days battle gave proof of the oil
adage that 1.-The pen is mightier than tn
sword" Mrs. Stowe with her pc
Drought these TWO mighty armies t0gethe
on that April day, 1864. but, after nearl
an all-day battle. the sword did not settl
any question whatever. The following da
the Union troops continued their march t
Alexandria, and from there on to the Mis-
sissippi River. What befell the Navy dur
ing the campaign, as Kipling would say
THAT is another story"
III at any time you pass over the Texa
& Pacific railway near Alexandria, La
step to the platform at Chopin Station
before you are the old Legree building.
and as you pass on you are on histori
grotnd, where Gen. Banks's and Ger
! TayiOr's armies skirmished and battle
over every mile of territory. In fact,
was one long battle from the time tn
Federal army left Alexandria for Mans
field, March %, until May 1s, when the
!. reached Simsport, near the Mississippi
, River, where Gen. Candy assumed CON
mand Of Gen. Banks's army.