The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-14

armies, the enemy had f-been reinforced and
intrenched at Grala Esore." -.
Reaching Grandc Escore on the 18th. the
army intrenched iandd threw pontoon
ment on the other side. The fleet above
was in great peril. 1t was attacked re-
peatedly, but the enemy was invariably re-
pulsed. The dangers of navigation were
more serious than the enemy's attacks.
However, the fleet. got back to Grand
Ecore on the 18th. /;
p. m, and made forced march to Cloutier-
vile, reaching that PLACE at a. m, hav-
ing marched 81 miles.
On the 22d, at 10 a. m, the march was
resumed That night we encamped on a
cotton plantation. We rolled out the cot
ton bales, cut. them open, and slept on
beds OF ease"
BATTLE OF MoNETTE's BLUFF.
On the Odd our march was along Cane
River. When we reached Mohettes Ferry we
were confronted by four brigades and four
batteries, under Gen. Bee, advantageously
posted on a bluff to dispute our cross
ing of the river. Gen. Emory ordered the
Third Brigade. then commanded by Col.
Fessenden, of the Goth Me. ,aond the Second
Brigade, both commanded by Col. Birge,
to proceed up the river some three miles
sion should engage the enemys attention
in front We forled the river. which was
waistdeep, the 1G5th n. Y. leading the
way. We drove in the enemy's skrmishers,
and. without much delay charged-the
1G5th n. Y. on the right, 162d n. Y. on
the left, the 173d n. y. and Both Me. in
the center. The two regiments in the CEN
ter were in a clearing where they were
more exposed than were the regiments on
the TANKS, they being in the woods. Sup
ported by the Second Brigade our assault
was eminently successful. 1t was q hot
fight. however, for about 20 minutes. Gen.
Bees position being turned. he retreated.
leaving his dead and wounded in our hands
The Third Brigade lost some $50, killed
Me- sustaining heavier losses than the other
regiments. Col. Fessenden was wounded.
While Gen. Bee was disputing our cross
ing at Monette's Ferry, Gen. Dick Taylor
was assailing the rear of the army. He
was promptly repulsed, however, by the
Sixteenth Corps.
TROUBLES AT ALEXANDRIA.
The way being clear, the army marched
into Alexandria on the 18th and Goth. On
the 9th we received two months pay. AL
though cotton was high great deal of it
was burned, cOnfagrant cotton and mills
Illuminating the nights. The concentrating
enemy harassed the army, and the feet had
its troubles on the river. The enemy were
below the city and above it. They drove
in our pckets repeatedly. The whole
army was kept in line of battle, day and
night, ready for action. Foraging parties.
composed of brigades, were sent out 10
or II miles beyond the pickets, supplies
being scarce. The enemy having control
Of the river below the city. it was almost
impossible to get supplies from that direc-
ton. A transport could not come up the
river unaccompanied by gunboats. A
month had elapsed since the fleet had as
cended the rapids with difficulty The river
had fallen and way unusually low. For
a mile the rocks were bare. The gunboats
required from six to seven feet of water
to float them. ~
BAILEY's DAMS.
Col. Bailey, an eminent civil engineer,
undertook to dam the river. which was
about $50 feet wide, by building piers from
each bank Whole ,brigades became labor
ars-felling trees on the opposite side of
with brush, earth. stones, bricks and ma
chinery taken from cotton and sugar mills.
Brick houses were town down to be used
rs filling. Increasingly, day and night. this
work went on for eight days. When
the work on the lower dam was completed,
loaded coal barges were placed in the gap
between the abutments. The dam caused
abled some of the iight-draft gnnboats to
pass the upper falls. On the morning of
May 8, the pressure of the water drove
cut the barges. The bank Of the river was
lined with troops who saw the Lexington
'un through the chute all right. She was
ollowed by several other gunboats before
the water fell. Then another dam was CON
a&.l IL Oh L.
If the rapids. To build this second dam
required three days and nights. Hawsers
were run out from the gunboats to the
hOre. a whole brigade would take hold
If a hawser and drag gunboat over the
hoals into the deeper water below.
While we were awaiting the building of
the dams some 5000 Confederates and %
pieces Of artillery passed around us and
fortified position on the river below.
Several gunboats on their way down were
disabled and captured.
THE RETREAT CONTINUED.
On May IL, the army and the fleet left
Alexandria, the 10th n. Y being the last
to leave. The army marched along the
river to protect the fleet. The transports
were loaded with cotton and stores, the
sick and the wounded. Soon after we
had evacuated Alexandria it was in flames.
the town. The fire must have been started
by camp followers or stragglers. Our pro-
gress was slow. Cavalry marched in adj
vance. in the rear, and on the right flank
The fleet was attacked frequently by the
enemy on the other side of the river.
At Marksville, May Is, Gen. Mower, of
the Sixteenth Corps, repulsed an attack
On the following day we encountered
the enemy again, in line of battle in heavy
timber, three miles below Marksville we
formed our battle line on an open plain
| never saw more magnificent sight dur
ing the war than our army presented that
day when in battle array on Mansura
Plain. All the artillery was in proper posi-
ton, supported by infantry. lying down be-
hind the batteries. The 165th N. Y. sup
ported the Dist Ind. 1t was largely an
artillery engagement. The Sixteenth Corps
turned the Confederate right, forcing them
to abandon their position. Some Of the
prisoners wanted to know the kind of gun,
our cavalry had, saying that they loaded
them at night and fired them all day-re
ferring. no doubt. to one of our cavalry
regiments that was armed with the Spen
Ger rife
On the 18th we reached Simsport, at til.
junction of the Red and Atcha faIays
Rivers. The river then being some 7O(
I'D. xx,;<1o ~.