The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-16

tered, six miles from the town, tive
companies Of the LIST Kan. Med 1n3.,
fell back upon the force commanded
by Gen. Hugh T. Reid, which was about
500 strong, including 500 Of the 9Th
La. Co1ored. A brisk little action, last
! ing an hour and q half, resulted. when
Bartlett withdrew. having lost but two
on our side was but one wounded. The
only mischief done was the destruction
Of q cotton-gin on one plantation.
Casting Up the Account.
When Gems. Taylor and McCulloch
cast up the sorrowful account OF the
battle Of June Z, they found that. wick
edly furious as the assault had been,
they had probably suffered far worse
than their enemy. Gen. McCulloch's
official report says: -st<
my loss in this engagement was "A
killed, 100 wounded and 10 missing.
Several of the wounds are mortal. and
many others are so serious as to rem
der recovery doubtful, while in proper
ton to the number more are severe and
fewer slight than l have ever witnessed
among the same number in my former
military experience. My loss
is truly deplorable, and my very heart
sickens at it's contemplation"
Gen. McCullOch understates his loss,
as 1870 of his dead were buried on the
field.
Murder Of the Omcers.
The rage of the Texans over their
defeat vented itself upon the officers
who had been captured. 1t was cur
rently reported and believed that they
hanged II of these outright. in the pres
ence of Gen. Dick Taylor and the
troops. Certainly several were so exc
cuted. One young Lieutenant saved
himself by the narrowest chance. He
had been Sergeant in the 9Th Mo. and
still wore his chevrons. He denied that
he was an officer in the colored troops,
but said that he had merely come across
the river to visit some friends. All of
the letters and other papers found upon
his person were directed to him as a
Sergeant in the 9Th Mo-, and none con-
tanned any allusion to his having re-
ceived a commission in a colored regi-
ment. He was reluctantly spared.
Though Dick Taylor afterward OFF,
cially denied the executions. his official
report pronounces it unfortunate" that
any negroes or officers were taken pris-
onerS.
The Union Loss.
Gen. Dennis officially reported his
losses at 652, or over three out OF five
men that he had engaged. OF these
II officers and 80 men were killed, II
officers and 268 men wounded, and two
| ing. The 9th La. lost 62 killed and 100
wounded. The 18th La. lost 80 killed
and 100 wounded, and the 23d Iowa
| &c killed and 60 wounded. The 23d
Iowa lost Capt. John C. Brown and
Lieut.. William H. Downs among the
killed. The 9th La. lost among the
killed on the levee Lieuts. Bruner
Clark, Wetmore and Walters. Capt
Cordyon Heath was one Of the officers
| hanged by the enemy near Monroe.
Capt. Dewitt was also missing and
probably hanged. The 18th La. lost
killed on the levee, Maj. William Cot
ton, Capt. Thomas Blondin and First
Lieut.. r. D. Crosby. Lieut.. George l.
among those whom the rebels after
ward hanged.
Many Of the wounded were terribly
maltreated, receiving a number OF
" ounds. Conspicuous among these
| was Capt. William A. Skillen, OF the
9Th La, and formerly Sergeant in the
| goth Ohio. Five rebels dashed at him
to kill him, but he killed or wounded
three of them before he was himself
struck down. He was bayoneted II
several places, his skull fractured with
musket butt and several shots were
fired into his body. but in spite Of al
these he lived, being one Of the worst
wounded men who survived during the
OF similar nature.
| Gen. Grant to Protect His Soldiers. Il
| The matter of the executions OF the
prisoners captured at Milliken's Bend
was brought to the attention Of Gen
Grant by the following letter trans.
mitted by Commodore Porter: Hs -