The National tribune., 1908-07-23

| President recently was hunting bears.
The retreat of the army at a. m. on
the 10th was because rations could not
be brought up the river, which the
enemy had blockaded below. More
over. we were short of ammunition,
after two das' fighting. The men
were discouraged, tired, hungry; only
four hours sleep in 4S hours When
the army cut loose from our base of
supplies, Alexandria, we had only eight
days rationS with us, calculating to
reach Shreveport within that time. The
| wagon train had to be reduced to the
] lowest possible point; we had very
few ambulances; the wounded had to
be left behind and the dead left I'M
buried. On the evening of the 18th
we reached Grand Ecore, on the bend
of the Red River, four miles from
Natchitoches. We at once commenced
to fortify; because the fleet must be
saved. as the river was falling, and
even then some of the gunboats were
aground on sandbars. The fleet being
safe, the army moved at p. m. on the
21st, and kept up a rapid march until
3 a. m. of the 22d, making 81 miles
by 10 a. m. We continued the march
until p. M. tho the men had marched
81 hours out of %. On the 23d We
reached Cane River. to find the enemy
in position at the crossing where the
pOntoons were laid on our way up.
The opened on us with artillery. We
must cross there. Gen. Birge was
placed in command of the Second and
Third Brigades of the First Division.
and proceeded several miles up the
river. Singing cartridge boxes around
our necks. We forded the river three
miles on the left of the position. Co.
d, 165th N. Y. was thrown out as
skirmishers. Thick underbrush i'm
peded the progress of the men until
we closed in on the position. The
Third Brigade, under command of Col.
Fessenden. was placed in position for
Ond Brigade. At signal our forces
on the other side opened with artil-
lery. At 2 p. m. the order was given
to charge the rebel batteries that were
pouring their shot into US: the brigade
jumped the fence. with shout charged
up the hill. and in a short time turned
the enemy's left. and they were finally
driven from the position. They We're
mounted infantry and artillery. The
crossing was opened with a loss of
some $50 killed and wounded in our
brigade. Col. Fessenden was wounded. |
The enemy left in such haste that
we found many horses tied to trees. |
fires burning. meals cooking-mostly |
corn meal in mess kettles and pans. |
Their wounded were left behind. mostly
Texans, who were quickly attended by |
our Surgeons. no difference being made |
between them and our own During
the engagement the enemy attacked
the rear of our army but Gen. A. ]. |
Smith, of the Sixteenth Corps, took |
good care of them. We left camp at
10 a. m, oath, leaving the wounded
of the enemy behind for their forces !
to take care of. The army arrived at
Alexandria on the evening of the 25th. |
The men were completely worn out
from hard marching. Within a few
miles of the city many men fell
from complete exhaustion, so that the
brigade had to halt and Surgeons at |
tend them. At Alexandria the men
had a chance to rest. and we received
some pay. Thus ended our movement
to Alexandria, whence we went on
March % in expectation to reach !
Shreveport.-Robert WEIGH. Sergeant |
Co. D. 165th n. Y, 203 Tompkins Ave,
Brooklyn, n. Y.