The Washington herald., 1914-03-21

Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Mower surprised
a detachment OF Confederates at Hender-
cons Hill. La, twenty-five miles west of
Alexandria, capturing 261 prisoners and
four pieces OF artillery.
The affair was one of the few Federal
successes Of the Red River campaign. and
its almost bloodless victory was due
solely to a display CT good judgment and
determined leadership. sadly lacking in
the subsequent operations.
Credit for the exploit went to the de-
tachment of soldiers which Gen. w. T.
Sherman had loaned Gen. Nathaniel p.
Banks for the Red River expedition. The
men-about 9,0O0-had been sent from
Vicksburg under Gen. Andrew ]. Smith.
Already they had captured a strong Con-
federate work, Fort De Russy, twenty
five miles UP the Red River from its
mouth, and then. in company with feet
of gunboats under Admiral ID. ID. Por-
ter. had gone upstream as far as Alexan-
dria-
Gen Mower, who was Gen. Smiths
senior commander, had reached Alexan-
dria with part of the troops on March
IL. and within two days was Joined by
Gen. Smith and the balance OF the force.
which has remained behind to destroy
Fort De Russy. The command encamp-
cd to await the arrival OF the main
expeditionary force from Gen. Banks de-
partment. which was marching up Bayou
Teche under Maj Gen. William b. Frank
lin.
Although II had been agreed between
Gen. Sherman and Gen. Banks. who was
to lead the expedition. that the detach-
ment from Sherman's army and the
troops under Franklin should form a
junction at Alexandria on March II. the
latter command had been delayed in
marching and already was four days late.
However, four brigades Of cavalry, un-
der Brig. Gen. Albert l. Lee, had pushed
on ahead Of the main body OF Franklin's s
infantry and had reached Alexandria on
March I9 With this reinforcement at
hand Gen. Smith determined at once TO
, take the offensive and to drive the Con-
federates as far up the Red River as
might be.
On March 20 he learned that a part OF
Gen. Richard Taylor's Confederate COM
mand was stationed at Henderson's Hill.
on Bayou Rapids, a position which COM
manded the direct road from Alexandria
! to Shreveport. The latter city was the
| principal objective OF the Red River
campaign, and Gen. Smith believed that
| the dispersal of the Confederates at
Henderson's Hill would do much toward
opening the way thither.
March In Rain and sIeet.
I
Gen Mower was assigned the duty of
driving this force from Henderson's Hill
and early in the morning on March q
moved from Alexandria His command
| consisted OF the Second Brigade, First
Division, Sixteenth Corps CForty-seventh
/ Illinois, Fifth Minnesota, and Eighth
! Wisconsin Regiments. under Col Lucius
F. Hubbard: the Third Brigade OF the
same division CThirty-fifth Iowa and
\ Thirty-thIrd Missouri Regiments. under
Col Sylvester G. Hill: the Eighty-ninth
| Indiana Regiment and Ninth Indiana
Battery of the Third Division, Sixteenth
Corps, and the First Division of Gen
Lees cavalry CSixteenth Indiana anC
Second Louisiana Mounted Infantry
ReGiments, and the Sixth Missouri anC
| Fourteenth New York Cavalry. undel
| Col Thomas ]. Lucas. OF the Sixteenth
Indiana. This force numbered altogether
| about $3.50 men.
| The day was a bitter one for that lati-
| tude \ stin northwest wind was driv'
! ing in acres the open plains of North
! Texas and the Indian country, carrying
| with II a heavy rain and Sleet which
| stung man and beast and drove the cold
| into the blood. The sky was murky
the roads were muddy and ice-coated
The downpour had turned the whole
| bayou country into 4 swamp.
In spite OF the difficulties of travel
Gen. Mowers men reached the vicinity
Of Henderson's Hill early in the after
! noon and began skirmishing with The
! Confederates who held IL.
! The force at that point consisted of the
| Second Louisiana Cavalry. under Col
William G. Vincent, and four guns OF
| Edgar's Texas Battery, in all less than
80 men. The position, however. was a
strong one. overlooking and commanding
the valley through which the Alexandria
| Shreveport road passed.
| Gen. Mower. leaving a part of his force