Today in History:

325 Series I Volume XXVI-I Serial 41 - Port Hudson Part I

Page 325 Chapter XXXVIII. ACTION OF STIRLING'S PLANTATION, LA.

Return of Casualties in the Union forces engaged at Stirling's Plantation, on Bayou Fordoche, near Morganza, La., September 29, 1863.

[Compiled from nominal list of casualties, returns, &c.]

Killed. Wounded.

Command. Officers Enlisted Officers. Enlisted

men. men

26th Indiana. .... 3 1 15

19th Iowa. 2 8 3 20

20th Iowa (commander ... ... .. ...

of forces engaged

only).

2nd Illinois ... .. ... 2

Cavalry.

6th Missouri .. .. .. ...

Cavalry.

1st Missouri Light .. 3 1 3

Artillery, Battery

E.

Total. 2 14 5 40

Captured or missing.

Command. Officers. Enlisted Aggregate.

men.

26th Indiana. 9 209 237

19th Iowa. 11 199 243

20th Iowa (commander of 1 ... 1

forces engaged only).

2nd Illinois Cavalry. ... 2 4

6th Missouri Cavalry. ... 5 5

1st Missouri Light ... 18 25

Artillery, Battery E.

Total. 21 433 515

NOTE.-Lieuts. Silas Kent and John W. Roberts, Nineteenth Iowa, killed, and Captain Andrew M. Taylor, Nineteenth Iowa, mortally wounded.


Numbers 3. Report of Major John Bruce, Nineteenth Iowa Infantry.


HDQRS. NINETEENTH IOWA VOLUNTEERS INFANTRY,
Brownsville, Tex., October 15, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit to you a report of the part taken by my regiment in the engagement at Stirling's farm; fought on the 29th of September, 1863, in Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana.

On the 5th day of September, the Second Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, commanded by Major-General Herron, of which command the Nineteenth Iowa formed a part, embarked on board transports, and proceeded up the river to disperse a force under General Taylor, which was then on the west side, below the mouth of Red River, seriously threatening the navigation of the Mississippi. On the 9th day of September, the division was halted near Morganza, La; landed, and proceeded to the interior; met the enemy's pickets about 2 miles from the river, drove them in, and drove the rebels back 10 miles across the Atchafalaya. I was left with my regiment and two pieces of artillery to protect the transports at the river. The division returned to the transports on the 11th.

On the 12th, the Nineteenth Iowa, Twenty-sixth Indiana, and two pieces of artillery, the whole under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Leake, of the Twentieth Iowa, wee ordered out to feel the enemy. We met the enemy's pickets-of a mile from the river, drove them in, and soon found the enemy in considerable force. We skirmished with them, and drove them back across the Atchafalaya. We then fell back to Stirling's farm, 7 miles in the interior from where the transports lay. From this point our advance and pickets skirmished almost daily with the advance of the enemy.

On the 29th, the enemy, having received re-enforcements, turned our right, and attacked us in the rear, cutting off our retreat. He at the same time attacked us on the front. My regiment was first called into


Page 325 Chapter XXXVIII. ACTION OF STIRLING'S PLANTATION, LA.