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168 Series I Volume XLVIII-I Serial 101 - Powder River Expedition Part I

Page 168 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

that point, I moved to Seviques Ferry in order to cross the river and reach the French Settlement by a different route. On arriving at the ferry I halted to rest my command. I had been there but a few minutes when Captain Benjamin came up with forty men and a small flat-boat, capable of crossing two horses at a time, which he had taken a short distance above that point. I crossed the river with Captain Benjamin and forty men, leaving Captain Ellis with thirty men to guard the ferry. Arriving on the other side at 11 p. m. April 3, from that point I marched by the only practicable route about twenty-five miles to the French Settlement, where to prisoners were captured. I could not hear of any such man as Captain Baptiste, but a Captain F. P. Poche, who professes to be a conscripting officer, makes his headquarters at that place, and had not to exceed five men, and one of the prisoners said he had but two. Captain Poche could not be found, and one of the prisoners told me that he left for some place below the settlement just before we came into the place. I had my horses well fed at the settlement and started on my return about 1 p. m. April 4; crossed the Amite River near the mouth of Collyell Creek by means of a small flat-boat, which I brought out of the bay for that purpose. I found that part of my command left to guard Seqiques Ferry about 6 p. m. Rested a short time, and started on my return; reached the headquarters at 3 a. m. April 5. The names of the prisoners are Thomas Brignac, of Captain Poche's scouts, and Paul Lamber, conscripted by Poche, who have been sent to the provost-marshal at Donaldsville, La., to be forwarded to the commissary-general of prisoners. Captains Doyal, Gonzales, and Babie, and Lieutenant Mahoney have gone to Clinton. The inclosed papers were taken from Thomas Brignac.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. C. BURT,

Major, Third Rhode Island Cavalry.

Lieutenant Colonel CHARLES H. PARKHURST,

Commanding Detachment Third Rhode Island Cav., Hermitage, La.

APRIL 2-10, 1865. -Expeditions from Thibodeaux, Bayou Boeuf, and Brashear City to Lake Verret, Grand Bayou, and The Park, La., with skirmish (4th) at Grand Bayou, La.

REPORTS.


Numbers 1. - Brigadier General Robert A. Cameron, U. S. Army, commanding District of La Fourche.


Numbers 2. -Major George R. Davis, Third Rhode Island Cavalry.


Numbers 3. -Colonel J. Hale Sypher, Eleventh U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.


Numbers 4. -Lieutenant William D. McGuire, Tenth U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery.


Numbers 5. -Major James M. Hildreth, Sixteenth Indiana Mounted Infantry.


Numbers 6. -Lieutenant Colonel John L. Rice, Seventy-fifth U. S. Colored Troops.


Numbers 7. -Captain Elias F. Stall, Ninety-third U. S. Colored Troops.


Numbers 1. Reports of Brigadier General Robert A. Cameron, U. S. Army, commanding District of La Fourche. HEADQUARTERS LA FOURCHE DISTRICT, Thibodeaux, April 4, 1865.

(Received 4 p. m.)

On the evening of the 2nd I received information from one of my confidential scuts that Whitaker with 100 men had crossed Grand Lake


Page 168 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.