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856 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 856 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

has some corn in field on the left; could not estimate it; not much. Ten and a half miles from town Mrs. Atkins has some corn. Twelve miles from town Widow Busby's place is on the left of the road; pretends to have planted but ten acres of corn. The bayou crosses here the road to the left. Broken bridge across bayou there; ford in summer and fall easy. There is a good camping ground at and near Mrs. Busby's place. Two miles and a half down the bayou and about one mile to the left of the lower Monticello road J. B. Rodgers has a farm and some corn; not much; could give no estimate. Beyond the bayou and bridge the ground rises and the road leaves the bottom grounds. Here begins a tract of rolling country, with open oak woods on both sides of the road. Soil sandy. Settlements few and far between. Fourteenth miles from town low, swampy place, difficult of crossing during rainy weather. Right below a creek crosses the road with sufficient water during dry season. Fifteen miles from town good grazing ground is found for more than a mile on both sides of the road. Seventeen miles from town a swampy creek bottom breaks the road with thick underbrush on both sides of the road; very favorable spot for an ambush. Open oak woods with good grazing ground are found beyond this. Nineteen miles from town, old field and orchard, with tolerable good spring on the right-hand side of road and good grazing ground.

One-half a mile beyond a swampy depression of the ground occurs; creek crosses the road, with heavy brush and timbers on both sides. Open oak woods and good grazing beyond. Twenty-one miles from town poor wood farm on left of road. A big old field on the right; good place to camp. Opposite the field road leads off the left and south. Twenty-two miles from town farm of Mrs. Wilson, with some corn in field on the right. Adjoining this is Mr. Lesel's farm, fifteen acres of corn, situate on northern edge of Drew County, boundary line of Jefferson County above farm. Twenty-three miles and a half from town large corn-field on left, farm-house of Mr. Reynolds on right. Road leading off to the left on south side of corn-field. Open woods beyond. Twenty-five miles and a half from town small wood farm; twenty acres of corn on left. One mile below, road leading off to the right on top of hill; old field below. Calvin Jones, twenty-seven miles from town; corn-field on top hill on right-hand side of road; twenty-one miles and a half to Monticello from this place. Approaching Branchville, a poor deserted place, a good road traverses the Monticello road diagonally; one family only residing there; also one good grist-mill at Branchville worked by horse power. Right below Branchville, road to Cornersville leads to the right; distance to Cornersville five miles. Three miles beyond Branchville and about thirty-one miles below Pine Bluff the county road crosses the Monticello road at right angles; Cornersville four miles to the right; heavy timbers, with plenty of brush all over. Thirty-two miles below Pine Bluff Mr. Oldham's farm; road to Warren branches off from the Monticello road to the right and south. Very little corn left at this place. Wells shallow and easily dried up. Water for stock to right and left of the farm-house in hollows and ravines in the woods, scarce at that. Sixteen miles distance to Monticello.

The command went into camp at Mr. Oldham's place, where we learned that the rebel troops had all left Monticello, bound for Camden and finally the Red River country.

Saturday, October 8, 1864, reveille at 3 a. m.; general at 4 a. m., boots and saddles 4.30 a.m.; to horse 5.30 a. m.; forward 6 a. m., Colonel Erskine's brigade leading. The command moved forward toward


Page 856 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.