Today in History:

293 Series I Volume XXXIV-I Serial 61 - Red River Campaign Part I

Page 293 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.

of his regiment, as well as Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin and the officers and men of the Eighty-third Ohio, are entitled to my warmest thanks for their gallantry in holding the right of the line until overpowered by vastly superior numbers. The conduct of the Nineteenth Kentucky was worthy of all praise, and I thank them for their gallantry upon this as upon all other occasions. The Chicago Mercantile Battery, Lieutenant Cone commanding, and the First Indiana Battery, Captain Klauss commanding, came upon the field about 4 p.m., and delivered a very destructive fire upon the advance lines of the enemy. The officers and men of these batteries deserve great praise for their coolness and courage. Many of their horses were killed, but succeeded in getting their pieces into the road when ordered to fall back, and would have saved their guns but for the immense wagon train of the cavalry which blocked up the road in their front and rear. Captain P. H. Wgite and Lieutenant Cone, of the Mercantile Battery, were captured. Lieutenant Troop and Lieutenant Barr, of the same battery, were wounded and captured. Lieutenant Rogers, Second New York Veteran Cavalry, with his company, was with me during the day and behaved well. Two men of his command were wounded. Brigadier-General Ransom, commanding detachment of the Thirteenth Army Corps, rode the entire length of our line, cheering the troops and assisting in rallying the men after the lines had been broken. This gallant and able officer was severely wounded while assisting me in trying to reform the line, and after he fell from his horse continued to give directions as to the dispositions he desired me to make.

It is proper to say that Captain Nims' battery displayed during the whole fight an example of coolness and true courage unsurpassed in the annals of history. They are entitled to the highest commendations, and although they lost their guns it is due to them to say that they could not have prevented it, and that the damage, they inflicted upon the enemy was such as to entitle them to the thanks of the whole army.

Major-General Banks, Major-General Franklin, and Brigadier-General Stone were active in assisting to rally the men amidst the hottest of the fire. Part of the men were rallied and a second line formed near the line of Brigadier-General Cameron, who had arrived with the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, but it was unable to resist the continued assaults of the enemy, who pressed upon us with overwhelming numbers. The Nineteenth Army Corps, having arrived about sunset, checked the further advance of the enemy, and after dark I caused fires to be built a short distance in the rear of the line on both sides of the road and gathered together the shattered remains of my division, which, together with what came in at Pleasant Hill next day, amounted to 1,683 men, who were immediately reorganized and placed on duty.

I thank Lieutenant Henry P. Ayres, Seventy-seventh Illinois, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant John Landram, Nineteenth Kentucky, aide-de-camp; Captain J. W. Wilkin, One hundred and thirtieth Illinois; Captain D. C. Holdridge, Twenty-third Wisconsin, inspector-general, and Captain R. H. Brock, Seventy-seventh Illinois, for their gallantry and efficiency. They were all prompt and faithful in the discharge of duty. It is impossible to tell who were killed or who were wounded and were taken prisoners, but my total loss or killed, wounded, and prisoners is 73 officers and 1,063 enlisted men, making


Page 293 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.