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

Page 438 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.

15,000. Our own forces engaged on the 8th were near 15,000, but they were put into action consecutively, and so the cavalry and the Thirteenth Corps were beaten. On the 9th instant our forces engaged numbered about 10,000; the Thirteenth Army Corps and the cavalry took no part in this engagement. At midnight of the 9th, our forces again fell back, and on the 11th reached the Red River at Grand Ecore.

The loss of this regiment in the engagement of the 9th instant was 9 killed, 58 wounded, and 29 missing. The missing in this action are nearly all from our companies, and are probably killed, wounded, and prisoners.

In both of these actions both officers and men of the regiment behaved admirably. If any deserve special praise I shall mention Captain George W. Randall, of Company E, who, though separated from the battalion by order of the brigade commander, and severely wounded in the shoulder in the earlier part of the action, was last to retreat, first to reform his company, and among the last to relinquish the pursuit, and with the exception of an hour given to the dressing of his wound had remained with his company up to this date. I would also mention Sergt. Edmund R. Shaw, of Vassalborough, the color-bearer of the regiment. He behaved with marked coolness and gallantry throughout the day and received a severe and dangerous wound in the knee. Sergeant Shaw is likely to be permanently disabled and deserves a commission in the Invalid Corps.

Among the killed in the action of the 9th is First Lieutenant Sumner N. Stout, of Company E, a most gallant and esteemed young officer. His loss is formally reported in a letter which accompanies this report. Colonel Benedict, the brigade commander, was killed in the action of the 9th, leaving the brigade in command of Colonel Fessenden, of this regiment.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. H. HUBBARD,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Thirtieth Maine Infantry.

[Brigadier General L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army.]


HEADQUARTERS THIRTIETH MAINE VOLUNTEERS,
Alexandria, La., April 28, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In pursuance to instructions and of paragraph 742, Revised Army Regulations, I have the honor to submit the following report of the marches performed by this regiment between April 21 and April 26, 1864, on the route from Grand Ecore to Alexandria, and of its conduct in the affair of April 23 at Cane River Crossing:

At 3 p. m. of April 21, orders were received that the army would march at 5 o'clock, and that the Third Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, to which this regiment is attached, would report for orders to General Birge. At 4.30 o'clock the regiment broke camp on the Pleasant Hill road; moved by the landing to the river road; crossed the Cane River 1 mile below Grand Ecore, and with few halts marched in a southeasterly direction, down the island formed by the Cane and Red Rivers, 20 miles. The regiment halted and bivouacked at 2.30 a. m. of the 22nd April with General Birge's


Page 438 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.