Today in History:

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

Page 453 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.

not since been heard from A further supplemental report will be furnished, speaking more particularly of the conduct of officers of this command during the time embraced in this report.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. L. LEE,

Brigadier-General.

Major G. B. DRAKE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department of the Gulf.


HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
April 14, 1864-8 p. m.

GENERAL: I send you a prisoner, taken by Fifth Brigade detachment, which accompanied General Smith above on the river. He displays much intelligence and gives information of great importance if it be true. he is a thorough rebel, however. He states that he left Shreveport on Friday to report to Liddell for scouting. That day noes came that Steele had destroyed Government works at Washington, but while doing it Price had cut off his train and some artillery he had left in rear. Steele was now falling back. Washington is 100 miles from Shreveport. General Green, with two brigades of cavalry, came to the river on this side and, dismounting his men, attacked the gun-boats. His men were exposed in an open field and suffered much from our shells. Green gave an order to retire, and as he was mounting his horse a shell burst and took off the top of his head. This man was 3 miles from the spot, saw friends who had seen Green's body, which was to be carried back for burial. In his judgment the enemy will not attack us when we are near our gun-boats. General Churchill's brigade of Price's army was at Mansfield, and some of Marmaduke's cavalry. Price was at Washington. I send the man to you.

Yours, respectfully,

A. L. LEE,

Brigadier-General.

General FRANKLIN.

OFFICE CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPT. OF THE GULF,

New Orleans, April 29, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to forward to the major-general commanding the following amended report of the part taken by the Cavalry Division in the march of our forces from Natchitoches on the 6th instant and the events of the succeeding days, my former report, from the necessary haste of preparation, not setting forth so fully as may be desirable the various orders which I received and which governed the action of the division. I would therefore report that on the 6th instant, in pursuance of orders from major-General Franklin, to whom I was ordered to report, I moved my force, consisting of the First, Third, and Fourth Brigades of the Cavalry Division, with Nims' (Second Massachusetts) battery of horse artillery, six guns; Rawles' (Company G, Fifth U. S. Artillery) battery horse artillery by a company of Sixth Missouri Cavalry, Captain H. H.


Page 453 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.