Today in History:

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

Page 567 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.

ward their right shoulders as they came into action. Orders were given to all to rely on the bayonet, as we had neither ammunition nor time to waste. These orders were well carried out, as many ghastly wounds among the Federals testify. On the left of Walker, Bee held Debray's and Buchel's cavalry in the main road form Mansfield, with orders to charge through Pleasant Hill whenever the right attack disordered the enemy. To the left of the road Major, with his own and most of Bagby's cavalry (dismounted), was to move forward, outflank the enemy's right, and gain and hold the blair's Landing road. These latter movements were under the immediate charge of General Green. Polignac, whose division had suffered more than any in the previous battle, was held in reserve in the Mansfield road behind Bee's cavalry. At 4.30 p. m. (about the time I expected Churchill to be in position) I directed General Green to open artillery on a battery posted on an eminence fronting the Mansfield road where it debouched from the woods to a low cleared field. This was for the purpose of diverting the enemy's attention from Churchill's attack. Nettles', Moseley's, and J. A. A. West's batteries were posted by Major Semmnes, chief of artillery to General Green, and soon overpowered the enemy's fire on the hill before mentioned. The Valverde Battery, under Nettles, was first in action, and was roughly used by the opposing fire, but the other batteries mentioned soon opened and drove the enemy from his formidable position.

To conclude with the artillery, Major Brent, chief of artillery on my staff; Major French, of General Walker's staff, who later brought Haldeman's battery into position, and Major Semmes illustrated the high capacity of their arm of the service. Our batteries were at one time advanced in the open field within 200 yards of the wooded hill held by the enemy's infantry, and opened without support from that position. The hill before alluded to, on which was posted the enemy's battery, was the key to his position in this quarter. To his left extended a range of broken hills, densely clothed with young pines, and his troops were well posted along these wooded hills and protected by piles of logs, rails, and some abatis. At about 5 p. m. churchill and Parsons opened on the right and Walker commenced his advance in support. Just then our fire overpowered the enemy's battery, in front of the Mansfield road, and disabled his guns, which were removed to the rear. The confusion and movement incident to this, coupled with the sound of Churchill's and Parson's attack, led General Green naturally to suppose the time for Bee's charge had arrived. Bee led forward Debray's and Buchel's fine regiments in most gallant style across the fields and up the opposite slope, where he was stopped by a close and deadly fire of musketry from the dense woods on either side of the road. Bee was struck, Buchel mortally wounded, and Debray and Major Menard, of the same regiment, struck. Many a gallant horseman went down. Bee drew back, himself retiring last. The charge failed for the time, but the gallantry displayed by Bee, Debray, Buchel, Menard, and others produced its effect on the enemy. During this time Walker had led his splendid division across the field and was fully engaged in the opposite wood, and Major had swept around to the left with his dismounted cavalry of Bagby's and his own brigade, under Colonel Terrell (severely wounded in the fight), cleared the wood to the left, and seized and held the position occupied by the enemy's battery in the commencement of the engagement. The stubborn resistance offered by the enemy along the whole line soon


Page 567 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.