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

Page 625 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.

cers; Captains Halley, King, and Carrington, of Baylor's regiment; Captains Wimberley, Waterhouse, and Edwards, of Lane's regiment; Lieutenants Brookshier, Moore, Gilbert, and Harding, of Chisum's regiment; Captains Hendrick, McKee, and Goodman, of Madison's regiment. Frequently in command of flanking parties and scouts, they were invaluable in ascertaining the position of the enemy and attacking him in moments of fancied security. To my staff I am under many obligations for promptness in carrying all orders and gallantry before the enemy. I would recommend them to your kind consideration. The following is a list of those who have served with me since Colonel W. P. Lane was wounded: Lieutenant R. E. Carrington, acting assistant adjutant-general, until May 14, since then Lieutenant N. G. Davis, Company E, Baylor's regiment; Lieutenant Henry Chapman, aide-de-camp, and Colonel J. M. Anderson, volunteer aide. Captain Wlater Caruth, assistant quartermaster, and Captain J. P. McKay, assistant commissary of subsistence to the brigade, and their assistants, are entitled to much praise for keeping the troops supplied during our rapid movements through a country desolated by the enemy and stripped of stores and forage.

I have the honor to be, captain, your very obedient servant,

GEO. WYTHE BAYLOR,

Colonel, Commanding Lane's Brigade.

Captain OGDEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 101. Reports of Brigadier General William Steele, C. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Division, of operations April 22-May 18.


HEADQUARTERS STEELE'S CAVALRY DIVISION,
David's Landing, June 5, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report as follows concerning the operations of the troops under my command during the pursuit of the enemy from Grand Ecore to Simsport:

At 3.30 a. m. on April 22, while occupying a position at the forks of the road to Grand Ecore and Natchitoches, coming from Pleasant Hill, I received an order emanating from General Taylor to attack the enemy at daylight, and to push forward until I found some force in my front that I could not drive. Having but one regiment (Burford's) where it could be used at so short a notice, Moved with that as soon as the horses could be saddled. I found the enemy's pickets withdrawn and Grand Ecore evacuated. Turning by a cross-road, I encountered the guard of the enemy near Natchitoches and drove it rapidly through that town, from the hills of which large bodies of men would be soon moving off.

Having been directed to make a personal report, I proceeded from this point to General Taylor's headquarters. On my return I found that the other regiments of the brigade then under my command, and which had occupied the ground east of Sibley's Lake, had come into Natchitoches, and the whole force under Colonel Parsons, acting under orders, had followed the enemy and engaged him about 7 miles below town.

Major-General Wharton, recently assigned to the command of the cavalry, joined the troops at this point, and continued until the enemy had crossed Monett's Ferry to direct the operations in their

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Page 625 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.