Today in History:

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

Page 723 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.

total amount of casualties being in the brigade 1 man killed, 1 seriously wounded, and 11 slightly wounded. None missing.

The loss of the enemy has not been ascertained. The loss of the enemy in horses killed was ten to one of our own.

I have the honor to be, with high regard, your most obedient servant,

ADOLPH ENGELMANN,

Colonel Forty-third Regiment Illinois Vols., Commanding Third Brigadier

Captain A. BLOCKI,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 7TH ARMY CORPS,
Little Rock, Ark., May 5, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that on the 25th day of April, at Camden, I was instructed by the general commanding division to dig rifle-pits for the protection of my command, then in position on the Prairie D'Ane road, between the two principal redoubts of the series of works erected around that place. The pits were traced and the work commenced the same day, details of the Fortieth Iowa working all night. At 1 p. m. on the 26th, I received orders to have the teams of my command loaded and ready to cross the Washita at 3 o'clock, the troops to remain in their respective positions and to constitute the rear of the army. The working on the rifle-pits was now discontinued. It was 1 a. m. on the 27th when the body of the army had crossed the Washita, ant my brigade left its position and marched for the pontoon bridge. Arriving on the east side of the river, the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteers was deployed above the bridge, the Forty-third Illinois Volunteers below the same, the Fortieth Iowa being placed in reserve to cover the taking up of the pontoon. It was daylight when the last pontoon was oared, and the brigade enabled to commence the march. The men, having been under arms all night and marching in the rear of the army, were unable to get any rest or to do any foraging on that day, although the distance marched was inconsiderable. The sun was down when they reached the encampment assigned them for the night. On the morning of the 28th, at 4 o'clock, my brigade resumed the march, and having the advance of the infantry division arrived at Princeton at 1 p., where we were able to forage a sufficient quantity of fresh meat to supply the men for the day. On the morning of the 29th, my orders were to again constitute the rear of the army, and to resume the march at 4 a. m. It was, however, 8 o'clock before the troops in advance of me had all left town, so that I could move off. After turning from the Tulip road I was notified by the rear guard, consisting of two companies of the Sixth Kansas, that some of the enemy were in sight, and information was received of large bodies of the enemy in our immediate vicinity, pushing rapidly after us. At noon it commenced to rain, and at the same time the enemy engaged the rear guard, and soon brought up artillery with which he attempted to rake the road. I, however steadily continued the march until 1.30 p. m., the road forward, leading through a bottom one-half mile wide, being crowded with our troops at a halt, and the enemy pressing my rear I was compelled to form line to check his farther advance until the road forward should become disencumbered.


Page 723 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.