Today in History:

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

Page 764 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.


HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
One and a half miles north of Jenkins' Ferry, April 29, 1864-6.30 p.m.

SIR: My advance left here at 6 o'clock. I have a little over 1,500 men of my division and six howitzers. Do not intend to take Kansas howitzers. Colonel Cloud's command has not reported; do not know how many he has; do not intend to wait for him, but will leave a man to put him on the road. Some of my flankers got lost to-day west of Tulip; captured a prisoner who says he left Fagan at a point 15 miles from Tulip, on road to Benton, yesterday at 12 o'clock, camped. Fagan could not get his artillery along the river road and took to the ridge. My reconnaissance, which followed him 7 miles, reported the road very bad. The flankers say they saw a trail of at least 2,000 going toward the river about 15 miles west of here, suppose they (whoever was on the trail) were aiming to cross the Saline. The road from the pontoon bridge to this place is very bad. I have no idea that you can get the train through it to-night. I have ordered my train and dismounted men to this place to await further orders. Please keep it in mind in your orders of march. Woman at a house near here says they are grinding for Fagan at a mill 7 miles from here, a little off our road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. CARR,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant G. O. SOKALSKI,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 37. Report of Colonel John F. Ritter, First Missouri Cavalry, commanding First Brigade, of skirmishers March 23-24.

CAMP FIRST BRIGADE,

Saline River, March 24, 1864.

GENERAL: I send you the written report of Colonel Ritter, which I think will give you all the information you desire. I shall remain with the colonel to-night. The prisoner that is sent thinks he is to be hung, so that he is willing to give all the information that he can.

Very respectfully,

C. H. DYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

General CARR.

[Inclosure.]


HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION,
Camp in the Field, March 24, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in the attack upon the pickets on the Benton road yesterday morning two men from Third Arkansas Cavalry were captured by the enemy. The pickets from Merrill's Horse, on the Maumelle road, drove them back, 2 of our men being slightly wounded. Upon the march to-day but 3 of the


Page 764 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.