Today in History:

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

Page 806 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.

ultimo at Jenkins' Ferry: At 12 p. m. the night of the 29th ultimo I commenced the march in the direction of Jenkins' Ferry. The night was dark and the road very bad and muddy, so that my progress was necessarily slow, with troops almost exhausted by long and continuous marching. Cheerfully, however, did they move through the mud and rain (which in the morning began to fall) until about 8 a. m. on the 30th, when I was ordered to form line of battle on the crest of the last hill on the road to Jenkins' Ferry, and conforming my movements to those of General Tappan, support him in his advance. I had scarcely formed my brigade when this order was revoked, and by order of General Churchill I moved about a mile down the road toward the ferry and took up position, supporting General Hawthorn's brigade, then engaged. In a short time General Parsons' Missouri division arrived on the field, and was formed with Burns' brigade on my right and Clark's on my left. The whole line then moved to the attack, and had not advanced more than 100 yards until the skirmishers were rallied on the brigade and the engagement became general. Only a few volleys had been fired, when I ordered my brigade to charge, which was done in splendid style. At this moment I saw General Clark's entire brigade give way, and I immediately dispatched a staff officer to General Churchill to inform him of the fact and ask for re-enforcements to support my left. My brigade continued steadily and rapidly to advance, driving the enemy from every position he took, passing over his killed and wounded at every step and leaving a large number of prisoners in my rear. In this manner I drove the enemy nearly a mile, expecting, every moment support for my left, or that Colonel Burns, on my right, would rout that wing and thus relieve my flank.

At this time, however, I received information from General Churchill that he had no re-enforcements to send me. General Tappan, who was near me at the time, offered to go to the cavalry and ask for support for me, and I determined to hold my position then until I could hear from him, or as long as I could, and directed Colonel Davie to change the front of his regiment perpendicular to, and protecting as far as possible, my line of battle. This was promptly done, but his regiment was too small to protect me from the heavy fire which the enemy now poured on me from that direction. Burns' brigade, on my right, had given way, and fresh troops were sweeping around my left, and believing it impossible to longer hold my position, I ordered the brigade to fall back. This was done in good order, slowly retiring and returning the enemy's fire at every step for about a quarter of a mile, when, being no longer able to protect myself against the rapid movement of the enemy on my left flank, I was compelled to fall back hastily and in some confusion. This confusion was in a great measure corrected by the gallantry of Brigadier-General Churchill, commanding division, who dismounted, seized a rifle, and rallied the remnant of the brigade around him under a heavy fire. Being unsupported by any other command, it was impossible to resist the attack of the enemy there, and by his order I directed my brigade to fall back to the hill, and sent two staff officers-Captain Carter, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Captain Gause, volunteer aide for that day-to that point, with directions to stop all stragglers and form them in the road near the hospital. In a short time my brigade was reformed and moving again to the attack. Though very much fatigued by more than three hours' continuous fighting, and having exhausted nearly every round of ammunition


Page 806 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.