Today in History:

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

Page 813 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.

to proceed with one section to the scene of action. These delays threw the section some distance in the rear, and upon following the road upon which I last saw the brigade advancing I saw smoke from a line in front, and supposing it to be our own line, sought to reach it. A terrific fire from three regiments of Federal infantry told me that we had advanced upon the enemy. The guns were immediately prepared for action by the men, who behaved with much gallantry; but as the line of the enemy was so extensive he advanced with little difficulty, capturing the guns, myself, and 8 others, 3 of whom were killed by negroes after they had surrendered. After the capture I was taken across the Saline River to the Federal hospital, from which I made my escape on May 2. There were 32 min in the action, and the loss is as follows: Killed, 4; wounded, 6; captured, 6; missing, 1.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. O. LOCKHART,

Lieutenant, Ruffner's Battery.

Captain T. T. TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 68. Report of Colonel Simon P. Burns, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of engagement at Jenkins' Ferry.


HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier MISSOURI INFY., PARSONS' DIV.,
Camp Harris, Ark., May 7, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I avail myself of the earliest opportunity that has presented since the arrival of the brigade train, containing my books, papers, and writing material, to submit my official report of the part taken by the Second Brigade Missouri Infantry in the ever-memorable engagement of April 30, 1864, known as the battle of Jenkins' Ferry:

About 7 o'clock on the morning of the 30th ultimo I arrived with the brigade within 2 miles of the battle-ground, where I was directed to halt in a field to the left of the road and rest the men, who were greatly fatigued, having been constantly marched in the rain since 1 a. m. Scarcely had the arms been stacked and fires kindled when a sharp fire of musketry in front announced the presence of the enemy, with whom our cavalry were then engaged. I received an immediate order from the brigadier-general commanding division to move the brigade to the front by the Jenkins' Ferry road with all possible dispatch. Upon arriving at the point in the road where it descends from the hills into the Saline River bottom, I was ordered to place the brigade in position in the line of battle ont he left of Brigadier-General Clark's brigade, occupying the high ground on both sides of the road bordering the river bottom. This order had just been obeyed when a tremendous roar of small-arms half a mile to the front rendered it apparent that Churchill's division of Arkansas infantry, which had moved in the advance and had already defended into the bottom, was hotly engaged with the enemy. I was immediately ordered forward with the brigade, moving by the right flank along the road leading to the ferry.


Page 813 Chapter XLVI. THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.