Today in History:

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

Page 912 Chapter XLVI. LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI.

MAY 6-10, 1864.-Operations in Calcasieu Pass, La.*

REPORTS.


Numbers 1.-Brigadier General James Slaughet, C. S. Army.


Numbers 2.-Colonel Williams H. Griffin, Twenty-first Texas Infantry.


Numbers 3.-Major J. Simpson, second New Orleans Infantry (Union.)


Numbers 1. Report of Brigadier General James E. Slaughter, C. S. Army.

HOUSTON, TEX., May 7, 1864.

Colonel Griffin attacked the enemy at Calcasieu yesterday morning; captured gun-boats Granite City and Wave, 16 guns and 80 prisoners. Can you spare Cook's regiment, or five companies of it, to guard prisoners at Hempstead?

JAS. E. SLAUGHTER.

Brigadier General HAWES,

Galveston.


Numbers 2. Reports of Colonel William H. Griffin, Twenty-first Texas Infantry.


HEADQUARTERS SABINE POST,
Sabine Pass, May 11, 1864.

I have the honor to submit the following as amendatory of my report + on the late engagement with the enemy at Calcasieu Pass: Owing to the hurried manner in which I wrote out my report and the multiplicity of other on my hands, I omitted entirely to mention the names of the officers of the medical staff engaged with me on that occasion. Great credit and praise is due to Assistant Surgeons Barton, Gordon, and Baily for the indefatigable and energetic manner in which they discharged their duties. At the commencement of the battle, a hospital was established at a vacant house, to which all the wounded were carried as fast as possible. As soon as the wounded of my command were disposed of they lent all their aid to the Federal medical officer. Only one capital operation was performed upon the soldiers of my command, but there were nine capital operations performed upon the officers and crew of the Granite City. I thought it very strange when I went on board the Granite City that there were so many seriously wounded and so few dead. It will now be explained. Five dead bodies have washed ashore, to which weights had been attached and then thrown overboard. How many more dead were thrown overboard of cause will never be known. I was aboard the Granite City when the knave ran up the white flag. I could after that t plainly see pistols, gun, swords, &c., being thrown overboard. It is said safe also thrown into the pass. They attempted to throw overboard two Dahlgren

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* U. S. steamers Granite City and Wave captured May 6; attack on U. S. transport Ella Morse, May 8, and captured of boat party from the U. S. steamer New London, May 10. See Annual Report of the Navy, December 5, 1864.

+ Not found.

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Page 912 Chapter XLVI. LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI.