MARCH 1 - 4, 1864. - Operations on the Ouachita River, La., including actions at Trinity and Harrisonburg.*

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. - Brigadier General Camille J. Polignac, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

Numbers 2. - Captain Thomas A. Faries, Pelican (Louisiana) Battery.

Numbers 1. Reports of Brigadier General Camille J. Polignac, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.

HEADQUARTERS POLIGNAC'S BRIGADE,
Harrisonburg, La., March 3, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report the following facts: On the 1st instant one iron-clad boat and five other boats (semi-gun-boats and semi-transports), part of which belong to the Mosquito Fleet, made their appearance off Beard's Point, on Black River, where my lower picket is located, and reached Trinity at 4.30 p. m. Having received intelligence of their approach, I notified Captain Devoe, of the engineer department, left at Trinity by Major Douglas, chief engineer, in time for him to secrete the 32-pounders that had been taken to Trinity by the direction of the latter officer, and which could not be used, as only one was mounted and there was no ammunition for them. Captain W. H. Gillespie, with 50 cavalry, engaged the enemy on the west bank of the Black River all the way up to Trinity, the enemy responding with a brisk artillery fire. The six boats stopped in front of Trinity and shelled the place and its neighborhood. I had disposed my infantry force along the north bank of Little River to protect as best I could the pontoon bridge, and also in order to detain the enemy, if possible, long enough for the captain of the Ruby (now engaged in getting lumber on Little River for the engineer corps) to be notified of their approach by a courier previously sent by me. The boats, however, did not come up Little River, and Lieutenant O. Gaudet, in command of the only section of artillery that I had, opened upon them with two 12-pounder howitzers, which, of course, were unable to check their progress. This officer behaved very well. His section was within 300 yards of the iron-clad boat, and stood the unequal contest with a great deal of coolness.

As soon as the gun-boats had run past Trinity, and thus made apparent their intention of attacking Harrisonburg, I moved my infantry and artillery back to that place that same night, as I had to ferry the Bushly Bayou, a navigable stream, where the enemy could easily head me off. It had rained on the day previous and the road had become almost impassable. Two caissons had to be left behind. I have since [had them] pulled out and brought to camp. I ordered the cavalry to remain at Trinity. Captain John G. Randle, by some unaccountable mistake, took his cavalry up Little River, so that the duty of guarding the town devolved upon Captain Gillespie alone.

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* The United States vessels engaged were the Conestoga, Cricket, Fort Hindman, Lexington, Osage, and Ouachita. See report of Lieutenant Commander Frank S. Ramsay, U. S. Navy, Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 5, 1864.

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