Today in History:

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

Page 257 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.

instant, in the order in which they are mentioned. Part of the cavalry had already encamped some 10 miles out, and the remainder, after joining the advance, proceeded in the direction of Pleasant Hill, encamping about 10 miles this side of Pleasant Hill. General Lee's advance was accompanied by severe skirmishing. On the 7th instant General Lee drove the enemy through Pleasant Hill and encamped on a stream about 8 miles toward Mansfield, after an obstinate skirmish. Colonel Clark, an aide-de-camp of the commanding general, joined me on the 6th, and visited General Lee on the 7th. General Ransom's command arrived at Pleasant Hill about 2 p.m. on the 7th, and General Emory's about 5 p.m. A heavy rain had fallen toward the rear of the column during the day, making the road so bad that General Emory's train, after most strenuous exertions, could not be brought in until late on the morning of the 8th instant. On the evening of the 7th instant I was informed by Colonel Clark that General Lee was anxious to have a brigade of infantry sent out to his assistance. I declined to send the brigade, for reasons which I considered good. The commanding general arrived at my camp on the evening of the 7th instant. At 11 p.m. I was directed to send a brigade of infantry to General Lee, to reach him by daylight. The brigade started at 3 a.m. from General Ransom's command.

At 5.30 a.m. on the 8th, General Ransom marched with the remainder of his command to encamp where General Lee encamped the night before. General Emory was directed to go to the same place when his men had had something to eat. General Ransom's command, with my consent, marched about 2 miles beyond the point indicated, and there went into camp. Just as they arrived there, about 10 a.m., I received a note from General Lee, asking for an other brigade of infantry, on account of the exhausted state of that with him. I dispatched another immediately, and General Ransom went with it. About this time the commanding general arrived and went to the front. I staid near General Cameron's division, the remaining one of General Ransom's command, until 3.15 p.m., when I received an order from the commanding general to move to the front with all of my infantry. General Cameron started immediately, and arrived on the field, 5 miles distant, at 4.15 p.m. I arrived at the same time, and immediately placed the division at such points as I thought were proper for holding the ground for which we were then contending. The state of things upon my arrival was discouraging, and as the enemy far outnumbered the infantry force, in a short time the infantry broke, after a gallant fight, and went to the rear. The enemy had turned both flanks and advanced in front, so that before I left the field he was already in rear of the position occupied when I arrived. The road was badly obstructed by the train of the Cavalry Division, and we lost from General Ransom's command ten guns, which could not be hauled away. Before the rout became general I had ordered General Emory to form his division across the road in the first good position that he could find. I found him in the act of forming his line when I arrived, about 2 miles in rear of the field. Here he was most strenuously attacked by the enemy, who made vigorous charges against his front and flanks. He repelled them all with great loss to the rebels, and remained at night-fall master of the position. During the night the whole force retreated to Pleasant Hill, General Emory's division forming the rear guard.

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Page 257 Chapter XLVI. THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN.