No. 15. Report of Major Bradford Hancock, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, commanding First Brigade, Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, of operations April 6-8, and itinerary of the brigade, March 5-May 22.

HDQRS. 29TH Regiment WISCONSIN VOL. INFY.,
Grand Ecore, La., April 12, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by the First Brigade, Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, in the campaign from Natchitoches to Sabine Cross-Roads, La., as follows: The brigade, composed of the Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteers Infantry, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteers Infantry, and First Missouri Battery [A, First Missouri Artillery], commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Flory, Forty-sixth Indiana Infantry, commenced the march from Natchitoches in its proper place in column at 7.45 a.m., April 6, marching about 16 miles, and going into camp about 5 p.m. Commenced march on the 7th, marching about 20 miles, going into camp at Pleasant Hill about 1 p.m. Commenced march April 8 at 5.45 a.m., five companies. Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, having been detailed to guard train, marching about 12 miles, going into camp about 1 p.m. In about one hour orders for the division to march immediately to the front were received and promptly obeyed, the artillery being left behind. Marched about 5 miles, and arrived in good order on the field of battle.

The First Brigade was immediately thrown into line on the right of the road, and charged forward at quick and double-quick time through thick underbrush, woods, and fallen timber, meeting the broken troops of the Fourth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, and the pursuing enemy, driving them back about one-half mile, until reaching the edge of a large open field over which the enemy was advancing in heavy force. The brigade halted and commenced a heavy fire, driving the enemy entirely from the field, and forcing him to abandon some pieces of artillery. The enemy soon charged again into the field, attempting to gain possession of the artillery, but reserving the fire of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin until the enemy was well advanced they opened a severe fire, driving him again in disorder from the field. Meanwhile the enemy fired upon us with artillery from the opposite side and moved several regiments of infantry around the right of the field, and around the right and almost to the rear of our line, and again charged our direct front with a force far outnumbering ours, but were repulsed with severe loss.

Information was sent to the commanding general that we were being flanked on our right by a heavy force. Mean time the second regiment had been driven back so that the enemy had passed some distance to the rear on our left. Lieutenant-Colonel Flory, in order to meet the flank movement on our right, changed the front of the Forty-sixth Indiana, moving it about 100 yards to the rear, so as to meet the enemy, who charged immediately in overwhelming numbers, forcing that regiment back, Lieutenant-Colonel Flory falling wounded into the hands of the enemy; but the Forty-sixth Indiana again formed line in a road nearly parallel with first line of battle,