No. 20. Report of Colonel William J. Landram, Nineteenth Kentucky Infantry, commanding Fourth Division, of engagement at Sabine Cross-Roads.

HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Grand Ecore, La., April 12, 1864.

CAPTAIN: On the 6th instant this division marched from Natchitoches, La., in rear of the cavalry of Brigadier-General Lee, a distance of 16 miles, in the direction of Pleasant Hill, and encamped in a dense wood near a bayou. On the 7th instant the command marched 19 miles, and encamped at Pleasant Hill. At 11 p.m. of the 7th, I received orders, of which the following are copies:

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES WESTERN LOUISIANA,
April 7, 1864.

Brigadier General T. E. G. RANSOM,

Commanding Detachment Thirteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs that a brigade of infantry be sent to General Lee, to be with him by daylight to-morrow morning. You may use your discretion as to sending a brigade or division. The spirit of the order will doubtless be better carried out by sending a division. Send, therefore, a brigade or division to report to General Lee at or before 5 a.m. on to-morrow (Friday), 8th instant.*

Respectfully,

W. B. FRANKLIN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Pleasant Hill, La., April 7, 1864-10.20 p.m.

Colonel W. J. LANDRAM,

Commanding Fourth Division:

COLONEL: In obedience to the inclosed order you will move at 3 a.m. to-morrow, with the First Brigade of your division, and report to General Lee, 8 miles in front, at daylight or as soon thereafter as possible.*

By order of Brigadier General T. E. G. Ransom:

C. E. DICKEY,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

In obedience to these orders I moved with the First Brigade of my division at the time specified, and reported to Brigadier-General Lee very soon after daylight. By order of General Lee I followed his advance beyond the creek a short distance, and was ordered to take the front and drive the enemy, with which the cavalry was then skirmishing. The Sixteenth Indiana dismounted, and probably some other regiment of General Lee's command, and assisted in skirmishing for several miles. General Lee then directed that I believe all of his command with my infantry and drive the enemy as rapidly as possible at the same time ordering his cavalry to the right and left of the road to protect my flanks, which was done. The timber on each side of the road was heavy and dense, which rendered it very difficult to move in line, and the marching was tedious and tiresome to the men, the enemy contesting every foot of the ground as we advanced. All the houses near the road were abandoned, and we saw frequent evidences of large camps which had been recently deserted. The enemy were thus driven 9 miles or more beyond the

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* See copies as furnished by General Ransom, pp.264, 265.

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