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

Page 368 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.

since understood, was done by orders given by an officer belonging to Brigadier-General Mower's staff, but without my knowledge. The enemy was repulsed after a brisk action of ten or fifteen minutes. We were afterward thrown forward into the woods, but were not again under fire. Owing to the intense heat and necessary rapidity of our movements, many of the men were entirely exhausted and had to be carried from the field. Officers and men conducted themselves in a creditable manner during the engagement. I send herewith a list of casualties.*

G. A. EBERHART,

Major, Commanding Thirty-second Iowa Infantry.

Lieutenant W. G. DONNAN,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 49. Reports of Major Robert W. Fyan, Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry, of the capture of Fort De Russy and engagements at Pleasant Hill and Yellow Bayou.


HDQRS. TWENTY-FOURTH MISSOURI INFANTRY VOLS.,
On board Sioux City, near Alexandria, La., March 17, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders received this date from brigade headquarters, I beg leave to make the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Missouri Volunteers in the attack upon and capture of Fort De Russy on the 14th instant: At or about 4 o'clock of the 14th instant the Twenty-fourth Missouri was ordered up on double-quick, with instructions from the brigade commander to form on the left of the road and take position so as to protect the battery (Third Indiana). In this position we remained until the Third Indiana had exhausted all their ammunition, and the Ninth Indiana Battery was brought up to relieve them, at which time Brigadier-General Mower ordered us to fix bayonets and advance in line of battle. This order was obeyed, until arriving at the edge of the timber in front of the west side of the fort, where the regiment was halted sufficiently long to correctly along it, when it was ordered to charge bayonets, and order that was obeyed not only with promptitude but with the utmost furor. Not a halt was made until our colors were planted on the walls and the fort surrendered. The Twenty-fourth missouri claims its colors were first on the wall, and it the first inside the fortifications.

Our loss was 1 killed, 1 mortally wounded, 4 severely wounded, and 7 slightly wounded. Where every man did his duty it would be impossible to make distinctions.

Respectfully submitted.

R. W. FYAN,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Captain C. T. GRANGER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Brigade.


HDQRS. TWENTY-FOURTH MISSOURI VOLUNTEERS,
Grand ecore, La., April 13, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders received I respectfully furnish the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Missouri

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* Nominal list (omitted) shows 1 killed and 7 wounded.

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Page 368 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter XLVI.