the enemy; that at this time (i. e., of the advance upon the enemy) Colonel Peck was going to the rear without permission or authority, and alone; and that Colonel Peck did not rejoin his command until 2 p. m. of the 10th of April, 1864, being absent and from the colors of his regiment about twenty hours without authority, Colonel Lewis M. Peck, One hundred and seventy-third New York Volunteers, is hereby dishonorably dismissed from the service of the United States, for misbehavior before the enemy, subject to the approval of the President.*

By command of Major-General Banks:

GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 75. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Justus W. Blanchard, One hundred and sixty-second New York Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations April 21-25.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 19TH ARMY CORPS,
Alexandria, La., April 30, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of the Third Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, during the five days from the 21st to the 25th instant: On the afternoon of the 21st, the brigade having been temporarily detached, moved at 5 p. m. at the head of General Birge's command, in the advance on the river road, 20 miles from Grand Ecore, and camped on the banks of the Cane River at 3 a. m. On the morning of the 22nd, at 11 a. m., the brigade moved with the command 15 miles, passing through Cloutierville about 4 p. m., and camped about 5 p. m. on the plantation adjoining the residence of --- ----. At 6 a. m. on the morning of the 23rd, the brigade moved with the command, in the rear of the First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, on the river road, 5 miles toward Cane River Crossing, and halted, the advance having met the enemy and opened upon them with artillery. At 9 a. m. the brigade moved with the command (General Birge's) about 1 mile to the rear and forded the river, moving thence by the right flank, through a marshy piece of timber, for some distance, and then in line of battle through the woods to an open field, skirted by a deep, muddy bayou on the opposite side; thence in line of battle over the field and across the bayou, through a swampy undergrowth, to the crest of a hill beyond; thence by the right flank, in a semicircle, about 1 mile to a small clearing at the foot of a high hill upon which the enemy were posted.

Orders were given by General Birge to Colonel Fessenden to take the hill by such disposition of his forces as seemed best to him. By a reconnaissance it appeared that the left flank of the enemy's position on the hill was made impregnable by a marsh and lake. Colonel Fessenden accordingly gave orders to dislodge the enemy by a charge upon his front, and disposed his regiments in the following

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*This order of dismissal confirmed by the War Department June 10, 1864; confirmatory orders revoked July 8, with view to Colonel Peck's trial by court-martial. He was tried by general court-martial in November, and acquitted, and was honorably discharged by expiration of service October 18, 1865.

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28 R R - VOL XXXIV, PT I