USA > Maine > The story of the Maine Fifteenth; being a brief narrative of the more important events in the history of the Fifteenth Maine regiment; together with a complete roster of the regiment , embracing the name of every officer and enlisted man serving > Part 9
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A dreary, tiresome week, was that of the evacuation of the Texas coast. Its experiences were quite unlike those at Pensacola, save in the laborious work involved. The caravan of homeless men, women and chil- dren, with goods and chattels strewed upon the wharves and public squares. were in this instance lacking, yet the huge piles of public property to be loaded upon the transports and otherwise provided for or destroyed, were a very vivid and realistic object lesson. As the seribe recalls the scene, glancing back through the dim vista of more than a quarter of a century. he espies the old camp ground, lonely and desolate, with not a tent stand- ing upon the narrow peninsula, while here and there, grouped about bright- ly-burning camp-fires, reclining upon the sand or mayhap seated upon empty "hard-tack" boxes, sipping their coffee, chatting with mess-mates, or smoking dull care away, were officers and soldiers of all grades, very hap- pily commingling. In the harbor, receiving freight, were those well ro- membered Texas coast-transports-the Clinton, Crescent and St. Mary's. of the Morgan line; the Planter, Bagley, Warrior, etc. ; while skipping to and fro, actively engaged in the all-absorbing work of the hour, were shouting teamsters, stevedores and staff-officers, a veritable medley of con- fusion and discord. The tall flag-staff is lowered-the finishing touches of demolition are given to the wharf-the regimental line is formed, dis- missed, re-formed, and the process repeated over and over again, during the comfortless days and nights in which we drearily "wait for the wagon,"
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when the wagon cometh not. " Oh ! those were the weary days of waiting !"
Though the Fifteenth " struck " and packed its tents and camp and garrison equipage Feb. 25th, it was not until the 29th that we procceded on board the Steamer St. Mary's, and noon of March Ist that we steamed out of Matagorda Bay and proceeded to sea.
CHAPTER X V.
AGAIN IN LOUISIANA AND THROUGH THE TECHE REGION TO ALEXANDRIA, ON THE RED RIVER.
A SEA-VOYAGE AND UP THE MISSISSIPPI TO ALGIERS. -- BY RAIL TO BRASHEAR CITY. --- A TWO-HUNDRED-MILE MARCH TO FRANKLIN AND ALEXANDRIA. --- NEW DIVISION AND BRIGADE ASSOCIATES. --- A LARGE ARMY GATHERED ON THE RED RIVER. -- THE REBELS REPULSED AT FORT DERUSSEY AND AT HENDERSON'S HILL.
TEAMER St. Mary's, upon which the Fifteenth had taken passage, encountered quite severe weather before leaving the Texas coast, which continued during the entire passage to the mouth of the Mis- sissippi, the soldiers suffering intensely from the cold as well as from sea-sickness. She entered the South-West Pass at ten o'clock on the morning of March 3d, arriving at the Algiers Depot of the Opelousas Railroad the same evening, and disembarking at about midnight, seeking temporary quarters at the Algiers Iron Works. Transportation was fur- nished a few days later, the regiment taking the train at about night-fall of March 6th and reaching Berwick City, on Bayou Teche, the next morn- ing. Here were a large number of troops, all under marching orders for Franklin, La.
The Fifteenth was here re-joined by Co. K. which had been sta- tioned at one of the Forts since the previous summer, and which did not participate in the Texas campaign.
At noon of March ith the Fifteenth joined the general caravan on the road to Franklin-the route traversed being through a country of sur- passing beauty and fertility, the garden of Louisiana, if not of the world. Large plantations lined- the way, the buildings and general surroundings indicating prosperity in prosperous days. A number of pretty villages were passed on the route. The regiment reached Franklin at noon of the Sth. where were encamped large bodies of troops, a considerable proportion
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being cavalry. Maj .- Gen. Franklin was in command ; and from general indications it soon became evident that an active campaign in the direction of the Red River country was the object of the gathering.
Immediately upon our arrival we were assigned to the 2d brigade, Ist division, Nineteenth Army Corps, with Gen. James W. MeMillan as brigade and Gen. W. H. Emory as division commanders-Gen. Franklin commanding the corps as well as all the forces at the station. Our asso- ciates in the brigade were the 18th, 15th and 29th Maine, 47th Penn., and 162d New York. The 80th Maine was in an adjoining brigade, encamped not far away. The 29th and 30th were new organizations but just arrived from Maine, and the meeting of the members of the four Maine regiments was an exceedingly pleasant event, bringing together, as it did, old friends and townsmen long separated.
The troops comprised in Gen. Franklin's command numbered about sixteen thousand, of all arms, including, besides the two divisions of the 19th corps, two divisions of the 13th corps, a force of about five thousand cavalry, under Gen. Albert L. Lee, and an artillery brigade, under Gen. Richard Arnold. This was by far the largest force we had ever seen to- gether ; and, encamped about a city of from four to five thousand hostile inhabitants, with the attendant brightly-burning evening camp-fires, the soul-stirring music of the bands and drum-corps, the shrill bugle " calls" of the cavalry command, etc., all served to constitute a military pageant of quite magnificent proportions.
The cavalry force, with its immense forage and baggage-trains, commenced the forward movement March 13th; and during that night and the day following, a continnous line of cavalrymen were tramping by our camp, with their ceaseless rumble and jumble, the jingling of sabres, the neighing of horses, and a degree of confusion and up-roar. well caleu- lated to impress the looker-on with profound appreciation of the immensity of the menagerie. Requiring a long stretch of road in which to straighten itself ont, the cavalry preceded the infantry by a couple of days, reaching Alexandria nearly a week earlier.
The infantry column " took the road" March 15th, Emory's Divis- ion filing into its prescribed position at about noon-the Maine troops not forgetting to greet, with " three hearty cheers and a tiger," the gallant lit- tle General ( Ransom) with whom they had " roughed it " in Texas, as we passed the Thirteenth Corps headquarters on the road.
The first day out from Franklin we made some fifteen miles, along the banks of the Bayon Toche : the 16th, passed through New Iberia, where our cavalry had a sharp skirmish with the cavalry of the enemy a few days previous; Vermillion Bayon on the 1ith ; Carrion Crow Bayou on the ISth : Opelousas and Washington on the 19th ; ~ resting upon the
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Sabbath Day," the 20th ; striking Bayou Boeuf, with its well-filled sugar- houses, on the 21st ; Cheneyville the 23d; the Gov. Wells plantation -- with its memorable rain-storm and ankle-deep mud-on the 24th; and Alexandria, the general rendezvous, at about noon of March 25th. From Brashear City to Alexandria is about two hundred miles; and, in fearfully hot weather, over dusty roads, and with water dipped up from stagnant pools over which a yellow sediment had formed in many instances, the march was justly regarded as a very creditable feat of pedestrianism.
As Franklin's corps entered the city-the bands playing their most popular airs and the streets crowded with soldiers from the western commands, camp-followers, and throngs of citizens-the " grand entree " presented a most inspiring spectacle. Among those who witnessed our arrival were military and naval officers of high grade, including Maj-Gen. Banks, Admiral Porter, Gen. A. J. Smith, etc.
The city of Alexandria is on the right bank of the Red River, one hundred and fifty miles from the Mississippi, and one hundred and seventy miles from Shreveport : the place last mentioned being the very important point so highly prized and tenaciously held by the rebels, on account of its communications by railroad and water, and its many strategic advantages from the rebel point of view. The population rating of Alexandria was about eight thousand. Here the troops under Gen. Franklin formed a junction with forces " loaned " by Grant from his Vicksburg command and coming down the Mississippi and up the Red in transports; with the naval force co-operating ; and with those coming by water from other directions --- a combination of from twenty-five to thirty thousand soldiers of all arms.
By a very curious and unprecedented assumption, the detachments of the 16th and 17th corps were operated as a distinct and independent force, commanded by Gen. A. J. Smith, who, in every emergency, insisted upon " paddling his own canoe." Gen. Franklin was the immediate conunander of the entire force other than the exceptions mentioned -- Gon. Banks exercising the functions of Department Commander as to all the troops save those commanded by His Royal Highness, General Andrew Jackson Smith !
In reaching Alexandria the troops from Grant's army made a
* The troops comprised :
Grover and Emory's Divisions of the Nineteenth Corps ; two Divisions of the Thirteenth Corns, under Gen. T. E. G. Ransom ; and Gen. Lee's Cavalry Division, all under the command of Gen. W. B. Franklin.
A finely equipped Artillery Brigade, commanded by Gen. Richard Arnold.
Two Divisions of the Seventeenth Corps, commande l by Gen. T. Kilby Smith.
Two Divisions of the Sixteenth Corps, commandlel by Gen. A. J. Smith.
The Naval Fleet, under Admiral Porter, comprising from sixteen to twenty armed vessels -. roms, monitors, gunboats, etc.
A Marine Brigade, about 3000 strong, ( which, however, was ordere I to return to Vicksburg. )
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brilliant little diversion at a strong-hold of the enemy known as Fort DeRussy. The fleet of transports which conveyed them from the Upper Mississippi formed a junction with the naval vessels at the mouth of Red River, moved up an arm of the Red known as Old River, entered the Atchafaylaya, landed the troops at Simmsport, marched overland twenty- five miles to Fort DeBussy, and, after a brisk skirmish, carried the works by assault, capturing 260 prisoners, ten heavy guns, and considerable other property. The Fort was a very strong one and much relied upon by the rebels in their defensive operations in that region. Smith lost nine men in killed and thirty-nine in wounded; the rebels five killed and four wounded.
Gen. Mower, of the Sixteenth Corps, also put in a little good service before the arrival of Franklin's command at Alexandria. With three brigades of infantry and one of cavalry, he moved to a point known as Henderson's Hill, twenty-five miles from Alexandria, capturing three hundred rebel cavalrymen and a four-gun battery. Col. HI. B. Sargent, of Gen. Banks' staff, was severely wounded in the fight.
The rebels in the region of Alexandria hastily scampered away after the affair at Fort DeRussy, passing to Shreveport through Cheney- ville, having a two days' lead of our cavalry. Several brigades from other points endeavored to come to the relief of the Fort DeRussy garrison, bat, finding themselves too late, a general stampede towards Shreveport was commenced, large trains crossing the Red River March 19th. Having thus put the rebel army " upon the run," Alexandria was taken possession of without further difficulty.
Prior to the arrival of the military commander at Alexandria the naval officers and the cotton speculators are said to have been very thrifty in gathering in that valuable product of this fertile region. Thousands of bales were seized, and much demoralization was the result. Under the law regulating the disposition of property captured by the navy, a portion of the proceeds accrues to the naval officers and crew ; and so cager were they to profit by this opportunity that it seemed to many that the naval officers were far more solicitous in the matter of cotton-seizures than for the success of the expedition. When the rebels came to understand the policy of the naval authorities they at once commenced burning their cotton to prevent its falling into the hands of the government, and vast quantities were de- stroyed throughout that entire region. Gen. Banks heroically resisted all pressure for permission to trade in cotton after he had assumed command, and on this account became very obnoxious to the army of speculators hov- ering about headquarters with letters of introduction from very influential wtrees at Washington. Before leaving Alexandria Gen. Banks directed that all sizable cotton be taken for the government by the quartermaster's
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department and turned over to the treasury agent, pursuant to the law of Congress and the Treasury Regulations.
The low stage of the water in the channel of the Red River was a cause of very serious apprehension on the part of the military and naval commanders. There was scarcely six feet of water at some points, and few of the gunboats or transports could float with a less amount. The only expectation of success was based upon the hope of an increased amount of water occasioned by the annual spring freshets.
CHAPTER XVI.
" UP RED RIVER," TO GRAND ECORE AND NATCHITOCHES.
AGAIN ON THE TRAMP .-- THE "CARAVAN" MOVES UP THE RED RIVER REGION IN DETACHMENTS. -- THE NAVY A VERY SLOW COACH .-- THE CAVALRY SKIRMISH WITH THE ENEMY ALL ALONG THE ROAD. -- INCIDENTS OF THE VERY TEDIOUS MARCH. - WE TARRY AT GRAND ECORE AND NATCHITOCHES TO "RATION-UP" PREPARATORY TO THE ANTICIPATED VERY LIVELY WORK.
6) HE combined military and naval advance up the Red River, in the direction of Shreveport, was obstructed several days by the great difficulty experienced in getting the transports and naval vessels over the shoals at Alexandria. Several of the larger vessels were unable to make the ascent ; but by March 26th some twelve gunboats and about thirty transports were started up the river, the infantry commands of Gens. A. J. and T. K. Smith going along on the transports as far as prac- ticable, and debarking and marching along the banks when it became nec- essary to lighten the vessels or silence a rebel battery. They made very slow progress, however, ascending the river but about twenty miles, and tarrying at Bayou Cotile until the 3d of April.
On the 26th the main army, under the immediate command of Gen. Franklin, commenced its march in the same direction, but by a different route. Our " caravan " moved in about the following order : First, three or four brigades of cavalry, followed by its long train of one hundred and eighty cavalry wagons; then followed the two divisions of the 13th corps : the ammunition wagons ; Emory's division of the 19th corps; the wagon- trains of both the 13th and 19th corps, with ton days' supplies in the wagons ; the balance of the cavalry bringing up the rear. Gen. Grover's
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
division of the 19th corps, comprising a force of about three thousand, re- mained at Alexandria to garrison that post; while the Marine Brigade, upon which considerable reliance had been placed, was withdrawn and re- turned to Vicksburg. The column, being compelled to move mainly on one narrow way and occupying a very long stretch of road, made com- paratively slow progress. On the first day out we accomplished but seven- teen miles, and the day following but half that distance. We bad now reached a section of country entirely different in its general aspect from anything before encountered in the South. The narrow road led through a densely wooded country, with high hills, deep ravines, and rough, pre- cipitous points, rendering rapid progress, especially for the artillery and. heavily-loaded ammunition trains, extremely difficult. The growth in the wooded districts comprised the pine, beech, rock-maple, sassafras, etc., in pleasing contrast, as to scenic effect, with the monotonous aspect of Eastern Louisiana. The third day ont we make but seven miles, travelling at a snail's pace, the roads being blockaded by the cavalry trains, and the cavalry by constant skirmishing with the enemy. On the 31st we cross Cane Riv- or, an arm of the Red, on pontoons, making a fifteen miles' march. Here we leave the wooded path and strike the public road, with its dense clouds of dust, very disagreeable to taste, eyes . and nostrils. The army passes through the pretty little village of Clouterville, in Natchitoches Parish, twenty-three miles from Grand Ecore, encamping for the night a few miles beyond. " April Fool's Day " finds us re-crossing Cane River and making a sixteen miles' march, through a region abounding in abandoned cotton plantations, with their red, clammy soil-desolate, barren and uninviting. Only the negroes are to be seen about the premises-and the aged and infirm at that. On the 2d our column reaches the pretty little town of Natchitoches, once on the banks of Old Red River, but owing to a curious freak of that very cecentric stream, now an inland village, the present course of Red River passing at a point four miles away known as Grand Ecore. The town boasted a population of one thousand, not a few of whom deigned to witness our advent from the windows and assumed a most imlovely cast of countenance as our bands struck up the popular and inspiring national airs.
The fleet had not yet arrived at Grand Ecore; though, in company with the independent command of Gens. A. J. and T. Kilby Smith, it put in an appearance the evening of the day following. Gen. Banks and staff also came up from Alexandria by steamer, arriving at Grand Ecore April 2d. A brigade of colored troops also arrived at about the same time. direct from Port Hudson.
But it must not be imagined that no enemy had appeared during this long and tedious march, to dispute the right of way of the Yankee
THE STORY OF THE MAINE FIFTEENTH.
army and navy. He was, in fact. all about us, and nearly every day the rebel cavalry and ours were crossing sabres, some very lively skirmishing taking place and a good many prisoners falling into our hands. From Natchitoches Gen. Lee rode out twenty-three miles to a place known as Crump's Corner, where from three to five thousand of the enemy were en- countered in a very desperate contest. The rebels were driven from their position, leaving from fifty to sixty of their dead upon the field. The reb- els fought most impetuously. They dismounted, left their horses in the rear, came forward, meeting our advance from behind trees, dead logs, and fallen timber. Our cavalry was obliged to send their horses to the rear, drive the enemy, who fell back to their horses and were off before our horses could be regained to give chase to the enemy --- one of the many disadvantages encountered in campaigning along a single road in a region so heavily wooded. Artillery as well as cavalry was used on both sides, the enemy showing no less than six cavalry regiments in the skirmish. A day or two later Col. Gooding's cavalry brigade drove a force of fifteen hundred of the enemy from their camp near Campte, capturing their equipage, and inflicting considerable loss in dead and wounded, but at a sacrifice of his own force of about forty in killed and wounded.
In the various cavalry skirmishes it was conclusively demonstrated that Taylor's army was in full strength in our immediate front ; that he had been largely reinforced from the rebel commands in Arkansas as well as Texas, and that a general engagement at or before reaching Shreveport, was inevitable.
Grand Ecore-four miles across from Natchitoches-was the first point of access to the transports and supply of " provender " for man and beast, since leaving Alexandria ; and here the re-supplying of the forage and commissary wagons, the re-arrangement of land transportation, etc., constituted the important and all-absorbing business during the brief tarry at these two points.
By this time it had become evident to all intelligent observers that neither gunboats or transports could be relied upon to further ascend the river ; indeed the navy and the vessels accompanying seem to have been, from the start, a very troublesome " Jonah." At Alexandria the navy had impeded our progress from six to eight days, at Grand Ecore from three to four; and now the very perplexing conundrum was presenting it- self for solution, " If, by any chance, the water in the river should fail to rise, and the army be compelled to fall back, what is to become of the val- uable fleet, so indispensable to the free navigation of the Mississippi ?" A very stupid blunder had evidently been made in the class of vessels assigned for the expedition.
But Gen. Banks was not disposed to shrink even from a task which
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I Capt. C. B. Smith, Co. E
2 Capt. James Walker, Co. E 3 1 :. John 2. Swanton, Co. 1. 4 L.t. A. W. Hoyt, Co. E
5 Lt. M. B. Hanning, Co. E o L.t. E. A. Low, Co. E ; Capt. I .. J. Joyce, Co. F S Capt. C. E. Knight, Co. F
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9 Lt. Patrick Neville, Co. F. to Lt. J. H. Hackett, Co. F If Lt. John Fitzgerald, Co, F 12 Capt. E. J. Pattee, Co. G.
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13 Capt. I. Dwinal, Co. G If Lt. James Rile ut, Cali 15 Lt. R. N. Pierce, Co. C. 16 Lt. B. F. Brown, Co. l
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seemed to present insurmountable barriers. Ten days' supplies were therefore taken on board the wagons, and arrangements made for a two weeks' separation from the base of supplies, with an absolute cer- tainty of meeting the rebel clans in battle array before again coming within reach of the commissary, forage and ammunition supplies.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE MARCH FROM GRAND ECORE AND THE DISASTROUS "SABINE CROSS ROADS."
"UP THE RED" TO MEET THE JOHNNIES. - THE CAVALRY HAS LIVELY WORK FROM THE START. -- REPEATED CALLS FOR INFANTRY SUPPORT. - A BRIGADE SENT IN, OVER- POWERED, AND STILL ANOTHER .- A GENERAL ENGAGEMENT UNEXPECTEDLY BROUGHT ON. -- THE CAVALRY AND THIRTEENTH CORPS GALLANTLY FIGHT BUT ARE BADLY WHIPPED AND SWEPT AWAY WITH GREAT LOSS. - A VERY DISASTROUS AND UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR.
HIE plans for the movement upon the enemy being well-nigh per- fected, the line of march in the direction of Shreveport was taken up on the morning of April 6th. Gen. Lee, with three brigades of cavalry-one of his brigades being detached as guard to the wagon- trains -- and three small batteries of artillery, took the advance, with orders from Gen. Franklin to " attack the enemy wherever found," but not to bring on a general engagement. The long train of wagons of the cavalry corps-numbering three hundred and fifty and carrying ten days' rations. three days' forage, ammunition, camp equipage, etc .- followed the cavalry and occupied a very long stretch of road between the mounted men and the infantry. Of the infantry force Gen. Ransom's detachment of the 13th corps had the advance; followed by Gen. Emory's Division of the 19th corps and Col. Dickie's brigade of colored troops. Gen. A. J. Smith's force tarried at Grand Ecore a couple of days later ; while Gen. T. Kilby Smith's troops remained on the river's bank with the gunboats and trans- ports, which were under orders to move up the river to Loggy Bayon. where Gen. Banks hoped to be able to establish communications with the lan I forces from Sabine Cross Roads, a distance of fifty-four miles by land and one hundred miles by water. Gen. Banks remained at Grand Ecore until the entire army had taken the road, and then (on the 7th) rode towards
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the front. Our Division took ap the line of march at about 9 a. m., trav- elling through a rough and thickly-wooded region all day, uninhabited, and encamping for the night in a dense forest, some fifteen miles inland from the River. The cavalry pashed on twenty-three miles, briskly driving the enemy's pickets before them, and having no serious trouble. The next day (the 7th) the cavalry moved to Pleasant Hill and three miles beyond-a march of thirteen miles for the day. A couple of regiments of the enemy's cavalry impeded the march, with a much stronger force at Pleasant Hill, where they had dismounted and made a decided stand, compelling Gen. Lee to put in all three of his brigades. The action continued an hour and a half. Lee's loss in killed and wounded was seventy-five, the enemy losing about the same number, besides twenty-five prisoners. Gen. Lee, secing that the enemy was in force in his immedi te front. dispatched a staff of- ficer to Gen. Franklin with an urgent request to end an infantry brigade to his support. The brigade was started on the road, but, the artillery fire having ceased, it was at once ordered to return, by Gen. Franklin's com- mand. The infantry column, meanwhile, made a twenty miles' march, go- ing into camp at Pleasant Hill at 5 p. m. Notwithstanding the enemy had so unmistakably shown his hand, there was no other effort at a concentra- tion of the scattered detachments on the road than an order from Franklin to Lce to keep his trains well up, that the infantry might advance as far as possible on the morrow. Gen. Lee, on the contrary, earnestly begged that a brigade of infantry might be sent him, and also that his trains might be dropped back of the infantry column, as he found it difficult to advance through that thickly-wooded country, fighting an enemy equal in force to his own, and at the same time adequately guarding his immense train. Bat upon receipt of Franklia's or ler Les co itinne I his advance until night- fall, driving the enemy to Carroll's Mill, ten miles beyond Pleasant Hill, the infantry column having goas into camp at the latter point. But at Carroll's Mill the cavalry found the enmay in strong force, estimated at. five thousand, with four pieces of artillery posted, and a creek and a ravine between our forces and the confederates. Rather a critical situation, with Franklin's advance " ten miles away !"
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