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[503]

When General Banks concentrated his forces at Grand Ecore, it was supposed that he would take the road along the river, where he could at all times be supported by the 100 guns carried by the vessels of the Navy, and where he could be supplied by the Army transports, instead of encumbering his army with a multitude of wagons. It was thought that, as Banks got further into the heart of the enemy's country, he would adopt precautions against an attack from the 15,000 or 20,000 men under General Taylor, who might not know of the arrangements of the cotton speculators, if any such understanding did exist. Instead of taking precautions, General Banks started on his march as if the whole country was free from the enemy; and so certain was he of reaching his place of destination that he named Springfield Landing as the point where the fleet was to meet him with supplies.

His line of march was twenty miles away from the river, along a rough and narrow road, through a miserable country, covered with pine woods, with few inhabitants and very little water. All the knowledge Banks had of the country was what he could gather from Confederate sources. Instead of putting the infantry in the van, General Lee was sent in front with about 3,500 mounted infantry — badly mounted and worse drilled — with 150 heavy wagons in their rear, the infantry following some distance behind.

When General Banks' army was attacked on the 8th of April at Sabine Cross Roads, General A. J. Smith's division was ten miles in the rear, near Pleasant Hill, and, although they heard the roar of artillery, the first Smith's men knew of the disaster to the main army was from Colonel Clarke, who had ridden rapidly to inform them that the enemy had killed, wounded and captured over 2,000 Federal soldiers, had taken 150 wagons, all the stores, and 22 pieces of artillery. How all this was done can only be understood by examining Banks' line of march, which, it appears, was also his line of battle.

It seems the further Banks' army advanced into the country the deeper became the gullies and the worse became the roads, while the thick woods on all sides afforded a fine shelter for the enemy.

Up to the 8th of April it had rained heavily. General Franklin, who left Grand Ecore on the 6th, marched but seventeen miles on that and eighteen miles on the succeeding day, being much impeded by his large wagon train; and it seems General Lee was so far in advance that he could not rely on the whole of Franklin's force for support, as should have been the case. On the 7th, Lee's force had a severe skirmish with the enemy beyond Pleasant Hill, and, after some delay, a brigade of Franklin's infantry was sent to his assistance. Lee's cavalry were nothing more than infantry soldiers whom Banks had mounted, and as soon as fighting commenced they dismounted.

One can imagine how ill-arranged for battle was this army, with four regiments of dismounted horsemen in advance, mixed up with their horses, and fighting in gullies where they could be picked off by sharp-shooters ensconced in the thick woods. No wonder General Lee sent to Franklin for assistance, who answered through Colonel Clarke, of Banks' staff, that if he could not hold his position he must fall back upon the main body of the infantry. It would have been better, however, if Lee had fallen back when he first encountered the enemy's advance, and sent the wagons to the rear, for a finer chance to have them captured could not have been offered.

Colonel Clarke, finding that Franklin was indisposed to send any troops to support Lee, went to General Banks, who sent a verbal order to Franklin to send a brigade of infantry to report to Lee at daylight next morning. General Franklin then ordered General Ransom to send a brigade, or a division if he saw fit. The brigades were so small that Franklin thought a division would better carry out General Banks' views; but Ransom sent a brigade, with which General Lee was satisfied.

Notwithstanding the demonstrations of the enemy in front, Banks did not seem to think there was any likelihood of a pitched battle taking place. He gave an order, through Franklin, directing Lee to proceed as far as possible on the night of the 7th, with his whole train, in order to give the infantry room to advance on the 8th. The forces of General Lee only advanced one mile between the 7th and 8th of April, and on the latter date Lee reported by letter to General Franklin that the enemy were in stronger force apparently than the day previous. He says: “I advanced this morning with ten regiments of mounted infantry (dismounted), three regiments of cavalry and a brigade of infantry. We are driving them, but they injure us some. I do not hasten forward my trains, as I wish to see the result certain first.”

General Lee's idea was, perhaps, a good one, but he did not seem to realize that the enemy were leading him and his trains further into the trap; but General Banks should have seen this and withdrawn Lee in time, and pushed his infantry and artillery ahead to the attack.

Banks, however, does not appear to have kept in any position where he could see for himself what was going on, and seems to

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