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[538] with ammunition. While attempting to jump his horse over a deep ditch, a bullet whistled past his ear, and turning to see whence it proceeded, he saw a wounded rebel just preparing to fire again from the ditch where he lay stretched in a pool of blood. Before the relentless rebel had time to accomplish his base purpose, the Colonel drew his revolver, and that insatiate rebel passed to the dominions of Jeff Davis & Co. very rapidly.

Colonel W. T. Shaw, commanding the Second brigade, Third division, Sixteenth army corps, deserves great credit for the able manner in which he suppresses rebel cavalry charges. Colonel Sweitzer, of the----Texas cavalry, undertook to break Colonel Shaw's lines by a charge. Orders were given to “reserve your fire, boys, until he gets within thirty yards, and then give it to him.” As the cavalry dashed on at a gallop, each infantryman had selected his victim, and waiting till the three or four hundred were within about forty yards, the Fourteenth Iowa emptied nearly every saddle as quickly as though the order had been given to dismount.

Out of this rebel cavalry regiment not more than ten men escaped, and the whole movement was done with that terrible death alacrity which the science of war teaches, and the awful reality of which the eye alone can describe to the soul. One of the wretches was badly wounded, and falling from his horse, his feet caught in the stirrup, frighting the horse, which dashed off at a fearful speed, dragging the unfortunate rebel after him until his head was entirely severed from his body, his brains being dashed upon the ground.

On Sunday morning, at daybreak, I took occasion to visit the scene of Saturday's bloody conflict, and a more ghastly spectacle I have not witnessed. Over the field and upon the Shreveport road were scattered dead horses, broken muskets, and cartridge-boxes stained with blood, while all around, as far as the eye could reach, were mingled the inanimate forms of patriot and traitor, side by side. Here were a great many rebels badly wounded, unable to move, dying for want of water, and not a drop within two miles, and no one to get it for them.

Their groans and piteous appeals for “Water! Water! Water!” were heart-rending, and sent a shudder to the most stony heart. Such horrid expressions as dwelt upon each deathlike countenance can neither be described nor imagined. Here was a brave loyal sergeant, his trusty rifle grasped in his hand, while each eyeball glared from its glazed socket with fierce excitement. The dead were everywhere, and in every possible position which could render the scene more appalling.

I saw one sweet face, that of a young patriot, and upon his icy features there lingered a heavenly smile, speaking of calmness and resignation. The youth was probably not more than nineteen, with a full blue eye beaming, even in death, with meekness. The morning wind lifted his auburn locks from off his marble face, exposing to view a noble forehead, which was bathed with the heavy dew of Saturday night. I dismounted for a moment, hoping to be able to find some trace of the hero's name, but the chivalry had stripped his body of every article of value. The fatal ball had pierced his heart.

Not twenty feet from this dreary picture lay prostrate the mutilated body of an old man, apparently forty-five years of age. His cap lay by the side of his head in a pool of blood, while his long flowing gray beard was dyed with his blood. A shell had fearfully lacerated his right leg, while his belt was pierced in two places, both balls entering the abdominal region. In front of the long belt of woods which skirted the open field, and from which the rebels emerged so boldly, was a deep ditch, and at this point the slaughter among the rebels was terrific. In many places the enemy's dead were piled up in groups, intermixed with our dead. I saw two or three of our men whose bodies had been brutally violated by the exasperated foe, too horrible for mention.

It is universally supposed, and I am not prepared to deny its correctness, that we inflicted a heavier loss of life upon the enemy on Saturday. Admitting that the undiminished valor of our troops forced the enemy to retreat, leaving us in full possession of the battle-field, did we carefully bury our dead, and gather up the thousands of rifles that were thrown upon the field? No; we stole off stealthily before daylight Sunday morning, General A. J. Smith's forces covering our retreat, with five hundred cavalry as a rearguard, under the command of Colonel Lucas. The entire army reached Grand Ecore, on Red River, on Monday and Tuesday, April eleventh and twelfth.

Our loss will probably not exceed three thousand five hundred in killed, wounded, and missing, although some officers assert it will reach four thousand. I append herewith a partial list of casualties as collected by your correspondents with the Red River expedition. Quite a number of our wounded were left in houses at Pleasant Hill, in charge of two of our surgeons.



Brigade report of Colonel Lynch.

headquarters First brigade, Third division, Sixteenth army corps, Grand Ecore, La., April 13, 1864.
Captain J. B. Sample, A. A. G. First and Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps:
Captain: I have the honor to report the following relative to the part taken by my brigade in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., on the ninth day of April, 1864.

In accordance with orders received, we marched from Grand Ecore, La., on the morning of the seventh. After proceeding some fifteen miles on the Shreveport road, we went into camp for the night. On the morning of the eighth we were detained somewhat in waiting for the Second and Third brigades to pass. We started at eight o'clock A. M., and arrived near Pleasant Hill at dark, having marched twenty-one miles that day. During the afternoon heavy cannonading was


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