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[171] timber which afforded protection to his sharpshooters, while the enemy had to approach for a quarter of a mile over open ground. He had the bayou in his front while the foe had to cross it, and besides he had two batteries in perfect condition and training. His artillery was posted in sections along his line.

Burbridge crossed the bridge over the bayou and destroyed it. General Smith deployed two regiments when he came to the open ground, but did not even succeed in driving the skirmishers in. Then he brought his artillery and most of his infantry force into action and attempted to cross it again. Marmaduke's artillerymen showed the good effect of their practice on the river, and made one battery after another withdraw from the field in a damaged condition. The infantry did not get half way across the open space. Again Smith reformed his line and made a desperate attempt to force his way, but with no better success than before. Then he massed his artillery and threw out a heavy line of skirmishers and, under cover of the fire of these, sent a brigade to cross the bayou a mile above Marmaduke's position. As Marmaduke's line was not much more than a heavy skirmish line at best, he could not meet this flank movement, and withdrew. Passing up the lake to Lake Village, and there leaving it and making a detour, he crossed Ditch Bayou a mile above where Smith had crossed it, and next morning recrossed it and appeared on his rear instead of in front of him. He followed close upon him to his boats at the upper end of the lake, and fired on him as he embarked his men and returned to Vicksburg to claim a great victory. This was June 6, 1864.

That evening Marmaduke reoccupied his old camp at Lake Village. Marmaduke's loss in killed and wounded was 44. Maj. C. C. Rainwater, of his staff, was so severely wounded as to be disabled during the rest of the war. The enemy's loss, according to the statements of prisoners, was about 250 killed and wounded. Shortly

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Lake Village, Ark. (Arkansas, United States) (2)
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John Sappington Marmaduke (5)
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June 6th, 1864 AD (1)
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