John Dimitry , A. M., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 10.1, Louisiana
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

This correspondence makes it certain that the ‘first spurs’ had been conceded to a Louisianian.

The Louisiana battalion next saw service in Virginia It was in the summer of 1861 that the command became a part of that wonderful campaign so long conducted with inadequate forces by Gen. John B. Magruder. High praise is due to this campaign, by which that eccentric officer, through marvelous marches up and down, mystified the enemy for nearly a year and kept the peninsula's ways free until mighty armies fought for mastery at Williamsburg. The engagement at Big Bethel, June 10, 1861, seemed to open a prospect of fight. If a fiasco of Butler, it was also a disillusion of the battalion. Magruder coldly reports that ‘the Louisiana regiment arrived after the battle was over, having made a most extraordinary march.’

It was not quite a month later when the battalion was engaged at Young's Mills, Va. While an affair of no importance in itself, it was disastrous in the loss of one whom Louisiana had lately learned to value. Capt. S. W. Fisk, of the Crescent Rifles, in his report, addressed to Maj. N. M. Rightor, of the Louisiana battalion, thus speaks of the skirmish:

Young's Mills, Va., July 5, 1861.

Sir: A detachment of men, consisting of 100 infantry, one howitzer and about 15 or 20 cavalry, left last night, about midnight, under the command of LieutenantCol-onel Dreux We advanced in the direction of Newport News, and took post in the woods. * * * We were ordered to lie in ambush. The videttes soon after came in and announced the approach of a body of cavalry, 100 strong. Colonel Dreux's orders were that his men should closely conceal their persons and weapons and permit the enemy to cross the road on our left and somewhat beyond the left of our line, and that no one should fire before he himself should give the order. * * * In a few moments, after sending out the scouts, Colonel Dreux said, “they are coming” —addressing me. Notwithstanding Colonel Dreux's positive order not to fire, one or two shots having