THE DEFEAT OF BANKS IN LOUISIANA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 23, 23 July 1864, Page 3

THE DEFEAT OF BANKS IN LOUISIANA.

The Federals, in their advance on Shreveport, on the Bed Biver, met with a very serious repulse on the Sth April, The Chicago Journal, in a despatch dated Grand Ecore, 10th April, says ; — " Our cavalry had been driving the enemy for two days ; but in the forenoon of the Bth sent back word for infantry supports. G-eneral Bansom, in command of the 3rd and 4th divisons, was ordered to send forward a brigade, and he did so. Afber advancing about five miles from where the 3rd division of his command and the 19th corps were encamped, the rebels made a stand, and our line, consisting of only 2400 infantry, formed in belt of woods, with an open field in front, and the enemy in the woods on the other side. General Stone, chief of G-eneral Bank's staif, was on the field and took direction of the movements. G-eneral Hansom was in favor of advancing only in force, but this wish was disregarded. After a skii'inish across this open field for about an hour, the enemy advanced upon us in overwhelming numbers, estimated at about 10,000 strong. G-eneral Bansom got all the available troops to the front, and opened on them.. The enemy lost heavily, but advanced steadily. Soon all the cavalry gaye 'way, and the infantry fell back. In a few moments the enemy pressed up closely. 'The. panic of the cavalry so demoralised the army that the retreat became a rout. The general did all in his power to rally the •' men, : but finding it impossible without reinforcements, made every efibrt to save the artillery. While endeavoring to get ther Chicago Mercantile Battery off safely,^ General Bansom was severely wounded in leg. Cuptaih Cyrus, and' Dickey, his adjutant, w&ie instantly killed. Our loss was large, probably ' .2000} The Mercantile Battery lost all its guns. Captain Whitens a prisoner. Lieuten- ! nenants Throop and M'Bride are killed. J The loss; of the 1 ,. in killed, and j and captured is thirty-one \JIAiO ; of them returned to camp? -after the disaster. i "While the<4th division was fallhig bat?k iii disbrderi Merß^

(mly.JLSQO^.came jipj^and were immediately routed.: .Finally, the, 19th- army /corps, with 7000 men, _ came up / and formed; in line. They checked the/enemy,- and held them until we got all; the l haul off; except that .of thercavalry. £he :. whole army is here, where : it must wait to reorganise before , * proceeding further;! '; -towards Shrey^ort-y JyJA- .Y-y- \4"A Jyy\ A-Ja-'' H we ; may believe .- the letter of eyeminesses,there was a general /skedaddle of the Yankee troops. -A. correspondent of . the iJP7UZade7^>hia , JPriss with Greneral Bank's army gives; the following. graphic decription of the. panic among the Federal troops during . the -first -day's , fight /near Mansfield .:-r-" It, was one , of * those ; unaccountable., events that no genius or courage can control. ; X hold it impjossible to "describe a scene so sudden andj-bewiU dering,,althQugh : i was present,* partly^aa actor' partly a- spectator, : and-plainly saw everything that, took place. yPhe battle was vigorously; ; ' ;The musketry firing ,waS|loudfand continuous) and haying. ; > frpm th£ -danger experienced by-. SansOm's .division, %ve felt secure of the position. I was. slowly^, riding along the edge of the; Wood, conversing: with a frieud who /had just ridden up, about, the events ; and prospect of the day. WJe had drawn into the side of the Wood/to aUqw^anjammunition waggon to pass, and, although many were observed going to the rear, ... some on-feet and some on. ' horseback, . ; we regarded it as an occurence familiar to every battle, audit occasioned nothing but a passing remark. I, noticed that the most of those thus wildly riding to the rear were negroes, hangers-on, and serving-men, for now that ? we have gone so deeply into this slaveholding ' country every non-commis-sioned officer has a servant, -and' every servant a mule. ; These people where the first to show any panic, but their scamper along the road gave only amuseineut t6 the soldiers,who pelted them with stones and Whipped their flying animals with sticks to increase their speed. Suddenly there was a rush, a shout, the. crashing of trees, the breaking down down of rails, the rush and scamper of men. It was as sudden as though a -thunderbolt had fallen among, us, and set the pines on nre. What caused it, or when it commenced, no one knew: I turned to my companion to enquire the reason .of this extr ordinaryproceeding, but before he had the chance to ![reply, ;* we found ourselves shallowed up, as it were, in a hissing, seething, bubling whirlpool of agitated men. "We could not avoid the current; we could _ not stem jtj__au.cL if -,to- hoped to/liTCin 'that" mad company vpe must ride with the rest r pfr ; thomr^o^/larip of battle had given away. General Banks-'toolsrpff "fiS hat and implored his men/ to remain ; his staff officers tlid the same, but it was of no avail. Then the General drew his sabre and endeavoured to rally his men, but they woidd not listen. Behind him the rebels were shouting and advancing. Their musket balls filled the air with that strange file-rasping sound that war has made familiar to our fighting men. The teams were abandoned by the drivers, the traces cut, and the animals ridden off by the frightened men. Bareheaded riders rode with agony in their faces, and for at least ten minutes it seemed as if we were going to destruction altogether. It was my fortune to see the first battle ' of Bnll Bun, and to be among those who made that celebrated midnight retreat towards "Washington. The retreat of the Fourth Division was as much a rout as that of the first Federal army, with the exception that fewer men were engaged, and our men fought here with a valor that was not shown on that serious, sad, mock heroic day in July. We rode nearly two miles in this madcap way uutil on the edge of a ravine, which might formerly have been a bayou, we found Emory's division drawn up in line. Our retreating men fell beyond this line, and Emory prepored to meet the rebels. They came with a sush, and as the shades of night crept over the tree-tops, the encountered our men. Emory fired three rounds, and the rebels retreated. This ended the fight, leaving the Federals masters. Night and the paralysing effect of the stampede upon our army made pursuit impossible. The enemy fell back, taking with them some of the waggons that were left, and a number of the guns that were abandoned.