THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COL. CHARLES DEMORSES’ 29TH TEXAS CAVALRY CAMP The standard “ Long Shall our Banner Brave The breeze - The standard of the free “ VOL.4……………………………………………….……………Issue NO. 3 Charles demorse editor & Proprietor Grand Saline, Texas Saturday, March 10, 2018 Saturday April 14, 2018 7:00 pm 29th Texas Cavalry SCV Camp # 2269 Page 1 THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COL. CHARLES DEMORSES’ 29TH TEXAS CAVALRY CAMP Col. Charles DeMorse’s Col. Charles DeMorse’s th 29 Texas Cavalry 29th Texas Cavalry Sons of Confederate Veterans Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp # 2269 Camp # 2269 EVERYONE WELCOME Commander Bobby W. Smith Adjutant Russell Volk Commander Bobby W. Smith 1st Lt Johnny M. Moore Chaplin Robert C. Huff Fellow Compatriot’s, On the 8th day of April 1864, So many nd Meeting every 2 Saturday 7:00 pm lives were lost at the Battle of Mansfield, Van Community Center, Louisiana, and as most battles of the era, many 310 Chestnut Street Van, Texas. of the soldiers were buried on the battlefield Newsletter Published Monthly sites. So, many have unmarked graves. In this http://www.5thbrigade.org/camp2269/ Newsletter, we will cover much of the history about the battle in depth. The Battle of Opinions expressed by individual writers are their Mansfield, kept the Union Forces during the own and do not necessarily reflect official positions Red River Campaign from invading Texas. The of the Col. Charles DeMorse’s Confederate Battle Victories’ in Louisiana th 29 Texas Cavalry Camp # 2269. detoured the enemy in Louisiana, and keep the war out of Texas for the time. In which, was the Letters and articles may be submitted to: goal of the Confederate Government. [email protected] st Mean while in Arkansas, just one day after ( Cut off for articles is 1 of the month.) th the Battle of Mansfield, the 29 Texas was Editor- Compiler engaged at the Battle of Prairie D”Ane on the th Bobby W. Smith 9 April 1864, and onto the Battle of Poison th Spring on the 18 of April 1864, for another Confederate Victory. Happy Reading! See you all, at the next Camp Meeting! Deo Vindice UÉuuç jA fÅ|à{ Copyright © Bobby Wayne Smith Sr. , All Rights Reserved, 2017-2018 Page 2 THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COL. CHARLES DEMORSES’ 29TH TEXAS CAVALRY CAMP The battle of The Battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana (9th pleasant hill Louisiana of April 1864), formed part of the Red River 9th April 1864 Campaign during the American Civil War, when Union forces were aiming to occupy the State Capital Shreveport. The Battle was essentially a continuation of the Battle of Mansfield (8th of April), a Confederate Victory, which had caused the Union Commander Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks to send his wagons, with most of his artillery, downriver in retreat. However, both sides had been reinforced through the night, and when the Confederate Commander Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor launched an assault against the Union line, it was repulsed, though at a high cost in casualties. This led the demoralised Union Army to retreat the next day. For this reason, the result of the battle, technically a Union Win, has been disputed by historians. Background After the success of the Confederates at the Battle of Mansfield, 8th of April 1864, Union Forces retreated during the night and next morning took up a position on Pleasant Hill. The road from Mansfield to Pleasant Hill was "littered by burning wagons, abandoned knapsacks, arms, and cooking utensils. Federal stragglers and wounded were met by the hundreds and were quickly rounded up and sent to the rear," explains the historian John D. Winters of Louisiana Tech University in his The Civil War in Louisiana. The Battle of Mansfield took place about 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the town of Mansfield at Sabine Cross Roads. Pleasant Hill was located about 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Sabine Cross Roads. Confederate reinforce- ments had arrived late on the April 8— Churchill's Arkansas Division arrived at Mansfield at 3.30 p.m. and Parson's Missouri Division (numbering 2,200 men) arrived at Mansfield at 6 p.m. Neither of these Divisions participated in the Battle of Mansfield — however, both would play a major role during the Battle of Pleasant Hill. Copyright © Bobby Wayne Smith Sr. , All Rights Reserved, 2017-2018 Page 3 THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COL. CHARLES DEMORSES’ 29TH TEXAS CAVALRY CAMP On the Union side reinforcements also arrived, when Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith, Commanding detachments of XVI and XVII Corps, arrived from Grand Ecore late on the April 8, around nightfall, and encamped about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Pleasant Hill. On the morning of the 9th of April 9, Franklin ordered the baggage train to proceed to Grand Ecore. It left Pleasant Hill at 11 a.m., and included many pieces of artillery. Most of Franklin's Cavalry (Commanded by Brig. Gen. Albert Lindley Lee) and the XIII Corps left with it. This included the Corps number of casualties, including several men who D'Afrique Commanded by Colonel William H. were captured by Confederate Troops. Held initially Dickey (wounded on April 8) and Brig. Gen. at Pleasant Hill, POWs from the 47th Pennsylvania Thomas E. G. Ransom's detachment of the XIII and other Union Regiments were marched and Corps, now under the Command of Brig. Gen. moved by rail to the largest CSA Prison west of the Robert A. Cameron — Ransom was also wounded Mississippi, Camp Ford, which was situated near on April 8. The baggage train made slow progress Tyler, Texas. Other members of the 47th ended up and was still only a few miles from Pleasant Hill at Camp Groce near Hempstead, Texas, and/or at when the major fighting began later that day. Brig. the Confederate hospital in Shreveport. Gen. Charles P. Stone, Chief of Staff, and others, attempted to get Cameron to return to Pleasant Hill Description of the Battlefield throughout the day, but he failed to do so — he stated that he never received any written orders to In 1864, Pleasant Hill was a small village, return. Banks doesn't appear to have been fully situated about 2 miles (3.2 km) north the current aware of the exact orders Cameron had received village of Pleasant Hill — a new village that later from Franklin. grew up nearby (in order to be closer to the railroad) The Union side lost 18 pieces of artillery at the and that took the same name, after the old village Battle of Mansfield. These were turned on the Union was abandoned. The site of old village is today Forces the next day at Pleasant Hill. Confederate referred to as the "Old town" or "Old Pleasant Hill". Brig. Gen. Jean Jacques Alexandre Alfred Dr. Harris H. Beecher, Assistant-Surgeon, 114th Mouton was killed during the Battle of New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, present at Mansfield, April 8, 1864; Brig. Gen. Camille J. de the battle, described the village of Pleasant Hill as Polignac Commanded Mouton's forces at Pleasant Hill. Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department "a town of about twelve or fifteen houses, Commander Lt. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, who situated on a clearing in the woods, of a mile or so was at Shreveport, received a dispatch from Taylor in extent, and elevated a trifle above the general that reached him at 4 a.m., April 9. It informed him level of the surrounding country." of the Battle of Mansfield. Smith then rode 45 miles (72 km) to Pleasant Hill, but did not reach there in In 1864, the countryside in this part of Louisiana time for the battle — arriving around nightfall. mostly consisted of pine forests and scrub oaks. Among the Union Regiments fighting at According to Banks, Pleasant Hill on April 9 was the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry. Part of the Second Brigade in Emory's "The shortest and only practicable road from XIX Corps, the 47th Pennsylvania was the only Natchitoches to Shreveport was the stage road regiment from the Keystone State to fight in the through Pleasant Hill and Mansfield (distance 100 Union's 1864 Red River Campaign. Led by Col. miles), through a barren, sandy country, with less Tilghman H. Good, the 47th Pennsylvania sustained water and less forage, the greater portion an a significant unbroken pine forest." Copyright © Bobby Wayne Smith Sr. , All Rights Reserved, 2017-2018 Page 4 THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COL. CHARLES DEMORSES’ 29TH TEXAS CAVALRY CAMP At 5 p.m., the Confederate Forces launched their A newspaper described Pleasant Hill as attack, charging the entire Union line. Walker's and Mouton's attack on the Union right had little success "a little village situated on a low ridge, — the Union right, for the most part, held its ground. containing in peace-times probably 300 However, overall, this initial charge by the inhabitants." Confederates was highly successful and many of the positions down the Union left and center were It further stated that, overrun by Churchill's and Parson's forces and the Union positions were forced backwards. However, "The battle-field of Pleasant Hill...is a large, the Union side succeeded in halting the advance and open field, which had once been cultivated, but is regained the left and center ground, before driving now overgrown with weeds and bushes. The the Confederates from the field. The fiercely fought slightly-elevated centre of the field, from which the battle lasted about two hours. Losses were heavy on name Pleasant Hill is taken, is nothing more than both sides. The 32nd Iowa Infantry sustained a long mound, hardly worthy of the name of hill.