The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 15. Page: 297

                                
OPERATIONS IN WEST LOtTISIANA.

During the night I issued orders to carry the works by assault at day-
light, and, having done so, to pursue the enemy promptly and vigorously.
The enemy began to evacuate his position about midnight.
At daylight Paine's brigade, of Emory's division, was in possession of
his works. The pursuit began at once, although the men, in action all
the day previous, had taken no food for more than twenty-four hours.
Since then we have been following close upon his heels.
Grover's division embarked on the night of the 11th, and, having been
delayed some seven hours by a heavy fog, proceeded up Grand Lake at
9 a. m. on the 12th, to land at one of the landings opposite the head of
Cypress Island. The roads from these landings were represented as
good shell roads. They turned out to be, for a great part of the way,
under water and full of deep holes, so as to be utterly impracticable for
all arms. The gunboat Arizona got aground, and it took four hours to
get her off. In consequence of these unfortunate delays it was not until
late in the afternoon of the 13th that Grover had disembarked his com-
mand in Indian Bend and was on the march to intercept the enemy's
retreat at Franklin.
The next morning he met and defeated the enemy at Irish Bend and
joined us at'Franklin in the afternoon. If it had been possible for him
to reach Franklin at daylight on the 14th we should have captured the
enemy's artillery, but his cavalry would have escaped through the prai-
ries and his infantry would have scattered just as it has done.
Counting upon holding Franklin, however, on the morning of the 14th,
I should have carried Fort Bisland on that morning, but it would have
been with great loss, for the position was very strong by nature and
had been very strongly fortified.
I was prepared to make the assault on the evening of the 13th, but
had it succeeded then the enemy would have been driven back before I
had reason to expect Grover would hold Franklin.
We have pursued the enemy closely more than 50 miles; we have
destroyed the Queen of the West, and have compelled him to destroy
the gunboats Diana and Hart, with supplies of subsistence and ammu-
nition; we have taken eleven guns, one steamer, over a thousand pris-
oners, and large quantities of ammunition, camp equipage, and quarter-
master's stores; we have captured and destroyed his salt-works below
New Iberia; his infantry has dispersed over the prairies and in the
woods, so that the people and the negroes tell us nothing but cavalry
and artillery passed beyond New Iberia, and there is no thought among
the prisoners or inhabitants that he will make any stand this side of
Alexandria.
On the 9th instant, as I learned by letters from Maj. Gen. Richard
Taylor, commanding the Confederate forces in this district, to Captain
Fuller, coflmanding the gunboats, he was preparing to attack us heavily
in the La Fourche, seeking to regain that region and the waters of Ber-
wick Bay.
On the 12th we had opened the attack which has destroyed his army
and his gunboats. There is not a gunboat left on the Teche.
General Taylor, in his letters to Captain Fuller, refers to the Grand
Due as nearly ready to receive her guns, and to the Mary T. as not to be
waited for, because she will probably not be ready in time to take part
in his contemplated recapture of the La Fourche.
I think the Webb is the only gunboat now in condition to defend
Butte-a-la-Rose, and have ordered our gunboats to attack and take that
place, aided by a detachnient of infantry. I shall follow the enemy,
without pausing, to Opelousas.

297

cHAP. X V.I.]