Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

About five o'clock P. M., the Thirty-eighth Massachusetts having expended all their ammunition, the Fifty-third Massachusetts, Colonel Kimball, was ordered by Colonel Gooding to advance his line of skirmishers and relieve the Thirty-eighth.

The fight continued in that position until between seven and eight o'clock P. M., when the firing closed. All day there had been a constant roar of artillery and musketry, grape, ball, and shell, on both sides of the river. Altogether, it was, perhaps, one of the warmest and liveliest fights ever known. As I have stated, the enemy were driven at every point.

At daylight in the morning Colonel Kimball, commanding the advance line of skirmishers, failing to discover any trace of the enemy in front, concluded to advance his line to the enemy's works, when he found them evacuated. At the same time Captain W. Irving Allen, of the Thirty-first Massachusetts, having his company deployed as skirmishers in the woods on the left, and seeing the forward movement of Colonel Kimball's line of skirmishers, ordered his men to advance also, entering the enemy's works on the left at the same time. While this movement was taking place Colonel Gooding received an order from General Emory to ascertain, if possible, by an advance movement, whether the enemy had evacuated his works, when the welcome news was received that the flag of the Fifty-third Massachusetts already waved over them.

About one o'clock the same morning, (Tuesday, April fourteenth,) General Paine, who, with his command, it will be remembered. was a short distance in the rear of the reserves, on the opposite side of the Teche, was awakened by the distant rumbling of artillery. Soon after an officer from the picket-guard came to him and reported that he and his command had heard the noise since eleven o'clock the night previous, and that the enemy must either be evacuating, or was being reenforced. The former was thought to be the most probable by both of the officers, and General Paine at once sent word of what had occurred to General Emory.

At two o'clock A. M., an order from General Emory arrived with instructions to send a company of skirmishers to ascertain whether the enemy's pickets were there, draw their fire, and occupy the enemy's works at once, as soon as it was known that they had evacuated them.

Captain Allaire, of the One Hundred and Thirty-third New-York, with his company, were at once detached by General Paine for this purpose, with orders that he should send back as early as possible an account of his operations, and whether or not the enemy were met on this side of the works.

In the mean time, the brigade formed in line of battle, and the left wing (Eighth New-Hampshire) was deployed over his entire front, with orders to skirmish, if possible, into the enemy's breastworks.

The men advanced as ordered, the brigade following closely. No gun was fired and no obstruction made to their onward progress, and in a short time the men of the Eighth New-Hampshire were seen climbing up the breastworks. While three rousing cheers were given from along the line of intrenchments on each side of the river, the flag of the Eighth New-Hampshire was planted on them.

The whole brigade then marched in line of battle, and followed them over the works. Information was now sent to Generals Banks and Emory that the enemy had evacuated, and in a short time a large force of cavalry, infantry, and artillery started in pursuit.

The cavalry of the rebels had formed in line of battle about half a mile from the earthworks; but as soon as they saw our forces mount them, they hurriedly left.

Before following the enemy, it is proper to state what occurred in their rear, and what was the result of General Grover's expedition. At eight o'clock on Saturday morning, the eleventh inst., General Grover's division left Brashear City on the gunboats Clifton, Estrella, Arizona, and Calhoun, and the transports Laurel Hill, Quinnebog, and St. Mary's. Two small tugboats had in tow rafts loaded with artillery, munitions of war, etc. The intention was to have left the night previous, but the dense fog detained them until the time mentioned above.

The whole proceeded up the Atchafalaya River in line, the Clifton taking the lead. As the loaded vessels steamed up the river, one after another passing our army marching along the river road, hearty cheers were given, hands and handkerchiefs waved, and the joy which shone on the faces of all could not have been exceeded if the parties had met after a long and dangerous campaign, instead of the few hours which passed since they were together. Those cheers, I thought, boded no good to the enemy, and I was satisfied when I saw the spirit of the men that they were advancing to victory, and as bold and brave a front would be shown to the enemy as could be desired. And so it proved, for I question whether any men fought better or acted more the soldier throughout than the gallant fellows composing the Nineteenth army corps did in this rapid and victorious campaign.

The intention of General Grover's expedition was to get into the enemy's rear, and, if possible, cut off their line of retreat in case they should be forced to evacuate in front, and in the event of their not evacuating to attack them in the rear, and thus, under two fires, compel them to do so.

Unforseen difficulties in transportation, the grounding of one of the transports near the entrance to Grand Lake, and a delay of upward of twenty-four hours in laying off where a landing was desired, detained them a considerable time.

The expedition proceeded to Grand Lake, meeting no obstruction whatever.

Steaming up the lake a few miles, the fleet anchored