One man in our company was wounded while we stood here. We got here just in time to save our wagon train and the rest of Burbridge’s brigade from being captured. They were falling back rapidly, but were contending with the rebels to the last. This battle lasted about four hours. The tide had now turned and we drove the rebs back three or four miles, and then drew off. We marched back to camp at night.
On the 4th the dead were buried and the wounded cared for. Burbridge lost five hundred, killed, wounded and taken prisoners. The greater part of these belonged to the Sixty-seventh Indiana. We were all drawn back to Vermillion Bayou, where we joined the Nineteenth corps, commanded by General Franklin.
CHAPTER XIII.
On the morning of the 6th we could see a heavy body of the rebels out on the prairie, near our pickets. We then began building rifle pits on the bank of the bayou. On the 11th we sent a brigade across to draw the rebels into a fight. Our men drove them back to Vermillionville, where they were reinforced. They followed our troops almost in range of our works. We opened up on them with two heavy batteries and they fell back. They were too smart to be drawn into a trap. The loss on both sides was slight, as this was simply an artillery duel.
On the 15th our entire force drew off and marched back seventeen miles. We went into camp on the shore of Lake Tias. This is a beautiful pool of water, three miles wide and nine miles long, with timber all along the edge. We had a strong rear guard all day, as the rebels were in sight.
On the 16th we marched to New Iberia, five miles distant, and went into camp. The Confederate army kept pretty well up on our track. On the 18th a force of them was in sight of our picket line. On the 19th our regiment crossed the bayou and got lumber to build winter quarters.
At four o’clock on the morning of November 29th, 1863, we got orders to fall in line and march out. After a march of an hour we heard the rattling of musketry. We charged on double quick time. Just as we got into the fight the rebels surrendered. Our cavalry had surrounded them and had done the work for them.
We marched eleven officers and one hundred and nine privates into camp as prisoners of war. Our regiment was formed in hollow square and was given three cheers. The sound traveled for miles on the still morning air, and then the echo came back. Thus ended the battle of Lake Tias.