May the 19th, early in the morning, the 13th Corps marched back to Simm’s Landing, leaving Gen. Smith with the 16th and 17th Corps, at the front. Gen. Taylor showing no disposition to resume hostilities and learning that the 13th and 19th Corps were safely across the pontoons on the Atchafalaya river, about 1 p. m. we took up our pontoon bridge across Yellow Bayou and the 16th Corps followed and crossed to the east bank of the Atchafalaya and camped, just sixty-five days from the time we first camped on the west bank on our way to Fort De Russy. On the 20th of May we reached the mouth of Red River. We here met our transports and the portion of the 21st Mo. that went home on veteran furlough, and embarked for Vicksburg. The 13th Corps went south to New Orleans.
Comments on the Seventy Days’ Campaign.
The Red River Campaign was at last, after seventy days, at an end. It was a failure and as barren of results so far as having any visible effects in hastening the close of the war, as it would have been if made to the North Pole. History records it as one of the severest campaigns of the war. The men suffered more from hardships and privations than any other portion of the army. Especially was this true of the 16th Corps, which, on account of the incompetency of Gen. Banks and his apparent dislike of the Corps, was always placed in the most exposed positions, either in the advanced front or in the rear. It was also unprovided with clothing and shoes and at the close of the campaign presented a most abject appearance. Indeed Gen. Banks might in truth have called the men, from their appearance, “Smith’s Guerrillas.”
SUMMARY.
The following is the list of the battles and skirmishes engaged in during the seventy days’ fighting by the detachment from the 21st Missouri.
Fort De Russey, La. March 14th, 1864 Pleasant Hill, “ April 9th, “ Coulterville, “ “ 22d, “ Cane River, “ “ 23d, “ Henderson’s Hill, “ May 2d, “ Jones’ Plantation, “ “ 3d, “ Bayou La More, “ “ 4th, “ Bayou Boeuf, “ “ 6th-7th, “ Marksville, “ “ 16th, “ Bayou De Glaize, “ “ 17th, “ Yellow Bayou, “ “ 18th, “
| Fort De Russey, | La. | March | 14th, | 1864 |
| Pleasant Hill, | “ | April | 9th, | “ |
| Coulterville, | “ | “ | 22d, | “ |
| Cane River, | “ | “ | 23d, | “ |
| Henderson’s Hill, | “ | May | 2d, | “ |
| Jones’ Plantation, | “ | “ | 3d, | “ |
| Bayou La More, | “ | “ | 4th, | “ |
| Bayou Boeuf, | “ | “ | 6th-7th, | “ |
| Marksville, | “ | “ | 16th, | “ |
| Bayou De Glaize, | “ | “ | 17th, | “ |
| Yellow Bayou, | “ | “ | 18th, | “ |
Gen. Banks’ losses in the 13th and 19th Army Corps were about three thousand men, killed, wounded and prisoners, twenty-two pieces of artillery and one hundred and forty-five wagons loaded with commissary stores and camp equipments. The losses of the parts of the 16th and 17th Army Corps present, commanded by Gen. A. J. Smith, were about one thousand from all causes. In the several battles and skirmishes we were engaged in we captured from the enemy two thousand prisoners and thirty pieces of artillery. These captures were made in battles fought by Gen. Smith’s command, in which Gen. Banks’ men had no part. Col. Shaw’s Brigade sustained the greatest loss of any on the expedition and it was equal to about one-half that sustained by the whole command under Gen. Smith.
The detachment of the 21st Missouri lost about fifty men, killed, wounded and prisoners, including one officer of the 24th Missouri, assigned. That we did our whole duty, I need only call attention to the fact that after the battle of Pleasant Hill, La., Maj. Robt. Fyan, commanding the 24th and detachment of the 21st Missouri, personally thanked the members of the 21st for gallantry during the action. The loss of the 24th and 21st combined during the campaign was three officers killed, namely: Capt. Robinson, Lieuts. Shadel and Stone, and one Color Sergeant killed and one wounded, Wm. O’Connor of the 21st, making a total loss of about one hundred men killed, wounded and missing.