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Date Posted: 12:47:27 03/10/04 Wed
Author: Stephen Mitchell
Subject: where the story ends
In reply to: Doug Cooper 's message, "Dairy of Henry Davis Pearce, 16th TX" on 06:10:32 03/09/04 Tue

Pards,
Just read this message from Doug on B's board:
If anyone is wondering Pearce's diary ends right there - he was captured at Pleasant Hill as the 16th TX Dismounted Cav was flanked and cut up badly, suffering a high number of dead and wounded. Stay tuned for more first hand accounts.
Doug
Very interesting stuff, give it a read if you haven't already.
Stephen

>Steve Bounds of Mansfield State Park provides us this
>outstanding diary of a soldier in Walker's Division
>(to our right at Mansfield) for the RR campaign to
>help us understand what they were seeing, feeling and
>thinking...
>
>March 6th: 1864
>The sick were started to Shreveport.
>March 7th:
>Rumors and alarms of the advance of the Federals.
>March 11th:
>Baggage all packed up ready to be sent off.
>March 12th:
>The long roll sounded and all fell into line and
>marched down to the fortifications, with two days
>cooked rations in our knapsacks and carrying blankets,
>fully equipped for battle or marching. Remained n
>breast works until 10:00 p.m. without seeing the
>enemy, then commenced retreating slowly in direction
>of Mareauville, 12 miles and camped a few hours.
>
>
>March 13th: p3
>Marched 5 miles and got with the balance of the
>division at long bridge, near Mareauville and remained
>here all the balance of the day and night.
>March 14th:
>Morning we moved about 2 miles out on the prairie and
>within about one half mile of the village of Mansura;
>here we were formed in line of battle fully expecting
>to be attacked by the Federals, however they did not
>appear and after waiting some time we continued our
>retreat to Bayou De Lac Mording 28 miles with
>continual rumor of attacks on our rear guard. We
>crossed over the bridge across the bayou, burned the
>bridge and camped feeling comparatively safe from
>pursuit, we only having one division Walkers of about
>6 or 7 thousand men after the loss of detail at Fort
>DeRusey and the sick sent off.
>March 16th:
>Here we rested until the evening of 16th and took up
>line of march and marched the night of the 16th 20
>miles to Bayou Boerb about 25 miles from Alexandria.
>We had only two small companies of cavalry known as
>the Buttermilk Cavalry by the soldiers of the
>division, and commanded by Captain Faulkner. Here we
>learned that the Federals had taken possession of
>Alexandria.
>March 17th:
>After resting during the day at 5:00 p.m. we took up
>the march and fell back about 6 miles into the pine
>woods and camped.
>
>March 18th:
>We were joined by Mouton�s division, two small
>brigades, Polignac�s and Grey�s, and in the evening by
>the 2nd LA Cav. commanded by Col. Vincent, joined the
>army. In the evening we resumed the march and by the
>wee hours after midnight had marched 31 miles, and
>camped in the pine woods near Houston en route towards
>old Fort Jessup during the night. We had a false alarm
>of Yankys charging on us as they were known to be
>following.
>
>March 19th:
>March resumed and we went 20 miles and camped near
>Carroll Jones�, a wealthy free negro who lived in the
>pine woods back of Alexandria about 35 miles and owned
>slaves. Here we considered that we were out of danger
>and so as not to be impeded, we sent our baggage on to
>Shreveport only keeping a blanket apiece, and such
>other things as we were willing to encumber ourselves
>in carrying.
>
>March 20th:
>Our wagons started for Shreveport with all extra
>baggage and we consolidated our messes two going
>together and only one keeping a small set of cooking
>utensils for two messes. Our mess consolidation with
>Joab and Jim Alexander�s mess.
>
>March 21st:
>About 12 men ordered to get up and cook a days rations
>and march at daylight. However we did not march but
>remained in camps, and could hear heavy cannonading in
>the direction of the enemy. Bad weather, cold rain and
>sleet, making it very disagreeable with only our light
>marching outfit. We lay here expecting to make a stand
>and fight the Federals some 48 thousand strong when
>the armies of Banks� and Smith had consolidated at
>Alexandria; however, they crowded us so close
>capturing quite a number of our men and one battery
>Captain Edgars belonging to our division that we could
>not wait for our help to concentrate.
>
>March 23rd:
>The Federals so persistent that we formed a line of
>battle near Carroll Jones�, expecting an engagement
>after waiting a while and no enemy appearing we
>retreated 12 miles towards Pleasant Hill.
>
>March 24th p4
>Marched 30 miles and camped and remained here several
>days practicing skirmish drill and preparing for the
>coming expected engagement, and we were all the time
>receiving reinforcements from Texas. Mostly cavalry.
>
>March 29th:
>Marched 17 miles in direction of old Fort Jessup along
>a poor gravel ridge. A cloudy, pleasant day.
>
>March 30th:
>Marched 13 miles and caught up with wagon train.
>
>March 31st:
>Marched 20 miles and passed old Fort Jessup located in
>the pine woods. Most of the houses built of logs
>hewed, a beautiful home-like place. I got out of ranks
>to explore the place saw a great many of the old
>documents of the fort scattered about, having been
>done recently I suppose by Confederate soldiers. Quite
>a number of the old buildings would yet be a
>protection from rain and storms while others only the
>walls were standing. The Yankees cavalry were reported
>close and we hurried on.
>
>April 1st:
>Marched 10 miles and camped near Pleasant Hill.
>
>April 2nd:
>Marched 5 miles (did not go through Pleasant Hill) in
>direction of Bayou Pierre. Could hear cannonading in
>direction of Watchitaches, and rested. At about 6 p.m.
>we were informed that we were about to be cut off and
>were doubled quickly to Pleasant Hill 5 miles and lay
>in line of battle all night but no enemy appeared.
>
>April 3rd:
>Marched 10 miles in direction of Mansfield and camped.
>
>April 4th:
>Marched 8 miles to Mansfield and turned off north
>about 2 miles and camped on a ridge, where we remained
>until the morning of the 8th-three full days and four
>nights. While here the army received a considerable
>reinforcement and General Dick Taylor called in
>council all the Generals and leaders and they decided
>to make a stand and fight the Yanks, thought they had
>orders from Kirby Smith to fall back to Shreveport
>(this was the understanding among the soldiers at the
>time).
>
>April 7th:
>Had orders to cook a days rations and be ready to
>march early next morning.
>
>April 8th:
>Marched out from camp in fore noon down to Mansfield 2
>miles and then turned back in direction to meet the
>enemy. It seemed that the whole population of
>Mansfield had turned out to see us pass through. Men,
>women, and children; many biding us God speed and
>exhorting us to be sure and whip the Yankees, which we
>felt like we could do and desired a chance. I think
>Fitzhugh�s Regiment and the army as a whole wanted to
>make the fight. We marched down the road towards
>Pleasant Hill about 2 1/2 miles, then turned to the
>right (where the road comes to a lane with a farm on
>each side of road) along a fence our regiment going
>probably one mile anyway our regiment was on the right
>of our brigade and seemed that the right went as far
>as the farm. We were until probably 3 o�clock getting
>into line and had to wait some time before the battle
>commenced, probably 4 p.m. We had trodden the fence
>down so that we could charge through it. When the
>battle commenced the heaviest part was to our left
>about the road and to the left of the road. The
>Federals formed across the field in our front in the
>edge outside of the fence. Their line did not seem to
>extend as far on their left and right as our line.
>When they were seen in our front we were commanded to
>advance in line of battle and we advanced across the
>field when about half-way across the field a volley
>was fired at us from an oblique direction to our left
>which I think did but little execution in our regiment
>if any. A few shots were fired back from our line but
>our men could not see anything to shoot at, and but
>few shots were fired. We continued on through the
>field, the men seeming inclined to oblique to the left
>where the fire had come from the Yanks, our officers
>keeping the men in line and as straight forward as
>possible. When we got through the field to the fence,
>the left of our regiment only struck the fence, there
>seemed to be an ell of the farm a new clearing to run
>farther on with underbrush only cleared out-our
>regiment mainly struck and just as we got into that
>part a battery turned loose on us from our left from
>up somewhere towards the road but they overshot us
>mostly cutting off the branches of the trees they
>falling among us. However several cannon balls went
>close to the ground but in our front. It was very
>brushy to our left and I never saw the battery that
>was firing at us.
>
>We could hear the heavy volleys to our left and the
>Confederate yells and soon the battery was silenced
>and taken as I learned afterwards. About this time
>squad after squad of Yankees were captured running or
>trying to run out of the battle in the woods to their
>left and our right. We not having any resistance were
>keeping in advance of the fighting along the road,
>where we could hear the fight, every time a body of
>Yanks made a stand and tried to check the advance. We
>kept right on in line of battle this way
>double-quicking most of the time until we came to the
>branch that ran down by the peach orchard some 5 or 6
>miles from where we first formed line of battle, all
>the time drawing in on our left towards the main road
>and through the timber all the way. When we got to
>this pine woods creek, we had considerable trouble to
>cross the banks being steep and almost too wide to
>jump. We crossed on logs and soon came to a new
>clearing part of which had been cultivated and old
>trees yet standing and the left end had not been
>cultivated nor fenced on which probably half the trees
>had fallen (they having been deadened) and cross piled
>on each other. Here we saw the Yankees forming on the
>upper side just across this narrow clearing. We formed
>on the lower side towards the creek and commenced
>firing at them with our Endfield rifles, and while we
>remained here I fired about 8 rounds at them taking
>the best aim possible each time. They firing at us
>however their balls went over our heads as they shot
>too high and I do not know of a man hit in our
>regiment. We were then ordered to fall back and the
>firing ceased. We marched to the rear and recrossed
>the branch as before very deliberately and quickly in
>line and then right faced and marched down the creek
>to the road which was but a short distance, turned to
>the right across the creek at the road crossing right
>at the corner of the field in which the peach orchard
>was. When just across the creek, we (the head of the
>regiment) turned up the creek at the right of the road
>until the last foot of regiment rested just across the
>road with the head or right up probably near the end
>of deadening where we had been fighting the New York
>levies. Just before we were ordered to lay in arm for
>the night doing advance picket duty, it being dusk
>when we crossed creek at road and good dark by the
>time we were fully placed. We could hear the Federals
>at the top of the hill about the house also groans of
>the wounded between the lines, one man in particular
>between the lines near the right of regiment in the
>woods (it was timber and brush to the right of the
>road) was calling and pleading for water. Some of our
>boys took some canteens and started to take him some
>water but when they got near where they supposed the
>wounded man was, they were met by the
>p6
>keen crack of a rifle, but fortunately were not hit.
>Instantly the whole regiment were on their feet and
>wanted to charge in the dark through the brush and
>timber and it was all the officers could do to keep
>them from charging. They were mad. In the evening when
>we were crossing the creek or branch above it was
>reported that one of our men in our regiment killed
>himself accidentally. He was the only man killed out
>of the regiment during the day. Without further
>incident we lay in line of battle until daylight.
>
>April 9th:
>At day light some of us began to prowl about some--the
>Federals having left during the night--I went forward
>towards the peach orchard on a little knoll on side of
>hill at edge of the orchard. I found quite a number of
>dead Yankees; one that had had his brains shot out
>facing the Confederates. He had a bright new
>outfit--Endfield rifle and aquarterments and I
>proceeded to take his and throw mine down. He had only
>used a few cartridges out of his box and I also took
>his knapsack it being a good one. His pockets had been
>turned wrong side out before I found him. Passing on
>farther and to the right I found in a fence corner
>next to the road a young man who seemed to be dressed
>in better material than most private soldiers. He was
>wounded through the hips and someone had stretched a
>blanket over him to keep off the sun which was by this
>time up. When I went up to him he commenced to beg me
>not to kill him which vexed me to think that he had
>such a foolish idea about Texans; and replied, "You
>fool! What would I want to kill you for? Don�t you
>know any better than that?" About this time I heard
>the order to fall in and hastened to the company and
>was just in time to take my place in ranks to start on
>the march to Pleasant Hill to catch the Yankees.
>
>Different division but you get an idea of the marching
>distances, light marching order, attitude and "fight"
>in these Texans. Texans never change...thank goodness.
>
>Doug

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