DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Sewell Van Alstine diary, 1863-1864

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1864-05-17 -- 1864-05-19

79  Mower was ordered back with a part of the 16 A.C. we moved forward at 11 Am. slowly, moved 8 miles, firing kept up close in the rear & to our right all day, we camped at Ft. Simmes, 2 miles from the fleet.  18th moved over the bayau -----  in the morning. & stacked arms, rebels made a bold attack in the forenoon but were crowded back, by our men, who continued to advance & the affair soon assumed the appearance of a battle, artillery opened on both sides with a will, our brigade was ordered out at 1:Pm. at a double quick step nearly 2 miles, the musketry firing was incessent & artillery firing very rapid for several hours.  the loss seems considerable on both sides, we met wounded men, & saw pools of blood frequently, some of our men say they saw 10 & 15 union soldiers, lying dead on a few rods square & more rebels, the battery attached to our brigade suffered, had 2 men killed & 12 horses, besides other damage, Lieut. Morse from Belvidere of the 58th Ill. was killed, our brigade remained in the advance until10.Pm. & fell back 1 mile & bivouacked remained in line in an open field until 12, m, the 19th (weather very hot,) moved over the Bayou, the cause of detention here is, the army is crossing

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79 Mower was ordered back with a part of the 16 A.C. we moved forward at 11 Am. slowly, moved 8 miles, firing kept up close in the rear & to our right all day, we camped at Ft. Simmes, 2 miles from the fleet. 18th moved over the bayau ----- in the morning. & stacked arms, rebels made a bold attack in the forenoon but were crowded back, by our men, who continued to advance & the affair soon assumed the appearance of a battle, artillery opened on both sides with a will, our brigade was ordered out at 1:Pm. at a double quick step nearly 2 miles, the musketry firing was incessent & artillery firing very rapid for several hours. the loss seems considerable on both sides, we met wounded men, & saw pools of blood frequently, some of our men say they saw 10 & 15 union soldiers, lying dead on a few rods square & more rebels, the battery attached to our brigade suffered, had 2 men killed & 12 horses, besides other damage, Lieut. Morse from Belvidere of the 58th Ill. was killed, our brigade remained in the advance until10.Pm. & fell back 1 mile & bivouacked remained in line in an open field until 12, m, the 19th (weather very hot,) moved over the Bayou, the cause of detention here is, the army is crossing