Source: Goyne, Minetta Altgelt. Lone Star and Double Eagle; Texas Christian University Press; 1982, pp. 129-131.
Used by permission.
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Rudolf to family

On the road between Pleasant Hill and Natchitoches

17 April 1864

On the eleveneth I got two letters in Mansfield… I see with joy that at that time you were all still well. It is just a shame that the letters are so old. Of ourselves I have news to share with you this time. On 12 April ["Marz"=March] we had quite a hot battle. We lost thirty-four men, of whom eight are dead; the remaining twenty-six are more or less seriously wounded. Colonel Benton was shot through the arm. The [right] arm had to be amputated. Louie [Ludwig August] Roeder from Co. G was struck close to me by a piece of a bomb; he died instantly. General Green had his head torn off by a cannon ball. The remaining names are unknown to you. I have very inadequate facilities for writing here, but I do want to try to describe the story as closely as possible. Approximately 10 April we got the report that a battle was being fought at Mansfield [La.], so we left everything that we did not need quite urgently behind in San Augustine [Tex.] and everyone took his baggage on his horse. The same evening we got orders to cook rations for three days and to advance without wagons at 12 o'clock at night. The clothes were loaded back on the wagons. On 11 April ["Marz"] at daybreak we went over the Sabine. We got to Mansfield a little after midday. There we met the troops that were coming back from battle, where they had won a glorious victory. They looked askance at us because we had arrived too late, and we ourselves felt very depressed in their company, because it is not the first time that we have arrived too late. On the same day we went on, on the road towards Natchitoches, where the battle was fought. Our troops took 3,000 prisoners, conquered an enormous number of wagons with provisions, and hospital ambulances. I have to break off about that so that I will still have room and time left over for our battle. I just want to say this. It is known that the enemy had five times as many dead as we. The twelth we caught up with Gould's regiment and a part of Parson's brigade, which were comandeered by General Green. We were four miles from a place on the Red River that is called Blair's Landing; there the Yankees had landed and were to be attacked that afternoon. The horses were left behind and we set out on foot. First we had to cross over a bayou and then we had to walk three miles through forest. Then we came to a very large field that stretched out toward the ships. Between us and the ships there was a roadway down by the river. We ran behind that for a stretch, then the command was given to jump over the fences and go for the ships, which were still about 500 paces away from us. That is when the first bomb came flying over our heads. It was received with a loud shout of jubilation, and the regiment ran forward as fast as it could up to a place where we were a bit covered. There we rested a couple of minutes. Meanwhile two cannons were set up which fired upon the ships but did not, I think, hit them. Then we went forward again, running along the bank up to directly in front of the ships, and there we let go our fire. It made a din as if one were surrounded by all the street urchins of Antwerp with their wooden rattles. When they saw us coming the Yankees took their soldiers to the other side, where there was brush, and we were lying quite in the open and saw nothing but the ships from which there came a hail of shells of every type. We sustained the firing for two hours, and it is completely inconceivable to me that we did not lose more men. The regiment, in my view, held up extraordinarily. It would not have retreated either, if it had not been ordered to do so. Now we are resting on the road between Pleasant Hill and Natchitoches. An advance by the Yankees is expected. Maybe during the next few days we will have a battle again. It certainly won't be as bad as the one by the boats though. Farewell all for today. I will write again soon. Rudolf. Adress your letters in care of General H.P. Bee, Mansfield, Louisiana.

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