toward the Boeuf. Before reaching it he heard
the noise of the train; then, firing and moving forward, found the train
stopped, and Major, up to time, in possession of the bridge. The capture
of the train was of importance, as it enabled us to operate the thirty
miles of rail between Berwick's and the Lafourche.

In the combined movements described, Green and Major had set out from
points more than a hundred miles apart, the latter marching through a
region in possession or under control of the enemy, while the boat
expedition of Hunter passed over twelve miles of water; yet all reached
their goal at the appointed time. Although every precaution had been
taken to exclude mistakes and insure cooeperation, such complete success
is not often attained in combined military movements; and I felt that
sacrifices were due to Fortune.

In his rapid march from the Fordoche Major captured seventy prisoners
and burned two steamers at Plaquemine. He afterward encountered no enemy
until he reached Thibodeaux, near which place, at Lafourche Crossing,
there was a stockade held by a small force to protect the railway
bridge. Colonel Pyron, with two hundred men, was detached to mask or
carry this stockade, and Major passed on to the Boeuf. Pyron's attack
was repulsed with a loss of fifty-five killed and wounded, Pyron among
the latter; but the enemy, after destroying the bridge, abandoned the
post and three guns and retired to New Orleans.

The spoils of Berwick's were of vast importance. Twelve guns,
thirty-twos and twenty-fours (among which were our old friends from
Bisland), seventeen hundred prisoners, with many small arms and
accouterments, and great quantities of quarter-master's, commissary,
ordnance, and medical stores, fell into our hands. For the first time
since I reached western Louisiana I had supplies, and in such abundance
as to serve for the Red River campaign of 1864. Three fourths of the
prisoners were sick and convalescent men left here, as well as the
stores, by General Banks, when he marched up the Teche in April.
Excepting those too ill to be moved, the prisoners were paroled and sent
to New Orleans under charge of their surgeons.

I was eager to place batteries on the Mississippi to interrupt Banks's
communication with New Orleans; but the passage of Berwick's Bay
consumed much time, though we worked night and day. We were forced to
dismount guns and carriages and cross them piecemeal in two small flats,
and s