isposed as follows: On the right of the road
to Pleasant Hill, Walker's infantry division of three brigades, with two
batteries; on the left, Mouton's, of two brigades and two batteries. As
Green's men came in from the front, they took position, dismounted, on
Mouton's left. A regiment of horse was posted on each of the parallel
roads mentioned, and De Bray's cavalry, with McMahon's battery, held in
reserve on the main road. Dense forest prevented the employment of much
artillery, and, with the exception of McMahon's, which rendered
excellent service, none was used in the action.

I had on the field fifty-three hundred infantry; three thousand horse,
and five hundred artillerymen--in all, eight thousand eight hundred men,
a very full estimate. But the vicious dispositions of the enemy made me
confident of beating all the force he could concentrate during the day;
and on the morrow Churchill, with forty-four hundred muskets, would be
up.

The forenoon of the 8th wore on as the troops got into position. Riding
along the line, I stopped in front of the Louisiana brigade of Mouton's
division, and made what proved to be an unfortunate remark to the men:
"As they were fighting in defense of their own soil I wished the
Louisiana troops to draw the first blood." But they were already
inflamed by many outrages on their homes, as well as by camp rumors that
it was intended to abandon their State without a fight. At this moment
our advanced horse came rushing in, hard followed by the enemy. A shower
of bullets reached Mouton's line, one of which struck my horse, and a
body of mounted men charged up to the front of the 18th Louisiana. A
volley from this regiment sent them back with heavy loss. Infantry was
reported in the wood opposite my left. This was a new disposition of
the enemy, for on the 6th and 7th his advance consisted of horse alone;
and to meet it, Mouton was strengthened by moving Randall's brigade of
Walker's from the right to the left of the road. To cover this change,
skirmishers were thrown forward and De Bray's regiment deployed in the
field.

The enemy showing no disposition to advance, at 4 P.M. I ordered a
forward movement of my whole line. The ardor of Mouton's troops,
especially the Louisianians, could not be restrained by their officers.
Crossing the field under a heavy fire of artillery and small arms, the
division reached the fence, paused for a moment to draw breath, then
rushed into the wood on the en