ksburg. By
pursuing our success to Alexandria, we may capture General Mouton's
force, and with little loss, unless it form a junction with Sibley.
If it forms a junction, we will meet them near Iberia and engage
them in open field, and with a proper force can defeat them.
General Emory's whole division (moved to Brashear City) and my
brigade can do this work. Let the light transportation, now with
General Emory, and all destined for and collected by me be collected
at Brashear City. Let two of the brigades be moved to and landed
at Indian Bend, while the other two are crossed and attack in front.
If Mouton escapes (which I think, if properly conducted, will be
doubtful) we form a junction at Indian Bend. We proceed to attack
and with much superior force, because I do not believe Mouton and
Sibley united will exceed 6,000 men. We can defeat them, pursue
our success to Alexandria and of course get Butte a la Rose; our
gunboats to facilitate its fall, attacking it as they cannot
accompany us farther up than Saint Martinville. I believe this to
be the true and only correct plan of the campaign."

These views were unquestionably sound; they were such as might have
been expected of an officer of Weitzel's skill and experience and
special knowledge of the theatre of operations. Supported by the
strong current of events, they were now to be carried into effect.

At the date of this despatch, Emory's division had been for several
weeks near the head of the Bayou Plaquemine, with headquarters at
Indian Village, endeavoring to find or force a waterway to the
Atchafalaya, while Weitzel was holding his brigade in readiness to
co-operate by a simultaneous movement against Taylor on the Teche.
Many attempts were made by Emory to carry out the object confided
to him, yet all proved failures. Bayou Sorrel, Lake Chicot, Grand
River, and the Plaquemine itself, from both ends of the stream,
were thoroughly explored, but only to find the bayous choked with
driftwood impossible to remove, and until removed rendering the
streams impassable. Two of these drifts in Bayou Sorrel were
carefully examined by Captain Henry Cochen, of the 173d New York.
The first he reported to be about a mile in length, "composed of
one mass of logs, roots, big and small trees, etc., jammed tightly
for thirty feet, the whole length of my pole." The second drift,
just beyond, was found nearly as bad, and farther on lay another
even worse. Moreover, a th