itary stores of all kinds.
Porter expected to be at Springfield Landing, 110 miles above Grand
Ecore, on the 9th. On arriving there, Kilby Smith was to reconnoitre
towards Springfield, and if practicable, to send a regiment to
seize the bridge across the Bayou Pierre in the direction of
Mansfield.

On the 6th of April, as soon as the movement of the fleet was
decided on, Banks resumed the march on Shreveport. Shortly after
leaving Natchitoches the main road, with which the road from Grand
Ecore unites, strikes off from the river toward the west to avoid
Spanish Lake, and, traversing a barren wilderness, affords neither
position nor resting-place until Shreveport is reached. Banks
meant to be at Mansfield, holding the roads that there converge,
simultaneously with the arrival at the fleet at Springfield Landing.
Lee, who was encamped at Natchitoches with the brigades of Lucas,
Robinson, and Dudley, led the advance, and marching twenty-three
miles encamped that night at Crump's Corner. Ransom broke camp at
Natchitoches at six o'clock in the morning, and marched sixteen
miles. Emory followed closely upon Ransom. A. J. Smith remained
at Grand Ecore till the next day, to await the departure of the
fleet, and then marching eight miles on the Shreveport road fell
into the rear of the column. Dickey's colored brigade formed the
guard of the main wagon train, and Gooding's brigade of cavalry
covered the rear and left flank. From this time Lee's movements
were to be directed by Franklin.

Meanwhile, between the 3d and 5th of April, Taylor, after consuming
the forage for twenty miles around Pleasant Hill, had withdrawn
his infantry to Mansfield. Green's cavalry, long expected, was
now beginning to come in, largely augmented, from Texas, whither
it had been hastily sent, early in the winter, to meet the threatened
invasion from the coast.

On the morning of the 7th of April, Lee advanced on Pleasant Hill,
Robinson leading, supported by Lucas. Robinson easily drove before
him the advance guard of the Confederate cavalry until about two
o'clock in the afternoon, at Wilson's farm, three miles beyond
Pleasant Hill, he came upon the main body of Green's force, comprising
Major's brigade, under Lane, posted in the skirt of the wood, on
rising ground, behind a clearing. Robinson dismounted his men and
engaged the enemy, who resisted so firmly that Lucas was sent to
Robinson's support just in time to save him from being dri