brigade came from New
Orleans to join Grover at Alexandria. On the 20th of April, learning
that the _Eastport_ was expected to float within a few hours, Banks
sent A. J. Smith to take position covering Natchitoches, and when
the next day he heard from the admiral that the _Eastport_ was
actually afloat, he lost not a moment in beginning the march on
Alexandria.

An hour later the _Eastport_ again struck the bottom; eight times
more she ran hard aground; at last on the 25th she lay immovable
on a raft of logs, and the next day her crew gave her to the flames.

For some time the relations between the commanding general and his
chief-of-staff had been strained, and in spite of Stone's zeal and
gallantry in the late battles, Banks had determined on a change,
indeed had already announced it in orders, when on the 16th of
April he received an order of the War Office bearing date the 28th
of March, whereby Stone was relieved from duty in the Department
of the Gulf, deprived of his rank of brigadier-general, and ordered
to go to Cairo, Illinois, and thence to report by letter to the
adjutant-general of the army. For this action neither cause nor
occasion has ever been made known. Then Banks recalled his own
order and published this instead, and on the following day he made
Dwight his chief-of-staff, the command of Dwight's brigade falling
to Beal.

CHAPTER XXVII.
THE CROSSING OF CANE RIVER.

Banks broke camp at Grand Ecore at five o'clock in the afternoon
of the 21st of April and turned over the direction and control of
the march to Franklin.

The cavalry corps, now commanded by Arnold, was separated by
brigades. Gooding took the advance; Crebs, who had succeeded to
Robinson's command, rode with Birge; E. J. Davis, with Dudley's
brigade, covered the right flank; and Lucas, reporting to A. J.
Smith, formed the rear-guard.

Birge led the main column with a temporary division formed of the
13th Connecticut and the 1st Louisiana of his own brigade under
Fiske, the 38th Massachusetts and the 128th New York of Sharpe's
brigade under James Smith, and Fessenden's brigade of Emory's
division. Next were the trains, in the same order as the troops.
Emory followed with the brigades of Beal and McMillan and the
artillery reserve under Closson. Then came Cameron, and last A.
J. Smith, in the order of Kilby Smith and Mower.

Crossing Cane River about two miles below Grand Ecore, the line of
march traversed the length of t