COLONEL: I have the
honor to inform you that an attack was made on Lake Providence, La., June 9,
1863, by a rebel force of about 600 strong—the Thirteenth Texas Infantry
[Cavalry] and 200 mounted men of the Thirteenth Louisiana Battalion. They were
met by two companies of the First Kansas Mounted Infantry, 6 miles from town,
and skirmishing kept up until the rebel force reached Bayou Tensas, 1 mile from
town, where they were met by General Reid's entire force, about 800 strong,
including 300 of the [Eighth] Louisiana Regiment, African descent, under
Colonel [Hiram] Scofield.
The mounted
companies fell back behind the bayou, destroying the bridge, when the enemy
formed in line of battle, advanced their skirmishers to the bayou, and planted
a 6-pounder so as to command the bridge, which they attempted to reconstruct,
but were prevented by our skirmishers. A heavy force of skirmishers was then
sent forward to meet their whole line on the bayou, and, after a brisk fire of
an hour and a half, the rebels retreated (it being dark) to Floyd, leaving only
a small force near the bayou. General Reid then withdrew the skirmishers and
ordered the Eighth Louisiana in line of battle up to the bayou. They fired four
volleys into the rebels, which forced them to retire.
The entire force of
the enemy was commanded by Colonel [Frank A.] Bartlett, of the Thirteenth Louisiana
Battalion, who has for some time past been stationed west of Bayou Macon.
The only mischief
done by the enemy, so far as heard from, is the destruction of a cotton-gin at
Spencer's plantation.
We have 1 man
wounded. The enemy's loss is 2 killed and 5 wounded.
Assistant Adjutant-General.
SOURCE: The
War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 2 (Serial No. 37), p. 448-9
