Col. Molineux was severely wounded in the mouth, Lieut-Col. Draper and Adjutant Lathrop were killed; the Colonel, Lieut-Colonel and Adjutant were nobly doing their duty in the advance, leading their men. No officers could have done better or been more brave. They were picked out by the enemy's sharpshooters posted in the trees near by.
The victory was ours, though the Regiment paid dearly for this, their maiden fight. Second Lieutenant Lockwood, of Company G, was killed while nobly leading his Company. Lieutenants Plunket and Price were mortally wounded. Lieutenant Manley, of Company A, was killed, and Lieutenant Tieman and Captain Petit were slightly wounded. Our total killed, wounded and missing amounted to 112, viz: 6 officers, 23 men killed; 2 officers, 69 men wounded, and 12 men prisoners. Major Burt, who was on General Grover's staff, now assumed command of the Regiment.
The 91st N.Y.S. Volunteers were to have advanced with us on the right, but misunderstanding the order, they failed to advance, causing us to be flanked and receive a heavy enfilading fire by which we suffered so much.
Our Division was to fall on the rear of the enemy, when they were driven from their entrenched position, at Bislin, south of Franklin. The strong resistance at Irish Bend was to make good their escape, which they effected at the loss of a large number of prisoners.
April 15th, marched up Teche 18-½ miles, the main column, under General Banks, in advance. Arrived at New Iberia, where Mills and Ashton, of Company K, who were taken prisoners at Irish Bend, joined the Regiment, the enemy having paroled them.
Arrived at Vermillion Bayou, and finding the bridges burned, had to reconstruct them. The Regiment was now detailed to collect cattle through the prairie and drive them to Berwick City. We collected about three thousand head.
A detachment of the Regiment left us to gather up cotton and other property laying about loose. Arrived safely at Berwick City, and returned in charge of a wagon train which we left at Opolosus, and reported to the Division Commander at Barrie's Landing, on the Teche, eight miles from Opolosus.
May 5th broke camp and marched to Little Washington, La., and from there to Wells' Plantation, where we went into camp. Left Welles' Farm and marched to Simsport, a distance of eighty miles, where we arrived on the 18th, and crossed the Mississippi, landing at Boyou Sara, on the night of the 21st.