The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 34, In Four Parts. Part 1, Reports. Page: 809
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THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.
809
No. 65.
Report of Brig. Gen. Mosby 31. Parsons, C. S. Army, commanding
division, of engagement at Jenkins' Ferry.
HEADQUARTERS PARSONS' DIVISION,
Camp Harris, May 9, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
part taken by my division in the battle of Jenkins' Ferry, on Saline
River, Ark., on April 30, 1864: Leaving my bivouac, 6 miles north of
Princeton, at 1 a. in. on the 30th, I marched with my division on the
road leading to the ferry, along which the Federal army, under
Major-General Steele, had retired the evening previous. The night
was dark and cloudy, and the roads having been cut up by the en-
emy's trains after a hard rain the previous evening, rendered the
march tedious and fatiguing. Just after daybreak the rain com-
menced and fell at intervals in heavy showers during the day. After
arriving within about 3 miles of the ferry I was ordered to halt my
division and rest it in an old field to the left of the road. Fires were
being kindled by the troops for the purpose of drying their clothes
when sharp volleys of musketry at the front announced that the
action had begun. In a few minutes I was ordered to advance with
rapidity. Arriving at the point where the road descends from the
highlands to the valley of the Saline River, I was ordered to form
line of battle, which was done in the following order: The First
Brigade, Brig. Gen. John B. Clark commanding, on the right, front-
ing the ferry, his line deployed so as to penetrate a swamp on the
right; the Second Brigade, Colonel Burns commanding, on the left,
extending across the main road; Lesueur's and Ruffner's batteries
on the front and center. It was now 8 a. m. To the front lay the
valley extending to the ferry, 2 miles distant. To the front of the
Second Brigade, and about 100 yards distant, was a plowed field
about a quarter of a mile square, which was flanked on the south
and east by heavy timber. Still farther to the front and about a
quarter of a mile was another field of about the same dimensions as
the first, an intervening strip of woods separating the two. This
field, as the first, was bounded on the south and east all the way to
the river by heavy woods and wet marshes. The main road to the
ferry ran along the north side of the fields above described, and
immediately to the north of and parallel to the road ran a creek or
bayou with deep, impassable banks, which were covered on the north
side with thick cane and underbrush. This creek emptied into the
river at the ferry. Before and while in my first line of battle the
Arkansas division, Brigadier-General Churchill commanding, was
seriously engaged in the second field and the woods surrounding it.
About 10 o'clock the enemy was pressing him heavily. I received
orders to advance my command with all haste to his support. Mov-
ing down the main road until arriving at a strip of woods between
the fields, I met with Major-General Price, who directed me to take
position on General Churchill's right and to advance immediately
upon the enemy. While moving through the strip of woods and
passing immediately in rear of General Churchill's command I met
the general himself, who stated that unless I could give him support
on his center or his left hlie would be compelled to retire in a few
minutes. I ordered CGeneral Clark to report immediately to General
Churchill and take such position as he might direct. With the Sec-CHAP. XLVI.]
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The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Additions and Corrections to Series 1, Volume 34. (Pamphlet)
Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 34.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 34, In Four Parts. Part 1, Reports., book, 1892; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146033/m1/838/?q=Tappan%27s: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.