Grand Ecore Red River La.

                                                                                                                        Apr. 11^th 1864

 

Dear Mother

                        I now seat my self to let you know that I ame well and all sound after two days fiting we left here or 3 miles from here a week ago yestardy we marched to Pleasent Hill in two days distince 35 miles on the third days march the 8^th the Cavelary had a Scirmish with the Rebs we marched up to whare the had the scirmish it was 12 miles and encamped the 13 Army Corps was in advance with the Cavelary the Rebls got Reanforsed and maid a stand our Cavelary soposing there was onley a small force of Rebels let there amonition rain folow up after they Artillery they Rebs being to strong and it being all woods and onley one Rode to fall back they Rebles captered 17 or 18 peaces of artillery and most all they Cavelary Amunition Train. our Corps was ordered up we ware 8 miles behind but we marched up in one hour and 15 minuts and when we got up there such a site I never saw nor do I want to see agen the Rebles had Cavelary all broak up and the 13 Army Corps also. I sopose you know that we are in the 19 Army Corps first Bragade first Division Our Regt was / the advance they first days fight we got up to the Battel about half past 4 Oclock our Regt was ordred to advance thrue an open field or an orched like to check they Rebs we held them to they Bragade formed a line of Battel then we fell back behind they Bragade our Reg^t suffered considerible they Rebs tried to gobel us all up but they mist it I cane not give you a correct account of how many we lost at presant All our forces fell back that night to Pleasent Hill distance 20 miles the Rebels followed us up commensed scirmishing in the morning they 16 Army Corps came up to Pleasent Hill the night before. About 4 oclock they Rebels maid anatect on our front then thay tried to flank us on the left but we fierd such vollys of musketary in to them that they soon fell back in the woods Rebles had they woods and we had a bushy & open field it was despert fight on boath sides those that ware over the field sat that they Rebs ware piled up in heaps I know our loss must be considerible some say that most of the Rebels had a canteen of Rum with them and a very large force or they would not have ben so despert we got 18 peces of artillery back they last days fight and 1000 to 1500 prisiners If we had a clear field to folow them up the last day and day light we would have given them a great / harder fight then we did but we gave them a good thrashing as it was there was 4 wonded in our compeny & 9 missing but not any of them wonded severley there was a ball struck my gun and nocked a peace out of the stock we are encamped here at Grand Ecore Read River La we got here last night we are all very tiert and need rest and sleep we will probely stay here a few days to recrute up

 

Dear Mothe I have great cose to be thankfull to God for his kindness to me in sparing my life and shielding me from harm you will probely see the acount of this Battel in the papers My best respects to you and Richard I Ramain as ever your Son

 

                                                                                                            William M Bell

 

P.S. Please excuse this poor

writing and spelling

                                    WMB

 

Dear Mother since writing the above I recd a letter from you which was dated March the 20 I ame sory to here that you are not very well. I wrote a letter to you the 27 of March when I was at Alexandria

                                                            W^m. M. B

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