38 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



Birge had his horse shot under him, also Captain Norton. 

 We had two officers killed and four wounded. I had a ball 

 pass through the sleeve of my left arm without so much as 

 scratching me. Another crossed my breast, cutting nearly 

 in two the strap coming over my shoulder to support my 

 sword-belt. It seems almost a miracle that I escaped unhurt. 

 When we fell back I was endeavoring to bring in a wounded 

 man, and a second ball laid him lifeless in my very arms. 

 The shots fell so thick and fast, we could see them strike 

 within a foot or two all around us. This is no exaggeration. 

 April 15. I have had no chance to send this, but as I find 

 I can probably send it soon, I will try and add a few lines 

 by the bivouac fire. We have formed a junction with 

 Emory's division and Weitzel's brigade, and are in close 

 pursuit of the flying rebs, seven miles from New Iberia. 

 We have taken something like five hundred prisoners, three 

 pieces, and five or six caissons, and the rebs, fearful of the 

 Diana and the Queen of the West falling into our hands, 

 burned them. In addition to this, the Arizona, when 

 aground, engaged and blew up a reb gun-boat. But I can 

 write no more. Will try in my next to send a plan of the 

 battle-field with a detailed account. We are in hot pursuit, 

 our advance skirmishing with General Moulton's rear 

 guard. 



" April 18, 1863. Two miles from Vermillionville. As 

 we are halting to repair a bridge that the rascally rebs have 

 burned I will try and write a few lines. Enclosed is a small 

 plan of the battle of Irish Bend, which in my letter of 

 April 15 I promised to send. I will now go a little more into 

 detail of the events of April 13. We landed about 11 o'clock 



