The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

174 ?"/^^ MAINE BUGLE.
inforccmcnt had taken place at a subsequent date. Our force
engaged amounted to but one hundred twelve men. We left, of
killed, wounded, and missing (exclusive of those who have since
come in, among these last the gallant Thornton), ten men at
Ponchatoula. Surgeon Avery, Ninth Connecticut Volunteers,
with his attendant, voluntarily remained with the wounded, but
the former has since returned. We brought in eleven men more
or less severely wounded. One fatal case of sunstroke occurred
on board the steamer. Our return from Ponchatoula was neces-
sarily along the railroad, through a swamp, and on which there
is no cover for troops, and it was therefore impossible to bring
off those of our men who were most severely woundetl, as they
would be exposed for a long distance to the fire of artillery,
which, with horses attached, would be brought back upon the
line of the road as soon as we should have left the village. It
did so return at the signal of the inhabitants, but, though
actively served, did us no harm. Surgeon Avery reports twenty
of the enemy killed. Captains Thornton and Farrington and
the officers and men of their respective commands, though
nearly exhausted by the march, two miles of which was over
an open trestle work, in the heat of the day, behaved nobly in
the fight. Captains Pickering and Winter, after a very rapid
march, for which they are entitled to much credit, came up
after we had left the village, covered our rear, and assisted in
bringing in the wounded. Lieutenants Martin, Allen and Finnegass,
and Commander Buchanan, United States Navy, who
accompanied the expedition, rendered important services, and
their gallantry during the action deserves special mention.