Constructed by an ingenious Wisconsin engineer and the muscle of 3,000 soldiers, the Red River dam would become famous in the history of military engineering.
The wagon train began to move at 7 o'clock this morning - about the same time as the gunboat
Louisville cleared the rapids. Just before the column got to Alexandria, someone set fire to the block adjacent to the courthouse on Front Street. By noon half of the city was destroyed.
The cries of the newly homeless and distressed women and children tugged at the hearts of the Union troops passing by. Many of the homeless came to the river bank to escape the fire's oppressive heat and smoke. Some asked for safe passage to New Orleans, but they were all denied
The column of troops went into camp at 7 o'clock this evening.
