Autograph letter signed Manly S. Leiby, Co. K, 114th Ohio Infantry. Baton Rouge General Hospital, Louisiana, 27 May 1864. 4 pages, 8vo.

A detailed letter from the front lines of the Red River Expedition, written by Manly S. Leiby of the 114th Ohio Infantry. Writing home to his sister, he provides extensive details of the actions in and around Alexandria, Louisiana. He begins from their arrival: "We arrived there on the 26th of April...the cavalry were skirmishing with the enemy when we got out there. Our regiment was put out to support the cavalry which held the Rebs in check all day and night. We lay there all night and rested well till morning."

He continues with battle description and includes notes on the command of Major General John A. McClernand: "Thursday I was detached for picket, went out, and hadn't been there an hour before the rebs advanced on our cavalry and begun to drive them back. It wasn't long before Old Gen. McClernand came out to the picket post and seeing what was going on, sent back orders for the Division to move to the front which was done in less than no time and line of battle formed, then [sent] out a line of skirmishers and skirmshed with rebs about half an hour and was ordered to fall back. Fell about 2 miles to a bayou and formed a new line of battle and by that time it was getting dark and the firing ceased and everything seemed calm as if there hadn't been any fighting going on."

The letter concludes with their dramatic retreat from Alexandria: "Friday 13th, the Army started from Alexandria & they destroyed the whole city. We were fired into 6 times coming down Red River but didn't do much harm...we were entirely surrounded when we started from Alexandria but we cut our way out. The cavalry done the most of the fighting coming down. I think if we have had a good general, would have whipped the Rebs there. Well, I hope Gen. Grant will be successful."

The Red River Campaign was a costly disaster for the Union and was plagued with poor planning and mismanagement, which Leiby astutely acknowledges. 

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