Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

Early in July, 1862, I was informed that the enemy were attempting to so fortify Manchac Pass as to protect the trestle-work of the railroad passing through it, in order to afford them communication in the rear of the city. Thereupon I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball of the Twelfth Maine Volunteers to take a small portion of his regiment with the gunboat New London and make an attack on the rebel forces there. It was done. The rebels were driven from their battery by assault, and followed far up into the country. Their works were all destroyed; their bridge they had to burn behind them, and their guns were captured and brought away with a very considerable loss. Their colors were captured, and I recommended to the War Department that the regiment be allowed to retain the captured colors as a mark of its commendation of their valor, which was done, as set forth in the following General Order:--

headquarters Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, July 24, 1862.

General Order No. 51.

The commanding general of this department takes pleasure in publishing the following indorsement from Washington of what he has considered the useful services of Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball, of the Twelfth Regiment of Maine Volunteers, and the troops under his command:

The news of the brilliant achievement of Lieutenant-Colonel Kimball of the Twelfth Maine Volunteers, and the brave men under his command, at Manchac Pass, was very gratifying to the Department, and it entirely approves your action in allowing the regiment to retain the colors which they had so gallantly taken from the enemy.

By command of

Major-General Butler. R. S. Davis, Captain and A. A. A. G.

I have now set out, I believe, all the military movements of the Army of the Gulf under my command. In none were we unsuccessful, in none did we lose any considerable number of men. We lost fewer men by disease than any other army in any field, although we were in the hotbed of poisonous malaria and death. In every exigency of the government of the people