s a width of seven hundred to eight
hundred feet, and at low water a depth of four feet. The slope from
Shreveport to Alexandria at high water is a little over a hundred
feet, but immediately above the latter place there are two small
rapids, called the Falls of Alexandria, which interrupt navigation
when the water is low. The annual rise begins in the early winter, and
from December to June the river is in fair boating condition for its
usual traffic; but water enough for the gunboats and transports to
pass the Falls could not be expected before the spring rise in March.
The river, however, can never be confidently trusted. For twenty years
before 1864 it had only once failed to rise, in 1855; but this year
it was exceptionally backward, and so caused much embarrassment to the
fleet.

General Banks came in on the 26th of March and the last of Franklin's
corps on the 28th. Smith's command was then moved on to Bayou Rapides,
twenty-one miles above Alexandria. The slow rise of the river was
still detaining the vessels. There was water enough for the lighter
draughts, but, as the enemy was reported to have some ironclad vessels
not far above, the Admiral was unwilling to let them go up until one
of the heavier gunboats had passed. The Eastport was therefore sent up
first, being delayed two or three days on the rocks of the rapids, and
at last hauled over by main force. She at once passed ahead of Smith's
corps. The Mound City, Carondelet, Pittsburg, Louisville, Chillicothe,
Ozark, Osage, Neosho, Lexington, and Hindman also went above the
Falls, as did some thirty transports. At this time the Marine Brigade,
which was now under the army and formed part of Smith's command, was
summoned back to Vicksburg, taking 3,000 men from the expedition. The
river continuing to rise slowly, it was thought best to keep two lines
of transports, one above and one below the Falls, and to transship
stores around them. This made it necessary to establish a garrison at
Alexandria, which further reduced the force for the field.

Banks's own army marched by land to Natchitoches, eighty miles
distant, arriving there on the 2d and 3d of April; but Smith's command
went forward on transports convoyed by the gunboats and reached Grand
Ecore, four miles from Natchitoches, on the 3d. Here it landed, except
one division of 2,000 men under General T. Kilby Smith, who took
charge of the transports, now numbering twenty-six, many of them large
boats. Thes