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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24606-8.txt b/24606-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..027ec1f --- /dev/null +++ b/24606-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16074 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, History of the Nineteenth Army Corps, by +Richard Biddle Irwin + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: History of the Nineteenth Army Corps + + +Author: Richard Biddle Irwin + + + +Release Date: February 13, 2008 [eBook #24606] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY +CORPS*** + + +E-text prepared by Ed Ferris + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Footnotes in the main text are at the end of each chapter. + + 19th-century spellings, in particular the use of double-l, have + been retained. + + Chapter XI: "flag-ships" plural in original. + Chapter XII _et seq._: "St. Martinsville" corrected to + "St. Martinville" + Chapter XXI: "Brownville", Texas, corrected to "Brownsville". + Chapter XXXIV: the Grant in temporary command of Getty's division + is Brigadier-General Lewis Grant, not U. S. Grant as in the rest + of the book. + + The following changes have been made in the Appendix: + + Military ranks have been abbreviated. + + Footnotes have been re-numbered and headings repeated by section + instead of page. The footnotes were all italics. + + The box rules and period leaders have been removed from the Losses + in Battle tables and the headings "Officers" and "Enlisted men", + set vertically in the original, have been abbreviated "O" and "E". + Text has been extended across columns for legibility. + + + + + +HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS + +by + +RICHARD B. IRWIN + +Formerly Lieutenant-Colonel U. S. Volunteers, +Assistant Adjutant-General of the Corps and of the +Department of the Gulf + + + + + + + +G. P. Putnam's Sons +New York +27 West Twenty-Third Street +London +24 Bedford Street, Strand +The Knickerbocker Press +1892 + +Copyright, 1892 +by +G. P. Putnam's Sons + +Electrotyped, Printed, and Bound by +The Knickerbocker Press, New York +G. P. Putnam's Sons + + + + +IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR LATE COMMANDER +MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HEMSLEY EMORY +AND OF THE MANY COMRADES WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE +OF THEIR COUNTRY THIS HISTORY IS INSCRIBED BY THE SURVIVING MEMBERS +OF THE SOCIETY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS + + +CONTENTS. + +Chapter. +Introductory + I. New Orleans + II. The First Attempt on Vicksburg + III. Baton Rouge + IV. La Fourche + V. Banks in Command + VI. Organizing the Corps + VII. More Ways than One + VIII. Farragut Passes Port Hudson + IX. The Teche + X. Bisland + XI. Irish Bend + XII. Opelousas + XIII. Banks and Grant + XIV. Alexandria + XV. Back to Port Hudson + XVI. The Twenty-Seventh of May + XVII. The Fourteenth of June + XVIII. Unvexed to the Sea + XIX. Harrowing La Fourche + XX. In Summer Quarters + XXI. A Foothold in Texas + XXII. Winter Quarters + XXIII. The Red River + XXIV. Sabine Cross-Roads + XXV. Pleasant Hill + XXVI. Grand Ecore + XXVII. The Crossing of Cane River +XXVIII. The Dam + XXIX. Last Days in Louisiana + XXX. On the Potomac + XXXI. In the Shenandoah + XXXII. The Opequon +XXXIII. Fisher's Hill + XXXIV. Cedar Creek + XXXV. Victory and Home + +Appendix: + Rosters + Losses in Battle + Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded + Port Hudson Forlorn Hope + Articles of Capitulation + Note on Early's Strength + Index + + +MAPS AND PLANS. + +Map of Louisiana. Sheet I. + " " " " II. + " " " " III. +Battle Plan of Bisland, April 12-13, 1863 +Battle Plan of Irish Bend, April 14, 1863 +Battle Plan of Port Hudson +Map of Louisiana. Sheet IV. +Battle Plan of Sabine Cross-Roads, April 8, 1864. From General + Emory's Map +Battle Plan of Pleasant Hill, April 9, 1864. From General Emory's + Map +Battle Plan of Cane River Crossing or Monett's Bluff, April 23, + 1864. From General Emory's Map +The Red River Dam +Map of Shenandoah Valley Campaign. From Major W. F. Tiemann's + "History of the 159th New York" +Battle Plan of Opequon, September 19, 1864. From the Official Map, + 1873 +Battle Plan of Fisher's Hill, September 22, 1864. From the Official + Map +Battle Plan of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. From the Official + Map of 1873 + + +INTRODUCTORY + +The history of the Nineteenth Army Corps, like that of by far the +greater number of the organizations of like character, in which +were arrayed the great armies of volunteers that took up arms to +maintain the Union, is properly the history of all the troops that +at any time belonged to the corps or served within its geographical +limits. + +To be complete, then, the narrative my comrades have asked me to +write must go back to the earliest service of these troops, at a +period before the corps itself was formally established, and must +continue on past the time when the earlier territorial organization +became merged or lost and the main body of the corps was sent into +the Shenandoah, down to the peace, and the final muster of the last +regiment. + +If hitherto less known and thus less considered than the proud +record of those great corps of the Armies of the Potomac, of the +Tennessee, and of the Cumberland, on whom in the fortune of war +fell the heat and burthen of so many pitched battles, whose colors +bear the names of so many decisive victories, yet the story of the +Nineteenth Army Corps is one whose simple facts suffice for all +that need to told or claimed of valor, of achievement, of sacrifice, +or of patient endurance. I shall, therefore, attempt neither eulogy +nor apology, nor shall I feel called upon to undertake to criticise +the actions or the failures of the living or the dead, save where +such criticism may prove to be an essential part of the narrative. +From the brows of other soldiers, no one of us could ever wish to +pluck the wreaths so dearly won, so honorably worn; yet, since the +laurel grows wild on every hill-side in this favored land, we may +without trespass be permitted to gather a single spray or two to +decorate the sacred places where beneath the cypresses and the +magnolias of the lowlands of Louisiana, or under the green turf +among the mountains of Virginia, reposes all that was mortal of so +many thousands of our brave and beloved comrades. + + +THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS. + +CHAPTER I. +NEW ORLEANS. + +The opening of the Mississippi and the capture of New Orleans formed +important parts of the first comprehensive plan of campaign, +conceived and proposed by Lieutenant-General Scott soon after the +outbreak of the war. When McClellan was called to Washington to +command the Army of the Potomac, one of his earliest communications +to the President set forth in general terms his plans for the +suppression of the Rebellion. Of these plans, also, the capture +of New Orleans formed an integral and important part. Both Scott +and McClellan contemplated a movement down the river by a strong +column. However nothing had been done by either toward carrying +out this project, when, in September, 1861, the Navy Department +took up the idea of an attack on New Orleans from the sea. + +At the time of the secession of Louisiana, New Orleans was not only +the first city in wealth, population, and importance in the seceded +States, but the sixth in all the Union. With a population of nearly +170,000 souls, she carried on an export trade larger than that of +any other port in the country, and enjoyed a commerce in magnitude +and profit second only to that of New York. The year just ended +had witnessed the production of the largest crop of cotton ever +grown in America, fully two fifths of which passed through the +presses and paid toll to the factors of New Orleans. The receipts +of cotton at this port for the year 1860-1861 were but little less +than 2,000,000 bales, valued at nearly $100,000,000. Of sugar, +mainly the production of the State of Louisiana, the receipts +considerably exceeded 250,000 tons, valued at more than $25,000,000; +the total receipts of products of all kinds amounted to nearly +$200,000,000. The exports were valued at nearly $110,000,000; the +imports at nearly $23,000,000. It is doubtful if any other crop +in any part of the world then paid profits at once so large and so +uniform to all persons interested as the cotton and sugar of +Louisiana. If cotton were not exactly king, as it was in those +days the fashion to assert, there could be no doubt that cotton +was a banker, and a generous banker for New Orleans. The factors +of Carondelet Street grew rich upon the great profits that the +planters of the "coast," as the shores of the river are called, +paid them, almost without feeling it, while the planters came, +nearly every winter, to New Orleans to pass the season and to spend, +in a round of pleasure, at least a portion of the net proceeds of +the account sales. In the transport of these products nearly two +thousand sailing ships and steamers were engaged, and in the town +itself or its suburb of Algiers, on the opposite bank, were to be +found all the appliances and facilities necessary for the conduct +of so extensive a commerce. These, especially the work-shops and +factories, and the innumerable river and bayou steamers that thronged +the levee, were destined to prove of the greatest military value, +at first to the Confederacy, and later to the forces of the Union. +For food and fuel, however, New Orleans was largely dependent upon +the North and West. Finally, beside her importance as the guardian +of the gates of the Mississippi, New Orleans had a direct military +value as the basis of any operations destined for the control or +defence of the Mississippi River. + +About the middle of November the plan took definite shape, and on +the 23d of December Farragut received preparatory orders to take +command of the West Gulf Squadron and the naval portion of the +expedition destined for the reduction of New Orleans. Farragut +received his final orders on the 20th of January, 1862, and +immediately afterward hoisted his flag on the sloop-of-war +_Hartford_. + +The land portion of the expedition was placed under the command of +Major-General Benjamin F. Butler. On the 10th and 12th of September, +1861, Butler had been authorized by the War Department to raise, +organize, arm, uniform, and equip, in the New England States, such +troops as he might judge fit for the purpose, to make an expedition +along the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia to Cape Charles; +but early in November, before Butler's forces were quite ready, +these objects were accomplished by a brigade under Lockwood, sent +from Baltimore by Dix. On the 23d of November the advance of +Butler's expedition sailed from Portland, Maine, for Ship Island, +in the steamer _Constitution_, and on the 2d of December, in +reporting the sailing, Butler submitted to the War Department his +plan for invading the coast of Texas and the ultimate capture of +New Orleans. + +On the 24th of January, 1862, McClellan, then commanding all the +armies of the United States, was called on by the Secretary of War +to report whether the expedition proposed by General Butler should +be prosecuted, abandoned, or modified, and in what manner. McClellan +at once urged that the expedition be suspended. In his opinion, +"not less than 30,000 men, and it is believed 50,000, would be +required to insure success against New Orleans in a blow to be +struck from the Gulf." This suggestion did not meet the approval +of the government, now fully determined on the enterprise. + +Brigadier-General J. G. Barnard, the chief engineer of the Army of +the Potomac, an engineer also of more than common ability, energy, +and experience, was now called into consultation. On the 28th of +January, 1862, he submitted to the Navy Department a memorandum +describing fully the defences of Forts Jackson and St. Philip and +outlining a plan for a combined attempt on these works by the army +and navy. The military force required for the purpose he estimated +at 20,000 men. + +Meanwhile the work of transferring Butler's forces by sea to Ship +Island had been going on with vigor. He had raised thirteen +regiments of infantry, ten batteries of light artillery, and three +troops of cavalry, numbering in all about 13,600 men. To these +were now added from the garrison of Baltimore three regiments, the +21st Indiana, 4th Wisconsin, and 6th Michigan, and the 2d Massachusetts +battery, thus increasing his force to 14,400 infantry, 275 cavalry, +and 580 artillerists; in all, 15,255 officers and men. + +On the 23d of February, 1862, Butler received his final orders: +"The object of your expedition," said McClellan, "is one of vital +importance--the capture of New Orleans. The route selected is up +the Mississippi River, and the first obstacle to be encountered +(perhaps the only one) is in the resistance offered by Forts St. +Philip and Jackson. It is expected that the navy can reduce these +works. Should the navy fail to reduce the works, you will land +your forces and siege-train, and endeavor to breach the works, +silence their guns, and carry them by assault. + +"The next resistance will be near the English bend, where there +are some earthen batteries. Here it may be necessary for you to +land your troops to co-operate with the naval attack, although it +is more than probable that the navy, unassisted, can accomplish +the result. If these works are taken, the city of New Orleans +necessarily falls." + +After obtaining possession of New Orleans, the instructions went +on to say, Butler was to reduce all the works guarding the approaches, +to join with the navy in occupying Baton Rouge, and then to endeavor +to open communication with the northern column by the Mississippi, +always bearing in mind the necessity of occupying Jackson, as soon +as this could safely be done. Mobile was to follow, then Pensacola +and Galveston. By the time New Orleans should have fallen the +government would probably reinforce his army sufficiently to +accomplish all these objects. + +On the same day a new military department was created called the +Department of the Gulf, and Butler was assigned to the command. +Its limits were to comprise all the coast of the Gulf of Mexico +west of Pensacola harbor, and so much of the Gulf States as might +be occupied by Butler's forces. Since the middle of October he +had commanded the expeditionary forces, under the name of the +Department of New England. + +Arriving at Ship Island on the 20th of March, he formally assumed +the command of the Department of the Gulf, announcing Major George +C. Strong as Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff, +Lieutenant Godfrey Weitzel as Chief Engineer, and Surgeon Thomas +Hewson Bache as Medical Director. To these were afterward added +Colonel John Wilson Shaffer as Chief Quartermaster, Colonel John +W. Turner as Chief Commissary, and Captain George A. Kensel as +Acting Assistant Inspector-General and Chief of Artillery. + +By the end of March all the troops destined for the expedition had +landed at Ship Island, with the exception of the 13th Connecticut, +15th Maine, 7th and 8th Vermont regiments, 1st Vermont and 2d +Massachusetts batteries. Within the next fortnight all these troops +joined the force except the 2d Massachusetts battery, which being +detained more than seven weeks at Fortress Monroe, and being nearly +five weeks at sea, did not reach New Orleans until the 21st of May. +Meanwhile, of the six Maine batteries, all except the 1st had been +diverted to other fields of service. + +While awaiting at Ship Island the completion of the preparations +of the navy for the final attempt on the river forts, Butler +proceeded to organize his command and to discipline and drill the +troops composing it. Many of these were entirely without instruction +in any of the details of service. On the 22d of March, he divided +his forces into three brigades of five or six regiments each, attaching +to each brigade one or more batteries of artillery and a troop of +cavalry. These brigades were commanded by Brigadier-Generals John W. +Phelps and Thomas Williams, and Colonel George F. Shepley of the 12th +Maine. When finally assembled the whole force reported about 13,500 +officers and men for duty, and from that moment its strength was +destined to undergo a steady diminution by the natural attrition of +service, augmented, in this case, by climatic influences. + +The fleet under Farragut consisted of seventeen vessels, mounting +154 guns. Four were screw-sloops, one a side-wheel steamer, three +screw corvettes, and nine screw gunboats. Each of the gunboats +carried one 11-inch smooth-bore gun, and one 30-pounder rifle; but +neither of these could be used to fire at an enemy directly ahead, +and, in the operations awaiting the fleet, it is within bounds to +say that not more than one gun in four could be brought to bear at +any given moment. With this fleet were twenty mortar-boats, under +Porter, each carrying one 13-inch mortar, and six gunboats, assigned +for the service of the mortar-boats and armed like the gunboats of +the river fleet. Farragut, with the _Hartford_, had reached Ship +Island on the 20th of February; the rest of the vessels assigned +to his fleet soon followed. Then entering the delta, from that +time he conducted the blockade of the river from the head of the +passes. + +The Confederacy was now being so closely pressed in every quarter +as to make it impossible, with the forces at its command, to defend +effectively and at the same moment every point menaced by the troops +and fleets of the Union. Thus the force that might otherwise have +been employed in defending New Orleans was, under the pressure of +the emergency, so heavily drawn from to strengthen the army at +Corinth, then engaged in resisting the southward advance of the +combined armies of the Union under Halleck, as to leave New Orleans, +and indeed all Louisiana, at the mercy of any enemy that should +succeed in passing the river forts. At this time the entire +land-force, under Major-General Mansfield Lovell, hardly exceeded +5,000 men. Of these, 1,100 occupied Forts Jackson and St. Philip, +under the command of General Duncan; 1,200 held the Chalmette line, +under General Martin L. Smith, and about 3,000, chiefly new levies, +badly armed, were in New Orleans. Besides this small land-force, +the floating defences consisted of four improvised vessels of the +Confederate navy, two belonging to the State of Louisiana, and six +others of what was called the Montgomery fleet. These were boats +specially constructed for the defence of the river, but most of +them had been sent up the river to Memphis to hold off Foote and +Davis. The twelve vessels carried in all thirty-eight guns. Each +of the boats of the river-fleet defence had its bows shod with iron +and its engines protected with cotton. This was also the case with +the two sea-going steamers belonging to the State. Of this flotilla +the most powerful was the iron-clad _Louisiana_, whose armor was +found strong enough to turn an 11-inch shell at short range, and, +as her armament consisted of two 7-inch rifles, three 9-inch shell +guns, four 18-inch shell guns, and seven 6-inch rifles, she might +have proved a formidable foe had her engines been equal to their +work. + +At the Plaquemine Bend, twenty miles above the head of the passes +and ninety below New Orleans, the engineers of the United States +had constructed two permanent fortifications, designed to defend +the entrance of the river against the foreign enemies of the Union. +These formidable works had now to be passed or taken before New +Orleans could be occupied. Fort St. Philip, on the left or north +bank, was a work of brick and earth, flanked on either hand by a +water battery. In the main work were mounted, in barbette, four +8-inch columbiads and one 24-pounder gun; the upper water battery +carried sixteen 24-pounders, the lower one one 8-inch columbiad, +one 7-inch rifle, six 42-pounders, nine 32-pounders, and four +24-pounders. Besides these, there were seven mortars, one of 13-inch +calibre, five of 10-inch, and one of 8-inch. Forty-two of the guns +could be brought to bear upon the fleet ascending the river. + +Fort Jackson, on the south or left bank of the river, was a casemated +pentagon of brick, mounting in the casemates fourteen 24-pounder +guns, and ten 24-pounder howitzers, and in barbette in the upper +tier two 10-inch columbiads, three 8-inch columbiads, one 7-inch +rifle, six 42-pounders, fifteen 32-pounders, and eleven 24-pounders, +in all sixty-two guns. The water battery below the main work was +armed with one 10-inch columbiad, two 8-inch columbiads, and two +rifled 32-pounders. Fifty of these pieces were available against +the fleet, but of the whole armament of one hundred and nine guns, +fifty-six were old 24-pounder smooth-bores. + +The passage of the forts had been obstructed by a raft or chain +anchored between them. The forts once overcome, no other defence +remained to be encountered until English Turn was reached, where +earthworks had been thrown up on both banks. Here at Chalmette, +on the left bank, it was that, in 1815, Jackson, with his handful +of raw levies, so signally defeated Wellington's veterans of the +Peninsula, under the leadership of the fearless Pakenham. + +Fort St. Philip stands about 700 yards higher up the river than +Fort Jackson; the river at this point is about 800 yards wide, and +the distance between the nearest salients of the main works is +about 1,000 yards. A vessel attempting to run the gauntlet of the +batteries would be under fire while passing over a distance of +three and a half miles. The river was now high, and the banks, +everywhere below the river level, and only protected from inundation +by the levees, were overflowed. There was no standing room for an +investing army; the lower guns were under water, and in the very +forts the platforms were awash. + +When the fleet was ready, Butler embarked eight regiments and three +batteries under Phelps and Williams on transports, and, going to +the head of the passes, held his troops in readiness to co-operate +with the navy. On the 16th of April the fleet took up its position. +The mortar-boats, or "bombers," as they began to be called, were +anchored between 3,000 and 4,000 yards below Fort Jackson, upon +which the attack was mainly to be directed. From the view of those +in the fort, the boats that lay under the right bank were covered +by trees. Those on the opposite side of the river were screened, +after a fashion, by covering their hulls with reeds and willows, +cut for the purpose. + +On the 18th of April the bombardment began. It soon became evident +that success was not to be attained in this way, and Farragut +determined upon passing the forts with his fleet. Should he fail +in reducing them by this movement, Butler was to land in the rear +of Fort St. Philip, near Quarantine, and carry the works by storm. +Accordingly, he remained with his transports below the forts, and +waited for the hour. Shepley occupied Ship Island with the rest +of the force. + +Early in March the raft, formed of great cypress trees, forty feet +long and fifty inches through, laid lengthwise in the river about +three feet apart, anchored by heavy chains and strengthened by +massive cross-timbers, had been partly carried away by the flood. +To make good the damage, a number of large schooners had then been +anchored in the gap. On the morning of the 21st of April this +formidable obstruction was cleverly and in a most gallant manner +broken through by the fleet. + +On the night of the 23d of April, Farragut moved to the attack. +His fleet, organized in three divisions of eight, three, and six +vessels respectively, was formed in line ahead. The first division +was led by Captain Bailey, in the _Cayuga_, followed by the +_Pensacola, Mississippi, Oneida, Varuna, Katahdin, Kineo_, and +_Wissahickon;_ the second division followed, composed of Farragut's +flag-ship, the _Hartford_, Commander Richard Wainwright, the +_Brooklyn_, and the _Richmond;_ while the third division, forming +the rear of the column, was led by Captain Bell, in the _Sciota_, +followed by the _Iroquois, Kennebec, Pinola, Itasca,_ and _Winona_. + +At half-past two o'clock on the morning of the 24th of April the +whole fleet was under way; a quarter of an hour later the batteries +of Forts Jackson and St. Philip opened simultaneously upon the +_Cayuga_. It was some time before the navy could reply, but soon +every gun was in action. Beset by perils on every hand, the fleet +pressed steadily up the river. The Confederate boats were destroyed, +the fire-rafts were overcome, the gunners of the forts were driven +from their guns, and when the sun rose Farragut was above the forts +with the whole of his fleet, except the _Itasca, Winona_, and +_Kennebec_, which put back disabled, and the _Varuna_, sunk by the +Confederate gunboats. The next afternoon, having made short work +of Chalmette, Farragut anchored off New Orleans, and held the town +at his mercy. + +The casualties were 37 killed and 147 wounded, in all 184. The +Confederate loss was 50, 11 killed and 39 wounded. The _Louisiana, +McCrea_, and _Defiance_, sole survivors of the Confederate fleet, +escaping comparatively unhurt, took refuge under the walls of Fort +St. Philip. + +Leaving Phelps, with the 30th Massachusetts and 12th Connecticut +and Manning's 4th Massachusetts battery, at the head of the passes, +in order to be prepared to occupy the works immediately on their +surrender, Butler hastened with the rest of his force to Sable +Island in the rear of Fort St. Philip. When the transports came +to anchor on the morning of the 26th, the Confederate flags on +Forts St. Philip and Jackson were plainly visible to the men on +board, while these, in their turn, were seen from the forts. Here +the troops received the news of Farragut's arrival at New Orleans. +On the morning of the 28th they saw the Confederate ram _Louisiana_ +blown up while floating past the forts, and on the same day Jones +landed with the 26th Massachusetts and Paine with two companies of +the 4th Wisconsin and a detachment of the 21st Indiana, to work +their way through a small canal to Quarantine, six miles above Fort +St. Philip, for the purpose of seizing the narrow strip by which +the garrison must escape, if at all. This was only accomplished +by a long and tiresome transport in boats, and finally by wading. +However, at half-past two on the afternoon of the 28th April, the +Confederate flags over Forts Jackson and St. Philip were observed +to disappear; the national ensign floated in their stead; and soon +it became known that Duncan had surrendered to Porter. + +Porter immediately took possession and held it until Phelps came +up the river to relieve him. Then Major Whittemore, of the 30th +Massachusetts, with about two hundred men of his regiment, landed +and took command at Fort St. Philip, while Manning occupied Fort +Jackson. Almost simultaneously the frigate _Mississippi_ came down +the river, bringing Jones with the news that his regiment was at +Quarantine, holding both banks of the river, and thus effectually +sealing the last avenue of escape; for at this time the levee formed +the only pathway. On the 29th Phelps put Deming in command of Fort +Jackson, intending to leave his regiment, the 12th Connecticut, in +garrison there, and to place Dudley, with the 30th Massachusetts, +at Fort St. Philip; but before this arrangement could be carried +out, orders came from Butler, designating the 26th Massachusetts +as the garrison of the two forts, with Jones in command. Phelps, +with his force, was directed to New Orleans. + +On the 1st of May Butler landed at New Orleans and took military +possession of the city. Simultaneously, at five o'clock in the +afternoon, the 31st Massachusetts with a section of Everett's 6th +Massachusetts battery, and six companies of the 4th Wisconsin, +under Paine, disembarked and marched up the broad levee to the +familiar airs that announced the joint coming of "Yankee Doodle" +and of "Picayune Butler." + +The outlying defences on both banks of the river and on the lakes +were abandoned by the Confederates without a struggle. Forts Pike +and Wood, on Lake Pontchartrain, were garrisoned by detachments +from the 7th Vermont and 8th New Hampshire regiments. The 21st +Indiana landed at Algiers, and marching to Brashear, eighty miles +distant on Berwick Bay, took possession of the New Orleans and +Opelousas railway. New Orleans itself was occupied by the 30th +and 31st Massachusetts, the 4th Wisconsin and 6th Michigan, 9th +and 12th Connecticut, 4th and 6th Massachusetts batteries, 2d +Vermont battery, and Troops A and B of the Massachusetts cavalry. +At Farragut's approach Lovell, seeing that further resistance was +useless, abandoned New Orleans to its fate and withdrew to Camp +Moore, distant seventy-eight miles, on the line of the Jackson +railway. + + +CHAPTER II. +THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON VICKSBURG. + +With the capture of New Orleans the first and vital object of the +expedition had been accomplished. The occupation of Baton Rouge +by a combined land and naval force was the next point indicated in +McClellan's orders to Butler. Then he was to endeavor to open +communication with the northern column coming down the Mississippi. +McClellan was no longer General-in-chief; but this part of his plan +represented the settled views of the government. + +On the 2d of May, therefore, Farragut sent Craven with the _Brooklyn_ +and six other vessels of the fleet up the river. On the 8th, as +early as the river transports could be secured, Butler sent Williams +with the 4th Wisconsin and the 6th Michigan regiments, and two +sections of Everett's 6th Massachusetts battery, to follow and +accompany the fleet. The next day Williams landed his force at +Bonnet Carré, on the east bank of the river, about thirty-five +miles above the town. After wading about five miles through a +swamp, where the water and mud were about three feet deep, the +troops halted at night at Frenier, a station of the Jackson railway, +situated on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about ten miles above +Kenner. A detachment of the 4th Wisconsin, under Major Boardman, +was sent to Pass Manchac. The Confederates made a slight but +ineffective resistance with artillery, resulting in trivial losses +on either side. The bridges at Pass Manchac and Frenier being then +destroyed, on the following morning, the 10th, the troops marched +back the weary ten miles along the uneven trestle-work of the +railway from Frenier to Kenner and there took transport. After +their long confinement on shipboard, with scant rations, without +exercise or even freedom of movement, the excessive heat of the +day caused the troops to suffer severely. The embarkation completed, +the transports, under convoy of the navy, set out for Baton Rouge. +There on the morning of the 12th of May the troops landed, the +capitol was occupied by the 4th Wisconsin, and the national colors +were hoisted over the building. The troops then re-embarked for +Vicksburg. + +Natchez surrendered on the 12th of May to Commander S. Phillips +Lee, of the _Oneida_, the advance of Farragut's fleet. On the 18th +of May the _Oneida_ and her consorts arrived off Vicksburg, and +the same day Williams and Lee summoned "the authorities" to surrender +the town and "its defences to the lawful authority of the United +States." To this Brigadier-General Martin L. Smith, commander of +the defences, promptly replied: "Having been ordered here to hold +these defences, my intention is to do so as long as it is in my +power." + +On the 19th the transports stopped for wood at Warrenton, about +ten miles below Vicksburg, and here a detachment of the 4th Wisconsin, +sent to guard the working party, became involved in a skirmish with +the Confederates, in which Sergeant-Major N. H. Chittenden and +Private C. E. Perry, of A Company, suffered the first wounds received +in battle by the troops of the United States in the Department of +the Gulf. The Confederates were easily repulsed, with small loss. + +Almost at the instant when Farragut was decided to run the gauntlet +of the forts, Beauregard had begun to fortify Vicksburg. Up to +this time he had trusted the defence of the river above New Orleans +to Fort Pillow, Helena, and Memphis. + +When Smith took command at Vicksburg on the 12th of May, in accordance +with the orders of Lovell, the department commander, three of the +ten batteries laid out for the defence of the position had been +nearly completed and a fourth had been begun. These batteries were +intended for forty-eight guns from field rifles to 10-inch columbiads. +The garrison was to be 3,000 strong, but at this time the only +troops present were parts of two Louisiana regiments. When the +fleet arrived, on the 18th, six of the ten batteries had been +completed, and two days later twenty-three heavy guns were in place +and the defenders numbered more than 2,600. + +The guns of the navy could not be elevated sufficiently for their +projectiles to reach the Confederate batteries on the bluff, and +the entire land-force, under Williams, was less than 1,100 effectives. +Even had it been possible by a sudden attack to surprise and overcome +the garrison and seize the bluffs, the whole available force of +the Department of the Gulf would have been insufficient to hold +the position for a week, as things then stood. + +The truth is that the northern column with which, following their +orders, Butler and Farragut were now trying to co-operate had +ceased to exist; Jackson meant Beauregard's rear; and, as for any +co-operation between Halleck and Williams, Beauregard stood solidly +between them. On the 17th of April, the day before Porter's mortars +first opened upon Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the whole land +force of this northern column, under Pope, at that moment preparing +for the attack on Fort Pillow, had been withdrawn by imperative +orders from Halleck, and, on the very evening before the attack on +Fort Pillow was to have been made, had gone to swell the great army +assembled under Halleck at Corinth; but as yet neither Butler nor +Farragut knew anything of all this. Save by the tedious roundabout +of Washington, New York, the Atlantic, and the Gulf, there was at +this time no regular or trustworthy means of communication between +the forces descending the Mississippi and those that had just +achieved the conquest of New Orleans and were now ascending the +river to co-operate with the northern column. Thus it was that +a single word, daubed in a rude scrawl upon the walls of the +custom-house, meeting the eyes of Paine's men after they had made +a way into the building with their axes, gave to Butler the first +intelligence of the desperate battle of the 6th and 7th of April, +on which the fate of the whole Union campaign in the West had been +staked, if not imperilled, and which in its result was destined to +change materially the whole course of operations in the Gulf +Department. That word was Shiloh. + +By the 26th of May the _Oneida_ had been joined by the rest of the +fleet, under the personal command of the restless and energetic +flag-officer. On the afternoon of this day the fleet opened fire. +The Confederates replied sparingly, as much to economize their +ammunition and to keep the men fresh, as to avoid giving the Union +commanders information regarding the range and effect of their fire. + +The river was now falling. The _Hartford_ in coming up had already +grounded hard, and so remained helpless for fifty hours, and had +only been got off by incredible exertions. Provisions of all kinds +were running very low. On the 25th of May, after a thorough +reconnoissance, Farragut and Williams decided to give up the attempt +on Vicksburg as evidently impracticable. Farragut left Palmer with +the _Iroquois_ and six gunboats to blockade the river and to amuse +the garrison at Vicksburg by an occasional bombardment in order to +prevent Smith from sending reinforcements to Corinth. + +While Williams was descending the river on the 26th, the transports +were fired into by the Confederate battery on the bluff at Grand +Gulf, sixty miles below Vicksburg. About sixty rounds were fired +in all, many of which passed completely through the transport +_Laurel Hill_, bearing the 4th Wisconsin, part of the 6th Michigan, +and the 6th Massachusetts battery. One private of the 6th Michigan +was killed and Captain Chauncey J. Bassett, of the same regiment, +wounded. The _Ceres_, bearing the remainder of the 6th Michigan +and the 6th Massachusetts battery, was following the _Laurel Hill_ +and was similarly treated. After a stern chase of about twenty +miles, the convoy was overhauled, and the gunboat _Kineo_, returning, +shelled the town and caused the withdrawal of the battery. During +the evening Williams sent four companies of the 4th Wisconsin, +under Major Boardman, to overtake the enemy's battery and break up +the camp, about one mile and a half in the rear of the town. +Boardman came upon the Confederates as they were retiring, and +shots were exchanged. The casualties were few, but Lieutenant +George DeKay, a gallant and attractive young officer, serving as +aide-de-camp to General Williams, received a mortal wound. + +On the 29th the troops under Williams once more landed and took +post at Baton Rouge. During their absence of seventeen days, the +Confederates had improved the opportunity to remove much valuable +property that had been found stored in the arsenal on the occasion +of the first landing of the Union forces. + +On his return to New Orleans Farragut received pressing orders from +the Navy Department to take Vicksburg. He therefore returned with +his fleet, reinforced by a detachment of the mortar flotilla, and +Butler once more despatched Williams, this time with an increased +force, to co-operate. Williams left Baton Rouge on the morning of +the 20th of June with a force composed of the 30th Massachusetts, +9th Connecticut, 7th Vermont, and 4th Wisconsin regiments, Nims's +2d Massachusetts battery and two sections of Everett's 6th +Massachusetts battery. This time a garrison was left to hold Baton +Rouge, consisting of the 21st Indiana and 6th Michigan regiments, +the remaining section of Everett's battery and Magee's Troop C of +the Massachusetts cavalry battalion. On the 22d of June the +transports arrived off Ellis's Cliffs, twelve miles below Natchez, +where Williams found three gunboats waiting to convoy him past the +high ground. Here he landed a detachment consisting of the 30th +Massachusetts regiment and two guns of Nims's battery to turn the +supposed position of two field-pieces said to have been planted by +the Confederates on the bluffs, while a second force, composed of +the 4th Wisconsin, 9th Connecticut, the other two sections of Nims's +battery, and the four guns of Everett's, marched directly forward +up the cliff road. An abandoned caisson or limber was all that +the troops found. + +On the 24th, anticipating more serious resistance from the guns +said to be in position on the bluffs at Grand Gulf, Williams entered +Bayou Pierre with his whole force in the early morning, intending +to strike the crossing, about seventeen miles up the stream, of +the railway from Port Gibson to Grand Gulf, and thence to move +directly on the rear of the town. Half-way up the bayou the boats +were stopped by obstructions and had to back down again. Toward +noon the troops landed and marched on Grand Gulf in two detachments, +one under Paine, consisting of the 4th Wisconsin and 9th Connecticut +regiments and a section of Nims's battery; the other, under Dudley, +embracing the remainder of the force. Paine had a short skirmish +with the enemy near Grand Gulf, and captured eight prisoners, but +their camp, a small one, was found abandoned. The same evening +the troops re-embarked, and on the 25th arrived before Vicksburg. + +The orders from Butler, under which Williams was now acting, required +him to take or burn Vicksburg at all hazards. Here, too, we catch +the first glimpse of the famous canal upon which so much labor was +to be expended during the next year with so little result. "You +will send up a regiment or two at once," Butler said, "and cut off +the neck of land beyond Vicksburg by means of a trench, making a +gap about four feet deep and five feet wide." + +To accomplish this purpose Williams had with him four regiments +and ten guns, making an effective force in all less than three +thousand, rapidly diminished by hard work, close quarters, meagre +rations, and a bad climate nearly at its worst. + +On the 24th of June the _Monarch_, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel +Alfred W. Ellet, arrived in the reach above Vicksburg. This was +one of the nondescript fleet of rams, planned, built, equipped, +and manned, under the orders of the War Department, by Ellet's +elder brother, Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr., but now acting under +the orders of the Commander of the Mississippi fleet. Ellet promptly +sent a party of four volunteers, led by his young nephew, Medical +Cadet Charles R. Ellet, to communicate with Farragut across the +narrow neck of land opposite Vicksburg. This was the first direct +communication between the northern and southern columns. By it +Farragut learned of the abandonment of Fort Pillow by the Confederates +on the 4th of June, and the capture of Memphis on the 6th, after +a hard naval fight, in which nearly the whole Confederate fleet +was taken or destroyed. There Charles Ellet was mortally wounded. +When the _Monarch_ party went back to their vessel, they bore with +them a letter from Farragut, the contents of which being promptly +made known by Ellet to Davis, brought that officer, with his fleet, +at once to Vicksburg. On the following day, June 25th, a detachment +of the 4th Wisconsin, sent up the river overland by Colonel Paine, +succeeded in establishing a second communication with the _Monarch_, +believing it to be the first. + +Farragut's fleet, now anchored below Vicksburg, comprised the +flagship _Hartford_, the sloops-of-war _Brooklyn_ and _Richmond_, +the corvettes _Iroquois_ and _Oneida_, and six gunboats. Porter +had joined with the _Octorara, Miami_, six other steamers, and +seventeen of the mortar schooners. The orders of the government +were peremptory that the Mississippi should be cleared. The +Confederates held the river by a single thread. The fall of Memphis +and the ruin of the famous river-defence fleet left between St. +Louis and the Gulf but a solitary obstruction. This was Vicksburg. + +Vicksburg stand at an abrupt turn, where within ten miles the +winding river doubles upon itself, forming on the low ground opposite +a long finger of land, barely three quarters of a mile wide. +Opposite the extreme end of this peninsula, known as De Soto, the +bluff reaches the highest point attained along the whole course of +the river, the crest standing about 250 feet above the mean stage +of water. Sloping slowly toward the river, the bluff follows it +with a diminished altitude for two miles. Here stands the town of +Vicksburg, then a place of about ten thousand inhabitants. Below +the town the bluffs draw away from the river until, about four +miles beyond the bend, their height diminishes to about 150 feet. +For the defence of this line, as has been already seen, a formidable +series of batteries had been constructed, extending from the bluff +at the mouth of Chickasaw Bayou on the north to Warrenton on the +south. These batteries now mounted twenty-six heavy guns, served +by gunners comparatively well trained and instructed, and supported +against an attack by land by about 6,000 infantry under Lovell. +Almost simultaneously with the arrival of Farragut and Williams, +came Breckinridge with his division, augmenting the effective force +of the defenders to not less than 10,000. On the 30th of May +Beauregard evacuated Corinth and drew back to Tupelo; Halleck did +not follow; and so 35,000 Confederates were now set free to strengthen +Vicksburg. Thus defended and supported Vicksburg was obviously +impregnable to any attack by the combined forces of Farragut and +Williams. On the 28th of June, Van Dorn arrived and took command +of the Confederate forces. + +After some preliminary bombarding and reconnoitring Farragut, who +was well informed as to the condition of the defences, determined +upon repeating before Vicksburg his exploit below New Orleans. +Accordingly, on the 28th of July, in the darkness of the early +morning, under cover of the fire of Porter's mortar flotilla, +Farragut got under way with his fleet to pass the batteries of +Vicksburg. The fleet was formed in two columns, with wide intervals, +the starboard column led by the _Hartford_, the port column by the +_Iroquois_. The battle was opened by the mortars at four o'clock, +the enemy replying instantly. By six o'clock the _Hartford_ and +six of her consorts had successfully run the gauntlet, and lay safely +anchored above the bend, while the rest of the fleet, through some +confusion of events or misapprehension of orders, had resumed its +former position below the bend. The losses of the navy in this +engagement were fifteen killed and thirty wounded, including many +scalded by the effect of a single shot that pierced the boiler of +the _Clifton_. The eight rifled guns of Nims's and Everett's +batteries having been landed, were placed in position behind the +levee at Barney's Point, and replied effectively to the fire of +the heavy guns on the high bluff, at a range of about fourteen +hundred yards. This slight service was the only form of active +co-operation by the army that the circumstances admitted; yet all the +troops stood to arms, ready to do any thing that might be required. + +On the 1st of July Davis joined Farragut with four gunboats and +six mortar-boats of the Mississippi fleet. On the 9th Farragut +received orders from the Navy Department, dated on the 5th, and +forwarded by way of Cairo, to send Porter with the _Octorara_ and +twelve mortar-boats at once to Hampton Roads. Porter steamed down +the river on the 10th. This was obviously one of the first-fruits +of the campaign of the Peninsula just ended by the withdrawal of +the Army of the Potomac to the James. Indeed, at this crisis, all +occasions seemed to be informing against the Union plan of campaign, +and the same events that drew the Confederate armies together served +to draw the Union armies apart. Just as we have seen Pope called +away from Fort Pillow on the eve of an attack that must have resulted +in its capture, and taken in haste to swell the slow march of +Halleck's army before Corinth, so now, when for a full month Corinth +had been abandoned by the Confederates, Halleck's forces were being +broken up and dispersed to all four of the winds, save that which +might have blown them to the south. Halleck declared himself unable +to respond to Farragut's urgent appeal for help. "I cannot," he +said, when urged by Stanton; "I am sending reinforcements to General +Curtis, in Arkansas, and to General Buell, in Tennessee and Kentucky." +Not only this, but he was being called upon by Lincoln himself for +25,000 troops to reinforce the Army of the Potomac before Richmond. +"Probably I shall be able to do so," Halleck told Farragut, "as +soon as I can get my troops more concentrated. This may delay the +clearing of the river, but its accomplishment will be certain in +a few weeks." + +Meanwhile Williams was hard at work on the canal. In addition to +such details as could be furnished by the troops without wholly +neglecting the absolutely necessary portions of their military +duties, Williams had employed a force of about 1,200 negroes, rather +poorly provided with tools. The work was not confined to excavation, +but involved the cutting down of the large cottonwoods and the +clearing away of the dense masses of willows that covered the low +ground and matted the heavy soil with their tangled roots. By the +4th of July the excavation had reached a depth in the hard clay of +nearly seven feet. The length of the canal was about one and a +half miles. By the 11th of July the cut, originally intended to +be four feet deep and five feet wide, with a profile of twenty +square feet, had been excavated through this stiff clay to a depth +of thirteen feet and a width of eighteen feet, presenting a profile +of 234 feet. The river, which, up to this time, had been falling +more rapidly than the utmost exertions had been able to sink the +bottom of the canal, had now begun to fall more slowly, so that at +last the grade was about eighteen inches below the river level. +In a few hours the water was to have been let in. Suddenly the +banks began to cave, and before any thing could be done to remedy +this, the river, still falling, was once more below the bottom of +the cut. Although with this scanty and overworked force he had +already performed nearly twelve times the amount of labor originally +contemplated, Williams does not seem to have been discouraged at +this; his orders were to make the cut, and his purpose clearly was +to make it, even if it should take, as he thought it would, the +whole of the next three months. He set to work with vigor to +collect laborers, wheelbarrows, shovels, axes, carts, and scrapers, +and "to make a real canal," to use his own words, "to the depth of +the greatest fall of the river at this point, say some thirty-five +to forty feet." But this was not to be. + +Until toward the end of June, the _Polk_ and _Livingston_, the last +vestiges of the Confederate navy on the Mississippi spared from +the general wreck at Memphis, lay far up the Yazoo River, with a +barrier above them, designed to cover the building of the ram +_Arkansas_. This formidable craft was approaching completion at +Yazoo City. The Ellets, uncle and nephew, with the _Monarch_ and +_Lancaster_, steamed up the Yazoo River to reconnoitre. The rams +carried no armament whatever, but this the Confederate naval +commander in the Yazoo did not know; so, unable to pass the barrier, +he set fire to his three gunboats immediately on perceiving Ellet's +approach. On the 14th of July, Flag-Officers Farragut and Davis +sent the gunboats _Carondelet_ and _Tyler_, and the ram _Queen of +the West_, on a second expedition up the Yazoo to gain information +of the _Arkansas_. This object was greatly facilitated by the fact +that the _Arkansas_ had at this very moment just got under way for +the first time, and was coming down the Yazoo to gather information +of the Federal fleet. The _Arkansas_, which had been constructed +and was now commanded by Captain Isaac N. Brown, formerly of the +United States Navy, was, for defensive purposes, probably the most +effective of all the gunboats ever set afloat by the Confederacy +upon the western waters. Her deck was covered by a single casemate +protected by three inches of railroad iron, set aslant like a gable +roof, and heavily backed up with timber and cotton bales. Her +whole bow formed a powerful ram; the shield, flat on the top, was +pierced for ten guns of heavy calibre, three in each broadside, +two forward, and two aft. Had her means of propulsion proved equal +to her power of attack and defence, it is doubtful if the whole +Union navy on the Mississippi could have stood against her +single-handed. The situation thus strangely recalls that presented by +the _Merrimac_, or _Virginia_, in Hampton Roads before the opportune +arrival of the _Monitor_. On board the _Tyler_ was a detachment +of twenty sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin regiment, under Captain +J. W. Lynn, and on the _Carondelet_ were twenty men of the 30th +Massachusetts regiment, under Lieutenant E. A. Fiske. About six +miles above the Yazoo the Union gunboats encountered the _Arkansas_. +The unarmed ram _Queen of the West_ promptly fled. After a hard +fight the _Carondelet_ was disabled and run ashore, and the _Tyler_ +was forced to retire, with the _Arkansas_ in pursuit. The +sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin suffered more severely than if +they had been engaged in an ordinary pitched battle, Captain Lynn +and six of his men being killed and six others wounded. + +The _Queen of the West_, flying out of the mouth of the Yazoo under +a full head of steam, gave to the fleet at anchor the first +intimation, though perhaps a feeble one, of what was to follow. +Not one vessel of either squadron had steam. The ram _Bragg_, +which might have been expected to do something, did nothing. The +_Arkansas_, so seriously injured by the guns of the _Carondelet_ +and _Tyler_ that the steam pressure had gone from 120 pounds to +the square inch down to 20 pounds, kept on her course, and proceeded +to run the gauntlet of the Union fleet, giving and taking blows as +she went. Battered, but safe, she soon lay under the guns of +Vicksburg. + +This decided the fate of the campaign, and extinguished in the +breast of Farragut the last vestige of the ardent hope he had +expressed to the government a few days earlier that he might soon +have the pleasure of recording the combined attack of the army and +navy, for which all so ardently longed. The river was falling; +the canal was a failure. Of the officers and men of the army, two +fifths, and of the effective force of the army nearly three fourths, +were on the sick-list. There was no longer any thing to hope for +or to wait on. The night that followed the exploit of the _Arkansas_ +saw Farragut's fleet descending the river and once more running +the gauntlet of the batteries of Vicksburg. A flying attempt was +made by each vessel in succession, but by all unsuccessfully, to +destroy the offending _Arkansas_. + +On the 24th of July, Williams, with his small force, under convoy +of Farragut's fleet, sailed down the river. So ended the second +attempt on Vicksburg, usually called the first, when remembered. +Its sudden collapse gave the Confederates the river for another +year. + + +CHAPTER III. +BATON ROUGE. + +On the 26th of July, the troops landed at Baton Rouge. In the five +weeks that had elapsed since their departure their effective strength +had been diminished, by privations, by severe labor, and by the +effects of a deadly climate, from 3,200 to about 800. For more +than three months, ever since their re-embarkation at Ship Island +on the 10th of April, they had undergone hardships such as have +seldom fallen to the lot of soldiers, in a campaign whose existence +is scarcely known and whose name has been wellnigh forgotten; but +their time for rest and recreation had not yet come. + +No sooner did Van Dorn see the allied fleets of Davis and Farragut +turning their backs on one another and steaming one to the north +and the other to the south, than he determined to take the initiative. +His preparations had been already made in anticipation of this +event. He now ordered Breckinridge to hasten with his division to +the attack of Baton Rouge, and even as the fleet got under way, +the train bearing Breckinridge's troops was also in motion. + +Breckinridge received his orders on the 26th, and arrived at Camp +Moore by the railway on the 28th. At Jackson he had been told that +he would receive rations sufficient for ten days, but he could get +no more than half the quantity. Van Dorn had estimated the Union +force to be met at Baton Rouge as about 5,000, and had calculated +that Breckinridge would find himself strong enough to dislodge the +Union army and drive it away. In fact, Van Dorn estimated +Breckinridge's division, including 1,000 men under Brigadier-General +Ruggles that were to meet him at Camp Moore, at 6,000 men. The +_Arkansas_ was to join in the attack, and she was justly considered +a full offset to any naval force the Union commander would be likely +to have stationed at Baton Rouge. Breckinridge left Vicksburg with +less than 4,000. On the 30th of July he reports his total effective +force, including Ruggles, at 3,600. The same day he marched on +Baton Rouge, and on the 4th of August encamped at the crossing of +the Comite, distant about ten miles from his objective. His morning +report of that day shows but 3,000 effectives, according to the +methods by which effective strength was commonly counted by the +Confederates. + +The distance from Camp Moore to Baton Rouge is about sixty miles, +and the march had been thus retarded to await the co-operation of +the _Arkansas_. This Breckinridge was finally assured he might +expect at daylight on the morning of the 5th of August. The +_Arkansas_ had in fact left Vicksburg on the 3d. + +Van Dorn's object obviously was by crushing Williams to regain +control of the Mississippi from Vicksburg to Baton Rouge, to break +the blockade of Red River and to open the way for the recapture of +New Orleans. Williams was expecting the attack and awaited the +result with calmness. + +At Baton Rouge the Mississippi washes for the last time the base +of the high and steep bluffs that for so many hundreds of miles +have followed the coasts of the great river and formed the contour +of its left bank, overlooking its swift yellow waters and the vast +lowlands of the western shore. The bluff is lower at Baton Rouge +than it is above and slopes more gently to the water's edge; and +here the highland draws back from the river and gradually fades +away in a southeasterly direction toward the Gulf, while the surface +of the country becomes more open and less broken. The stiff +post-tertiary clays that compose the soil of these bluffs were in +many places covered with a rich growth of timber, great magnolias +and beautiful live oaks replacing the rank cottonwood and tangled +willows of the lowlands, as well as the giant cypresses of the +impenetrable swamps, with their mournful hangings of Spanish moss, +and the wild grape binding them fast in a deadly embrace. + +Six roads led out of the town in various directions. Of these the +most northerly was the road from Bayou Sara. Passing behind the +town its course continued toward the south along the river. Between +these outstretched arms ran the road to Clinton, the Greenwell +Springs road, by which the Confederates had come, the Perkins road, +and the Clay Cut road. + +In numbers the opposing forces were nearly equal. The Confederates +went into action with about 2,600, without counting the partisan +rangers and militia, numbering 400 or 500 more. Williams had about +2,500 fighting men. He had eighteen guns, the Confederates eleven. +On both sides the men were enfeebled by malaria and exposure; yet +the Confederates had left their sick behind, while the Union force +included convalescents that came out of the hospital to take part +in the battle. "There were not 1,200," said Weitzel after the +battle, "who could have marched five miles. None of our men had +been in battle; very few had been under fire." Among the Confederates +were many of the veterans of Shiloh and more of the triumphant +defenders of Vicksburg. The advantages of position was slight on +either side. On the one hand Williams was forced to post his left +with regard to the expected attack of the _Arkansas_, so that in +the centre his line fell behind the camps. To offset this his +right rested securely on the gunboats. As it turned out the +_Arkansas_ was not encountered, and the gunboats told off to meet +her were therefore able to render material assistance on the left +by their oblique fire across Williams' front. + +Breckinridge commanded four picked brigades, three selected from +his own division and one of Martin L. Smith's Vicksburg brigades, +the whole organized in two divisions, under Brigadier-Generals +Charles Clark and Daniel Ruggles. Clark had the brigades of +Brigadier-General Bernard H. Helm and Colonel Thomas B. Smith, of +the 20th Tennessee, with the Hudson battery and Cobb's battery. +Ruggles had the brigades of Colonel A. P. Thompson, of the 3d +Kentucky, and Colonel Henry W. Allen, of the 4th Louisiana, with +Semmes's battery. From right to left the order of attack ran, +Helm, Smith, Thompson, Allen. Clark moved on the right of the +Greenwell Springs road, and Ruggles on the left. Scott's cavalry +was posted on the extreme left, four guns of Semmes's battery +occupied the centre of Ruggles's division, while in Clark's centre +were the four guns of the Hudson battery and one of Cobb's; the +other two having been disabled in a panic during the night march +before the battle. On the extreme right the Clinton road was +picketed and held by a detachment of infantry and rangers and the +remaining section of Semmes's battery. + +To meet the expected attack, Williams had posted his troops in rear +of the arsenal and of the town, occupying an irregular line, +generally parallel to the Bayou Sara road, and extending from the +Bayou Grosse, on the left, to and beyond the intersection of the +Perkins and Clay Cut roads, on the right. On the extreme left, +behind the Bayou Grosse, was the 4th Wisconsin, commanded by +Lieutenant-Colonel Bean. Next, but on the left bank of the bayou, +stood the 9th Connecticut. Next, and on the left of the Greenwell +Springs road, the 14th Maine. On the right of that road was posted +the 21st Indiana, under Lieutenant-Colonel Keith, with three guns +attached to the regiment, under Lieutenant J. H. Brown. Across +the Perkins and Clay Cut roads the 6th Michigan was formed, under +command of Captain Charles E. Clarke, while in the rear of the +interval between the 6th Michigan and the 21st Indiana stood the +7th Vermont. The extreme right and rear were covered by the 30th +Massachusetts in column, supporting Nims's battery, under Lieutenant +Trull. On the centre and left were planted the guns of Everett's +battery, under Carruth, and of Manning's 4th Massachusetts battery. + +The left flank was supported by the _Essex_, Commander William D. +Porter; the _Cayuga_, Lieutenant Harrison; and the _Sumter_, +Lieutenant Erben; the right flank by the _Kineo_, Lieutenant-Commander +Ransom, and _Katahdin_, Lieutenant Roe. + +These dispositions were planned expressly to meet the expected +attack by the ram _Arkansas_, and in that view the arrangement was +probably the best that the formation of the ground permitted. But +the fighting line was very far advanced; the camps still farther; +the reserve on the right was posted quite a mile and a half behind +the capitol, and, as at Shiloh, no portion of the line was fortified +or protected in any way, though the field was an open plain and +the converging roads gave to the attacking party a wide choice of +position. + +About daylight Breckinridge moved to the attack in a summer fog so +dense that those engaged could at first distinguish neither friend +nor enemy. The blow fell first, and heavily, upon the centre and +right, held by the 14th Maine, 21st Indiana, and 6th Michigan. As +our troops were pressed back by the vigor of the first onset, the +exposed camps of the 14th Maine, 7th Vermont, and 21st Indiana fell +into the hands of the Confederates. The 9th Connecticut, with +Manning's battery, moved to the support of the 14th Maine and 21st +Indiana, on the right of the former, and the 4th Wisconsin formed +on the left of the 14th. Further to the right, the 30th Massachusetts +advanced to the support of the 21st Indiana and 6th Michigan, +covering the interval between the two battalions to replace the +7th Vermont. In the first fighting in the darkness and the fog +this regiment had been roughly handled; its colonel fell, a momentary +confusion followed, and the regiment drifted back into a convenient +position, where it was soon reformed, under Captain Porter. Nims +brought his guns into battery on the right of the 6th Michigan. + +The battle was short, but the fighting was severe; both sides +suffered heavily, and each fell into some disorder. At different +moments both wings of the Confederate force were broken, and fell +back in something not very unlike panic. The colors of the 4th +Louisiana were captured by the 6th Michigan. As the fog lifted, +under the influence of the increasing heat, it became clear to both +sides that the attack had failed. The force of the fierce Confederate +outset was quite spent. The Union lines, however thinned and +shattered, remained in possession of the prize. "It was now ten +o'clock," says Breckinridge. "We had listened in vain for the guns +of the _Arkansas_: I saw around me not more than 1,000 exhausted +men." The battle was over. Indeed it had been over for some hours; +these words probably indicate the period when the Confederate +commander gave up his last hope. + +The _Arkansas_, disabled within sight of the goal by an accident +to her machinery, was run ashore and destroyed by her commander to +save her from capture. The Confederate losses were about 84 killed, +313 wounded, and 56 missing; total, 453. Clark was severely wounded +and made prisoner. Allen was killed, and two other brigade commanders +wounded. Helm, Hunt, and Thompson had been previously disabled by +an accident during the night panic. + +The Union losses were 84 killed, 266 wounded, and 33 missing; total, +383. The heaviest loss fell upon the 21st Indiana, which suffered +126 casualties, and upon the 14th Maine, which reported 118. Of +the killed, 36, or nearly one half, belonged to the 14th Maine, +while more than two thirds of the killed and nearly two thirds of +the total belonged to that regiment and the 21st Indiana. The 4th +Wisconsin, being posted quite to the left of the point of attack, +was not engaged. + +Colonel G. T. Roberts, of the 7th Vermont, fell early in the action, +and near its close Williams was instantly killed while urging his +men to the attack. In him his little brigade lost the only commander +present of experience in war; the country, a brave and accomplished +soldier. If he was, as must be confessed, arbitrary, at times +unreasonable, and often harsh, in his treatment of his untrained +volunteers, yet many who then thought his discipline too severe to +be endured, lived to know, and by their conduct vindicate, the +value of his training. + +The Confederates appear to have suffered to some extent during the +last attack, until the lines drew too near together, from the fire +of the _Essex_ and her consorts. Ransom also speaks of having +shelled the enemy with great effect during the afternoon from the +_Kineo_ and _Katahdin_, accurately directed by signals from the +capitol; but no other account even mentions any firing at that +period of the day; the effect cannot, therefore, have been severe, +and it seems probable that the troops against whom it was directed +may have been some outlying party. + +Cahill's seniority entitled him to the command after Williams fell, +yet during the remainder of the battle Dudley seems to have commanded +the troops actually engaged. Shortly after the close of the action +Cahill assumed the command and sent word to Butler of the state of +affairs. + +The Confederates were still to be seen upon the field of battle. +Their force was naturally enough over-estimated. Another attack +was expected during the afternoon, and reinforcements were urgently +called for. Butler had none to give without putting New Orleans +itself in peril. However, during the evening he determined to +release from arrest a number of officers who had been deprived of +their swords by Williams at various times, and for various causes, +mainly growing out of the confused and as yet rather unsettled +policy of the government in reference to the treatment of the +negroes, and to send all these officers to Baton Rouge. Among them +were Colonel Paine of the 4th Wisconsin and Colonel Clark of the +6th Michigan. Since the 11th of June Paine had been in arrest; an +arrest of a character peculiar and perhaps unprecedented in the +history of armies. Whenever danger was to be faced, or unusual +duty to be performed, he might wear his sword and command his men, +but the moment the duty or the danger was at an end he must go back +into arrest. Paine, who was an extremely conscientious officer, +as well as a man of high character and firmness of purpose, had +from the first taken strong ground against the use of any portion +of his force in aid of the claims of the master to the service of +the slave. Williams, strict in his idea of obedience due his +superiors, not less than in his notions of obedience due to him by +his own inferiors in rank, stood upon his construction of the law +and the orders of the War Department, as they then existed; hence +in the natural course of events inevitably arose more than one +irreconcilable difference of opinion. Paine was now ordered to go +at once to Baton Rouge and take command. He was told by Butler to +burn the town and the capitol. The library, the paintings, the +statuary, and the relics were to be spared, as well as the charitable +institutions of the town. The books, the paintings, and the statue +of Washington, he was to send to New Orleans; he was then to evacuate +Baton Rouge and retire with his whole force to New Orleans. + +At midnight on the 6th of August Paine arrived at Baton Rouge. +There he found every thing quiet, with the troops in camp on an +interior and shorter line, but expecting another attack. There +was in fact an alarm before morning came, but nothing happened. +On the 7th Paine took command and set about putting the town in +complete condition for an effective defence. With his accustomed +care and energy he soon rectified the lines and entrenched them +with twenty-four guns in position, and, in co-operation with the +navy, concerted every measure for an effective defence, even against +large numbers. + +Breckinridge, however, after continuing to menace Baton Rouge for +some days, had, by Van Dorn's orders, retired to Port Hudson, and +was now engaged in fortifying that position. Ruggles was sent +there on the 12th of August. The next day Breckinridge received +orders from Van Dorn, then at Jackson, to follow with his whole +force. "Port Hudson," Van Dorn said, "must be held if possible." +"Port Hudson," remarks Breckinridge, in his report of the battle +of Baton Rouge, "is one of the strongest points on the Mississippi, +which Baton Rouge is not, and batteries there will command the +river more completely than at Vicksburg." + +Meanwhile Butler had changed his mind with regard to the evacuation +of Baton Rouge, and had directed Paine to hold the place for the +present. With an accuracy unusual at this period, Butler estimated +Breckinridge's entire force at 5,000 men and fourteen guns. On +the 13th the defences were complete, the entrenchments forming two +sides of a triangle of which the river was the base and the cemetery +mound the apex. The troops stood to arms at three o'clock every +morning; one fourth of the force was constantly under arms, day +and night, at its station. At two points on each face of the +entrenchment flags were planted by day and lights by night, to +indicate to the gunboats their line of fire. + +On the 16th of August Butler renewed his orders to burn and evacuate +Baton Rouge. Its retention up to this time he had avowedly regarded +as having political rather than military importance. Now he wrote +to Paine: "I am constrained to come to the conclusion that it is +necessary to evacuate Baton Rouge. . . . Begin the movement quietly +and rapidly; get every thing off except your men, and then see to +it that the town is destroyed. After mature deliberation I deem +this a military necessity of the highest order." + +Against these orders Paine made an earnest appeal, based upon +considerations partly humane, partly military. He was so far +successful that Butler was induced to countermand the order to +burn. The movement was not to be delayed on account of the statue +of Washington. However, the statue had been already packed. It +is now in the Patent Office at the national capital. All the books +and paintings were brought off, "except," to quote from Paine's +diary, "the portrait of James Buchanan, which we left hanging in +the State House for his friends." Finally, on the 20th, Paine +evacuated Baton Rouge, and on the following day reached the lines +of Carrollton, known as Camp Parapet, and turned over his command +to Phelps. + + +CHAPTER IV. +LA FOURCHE. + +On the 22d of August Paine was assigned to the command of what was +called the "reserve brigade" of a division under Phelps. The +brigade was composed of the 4th Wisconsin, 21st Indiana, and 14th +Maine, with Brown's battery attached to the Indiana regiment. +But this was not to last, for the tension that had long existed +between Phelps and the department commander, on the subject of the +treatment of the negroes, as well as on the question of arming +and employing them, finally resulted in Phelps's resignation on +the 21st of August. On the 13th of September he was succeeded by +Brigadier-General Thomas W. Sherman, himself recently relieved +from command of the Department of the South, partly, perhaps, in +consequence of differences of opinion of a like character. + +On the 29th of September the division, then known as Sherman's, +was reorganized, and Paine took command of the 1st brigade, composed +of the 4th Wisconsin, 21st Indiana, and 8th New Hampshire regiments +with the 1st and 2d Vermont batteries and Brown's guns of the 21st +Indiana. Paine's command also included Camp Parapet. These lines +had been originally laid out by the Confederates for the defence +of New Orleans against an attack by land from the north; as, for +example, by a force approaching through Lake Pontchartrain and Pass +Manchac. They were now put in thorough order, and the Indianians, +who had received some artillery instruction during their term of +service at Fort McHenry, completed the foundation for the future +service as heavy artillerists by going back to the big guns. In +October and November the 8th New Hampshire and 21st Indiana were +transferred to Weitzel's brigade and were replaced in Paine's by +the 2d Louisiana and temporarily by the 12th Maine. + +The official reports covering this period afford several strong +hints of a Confederate plan for the recapture of New Orleans. With +this object, apparently, Richard Taylor, a prominent and wealthy +Louisianian, closely allied to Jefferson Davis by his first marriage +with the daughter of Zachary Taylor, was made a major-general in +the Confederate army, and on the 1st of August was assigned to +command the Confederate forces in Western Louisiana. It seems +likely that the troops of Van Dorn's department, as well as those +at Mobile, were expected to take part. + +On the 8th of August orders were issued by the War Department +transferring the district of West Florida to the Department of the +Gulf. West Florida meant Pensacola. Fort Pickens, on the sands +of Santa Rosa, commanding the entrance to the splendid harbor, owed +to the loyalty of a few staunch officers of the army and the navy +the proud distinction of being the one spot between the Chesapeake +and the Rio Grande over which, in spite of all hostile attempts, +the ensign of the nation had never ceased to float; for the works +at Key West and the Dry Tortugas, though likewise held, were never +menaced. Though Bragg early gathered a large force for the capture +of the fort, the only serious attempt, made in the dawn of the 9th +of October, 1861, was repulsed with a loss to the Confederates of +87, to the Union troops of 61. Of these, the 6th New York had 9 +killed, 7 wounded, 11 missing--in all, 27. In December the 75th +New York came down from the North to reinforce the defenders. +Finally, after learning the fate of New Orleans, Bragg evacuated +Pensacola, and burned his surplus stores, and on the 10th of May, +1862, Porter, seeing from the passes the glare of the flames, ran +over and anchored in the bay. The advantage thus gained was held +to the end. + +This transfer gave Butler two strong infantry regiments, as well +as several fine batteries and companies of the regular artillery, +but at the same time correspondingly increased the territory he +had to guard, already far too extensive and too widely scattered +for the small force at his disposal. + +Toward the end of September Lieutenant Godfrey Weitzel, of the +engineers, having been made a brigadier-general on Butler's +recommendation, a promotion more than usually justified by service +and talent, a brigade was formed for him called the Reserve Brigade, +and consisting of the 12th and 13th Connecticut, 75th New York, +and 8th New Hampshire, Carruth's 6th Massachusetts battery, Thompson's +1st Maine battery, Perkins's Troop C of the Massachusetts cavalry, +and three troops of Louisiana cavalry under Williamson. From that +time, through all the changes, which were many and frequent, +Weitzel's brigade changed less than any thing else, and its history +may almost be said to be the military history of the Department. + +Taylor, with his accustomed energy and enthusiasm, had collected +and organized a force, primarily for the defence of the La Fourche +country and the Teche, ultimately for the offensive operations +already planned. Butler at once committed to Weitzel the preparations +for dislodging Taylor and occupying La Fourche. This object was +important, not only to secure the defence of New Orleans, but +because the territory to be occupied comprised or controlled the +fertile region between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya. The +country lies low and flat, and is intersected by numerous navigable +bayous, with but narrow roadways along their banks and elsewhere +none. Without naval assistance, the operation would have been +difficult, if not impossible; and the navy had in Louisiana no +gunboats of a draught light enough for the service. With the funds +of the army Butler caused four light gunboats, the _Estrella, +Calhoun, Kinsman,_ and _Diana,_ to be quietly built and equipped, +the navy furnishing the officers and the crews. Under Commander +McKean Buchanan they were then sent by the gulf to Berwick Bay. + +When he was ready, Weitzel took transports, under convoy of the +_Kineo, Sciota, Katahdin,_ and _Itasca_, landed below Donaldsonville, +entered the town, and on the 27th of October moved on Thibodeaux, +the heart of the district. At Georgia Landing, about two miles +above Labadieville, he encountered the Confederates under Mouton, +consisting of the 18th and 33d Louisiana, the Crescent and Terre +Bonne regiments, with Ralston's and Semmes's batteries and the 2d +Louisiana cavalry, in all reported by Mouton as 1,392 strong. They +had taken up a defensive position on both sides of the bayou. +Along these bayous the standing room is for the most part narrow; +and as the land, although low, is in general heavily wooded and +crossed by many ditches of considerable depth, the country affords +defensive positions at once stronger and more numerous than are to +be found in most flat regions. Small bodies of troops, familiar +with the topography, have also this further advantage, that there +are few points from which their position and numbers can be easily +made out. + +After a short but spirited engagement Mouton's force was compelled +to retreat. Weitzel pursued for about four miles. + +Mouton then called in his outlying detachments, including the La +Fourche regiment, 500 strong, 300 men of the 33d Louisiana, and +the regiments of Saint Charles and St. John Baptist, burned the +railway station of Terre Bonne and the bridges at Thibodeaux, La +Fourche Crossing, Terre Bonne, Des Allemands, and Bayou Boeuf, and +evacuated the district. By the 30th, every thing was safely across +Berwick Bay. For this escape, he was indebted to an opportune gale +that compelled Buchanan's gunboats to lie to in Caillou Bay on +their way to Berwick Bay, to cut off the retreat. Mouton's report +accounts for 5 killed, 8 wounded, and 186 missing; in all 199. +Among the killed was Colonel G. P. McPheeters of the Crescent +regiment. + +Weitzel followed to Thibodeaux, and went into camp beyond the town. +He claims to have taken 208 prisoners and one gun, and states his +own losses as 18 killed, and 74 wounded, agreeing with the nominal +lists, which also contain the names of 5 missing, thus bringing +the total casualties to 97. + +Arriving off Brashear a day too late, Buchanan was partly consoled +by capturing the Confederate gunboat _Seger_. On the 4th and 5th +of November he made a reconnoissance fourteen miles up the Teche +with his own boat, the _Calhoun_, and the _Estrella, Kinsman, Saint +Mary's_, and _Diana_, and meeting a portion of Mouton's forces and +the Confederate gunboat _J. A. Cotton_, received and inflicted some +damage and slight losses, yet with no material result. + +Simultaneously with Weitzel's movement on La Fourche, Butler pushed +the 8th Vermont and the newly organized 1st Louisiana Native Guards +forward from Algiers along the Opelousas Railway, to act in +conjunction with Weitzel and to open the railway as they advanced. +Weitzel had already turned the enemy out of his position, but the +task committed to Thomas was slow and hard, for all the bridges +and many culverts had to be rebuilt, and from long disuse of the +line the rank grass, that in Louisiana springs up so freely in +every untrodden spot above water, had grown so tall and thick and +strongly matted that the troops had to pull it up by the roots +before the locomotive could pass. + +So ended operations in Louisiana for the year. Until the following +spring, Taylor continued to occupy the Teche region, while Weitzel +rested quietly in La Fourche, with his headquarters at Thibodeaux +and his troops so disposed as to cover and hold the country without +losing touch. On the 9th of November, the whole of Louisiana lying +west of the Mississippi, except the delta parishes of Plaquemine +and Terre Bonne, was constituted a military district to be known +as the District of La Fourche, and Weitzel was assigned to the +command. + +Meanwhile General Butler, with the consent of the War Department, +had raised, organized, and equipped, in the neighborhood of New +Orleans, two good regiments of Louisianans, the 1st Louisiana, Colonel +Richard E. Holcomb, and the 2d Louisiana, Colonel Charles J. Paine, +both regiments admirably commanded and well officered; three +excellent troops of Louisiana cavalry, under fine leaders, Captains +Henry F. Williamson, Richard Barrett, and J. F. Godfrey; and beside +these white troops, three regiments of negroes, designated as the +1st, 2d, and 3d Louisiana Native Guards. This was the name originally +employed by Governor Moore early in 1861, to describe an organization +of the free men of color of New Orleans enrolled for the defence +of the city against the expected attack by the forces of the Union. + +This action was taken by Butler of his own motion. It was never +formally approved by the government, but it was not interfered +with. These three regiments were the first negro troops mustered +into the service of the United States. At least one of them, the +1st, was largely made up of men of that peculiar and exclusive +caste known to the laws of slavery as the free men of color of +Louisiana. All the field and staff officers were white men, mainly +taken from the rolls of the troops already in service; but at first +all the company officers were negroes. As this was the first +experiment, it was perhaps, in the state of feeling then prevailing, +inevitable, yet not the less to be regretted, that the white officers +were, with some notable exceptions, inferior men. Fortunately, +however, courts-martial and examining boards made their career for +the most part a short one. As for the colored officers of the +line, early in 1863 they were nearly all disqualified on the most +rudimentary examination, and then the rest resigned. After that, +the government having determined to raise a large force of negro +troops, it became the settled policy to grant commissions as officers +to none but white men. + +The 1st and 2d regiments were sent into the district of La Fourche +to guard the railway. + +Then, between Butler and Weitzel, in spite of confidence on the +one hand and respect and affection on the other, began the usual +controversy about arming the negro. To one unacquainted with the +history of this question and of those times it must seem strange +indeed to read the emphatic words in which a soldier so loyal and, +in the best sense, so subordinate as Weitzel, declared his +unwillingness to command these troops, and to reflect that in a +little more than two years he was destined to accept with alacrity +the command of a whole army corps of black men, and at last to ride +in triumph at their head into the very capital of the Confederacy. + +With the exception of the levies raised by its commander, the +Department of the Gulf had so far received no access of strength +from any quarter. From the North had come hardly a recruit. In +the intense heat and among the poisonous swamps the effective +strength melted away day by day. Thus the numbers present fell +3,795 during the month of July; in October, when the sickly season +had done its worst, the wastage reached a total of 5,390. At the +time of the battle of Baton Rouge, Butler's effective force can +hardly have exceeded 7,000. When his strength was the greatest it +probably did not exceed, if indeed it reached, the number of 13,000 +effective. The condition of affairs was therefore such that Butler +found himself with an army barely sufficient for the secure defence +of the vast territory committed to his care, and for any offensive +operation absolutely powerless. To hold what had been gained it +was practically necessary to sit still; and to sit still then, as +always in all wars, was to invite attack. + +These things Butler did not fail to represent to the government, +and to repeat. At last, about the middle of November, he received +a few encouraging words from Halleck, dated the 3d of that month, +in which he was assured that the "delay in sending reinforcements +has not been the fault of the War Department. It is hoped that +some will be ready to start as soon as the November elections are +over. Brigadier-generals will be sent with these reinforcements." +With them was to be a major-general, the new commander of the +department; but this Halleck did not say. + + +CHAPTER V. +BANKS IN COMMAND. + +When the campaigns of 1862 were drawing to an end, the government +changed all the commanders and turned to the consideration of new +plans. With President Lincoln, as we have seen, the opening of +the Mississippi had long been a favored scheme. His early experience +had rendered him familiar with the waters, the shores, and the vast +traffic of the great river, and had brought home to him the common +interests and the mutual dependence of the farmers, the traders, +the miners, and the manufacturers of the States bordering upon the +upper Mississippi and the Ohio on the one hand, and of the merchants +and planters of the Gulf on the other. Thus he was fully prepared +to enter warmly into the idea that had taken possession of the +minds and hearts of the people of the Northwest. From a vague +longing this idea had now grown into a deep and settled sentiment. +Indeed in all the West the opening of the Mississippi played a part +that can only be realized by comparing it with the prevailing +sentiment of the East, so early, so long, so loudly expressed in +the cry, "On to Richmond!" + +That the President should have been in complete accord with the +popular impulse is hardly to be wondered at by any one that has +followed, with the least attention, the details of his remarkable +career. Moreover, the popular impulse was right. Wars take their +character from the causes that produce them and the people or the +nations by whom they are waged. This was not a contest upon some +petty question involving the fate of a ministry, a dynasty, or even +a monarchy, to be fought out between regular armies upon well-known +plans at the convergence of the roads between two opposing capitals. +The struggle was virtually one between two peoples hitherto united +as one,--between the people of the North, who had taken up arms +for the maintenance and the restoration of the Union, and the people +of the South, who had taken up arms to destroy the Union. Of such +an issue there could be no compromise; to such a contest there +could be no end short of exhaustion. For four long years it was +destined to go on, and at times to rage with a fury almost unexampled +along lines whose length was measured by the thousand miles and +over a battle-ground nearly as large as the continent of Europe. +Looked at merely from the standpoint of strategy, and discarding +all considerations not directly concerning the movements of armies, +true policy might, perhaps, have dictated the concentration of all +available resources in men and material upon the great central +lines of operations, roughly indicated by the mention of Chattanooga +and Atlanta,--the road eventually followed by Sherman in his +triumphant march to the sea. Apart, however, from considerations +strictly tactical, the importance of cutting off the trans-Mississippi +region as a source of supply for the main Confederate armies was +obvious; while from the governments of Europe, of England and France +above all, the pressure was great for cotton, partly, indeed, as +a pretext for interfering in our domestic struggle to their own +advantage, but largely, also, to enable those governments to quiet +the cry of the starving millions of their people. + +Instructed, as well as warned, by the events of the previous summer, +the President now resolved on a combined attempt by two strong +columns. On the 21st of October he sent Major-General John A. +McClernand to Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, with confidential orders, +authorizing him to raise troops for an expedition, under his command, +to move against Vicksburg from Cairo or Memphis as a place of +rendezvous, and "to clear the Mississippi River and open navigation +to New Orleans." Perhaps because of the confidence still felt in +Grant by the President himself, although within narrowing limits, +Grant was not to share the fate of McClellan, of Buell, and of so +many others. The secret orders were not made known to him, yet it +was settled that he was to retain the command of his department, +while the principal active operations of the army within its limits +were to be conducted by another. Even for this consideration it +is rather more than likely he was indebted in a great degree to +the exceptional advantage he enjoyed in having at all times at the +seat of government, in the person of Washburne, a strong and devoted +party of one, upon whose assistance the government daily found it +convenient to lean. + +A few days later, on the 31st of October, Major-General Nathaniel +P. Banks was sent to New York and Boston, with similar orders, to +collect in New England and New York a force for the co-operating +column from New Orleans. On the 8th of November this was followed +by the formal order of the President assigning Banks to the command +of the Department of the Gulf, including the State of Texas. + +This assignment was wholly unexpected by Banks. It was, indeed, +unsought and unsolicited, and the first offer, from the President +himself, came as a surprise. At the close of Pope's campaign, when +the reorganized Army of the Potomac, once more under McClellan, +was in march to meet Lee in Maryland, Banks had been forced, by +injuries received at Cedar Mountain, to give up the command of the +Twelfth Army Corps to the senior division commander, Brigadier-General +A. S. Williams. As soon as this was reported at headquarters, +McClellan created a new organization under the name of the "Defences +of Washington," and placed Banks in command. + +For some time after this Banks was unable to leave his room; yet, +within forty-eight hours, a mob of thirty thousand wounded men and +convalescents, who knew not where to go, and of stragglers, who +meant not to go where they were wanted, was cleared out of the +streets of Washington, and pandemonium was at an end. Order was +rather created than restored, since none had existed in any direction. +The Fifth Corps was sent to join the army in the field; within a +fortnight, a full army corps of able-bodied stragglers followed; +the fortifications were completed; ample garrisons of instructed +artillerists were provided. These became "the Heavies" of Grant's +campaigns. Almost another full army corps was organized from the +new regiments. Finally the whole force of the defences, about +equal in numbers to Lee's army, was so disposed that Washington +was absolutely secure. The dispositions for the defence of the +capital and the daily operations of the command were clearly and +constantly made known to the President and Secretary of War as well +as to the General-in-chief. Thus it was that, less than two months +later, in the closing days of October, President Lincoln sent for +Banks and said: "You have let me sleep in peace for the first time +since I came here. I want you to go to Louisiana and do the same +thing there." + +On the 9th of November Halleck communicated to Banks the orders of +the President to proceed immediately to New Orleans with the troops +from Baltimore and elsewhere, under Emory, already assembling in +transports at Fort Monroe. An additional force of ten thousand +men, he was told, would be sent to him from Boston and New York as +soon as possible. Though this order was never formally revoked or +modified, yet in fact it was from the first a dead letter, and +Banks, who received it in New York, remained there to complete the +organization and to look after the collection and transport of the +additional force mentioned in Halleck's instructions. Including +the eight regiments of Emory, but not counting four regiments of +infantry and five battalions of cavalry diverted to other fields, +the reinforcements for the Department of the Gulf finally included +thirty-nine regiments of infantry, six batteries of artillery, and +one battalion of cavalry. Of the infantry twenty-one regiments +were composed of officers and men enlisted to serve for nine months. +Even of this brief period many weeks had, in some cases, already +elapsed. To command the brigades and divisions, when organized, +Major-General Christopher C. Auger, and Brigadier-Generals Cuvier +Grover, William Dwight, George L. Andrews, and James Bowen were +ordered to report to Banks. + +The work of chartering the immense fleet required to transport this +force, with its material of all kinds, was confided by the government +to Cornelius Vanderbilt, possibly in recognition of his recent +princely gift to the nation of the finest steamship of his fleet, +bearing his own name. This service Vanderbilt performed with his +usual vigor, "laying hands," as he said, "upon every thing that +could float or steam," including, it must be added, more than one +vessel to which it would have been rash to ascribe either of these +qualities. + +Before the embarkation each vessel was carefully inspected by a +board of officers, usually composed of the inspector-general or an +officer of his department, an experienced quartermaster, and an +officer of rank and intelligence, who was himself to sail on the +vessel. This last was a new, but, as soon appeared, a very necessary +precaution. When every thing was nearly ready the embarkation +began at New York, and as each vessel was loaded she was sent to +sea with sealed orders directing her master and the commanding +officer of the troops to make the best of their way to Ship Island, +and there await the further instructions of the general commanding. +Ship Island was chosen for the place of meeting because of the +great draught of water of some of the vessels. At the same time +Emory's force, embarking at Hampton Roads, set out under convoy of +the man-of-war _Augusta_, Commander E. G. Parrott, for the same +destination with similar orders. + +For three months the _Florida_ had lain at anchor in the harbor at +Mobile, only waiting for a good opportunity to enter upon her +historic career of destruction. Since the 20th of August the +_Alabama_ was known to have been scourging our commerce in the +North Atlantic from the Azores to the Antilles. On the 5th of +December she took a prize off the northern coast of San Domingo. +Relying on the information with which he was freely furnished, +Semmes expected to find the expedition off Galveston about the +middle of January. In the dead of night, "after the midwatch was +set and all was quiet," he meant, in the words of his executive +officer,(1) slowly to approach the transports, "steam among them +with both batteries in action, pouring in a continuous discharge +of shell, and sink them as we went." Fortunately Semmes's information, +though profuse and precise, was not quite accurate, for it brought +him off Galveston on the 13th of January: the wrong port, a month +too late. What might have happened is shown by the ease with which +he then destroyed the _Hatteras_. + +To guard against these dangers, it had been the wish of the +government, and was a part of the original plan, that the transports +sailing from New York should be formed in a single fleet and proceed, +under strong convoy, to its destination. However, it soon became +evident that as the rate of sailing of a fleet is governed by that +of its slowest ship, the expedition, thus organized, would be forced +to crawl along the coast at a speed hardly greater than five miles +an hour. This would not only have exposed three ships out of five, +and five regiments out of six, for at least twice the necessary +time to the perils of the sea, increased by having to follow an +inshore track at this inclement season; it would not only have +introduced chances of detention and risks of collision and of +separation, but the peril from the _Alabama_ would have been +augmented in far greater degree than the security afforded by any +naval force the government could just then spare. Therefore, the +slow ships were loaded and sent off first and the faster ones kept +back to the last; then, each making the best of its way to Ship +Island, nearly all came in together. Thus, when the _North Star_, +bearing the flag of the commanding general and sailing from New +York on the 4th of December, arrived in the early morning of the +13th at Ship Island, nearly the whole fleet lay at anchor or in +the offing; and as soon as a hasty inspection could be completed +and fresh orders given, the expedition got under way for New Orleans. +The larger vessels, however, like the _Atlantic, Baltic_, and +_Ericsson_ being unable to cross the bar, lay at anchor at Ship +Island until they could be lightened. + +Truly grand as was the spectacle afforded by the black hulls and +white sails of this great concourse of ships at anchor, in the +broad roadstead, yet a grander sight still was reserved for the +next day, a lovely Sunday, as all these steamers in line ahead, +the _North Star_ leading, flags flying, bands playing, the decks +blue with the soldiers of the Union, majestically made their way +up the Mississippi. Most of those on board looked for the first +time, with mingled emotions, over the pleasant lowlands of Louisiana, +and all were amused at the mad antics of the pageant-loving negroes, +crowding and capering on the levee as plantation after plantation +was passed. So closely had the secret been kept that, until the +transports got under way from Ship Island for the purpose, probably +not more than three or four officers, if so many, of all the force +really knew its destination. Nor was it until the two generals +met at New Orleans that Butler learned that Banks was to relieve +him. + +On the 15th of December Banks took the command of the Department +of the Gulf, although the formal orders were not issued until the +17th. The officers of the department, as well as of the personal +staff of General Butler, were relieved from duty and permitted to +accompany him to the North. The new staff of the department included +Lieutenant-Colonel Richard B. Irwin, Assistant Adjutant-General; +Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Abert, Assistant Inspector-General; +Major G. Norman Lieber, Judge-Advocate; Colonel Samuel B. Holabird, +Chief Quartermaster; Colonel Edward G. Beckwith, Chief Commissary +of Subsistence; Surgeon Richard H. Alexander, Medical Director; +Major David C. Houston, Chief Engineer; Captain Henry L. Abbot, +Chief of Topographical Engineers; First-Lieutenant Richard M. Hill, +Chief of Ordnance; Captain Richard Arnold, Chief of Artillery; +Captain William W. Rowley, Chief Signal Officer. + +Banks's orders from the government were to go up the Mississippi +and open the river, in co-operation with McClernand's expedition +against Vicksburg. "As the ranking general of the Southwest," +Halleck's orders proceeded, "you are authorized to assume control +of any military forces from the upper Mississippi which may come +within your command. The line of the division between your department +and that of Major-General Grant is, therefore, left undecided for +the present, and you will exercise superior authority as far north +as you may ascend the river. The President regards the opening of +the Mississippi river as the first and most important of all our +military and naval operations, and it is hoped that you will not +lose a moment in accomplishing it." + +Immediately on assuming command Banks ordered Grover to take all +the troops that were in condition for service at once to Baton +Rouge, under the protection of the fleet, and there disembark and +go into camp. Augur was specially charged with the arrangements +for the despatch of the troops from New Orleans. Before starting +they were carefully inspected, and all that were found to be affected +with disease of a contagious or infectious character were sent +ashore and isolated. + +On the morning of the 16th the advance of Grover's expedition got +under way, under convoy of a detachment of Farragut's fleet, led +by Alden in the _Richmond_. Grover took with him about 4,500 men, +but when all were assembled at Baton Rouge there were twelve +regiments, three batteries, and two troops of cavalry. The +Confederates, who were in very small force, promptly evacuated +Baton Rouge, and Grover landed and occupied the place on the 17th +of December. After sending off the last of the troops, Augur went +up and took command. The lines constructed by Paine in August were +occupied and strengthened, and all arrangements promptly made for +the defence in view of an attack, such as might not unnaturally be +looked for from Port Hudson, whose garrison then numbered more than +12,000 effectives. The two places are but a long day's march apart. +Since the occupation in August, the Confederate forces at Port +Hudson had been commanded by Brigadier-General William N. R. Beall. +On the 28th of December, however, he was relieved by Major-General +Frank Gardner, who retained the command thenceforward until the +end. While the war lasted, Baton Rouge continued to be held by +the Union forces without opposition or even serious menace. + +An attempt to occupy Galveston was less fortunate. This movement +was ordered by Banks a few days after his arrival at New Orleans, +apparently under the pressure of continued importunity from Andrew +J. Hamilton, and in furtherance of the policy that had led the +government to send him with the expedition, nominally as a +brigadier-general, but under a special commission from the President +that named him as military governor of Texas. On the 21st of +December, three companies, D, G, and I, of the 42d Massachusetts, +under Colonel Isaac S. Burrell, were sent from New Orleans without +disembarking from the little _Saxon_, on which they had made the +journey from New York. With them went Holcomb's 2d Vermont battery, +leaving their horses to follow ten days later on the _Cambria_, +with the horses and men of troops A and B of the Texas cavalry. +Protected by the flotilla under Commander W. B. Renshaw, comprising +his own vessel, the _Westfield_, the gunboats _Harriet Lane_, +Commander J. M. Wainwright; _Clifton_, Commander Richard L. Law; +_Owasco_, Lieutenant Henry Wilson; and _Sachem_, Acting-Master Amos +Johnson; and the schooner _Corypheus_, Acting-Master Spears, Burrell +landed unopposed at Kuhn's Wharf on the 24th, and took nominal +possession of the town in accordance with his instructions. These +were indeed rather vague, as befitted the shadowy nature of the +objects to be accomplished. "The situation of the people of +Galveston," wrote General Banks, "makes it expedient to send a +small force there for the purpose of their protection, and also to +afford such facilities as may be possible for recruiting soldiers +for the military service of the United States." Burrell was +cautioned not to involve himself in such difficulty as to endanger +the safety of his command, and it was rather broadly hinted that +he was not to take orders from General Hamilton. In reality, +Burrell's small force occupied only the long wharf, protected by +barricades at the shore end, and seaward by the thirty-two guns of +the fleet, lying at anchor within 300 yards. + +Magruder, who had been barely a month in command of the Confederate +forces in Texas, had given his first attention to the defenceless +condition of the coast, menaced as it was by the blockading fleet, +and thus it happened that Burrell's three companies, performing +their maiden service on picket between wind and water, found +themselves confronted by the two brigades of Scurry and Sibley, +Cook's regiment of heavy artillery, and Wilson's light battery, +with twenty-eight guns, and two armed steamboats, having their +vulnerable parts protected by cotton bales. + +Long before dawn on the 1st of January, 1863, under cover of a +heavy artillery fire, the position of the 42d Massachusetts was +assaulted by two storming parties of 300 and 500 men respectively, +led by Colonels Green, Bagby, and Cook, the remainder of the troops +being formed under Scurry in support. A brisk fight followed, but +the defenders had the concentrated fire of the fleet to protect +them; the scaling ladders proved too short to reach the wharf, and +as day began to break, the baffled assailants were about to draw +off, when, suddenly, the Confederate gunboats appeared on the scene +and in a few moments turned the defeat into a signal victory. The +_Neptune_ was disabled and sunk by the _Harriet Lane_, the _Harriet +Lane_ was boarded and captured by the _Bayou City_, the _Westfield_ +ran aground and was blown up by her gallant commander, and soon +the white flag floated from the masts of all the Union fleet. +Wainwright and Wilson had been killed; Renshaw, with his executive +officer, Zimmermann, and his chief engineer, Green, had perished +with the ship. The survivors were given three hours to consider +terms. + +When Burrell saw the flag of truce from the fleet, he too showed +the white flag and surrendered to the commander of the Confederate +troops. The Confederates ceased firing on him as soon as they +perceived his signal, but the navy, observing that the fire on +shore went on for some time, notwithstanding the naval truce, +thought it had been violated; accordingly the _Clifton, Owasco, +Sachem_, and _Corypheus_ put out to sea, preceded by the army +transport steamers _Saxon_ and _Mary A. Boardman_. On the latter +vessel were the military governor of Texas, with his staff, and +the men and guns of Holcomb's battery. + +The Confederates lost 26 killed and 117 wounded; the Union troops +5 killed and 15 wounded, and all the survivors (probably about 250 +in number) were made prisoners save the adjutant, Lieutenant Charles +A. Davis, who had been sent off to communicate with the fleet. +The navy lost 29 killed, 31 wounded, and 92 captured. So ended +this inauspicious New Year's day. + +The transports made the best of their way to New Orleans with the +news. The _Cambria_, with the Texas cavalry and the horses of the +2d Vermont battery, arrived in the offing on the evening of the 2d +of January. For two days a strong wind and high sea rendered +fruitless all efforts to communicate with the shore; then learning +the truth, the troops at once returned to New Orleans. + +Orders had been left with the guard ship at Pilot Town to send the +transport steamers, _Charles Osgood_ and _Shetucket_, with the +remainder of the 42d, directly to Galveston. It was now necessary +to change these orders, and to do it promptly. The bad news reached +headquarters early in the afternoon of the 3d January: "Stop every +thing going to Galveston," was at once telegraphed to the Pass. + +(1) "Cruise and Combats of the _Alabama_," by her Executive Officer, +John Mackintosh Kell.--"Century War Book," vol. iv., p. 603. + + +CHAPTER VI. +ORGANIZING THE CORPS. + +Meanwhile the new troops continued to come from New York, although +it was not until the 11th of February that the last detachments +landed. The work of organizing the whole available force of the +department for the task before it was pursued with vigor. In order +to form the moving column, as well as for the purposes of +administration, so that the one might not interfere with the other, +the main body of troops was composed of four divisions of three +brigades each. The garrisons of the defences and the permanent +details for guard and provost duty were kept separate. While this +was in progress orders came from the War Office dated the 5th of +January, 1863, by which all the forces in the Department of the +Gulf were designated as the Nineteenth Army Corps, to take effect +December 14, 1862, and Banks was named by the President as the +corps commander. + +To Augur was assigned the First division, to Sherman the Second, +to Emory the Third, and to Grover the Fourth. Weitzel, retaining +his old brigade, became the second in command in Augur's division. +In making up the brigades the regiments were so selected and combined +as to mingle the veterans with the raw levies, and to furnish, in +right of seniority, the more capable and experienced of the colonels +as brigade commanders. Andrews, who had been left in New York to +bring up the rear of the expedition, became Chief-of-Staff on the +6th of March, and Bowen was made Provost-Marshal General. + +To each division three batteries of artillery were given, including +at least one battery belonging to the regular army, thus furnishing, +except for the second division, an experienced regular officer as +chief of artillery of the division. The cavalry was kept, for the +most part, unattached, mainly serving in La Fourche, at Baton Rouge, +and with the moving column. The 21st Indiana, changed into the +1st Indiana heavy artillery, was told off to man the siege train, +for which duty it was admirably suited. When all had joined, the +whole force available for active operations that should not uncover +New Orleans was about 25,000. Two thirds, however, were new levies, +and of these half were nine months' men. Some were armed with guns +that refused to go off. Others did not know the simplest evolutions. +In one instance, afterwards handsomely redeemed, the colonel, having +to disembark his men, could think of no way save by the novel +command, "Break ranks, boys, and get ashore the best way you can." +The cavalry, except the six old companies, was poor and quite +insufficient in numbers. Of land and water transportation, both +indispensable to any possible operation, there was barely enough +for the movement of a single division. In Washington, Banks had +been led to expect that he might count on the depots or the country +for all the material required for moving his army; yet Butler found +New Orleans on the brink of starvation; the people had now to be +fed, as well as the army, and the provisions that formerly came +from the West by the great river had now to find their way from +the North by the Atlantic and the Gulf. The depots were calculated, +and barely sufficed, for the old force of the department, while +the country could furnish very little at best, and nothing at all +until it should be occupied. + +Again, until he reached his post, Banks was not informed that the +Confederates were in force anywhere on the river save Vicksburg, +yet, in fact, Port Hudson, 250 miles below Vicksburg and 135 miles +above New Orleans, was found strongly intrenched with twenty-nine +heavy guns in position and garrisoned by 12,000 men. Long before +Banks could have assembled and set in motion a force sufficient to +cope with this enemy behind earthworks, the 12,000 became 16,000. +Moreover, Banks was not in communication either with Grant or with +McClernand; he knew next to nothing of the operations, the movements, +or the plans of either; he had not the least idea when the expedition +would be ready to move from Memphis; he was even uncertain who the +commander of the Northern column was to be. On their part, not +only were Grant, the department commander; McClernand, the designated +commander of the Vicksburg expedition; and Sherman, its actual +commander, alike ignorant of every thing pertaining to the movements +of the column from the Gulf, but, at the most critical period of +the campaign, not one of the three was in communication with either +of the others. Under these conditions, all concert between the +co-operating forces was rendered impossible from the start, and the +expectations of the government that Banks would go against Vicksburg +immediately on landing in Louisiana were doomed to sharp and sudden, +yet inevitable, disappointment. + +Grant, believing himself free to dispose of McClernand's new levies, +had projected a combined movement by his own forces, marching by +Grand Junction, and Sherman's, moving by water from Memphis, on +the front and rear of Vicksburg. + +Sherman set out from Memphis on the 20th of December in complete +ignorance of Halleck's telegram of the 18th, conveying the President's +positive order that McClernand was to command the expedition. +Forrest cut the wires on the morning of the 19th just in time to +intercept this telegram, as well as its counterpart, addressed to +McClernand at Springfield, Illinois. On the 29th of December, +Sherman met with the bloody repulse of Chickasaw Bluffs. On the +2d of January he returned to the mouth of the Yazoo, and there +found McClernand armed with the bowstring and the baton. + +Where was Grant? While his main body was still at Oxford, in march +to the Yallabusha, Forrest, the ubiquitous, irrepressible Forrest, +struck his line of communications, and, on the 20th of December, +at the instant when Sherman was giving the signal to get under way +from Memphis, Van Dorn was receiving the surrender of Holly Springs +and the keys of Grant's depots. There seemed nothing for it but +to fall back on Memphis or starve. Of this state of affairs Grant +sent word to Sherman on the 20th. Eleven days later the despatch +was telegraphed to Sherman by McClernand; nor was it until the 8th +of January that Grant, at Holly Springs, learned from Washington +the bad news from Sherman, then ten days old. As if to complete +a very cat's-cradle of cross-purposes, Washington had heard of it +only through the Richmond newspapers. + +The collapse of the northern column, coupled with the Confederate +occupation of Port Hudson, had completely changed the nature of +the problem confided to Banks for solution. If he was to execute +the letter of his instructions at all, he had now to choose between +three courses, each involving an impossibility: to carry by assault +a strong line of works, three miles long, defended by 16,000 good +troops; to lay siege to the place, with the certainty that it would +be relieved from Mississippi, and with the reasonable prospect of +losing at least his siege train in the venture; to leave Port Hudson +in his rear and go against Vicksburg, upon the supposition, in the +last degree improbable, that he might find Grant, or McClernand, +or Sherman there to meet him and furnish him with food and ammunition. +This last alternative appears to have been the one towards which +the government leaned, as far as its intentions can be gathered, +yet Banks could only have accepted it by sacrificing his communications, +putting New Orleans in imminent peril, and creating irreparable +and almost inevitable disaster as a price of a remote chance of +achieving a great success. In point of fact, in the early days of +January, McClernand, accompanied by Sherman as a corps commander, +was moving toward the White River and the brilliant adventure of +Arkansas Post. After capturing this place on the 11th, McClernand +meant to go straight to Little Rock, but Grant rose to the occasion +and peremptorily recalled the troops to Milliken's Bend. "This +wild-goose chase," as Grant not inaptly termed it, cost McClernand +his new-fledged honors as commander of "The Army of the Mississippi," +and brought him to Sherman's side as a commander of one of his own +corps; a bitter draught of the same medicine he had so recently +administered to Sherman. + +Had Banks marched against Vicksburg at the same time that McClernand +was moving on Little Rock, with Grant cut off somewhere in northern +Mississippi, the Confederate commanders must have been dull and +slow indeed had they failed to seize with promptitude so rare an +opportunity for resuming, at a sweep, the complete mastery of the +river, ruining their adversary's campaign, and eliminating 100,000 +of his soldiers. + +Thus, almost at the first step, the two great expeditions were +brought to a standstill. They could neither act together nor +advance separately. The generals began to look about them for a +new way. + + +CHAPTER VII. +MORE WAYS THAN ONE. + +Since Port Hudson could neither be successfully attacked nor safely +disregarded, the problem now presented to Banks was to find a way +around the obstacle without sacrificing or putting in peril his +communications. The Atchafalaya was the key to the puzzle, and to +that quarter attention was early directed, yet for a long time the +difficulties encountered in finding a way to the Atchafalaya seemed +well-nigh insuperable. The rising waters were expected to render +the largest of the bayous that connect the Atchafalaya and the +Mississippi navigable for steamboats of small size and light draught. +Of these there were, indeed, but few, so that the work of transporting +troops from the one line to the other must have been, at the best, +slow and tedious, yet, once accomplished, the army would have found +itself, with the help of the navy, above and beyond Port Hudson, +with a sufficient line of communications open to the rear, and the +Mississippi and the Red River closed against the enemy. + +The Confederates had in Western Louisiana, near the mouth of the +Teche, a small division of Taylor's troops, about 4,500 strong, +with one gunboat. At first Banks thought to leave a brigade, with +two or three light-draught gunboats, on Berwick Bay to observe +Taylor's force, and then to disregard it as a factor in the subsequent +movements. This, while the Atchafalaya was high and the eastern +lowlands of the Attakapas widely overflowed, might have been safely +done, but all these plans were destined to be essentially modified +by a series of unexpected events in widely different quarters. + +In the second week of January, Weitzel heard that Taylor meditated +an attack on the outlying force at Berwick Bay, and that with this +view the armament of the gunboat _Cotton_ was being largely augmented. +Weitzel resolved to strike the first blow. For this purpose he +concentrated his whole force of seven regiments, including four of +his own brigade, besides the 21st Indiana, 6th Michigan, and 23d +Connecticut, with Carruth's and Thompson's batteries, four pieces +of Bainbridge's battery, Barrett's Troop B of the Louisiana cavalry, +and Company B of the 8th New Hampshire, commanded by Lieutenant +Charles H. Camp. The 1st Louisiana held Donaldsonville and the +114th New York guarded the railway. To open the way, as well as +to meet the fire of the _Cotton_, there were four gunboats of the +light-draught flotilla under Buchanan--the flagship _Calhoun, +Estrella, Kinsman,_ and _Diana_. + +At three o'clock on the morning of the 13th of January the crossing +of Berwick Bay began; by half-past ten the gunboats had completed +the ferriage of the cavalry and artillery; the infantry following +landed at Pattersonville; then the whole force formed in line and, +moving forward in the afternoon to the junction of the Teche with +the Atchafalaya, went into bivouac. The next morning began the +ascent of the Teche. The 8th Vermont was thrown over to the east +or left bank of the bayou, while the main line moved forward on +the west bank to attack the _Cotton_, now in plain sight. The +gunboats led the movement, necessarily in line ahead, owing to the +narrowness of the bayou. On either bank Weitzel's line of battle, +with skirmishers thrown well forward, was preceded by sixty volunteers +from the 8th Vermont and the same number from the 75th New York, +whose orders were to move directly up to the _Cotton_ and pick off +her gunners. The line of battle moved forward steadily with the +column of gunboats. Between the Union gunboats and the _Cotton_ +the bayou had been obstructed so as to prevent any hostile vessel +from ascending the stream beyond that point. A brisk fight followed. +Under cover of the guns of the navy and of the raking and broadside +fire of the batteries, the 8th Vermont and 75th New York first +drove off the land supports and then moving swiftly on the _Cotton_ +silenced her. In this advance the Vermonters captured one lieutenant +and forty-one men. The _Cotton_ retreated out of range. That +night her crew applied the match and let her swing across the bayou +to serve as an additional obstruction. In a few moments she was +completely destroyed. + +Then, having thus easily gained his object, Weitzel returned to La +Fourche. His losses in the movement were 1 officer and 5 men +killed, and 2 officers and 25 men wounded. Lieutenant James E. +Whiteside, of the 75th New York, who had volunteered to lead the +sharpshooters on the right bank, was killed close to the _Cotton_, +in the act of ordering the crew to haul down her flag. Among the +killed, also, was the gallant Buchanan--a serious loss, not less +to the army than to the navy. + +During a lull in the naval operations above Vicksburg, occasioned +by the want of coal, eleven steamboats that had been in use by the +Confederates on the Mississippi between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, +took advantage of Porter's absence to slip up the Yazoo for supplies. +There Porter's return caught them as in a trap. + +Toward the end of January Grant landed on the long neck opposite +Vicksburg, and once more set to work on the canal. Porter now +determined to let a detachment of his fleet run the gauntlet of +the batteries of Vicksburg for the purpose of destroying every +thing the Confederates had afloat below the town. The ran _Queen +of the West_, Colonel Charles R. Ellet, protected by two tiers of +cotton bales, was told off to lead the adventure. On the 2d of +February she performed the feat; then passing on down the river, +on the 3d, ran fifteen miles below the mouth of the Red River, and +the same distance up that stream, took and burned three Confederate +supply steamboats, and got safely back to Vicksburg on the 5th. +Porter was naturally jubilant, for, as it seemed, the mastery of +the great river had been the swift reward of his enterprise. + +A week later Ellet again ran down the Mississippi and up the Red, +burning and destroying until, pushing his success too far, he found +himself under the guns of Fort De Russy. A few shots sufficed to +disable the _Queen of the West_, which fell into the hands of the +Confederates, while Ellet and his men escaped in one of their +captures. + +Below Natchez they met the _Indianola_ coming down the river, after +safely passing Vicksburg. On the 24th the Confederate gunboat +_Webb_, and the ram _Queen of the West_, now also flying the +Confederate colors, came after the _Indianola_, attacked her off +Palmyra Island, and sank her. Thus, as suddenly as it had gone +from them, the control of the long reach of the Mississippi once +more passed over to the Confederates. + +At this news Farragut took fire. Between him and the impudent +little Confederate flotilla, whose easy triumph had suddenly laid +low the hopes and plans of his brother admiral, there stood nothing +save the guns of Port Hudson. These batteries he would pass, and +for the fourth time, yet not the last, would look the miles of +Confederate cannon in the mouth. Banks, whose movements were +retarded and to some extent held in abeyance, from the causes +already mentioned, promptly fell in with the Admiral's plans, and +both commanders conferring freely, the details were soon arranged. + + +CHAPTER VIII. +FARRAGUT PASSES PORT HUDSON. + +While Farragut was putting his fleet in thorough order for this +adventure, looking after all needful arrangements with minute +personal care, Banks concentrated all his disposable force at Baton +Rouge. By the 7th of March, leaving T. W. Sherman to cover New +Orleans and Weitzel to hold strongly La Fourche, Banks had a marching +column, composed of Augur's, Emory's, and Grover's divisions, 15,000 +strong. On the 9th of March tents were struck, to be pitched no +more for five hard months, and the next morning the troops were +ready, but repairs delayed the fleet, the last vessels of which +did not reach Baton Rouge until about the 12th. On that day, for +the first time, Banks reviewed his army, on the old battle-ground, +in the presence of the admiral, his staff, and many officers of +the fleet. The new regiments, with some exceptions, showed plainly +the progress already attained under the energetic training and +constant work of their officers. The degree of instruction and +care then apparent forecast the value of their actual service. +The 38th Massachusetts and 116th New York were specially commended +in orders. + +To hold Baton Rouge about 3,000 men were detached, under Chickering, +including the 41st Massachusetts, 173d New York, 175th New York, +1st Indiana heavy artillery, 3d Louisiana native guards, Mack's +battery, and Troop F of the Rhode Island cavalry. + +All arrangements being concerted for the passage of the batteries +on the evening of the 14th of March, Grover set out on the afternoon +of the 13th, followed, at daybreak the next morning, by Emory, with +Augur bringing up the rear. In the afternoon Grover went into +camp, covering the intersection of the Bayou Sara road and the road +that leads from it toward the river. Emory formed on his left, +covering the branches of this road that lead to Springfield Landing +and to Ross Landing, his main body supporting the centre at +Alexander's plantation. Augur, on the right, held the cross-road +that leads from the Bayou Sara road by Alexander's to the Clinton +road at Vallandigham's. At two o'clock in the afternoon the signal +officers opened communication from Springfield Landing with the +fleet at anchor near the head of Prophet Island, and a strong +detachment was posted near the landing to maintain the connection. + +As the Confederates were known to have a force of about 1,200 +cavalry somewhere between Clinton and Baton Rouge, strong detachments +became necessary to observe all the approaches and to hold the +roads and bridges in the rear in order to secure the withdrawal of +the army when the demonstration should be completed, as well as to +guard the operation from being inopportunely interrupted. These +dispositions reduced the force for battle to about 12,000. + +It had been intended to concentrate nearly all the artillery near +the river in the vicinity of Ross Landing in such a manner as to +engage, or at least divide, the attention of the lower batteries +of Port Hudson; but the maps were even more imperfect than usual, +and when a reconnoissance, naturally retarded by the enemy's advance +guard, showed that the road by which the guns were to have gone +into position did not exist, the daylight was already waning. A +broken bridge also caused some delay. + +At five o'clock in the afternoon Banks received a despatch from +Farragut announcing an important change in the hour fixed for the +movement of the fleet. Instead of making the attempt "in the gray +of the morning," as had been the admiral's first plan, he now meant +to get under way at eight o'clock in the evening. When darkness +fell, therefore, it found the troops substantially in the positions +already described, yet with their outposts well thrown forward. + +About ten o'clock the fleet weighed anchor and moved up the river. +The flagship _Hartford_ took the lead, with the _Albatross_ lashed +to her port side, next the _Richmond_ with the _Genesee_, the +_Monongahela_ with the _Kineo_, and last the side-wheeler _Mississippi_ +alone. The _Essex_ and _Sachem_ remained at anchor below, with +the mortar boats, to cover the advance. An hour later a rocket +shot up from the bluff and instantly the Confederate batteries +opened fire. They were soon joined by long lines of sharpshooters. +To avoid the shoal that makes out widely from the western bank, as +well as to escape the worst of the enemy's fire, both of musketry +and artillery, the ships hugged closely the eastern bluff; so +closely, indeed, that the yards brushed the leaves from the +overhanging trees and the voices of men on shore could be distinctly +heard by those on board. Watch-fires were lighted by the Confederates +to show as well the ships as the range; yet this did more harm than +good, since the smoke united with that of the guns ashore and afloat +to render the fleet invisible. On the other hand, the pilots were +soon unable to see. + +The _Hartford_, meeting the swift eddy at the bend, where the +current describes nearly a right angle, narrowly escaped being +driven ashore. The _Richmond_, following, was disabled by a shot +through her engine-room when abreast of the upper battery at the +turn. The _Monongahela's_ consort, the _Kineo_, lost the use of +her rudder, and the _Monongahela_ herself ran aground on the spit; +presently the _Kineo_, drifting clear, also grounded, but was soon +afloat again, and, with her assistance, the _Monongahela_ too swung +free, after nearly a half hour of imminent peril. Then the _Kineo_, +cast loose by her consort, drifted helplessly down the stream, +while the _Monongahela_ passed up until a heated bearing brought +her engines to a stop and she too drifted with the current. + +Last of the fleet, the _Mississippi_, unseen in the smoke, and +therefore safe enough from the Confederate guns, yet equally unable +to see either friend, foe, or landmark, was carried by the current +hard on the spit; then, after a half hour of ineffectual exertion, +lying alone and helpless under the concentrated aim of the Confederate +batteries, she was abandoned and set on fire by her captain. About +three in the morning, becoming lighter, as the fire did its work, +she floated free and drifted down the stream one mass of flames, +in plain view, not merely of the fleet, but also of the army, +condemned to stand to arms in sight and sound of the distant battle +and now to look on idly as, with a mighty flash and roar, the +_Mississippi_ cast to the heavens her blazing timbers, amid a myriad +of bursting shells, in one mountain of flame: then black silence. + +Thus, when at last the gray of the morning came, the _Hartford_ +and _Albatross_ rode in safety above Port Hudson, while the _Richmond, +Monongahela, Genesee_, and _Kineo_, all battered and more or less +injured, lay at anchor once more near Prophet Island, and the +_Mississippi_ had perished in a blaze of glory. + +Narrowly escaping the total failure of his plans and the destruction +of his fleet, Farragut had so far succeeded in his objects that +henceforth the Confederates practically lost the control of the +Mississippi above Port Hudson, as well as the use of the Red River +as their base of supplies. Save in skiff-loads, beef, corn, and +salt could no longer be safely carried across the Mississippi, and +the high road from Galveston and Matamoras was closed against the +valuable and sorely needed cargoes brought from Europe by the +blockade runners. + +As for the army, it had gained some facility of movement, some +knowledge of its deficiencies, and some information of great future +value as to the topography of the unknown country about Port Hudson; +more than this could hardly have been expected. Indeed, the sole +object of the presence of the army was defeated by the movement of +the fleet so many hours before the time agreed upon. This object +was to make a diversion that might attract the enemy's attention +and thus tend to reduce the fire of musketry on the exposed decks +of the fleet, and to draw off or hold off the fire of the +field-pieces that might otherwise be massed on the river front. +The disparity between the relative strength of Banks's army and +that of the garrison was too well known to justify the thought of +an actual attack upon the works. + +Such, however, was not the opinion of the government, which to the +last seems to have taken for granted that all that was needed to +insure the surrender of Port Hudson was a desire to attack it. +Even after the surrender, Halleck, in his annual report for 1863, +speaking of the position of affairs in March, said: "Had our land +forces invested Port Hudson at this time, it could have been easily +reduced, as its garrison was weak . . . but the strength of the +place was not then known." In truth, the place was never so strong, +before or after, as at this time; nor is it often in war that the +information tallies so nearly with the fact. The effective strength +of the garrison was more than 16,000. Gardner's monthly report +accounts for 1,366 officers and 14,921 men present for duty, together +16,287 out of a total present of 20,388. Besides the twenty-two +heavy guns in position, he had thirteen light batteries. + +Morning found the army alone and in a bad position, either for +attack or defence. Nothing was to be gained by staying there, and +much was to be risked. As soon, therefore, as word came through +the ever-active and adventurous signal-officers that all was well +with what remained of the fleet, Banks once more took up the line +of march for Baton Rouge, and went into bivouac in great discomfort +on the soggy borders of the Bayou Montesanto, about eight miles +north of the town. + +Meanwhile, what had become of Farragut? The last seen of the +_Hartford_ and _Albatross_ was on the morning of the 15th by the +signal officers at Springfield Landing. The two vessels then lay +at anchor beyond the bend above Port Hudson. Several attempts were +made to communicate with the Admiral across the intervening neck +of lowland. The first was on the 16th, by Parmele, with the 174th +New York and a squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry. Next, on +the 18th, Banks, eager to advance the effort, took Dudley's brigade, +two sections of Rails's battery, and Magen's troop, and joined +Parmele. But for a time these efforts accomplished nothing, since +it was impossible to see far over the flat and wooded country; and +the Confederates having cut the great levee at Morganza, the whole +neighborhood was under water and the bridges gone. Finally, on +the 19th, Colonel Charles J. Paine went out with the 2d Louisiana, +the 174th New York, and a small squad of cavalry, and leaving first +the infantry and then most of the troopers behind, and riding on +almost alone, succeeded in crossing the bend and gained the levee +at the head of the old channel known as Fausse River, about three +miles above Port Hudson. There he had a good view of the river, +yet nothing was to be seen of the _Hartford_ and _Albatross_. +Again, on the 24th, Dudley sent Magen with his troop to Hermitage +Landing. Pushing on with a few men, Magen got a full view of the +reach above Waterloo for five miles, but he too learned nothing of +the fleet. Farragut had in fact gone up the river on the 15th, +after vainly attempting to exchange signals with his ships below +and with the army, and was now near Vicksburg in communication with +Admiral Porter, engaged in concerting plans for the future. Before +getting under way he had caused three guns to be fired from the +_Hartford_. This was the signal agreed upon with Banks, but for +some reason it was either not heard or not reported. + +Just before separating at Baton Rouge, Banks had handed to Farragut +a letter addressed to Grant, to be delivered by the Admiral in the +event of success. This letter, the first direct communication +between the two generals, Grant received on the 20th of March, and +from it derived his first information of the actual state of affairs +in the Department of the Gulf. After stating his position and +force Banks wound up by saying: "Should the Admiral succeed in +his attempt, I shall try to open communication with him on the +other side of the river, and, in that event, trust I shall hear +from you as to your position and movements, and especially as to +your views as to the most efficient mode of co-operation upon the +part of the forces we respectively command." + +With the _Hartford_ and _Albatross_ controlling the reach between +Port Hudson and Vicksburg, as well as the mouth of the Red River +and the head of the Atchafalaya, Banks might now safely disregard +the movements of the Confederate gunboats. Accordingly, while +waiting for Grant's answer, he turned to the execution of his former +plan. + + +CHAPTER IX. +THE TECHE. + +In effect, this plan was to turn Port Hudson by way of the Atchafalaya. +For the original conception, the credit must be given to Weitzel, +who seems indeed to have formed a very similar scheme when he first +occupied La Fourche. However, his force was, at that time, barely +sufficient for the defence of the territory confided to his care. +Not only was there then no particular object in moving beyond the +Atchafalaya, but any advance in that direction would have exposed +his little corps to disaster on account of the great facilities +afforded by the numberless streams for a movement by detachments +of the enemy into his rear. It was largely to prepare for an +advance into Western Louisiana, as well as to defend his occupancy +of La Fourche, that Butler, upon Weitzel's suggestion, had created +the gunboat flotilla. + +Soon after Banks took the command, Weitzel, who had opinions and +the courage to enforce them, laid his ideas before his new chief. +On the 18th of January, disturbed by hearing that Admiral Farragut +meant to take one of the army gunboats, recently transferred to +the navy, away from Berwick Bay, instead of sending more, Weitzel +expressed himself strongly in a despatch to headquarters. + +"With such a naval force in that bay, in co-operation with a suitable +land force, the only true campaign in this section could be made. +Look at the map. Berwick Bay leads into Grand Lake, Grand Lake +into the Atchafalaya, the Atchafalaya into Red River. Boats drawing +not more than four or five feet and in the force I mention [10 or +12], with a proper land force, could clear out the Atchafalaya, +Red River, and Black River. All communications from Vicksburg and +Port Hudson cross this line indicated by me. By taking it in the +manner I propose, Vicksburg and Port Hudson would be a cipher to +the rebels. It would be a campaign that 100,000 men could not so +easily fight, and so successfully. It is an operation to which +the taking of Galveston Island is a cipher and the capture of the +Mobile Bay forts a nonentity." + +With these views Banks was himself in accord, yet not in their +entirety. The pressure of time led him to desire to avoid divergences +into the Teche country. If it were possible, he wished to gain +the Atchafalaya by some route at once speedier and more direct. +While the explorations were in progress to discover such a route, +Weitzel once more took occasion to urge his original plan. On the +15th of February, he wrote to Augur, his division commander: + +"I feel it a duty which I owe you and my country to address you at +this late hour in the night on the present proposed movement on +Butte ŕ la Rose and the Teche country. . . . In all honesty and +candor, I do not believe the present plan to be a proper one. . . . +Sibley's Texas brigade is somewhere in the Opelousas country. . . . +Mouton's main body is in rear of intrenchments on Madame Meade's +plantation, six miles below Centreville. If we defeat these two +commands we form a junction with our forces near Vicksburg. By +pursuing our success to Alexandria, we may capture General Mouton's +force, and with little loss, unless it form a junction with Sibley. +If it forms a junction, we will meet them near Iberia and engage +them in open field, and with a proper force can defeat them. +General Emory's whole division (moved to Brashear City) and my +brigade can do this work. Let the light transportation, now with +General Emory, and all destined for and collected by me be collected +at Brashear City. Let two of the brigades be moved to and landed +at Indian Bend, while the other two are crossed and attack in front. +If Mouton escapes (which I think, if properly conducted, will be +doubtful) we form a junction at Indian Bend. We proceed to attack +and with much superior force, because I do not believe Mouton and +Sibley united will exceed 6,000 men. We can defeat them, pursue +our success to Alexandria and of course get Butte ŕ la Rose; our +gunboats to facilitate its fall, attacking it as they cannot +accompany us farther up than Saint Martinville. I believe this to +be the true and only correct plan of the campaign." + +These views were unquestionably sound; they were such as might have +been expected of an officer of Weitzel's skill and experience and +special knowledge of the theatre of operations. Supported by the +strong current of events, they were now to be carried into effect. + +At the date of this despatch, Emory's division had been for several +weeks near the head of the Bayou Plaquemine, with headquarters at +Indian Village, endeavoring to find or force a waterway to the +Atchafalaya, while Weitzel was holding his brigade in readiness to +co-operate by a simultaneous movement against Taylor on the Teche. +Many attempts were made by Emory to carry out the object confided +to him, yet all proved failures. Bayou Sorrel, Lake Chicot, Grand +River, and the Plaquemine itself, from both ends of the stream, +were thoroughly explored, but only to find the bayous choked with +driftwood impossible to remove, and until removed rendering the +streams impassable. Two of these drifts in Bayou Sorrel were +carefully examined by Captain Henry Cochen, of the 173d New York. +The first he reported to be about a mile in length, "composed of +one mass of logs, roots, big and small trees, etc., jammed tightly +for thirty feet, the whole length of my pole." The second drift, +just beyond, was found nearly as bad, and farther on lay another +even worse. Moreover, a thorough reconnoissance showed the whole +country, between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya above the +Plaquemine, to be impracticable at that season for all arms. After +more than a month of this sort of work, Emory was called across +the river to Baton Rouge to take part in the events narrated in +the last chapter. + +Banks returned to New Orleans on the 24th of March, and the next +day ordered Grover to embark and move down the river to Donaldsonville, +and thence march down the Bayou La Fourche to Thibodeaux. At the +same time Emory was ordered, as soon as Grover's river transports +should be released, to embark his command for Algiers, and thence +move by the railway to Brashear. Meanwhile, on the 18th of March, +Weitzel learned of the presence of the _Queen of the West_ and +_Webb_ in the Atchafalaya, and as this seemed to indicate an +intention to attack him, and the navy had no more light-draught +gunboats to spare for his further security, to avoid having his +hand forced and the game spoiled, he discreetly fell back on the +21st to the railway bridge over Bayou Boeuf, and took up a position +where he was not exposed, as at Brashear, to the risk of being cut +off by any sudden movement of the enemy. + +On the 28th of March the _Diana_ was sent to reconnoitre the +Confederate position and strength on the lower Teche; but continuing +on down the Atchafalaya, instead of returning by Grand Lake as +intended, and thus running into the arms of the enemy, she fell an +easy prey. The _Calhoun_ went to her relief, but ran aground, +and the _Estrella_ had to go to the assistance of the _Calhoun_. +Acting-Master James L. Peterson, commanding the _Diana_, was killed, +and Lieutenant Pickering D. Allen, aide-de-camp to General Weitzel, +was wounded. With the _Diana_ there fell into the enemy's hands +nearly one hundred and fifty prisoners. This gave the Confederates +three rather formidable boats in the Atchafalaya and the Teche. + +The movement of the troops was necessarily slow, as well by reason +of the extremely limited facilities for transportation, as because +of the state of the roads, but by the 8th of April every thing was +well advanced, and on that day Banks moved his headquarters to +Brashear. Weitzel, who had been reinforced by the siege-train, +manned by the 1st Indiana heavy artillery, had already re-occupied +his former front on Berwick Bay. Emory was in bivouac at Bayou +Ramos, about five miles in the rear of Weitzel, and Grover at Bayou +Boeuf, about four miles behind Emory. Thus the whole movement was +almost completely masked from the Confederates, who from their side +of the bay saw only Weitzel, and knew little or nothing of the +gathering forces in his rear. So little, indeed, that Taylor, with +his usual enterprise, seems to have thought this a favorable moment +for attempting upon Weitzel the same operation that Weitzel had +been so long meditating for the discomfiture of Taylor. + +Emory marched early in the morning of the 9th of April and closed +up on Weitzel, who, an hour later, about ten o'clock, began to +cross. No enemy was seen save a small outpost, engaged in observing +the movement. This detachment retired before Weitzel's advance, +without coming to blows. Weitzel at once sent his Assistant +Adjutant-General, Captain John B. Hubbard, with Perkins's and +Williamson's troops of cavalry and one section of Bainbridge's +battery to discover the enemy's position. The Confederates were +found to be in some force in front of Pattersonville, with their +cavalry pickets advanced to within a mile of Weitzel's front. + +As soon as Weitzel had completed his crossing, and released the +boats, Emory followed him. The four brigades bivouacked in front +of the landing-place that night. The gunboats, having done the +greater share of the ferriage, went back to the east bank for +Grover. + +Grover, who had marched from Bayou Boeuf at nine o'clock, just as +Emory was arriving at Brashear, came there, in his turn, early in +the afternoon. The plan had been that Grover should embark +immediately, and, having his whole force on board by an early hour +in the night, the boats should set out at daylight, so as to place +Grover by nine o'clock on the morning of the 11th in position for +the work cut out for him. With few pilots, and the shores unlighted, +it was out of the question to attempt the navigation of the waters +of the Grand Lake during the night. However, it was not until the +night of the 11th that Grover was able to complete the embarkation +of his division. To understand this it is necessary to observe +that Emory and Weitzel, in making the passage of Berwick Bay, were +merely crossing a short ferry, so that the boats engaged in the +transfer could be loaded rapidly to almost any extent, so long as +they remained afloat, and being unloaded with equal facility, were +in a few minutes ready to repeat the operation. In Grover's case, +however, the infantry, artillery, cavalry, and stores had all to +be taken care of at once, with every provision for fighting a +battle. For this the artillery was considered indispensable, and +it was not without great trouble and long delay that the guns and +horses were got afloat. Fate seemed to be against Grover, for +after all had been accomplished by the greatest exertion on his +part, as well as on the part of his officers and the corps +quartermasters, a fog set in so dense that the pilots were unable +to see their way. This continued until nine o'clock on the morning +of the 12th; then at last the movement began. + +About noon, on the 11th of April, Weitzel, leading the advance of +the main column, moved forward. At once his skirmishers felt the +skirmishers of the enemy, who retired slowly, without attempting +any serious opposition. In the evening, Weitzel rested in line of +battle a short distance above Pattersonville. Emory followed +closely, and went into bivouac on Weitzel's left. The march had +not been begun earlier, and the enemy was not pressed, because it +was desired to keep him amused until Grover should have gained his +rear, and Grover had not yet started. + +After the early morning of Sunday, the 12th of April, had been spent +in light skirmishing and in demonstrations of the cavalry, designed +to observe the enemy, and at the same time to attract and hold his +attention, word came that Grover was under way. Banks knew that +the passing fleet must soon be in plain sight of the Confederates. +Therefore, it was now necessary to move promptly, and to feel the +enemy strongly, yet not too strongly, lest he should abandon his +position too soon and suddenly spoil all. From this moment it is +important to remember that, save in the event of complete success, +no word could come from Grover for nearly two days. The first news +from him was expected to be the sound of his guns in the enemy's +rear. + +At eleven o'clock the bugle again sounded the advance. The whole +line moved forward, continually skirmishing, until, about four +o'clock in the afternoon, the infantry came under fire of the +Confederate guns in position on the lines known as Camp Bisland. +The line of march led up the right bank of the Atchafalaya until +the mouth of the Teche was reached, thence up the Teche, partly +astride the stream, yet mainly by the right bank. At first Weitzel +formed on the right, Emory on the left, but as the great bend of +the Teche was reached, about four miles below Bisland, and by the +nature of the ground the front became narrowed at the same time +that in following the change of direction of the bayou the line +was brought to a wheel, Weitzel took ground to the left in two +lines, while Emory advanced Paine's brigade into the front line on +Weitzel's right, placed Ingraham in his second line, and made a +third line with Godfrey. + +Then finding the enemy beyond the Teche too strong for the cavalry +to manage single-handed, Banks called on Emory to reinforce the +right bank. Emory sent Bryan across with the 175th New York and +a section of the 1st Maine battery, commanded by Lieutenant Eben +D. Haley. They were to push the enemy back, and to conform to the +advance of the main line. + +The day was hot, the air close, and the march over the fields of +young cane, across or aslant the heavy furrows and into and over +the deep ditches, was trying to the men, as yet but little accustomed +to marches. Fortunately, however, there was no need of pressing +the advance until Grover's guns should be heard. About half-past +five in the afternoon a brisk artillery fire began, and was kept +up until night fell; then Emory moved the 4th Wisconsin forward to +hold a grove in front of a sugar-house, near the bayou, well in +advance of his right, in order to prevent the Confederates from +occupying it, to the annoyance of the whole line. + +After dark all the pickets were thrown well forward in touch with +those of the enemy, but the main lines were drawn back out of range, +for the sake of a good night's sleep before a hard day's work. + + +CHAPTER X. +BISLAND. + +The works behind which the Confederates now stood to battle were +named Camp Bisland or Fort Bisland, in honor of the planter whose +fields were thus given over to war. The defences consisted of +little more than a line of simple breastworks, of rather low relief, +thrown completely across the neck of dry land on either bank of +the Teche, the flanks resting securely on the swamps that border +Grand Lake on the left and on the right extend to the Gulf. The +position was well chosen, for five miles below Centreville, where +the plantation of Mrs. Meade adjoins the Bethel Place, the neck is +at its narrowest. The Teche, passing a little to the left of the +centre of the works, enabled the guns of the _Diana_, moving freely +around the bends, to contribute to the defence, while the obstructions +placed below the works hindered the ascent of the bayou by the +Union gunboats. The Confederate right was also somewhat strengthened +by the embankment of the unfinished railroad to Opelousas. On the +other hand, from the nature of the ground, low and flat as it was, +the works were in part rather commanded than commanding; yet the +difference of level was inconsiderable, and for a force as small +as Taylor's, outnumbered as his was, any slight disadvantage in +this way was more than compensated by the shortness of the line. + +Along the banks of the bayou were a few live oaks; on either flank +the swamp was densely wooded, mainly with cypress, cottonwood, and +willow, with an outlying and almost impenetrable canebrake, while +between the attacking columns and the Confederate position, on +either bank of the bayou, stretched a field where the young shoots +of the sugar-cane stood knee-high. This was crossed at right angles +with the bayou, by many of those wide and deep ditches by which +the planters of Louisiana are accustomed to drain their tilled +lowlands. + +Such was the scene of the action now about to be fought, known to +the Union army as the battle of Bisland or Fort Bisland; to the +Confederates, as the battle of Bethel Place or Bayou Teche. + +During the whole of the night of the 12th a dense fog prevailed, +but this lifting about eight o'clock on the morning of Monday, the +13th of April, disclosed a day as bright and beautiful as the scene +was fair. At an early hour the whole line advanced to within short +musketry range, in substantially the same order as on the previous +day. An attack by a detachment of Confederate cavalry upon the +skirmishers of the 4th Wisconsin, in advance of the sugar-house, +was easily thrown off, and a later demonstration by the Confederate +infantry upon Paine's position in the grove shared the same fortune. +Emory moved first the 8th New Hampshire, and afterwards the 133d +and 173d New York, to the support of the 4th Wisconsin. At the +same time Banks ordered Emory to send the other four regiments of +Gooding's brigade and the two remaining sections of the 1st Maine +battery to reinforce Bryan with the 175th New York on the left bank +of the Teche, in order to be prepared, not only to meet a flank +movement of the Confederates from that direction, but also to carry +to works on that side, should this be thought best. After these +dispositions had been completed the advance was steady and continuous, +yet not rapid, until toward noon the last of the Confederates +retired behind their breastworks and opened fire with musketry. +The ditches already spoken of hindered the progress of the Union +artillery, yet not seriously, while they afforded an excellent +protection for the supports of the batteries and enabled the lines +of infantry to rest at intervals: no small gain, for the sun grew +very hot, and the march over the heavy windrows and across the deep +ditches was exhausting. + +The Confederate gunboat _Diana_ took position well in front of the +works, so as to command completely the right flank of Emory and +Weitzel as they approached by a fire that, had it not been checked, +must have enfiladed the whole line. Just as this fire was beginning +to be disturbing it was silenced by a fortunate shot from one of +the two 30-pounder Parrott guns, served by the 1st Indiana, posted +in rear of Weitzel's left and trained upon the _Diana_, under the +personal supervision of Arnold. The third shot from this battery, +aimed at the flash of the _Diana_'s guns, exploded in her engine +room; then above the trees, whose leafage full and low hid the +vessel, was seen a flash like a puff of vapor; a rousing cheer was +heard from the sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin and 8th New +Hampshire, who had been told off to keep down the fire of the +gunboat; and the _Diana_ was seen to pass up the bayou and out of +the fight. + +All risk of an enfilade file being thus removed, the whole Union +line quickly closed with the Confederates, and the engagement became +general with artillery and musketry. On both sides of the bayou +the firing was brisk, at times even severe. Save where the view +was broken here and there by the trees or became lightly clouded +by the smoke of battle, the whole field lay in plain sight. As +the course of the Teche in ascending turned toward the left, Gooding, +on the east bank, had the wheeling flank, while Weitzel formed the +pivot. + +Gooding went forward in gallant style, his men quickening their +pace at times to a run, in order to keep the alignment with the +main body on the west bank. Perceiving on his extreme right, toward +the lake, a fine grove or copse, Gooding threw out Sharpe with the +156th New York to examine the wood with a view of attempting to +turn the left flank of the Confederate lines. These, as it proved, +did not extend beyond the grove, but there ended in an unfinished +redoubt. Indeed, nearly the whole of the Confederate works on the +east side of the bayou, although laid out long since, had been but +recently and hastily thrown up, after it became known to Taylor +that Banks was crossing to attack him. In the wood, about five +hundred yards in advance of the breastworks, Mouton had posted +Bagby's 3d Texas regiment. The Texans held their ground so stiffly +that Gooding found it necessary to send his own regiment, the 31st +Massachusetts, to the support of Sharpe. Mouton supported Bagby +with the left wing of the 18th Louisiana and part of Fournet's and +Waller's battalions. Gooding's men carried the rifle-pits in the +wood by a spirited charge, in which they took two officers and +eighty-four men prisoners. His main line in the open ground between +the wood and the bayou was formed by the 38th Massachusetts, deployed +as skirmishers, covering the front and followed, at a distance of +about one hundred and fifty yards, by the 53d Massachusetts, in +like order. Behind the 53d, two sections of the 1st Maine battery +were posted to command two parallel plantation roads leading up +the bayou, while the third section was held in reserve. After the +31st Massachusetts had gone to the support of the right, the main +line here was composed of the 175th New York. Shortly after five +o'clock the 53d Massachusetts relieved the 38th, which had expended +its ammunition, and was falling back under orders to replenish. +When this was done, the 38th once more advanced and formed in +support of the skirmish line. + +Meanwhile on the left of the Teche the main body moved forward in +two lines of battalions deployed, Paine on the right and Weitzel +on the left, while Ingraham, in column of companies, formed the +reserve for both. Paine's first line on the right, nearest the +bayou, was composed of the 4th Wisconsin and 8th New Hampshire, +his second line of the 133d New York and the 173d New York. Mack's +20-pounders commanded the bayou road, and Duryea went into battery +in advance of the centre, between Paine and Weitzel. + +Weitzel's front line was composed of the 8th Vermont and 114th New +York, with the 12th Connecticut, 160th New York, and 75th New York +in the second line. The guns of Bainbridge and Carruth went into +battery near the left flank, and working slowly kept down the fire +of the Confederate artillery in their front. When the fire of +musketry became hot, Weitzel sent the 75th New York to try to gain +the canebrake on the left, in advance of the enemy's works, with +a view of turning that flank. Of this movement Taylor says in his +report that it was twice repulsed by the 5th Texas and Waller's +battalion, under Green, and the 28th Louisiana, Colonel Gray, aided +by the guns of Semmes's battery and the Valverde battery. However, +the counter-movement on the part of the Confederates, being begun +in plain view, was instantly seen, and Banks sent word to Weitzel +to check it. With this object, Weitzel ordered the 114th New York +to go to the support of the 75th. A brisk fight followed, without +material advantage to either side. In truth, the canebrake formed +an impenetrable obstacle to the combatants, who, when once they +had passed within the outer edge of the tangle, were unable either +to see or approach one another, although the struggle was plainly +visible from the front of both armies. + +The reserve of Parrott guns, manned by the 1st Indiana and composed +of four 30-pounders and four 20-pounders, was posted under McMillan +to cover the left flank and the broken centre where it was pierced +by the bayou, as well as to watch for the return of the _Diana_ to +activity. Toward evening the remaining guns of the 1st Indiana, +two 12-pounder rifles under Cox, after being posted in support of +the centre, were sent to the left to assist Bainbridge and Carruth, +whose ammunition was giving out. + +Banks, after gaining advanced positions in contact with the enemy, +forbore to press them hard because, as has been seen, his whole +purpose was to hold the Confederates where they stood until he +could hear of Grover or from Grover. As the day advanced without +news or the long-expected sound of Grover's guns, Banks began to +grow impatient and to fear that the adventure from which so much +had been hoped had somehow miscarried. He therefore became even +more anxious than before lest the Confederates should move off +under cover of the coming night. Accordingly, during the afternoon, +although it had been his previous purpose not to deliver an assault +until certain that Grover held the Confederate line of retreat, +Banks gave discretionary orders to Emory and Weitzel to form for +an attack and move upon the Confederate works if a favorable +opportunity should present itself. The exercise of this discretion +in turn devolved upon the commanders of the front line, that is, +upon Weitzel and Paine, for Gooding, being out of communication, +except by signal, with the troops on the west bank, was occupied +in conforming to their movements. Paine and Weitzel, after +conferring, resolved to attack, and having made every preparation, +only waited for the word from the commanding general. + +The day was waning; it was already past four o'clock; and Banks +was still somewhat anxiously weighing the approach of night and +the cost of the assault against the chance of news from Grover, +when suddenly, straight up the bayou, and high above the heads of +Banks and his men, a 9-inch shell came hurtling, and as it was seen +to burst over the lines of Bisland, from far in the rear broke the +deep roar of the _Clifton_'s bow-gun. Soon from below the obstructions +that barred her progress came a messenger bearing the long-expected +tidings of Grover. At last he was on land and in march toward his +position. With a sense of relief Banks recalled the orders for +the assault and drew his front line back out of fire of the +Confederate musketry so that the men might rest. To relieve the +exhausted skirmish line, the 4th Massachusetts and the 162d New +York of Ingraham's brigade were sent forward from the reserve, +leaving him only the 110th New York. + +By dawn the next morning, at all events, Banks calculated, the +turning column would be in place; accordingly during the night he +gave orders to assault along the whole front as soon as it should +be light enough to see. + +However, shortly after midnight, sounds were heard on the picket +line, indicating some unusual movement behind the Confederate works. +When, at daybreak, the various skirmishers moved forward in eager +rivalry, they found the Confederates gone. Captain Allaire, leading +his company of the 133d New York, was the first to enter the works; +the regiment itself and the 8th New Hampshire followed closely, +and the colors of the 8th were the first to mount the parapet, +where they were planted by Paine. On the left bank, this honor +fell to the 53d Massachusetts. But in truth the surge was so nearly +simultaneous that the whole line of entrenchments on both sides of +the bayou, from right to left, was crossed almost at the same +instant. + +It was nine o'clock on Monday night when Taylor learned of Grover's +movements and position, as narrated in the next chapter. Taylor +at once began to move out of the lines of Bisland and to direct +his attention to Grover in order to secure a retreat. Just before +daylight Green, to whom, with his 5th Texas, Waller's battalion, +and West's section of Semmes's battery, Taylor had given the more +than usually delicate task of covering the rear, marched off the +ground, leaving nothing behind save one 24-pounder siege gun and +a disabled howitzer of Cornay's battery. + +Without losing an instant the pursuit of the retreating Confederates +was begun, Weitzel leading the way, and was conducted with vigor +and with scarcely a halt, notwithstanding the energetic opposition +of the Confederate rear-guard, until early in the afternoon, just +beyond Franklin, Emory's advance guard, under Paine, following the +bayou road, ran into Grover's under Dwight, approaching from the +opposite direction. Weitzel, having entered Franklin without +opposition, kept the left-hand or cut-off road until he came to +the burnt bridge over the Choupique, by which, as will presently +be seen, the Confederates had escaped. + +Gooding, after occupying the works in his front, crossed the Teche +by a bridge to the west bank and fell into Emory's column behind +Ingraham. The _Clifton_, as soon as the obstructions could be +removed, got under way and moved up the bayou abreast with the +advance of the army. + +The losses of the Nineteenth Army Corps in this its first battle +were 3 officers and 37 men killed, 8 officers and 176 men wounded; +in all 224. The 38th Massachusetts headed the list with 6 killed +and 29 wounded, and Gooding's brigade, to which this regiment +belonged, reported 87 casualties, or 38 per cent. of the whole. +In the six light batteries 15 horses were killed and 12 wounded, +and one caisson of the 1st Maine was upset and lost in crossing +the Teche to go into action. + +The losses of the Confederates have never been reported and no +means are known to exist for estimating them. + +The disparity of the forces engaged was more than enough to overcome +the Confederate advantage of position, for Banks had 10,000 men +with 38 guns, while Taylor reports but 4,000 men with four batteries, +estimated at 24 or 25 guns. To these must be added the _Diana_, +until disabled on Monday morning, and to the Union strength the +_Clifton_, after she arrived and opened fire at long range on Monday +afternoon. + +At Bisland the new headquarters flags were for the first time +carried under fire. These distinguishing colors, as prescribed in +General Orders on the 18th of February, were guidons four feet +square attached to a lance twelve feet long, made for convenience +in two joints. In camp or garrison they served to indicate the +quarters of the general commanding the corps, division, or brigade, +while on the march they were borne near his person by a mounted +orderly, commonly a trusty sergeant. The flag of the Nineteenth +Army Corps was blue with a white four-pointed star in the middle, +and on the star the figures 19 in red. From this the division +flags differed only in having a red ground and the number of the +division in black. The brigade flags had blue, white, and blue +horizontal stripes of equal width, with the number of the brigade +in black in the white stripe. Thenceforward these colors were +borne through every engagement in which the corps took part. Not +one of them was ever abandoned by its bearer or taken by the enemy. + + +CHAPTER XI. +IRISH BEND. + +Grover's instructions were to gain a landing on the shore of Grand +Lake, and then marching on Franklin, to cut off Taylor's retreat +or to attack him in the rear, as circumstances might suggest. + +We have seen how, instead of being ready to move from Berwick Bay +on the morning of the 10th of April, Grover found his departure +delayed by the various causes already mentioned until the morning +of the 12th was well advanced. + +The flotilla, under Lieutenant-Commander Cooke, composed of the +flag-ships _Estrella, Arizona, Clifton_, and _Calhoun_, having +completed the ferriage of Emory and Weitzel over Berwick Bay, was +now occupied in assisting the army transports to convey Grover to +his destination, besides standing ready to protect his movement +and his landing with its guns. + +About noon, when off Cypress Island, the _Arizona_ ran hard and +fast aground, and four precious hours were lost in a vain attempt +to get her afloat. If, in the light of after events, this may seem +like time wasted, it should always be remembered that all four of +the gunboats were crowded with troops, while an attack from the +_Queen of the West_ and her consorts was to be looked for at any +moment. Finally, rather than to put the adventure in peril by a +longer delay, Cooke determined to leave the _Arizona_ to take care +of herself, and once more steaming ahead, at half-past seven o'clock, +the gunboats and transports came to anchor below Miller's Point, +off Madame Porter's plantation. At this place, known as Oak Lawn, +Grover in the orders under which he was acting had been told he +might expect to find a good shell road leading straight to the +Teche, and crossing the bayou about the middle of the bow called +Irish Bend. Grover at once sent Fiske with two companies of the +1st Louisiana ashore in the _Clifton_'s boats to reconnoitre. It +was midnight when, after carefully examining the ground, Fiske +returned to the gunboat and reported the road under water, and +quite impracticable for all arms. The fleet then got under way, +and proceeding about six miles farther up the lake, anchored beyond +Magee's Point. + +Before daylight Dwight sent two of his staff officers, Captain +Denslow and Lieutenant Matthews, ashore, with a small detachment +from the 6th New York, to examine the plantation road leading from +this point to the Teche. The road being found practicable for all +arms, the debarkation began at daybreak. + +Dwight landed first. As soon as his leading regiment, the 1st +Louisiana, reached the shore, Holcomb threw forward two companies, +under Lieutenant-Colonel Fiske, as skirmishers, and formed the +battalion in line to cover the landing. + +Taylor, when he first learned that the gunboats and transports had +passed up Grand Lake, had sent Vincent, with the 2d Louisiana +cavalry and a section of Cornay's battery, to Verdun landing, about +four miles behind Camp Bisland, to observe and oppose the movement. +This was about noon on Sunday, the 12th. In the evening, hearing +of the progress of the fleet, Taylor sent a second section of +Cornay's battery to the lake, and going himself to Vincent ordered +him to follow the movement and try to prevent a landing. The next +morning Taylor sent Reily with the 4th Texas, to join Vincent and +aid him in retarding Grover's progress. + +Taylor seems to have censured Vincent for letting Grover land, yet +in truth Vincent was not to blame. The line he had to watch was +too long for his numbers, and the Union flotilla could and did move +more rapidly on the lake than the Confederate troops by the roads. +When he had stationed his pickets at the probable landing-places, +and taken up a central position to support them, he had done all +that lay in his power. The range and weight of the 9-inch shells +of the navy were alone enough to put a serious opposition to the +landing out of the question, but as soon as Vincent found where +the attempt was to be made, he disposed his men and guns to retard +it. Two of Cornay's guns even tried, ineffectually of course, to +destroy the transports: Cooke quickly drove them off. + +As Holcomb's skirmishers deployed they were met by a brisk fusillade +from Vincent's men strongly posted in ambush behind a high fence +in the thick wood that skirts the shore; but when Holcomb advanced +his battalion Vincent's men fell back on their main body and left +the wood to Holcomb, who immediately moved to the edge of the +clearing and held it, observing the enemy on the farther border. +This was Vincent with his regiment and the four guns of Corney; +and from this moment all that was happening on the lake shore passed +unseen by the Confederates. + +Meanwhile the landing went on very slowly, for the transports could +not come nearer to the beach than a hundred yards, and, although +the foot-soldiers were able to jump overboard and scramble ashore, +and the horses could also take to the water, it was necessary to +make a bridge of flats for the guns and caissons of the artillery. +Thus it was four o'clock in the afternoon before the whole division +found itself assembled on the plantation of Duncan McWilliams on +the shore of the lake, with the Teche at the upper reach of Irish +Bend four miles to the southward, and Charenton in the hollow of +Indian Bend lying but two miles toward the southwest. There were +roads in either direction, but Irish Bend was the way to Franklin, +and to Franklin Grover was under orders to go. + +About nine o'clock in the morning Dwight had borrowed from Birge +his two leading regiments, the 13th Connecticut and the 159th New +York, to support the 1st Louisiana. Grover also gave Dwight +Closson's battery and Barrett's troop of cavalry. Toward noon, +moving a detachment by his left, Dwight seized the bridge that +crosses the Teche in approaching Madame Porter's plantation from +the northward, just in time to extinguish the flames that Vincent's +men had lighted to destroy it. After seizing the bridge at Oak +Lawn, Barrett galloped down the left bank of the Teche and seized +the bridge a mile or two below, by which the same small plantation +is reached from the eastward; probably by the shell road that Grover +had been told to take, and at which he had tried to land. Barrett +was in time to save the bridge from Vincent, and to hold the +advantage thus gained Dwight soon sent Holcomb with the 1st Louisiana, +131st New York, 6th New York, 22d Maine, and Closson's battery. + +Meanwhile, the division being entirely without wagons, save a few +that were loaded with the reserve ammunition, still another wait +took place while the men's haversacks were being filled with hard +bread and coffee. All these delays were now having their effect +upon Grover's own calculations. He now knew nothing of Banks's +movements or his situation. Of his own movements he was bound to +suppose that Taylor had received early and full information. +Moreover, the topography of the country where Grover found himself +was obscure and to him unknown. Instead, therefore, of marching +forward as fast as his troops could land, boldly and at all hazards +to seize the roads by which Taylor must retreat, Grover now took +counsel with prudence and concealing his force behind the natural +screen of the wood, waited till his whole division should be fully +ready. + +Thus it was six o'clock and the sun stood low among the tree-tops +when Grover, with Birge and Kimball, took up the line of march for +the Teche. Crossing the upper of the two bridges, he went into +bivouac on the right bank on the plantation of Madame Porter, and +called in Dwight's detachment. Before setting out to rejoin the +division Holcomb burned the lower bridge, under orders, and then +marching up the left bank, crossed the upper bridge at a late hour +of the night. In Grover's front stood Vincent alone, for Reily +had not yet come; but in the darkness it was impossible for Grover +to make out the enemy's force, or even to find his exact position. + +When about nine o'clock that night, as related in the last chapter, +Taylor heard the news from Reily, he supposed Grover to be already +in strong possession of the only road by which the Confederates +could make good their retreat up the Teche; yet desperate as the +situation seemed, Taylor at once made up his mind to try to extricate +himself from the toils. Sending his wagon train ahead, soon after +midnight he silently moved out of the lines of Bisland and marched +rapidly on Franklin, leaving Green to cover the rear and retard +the pursuit. These dispositions made, Taylor himself rode at once +to his reversed front, a mile east of Franklin. With him were +Reily, whom he had picked up on the road below Franklin, Vincent +who with the four guns of Cornay was still watching Grover, and +Clack's Louisiana battalion, which had come in from New Iberia just +in the nick of time. The plantation with the sugar-house, then +belonging to McKerrall, is now known as Shaffer's. The grounds of +Oak Lawn adjoin it toward the east and north, and along its western +boundary stand Nerson's Woods, whence the coming battle takes the +name given to it in the Confederate accounts. Here, beneath the +trees, along their eastern skirt and behind a stout fence, Taylor +formed his line of battle, facing toward the east, and waited for +the coming of Grover. South of the bayou road stood Clack; on his +left, two pieces of Cornay's battery, next Reily, then Vincent with +a second section of Cornay's guns. The task before them was simple +but desperate. They were to hold off Grover until all but they +had safely passed behind the living barrier. Then they were to +extricate themselves as best they could, and falling in the rear +of the main column of the Confederate army try to make good their +own escape. Before this could happen, Grover might overwhelm them +or Banks might overtake them; yet there was no other way. + +As early on the morning of Tuesday the 14th of April as it was +light enough to see, Grover marched on Franklin by the winding +bayou road. Preceded by Barrett and a strong line of skirmishers, +Birge with Rodgers's battery led the column; Dwight with Closson's +battery, followed; while Kimball with Nims's battery brought up +the rear. + +The head of Grover's column had gone about two miles, and in a few +moments more would have turned the sharp corner of the bayou and +faced toward Franklin, when, on the right, near the sugar-house, +Birge's skirmishers ran into those of Clack's battalion, and the +battle of Irish Bend began. + +Between Birge and the concealed Confederate ranks, past which he +was in fact marching, while his line of direction gave his right +flank squarely to the hostile front, lay the broad and open fields +of McKerrall's plantation, where the young sugar-cane stood a foot +high above the deep and wide furrows. From recent ploughing and +still more recent rains the fat soil was soft and heavy under foot, +and here and there the cross-furrows, widening and deepening into +a ditch, added to the toil and difficulty of movement, both for +men and guns. On the left flowed the dark and sluggish Teche. On +the right lay the swamp, thickly overgrown and nearly impassable, +whence the waters of the Choupique begin to ooze toward the Gulf. +Along the southern border of this morass ran a great transverse +ditch that carried off the gathered seepage of the lesser drains. +In front, on the western edge of the cane-field, stood Nerson's +woods, where, as yet unseen, the Confederates lay in wait; while +before them, like a screen, stretched a low fringe of brake and +undergrowth. + +Birge's order of march placed the 25th Connecticut in the advance, +one wing deployed as skirmishers across the road, the other wing +in reserve. Next came the 26th Maine with Bradley's section of +Rodgers's battery, then the 159th New York, then the remainder of +Rodgers's battery, while the 13th Connecticut brought up the rear. +When he saw his skirmishers briskly engaged and by the sound and +smoke discovered the position of the enemy, Birge made the reserved +battalion of the 25th Connecticut change front forward and move +across the field against the Confederate left. Bissell led his +men quickly to within a hundred yards of the wood, where they lay +down under the partial cover of a ditch and began firing. Hubbard, +with the 26th Maine, came up on Bissell's left and took up the same +tactics. At once the enfilade fire of the Confederate line became +vigorous and annoying, until Bradley took his two guns at a gallop +to the skirt of the undergrowth opposite the interval between the +infantry battalions and, opening fire at five hundred yards' range, +engaged for a time the whole attention of the Confederate cannoneers. +Then Grover, who rode with Birge, sent in the 159th New York on +the left of the 26th Maine, with orders to take the wood, while +the 13th Connecticut, marching round the bend of the bayou, formed +on the extreme left between the stream and the road. + +Molineux promptly deployed his regiment, and gallantly led it +forward at the double-quick over and beyond the left of the line +already formed, until the men were within short point-blank range +of the enemy's musketry; there, finding them exhausted by the rapid +advance over the rough and heavy ground, as well as suffering +severely from the bullets of the enemy, he made the men throw off +their blankets and overcoats, lie down, and open a vigorous fire. +Perhaps under the stress of this, but more probably in preparation +for the counter-attack, the Confederates slackened their fire, and +Molineux, perceiving his opportunity, as it seemed, was in the act +of uttering the command "Forward!" when a bullet struck him in the +mouth and he fell, painfully wounded, leaving the command of the +regiment, for the time, to Captain Dayton. Lieutenant-Colonel +Draper had already fallen, and Major Burt was with Grover, serving +on the staff. + +At the word the men sprang to their feet, but before the command +could be carried out, suddenly came the crisis of the battle. +About seven o'clock, Gray had brought up the 28th Louisiana to +Taylor's aid, and with it the news that the rest of the forces from +Bisland were close at hand and all was well with them. Under cover +of the wood, Taylor moved Gray quietly to the left, and perceiving +that his line now overlapped Grover's right, promptly determined +to gain the brief time he still needed for the safe retreat of his +main body by a bold and vigorous attack with the whole force he +had under his hand. The order was obeyed with spirit. Out of the +wood beyond the right, and from the main ditch, well in the rear +of the 159th, the Confederates came charging strongly, and halting, +they poured in a hot volley. Seeing that the situation was critical +Dayton ordered the regiment to retire. Under a severe fire it fell +back quickly, yet in good order, to the road. There it promptly +re-formed on its colors, and Burt rejoining took command. + +In their retreat the New Yorkers swept over the position of the +26th Maine and the 25th Connecticut and carried these already shaken +regiments with them, in some natural disorder; but his lasted hardly +longer than was needed for Dwight to hear and obey the command that +now came back from Grover, to deploy the first brigade and take up +the broken battle. + +Bradley held his ground stoutly to the last moment, and when finally +the choice was narrowed to retreat or capture, he retired in good +order to a fresh position, and there serving his canister with +coolness and deliberation, held off the enemy's advance. At this +point, Rodgers, who with his centre section was in the road on the +left, engaged at 800 and 400 yards with Cornay's right section, +turned his attention to the Confederate infantry on the right, and +crossing with spherical case-shot the canister fire of his Lieutenant, +made good the check. + +Almost at the moment when Taylor's left was thus roughly bearing +down the right of Birge, on his left his own 13th Connecticut, +under Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, enveloped in a grove, was moving +steadily on the Confederate right, where Clack stood and the two +guns of Cornay. Emerging from the grove into an open field that +still lay between them and the enemy in the wood, Warner's men +instantly replied to the volleys of cannon and small-arms that +greeted their appearance and pushed on, firing as they went. More +fortunate than their comrades in the direction and the moment of +their attack, they pressed back Clack, drove off Cornay's guns, +and took two of his caissons, a limber, and a color presented to +his battery by the ladies of Franklin. Nearly 60 prisoners at the +same time fell into their hands. They were still advancing when +Grover's orders recalled them to the restored line of battle of +the brigade. + +As Birge's right retired, Dwight deployed in two lines, the 6th +New York and the 91st New York in front, the 22d Maine, 1st Louisiana, +and 131st New York in support, and advancing against Taylor's left +flank and overlapping it in its turn pushed it back into and beyond +the woods. In this movement Dwight took 70 prisoners. The resistance +he encountered was feeble compared with the vigor with which Birge +had been met and turned back, for in that effort the Confederate +line of battle had practically gained its main object and had now +only to extricate itself and make good its own withdrawal. + +Birge, at the same time that he drew back the 13th Connecticut, +once more moved forward his three other regiments and re-formed +the brigade in two lines on Dwight's left. + +Kimball, whose brigade was in two lines in reserve, brought up the +12th Maine to the support of the 13th Connecticut. + +This done, Grover advanced the whole division through the woods to +the open fields on their farther or western verge, and seeing the +Confederates in force on the knoll beyond, to which they had retired, +halted and began to observe and reconnoitre. + +To cover the right flank of the last Confederate position Semmes +brought up the _Diana_, whose injuries of the day before he had +during the night partly made good by repairs. Her 30-pounder +Parrott now opened a slow fire without great effect other than to +add to Grover's caution. + +Shortly after eight o'clock Mouton rode up. To him Taylor turned +over the command of the force confronting Grover, and then rode +into Franklin to direct the retreat. By half-past nine Green with +the rear-guard moved out on the direct road toward New Iberia. +The last of Green's troopers had not quitted the little town at +the upper end when the first of Weitzel's entered at the lower end. + +Some time passed before Mouton knew of this. Then for a brief +space his peril was great; but fortunately for him the unlooked-for +situation of affairs raised a momentary doubt in the minds of +Green's pursuers. Should they go to the right or to the left? +And where was Grover? After questioning prisoners and townspeople, +Banks directed Weitzel to follow by the cut-off road and Emory to +move up the bayou. The interval, short as it was, enabled Mouton +to fall back quickly, and taking a by-way across country to strike +into the cut-off road beyond the northern outskirts of Franklin. +Not an instant too soon, for in the confusion Sibley had fired the +bridge over the Choupique and across the blazing timbers lay Mouton's +last hope of escape. Hardly had his men reached the north bank in +safety when Weitzel's advance guard came in sight down the road. +They galloped to the bridge only to find it impassable. + +Before retiring the Confederates blew up the _Diana_ and applied +the match to all their transport steamers on the Teche save the +hospital boat, the _Cornie_, which loaded with the sick and wounded +of Bisland fell into the hands of the Union forces. Captain Semmes, +who had but the day before left his battery to command the _Diana_, +was taken prisoner, with all his crew. He and Weitzel had been +friends and classmates at West Point; he now refused the offered +courtesies of his captor, and a few hours later, finding himself +rather loosely guarded, cleverly managed to regain his liberty. + +To return to Grover. The situation of the enemy's force in his +front, the vigorous resistance encountered in his advance, and +lastly, the information gathered from the prisoners he had taken, +had convinced him that he had to deal with Taylor's whole force, +save a small rear-guard, and that Taylor had already succeeded in +passing him, so that it was no longer possible to cut the Confederate +line of retreat. Indeed, Grover seems rather to have thought that +Taylor meant to attack him. It was while careful reconnoissances +were being conducted to develop the true facts that Taylor slipped +away, as we have seen, having thus adroitly extricated himself from +the net spread in his sight. + +About two o'clock, however, as Taylor did not attack, Grover moved +forward, and as he marched down the bayou road soon met Emory coming +up, as related in the last chapter. + +Banks, seeing that the bridge could not be made passable before +morning, and that nothing was to be gained by marching his tired +troops over the long roundabout of the bayou road, went into bivouac +early in the afternoon, covering the northern approaches of Franklin. +Grover occupied his battle-field of the morning, Emory held the +bayou road between Grover and the town, and Weitzel the cut-off +road. + +Taylor crossed the Cypremort and having marched fifteen miles since +quitting Franklin, or twenty-five since midnight, rested near +Jeannerette. + +Grover reported his loss during the 13th, 14th, and 17th as 53 +killed, 270 wounded, and 30 captured or missing; in all 353. In +the battle of Irish Bend, according to the nominal lists as complied +in the Official Records, his loss was 6 officers and 43 men killed, +17 officers and 257 men wounded, and 30 men missing; in all 353; +agreeing with the first statement covering the three days, yet +differing slightly in the details. Of this total Dwight's brigade +lost 3 killed and 9 wounded on the 13th, 1 killed and 5 wounded on +the 17th, and only 2 killed and 13 wounded in the battle. Both +statements seem to leave out the 1st Louisiana, which had 2 men +killed and the lieutenant-colonel and 2 men wounded on the 13th. +In Birge's brigade the loss in the battle, according to Grover's +report, was 46 killed, 236 wounded, 49 missing; in all 312. The +official reports show 16 less in the columns of wounded and in the +total: these are probably the 16 wounded officers accounted for +in the nominal lists. Of the regiments engaged the heaviest loss +fell upon the 159th New York, in which the nominal lists show 4 +officers and 15 men killed, 5 officers and 73 men wounded, and 20 +men captured or missing; in all 117.(1) But this fine regiment +suffered even more severely than these figures indicate, for besides +having to mourn the death of the gallant and promising Draper, +Molineux received a grievous wound that for many weeks deprived +the regiment of one of the best colonels in the service, while of +the wounded officers two were mortally hurt and died soon afterward. +Birge's loss was nearly one man in four or five, for his strength +did not exceed 1,500, and it is probable that his fighting line +numbered not more than 1,200. + +The Confederate loss is not reported. They left on the field, to +be cared for by their adversary, 21 of their dead and 35 of their +wounded. Among these were Gray, Vincent, and Reily. + +Taylor gives the number of his infantry engaged in the charge on +Birge's right as less than 1,000. The disparity of the opposing +forces in that affair was, therefore, not important, and Birge's +somewhat greater numbers may fairly be considered as off-set by +the advantages of Taylor's position and the familiarity with the +country common to nearly all the Confederate soldiers there engaged, +while to their antagonists it was an unknown land. Grover's whole +force was about 5,000, of all arms, but of these, though all are +to be taken into account, nearly a third were in reserve, neither +firing nor under fire, while another third met a resistance so +light that its loss was no more than one per cent. of its numbers +--hardly more than it had suffered in the skirmishes of the day +before. Grover had eighteen pieces of artillery, of which but four +were in action; Taylor also had four guns of which he made good +use, and these, toward the close of the battle, were reinforced by +the five heavy guns of the _Diana_, of which, however, it is probable +that but one, or at most two, could be brought to bear. + +The field of battle was so contracted that Taylor's strength sufficed +to occupy its front, while Grover was hindered or prevented from +deploying a force large enough to outflank and crush his antagonist +at a blow. + +Viewed from a Confederate standpoint, the issue forms an instructive +example of the great results that may be achieved by a right use +of small forces. If, on the other hand, one turns to consider the +lost opportunity of Grover, two things stand out in strong relief: +the one, the positive disadvantage of employing forces, too large +for the affair in hand or for the scene of operations; the other, +that bold adventures must be carried boldly to the end. + +Instead of making the campaign with four brigades and twenty-four +guns, as Weitzel's original plan had contemplated, Banks, for +greater security, set out with seven brigades and fifty-six guns. +So far as concerned the main body ascending the Teche, this excess +of strength could do no harm, but it was otherwise with the turning +column by the lake; for to the needless augmentation of the artillery +were directly due not only the day and night first lost, but also +the still more precious hours of daylight consumed in landing guns +that were not to fire a shot. Two brigades of infantry, with six +guns at most, landing at Indian Bend, and marching directly toward +the Cypremort, and quickly entrenching across both roads at or near +their upper fork, would have been enough to hold the position +against the best efforts of the whole of Taylor's army, with Emory +close on their heels; and thus Taylor must have been lost and the +war in Western Louisiana brought to an end. Consequences many and +far-reaching would have followed. Moreover, when it was determined +to use more than two divisions one of these was naturally Grover's, +and thus it happened that to Grover, who knew nothing of the country, +was assigned the delicate duty first cut out for Weitzel, while +Weitzel, who had studied to the last point every detail of the +topography and of the plan, stayed behind as the third in command +of the column destined to butt its nose against the breastworks of +Bisland and wait for the real work to be done a day's march on +their farther side. + +Grover has been often criticised and much misunderstood for alleged +over-caution and for taking the wrong direction after quitting the +borders of the lake. Both criticisms are unjust. Generals, like +other men, act according to their temperaments. In the whole war +no braver man than Grover ever rode at the head of a division, nor +any more zealous, more alert, more untiring in his duty. No troops +of his ever went into battle but he was with them. But he was by +nature cautious, and the adventure was essentially one that called +for boldness. Moreover, he was by nature conscientious. That his +orders, based as they were on misinformation of a date much later +than Weitzel's intelligence, required him to land at Irish Bend +instead of at Indian Bend, as first arranged, and to march on +Franklin instead of toward the Cypremort, was not his affair. +Surely no soldier is to be blamed, least of all in combined and +complex operations, for choosing to obey the clearly expressed +orders of those set over him, rather than to follow the illusory +inspirations of the will-o'-the-wisp commonly mistaken for genius. + +As for the orders themselves, they were correct upon the information +at hand when they were given and the state of affairs then existing. +To land at Madame Porter's and to seize the roads at Franklin was +better than to go farther afield to gain the same end; for the +distance was less, and while on the march Grover was enabled to +offer his front instead of his flank to the enemy. But the +information proved inexact; when Madame Porter's road was tried it +was found impassable, and with this and the unforeseen delays it +happened that the orders became inapplicable. + +(1) According to the regimental history (MS.), 4 officers and 22 +men killed; 5 officers and 76 men wounded; 11 men missing; in all, +118: of the wounded, 2 officers and 10 men mortally. + + +CHAPTER XII. +OPELOUSAS. + +Cooke, after detaching the _Clifton_ to go up the Teche after the +_Diana_, as already related, remained at anchor in Grand Lake +opposite Grover's landing-place and awaited developments. He had +not long to wait. The first news of Banks's movement across Berwick +Bay had overtaken and recalled Taylor on his way up the Atchafalaya +to bring down the _Queen of the West_ and her consorts, the _Grand +Duke_ and _Mary T_, to join in the intended operations against +Weitzel. Although Taylor at once sent a staff officer to urge +despatch, yet from some cause more than two full days had passed +before, on the afternoon of the 13th, the distant smoke of the +Confederate gun-boats coming down Lake Chicot was seen by the +lookouts of the Union navy in Grand Lake. At daylight the _Queen +of the West_ and the _Mary T_, were seen approaching from Chicot +Pass. Cooke at once got the _Estrella, Calhoun_, and _Arizona_ +under way, opened fire at long range, and forming his boats in a +crescent began to close with the enemy. Soon, however, the _Queen +of the West_ was seen to be in flames, from the explosion of the +Union shells, and, her consort having promptly taken to flight, +Cooke ceased firing and lowered all his boats to save the crew of +the burning vessel from drowning. Captain Fuller, who had formerly +commanded the _Cotton_, was rescued with 90 of his men, but nearly +30 were lost. Then with a loud explosion the eventful career of +the _Queen of the West_ came to an end, leaving her five guns, +however, once more in the hands of the Union navy. This fortunate +stroke gave the mastery of the Atchafalaya into Cooke's hands with +nothing save Butte-ŕ-la-Rose and two feeble gunboats to hinder his +taking possession. + +Once safely across the Cypremort, Taylor's army began to melt away +and his men, as they passed their homes, to fall out without +hindrance. Many were of the simple class called Acadians, with +scant sympathy for either side of the great war into which they +found themselves drawn, and in all the regiments there were many +conscripts. + +On the 15th of April, Taylor marched ten miles to New Iberia. +While there, he had the unfinished ironclad gunboat _Stevens_, +previously known as the _Hart_, floated two miles down the Teche, +destroyed by fire, and the wreck sunk in the channel. + +On the 16th he marched twenty miles, crossed the Vermilion River, +went into camp on high ground on the north bank, and burned the +bridges behind him. + +Early in the morning of the 15th of April, Banks took up the pursuit +with his united force, now outnumbering Taylor's as three to one. +Weitzel led the advance of the main column on the direct road. +Emory followed him, and Grover marching at first on the bayou road +fell in the rear after passing the fork. The army halted for the +night at Jeannerette. + +On the following afternoon Banks entered New Iberia. Here the ways +parted, the right-hand road by Saint Martinville following for +many miles the windings of the Teche, while the left-hand road +leads almost directly to Opelousas, by way of Vermilionville, now +called Lafayette. + +Beyond Indian Bend the lowlands, in many places below and nowhere +much above the level of the adjacent waters, may be said to end +and the plains to begin; and soon after leaving New Iberia and +Saint Martinville the troops found themselves on the broad prairies +of Western Louisiana, where the rich grasses that flourish in the +light soil sustain almost in a wild state vast herds of small yet +fat beeves and of small yet strong horses; where in favored spots +the cotton plant is cultivated to advantage; where the ground, +gently undulating, gradually rises as one travels northward; where +the streams become small rivers that drain the land upon their +borders, instead of merely bayous taking the back waters of the +Mississippi and the Red. Near the right bank of the Teche runs +even a narrow ribbon of bluffs that may be said to form the western +margin of the great swamps of the Atchafalaya. Along the streams +live-oaks, magnolias, pecans, and other trees grow luxuriantly; +but, for the most part, the prairies are open to the horizon, and +at this time, though the gin-houses were full of cotton, the fields +were mainly given over to the raising of corn for the armies and +the people of the Confederacy. + +From New Iberia Banks ordered Grover to send a detachment to destroy +the famous Avery salt-works, on Petit Anse Island, distant about +twelve miles toward the southwest. On the 17th of April, Grover +accordingly dispatched Kimball on this errand, with his 12th Maine, +the 41st Massachusetts, one company of the 24th Connecticut, and +Snow's section of Nims's battery. The extremely rich natural +deposit of rock salt was, at that time, in the hands of the +Confederate government, being, indeed, the main source of supply +of this indispensable article for the whole Confederacy, especially +for the region between the Mississippi and the Atlantic. The works +required for its extraction are, however, very simple, for the +deposit lies close to the surface, and has only to be quarried in +blocks of convenient size. These, always as clear and beautiful +as crystal, have only to be crushed or broken to be ready to use +for common purposes, and when pulverized, however rudely, yield +the finest table salt. Kimball burned all the buildings, destroyed +the engines and implements, with six hundred barrels of salt, and +marched back to New Iberia, and, on the 19th, rejoined Grover on +the Vermilion. The Confederates having drawn off the detachment +and the guns previously posted to guard the works, Kimball met with +no opposition. + +On the 17th of April, Grover, with the main body of his division, +reinforced by Gooding's brigade, temporarily commanded by Colonel +John W. Kimball, of the 53d Massachusetts, continued the pursuit +toward Vermilion, while Banks, with Weitzel and Emory, marched to +Saint Martinville, on the Teche. + +Early in the afternoon Grover caught sight of Green's rear-guard +of Taylor's retreating forces, then about two miles distant, and +in the act of crossing the Vermilion. Before Grover could overtake +them, the bridges were in flames. Dwight's skirmishers deployed +on the right and left of the road, and, with the help of the guns +of Closson and Nims, drove off the enemy, posted to hinder or +prevent the work of reconstruction. In this affair Dwight lost +one killed and five wounded. The next day, the 18th of April, was +spent by Grover in rebuilding the main bridge. + +Then began to be felt the need of such a force of mounted troops +as on these plains formed the main strength of Taylor's little +army, and the source of its safety; for Banks's cavalry, taken as +a whole, with some splendid exceptions, was at this time greatly +inferior, not only in numbers but in fitness for the work at hand, +to the rough riders led by the restless and indomitable Green. A +few more horsemen, under leaders like Barrett, Williamson, and +Perkins, would have saved the bridge and insured the dispersion or +the destruction of Taylor's force. + +Weitzel, who, as far as Saint Martinville, had led the advance of +the main column, followed by Emory with Paine and Ingraham, there +took the road to the left and halted on the evening of the 17th of +April at Côte Geleé, four miles in the rear of Grover. The next +morning Weitzel moved up to Grover's support, while Banks, with +Emory, rested at Côte Geleé to await the rebuilding of the bridge. + +From St. Martinville, Emory sent the 173d New York, under Major +Gallway, with Norris's section of Duryea's battery, to follow the +Teche road to Breaux Bridge and endeavor to capture the bayou +steamboats, five in number, that were still left to the Confederates. +Five miles below the village of that name, Gallway met a small +Confederate picket, and pushing it aside, soon afterward found the +bridge over the bayou in flames. On the morning of the 18th he +learned that four of the boats had been burned by the Confederates, +and about the same time his farther advance was stopped by orders +from Banks, despatched as soon as it was known that Grover had been +brought to a stand. A courier from headquarters having lost his +way in the night of the 18th, on the following morning Gallway +found himself in the air without any apparent object. He accordingly +marched along the banks of the Teche and the Bayou Fusilier, and +taking the road to Opelousas, there rejoined Paine on the 1st. + +On the 19th of April the army crossed the Vermilion and the Carencro, +and marched unopposed sixteen miles over the prairie to Grand +Coteau. Gooding's brigade rejoined Emory during the day. + +On the 20th the march was continued about eight miles to Opelousas. +Just outside the town the Corps went into bivouac, after throwing +forward all the cavalry, the 13th Connecticut, and a section of +Rodgers's battery, to Washington, on the Courtableau. + +On the same day, after a brief engagement, Cooke, with the gunboats +_Estrella, Arizona_, and _Calhoun_, and a detachment of four +companies of the 16th New Hampshire from Brashear, captured Fort +Burton at Butte-ŕ-la-Rose, with its garrison of 60 men of the +Crescent regiment and its armament of two 32-pounders; thus at last +gaining the complete control of the Atchafalaya, and at the same +time opening communication with Banks by way of Port Barré or +Barré's Landing on the Courtableau, distant about nine miles +northeasterly from Opelousas. Then Cooke steamed up the Atchafalaya +to make his report to Farragut, lying in the Mississippi off the +mouth of the Red River, and to seek fresh orders. + +At the outset of the campaign the 16th New Hampshire had been +detached from Ingraham's brigade of Emory and left at Brashear to +guard the main depots and the surplus baggage. After the battle +of Bisland, the 4th Massachusetts was turned back to Brashear to +relieve the 16th New Hampshire. This regiment having assisted in +the capture of Butte-ŕ-la-Rose, now formed the garrison of that +desolate and deadly hummock. + +While at Opelousas the army could draw its supplies from Brashear +by the Atchafalaya and the Courtableau, but so long as the direction +of the future operations remained uncertain, it was necessary to +keep a firm hold of the communications by the Teche. Accordingly, +the 175th New York took post at Franklin and the 22d Maine at New +Iberia. + +On the 22d of April the 162d New York, under Blanchard, with a +section of the 1st Maine battery and one troop of the 2d Rhode +Island cavalry, marched to Barré's Landing, seized the position, +and captured the little steamboat _Ellen_, the last of the Teche +fleet. + +On the 23d of April the little _Cornie_ arrived at Barré's Landing +from the depot at Brashear, and the next day the first wagon-train +came into camp laden with the supplies now sadly needed. At sight +of the white-covered wagons winding over the plain, the men gave +way to those demonstrations of delight so familiar to all who have +ever seen soldiers rejoice. For fifteen days they had been subsisting +upon an uncertain issue of hard bread, coffee, and salt, eked out +by levies, more or less irregular, upon the countryside. They were +sick of chickens and cornbread, and fairly loathed the very sight, +to say nothing of the smell, of fresh-killed beef; tough at best, +even in the heart of the tenderloin, the flesh had to be eaten with +the odor and the warmth of the blood still in it, under penalty of +finding it fly-blown before the next meal. Thus it was that, as +Paine relates in his Diary, the men now "howled for salt pork and +hard tack." + +Although the army had now a double line of communication with its base, +yet the long haul from New Iberia and the scarcity of light-draught +steamboats adapted to the navigation of the narrow and tortuous bayous +made the task of supplying even the urgent wants of the troops +both tedious and difficult. The herds near Opelousas were fast +disappearing under the ravages of the foragers, authorized and +unauthorized, yet had it not been for the beef obtained from +this source and for the abundant grass of the prairie men and horses +must soon have suffered greatly. + +On the 24th of April, Banks reviewed his army in the open plain, +near Opelousas. The troops, not as yet inured to the long and hard +marches, were indeed greatly diminished in numbers by the unaccustomed +toil and exposure, as well as by the casualties of battle and the +enervating effects of the climate, yet they presented a fine +appearance, and were in the best of spirits. + +On learning of Cooke's success at Butte-ŕ-la-Rose, Banks detached +Dwight, posted him at Washington in observation, and placed Grover +with his remaining brigades at Barré's Landing, to secure the +depots, while Emory and Weitzel covered Opelousas. + +Having by burning the Vermilion bridge gained a day's rest for his +tired soldiers, Taylor resumed the retreat at noon on the 17th of +April, and passing through Opelousas and Washington on the 18th +and 19th, on the following day found himself with all his trains +behind the Cocodrie and the Boeuf. On the 20th he sent Mouton, +with all the cavalry except Waller's battalion, westward over the +prairie toward Niblett's Bluff, on the Sabine. Then, with Waller +and the frayed remnant of the infantry, day by day wearing away at +the edges, Taylor continued his retreat toward Alexandria, halting +with what may be called his main body at Lecompte. To hinder the +pursuit he burned the bridges over the Bayou Cocodrie and the Bayou +Boeuf. + +Opelousas, miles away from every thing, in the heart of a vast +prairie, presented in itself no object for an invading army. Even +the temptation of a good position was wanting. + +Banks meant merely to halt there a day or two for rest, and then, +if it should be found practicable to obtain the necessary supplies, +to push on rapidly to Alexandria, and dispose for the season of +Taylor's disordered fragments. Whether this could have been done +will never be known, for although the army had now far outmarched +its supplies, and even from its secondary base at Brashear was +separated by nearly a hundred miles, and although the campaign had +so far been made upon less than half the regular rations for men +and animals, supplemented from farm, sugar-house, and prairie, the +country on the line of march was no longer to be counted on for +any thing save sugar in plenty and a little corn; nevertheless, it +might have been possible, by great exertions, to replenish the +trains and depots, as well as to fill up the haversacks. Moreover, +a three days' march would find the army on the banks of Red River, +with a new and ample source of supply open to them, and within easy +reach of Grant, provided only the navy might be counted upon to +control the waters of that stream and its larger tributaries. Of +this Banks had no doubt whatever. To open communication with Grant +and to dispose of Taylor had been the chief ends that Banks had +proposed to himself in setting out on the campaign. These ends he +now held almost in his hand. But on the 21st of April an event +occurred that, slight as was its apparent importance, was destined, +in the train of consequences, vitally to affect the operations of +the Army of the Gulf. + +This was the arrival at headquarters of Lieutenant Joseph T. Tenney, +one of Dudley's aides-de-camp, who had been sent by Augur to find +Banks, wherever he might be. With him Tenney brought important +despatches from Grant and Farragut. What the contents were and +what came of them will be related in the next chapter. + +From Opelousas Bean, with the 4th Wisconsin, a section of Duryea's +battery, and a squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, went a +day's march toward the southwest, to the crossing of the Plaquemine +Brulé, and discovered that Mouton was retreating beyond the Mermentau. +From Washington, Dwight moved out twenty miles along the Bayou +Boeuf to Satcham's plantation without finding the enemy in force. +After learning these things, on the 25th of April, Banks turned +over the command of the forces to Emory and went to New Orleans to +give his attention to affairs of urgency, chiefly affecting the +civil administration of the department. He returned to headquarters +in the field on the evening of the 1st of May. + +Meanwhile Emory sent Paine, who, when crossing the Carencro, had +seen the last of the Confederates disappearing in the distance, +with his brigade and a section of Duryea's battery far out on the +Plaquemine Brulé road, in order to find and disperse some cavalry, +vaguely reported to be moving about somewhere in that quarter, a +constant menace to the long trains from New Iberia. In fact Mouton, +with the Texans, was now on the prairie, beyond the Calcasieu eighty +miles away, in good position to retreat to Texas or to hang on the +flank and rear of the Union army, as circumstances might suggest. +On the 26th of April Paine marched sixteen miles to the Plaquemine +Brulé, and on the following day sent four companies on horseback +twenty miles farther toward the southwest across Bayou Queue de +Tortue, and another detachment to Bayou Mallet to reconnoitre. +Seeing nothing of the enemy, on the 28th Paine rejoined his division +and resumed the command of it at Opelousas. Some time before this +orders had been given to mount the 4th Wisconsin, and when the army +finally marched from Opelousas this capital regiment made its +appearance in the new rôle of mounted infantry. To say nothing of +the equipments, a wide divergence in the size, color, and quality +of the horses, hastily gathered from the four quarters of the +prairie, gave to these improvised dragoons rather a ludicrous +appearance it must be confessed; yet marching afoot or standing to +horse, the 4th Wisconsin was always ready and equal to the work +cut out for it. + +From his advanced camp, on Shields's plantation, twenty-three miles +beyond Washington and twenty-nine from Opelousas, Dwight fell back +on the 28th of April to his bivouac at Washington and waited for +the movement of the army to begin. + +In preparation for this, on the evening of the 1st of May, Bean, +with the 4th Wisconsin, mounted, was sent forward to join the main +body of the cavalry, under Major Robinson, in front of Washington. +That night Dwight, with the cavalry, his own brigade, and a section +of Nims's battery, marched out some distance to discover the position +of the Confederate outposts. These, in the interval that elapsed, +had been advanced to the junction of the Cocodrie and the Boeuf. +After driving them in Dwight returned the next morning to +Washington. + +The advance of the column from Franklin to Opelousas had been +disfigured by the twin evils of straggling and marauding. Before +the campaign opened, Banks had taken the precaution to issue +stringent orders against pillage, yet no means adequate to the +enforcement of these orders were provided, and the marches were so +long and rapid, the heat at times so intense, and the dust so +intolerable, that comparatively few of the men were able to keep +up with the head of the column. This contributed greatly to disorder +of the more serious kind. One regiment, neither the best nor the +worst, halting at the end of a particularly hard day's march, found +itself with scarcely fifty men in the ranks. Then, too, the men +were on short rations, in what they considered the enemy's country; +the whole region was sparsely populated; and the residents had, +for the most part, fled from their homes at the news of the approach +of the Union army. + +With these disorders there sprang up a third, less prevalent indeed, +but to the last degree annoying and not without its share of danger, +for when the straggler chanced to find himself in easy range of +any thing, from a steer to a chicken, that he happened to fancy +for his supper, he was not always careful in his aim or accurate +in his judgment of distance; thus a number of officers and men were +wounded and the lives of many put in peril. + +As if to complete the lesson so often taught in all wars, that +discipline, care, and efficiency go hand in hand, when the army +moved out from Opelousas, though but a fortnight later, a different +state of things was seen. This must be ascribed to the fact that +immediately after entering Opelousas the most stringent and careful +orders were given for the regulation of future marches, and the +punishment of stragglers and marauders. By these orders was provided +for the first time a system adequate to their enforcement, and +sufficiently elastic to meet without annoyance and difficulty all +those cases, of hourly and even momentary occurrence in the movement +of an army, that require officers or men to quit the column. In +the rear of each regiment was posted a surgeon, without whose +permission no sick man was allowed to fall out. In the rear of +each brigade and division marched a detachment of cavalry, under +the orders of the provost marshal of the brigade or division, +charged with the duty of picking up as stragglers all men found +out of the ranks without a written permit from the surgeon or the +company commander. The vital importance of a strict enforcement +of these arrangements was personally impressed upon the division +and brigade commanders; yet this was not now necessary, for there +were but few persons in the column of any rank that did not realize, +in part at least, the evil consequences resulting from the irregular +practices that had hitherto prevailed. Thus the march to the Red +River was made rapidly and in order, and now for the first time +the soldiers of the Nineteenth Army Corps marched with that swift +and regulated movement of the column as a unit that was to be ever +afterwards a source of comfort to the men, of satisfaction to their +officers, and of just pride to every one belonging to the corps. + +Unhappily, on the 25th of April, before the result of these +arrangements had had a chance to show themselves, Dwight, while on +detached service in the advance, caught an unfortunate man of the +131st New York, Henry Hamill by name, absent from his regiment +under circumstances that pointed him out as a plunderer. Then, +without pausing to communicate with the general commanding, Dwight +took upon himself the task of trial and judgment on the spot, and +becoming satisfied of the man's guilt, caused him to be shot to +death at sunset in front of the brigade. This action Banks, who +was just setting out for New Orleans, sustained in special orders +as soon as he returned. Indeed, between this course and the instant +delivery of Dwight to punishment, Banks had practically no choice. +Nevertheless, whatever may have been the excuse or how extreme the +provocation, the act was altogether wrong. The rules and articles +of war lay down the penal code of armies in all its severity, in +terms too clear to be misunderstood and too ample to warrant an +attempt on the part of any one in the service, however exalted his +rank, to enlarge or evade them. The offender should have been +tried by court-martial. No emergency or exigency existed to delay +the assembling of the court. Had he been found guilty, his death +might swiftly have followed. Then the terrible lesson would have +been impressive. Then none would have thought it hasty, needless, +violent, or unlawful. + +As it was, the wretched man's punishment furnished chiefly matter +for regret, and an example to be avoided. + + +CHAPTER XIII. +BANKS AND GRANT. + +The first effect of the despatches from Grant and Farragut, referred +to in the preceding chapter, was to cause Banks to reconsider his +plan of campaign, and to put the direction of his next movement in +suspense. While waiting for fresh advices in answer to his own +communications and proposals Banks halted, and while he halted +Taylor got time to breathe and Kirby Smith to gather new strength. + +This correspondence has been so much discussed, yet so little +understood, that, chronology being an essential part of history, +the narrative of the events now at hand may be rendered clearer, +if we turn aside for a moment to consider not only the substance +of what was said upon both sides, but, what was even more important, +the time at which it was heard. + +Farragut's letter, written from the _Hartford_ above Port Hudson +on the 6th of April, was the first communication Banks had received +from Farragut, save a brief verbal message brought to him by the +Admiral's secretary, Mr. E. C. Gabaudan, on the 10th of April, just +before the army set out from Brashear. Mr. Gabaudan had come +straight from the Admiral, but without any thing in writing, having +floated past Port Hudson by night in a skiff covered with twigs so +as to look like a drift log. Farragut's letter gave assurance of +the complete control of the Red River and the Atchafalaya by the +navy of the Union. + +Grant's despatch bore date the 23d of March. It was the first +writing received from him. It conveyed the answer to the letter +addressed to him by Banks on the 13th of March, and placed in the +hands of Farragut just before the _Hartford_ ran the batteries of +Port Hudson. Thus on either side began a correspondence clearly +intended by both commanders to bring about an effective co-operation +between the two armies, aided by the combined fleets of Farragut +and Porter. Yet in the end, while the consequences remained unfelt +in the Army by the Tennessee, upon the Army of the Gulf the practical +effect, after the first period of delay and doubt, was to cause +its commander to give up the thought of moving toward Grant and to +conform all his movements to the expectation that Grant would send +an army corps to Bayou Sara to join in reducing Port Hudson. Thus, +quite apart from the confusion and the eventual disappointment, +much valuable time was lost while the matter was in suspense; and +so was demonstrated once more the impossibility, well established +by the history of war, of co-ordinating the operations of two armies +widely separated, having different objectives, while an enemy +strongly holds the country between them. + +When Banks wrote his despatch of the 13th of March, he was at Baton +Rouge, about to demonstrate against Port Hudson. When Grant received +this despatch he was on the low land opposite Vicksburg, with the +rising river between him and his enemy, laboriously seeking a +practical pathway to the rear of Vicksburg, and in the meantime +greatly troubled to find dry ground for his seventy thousand men +to stand on. Grant's first idea, derived from Halleck's despatches, +was that Banks should join him before Vicksburg, with the whole +available force of the Army of the Gulf. When he learned from +Banks that this would be out of the question so long as Port Hudson +should continue to be held by the Confederates, Grant took up the +same line of thought that had already attracted Banks, and began +to meditate a junction by the Atchafalaya, the Red, the Tensas, +and the Black rivers. What Grant then needed was not more troops, +but standing-room for those he had. Accordingly, he began by +preparing to send twenty thousand men to Banks, when the Ohio River +steamers he had asked for should come.(1) They never came, yet even +after he had embarked upon the campaign, alike sound in conception +and splendid in execution, that was to become the corner-stone of +his great and solid fame, Grant kept to his purpose. + +On the 14th of April he penned this brief telegram to Banks: + +"I am concentrating my forces at Grand Gulf; will send an army +corps Bayou Sara by the 25th, to co-operate with you on Port Hudson. +Can you aid me and send troops after the reduction of Port Hudson +to assist me at Vicksburg?" + +This message, although Banks and Grant were then only about two +hundred miles apart, had to travel three thousand miles to reach +its destination. Banks received it just before marching from +Opelousas on the 5th of May, twenty-one days after it left Grant's +hands. As received, the message was in cipher and without a date. +As the prevailing practice was, in conformity with the orders of +the Secretary of War, the only persons in the Department of the +Gulf who held the key to the cipher were the Superintendent of +Military Telegraphs and such of his assistants as he chose to trust, +and Mr. Bulkley was at New Iberia, where the wires ended. The code +employed was the route cipher in common use in the service, and +with the help of the words "Bayou" and "Sara" as guides the meaning +was not hard to make out. Banks did not trust to this, however, +and waited until, late at night, he received from the Superintendent +an official translation, still without date, as indeed was the +original document received at headquarters from New Orleans. The +25th Banks naturally took to mean the 25th of May. Grasping eagerly +at the first real chance of effective co-operation, he at once +replied: "By the 25th probably, by the 1st, certainly, I will be +there." This despatch was not in cipher, because he had no code. +Captain Crosby carried it to the _Hartford_ at the mouth of Red +River. Captain Palmer, who was found in command, the Admiral having +crossed Fausse Point and joined his fleet below, at once forwarded +the despatch. Near Natchez Crosby met Captain Uffers of Grant's +staff and turned back with him bringing Grant's despatch of the +10th of May, written at Rocky Springs. This Banks received at +Alexandria on the 12th of May. From it he learned that Grant was +not coming. Having met the Confederates after landing at Grand +Gulf and followed on their heels to the Big Black, he could not +afford to retrace his steps; but he urged Banks to join him or to +send all the force he could spare "to co-operate in the great +struggle for opening the Mississippi River." The reasons thus +assigned by Grant for his change of mind were certainly valid; yet +it must be doubted whether in these hurried lines the whole of the +matter is set forth, for three weeks earlier, on the 19th of April, +five days after the promise to send an army corps to Bayou Sara by +the 25th, Grant had reported to Halleck: "This will now be +impossible." Moreover, until the moment when he crossed the river +with his advance on the 30th of April he not only held firmly to +his intention to send the twenty thousand men to join Banks at +Bayou Sara as soon as the landing should have been secured, but +the corps for this service had been designated; it was to be made +up of the main body of McClernand's corps and McPherson's, and +Grant himself meant to go with it. It was indeed the 2d of May +when Grant received at Port Gibson Banks's despatch sent from +Brashear on the 10th of April indicating his purpose of returning +to Baton Rouge by the 10th of May, and although Grant also attributes +to this despatch the change of his plans, the 10th of May had +already come before he made known the change to Banks. + +All this time Banks bore with him Halleck's instructions of the +9th of November, and more than once studied with care and solicitude +these significant words: "As the ranking general in the Southwest +you are authorized to assume the control of any military force from +the upper Mississippi which may come within your command. The line +of division between your department and that of Major-General Grant +is, therefore, left undecided for the present, and you will exercise +superior authority as far north as you may ascend the river." By +the articles of war, without these words, Banks would have been +entitled to the command they gave him, but the words showed him +plainly what was expected of him by his government. To the incentives +of patriotism and duty were thus superadded one of the most powerful +motives that can affect the mind of the commander of an army,--the +hope and assurance of power and promotion. If, then, he held back +from joining Grant in Mississippi, it was because he hesitated to +take the extraordinary risks involved in the movement. In this he +was more than justified. + +Since the miscarriage of Sherman's attempt at the beginning of the +year, Grant had been engaged in a series of tentative efforts, +steadily prosecuted in various directions, yet all having a common +object, the finding of a foothold of dry ground for a decisive +movement against Vicksburg. Four of these experimental operations +had failed completely, and Grant was now entering upon a fifth, +destined indeed to lead to a great and glorious result, yet in +itself conveying hardly more assurance of success than the most +promising of its predecessors, while involving perils greater than +any that had been so far encountered. Of these, the greatest danger +was that the enemy, after allowing him to land on the east bank of +the river and to penetrate, with a portion of his army, into the +heart of Mississippi, might then concentrate all the available +forces of the Confederacy in that region and fall upon him with +vigor at the moment when his supplies should be exhausted and his +communications interrupted. In such an event the fortune of war +might have rendered it imperative for him to retire down the river; +but what would have happened then if Banks, disregarding Port Hudson +in his eagerness to join Grant before Vicksburg, should in his turn +have abandoned his communications? Both armies would have been +caught in a trap of their own making, whence not merit but some +rare stroke of luck could alone have rescued either. + +In the strong light of the great and decisive victory of Vicksburg, +it is scarcely possible to reproduce, even in the mind of the most +attentive reader, the exact state of affairs as they existed at +the moment of Grant's landing below Grand Gulf. This phenomenal +success was not foreshadowed by any thing that had gone before it, +and it would have been the height of imprudence to stake upon it +the fate of two armies, the issue of an entire campaign, and the +mastery of the Mississippi River, if not the final result of the +war. Nor should it be forgotten that Grant himself regarded this +movement as experimental, like its forerunners, and that up to the +moment he set foot upon the soil of Mississippi, he had formed no +conception of the brilliant campaign on which he was about presently +to embark. But instead of concentrating and acting with instant +determination upon a single plan with a single idea, at the critical +moment the Confederates became divided in council, distracted in +purpose, and involved in a maze of divergent plans, cross purposes, +and conflicting orders. While events caused the Confederate leaders +to shift from one plan to the other, with the chances of the day, +Grant was prompt to see and quick to profit by his advantage, and +thus the campaign was given into his hands. + +But on the 4th of May these great events were as yet hidden in the +unknown future, and when, after waiting thirteen days at Opelousas, +Banks began his march on Alexandria, it was with the earnest hope +of a speedy meeting of the two Union armies on the Mississippi; +then came the cipher telegram to exalt this hope into a firm and +just expectation of finding three weeks later an entire corps from +Grant's army at Bayou Sara, and as Banks mounted his horse to ride +toward the head of his column, it was with the fixed purpose of +being with his whole force at the appointed place at the appointed +time. + +(1) "I sent several weeks ago for this class of steamers, and +expected them before this. Should they arrive and Admiral Porter +get his boats out of the Yazoo, so as to accompany the expedition, +I can send a force of say 20,000 effective men to co-operate with +General Banks on Port Hudson."--Grant to Farragut, March 23d; +received by Banks, April 21st. The cipher message that followed +seemed to Banks a confirmation of this. + + +CHAPTER XIV. +ALEXANDRIA. + +Every one was in high spirits at the prospect of meeting the Army +of the Tennessee, and, to add to the general good-humor, just before +quitting Opelousas two pieces of good news became known. + +Grierson rode into Baton Rouge on the 2d of May at the head of his +own 6th Illinois and Prince's 7th Illinois cavalry, together 950 +horse. Leaving La Grange on the 17th of April, he had within +sixteen days ridden nearly 600 miles around the rear of Vicksburg +and Port Hudson and along the whole line of the Jackson and Great +Northern railroad. Beside breaking up the railway and the telegraph, +and destroying for the time being their value to the Confederate +army, Grierson's ride had an indirect effect, perhaps even more +important than the direct objects Grant had in view when he gave +his orders. That the railway should be rendered useless for the +movement of troops and supplies, and the telegraph for the transmission +of orders and intelligence, was of course the essential purpose of +the operation, yet no one could have foreseen the extent of the +confusion that followed, aided by Grierson's rapid movements, amid +the fluttering and distracted councils at Vicksburg. Thus it +happened that, when he heard of Grant's landing below Grand Gulf, +Pemberton actually thought himself menaced by the advance of Banks, +and this misapprehension was the parent of the first of those +mistakes of his adversary of which Grant made such good use. + +Lieutenant Sargent,(1) the aide-de-camp sent to communicate with +Admiral Farragut, as stated in the last chapter, found at the mouth +of the Red River Admiral Porter, with the gunboats _Benton, Lafayette, +Pittsburg_, and _Price_, the ram _Switzerland_, and the tugboat +_Ivy_, with which he had run the batteries of Vicksburg in preparation +for Grant's movement. Porter brought, indeed, no despatches, but +he brought the great news that Grant had secured his landing at +Grand Gulf and had begun his victorious march on Vicksburg. When +Sargent returned to headquarters at Opelousas, he brought with him +a despatch from Porter, promising to meet the army at Alexandria. + +Banks had already broken up the depots at Barré's Landing and New +Iberia. On the afternoon of the 4th of May, he set Dwight in motion +from his advance post at Washington. Weitzel marched from Opelousas +at five o'clock the same afternoon, and Emory's division under +Paine followed on the morning of the 5th. Emory, who had been +suffering for some weeks, had at last consented to obey his surgeon's +orders and go to New Orleans for a brief rest. Grover followed +from Barré's Landing early in the afternoon of the same day. Banks +himself remained at Opelousas until early in the morning of the +6th, having waited to receive and answer the translation of the +cipher telegram from Grant; then he rode forward rapidly and joined +his troops near Washington. From this time the communications of +the army were to be by the Atchafalaya and the Red River. + +On the 4th of May, while riding to the front to join the advance +commanded by his brother, Captain Howard Dwight, Assistant +Adjutant-General, was surprised and cut off at a sharp turn in the +Bayou Boeuf by a party of armed men on the opposite bank. Having no +reason to apprehend any special danger so far in the rear of the +advance, the little party was proceeding along the road without +precaution. At the moment of the encounter Captain Dwight was +quite alone, concealed by the turn in the road from the ambulance +and the few orderlies that were following at leisure. Armed only +with his sword, and seeing that escape was hopeless, he instantly +declared his readiness to surrender. "Surrender be damned!" cried +the guerillas, and, firing a volley without further parley, shot +him dead. When the orderlies who were with the ambulance heard +the firing they galloped forward, only to find poor Dwight's lifeless +body lying in the dusty road. The murderers had fled. + +By this painful event the service lost a brave and promising young +officer and the staff a pleasant and always cheerful comrade. The +distinguished family to which this gallant gentleman belonged had +given four brothers to the service of their country. Of these +Howard himself most nearly resembled in character, looks, and +bearing his elder brother Wilder, who fell at Antietam, honored +and lamented by all that knew him. + +Upon hearing the news, Banks instantly sent order to Brigadier-General +Dwight to arrest all the white men he might find near the +line of his march to the number of one hundred, and to send them +to New Orleans to be held as hostages for the delivery of the +murderers. "The people of the neighborhood who harbor and feed +these lawless men," Banks wrote, "are even more directly responsible +for the crimes which they commit, and it is by punishing them that +this detestable practice will be stopped." There were not a hundred +white men in the region through which Dwight was marching, but many +were punished by imprisonment after this order--a harsh measure, +it must be admitted, yet not without the justification that the +countryside was infested by men wearing no uniform, who acted in +turn the part of soldiers in front of the Union army, of citizens +on its line of march, and of guerillas in its rear. When, under +a flag of truce, Dwight presently demanded from Taylor the surrender +of his brother's murderers, the Confederate officers not only +disavowed but severely condemned the crime, declaring themselves, +however, unable to pick out the criminals. + +Two miles beyond Washington the Bayous Boeuf and Cocodrie unite to +form the Bayou Courtableau, out of which again, below the town, +flows the Bayou Maricoquant, forming a double connection with the +Teche at its head. For a long distance the Boeuf and the Cocodrie +keep close company, each following a crooked channel cut deeply +into the light soil. Crossing the Courtableau above Washington, +the line of march now lay along the east bank of the Boeuf, by +Holmesville and Cheneyville, through a country of increasing richness +and beauty, gradually rising with quickened undulations almost +until the bluffs that border the Red River draw in sight. + +Banks had promised that he would be in Alexandria on the morning +of the 9th of May; but no opposition was encountered; the roads +were good, dry, and easy under foot; the weather fine, and the men +were filled with a desire to push the march, and with an eager +rivalry to be first in Alexandria. Early on the afternoon of the +7th of May the brigades of Dwight and Weitzel, both under Weitzel's +command, arrived at the beautiful plantation of Governor Moore, +and went into bivouac. Here the cavalry, who had ridden well +forward, returned, bringing the news that Porter, with his gunboats, +was already in the river off Alexandria, where the fleet had cast +anchor early that morning, a full day before its time. This made +Banks desire to push on, and he at first ordered Paine to continue +the march, preceded by all the cavalry. When Weitzel heard this, +his spirit rose for the honor of his brigade, and in emphatic yet +respectful terms he protested against being deprived at the last +moment of the post he had held almost since leaving Brashear. +Banks yielded to Weitzel's wishes, and his men, not less eager than +their commander, notwithstanding the long march of twenty miles +they had already made, at once broke camp and with a swinging stride +set out the accomplish the twelve miles that still separated them +from the river. One of the ever-present regimental wits sought to +animate the spirits and quicken the flagging footsteps of his +comrades by offering a turkey ready trussed upon his bayonet to +the man that should get to Alexandria before him. For a long part +of the way the men of the 8th Vermont and the 75th New York amused +themselves by taking advantage of the wide and good roadway to run +a regimental race. As the eager rivals came swinging down the +hill, they found their progress checked by a momentary halt of the +horsemen in their front, while watering their jaded animals. Then, +"Get out of the way with that cavalry," was the cry, "or we'll run +over you!" + +It was ten o'clock at night when Weitzel's men led the way into +Alexandria. A full ration of spirits was served out to the men, +who then threw themselves on the ground without further ceremony +and used to the full the permission to enjoy for once a long sleep +mercifully unbroken by a reveille. Paine followed and encamped +near Alexandria on the following morning; Grover rested near +Lecompte, about twenty miles in the rear. + +Beside his own vessels, Porter brought with him to Alexandria the +_Estrella_ and _Arizona_ from the flotilla that had been operating +on the Atchafalaya under Cooke. Porter was thus fully prepared to +deal with any opposition he might encounter from the Confederate +batteries at Fort De Russy; but, although only the day before the +_Albatross, Estrella_, and _Arizona_ had been driven off after a +sharp fight of forty minutes, when, on the 5th of May, Porter +arrived at Fort De Russy, he found the place deserted and the guns +gone.(2) + +On the 8th of May, finding that the river was falling, Porter, +after conferring freely with Banks, withdrew all his vessels except +the _Lafayette_, and descending the Red River, sent four of the +gunboats seventy miles up the Black and its principal affluent, +the Washita, to Harrisonburg. This latter expedition had no +immediate result, but it served to show the ease with which the +original plan of campaign might have been followed to its end. + +While Banks was still at Opelousas, Kirby Smith, taking Dwight's +approach to signify a general advance of the Union army, had arranged +to retire up the Red River and to concentrate at Shreveport. +Thither, on the 24th of April, he removed his headquarters from +Alexandria and called in not only Taylor but a division of infantry +under Walker, and three regiments of Texans already on the Red +River. All the troops that Magruder could spare from the 8,000 +serving in Eastern Texas he was at once to put in march to the +Sabine. These orders, though too late for the emergency, brought +about the concentration that was presently to threaten the ruin of +Banks's main campaign on the Mississippi. + +Weitzel, with Dwight, followed the Confederate rear-guard to Lawson's +Ferry, forty-one miles by the river beyond Alexandria, taking a +few prisoners. Taylor himself appears to have had a narrow escape +from being among them. + +During the week spent at Alexandria, Banks was for the first time +in direct and comparatively rapid communication with Grant, now in +the very heart of his Vicksburg campaign, and here, as we have +seen, the correspondence was brought to a point. When he first +learned that Grant had given up all intention of sending to him +any portion of the Army of the Tennessee, Banks was greatly cast +down, and his plans rapidly underwent many changes and perturbations. +At first he was disposed to think that nothing remained but to +retrace his steps over the whole toilsome way by Opelousas, the +Teche, Brashear, New Orleans, and the Mississippi River to Baton +Rouge, and thence to conduct a separate attack upon Port Hudson. +This movement would probably have consumed two months, and long +before the expiration of that time it was fair to suppose the object +of such an operation would have ceased to exist. What led Banks +to this despondent view was the fact that he had been counting upon +Grant's steamboat transportation for the crossing of the Mississippi +to Bayou Sara, and at first, he did not see how this deficiency +could now be met. + +Indeed, on the 12th of May, he went so far as to issue his preparatory +orders for the retrograde movement; but the next day careful +reconnoissances by his engineers, Major Houston and Lieutenant +Harwood, led him to change his mind and to conclude that it would, +after all, be possible to march to Simmesport, and there, using +the light-draught boats of the Department of the Gulf, supplemented +by such steamers as Grant might be able to spare for this purpose, +to transfer the whole column to Grand Gulf and thence march to join +Grant in the rear of Vicksburg. Accordingly, on the 13th of May, +Banks gave orders for the immediate movement of his whole force in +accordance with this plan, and set aside all the preparations that +had previously been made. + +When the news reached Washington that Grant had gone to Jackson +and Banks to Alexandria, great was the dissatisfaction of the +Government and emphatic its expression. On the 19th of May Halleck +wrote to Banks: + +"These operations are too eccentric to be pursued. I must again +urge that you co-operate as soon as possible with General Grant +east of the Mississippi. Your forces must be united at the earliest +possible moment. Otherwise the enemy will concentrate on Grant +and crush him. Do all you can to prevent this. . . . + +"We shall watch with the greatest anxiety the movements of yourself +and General Grant. I have urged him to keep his forces concentrated +as much as possible and not to move east until he gets control of +the Mississippi River." + +And again, on the 23d of May, still more pointedly: + +"If these eccentric movements, with the main forces of the enemy +on the Mississippi River, do not lead to some serious disaster, it +will be because the enemy does not take full advantage of his +opportunity. I assure you the Government is exceedingly disappointed +that you and General Grant are not acting in conjunction. It +thought to secure that object by authorizing you to assume the +entire command as soon as you and General Grant could unite." + +When the despatches were penned, Grant and Banks were already +committed to their own plans for the final campaign on the Mississippi. +When they were received, Grant was before Vicksburg, Banks before +Hudson; each had delivered his first assault and entered upon the +siege. The censure was withdrawn as soon as, in the light of full +explanations, the circumstances came to be understood. + +(1) Professor Charles Sprague Sargent, of Harvard University, +Director of the Arnold Arboretum, the distinguished author of the +great book on Forest Trees of North America. At this time he was +serving zealously as a volunteer aide-de-camp without pay. + +(2) Under orders from Kirby Smith to Taylor, dated April 22d: "The +General is of the opinion that if a portion of the force pursuing +you should move against Fort De Russy by the road from Hauffpaur, +it would be impossible to hold it." See also Smith to Cooper, +April 23d: "The people at Fort De Russy cannot stand a land attack. +The advance of the enemy's column to the Hauffpaur . . . will ensure +its speedy fall, with loss of guns and garrison. Under these +circumstances, General Taylor has ordered the removal of the +32-pounder rifle and 11-inch columbiads to a position higher up the +Red River." + + +CHAPTER XV. +BACK TO PORT HUDSON. + +On the 7th of May Porter relived Farragut in the guardianship of +the Mississippi and its tributaries above the mouth of the Red +River. This left Farragut free to withdraw his fleet so long +blockading and blockaded above Port Hudson. Accordingly he gave +discretionary orders to Palmer to choose his time for once more +running the gauntlet, and Palmer was only watching his opportunity +when he yielded to the earnest entreaty of Banks, and agreed to +remain and co-operate if the General meant to go against Port +Hudson. + +Grover began the movement on the 14th of May; Paine followed early +on the morning of the 15th, while Weitzel, still retaining Dwight, +was ordered to hold Alexandria until the 17th, and then to retire +to Murdock's plantation, where the east and west road along the +Bayou Hauffpaur crosses the road from Alexandria to Opelousas, and +there await further orders. + +Besides the ordinary duty of a rear-guard, the object of this +disposition of Weitzel's force was to cover the withdrawal toward +Brashear of the long train of surplus wagons for which there was +now no immediate need, and which would only have encumbered the +proposed movement of the Corps by water. All the troops took the +road by Cheneyville instead of that by Marksville, in order to +conceal from the Confederates as long as possible the true direction +of the movement. + +Having given these orders, Banks embarked on one of the river +steamboats on the evening of the 15th and transferred his headquarters +to Simmes's plantation on the east bank of the Atchafalaya opposite +Simmesport. Thence he proceeded down the Atchafalaya to Brashear, +and so by rail to New Orleans. + +Grover broke camp at Stafford's plantation on the 14th of May, and +marched seventeen miles to Cheneyville; on the 15th, fourteen miles +to Enterprise; on the 16th, sixteen miles to the Bayou de Glaise; +and, on the morning of the 17th, twelve miles to Simmesport, and +immediately began to cross on large flatboats rowed by negro boatmen. +To these were presently added a little, old, slow, and very frail +stern-wheel steamboat, named the _Bee_, which, a short time +afterwards, quietly turned upside down, without any observable +cause, while lying alongside the levee; then the _Laurel Hill_, +one of the best boats in the service of the quartermaster; afterward +gradually but very slowly the other steamers began to come in. +Grover finished crossing on the morning of the 18th, and went into +camp near the Corps headquarters. + +Paine, with the 6th New York added to his command for the few +remaining days of its service, followed in the footsteps of Grover. +Leaving Alexandria on the morning of the 15th, Paine marched twenty +miles and halted at Lecompte. On the 16th, he marched twenty-five +miles to the Bayou Rouge; on the 17th, twenty miles to the Bayou +de Glaise, where the Marksville road crosses it; on the 18th, seven +miles to Simmesport, and on the following morning began to cross. + +Before leaving Alexandria, Weitzel, on the 14th May, sent two +companies of cavalry to reconnoitre a small force of the enemy said +to be near Boyce's Bridge on Bayou Cotile. The Confederates were +found in some force. A slight skirmish followed, with trifling +loss on either side, and when, the next day, Weitzel sent the main +body of the cavalry with one piece of Nims's battery, accompanied +by the ram _Switzerland_ with a detachment of 200 men of the 75th +New York, the Confederates once more retired beyond Cane River. + +Weitzel moved out of Alexandria at four o'clock on the morning of +the 17th of May, and, lengthening his march to thirty-eight miles +during the night, encamped on Murdock's plantation on the following +morning. The gunboats _Estrella_ and _Arizona_ and the ram +_Switzerland_ stayed in the river off Alexandria until noon of the +17th to cover Weitzel's withdrawal, and then dropped down to the +mouth of Red River and the head of the Atchafalaya. The Confederates +slowly followed Weitzel at some distance, observing his movements, +and, on the morning of the 20th, attacked his pickets. Then Bean, +who commanded Weitzel's advanced guard, consisting of his own 4th +Wisconsin, mounted, the 12th Connecticut, and all the cavalry, +threw off the attack and pursued the Confederates nearly to +Cheneyville, where Barrett, advancing too boldly after the main +body had halted, was cut off, with a detachment of seventeen of +his troop, and, finding himself surrounded, was forced to surrender. +Barrett himself and several of his men afterwards succeeded in +making their escape. The attacking party of the Confederates +consisted of Lane's regiment, fresh from Texas, Waller's battalion, +and a part of Sibley's brigade, with a battery of artillery. + +On the morning of the 22d, Weitzel, having completed the object +of his halt at Murdock's plantation, marched at a stretch the +thirty-four miles to Simmesport without further molestation, and +arriving there on the morning of the 23d, at once began the crossing. + +Chickering marched from Barré's Landing on the morning of the 21st +of May. His force consisted of his own regiment, the 41st +Massachusetts, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sargent and mounted +on prairie horses, the 52d Massachusetts, the 22d Maine, the +26th Maine, the 90th New York, the 114th New York, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Per Lee, Company E of the 13th Connecticut, and +Snow's section of Nims's battery. + +The 90th New York, Colonel Joseph S. Morgan, was among the older +regiments in the Department of the Gulf, having been mustered into +the service in December, 1861. In January, 1862, it went to Florida +with Brannan, on his appointment to command the Department of Key +West; and in June, 1862, it formed the garrison of Fort Jefferson +on the Dry Tortugas and of Key West; in November it was relieved +by the 47th Pennsylvania, and joined Seymour's brigade on Port +Royal Island, South Carolina. In March, 1863, it was back at Key +West. There both regiments remained together until May. Meanwhile +the district, then commanded by Woodbury, had been transferred from +the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf by orders +from the War Office dated the 16th of March. These Banks received +on the 10th of April, just before leaving Brashear, and as soon as +he learned the condition and strength of the post, he called in +the 90th New York. The regiment arrived at Barré's Landing just +in time to go back to Brashear with Chickering. Morgan, though +Chickering's senior in rank, waived his claim to the command and +accepted a temporary brigade made up of all the infantry and the +artillery. + +The 114th New York, after quitting the column on the 19th of April, +before passing the Vermilion, and performing the unpleasant duty +of driving before it to Brashear all the beeves within its reach, +was so unfortunate as to arrive at Cheneyville, on the return march, +on the 12th of May, at the moment when Banks had made up his mind +to retire to Brashear, and so just in time to face about and once +more retrace its weary steps. Passing through Opelousas and Grand +Couteau, the 114th turned to the left by the Bayou Fusilier and +fell in with Chickering on the Teche. + +The way was by the Teche, on either bank. By this time Mouton, +reinforced by a brigade of three regiments under Pyron, with a +light battery, probably Nichols's, had recrossed the Calcasieu +under orders sent him by Kirby Smith on the 14th of May, before he +knew of Banks's latest movement, and was approaching the Vermilion +just in time to harry the flank and rear of Chickering's column, +scattered as it was in the effort to guard the long train that +stretched for eight miles over the prairies, with a motley band of +5,000 negroes, 2,000 horses, and 1,500 beeves for a cumbrous +accompaniment. With the possible exception of the herd that set +out to follow Sherman's march through Georgia, this was perhaps +the most curious column ever put in motion since that which defiled +after Noah into the ark. + +On the 21st of May, Chickering halted near Breaux Bridge; on the +22d, above Saint Martinville; on the 23d, above New Iberia; on +the 24th, at Jeannerette. On the following afternoon the column +had halted five miles beyond Franklin, when a small force of the +enemy, supposed to be part of Green's command or of Fournet's +battalion, fell upon the rear-guard and a few shots were exchanged, +with slight casualties on either side, save that Lieutenant Almon +A. Wood, of the 110th New York, fell with a mortal wound. However, +although the troops had already traversed twenty-five miles, this +decided Morgan, who seems by this time to have taken the command, +to push on, and the march being kept up throughout the night, the +wearied troops, after a short rest for breakfast arrived at Berwick +Bay at eleven o'clock on the following morning. In the last +thirty-one hours the command had marched forty-eight miles. In the +forty-one days that had passed since the campaign opened the 114th +New York had covered a distance of almost 500 miles, nearly every +mile of it afoot and with but three days' rest. The same afternoon +the crossing began, and by the 28th every living thing was in safety +at Brashear. + +Banks had sent his despatches of the 13th of May to Grant by the +hands of Dwight, with instructions to lay the whole case before +Grant and to urge the view held by Banks with regard to the +co-operation of the two armies. Dwight proceeded to Grand Gulf by +steamboat, and thence riding forward, overtook Grant just in time +to witness the battle of Champion's Hill on the 16th of May. That +night he sent a despatch by way of Grand Gulf, promising to secure +the desired co-operation, but urging Banks not to wait for it. +The message arrived at headquarters at Simmes's plantation on the +evening of the 17th, and was at once sent on to Brashear to be +telegraphed to the commanding general at New Orleans. This assurance +sent by Dwight really conveyed no more than his own opinion, but +Banks read it as a promise from Grant, and once more convinced that +it would be futile to attempt a movement toward Grand Gulf with +the limited means of transport he had at hand, he again changed +his plan and determined to go directly to Bayou Sara, hoping and +trusting to meet there on the 25th of May a corps of 20,000 men +from Grant's army. + +The effective strength of the force now assembled near the head of +the Atchafalaya was 8,400 infantry, 700 cavalry, 900 artillery; in +all, 10,000. This great reduction was not wholly due to the effects +of the climate, hardships, and long marches, but is partly to be +ascribed to heavy detachments. These included the six regiments +with Chickering, one at Butte-ŕ-la-Rose, and one at Brashear. + +At Simmesport the Corps sustained its first loss by expiration of +service. The 6th New York, having completed the two years' term +for which it had enlisted, went by the Atchafalaya and the railway +to New Orleans, and there presently took transport for New York to +be mustered out. + +The movements of the army, though pressed as much as possible, were +greatly retarded by the scanty means of water transportation and +the pressing need of coal. From this cause the navy was also +suffering, and urgent means had to be taken to supply the +deficiency. + +Reconnoissances, conducted by Lieutenant Harwood, in the course of +which the enemy's cavalry was seen but not engaged, showed the +roads from the Atchafalaya to Waterloo to be practicable for all +arms. A detachment of cavalry sent out on the 18th to ascertain +whether the Confederates had any force on the west bank of the +Mississippi, encountered near Waterloo about 120 men of the 1st +Alabama regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Locke, who had been sent +over the day before from Port Hudson in skiffs to prevent any +communication between the upper and the lower fleets. A skirmish +followed, with slight loss on either side. + +First placing Emory in command of the defences of New Orleans, and +ordering Sherman to take Dow and Nickerson and join Augur before +Port Hudson, Banks left the city on the 20th of May, rejoined his +headquarters on the 21st, and at once set his troops in motion +toward Bayou Sara. At half-past eight o'clock on the morning of +the 21st of May, Paine broke up his bivouac on the Atchafalaya and +marched to Morganza, after detaching the 131st New York and the 173d +New York with a section of artillery to guard the ammunition train. +Grover followed by water as fast as the steamboats could be provided. +At two o'clock on the morning of the 22d of May, Banks and Grover, +with the advance of Grover's division, landed at Bayou Sara without +meeting any opposition from the enemy, who, up to this time, seems +not to have suspected the movement. The other troops followed as +rapidly as the means of transport permitted. Grover's division +was sent ashore, followed by two brigades of Paine's division from +Morganza. The wagon train went on down the road to the landing +directly opposite Bayou Sara, under the escort of the 110th New +York, and the 162d New York, with one section of Carruth's battery, +all under the command of Benedict. + +Soon after the landing at Bayou Sara, a party of cavalry rode in, +bringing the news of Augur's battle of the 21st. Hearing that +Augur was at that moment engaged with the enemy, Banks pressed +forward his troops. In a violent storm of wind and rain Grover +pushed on until he met Augur's outlying detachments. Then, finding +all quiet, he went into bivouac near Thompson's Creek, north-west +of Port Hudson. Paine followed, and rested on the Perkins plantation, +a mile in the rear of Grover. Banks made his headquarters with +Grover. Augur covered the front of the position taken up by the +enemy after the battle of Plains Store. On the same day, the 22d, +Sherman came up the river, landed at Springfield, and went into +position on the Bayou Sara road on Augur's left. Thus at night on +the 22d the garrison of Port Hudson was practically hemmed in. + +On the 18th, Banks had ordered Augur to march with his whole +disposable force to the rear of Port Hudson to prevent the escape +of the garrison. As early as the 13th of May, while yet the plan +of campaign was in suspense, Augur had sent Grierson with the +cavalry and Dudley with his brigade to Merritt's plantation, near +the junction of the Springfield Landing and Bayou Sara roads, to +threaten the enemy and discover his movements. Dudley then took +post near White's Bayou, a branch of the Comite, and remained in +observation, covering the road to Clinton and the fork that leads +to Jackson. On the 20th of May Augur moved the remainder of his +force up to Dudley, in order to be ready to cover T. W. Sherman's +landing at Springfield, as well as to meet the advance of the main +column under Banks from Bayou Sara, now likely to occur at any +moment. With Augur now were Dudley, Chapin, Grierson, Godfrey's +squadron composed of troops C and E of the Louisiana cavalry, two +sections of Rawles's battery, Holcomb's battery, and one section +of Mack's commanded by Sergeant A. W. McCollin. At six o'clock on +the morning of the 21st of May Augur marched toward the crossing +of the Plains Store and Bayou Sara roads to seize the enemy's line +of retreat and to open the way for Banks. When Grierson came to +the edge of the wood that forms the southern boundary of the plain, +his advance fell in with a detachment of the garrison under Colonel +S. P. Powers of the 14th Arkansas regiment, and a brisk skirmish +followed. The same afternoon Gardner sent out Miles, with his +battalion, about 400 strong, and Boone's battery, to feel Augur's +advance and perhaps to drive it away. This brought on the action +known as the battle of Plains Store. Unfortunately, no complete +reports of the affair were made and the regimental narratives are +meagre. + +In the heavy forest that then masked the crossroads and formed the +western border of the plain, Miles met Augur moving into position; +Dudley, on the right of the road that leads from Plains Store to +Port Hudson, supporting Holcomb's guns, and Chapin on the left +supporting Rawles's guns. For about an hour the artillery fire +was brisk. The 48th Massachusetts, being badly posted in column +on either side of the Port Hudson road, gave way in some confusion +under the sharp attack of Miles's men coming on through the thicket, +and thus exposed the guns of Beck's section of Rails. As the 48th +fell back through the advancing ranks of the 49th Massachusetts, +the progress of that regiment was momentarily hindered, but a brisk +charge of the 116th New York restored the battle. On the right, +a section of Boone's battery got an enfilade fire on Rails and +Chapin, and enabled Miles to draw off and retire behind the +breastworks. Thus the affair was really ended before Augur, whose +duty it was to act with prudence, had time to complete the proper +development of his division as for a battle with the full force of +the enemy, which he was bound to suppose was about to engage him. +Then he completed the task of making good his position, and proceeded +to open communication with Banks and with Sherman. + +The main loss fell upon Chapin, Dudley's casualties numbering but +18, Grierson's but 2. The total casualties were 15 men killed, 3 +officers and 69 men wounded, and 25 men missing--in all, 102. Miles +reports his loss as 8 killed, 23 wounded, and 58 missing,--in all, +89. + +When Augur quitted Baton Rouge he placed Drew with the 4th Louisiana +Native Guards in Fort Williams to hold the place, supported by the +fleet, and ordered Nelson with the 1st and 3d Louisiana Native +Guards to be ready to follow the division to Port Hudson. + + +CHAPTER XVI. +THE TWENTY-SEVENTH OF MAY. + +Port Hudson was now held by Gardner with a force of about seven +thousand of all arms. During the interval that had elapsed since +its first occupation a formidable series of earthworks had been +thrown up, commanding not only the river but all the inland approaches +that were deemed practicable. The first plan for land defence was +mainly against the attack expected to come from the direction of +Baton Rouge. Accordingly, about four miles below Port Hudson a +system of works was begun that, if completed, according to the +original trace, would have involved a defensive line eight miles +in length, requiring thirty-five thousand men and seventy guns to +hold it. As actually constructed, the lines were four and a half +miles long, and ran in a semicircular sweep from the river near +Ross Landing, below Port Hudson, to the impassable swamp above. +Following this line for thirteen hundred yards after leaving the +river on the south, the bluff is broken into irregular ridges and +deep ravines, with narrow plateaus; thence for two thousand yards +the lines crossed the broad cotton fields of Gibbons's and of +Slaughter's plantations; beyond these for four hundred yards they +were carried over difficult gullies; beyond these again for fourteen +hundred yards their course lay through fields and over hilly ground +to the ravine at the bottom of which runs Sandy Creek. Here, on +the day of the investment, the line of Confederate earthworks +stopped, the country lying toward the northeast being considered +so difficult that no attack was looked for in that quarter. Sandy +Creek finds its way into the marshy bottom of Foster's Creek, and +from Sandy Creek, where the earthworks ended, to the river at the +mouth of Foster's Creek, is about twenty-five hundred yards. Save +where the axe had been busy, nearly the whole country was covered +with a heavy growth of magnolia trees of great size and beauty. +This was a line that, for its complete defence against a regular +siege, conducted according to the strict principles of military +science, as laid down in the books, should have had a force of +fifteen thousand men. At the end of March the garrison consisted +of 1,366 officers, 14,921 men of all arms present for duty, making +a total of 16,287. The main body was organized in 5 brigades, +commanded by Beall, Buford, Gregg, Maxey, and Rust. The fortifications +on the river front mounted 22 heavy guns, from 10-inch columbiads +down to 24-pounder siege guns, manned by 3 battalions of heavy +artillerists, while 13 light batteries, probably numbering 78 +pieces, were available for the defence of all the lines: of these +batteries only 5 were now left, with 30 guns. + +When, early in May, Pemberton began to feel the weight of Grant's +pressure, he called on Gardner for reinforcements; thus Rust and +Buford marched to the relief of Vicksburg on the 4th of May, Gregg +followed on the 5th, and Maxey on the 8th. Miles was to have +followed Maxey; in fact the preparations and orders had been given +for the evacuation of Port Hudson; but now the same uncertainty +and vacillation on the part of the Confederate chiefs that were to +seal the doom of Vicksburg began to be felt at Port Hudson. Gardner, +who had moved out with Maxey, had hardly arrived at Clinton when +he was met by an order from Pemberton to return to Port Hudson with +a few thousand men and to hold the place to the last. But ten days +later, on the 19th of May, Johnston, who was then engaged in carrying +out his own ideas, which differed radically from those of Davis +and Pemberton, ordered Gardner to evacuate Port Hudson and to march +on Jackson, Mississippi. This order, sent by courier as well as +by telegraph, Gardner received just as Augur was marching from +Baton Rouge to cut him off. Then it was too late, and when on the +23d Johnston peremptorily renewed his order for the evacuation, +even the communication was closed. + +The investment was made perfect by the presence in the river, above +and below Port Hudson, of the ships and gunboats of the navy. Just +above the place and at anchor around the bend lay the _Hartford_, +now Commodore Palmer's flagship, with the _Albatross, Sachem, +Estrella,_ and _Arizona_. Below, at anchor off Prophet's Island, +were the _Monongahela_, bearing Farragut's flag, the _Richmond, +Genesee, Essex_, and the mortar flotilla. Both the upper and the +lower fleets watched the river at night by means of picket-boats +in order to discover any movement and to intercept any communication +with the garrison. + +At the Hermitage plantation, on the west bank of the river, Benedict +was stationed with his own regiment, the 162d New York, the 110th +New York, and a section of artillery to prevent the escape of the +Confederates by water. As soon as Weitzel joined, on the 25th of +May, Banks began to close in his lines along the entire front. +Weitzel moved up to the sugar-house on the telegraph road near the +bridge over Foster's Creek; Paine advanced into the woods on +Weitzel's left; Grover moved forward on the north of the Clinton +Railway, crossed the ravine of Sandy Creek, and occupied the wooded +rest of the steep hill in front. Augur prolonged the line across +the Plains Store road under cover of the woods, yet in plain view +of the Confederate entrenchments. Sherman held the Baton Rouge +road, occupying the skirt of woods that formed the eastern edge of +Slaughter's and Gibbons's fields. + +The 1st and 3d Louisiana Native Guards, under Nelson, having come +up from Baton Rouge, were posted at the sugar-house near Foster's +Creek, forming the extreme right of the line of investment. + +Banks now placed Weitzel in command of the right wing of the army, +comprising his own brigade under Thomas, Dwight's brigade of Grover's +division under Van Zandt, together forming a temporary division +under Dwight, the six regiments that remained of Paine's division +after the heavy detachments, and the two colored regiments under +Nelson. During the day of the 25th Weitzel gained the wooded slope +covering the Confederate left front. The Confederate advanced +guard on this part of their line, composed in part of the 9th +battalion of Louisiana partisan rangers, under Lieutenant-Colonel +Wingfield, resisted Weitzel's advance stoutly, but was steadily +and without difficulty pushed back into the entrenchments. + +When night fell on the 26th of May the division commanders met at +headquarters at Riley's on the Bayou Sara road to consider the +question of an assault. No minutes of this council were kept, and +to this day its conclusions are a matter of dispute. They may +safely be regarded as sufficiently indicated by the orders for the +following day. By at least one of those present any immediate +movement in the nature of an assault was objected to because of +the great distance that still separated the lines of investment +from the Confederate earthworks; it was urged that the troops would +have to move to the attack over ground the precise character of +which was as yet unknown to them or to their commanders, although +it was known to be broken and naturally difficult and to be obstructed +by felled timber. The general opinion was, however, that prompt +and decisive action was demanded in view of the unusual and precarious +nature of the campaigns on which the two armies of Grant and Banks +were now embarked, the uncertainty as to what Johnston might do, +and the certainty that a disaster at Vicksburg would bring ruin in +Louisiana. Moreover, officers and men alike were in high spirits +and full of confidence in themselves, and they outnumbered the +Confederates rather more than two to one. This was the view held +by Banks himself. Upon his mind, moreover, the disapproval and +the repeated urgings of the government acted as a goad. Accordingly, +as soon as the council broke up he gave orders for an assault on +the following morning. + +All the artillery was to open upon the Confederate works at daybreak. +For this purpose the reserve artillery was placed under the immediate +orders of Arnold. He was to open fire at six. + +Weitzel was to take advantage of the attacks on the left and centre +to force his way into the works on his front, since it was natural +to expect that, whether they should prove successful or not, these +attacks would distract the attention of the enemy and serve to +relieve the pressure in Weitzel's front. + +Grover was thus left with five regiments to support the left centre, +to reinforce either the right or left, and to support the right +flank of the reserve artillery, or to force his way into the works, +as occasion might require. + +Augur, holding the centre, with Dudley's brigade forming his right +and Chapin his left, and Sherman, at the extreme left, separated +from Augur by a thick wood, were to begin the attack during the +cannonade by advancing their skirmishers to kill the enemy's +cannoneers and to cover the assault. They were to place their +troops in position to take instant advantage of any favorable +opportunity, and, if possible, to force the enemy's works at the +earliest moment. + +Each division commander was to provide his own means for passing +the ditch. These, for the most part, consisted of cotton bags, +fascines, and planks borne by detachments of men, furnished by +detail or by volunteering. + +It will be observed that no time was fixed for the assault of either +column nor any provision made to render the several attacks +simultaneous. Moreover, although the order wound up with the +emphatic declaration that "Port Hudson must be taken to-morrow," +an impression prevailed in the minds of at least two of the division +commanders that there were still to be reconnoissances by the +engineers, and that upon the results of these would depend the +selection of the points of attack. + +There were no roads along the front or rear of the investing army, +and the only means by which communication was maintained between +the left, the centre, and the right was either by wide detours or +through dense and unknown woods and thickets. It was impossible +to see the troops in front or rear or on either flank. On no part +of the line was either division in sight of the other. + +The forest approached within 250 yards at the nearest point on +Weitzel's front, within 450 yards on Grover's, within 500 yards on +Augur's, and within 1,200 yards on Sherman's front. The field to +be passed over was partly the cleared land of the plantations, +crossed by fences and hedges, but in many places, especially on +Augur's approach, the timber had been recently felled, and, lying +thick upon the ground, made a truly formidable obstacle. + +The morning of the 27th of May broke bright and beautiful. As the +early twilight began to open out along the entire front the artillery +began a furious cannonade. At first the Confederate guns replied +with spirit, but it soon became apparent that they were overweighted, +and, moreover, the necessity of husbanding their scanty store of +ammunition no doubt impressed itself upon the minds of the Confederate +commanders. + +About six o'clock, when Weitzel judged that the movement on the +left must be well advanced, he put his columns in motion through +the dense forest in his front, forming his command, as far as the +nature of the ground admitted, in column of brigades, Dwight's +brigade under Van Zandt leading, followed by Weitzel's brigade +under Thomas. Paine formed his division in two lines in support, +his own brigade under Fearing in front, and Gooding's in reserve. +The Confederate skirmishers and outposts continued to occupy the +forest and the ravines on this part of their front, and the first +hour was spent in pressing them back behind their entrenchments. +Then Thomas moved forward through Van Zandt's intervals, and +deploying from right to left the 160th New York, Lieutenant-Colonel +Van Petter; 8th Vermont, Lieutenant-Colonel Dillingham; 12th +Connecticut, Lieutenant-Colonel Peck; and 75th New York, +Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock, advanced to the attack. Van Zandt, +owing to the inequalities of the ground and the difficulty of +finding the way, drifted somewhat toward the right. Thereupon +Paine, finding his front uncovered, moved forward into the +interval. Then began what has been aptly termed a "huge bushwack." + +Until within three days a part of the Confederate lines in front +of Weitzel had not been fortified at all, the defence resting on +the great natural difficulties of the approaches no less than of +the ground to be held; but in the interval Gardner had taken notice +of the indications that pointed to an advance in this quarter, and +had caused light breastworks to be constructed in all haste. This +the great trees that covered the hill rendered an easy task. On +the morning of the 27th of May, therefore, the works that Weitzel +was called upon to attack consisted mainly of big logs on the crest +and following the contour of the hill, rendered almost unapproachable +by the felled timber that choked the ravines. Thus, while Weitzel's +men could not even see their enemy, they were themselves unable to +move beyond the cover of the hollows and the timber without offering +an easy mark for a destructive fire of small-arms, as well as of +grape, shell, shrapnel, and canister. When finally, after climbing +over hills, logs, and fallen trees, and forcing the ravines filled +with tangled brush and branches, Weitzel had driven the Confederates +into their works, he held the ridge about two hundred yards distant +from the position to be attacked. + +Paine's position at this time was to the right and rear of battery +No. 6, as shown on the map; Weitzel and Dwight were on the same +crest near batteries 3, 4, and 5. The pioneers worked like beavers +to open the roads as fast as the infantry advanced, and with such +skill and zeal that hardly had the infantry formed upon the crest +than the guns of Duryea, Bainbridge, Nims, Haley, and Carruth +unlimbered and opened fire by their side. + +At length Thomas succeeded in making his way across the rivulet +known as Little Sandy Creek, and, working gradually forward, began +to fortify with logs the hill on the right, afterward known as Fort +Babcock, in honor of the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 75th New York. + +To support Weitzel's movement, Grover sent the 159th New York, +Lieutenant-Colonel Burt, and the 25th Connecticut by a wide detour +to the right to make their way in on Paine's left. Taking advantage +of the protection afforded by the ravine, at the bottom of which +ran or rather trickled Sandy Creek, these regiments, after the most +difficult and exhausting scramble through the brush and over the +fallen timber, came to the base of a steep bluff, near the position +afterward occupied by siege battery No. 6. This, although the works +directly opposite were as yet light, was naturally one of the +ugliest approaches on the whole front. In spite of every exertion, +it took the 159th an hour to move half a mile. Just before reaching +the foot of the hill over which they were to charge, they captured +a Confederate captain and six skirmishers, who lay concealed in +the ravine, cut off by the advance and unable to retire. So crooked +and obscure was the path and so difficult was it to see any thing, +even a few feet ahead, that the officers had to stand at every +little turning to tell the men which way to go. At last the regiment +formed, and, with a rush, began the assault of the bluff, but they +could get no farther than the crest, where they were met by a +destructive flank fire from the Confederate riflemen. There, within +thirty yards of the works, the men sought shelter. + +To try the effect of a diversion, Grover put in the 12th Maine, +supported by the remaining fragment of his division, reduced to +the 13th and 25th Connecticut, against the partly exposed west face +of the bastion that formed the left of the finished portion of the +Confederate earthworks. The point of attack is shown at X. and +XI., and the position whence Grover moved at 1 and 7. + +After the first attack on the right had wellnigh spent itself, and +when its renewal, in conjunction with an advance on the centre and +left, was momentarily expected, Dwight thought to create a diversion +and at the same time to develop the strength and position of the +Confederates toward their extreme left, where their lines bent back +to rest on the river, and to this end he ordered Nelson to put in +his two colored regiments. This portion of the Confederate line +occupied the nearly level crest of a steep bluff that completely +dominates the low ground by the sugar-house, where the telegraph +road crosses Foster's Creek. Over this ground the colored troops +had to advance unsupported to receive their first fire. The bridge +had been burned when the Confederates retired to their works. +Directly in front of the crest, and somewhat below it, a rugged +bluff stands a little apart, projecting boldly from the main height +with a sharp return to the right, so as to form a natural outwork +of great strength, practically inaccessible save by the road that +winds along the bottom of the little rivulet at the foot of the +almost perpendicular flank. This detached ridge is about four +hundred yards in length. It was held by six companies of the 39th +Mississippi regiment, under Colonel W. B. Shelby, while behind, in +the positions of land batteries III. and IV., were planted six +field pieces, and still farther back on the water front the columbiads +of Whitfield and Seawell, mounted on traversing carriages, stood +ready to rake the road with their 8-inch and 10-inch shell and +shrapnel. + +Shortly after seven o'clock, Nelson sent in the 1st Louisiana Native +Guards, under Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, in column, to force the +crossing of the creek. The 3d Louisiana Native Guards followed in +close support. Just before the head of the column came near the +creek, the movement was perceived by the Confederates, who immediately +opened on the negroes a sharp fire of musketry from the rifle-pits +on the detached bluff; at the same moment the field guns opened +with shell and shrapnel from the ridge behind, and as the men +struggled on through the creek and up the farther bank they became +exposed to the enfilade fire of the columbiads. When, in mounting +the narrow gorge that led up the hill, the head of the column, +necessarily shattered as it was by this concentrated fire, had +gained a point within about two hundred yards of the crest, suddenly +every gun opened on them with canister. This was more than any +man could stand. Bassett's men gave back in disorder on their +supports, then in the act of crossing the creek, and the whole +column retired in confusion to its position near the sugar-house +on the north bank. Here both regiments were soon re-formed and +again moved forward in good order, anticipating instructions to +renew the attack; yet none came, and, in fact, the attack was not +renewed, although the contemporary accounts, some of them even +official, distinctly speak of repeated charges. In this abortive +attempt, Captain Andrew Cailloux and Second Lieutenant John H. +Crowder, of the 1st regiment, were instantly killed. Cailloux, +who is said to have been a free man of color, although all the +officers of his race were at that time supposed to have resigned, +fell at the head of the leading company of his regiment, while +gallantly cheering on his men. The 1st regiment lost, in this +brief engagement, 2 officers, and 24 men killed and 79 wounded--in +all, 105. The 3d, being far less exposed, as well as for a shorter +time, lost 1 officer and 5 men killed, and 1 officer wounded--in +all, 7. + +The morning was drawing out when these movements were well spent, +and the advanced positions simply held without further effort to +go forward. The hour may have been about ten o'clock. Grover, +Paine, and Weitzel listened in vain for any sounds of musketry on +their left to indicate that either Augur or Sherman was at work, +yet no sound came from that quarter save the steady pounding of +the Union artillery. Now Weitzel believed that, by pursuing his +advance in what might be called skirmishing order and working his +way gradually forward from the vantage-ground of Fort Babcock, he +might gain, without great addition to his losses, already heavy, +a foothold on the high ground held by the Confederate left; yet of +the character of the defences of this part of the line Weitzel knew +but little, and of the nature of the ground behind these defences +and the direction of the roads, neither he nor any one in the Union +army knew any thing. The topography of the ground in sight afforded +the only indication of what might be expected farther on, and this +was confusing and difficult to the last degree. Weitzel had, +therefore, strong reason for believing that his difficulties, +instead of ending with the capture of the Confederate works, might +be only beginning. There was, of course, the chance that the +garrison along the whole front might throw down their arms or +abandon their defences the moment they should find themselves taken +in reverse at any point, for it was known that they had no reserves +to be reckoned with after breaking through the line. Grover had +been ordered to support either the right or the left, or to attempt +to make his way into the works, as circumstances might suggest. +This last he had tried, and failed to accomplish. On his left +there was no attack to support. When riding toward the right he +met Weitzel, who, although commanding the right wing, was his junior +in rank as well as in experience, Grover gave Weitzel the counsel +of prudence, and Weitzel fell in with these views. The two commanders +decided to ask fresh orders or to wait for an assault on the centre +or left before renewing the attack on the right. + +All this time Augur stood ready, his division formed and all in +perfect order, waiting for the word from Banks, who made his +headquarters close at hand, and who, in his turn, waited for the +sound of Sherman's musketry as the signal to put in Augur. With +Sherman, Augur was in connection along the front, although not in +easy communication. The precise nature of the causes that held +Sherman back it is, even now, impossible to state, nor would it be +easy, in the absence of the facts, to form a conjecture that should +seem to be altogether probable and at the same time reasonable. +The most plausible surmise seems to be that Sherman supposed he +was to wait for the engineers to indicate the point of attack, and +that he himself did not choose to go beyond what he conceived to +be his orders to precipitate a movement whose propriety he doubted. +Sherman was an officer of the old army, of wide experience, favorably +known and highly esteemed throughout the service for his intelligence, +his character, and his courage. He was known as one of the most +distinguished of the chosen commanders of the few light batteries +that the government of the United States had thought itself able +to afford in the days before the war. Before coming to Louisiana +he had commanded a department, and in that capacity had carried to +a successful conclusion the brilliant operations that gave Hilton +Head and Port Royal to the forces of the Union. Neither in his +previous history was there any thing to his personal discredit as +a man or as a soldier. The fact remains, however, account for it +how we may, that when about noon, greatly disturbed by the check +on the right, and still more by the silence on the left, Banks +himself rode almost unattended to Sherman's headquarters, he found +Sherman at luncheon in his tent, surrounded by his staff, while in +front the division lay idly under arms, without orders. Hot words +passed, the precise nature of which has not been recorded, and +Banks returned to his headquarters determined to replace Sherman +by the chief-of-staff of the department. The roads had not yet +been opened, and it was half-past one before these orders could be +given. Andrews rode directly to the left, accompanied by but a +single aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Fiske. When he came on the ground +he found Sherman's division deployed, and Sherman himself on +horseback at the head of his men, ready to lead them forward. Then +Andrews, with great propriety, deferred the delivery of the orders +placing him in command, and, after a few words, at a quarter past +two Sherman moved to the assault. Andrews remained to witness the +operation. + +Nickerson moved forward on the right in column of regiments. The +14th Maine, deployed as skirmishers, covered his front, followed +by the 24th Maine, 177th New York, and 165th New York in line. +After emerging from the woods, Nickerson's right flank rested on +the road that runs past Slaughter's house, near the position of +battery 16. + +Dow formed the left of the division and of the army. He advanced +at the same time as Nickerson, and in like order, his right resting +near the position of battery 17 and his left near Gibbons's house, +marked as the position of battery 18. The 6th Michigan led the +brigade, followed by the 15th New Hampshire, 26th Connecticut, and +128th New York. + +In the interval between the two brigades rode Sherman, surrounded +by his whole staff and followed by his escort. + +No sooner had the line emerged from among the trees than the +Confederates opened upon every part of it, as it came in sight, a +galling fire of musketry and artillery. At first the troops moved +forward steadily and at a good pace, but as they drew nearer to +the enemy and the musketry fire grew hotter, their progress was +delayed and their formation somewhat broken by four successive and +parallel lines of fence that had to be thrown down and crossed. +Once clear of the young corn, they found themselves entangled with +the abatis that covered and protected the immediate front of the +Confederate works on this part of the line. This had been set on +fire by the exploding shells, and the smoke and flame now added to +the difficulty of the movement. Here the men suffered greatly, +many being shot down in the act of climbing the great trunks of +the fallen trees, and many more having their clothing reduced to +tatters and almost torn from their bodies in the attempt to force +their way through the entangled branches. The impetus was soon +lost, the men lay down or sought cover; numbers of Dow's men made +their way to the grove in their rear and into the gully on their +left; of Nickerson's, many drifted singly and in groups into the +ravine on their right. + +Long before this, indeed within a few minutes after the line first +marched out from the wood, Sherman had fallen from his horse, +severely wounded in the leg; under the vigorous fire concentrated +upon this large group of horsemen in plain sight of the Confederates +and in easy range, two of his staff officers had shared the same +fate. This would have brought Dow to the command of the division; +but nearly at the same instant Dow himself was wounded and went to +the rear, and so the command fell to Nickerson, who was with his +brigade, and, in the confusion of the moment, was not notified. +Thus, for some interval, there was no one to give orders for fresh +dispositions among the regiments. Many officers had fallen; the +128th New York had lost its colonel, Cowles; the 165th New York, +at last holding the front of Nickerson's line, had lost two successive +commanders, Abel Smith and Carr, both wounded, the former mortally, +while standing by the colors. To retire was now only less difficult +than to advance. Nickerson's men, lying down, held their ground +until after dark; but Dow's, being nearer the cover of the woods, +fell back to their first position. + +Andrews now took command of the division, in virtue of the written +orders of the commanding general, and prepared to obey whatever +fresh instructions he might receive. None came; there was, indeed, +nothing to be done but to withdraw and to restore order. + +As soon as Banks heard the rattle of the musketry on the left, and +saw from the smoke of the Confederate guns that Sherman was engaged, +he ordered Augur forward. Augur, as has been said, had been ready +and waiting all day. His arrangements were to make the attack with +Chapin's brigade, deployed across the Plains Store road, and to +support it with Dudley's, held in reserve under cover of one of +the high and thick hedges of the Osage orange that crossed and +divided the fields on the right of the road. Chapin's front was +covered by the skirmishers of the 21st Maine; immediately in their +rear were to march the storming column of two hundred volunteers, +under Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien, of the 48th Massachusetts. The +stormers rested and waited for the word in the point of the wood +on the left of the Plains Store road, nearly opposite the position +of battery 13. Half their number carried cotton bags and fascines +to fill the ditch. On the right of the road the 116th New York +was deployed; on its left the 49th Massachusetts, closely supported +by the 48th Massachusetts, the 2d Louisiana, of Dudley's brigade, +and the reserve of the 21st Maine. + +O'Brien shook hands with the officer who brought him the last order, +and, turning to his men, who were lying or sitting near by, some +on their cotton bags, others on the ground, said in the coolest +and most business-like manner: "Pick up your bundles, and come +on!" The movement of the stormers was the signal for the whole +line. A truly magnificent sight was the advance of these battalions, +with their colors flying and borne sturdily toward the front; yet +not for long. Hardly had the movement begun when the whole force +--officers, men, colors, stormers, and all,--found themselves +inextricably entangled in the dense abatis under a fierce and +continuous discharge of musketry and a withering cross-fire of +artillery. Besides the field-pieces bearing directly down the +road, two 24-pounders poured upon their flank a storm of missiles +of all sorts, with fragments of railway bars and broken chains for +grape, and rusty nails and the rakings of the scrap-heap for +canister. No part of the column ever passed beyond the abatis, +nor was it even possible to extricate the troops in any order +without greatly adding to the list of casualties, already of a +fearful length. Banks was all for putting Dudley over the open +ground directly in his front, but, before any thing could be done, +came the bad news from the left, and at last it was clear to the +most persistent that the day was miserably lost. When, after +nightfall, the division commanders reported at headquarters, among +the wounded under the great trees, it was known that the result +was even worse than the first accounts. + +The attempt had failed without inflicting serious loss upon the +enemy, save in ammunition expended, yet at a fearful cost to the +Union army. When the list came to be made up, it was found that +15 officers and 278 men had been killed, 90 officers and 1,455 men +wounded, 2 officers and 155 men missing, making the total killed +293, total wounded 1,545, total missing 157, and an aggregate of +1,995. Of the missing, many were unquestionably dead. Worse than +all, if possible, the confidence that but a few hours before had +run so high, was rudely shaken. It was long indeed before the men +felt the same faith in themselves, and it is but the plain truth +to say that their reliance on the department commander never quite +returned. + +The heavy loss in killed and wounded taxed to the utmost the skill +and untiring exertions of the surgeons, who soon found their +preparations and supplies exceeded by the unlooked-for demand upon +them. All night long on that 27th of May the stretcher-bearers +were engaged in removing the wounded to the field-hospitals in the +rear. These were soon filled to overflowing, and many rested under +the shelter of the trees. Hither, too, came large numbers of men +not too badly hurt to be able to walk, and to all the tired troops +the whole night was rendered dismal to the last degree by the groans +of their suffering comrades mingled everywhere, the wounded with +the well, the dying with the dead. + +Among the killed were: Colonel Edward P. Chapin, of the 116th New York; +Colonel Davis S. Cowles, of the 128th New York; Lieutenant-Colonel +William L. Rodman, of the 38th Massachusetts; Lieutenant-Colonel +James O'Brien, of the 48th Massachusetts; Captain John B. +Hubbard, Assistant Adjutant-General, of Weitzel's brigade; Lieutenant +Ladislas A. Wrotnowkski, Topographical Engineer on Weitzel's staff. +Lieutenant-Colonels Oliver W. Lull, of the 8th New Hampshire, and +Abel Smith, Jr., of the 165th New York, were mortally wounded. +The long list of the wounded included Brigadier-General Thomas W. +Sherman, Brigadier-General Neal Dow, Colonel Richard E. Holcomb, +of the 1st Louisiana; Colonel Thomas S. Clark, of the 6th Michigan; +Colonel William F. Bartlett, of the 49th Massachusetts; Major +Gouverneur Carr, of the 165th New York. + +Farragut's ships and mortar-boats, which had been harassing the +garrison at intervals, day and night, for more than ten days, joined +hotly in the bombardment, but ceased firing, by arrangement, as +soon as the land batteries slackened. The fire of the fleet, +especially that of the mortars, was very annoying to the garrison, +especially at first, yet the actual casualties were not great. + +The Confederate losses during the assault are not known. In Beall's +brigade all the losses up to the 1st of June numbered 68 killed, +194 wounded, and 96 missing; together, 358; most of these must have +been incurred on the 27th of May. The Confederate artillery was +soon so completely overpowered, that it became nearly useless, save +when the Union guns were masked by the advance of assaulting columns. +Three 24-pounders were dismounted, and of these one was completely +disabled. + +With the result of this day the last hope of a junction between +the armies of Banks and Grant vanished. It may therefore be +convenient to retrace our steps a little in order to note the +closing incidents of this strange chapter of well-laid plans by +fortune brought to naught. + +Dwight returned from his visit to Grant on the 22d of May, and +reported to Banks in person at his headquarters with Grover on +Thompson's Creek. In his account of what had taken place, Dwight +confirmed the idea Banks had already derived from the despatch that +Dwight had sent from Grand Gulf on the 16th, before he had seen +Grant. Grant would send 5,000 men, Dwight reported, but Banks was +not to wait for them. Practically this had no effect whatever upon +the campaign, and how little impression it made upon the mind of +Grant himself may be seen from his description, written in 1884, +of his interview with Dwight. It was the morning of the 17th of +May and Grant's troops were standing on the eastern bank of the +Big Black ready to force the passage of the river: + +"While the troops were standing as here described, an officer from +Banks's staff came up and presented me with a letter from General +Halleck, dated the 11th of May. It had been sent by way of New +Orleans to Banks to forward to me. He ordered me to return to +Grand Gulf and to co-operate from there with Banks against Port +Hudson, and then to return with our combined forces to besiege +Vicksburg. I told the officer that the order came too late and +that Halleck would not give it then if he knew our position. The +bearer of the despatch insisted that I ought to obey the order, +and was giving arguments to support his position when I heard great +cheering to the right of our line, and looking in that direction, +saw Lawler, in his shirt-sleeves, leading a charge upon the enemy. +I immediately mounted my horse and rode in the direction of the +charge, and saw no more of the officer who delivered the despatch, +I think not even to this day."(1) + +Here two mistakes are perhaps worth noting as curious rather than +important: Dwight was not a member of Banks's staff, and the letter +from Halleck, dated the 11th of May, which General Grant strangely +supposed to have come by way of New Orleans, was, in fact, Halleck's +telegram of that date, sent by way of Memphis, which Dwight had +picked up as he passed through Grand Gulf, after Grant had cut his +communications. Dwight's account may have taken color from his +hopes, yet the course of events gives some reason to think he may +have had warrant for his belief. + +On the 19th of May Grant's first assault of Vicksburg was repulsed +with a loss of 942. Three days later he delivered his second +assault, which likewise failed, at a cost of 3,199 killed, wounded, +and missing. This drove him to the siege and put him in need of +more troops; yet when, on the 25th of May, he sat down to write to +Banks, it was with the purpose of offering to send down a force of +8,000 or 10,000 men if Banks could now provide the means of transport. +But even while Grant wrote, word came that Johnston was gathering +in his rear; and so the whole thing was one more given up, and +instead, once again he called on Banks for help; and this time he +sent down two large steamers, the _Forest Queen_ and _Moderator_, +to fetch the men. But Banks had now no men to spare; he too was +cast for a siege; he could only echo the entreaty and send back +the steamboats empty as they came. So the affair ended. + +(1) "Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant," vol. I., p. 524. + + +CHAPTER XVII. +THE FOURTEENTH OF JUNE. + +Banks at once ordered up the ammunition and the stores from the +depot at Riley's, near the headquarters of the day before, and +early on the morning of the 28th of May established his headquarters +in tents at Young's, in rear of the centre, and began his arrangements +to reduce Port Hudson by gradual approaches. At six o'clock in +the morning he sent a flag of truce to Gardner, from Augur's front +on the Plains Store road, bearing a request for a suspension of +hostilities until two o'clock in the afternoon, to permit the +removal of the dead and wounded. To this Gardner at once refused +to agree unless Banks would agree to withdraw at all points to a +distance of eight hundred yards. He also demanded that the fleet +should drop down out of range. Banks was unable to consent. A +long correspondence followed, twelve letters in all, crossing and +recrossing, to the utter confusion of time. At length, shortly +after half-past three o'clock, Banks received Gardner's assent to +an armistice extending till seven o'clock. The conditions were +that the besiegers were to send to the lines of the defence, by +unarmed parties, such of the Confederate killed as remained unburied, +and such of their wounded as had not already been picked up and +sent to the rear. The killed and wounded of the Union army, lying +between their lines and the Confederate works, were to be cared +for in the same way. + +Arnold was ordered to bring up the siege train, manned by the 1st +Indiana heavy artillery, and Houston to provide entrenching tools +and siege materials. When all the siege artillery was in position +there were forty pieces, of which six were 8-inch sea-coast howitzers +on siege carriages, eight 24-pounders, seven 30-pounder Parrotts, +four 6-inch rifles, four 9-inch Dahlgren guns, four 8-inch mortars, +three 10-inch mortars, and four 13-inch mortars. To these were +added twelve light batteries of sixty pieces, namely, six 6-pounder +Sawyer rifles, two 10-pounder Parrotts, twenty-six 12-pounder +Napoleons, two 12-pounder howitzers, twelve 3-inch rifles, and +twelve 20-pounder Parrotts. The Dahlgren guns were served by a +detachment of fifty-one men from the _Richmond_ and seventeen from +the _Essex_, under Lieutenant-Commander Edward Terry, with Ensign +Robert P. Swann, Ensign E. M. Shepard, and Master's Mates William +R. Cox and Edmund L. Bourne for chiefs of the gun divisions. + +In the course of the next few days the eight regiments that had +been left on the Teche and the Atchafalaya rejoined the army before +Port Hudson, coming by way of Brashear, Algiers, and the river. +This gave to the cavalry under Grierson one more regiment, the 41st +Massachusetts, now mounted, and henceforth known as the 3d +Massachusetts cavalry, the three troops of the old 2d battalion +being merged in it; Weitzel got back the 114th New York; Paine +recovered the 4th Massachusetts and the 16th New Hampshire of +Ingraham's brigade, now practically broken up; and Grover the 22d +Maine and 90th New York of Dwight's brigade, the 52d Massachusetts +of Kimball's, and the 26th Maine of Birge's, while losing the 41st +Massachusetts by its conversion into a mounted regiment. The 16th +New Hampshire, however, had suffered so severely during its six +week's confinement in the heart of the pestilential swamp that it +was reduced to a mere skeleton, without strength either numerical +or physical. It was easy to see that officers and men alike were +suffering from some aggravated form of hepatic disorder, due to +malarial poison. Many were added to the sick-report every day. +Few that went to the regimental or general hospital returned to +duty, while of the men called well all were yellow, emaciated, and +restless, or so drowsy that the sentries were found asleep on their +posts at noonday. This unfortunate regiment was therefore taken +from the front and set to guard the general ammunition depot, near +headquarters. Without being once engaged in battle, so that it +had not a single gunshot wound to report, the 16th New Hampshire +suffered a loss by disease during its seven months' service in +Louisiana of 5 officers and 216 men--in all, 221; and nearly the +whole of this occurred in the last two months. This regiment was +replaced in Paine's division by the 28th Connecticut, from +Pensacola. + +Dwight was now given the command of Sherman's division, relieving +Nickerson, who had assumed command the morning after the assault +of the 27th. Dow being disabled by his wounds, his brigade fell +to Clark. The 2d Louisiana was transferred from Dudley's brigade +to Chapin's, bringing Charles J. Paine in command. Halbert E. +Paine's division was withdrawn from the earlier formation of the +right wing under Weitzel, and was established in position on Grover's +left, covering the Jackson road and the second position of Duryea's +battery at No. 12. Grover was placed in command, from the afternoon +of the 27th, of the whole right wing, but Dwight's brigade, under +Morgan, remained with Weitzel as part of a temporary division under +his command, Thomas retaining the command of Weitzel's brigade. +Finally, the 162d New York and the 175th New York were temporarily +taken from Paine and lent to Dwight, who, directly after the 14th +of June, united them with the 28th Maine of Sherman's division to +form a temporary 2d brigade. At the same time he transferred the +6th Michigan to Nickerson's brigade, evidently meaning to take the +command of the 1st brigade from Clark; but these arrangements were +promptly set aside by orders from headquarters. The left wing, +comprising Augur's division and Sherman's, now Dwight's, was placed +under the command of Augur. + +Along the whole front the troops now held substantially the advanced +positions they had gained on the 27th of May. This shortened the +line, and, as it was on the whole better arranged and the connections +and communications better, Augur took ground a little to the left +and held, with Charles J. Paine's brigade, a part of the field that +had been in Sherman's front on the 27th; while Dwight, in closing +up and drawing in his left flank, moved nearer to the river and +covered the road leading in a southerly direction from the Confederate +works around the eastern slope of Mount Pleasant and past Troth's +house. + +The cavalry, being of no further use to the divisions, but rather +an encumbrance upon them, was massed, under Grierson, behind the +centre, and assigned to the duty of guarding the rear, the depots, +and the communications against the incursions of the Confederate +cavalry, under Logan, known to be hovering between Port Hudson and +Clinton, and supposed to be from 1,500 to 2,000 strong. Logan's +actual force at this time was about 1,200 effective. Grierson had +about 1,700, including his own regiment, the 6th Illinois, the +7th Illinois, Colonel Edward Prince, a detachment of the 1st +Louisiana, the 3d Massachusetts cavalry, and the 14th New York. + +As fast as the engineers were able to survey the ground and the +working parties to open the roads, Arnold and Houston chose with +great care the positions for the siege batteries, and heavy details +were soon at work upon them, as well as upon the long line of +rifle-pits, connecting the batteries and practically forming the +first parallel of the siege works. The positions of some of these +batteries, especially on the left, were afterward changed; but as +finally constructed and mounted, they began at the north, near the +position of the colored regiments on the right bank of Foster's +Creek, and extended, at a distance from the Confederate works +varying from six hundred to twelve hundred yards, to the Mount +Pleasant road, across which was planted siege battery No. 21. The +first position of siege battery No. 20 is marked "old 20," and the +three formidable batteries on the extreme left, Nos. 22, 23, and +24, were not established till later, the attack of the Confederate +works in their front being at first left to the guns of the fleet. +Two epaulements for field artillery were thrown up on either side +of the road at Foster's Creek to command the passage of the stream, +but no siege guns were mounted there. The extreme right of the +siege batteries was at No. 2. + +While all eyes were turned upon the siege works and every nerve +strained for their completion, Logan's presence in the rear, though +at no time so hurtful as might fairly have been expected, was a +continual source of anxiety and annoyance. To find out just what +force he had and what he was about, Grierson moved toward Clinton +on the morning of the 3d of June with the 6th and 7th Illinois, +the old 2d Massachusetts battalion, now merged in the 3d, a squadron +of the 1st Louisiana, two companies of the 4th Wisconsin, mounted, +and one section of Nims's battery. Grierson took the road by +Jackson, and, when within three miles of that place, sent Godfrey, +with 200 men of the Massachusetts and Louisiana cavalry, to ride +through the town, while the main column went direct to Clinton. +Godfrey pushing on briskly through Jackson, captured and paroled, +after the useless fashion of the time, a number of prisoners, and +rejoined the column two miles beyond. When eight miles west of +Clinton, Grierson heard a report that Logan had gone that morning +toward Port Hudson, but pushing on toward Clinton, after crossing +the Comite Grierson found Logan's advance and drove it back on the +main body, strongly posted on Pretty Creek. A three hours' engagement +followed, resulting in Grierson's retirement to Port Hudson, with +a loss of 8 killed, 28 wounded, and 15 missing; 3 of the dead and +7 of the wounded falling into the hands of the enemy. Logan reports +his loss as 20 killed and wounded, and claims 40 prisoners. Among +the killed, unfortunately, was the young cavalry officer, Lieutenant +Solon A. Perkins, of the 3d Massachusetts, whose skill and daring +had commended itself to the notice of Weitzel during the early +operations in La Fourche, and whose long service without proper +rank had drawn out the remark: "This Perkins is a splendid officer, +and he deserves promotion as much as any officer I ever saw." + +Banks determined to chastise Logan for this; accordingly, at daylight +on the morning of the 5th of June, Paine took his old brigade under +Fearing, with the 52d Massachusetts, the 91st New York, and two +sections of Duryea's battery, and preceded by Grierson's cavalry, +marched on Clinton by way of Olive Branch and the plank road. That +night Paine encamped at Redwood creek; on the 6th he made a short +march to the Comite, distant nine miles from his objective, and +there halted till midnight. Then, after a night march, the whole +force entered Clinton at daylight on the morning of the 7th, only +to find that Logan, forewarned, had gone toward Jackson. Then +Paine countermarched to the Comite, and, remaining till sunset, +marched that evening to Redwood, and, there going into bivouac, at +two o'clock on the following morning, the 8th of June, returned to +the lines before Port Hudson. On this fruitless expedition the +men and horses suffered severely from the heat, and there were many +cases of sunstroke. + +By the 1st of June the artillery and the sharp-shooters of the +besieged had obtained so complete a mastery over the guns of the +defenders, that on the whole line these were practically silent, +if not silenced. In part, no doubt, this is to be ascribed to a +desire on the part of the Confederate artillerists to reserve their +ammunition for the emergency, yet something was also due to the +effect of the Union fire, by which, in the first week, twelve heavy +guns were disabled. The 10-inch columbiad in water battery 4 was +dismounted at long range. This gun was known to the Union soldiers, +and perhaps to the Confederates first, as the "Lady Davis," and +great was the dread awakened by the deep bass roar and the wail of +the big shells as they came rolling down the narrow pathway, or +searched the ravines where the men lay massed. The fire of the +navy also did great damage among the heavy batteries along the +river front. When the siege batteries were nearly ready, on the +evening of the 10th of June, Banks ordered a feigned attack at +midnight by skirmishers along the whole front, for the purpose, as +stated in the orders, "of harassing the enemy, of inducing him to +bring forward and expose his artillery, acquiring a knowledge of +the ground before the enemy's front, and of favoring the operations +of pioneers who may be sent forward to remove obstructions if +necessary." None of these objects can be said to have been +accomplished, nor was any advantage gained beyond a slight advance +of the lines, at a single point on Weitzel's front, by the 131st +New York. The full loss in this night's reconnoissance is not +known; in Weitzel's own brigade, there were 2 killed, 41 wounded, +6 missing--in all, 49; in Morgan's, a partial report accounts for +12 wounded and 59 missing, including two companies of the 22d Maine +that became entangled and for the moment lost in the ravines. + +On the evening of the 12th of June, all arrangements being nearly +complete, Banks ordered a vigorous bombardment to be begun the next +morning. Punctually at a quarter past eleven on the morning of +the 13th, every gun and mortar of the army and navy that could be +brought to bear upon the defences of Port Hudson opened fire, and +for a full hour kept up a furious cannonade, limited only by the +endurance of the Union guns and gunners, for the Confederates hardly +ventured to reply, save at first feebly. When the bombardment was +at its fiercest, more than one shell in a second could be seen to +fall and explode within the narrow circuit of the defences visible +from the headquarters on the field. The defenders had three heavy +guns dismounted during the day, yet suffered little loss in men, +for long before this nearly the whole garrison had accustomed +themselves to take refuge in their caves and "gopher-holes" at the +first sound of Union cannon, and to await its cessation as a signal +to return to their posts at the parapet. They were not always so +fortunate, however, for more than once it happened that three or +four men were killed by the bursting of a single shell. + +When the hour was up the cannonade ended as suddenly as it began, +and profound silence followed close on the intolerable din. Then +Banks sent a flag of truce summoning the garrison to surrender in +these words: "Respect for the usages of war and a desire to avoid +unnecessary sacrifice of life, impose on me the necessity of formally +demanding the surrender of the garrison at Port Hudson. I am not +unconscious, in making this demand, that the garrison is capable +of continuing a vigorous and gallant defence. The events that have +transpired during the pending investment exhibit in the commander +and garrison a spirit of constancy and courage that, in a different +cause, would be universally regarded as heroism. But I know the +extremities to which they are reduced. . . . I desire to avoid +unnecessary slaughter, and I therefore demand the immediate surrender +of the garrison, subject to such conditions only as are imposed by +the usages of civilized warfare." To this Gardner replied: "My +duty requires me to defend this position, and therefore I decline +to surrender." + +In the evening the generals of division met in council at headquarters. +In anticipation of what was to come, Dudley had already been ordered +to send the 50th Massachusetts, and Charles J. Paine the 48th +Massachusetts, to Dwight; and Dudley himself, with the 161st and +174th New York, was to report to Grover. This left under Augur's +immediate command only five regiments of his division, namely, one, +the 30th Massachusetts, of Dudley's brigade, and four of C. J. +Paine's. Shortly before midnight a general assault was ordered +for the following morning. At a quarter before three Augur was to +open a heavy fire of artillery on his front, following it up half +and hour later by a feigned attack of skirmishers. Dwight was to +take two regiments, and, with a pair of suborned deserters for +guides, was to try and find an entrance on the extreme left of the +works near the river. But the main attack was to be made by Grover +on the priest-cap. Its position is shown on the map at XV. and +XVI., and the approach was to be from the cover of the winding +ravine, near the second position of Duryea's battery, at No. 12. +The artillery cross-fire at this point was to begin at three o'clock, +and was to cease at a signal from Grover. At half-past three the +skirmishers were to attack. The general formation of each of the +two columns of attack had been settled in orders issued from +headquarters on the morning of the 11th. Each column, assumed to +consist of about 2,000 men, was to be preceded and covered by 300 +skirmishers; immediately behind the skirmishers were to be seventy +pioneers, carrying thirty-five axes, eighteen shovels, ten pickaxes, +two handsaws, and two hatchets; next was to come the forlorn hope, +or storming party, of 300 men, each carrying a bag stuffed with +cotton; following the stormers, thirty-four men were to carry +the balks and chesses to form a bridge over the ditch, in order +to facilitate the passage of the artillery, as well as of the +men. The main assaulting column was to follow, marching in +lines-of-battle, as far as the nature of the ground would permit, +which, as it happened, was not far. The field-artillery was to go +with the assaulting column, each battery having its own pioneers. +To the cavalry, meanwhile, was assigned the work of picketing and +protecting the rear, as well as of holding the telegraph road +leading out of Port Hudson toward Bayou Sara, by which it was +thought the garrison might attempt to escape, on finding their +lines broken through, or even to avoid the blow. + +As was the uniform custom during the siege, all watches at division +and brigade headquarters were set at nine o'clock, by a telegraphic +signal, to agree with the adjutant-general's watch. + +These final orders for the assault bear the hour of 11.30 P.M. +This was in fact the moment at which the earliest copies were sent +out by the aides-de-camp, held in readiness to carry them. There +were seven hundred and fifty words to be written, and eleven o'clock +had already passed when the council listened to the reading of the +drafts and broke up. From the lateness of the hour, as well as +from the distance and the darkness of the night, it resulted that +one o'clock came before the last orders were in the hands of the +troops that were to execute them. Many arrangements had still to +be carried out and many of the detachments had still to be moved +over long distances and by obscure ways to the positions assigned +to them. In some instances all that was left of the night was thus +occupied, and it was broad daylight before every thing was ready. + +A dense fog prevailed in the early morning of Sunday, the 14th of +June, strangely veiling, while it lasted, even the sound of the +big guns, so that in places it was unheard a hundred yards in the +rear. Punctually at the hour fixed the cannonade opened. It was +an hour later, that is to say, about four o'clock, when the first +attack was launched. + +For the chief assault Grover had selected Paine's division and had +placed the main body of his own division with Weitzel's brigade, +in close support. Paine determined to lead the attack himself. +Across his front as skirmishers he deployed the 4th Wisconsin, now +again dismounted, and the 8th New Hampshire. The 4th Massachusetts +was told off to follow the skirmishers with improvised hand-grenades +made of 6-pounder shells. Next the 38th Massachusetts and the 53d +Massachusetts were formed into line of battle. At the head of the +infantry column the 31st Massachusetts, likewise deployed, carried +cotton bags, to fill the ditch. The rest of Gooding's brigade +followed, next came Fearing's, then Ingraham's under Ferris. In +rear of the column was posted the artillery under Nims. At a point +on the crest of the ridge, ninety yards distant from the left face +of the priest-cap, Paine's advance was checked. Then Paine, who +had previously gone along the front of every regiment, addressing +to each a few words of encouragement and of preparation for the +work, passed afoot from the head of the column to the front of the +skirmish line, and exerting to the full his sonorous voice, gave +the order to the column to go in. At the word the men sprang +forward, but almost as they did so, the Confederates behind the +parapet in their front, with fairly level aim and at point-blank +range, poured upon the head of the column a deadly volley. Many +fell at this first discharge; among them, unfortunately, the gallant +Paine himself, his thigh crushed by a rifle-ball. Some of the men +of the 4th Wisconsin, of the 8th New Hampshire, and of the 38th +Massachusetts gained the ditch, and a few even climbed the parapet, +but of these nearly all were made prisoners. The rear of the column +fell back to the cover of the hill, while all those who had gained +the crest were forced to lie there, exposed to a pitiless fire of +sharp-shooters and the scarcely more endurable rays of the burning +sun of Louisiana, until night came and brought relief. In this +unfortunate situation the sufferings of the wounded became so +unbearable, and appealed so powerfully to the sympathy of their +comrades, that many lives were risked and some lost in the attempt +to alleviate the thirst, at least, of these unfortunates. Two men, +quite of their own accord, took a stretcher and tried to reach the +point where Paine lay, but the attempt was unsuccessful, and cost +both of them their lives. These heroes were E. P. Woods, of Company +E of the 8th New Hampshire, and John Williams, of Company D, 31st +Massachusetts. Not less nobly, Patrick H. Cohen, a private soldier +of the 133d New York, himself lying wounded on the crest, cut a +canteen from the body of a dead comrade and by lengthening the +strap succeeded in tossing it within reach of his commander; this +probably preserved Paine's life, for unquestionably many of the +more seriously hurt perished from the heat and from thirst on that +fatal day. + +It was about seven o'clock, and the fog had lifted, when Weitzel +advanced to the attack on the right face of the priest-cap. The +12th Connecticut and the 75th New York of his own brigade were +deployed to the left and right as skirmishers to cover the head of +the column. Two regiments of Morgan's brigade, loosely deployed, +followed the skirmishers; in front the 91st New York, with +hand-grenades, and next the 24th Connecticut, every man carrying two +cotton bags weighing thirty pounds each. In immediate support came +the remainder of Weitzel's brigade in column of regiments, in the +order of the 8th Vermont, 114th New York, and 160th New York, +followed by the main body of Morgan's brigade. Birge was in close +support and Kimball in reserve. Finally, in the rear, as in Paine's +formation, was massed the artillery of the division. + +Toward the north face of the priest-cap the only approach was by +the irregular, but for some distance nearly parallel, gorges cut +out from the soft clay of the bluffs by Sandy Creek and one of its +many arms. The course of these streams being toward the Confederate +works, the hollows grew deeper and the banks steeper at every step. +At most the creeks were but two hundred yards apart, and the ridge +that separated them gave barely standing room. Within a few feet +of the breastworks the smaller stream and its ravine turned sharply +toward the north and served as a formidable ditch until they united +with the main stream and ravine below the bastion. This larger +ravine near its outlet and the natural ditch throughout its length +were mercilessly swept by the fire of the bastion on the right, +the breastworks in front, and the priest-cap on the left. The +smaller ravine led toward the south to the crest from which Paine's +men had recoiled, where their wounded and their dead lay thick, +and behind which the survivors were striving to restore the broken +formations. + +Weitzel therefore chose the main ravine. Bearing to the right from +the Jackson road, the men moved by the flank and cautiously, availing +themselves of every advantage afforded by the timber or the +irregularities of the ground, until they gained the crest of the +ridge at points varying from twenty to fifty yards from the works +near the north face of the priest-cap. In advancing to this position +the column came under fire immediately on filing out of the ravine +and the wood in front of the position of battery No. 9. Then, in +such order as they happened to be, they went forward with a rush +and a cheer, but beyond the crest indicated few men ever got. From +this position it was impossible either to advance or retire until +night came. + +At the appointed hour Dwight sent the 6th Michigan, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Bacon, and the 14th Maine, to the extreme left +to make an attempt in that quarter, the arrangements for which have +been already described; but either Dwight gave his orders too late, +or the column mistook the path, or else the difficulties were really +greater than they had been thought beforehand or than they afterward +seemed, for nothing came of it. Then recalling this detachment to +the Mount Pleasant road, Dwight tried to advance in that direction. +The 14th Maine was sent back to its brigade and Clark deployed his +own regiment, the 6th Michigan, as skirmishers, supported by the +128th New York, now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Smith. +The 15th New Hampshire followed and the 26th Connecticut, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Selden, brought up the rear. These two +regiments went forward in column of companies on the main road, +but as the Confederates immediately opened a heavy artillery fire +upon the head of the column, they had to be deployed. However, +the ground, becoming rapidly narrower, did not long permit of an +advance in this order, so that it soon became necessary to ploy +once more into column. About 350 yards from the outer works the +Mount Pleasant road enters and crosses a deep ravine by a bridge, +then destroyed. The hollow was completely choked with felled +timber, through which, under the heavy fire of musketry and artillery, +it was impossible to pass; so here the brigade stayed till night +enabled it to retire. Nickerson's brigade supported the movement +of Clark's, but without becoming seriously engaged. Thus ended +Dwight's movement. It can hardly be described as an assault, as +an attack, or even as a serious attempt to accomplish any valuable +result; yet indirectly it was the means of gaining, and at a small +cost, the greatest, if not the only real, advantage achieved that +day, for it gave Dwight possession of the rough hill, the true +value of which was then for the first time perceived, and on the +commanding position of its northern slope was presently mounted +the powerful array of siege artillery that overlooked and controlled +the land and water batteries on the lower flank of the Confederate +defences. + +Of Augur's operations in the centre, it is enough to say that the +feigned attack assigned to this portion of the line was made briskly +and in good order at the appointed time, without great loss. + +The result of the day may be summed up as a bloody repulse; beholding +the death and maiming of so many of the bravest and best of the +officers and men, the repulse may be even termed a disaster. In +the whole service of the Nineteenth Army Corps darkness never shut +in upon a gloomier field. Men went about their work in a silence +stronger than words. + +On this day 21 officers and 182 men were killed, 72 officers and +1,245 men were wounded, 6 officers and 180 men missing; besides +these, 13 were reported as killed, 84 as wounded, and 2 as missing +without distinguishing between officers and men, thus making a +total of 216 killed, 1,401 wounded, 188 missing--in all, 1,805. +Among the wounded many had received mortal hurts, while of the +missing, as in the first assault, many must now be set down as +killed. + +Paine, as we have seen, fell seriously hurt while in the very act +of leading his division to the assault. Nine days earlier he had +received his well-earned commission as brigadier-general. He was +taken to New Orleans, and there nine days later, at the Hôtel de +Dieu Hospital, after vain efforts to save the limb, the surgeons +performed amputation of the thigh. A few days after the surrender, +in order to avoid the increasing dangers of the climate, Paine was +sent to his home in Wisconsin on the captured steamer _Starlight_, +the first boat that ascended the river. Thus the Nineteenth Corps +lost one of its bravest and most promising commanders, one who had +earned the affection of his men, not less through respect for his +character than by his unfailing sympathy and care in all situations, +and who was commended to the confidence and esteem of his associates +and superiors by talent and devotion of the first order joined to +every quality that stamps a man among men. + +The fiery Holcomb, wounded in the assault of the 27th, yet refusing +to leave his duty to another, fell early on this fatal morning at +the head of his regiment and brigade, in the first moment of the +final charge of Weitzel's men. This was another serious loss, for +Holcomb had that disposition that may, for want of a better term, +be described as the fighting character. All soldiers know it and +respect it, and every wise general, seeing it anywhere among his +officers, shuts his eyes to many a blemish and pardons many a fault +that would be severely visited in another; yet in Holcomb there +was nothing to overlook or forgive. As he was the most prominent +and the most earnest of the few officers of the line that to the +last remained eager for the fatal assault, so he was among the +earliest and noblest of its victims. + +Mortally wounded at the head of Weitzel's brigade fell Colonel +Elisha B. Smith, of the 114th New York. Barely recovered from a +serious illness, his spirit could not longer brook the restraint +of the hospital at New Orleans with the knowledge that his men were +engaged with the enemy. Thomas was ill and had received a slight +wound of the scalp; this brought Smith to the head of the brigade; +his fall devolved the command upon Lieutenant-Colonel Van Petten, +for though Thomas, unable to bear the torture inflicted upon him +by the sounds of battle, rose from his sick-bed and resumed the +command, his weakness again overcame him when the day's work was +done. + +No regiment at Port Hudson approached the 8th New Hampshire in the +number and severity of its losses, no brigade suffered so much as +Paine's, to which this regiment belonged, and no division so much +as Emory's, under the command of Paine. On this day, Fearing +commanded the brigade, and later the division, and Lull having +fallen in the previous assault, the regiment went into action 217 +strong, led by Captain William M. Barrett; of this number, 122, or +56 per cent., were killed or wounded. On the 27th of May, out of +298 engaged, the regiment lost 124, or 41 per cent. + +Next to the 8th New Hampshire on the fatal roll stands the 4th +Wisconsin. This noble regiment, at all times an honor to the +service and to its State, whence came so many splendid battalions, +was a shining monument to the virtue of steady, conscientious work +and strict discipline applied to good material. Bean had been +instantly killed by a sharp-shooter on the 29th of May; the regiment +went into action on the 14th of June 220 strong, commanded by +Captain Webster P. Moore; of these, 140 fell, or 63 per cent. In +the first assault, however, it had fared better, its losses numbering +but 60. + +The eccentric Currie, who came to the service from the British +army, with the lustre of the Crimea still about him, rather brightened +than dimmed by time and distance, fell severely wounded on the same +fatal crest. He was struck down at the head of his regiment, boldly +leading his men and urging them forward with the quaint cry of "Get +on, lads!" so well known to English soldiers, yet so unfamiliar to +all Americans as to draw many a smile, even in that grim moment, +from those who heard it. + +To the cannonade that preceded the assault and announced it to the +enemy must be attributed not only the failure but a great part of +the loss. The wearied Confederates were asleep behind the breastworks +when the roar of the Union artillery broke the stillness of the +morning, and gave them time to make ready. Such was their extremity +that in Grover's front they burned their last caps in repelling +the final assault, and, for the time, were able to replenish only +from the pouches of the fallen. + +Under cover of night all the wounded that were able to walk or +crawl made their way to places of safety in the rear; while, +disregarding the incessant fire of the sharp-shooters, heavy details +and volunteer parties of stretcher-bearers, plying their melancholy +trade, carried the wounded with gentle care to the hospitals and +the dead swiftly to the long trenches. The proportion of killed +and mortally wounded, already unusually heavy, was increased by +the exposure and privations of the long day, while many, whom it +was impossible to find or reach during the night, succumbed sooner +or later during the next forty-eight hours. For although when, on +the morning of the 15th, Banks sent a flag of truce asking leave +to send in medical and hospital supplies for the comfort of the +wounded of both armies, Gardner promptly assented, and in his reply +called attention to the condition of the dead and wounded before +the breastworks, yet it was not until the evening of the 16th that +Banks could bring himself to ask for a suspension of hostilities +for the relief of the suffering and the burial of the slain. But +three days and two nights had already passed; most of the hurt, +and these the most grievously, were already beyond the need of +succor. The same thing had already occurred at Vicksburg. + +The operations at Vicksburg and Port Hudson were so far alike in +their character and objects that no just estimate of the events at +either place can well be formed without considering what happened +at the other. In this view it is instructive to observe that Grant +assaulted the Confederate position at Vicksburg within a few hours +after the arrival of his troops in front of the place, on the +afternoon of the 19th of May, when two determined attacks were +easily thrown off by the defenders, with a loss to their assailants +of 942 men. On the 22d of May Grant delivered the second assault, +in which about three fourths of his whole effective force of 43,000 +of all arms were engaged. The full corps of Sherman and McPherson, +comprising six divisions, were repulsed by four brigades of the +garrison, numbering probably 13,000 effectives. In this second +assault Grant's loss was 3,199. These are the reasons he gives +for his decision to attack: + +"Johnston was in my rear, only fifty miles away, with an army not +much in inferior in numbers to the one I had with me, and I knew +he was being reinforced. There was danger of his coming to the +assistance of Pemberton, and, after all, he might defeat my +anticipations of capturing the garrison, if, indeed, he did not +prevent the capture of the city. The immediate capture of Vicksburg +would save sending me the reinforcements which were so much wanted +elsewhere, and would set free the army under me to drive Johnston +from the State. But the first consideration of all was--the troops +believed they could carry the works in their front, and they would +not have worked so patiently in their trenches if they had not been +allowed to try." + +Having tried, he now "determined upon a regular siege--to 'outcamp +the enemy,' as it were, and to incur no more losses. The experience +of the 22d convinced officers and men that this was best, and they +went to work on the defences and approaches with a will."(1) + +It has also to be remembered, in any fair and candid consideration +of the subject, that at this comparatively early period of the war +even such bloody lessons as Fredericksburg had not sufficed to +teach either the commanders or their followers on either side, +Federal or Confederate, the full value, computed in time, of even +a simple line of breastworks of low relief, or the cost in blood +of any attempt to eliminate this value of time by carrying the +works at a rush. Indeed, it may be doubted whether, from the +beginning of the war to the end, this reasoning, in spite of all +castigations that resulted from disregarding it, was ever fully +impressed upon the generals of either army, although at last there +came, it is true, a time when, as at Cold Harbor, the men had an +opinion of their own, and chose to act upon it. It is also very +questionable whether earthworks manned by so much as a line of +skirmishers, prepared and determined to defend them, have ever been +successfully assaulted save as the result of a surprise. Sedgwick's +captures of the Rappanhannock redoubts and of Marye's Heights have +indeed been cited as instances to the contrary, yet on closer +consideration it is apparent that although in the former case the +Confederates had been looking for an attack, they had given up all +expectation of being called on to meet it that day, when, just at +sunset, Russell fell suddenly upon them and finished the affair +handsomely before they had time to recover. Marye's Heights, again, +may be described as a moral surprise, for no Confederate officer +or man that had witnessed the bloody repulse of Burnside's great +army on the very same ground, but a few weeks before, could have +expected to be called on so soon to meet the swift and triumphant +onset of a single corps of that army. Moreover, Sedgwick's tactical +arrangements were perfect. + +The truth is, the insignificant appearance of a line of simple +breastworks has almost always caused those general and staff-officers +especially that viewed them through their field-glasses, with the +diminishing power of a long perspective, to forget that an assault +upon an enemy behind entrenchments is not so much a battle as a +battue, where one side stands to shoot and the other goes out to +be shot, or if he stops to shoot it is in plain sight of an almost +invisible foe. European examples, as usual misapplied or misunderstood, +have contributed largely to the persistency of this fatal illusion, +and Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos have served but as incantations to +confuse many a mind to which these sounding syllables were no more +than names; ignorant, therefore, of the stern necessities that +drove Wellington to these victories, forgetful of their fearful +cost, and above all ignoring or forgetting the axiom, on which +rests the whole art and science of military engineering--that the +highest and stoutest of stone walls must yield at last to the +smallest trench through which a man may creep unseen. Vast, indeed, +is the difference between an assault upon a walled town, delivered +as a last resort after crowning the glacis and opening wide the +breach, and any conceivable movement, though bearing the same name, +made as the first resort, against earthworks of the very kind +whereby walled towns are taken, approached over ground unknown and +perhaps obstructed. + +Even so, in the storm of Rodrigo the defenders struck down more +than a third of their own numbers; Badajos was taken by a happy +chance after the main assault had miserably failed; at both places +the losses of the assailants were in proportion less, and in number +but little greater, than at Port Hudson; yet, in the contemplation +of the awful slaughter of Badajos, even the iron firmness of +Wellington broke down in a passion of tears. + +(1) "Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant," pp. 530, 532. + + +CHAPTER XVIII. +UNVEXED TO THE SEA. + +With that quick appreciation of facts that forms so large a part +of the character of the American soldier, even to the extent of +exercising upon the fate of battles and campaigns an influence not +always reserved for considerations derived from a study of the +principles of the art of war, the men of the Army of the Gulf had +now made up their minds that the end sought was to be attained by +hard work on their part and by starvation on the part of the +garrison. Criticism and denunciation, by no means confined to +those officers whose knowledge of the art of war is drawn from +books, have been freely passed upon this peculiarity, yet both +alike have been wasted, since no proposition can be clearer than +that a nation, justly proud of the superior intelligence of its +soldiers, cannot expect to reap the full advantage of that intelligence +and at the same time escape every disadvantage attending its +exercise. Among these drawbacks, largely overbalanced by the +obvious gains, not the least is the peculiar quality that has been +aptly described in the homely saying, "They know too much." When, +therefore, the American volunteer has become a veteran, and has +reached his highest point of discipline, endurance, and the simple +sagacity of the soldier, it is often his way to stay his hand from +exertions that he deems needless and from sacrifices that he +considers useless or worse than useless, although the same exertions +and the same sacrifices would, but a few months earlier in the days +of his inexperience, have been met by him with the same alacrity +that the ignorant peasant of Europe displays in obeying the orders +of his hereditary chief in the service of the king. + +After the 14th of June the siege progressed steadily without farther +attempt at an assault. This was now deferred to the last resort. +At four points a system of comparatively regular approaches was +begun, and upon these labor was carried on incessantly, night and +day; indeed, as is usual with works of this character, the greatest +progress was made in the short hours of the June nights. The main +approach led from Duryea's battery No. 12 toward the priest-cap, +following the winding of the ravines and the contour of the hill. +When at last the sap had, with great toil and danger, been carried +to the crest facing the priest-cap, and only a few yards distant, +the trench was rapidly and with comparative ease extended toward +the left, in a line parallel with the general direction of the +defences. The least distance from this third parallel, as it was +called by an easy stretch of the language, to the enemy's parapet +was about twenty yards, the greatest about forty-five. + +About two hundred yards farther to the right of the elbow of the +main sap, a zigzag ran out of the ravine on the left flank of +Bainbridge's battery, No. 8, toward the bastion. Upon this approach, +because of its directness, the use of the sap-roller, or some +equivalent for it, could never be given up until the ditch was +gained. + +From the extreme left, after the northern slope of Mount Pleasant +had been gained, a main approach was extended from the flank of +Roy's battery of 20-pounder Parrotts, No. 20, almost directly toward +the river, until the trench cut the edge of the bluff, forming +meanwhile a covered way that connected all the batteries looking +north from the left flank. Of these No. 24 was the seventeen-gun +battery, including two 9-inch Dahlgrens removed from the naval +battery of the right wing, and commanded by Ensign Swann. On the +2d of July, Lieutenant-Commander Terry took command of the _Richmond_ +and turned over the command of the right naval battery to Ensign +Shepard. These "blue-jacket" batteries, with their trim and alert +gun crews, were always bright spots in the sombre line. From the +river bank the sap ran with five stretches of fifty or sixty yards, +forming four sharp elbows, to the foot and well up the slope of +the steep hill on the opposite side of the ravine, where the +Confederates had constructed the strong work known to both combatants +as the Citadel. From the head of the sap to the nearest point of +the Confederate works the distance was about ninety-five yards. + +From the ravine in front of the mortar battery of the left wing, +No. 18, a secondary approach was carried to a parallel facing the +advanced lunette, No. XXVII., and distant from it 375 yards. The +object of this approach was partly to amuse the enemy, partly to +prevent his breaking through the line, now drawn out very thin, +and partly also to serve as a foothold for a column of attack in +case of need. + +From the ravine near Slaughter's house a zigzag, constructed by +the men of the 21st Maine, under the immediate direction of Colonel +Johnson, led to the position of battery No. 16, where were posted +the ten guns of Rails and Baines. The distance from this battery +to the defences was four hundred yards. + +On the 15th of June, on the heels of the bloody repulse of the +previous day, Banks issued a general order congratulating his troops +upon the steady advance made upon the enemy's works, and expressed +his confidence in an immediate and triumphant issue of the contest: + +"We are at all points on the threshold of his fortifications," the +order continues. "Only one more advance, and they are ours! + +"For the last duty that victory imposes, the Commanding General +summons the bold men of the corps to the organization of a storming +column of a thousand men, to vindicate the flag of the Union, and +the memory of its defenders who have fallen! Let them come forward! + +"Officers who lead the column of victory in this last assault may +be assured of the just recognition of their services by promotion; +and every officer and soldier who shares its perils and its glory +shall receive a medal to commemorate the first great success of +the campaign of 1863 for the freedom of the Mississippi. His name +will be placed in General Orders upon the Roll of Honor." + +Colonel Henry W. Birge, of the 13th Connecticut, at once volunteered +to lead the stormers, and although the whole project was disapproved +by many of the best officers and men in the corps, partly as +unnecessary and partly because they conceived that it implied some +reflection upon the conduct of the brave men that had fought and +suffered and failed on the 27th and the 14th, yet so general was +the feeling of confidence in Birge that within a few days the ranks +of the stormers were more than filled. As nearly as can now be +ascertained, the whole number of officers who volunteered was at +least 80; of enlisted men at least 956. Of these, 17 officers and +226 men belonged to the 13th Connecticut. As the different parties +offered and were accepted, they were sent into camp in a retired +and pleasant spot, in a grove behind the naval battery on the right. +On the 15th of June Birge was ordered to divide his column into +two battalions, and to drill it for its work. On the 28th this +organization was complete. The battalions were then composed of +eight companies, but two companies were afterwards added to the +first battalion. To Lieutenant-Colonel Van Petter, of the 160th +New York, Birge gave the command of the first battalion, and to +Lieutenant-Colonel Bickmore, of the 14th Maine, that of the second +battalion. On that day, 67 of the officers and 826 men--in all, +893, were present for duty in the camp of the stormers. Among +those that volunteered for the forlorn hope but were not accepted +were 54 non-commissioned officers and privates of the 1st Louisiana +Native Guards, and 37 of the 3d. From among the officers of the +general staff and staff departments that were eager to go, two were +selected to accompany the column and keep up the communication with +headquarters and with the other troops; these were Captain Duncan +S. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Edmund H. +Russell, of the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, acting signal officer. + +Then the officers and men quietly prepared themselves for the +serious work expected of them. Those that had any thing to leave +made their wills in the manner sanctioned by the custom of armies, +and all confided to the hands of comrades the last words for their +families or their friends. + +Meanwhile an event took place, trifling in itself, yet accenting +sharply some of the more serious reasons that had, in the first +instance, led Banks to resist the repeated urging to join Grant +with his whole force, and afterward had formed powerful factors in +determining him to deliver and to renew the assault. Early on the +morning of the 18th of June a detachment of Confederate cavalry +rode into the village of Plaquemine, surprised the provost guard, +captured Lieutenant C. H. Witham and twenty-two men of the 28th +Maine, and burned the three steamers lying the bayou, the _Sykes, +Anglo-American_, and _Belfast_. Captain Albert Stearns, of the +131st New York, who was stationed at Plaquemine as provost marshal +of the parish, made his escape with thirteen men of his guard. +The Confederates were fired upon by the guard and lost one man +killed and two wounded. In their turn they fired upon the steamboats, +and wounded two of the crew. Three hours later the gunboat _Winona_, +Captain Weaver, came down from Baton Rouge, and, shelling the enemy, +hastened their departure. In the tension of greater events, little +notice was taken at the moment of this incident; yet it was not +long before it was discovered that the raiders were the advance +guard of the little army with which Taylor was about to invade La +Fourche, intent upon the bold design of raising the siege of Port +Hudson by blockading the river and threatening New Orleans. + +Thus Banks was brought face to face with the condition described +in his letter of the 4th of June to Halleck: + +"The course to be pursued here gives me great anxiety. If I abandon +Port Hudson, I leave its garrison, some 6,000 or 7,000 men, the +force under Mouton and Sibley, now threatening Brashear City and +the Army of Mobile, large or small, to threaten or attack New +Orleans. If I detach from my command in the field a sufficient +force to defend that city, which ought not to be less than 8,000 +or 10,000, my assistance to General Grant is unimportant, and I +leave an equal or larger number of the enemy to reinforce Johnston. +If I defend New Orleans and its adjacent territory, the enemy will +go against Grant. If I go with a force sufficient to aid him, my +rear will be seriously threatened. My force is not large enough +to do both. Under these circumstances, my only course seems to be +to carry this post as soon as possible, and then to join General +Grant. If I abandon it I cannot materially aid him." + +Taylor's incursion caused Banks some anxiety and appreciable +inconvenience, without, however, exercising a material influence +on the fortunes of the siege; accordingly, it will be better to +reserve for another chapter the story of this adventure. + +About the same time, Logan again became troublesome. At first he +seems to have thought of retiring on Jackson, Mississippi; but this +Johnston forbade, telling him to stay where he was, to observe and +annoy the besiegers, and if pressed by too strong a force, to fall +back only so far as necessary, hindering and retarding the advance +of his assailants. By daylight, on the morning of the 15th of +June, Logan dashed down the Clinton road, surprised the camp of +the 14th New York cavalry, who made little resistance, and the +guard of the hospital at the Carter House, who made none. In this +raid Logan took nearly one hundred disabled prisoners, including +six officers, and carried off a number of wagons. However, finding +Grierson instantly on his heels, Logan promptly "fell back as far +as necessary." On the evening of the 30th of June, while hovering +in the rear of Dwight, Logan captured and carried off Brigadier-General +Dow, who, while waiting for his wound to heal, had taken up his +headquarters in a house some distance behind the lines. At daylight, +on the morning of the 2d of July, Logan surprised the depot at +Springfield Landing, guarded by the 162d New York, Lieutenant-Colonel +Blanchard, and a small detachment of the 16th New Hampshire, +under Captain Henry. Careless picket duty was the cause, and a +great stampede the consequence, but Logan hardly stayed long enough +to find out exactly what he had accomplished, since he reports +that, besides burning the commissary and quartermasters' stores, +he killed and wounded 140 of his enemy, captured 35 prisoners, +fought an entire brigade, and destroyed 100 wagons, with a loss on +his part of 4 killed and 10 wounded; whereas, in fact, the entire +loss of the Union army was 1 killed, 11 wounded, 21 captured or +missing, while the stores burned consisted of a full supply of +clothing and camp and garrison equipment for about 1,000 men. The +wagons mentioned by Logan were part of a train met in the road, +cut out, and carried off as he rapidly rode away, and the number +may be correct. + +The end of June was now drawing near, and already the losses of +the besiegers in the month of constant fighting exceeded 4,000. +At least as many more were sick in the hospitals, while the +reinforcements from every quarter barely numbered 3,000. There +were no longer any reserves to draw from; the last man was up. +The effective strength of all arms had at no time exceeded 17,000.(1) +Of these less than 12,000 can be regarded as available for any duty +directly connected with the siege, and now every day saw the command +growing smaller in numbers, as the men fell under the fire of the +sharp-shooter, or succumbed to the deadly climate, or gave out +exhausted by incessant labor and privation. The heat became almost +insupportable, even to those who from time to time found themselves +so fortunate as to be able to snatch a few hours' rest in the dense +shade of the splendid forest, until their tour of duty should come +again in the trenches, where, under the June sun beating upon and +baking all three surfaces, the parched clay became like a reverberating +furnace. The still air was stifling, but the steam from the almost +tropical showers was far worse. Merely in attempting to traverse +a few yards of this burning zone many of the strongest men were +sunstruck daily. The labor of the siege, extending over so wide +a front, pressed so severely upon the numbers of the besieging +army, always far too weak for such an undertaking in any climate +at any season, above all in Louisiana in June, that the men were +almost incessantly on duty, either in digging, as guards of the +trenches, as sharp-shooters, or on outpost service; and as the +number available for duty grew smaller, and the physical strength +of all that remained in the ranks daily wasted, the work fell the +more heavily. When the end came at last the effective force, +outside of the cavalry, hardly exceeded 8,000, while even of this +small number nearly every officer and man might well have gone on +the sick-report had not pride and duty held him to his post. + +This will seem the less remarkable when it is remembered that the +garrison during the same period suffered in the same proportion, +while from like causes less than a year before Breckinridge had, +in a much shorter time, lost the use of half his division. Butler's +experience had been nearly as severe. + +To the suffering and labors that are inseparable from any operation +in the nature of a siege were added insupportable torments, the +least of which were vermin. As the summer days drew out and the +heat grew more intense, the brooks dried up; the creek lost itself +in the pestilential swamp; the wells and springs gave out; the river +fell, exposing to the almost tropical sun a wide margin of festering +ooze. The mortality and the sickness were enormous. + +The animals suffered in their turn, the battery horses from want +of exercise, the train horses and mules from over-work, and all +from the excessive heat and insufficiency of proper forage. There +was never enough hay; the deficiency was partly eked out by making +fodder of the standing corn, but this resource was quickly exhausted, +and after the 3d of July, when Taylor sealed the river by planting +his guns below Donaldsonville, all the animals went upon half or +quarter rations of grain, with little hay or none. At length, for +two or three days, the forage depots fairly gave out; the poor +beasts were literally starving when the place fell, nor was it for +nearly a week after that event that, by the raising of Taylor's +blockade below and the arrival of supplies from Grant above, the +stress was wholly relieved. + +The two colored regiments, the 1st and 3d Louisiana Native Guards, +besides strongly picketing their front, were mainly occupied, after +the 27th of May, in fatigue duty in the trenches on the right. +While the army was in the Teche country, Brigadier-General Daniel +Ullmann had arrived at New Orleans from New York, bringing with +him authority to raise a brigade of colored troops. With him came +a full complement of officers. A few days later, on the 1st of +May, Banks issued, at Opelousas, an order, which he had for some +time held in contemplation, for organizing a corps of eighteen +regiments of colored infantry, to consist, at first, of five hundred +men each. These troops were to form a distinct command, to which +he gave the name of the Corps d'Afrique, and in it he incorporated +Ullmann's brigade. By the end of May Ullmann had enrolled about +1,400 men for five regiments, the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. +These recruits, as yet unarmed and undrilled, were now brought to +Port Hudson, organized, and set to work in the trenches and upon +the various siege operations. + +About the same time the formation of a regiment of engineer troops +was undertaken, composed of picked men of color, formed in three +battalions of four companies each, under white officers carefully +chosen from among the veterans. The ranks of this regiment, known +as the 1st Louisiana engineers, were soon recruited to above a +thousand; the strength for duty was about eight hundred. Under +the skilful handling of Colonel Justin Hodge it rendered valuable +service throughout the siege. + +Company K of the 42d Massachusetts, commanded by Lieutenant Henry +A. Harding, had for some months been serving as pontoniers, in +charge of the bridge train. During the siege it did good and hard +work in all branches of field engineering under the immediate +direction of the Chief Engineer. + +While at Opelousas, Banks had applied to Halleck to order +Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone to duty in the Department of the +Gulf. Stone had been without assignment since his release, in the +preceding August, from his long and lonely imprisonment in the +casemates of the harbor forts of New York, and, up to this moment, +every suggestion looking to his employment had met the stern +disapproval of the Secretary of War. Even when in the first flush +of finding himself at last at the top notch of his career, Hooker, in +firm possession, as he believed, of the post he had long coveted, as +commander of the Army of the Potomac, had asked for Stone as his Chief +of Staff, the request had been met by a flat refusal. A different fate +awaited Banks's application. On the 7th of May Halleck issued the +orders asked for, and in the last days of the month Stone reported +for duty before Port Hudson. At first Banks was rather embarrassed +by the gift he had solicited, for he saw that he himself was falling +into disfavor at Washington; the moment was critical; and it was +easy to perceive how disaster, or even the slightest check, might +be magnified in the shadows of Ball's Bluff and Fort Lafayette. +Moreover, Stone was equally unknown to and unknown by the troops +of the Nineteenth Army Corps. Instead, therefore, of giving him +the command of Sherman's division, for which his rank indicated +him, Banks kept Stone at headquarters without special assignment, +and made every use of his activity, as well as of his special +knowledge and ready skill in all matters relating to ordnance and +gunnery. + +On the evening of the 26th of June a strange thing happened. While +it was yet broad daylight Colonel Provence of the 16th Arkansas, +posted in rear of the position of battery XXIV, discovering and +annoyed by the progress made on battery 16 in his front, sent out, +one at a time, two bold men, named Mieres and Parker, to see what +was going on. After nightfall, on their report, he despatched +thirty volunteers, under Lieutenant McKennon, to drive off the +guard and the working party and destroy the works. The position +was held by the advance guard of the 21st Maine, under Lieutenant +Bartlett, who, for some reason hard to understand, ordered his men +not to fire. The Arkansas party, therefore, accomplished its +purpose, without further casualty than having one man knocked down, +as he was leaping the parapet of the trench, by a soldier who +happened to consider his orders as inapplicable to this method of +defence. Then Major Merry, with the reserves of the 21st, coming +promptly to the rescue, easily drove out the enterprising assailants, +with whom went as prisoners Lieutenant Bartlett and five of his +men, with fourteen muskets that had not been fired.(2) + +As the saps in front of Bainbridge's and Duryea's batteries drew +every day nearer to the bastion and the priest-cap, the working +parties were harassed and began to be greatly delayed by the +unceasing fire of the Confederate sharp-shooters. Moreover, in +spite of the vigilance of the sharp-shooters in the trenches, their +adversaries had so much the advantage of ground that they were able +to render the passage of certain exposed points of the approaches +slow and hazardous. At first, cotton bales were used to protect +the head of the sap, but these the adventurous enemy set alight +with blazing arrows or by sallies of small parties under cover of +darkness. In the short night it was impossible to raise a pile of +sand-bags high enough to overlook the breastworks. Toward the end +of June this was changed in a single night by the skill and ingenuity +of Colonel Edward Prince, of the 7th Illinois cavalry. + +Happening to be at headquarters when the trouble was being talked +about, he heard an officer suggest making use of the empty hogsheads +at the sugar-house; how to get them to the trenches was the next +question. This he promptly offered to solve if simply ordered to +do it and left to himself. Cavalry had never been of any use in +a siege, he said; it was time for a change. The order was instantly +given. Prince swung himself into the saddle and rode away. Before +daylight his men had carried through the woods and over the hills +to the mouth of the sap, opposite the southern angle of the +priest-cap, enough sugar hogsheads to make two tiers. The heads had +been knocked in, a long pole thrust through each hogshead, and thus +slung, it was easy for two mounted troopers to carry it between +them. Quietly rolled into position by the working parties and +rapidly filled with earth, a rude platform erected behind for the +sharp-shooter to mount upon, with a few sand-bags thrown on top to +protect his head,--this was the beginning of the great trench +cavalier, whose frowning crest the astonished Confederates awoke +the next morning to find towering high above their heads. Afterwards +enlarged and strengthened, it finally dominated the whole line of +defence not only in its immediate front, but for a long distance +on either side. + +Not less ingenious was the device almost instinctively resorted to +by the artillerists for the safety of the gunners when, after the +siege batteries opened, the Confederate sharp-shooters began picking +off every head that came in sight. The first day saw a number of +gunners stricken in the act of taking aim, an incident not conducive +to deliberation or accuracy on the part of their successors at the +guns. The next sunrise saw every exposed battery, from right to +left, protected by a hinged shutter made of flat iron chiefly taken +from the sugar troughs, covered with strips of rawhide from the +commissary's, the space stuffed tight with loose cotton, and a hole +made through all, big enough for the gunner's eye, but too small +for the sharp-shooter's bullet. Such was substantially the plan +simultaneously adopted at three or four different points and +afterwards followed everywhere. The remedy was perfect. + +On the 3d of July arrangements were made for the daily detail of +a brigade commander to act as General of the Trenches during a tour +of twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. His duties were to +superintend the siege operations, to post the guards of the trenches, +to repulse sorties, and to protect the works. The works to be +constructed were indicated and laid out by the Chief Engineer, +whose duties, after the 17th of June, when Major Houston fell +seriously ill, were performed by Captain John C. Palfrey, aided +and overlooked by General Andrews, the Chief of Staff. Daily, at +nine o'clock in the morning, the General of the Trenches and the +Chief Engineer made separate reports to headquarters of everything +that had happened during the previous day. Each of these officers +made five reports, yet of the ten but two are to be found printed +among the Official Records. These are the engineer's reports of +work done on the 5th and 6th of July. They contain almost the only +details of the siege to be gathered from the record, notwithstanding +the fact that every paper, however small, or irregular in size or +form, or apparently unimportant in substance, that related in any +way to the military operations of the Army of the Gulf was carefully +preserved on the files of its Adjutant-General's office, where, +for safety as well as convenience, documents of this character were +kept separate from the ordinary files covering matters of routine +and requiring to be handled every day or hour. The proof is strong +that these important records were in due time delivered into the +custody of the War Office, where, for a considerable period after +the close of the war, little or no care seems to have been taken +of the documents thus turned in by the several Corps and Departments, +as these were discontinued; and although the care and management +of the War Records division of the Adjutant-General's Office at +Washington has, from its earliest organization, been such as to +deserve the highest admiration, yet many of these papers are not +to be found there. The probability is that they were either mislaid +or else swept away and destroyed before this office was organized. + +Palfrey's report for the 5th of July shows the left cavalier finished +and occupied, and the right cavalier nearly finished, but constantly +injured by a 24-pounder gun that had so far escaped destruction by +the artillery of the besiegers. The sap in front of Bainbridge's +battery, No. 8, was advanced about twenty yards during this day, +and the parallel in front of the priest-cap extended to the left +eleven yards; work was greatly retarded by a heavy rain in the +night. The mine was so far advanced that a shaft was begun to run +obliquely under the salient, this course being chosen instead of +the usual plan of a vertical shaft with enveloping galleries, as +shorter in time and distance, although more dangerous. + +On the 6th the sap was pushed forward forty-two feet, and the +parallel carried to the left sixty-nine feet. The mine shaft, +begun the day before, was carried about twenty-seven feet underground, +directly toward the salient. The cavaliers were finished. + +During the 7th, although there is no report for that day, the shaft +for the mine under the priest-cap was finished, the chamber itself +excavated and charged with about twelve hundred pounds of powder, +and the mine tamped with sand-bags. The mine on the left had been +ready for some days; it was now charged with fifteen hundred pounds +of powder and tamped. + +Heavy thunder-storms, accompanied by warm rain, had been frequent +of late, and the night dews had been at times heavy. Accordingly +it was thought best not to trust so delicate an operation as the +explosion of the mines to the chance of a damp fuse. Daybreak on +the 9th of July having been set as the hour for the simultaneous +explosion of the mines, to be instantly followed by one last rush +through the gaps, Captain Walker was sent on the evening of the +7th, to the _Richmond_ to ask for dry fuses from the magazines of +the Navy. + +Meanwhile events were moving rapidly to an end. In the early +morning of Tuesday, the 7th, the gunboat _General Price_ came down +the river bringing the great news that Vicksburg had surrendered +to Grant on the 4th of July. Commodore Palmer, on board the +_Hartford_, was the first to receive the news, but for some reason +it happened that signal communication was obstructed or suspended +between the _Hartford_ and headquarters, so that it was not until +a quarter before eleven that Colonel Kilby Smith, of Grant's staff, +delivered to Banks the welcome message of which he was the bearer. + +In less time than it takes to tell, an aide-de-camp was on his way +to the General of the Trenches bearing the brief announcement, +"Vicksburg surrendered on the 4th of July." This note, written +upon the thin manifold paper of the field order-books, the General +of the Trenches was directed to wrap securely around a clod of clay +--the closest approach to a stone to be found in all the lowlands +of Louisiana--and toss it over into the enemy's works. At the same +time the good news was sped by wire and by staff officers to the +commanders of divisions. At noon a national salute was to be fired +and all the bands were to play the national airs; but the men could +not wait for these slow formalities. No sooner was the first loud +shout of rejoicing heard from the trenches, where for so many weary +nights and days there had been little to rejoice at, than by a sort +of instinct the men of both armies seem to have divined what had +happened. From man to man, from company to company, from regiment +to regiment, the word passed, and as it passed, once more the cheers +of the soldiers of the Union rang out, and again the forest echoed +with the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from the long-silent +bands. Many a rough cheek, unused to tears, was wet that morning, +and the sound of laughter was heard from many lips that had long +been set in silence; but when the first thrill was spent, it gave +way to a deep-drawn sigh of relief. The work was done; all the +toil and suffering was over. Nor was this feeling restricted to +the outside of the parapet; the defenders felt it even more strongly. +At first they received the news with real or affected incredulity. +An officer of an Arkansas regiment, to whom was first handed the +little scrap of tissue paper on which the whole chapter of history +was told in seven words, acknowledged the complement by calling +back, "This is another damned Yankee lie!" Yet before many minutes +were over the firing had died away, save here and there a scattering +exception, although peremptory orders were even given to secure +its renewal. In spite of everything the men began to mingle and +to exchange story for story, gibe for gibe, coffee for corn-beer, +and when night fell there can have been few men in either army but +believed the fighting was over. + +That evening Gardner summoned his commanders to meet him in council. +Among them all there was but one thought--the end had come. + +Shortly after half-past twelve the notes of a bugle were heard on +the Plains Store road sounding the signal, "Cease firing." A few +seconds later an officer with a small escort approached, bearing +a lantern swung upon a long pole, with a white handkerchief tied +beneath it, to serve as a flag of truce. At the outpost of Charles +J. Paine's brigade the flag was halted and its purpose ascertained. +This was announced to be the delivery of an important despatch from +Gardner to Banks. Thus it was that a few minutes after one o'clock +the hoofs of two horses were heard at the same instant at headquarters, +yet each with a sound of its own that seemed in keeping with its +story. One, a slow and measured trot, told of duty done and stables +near; the other, quick and nervous, spoke of pressing news. Two +officers dismounted; the clang of their sabres was heard together; +together they made their way to the tent where the writer of these +lines lay awake and listening. One was Captain Walker, with the +fuse, the other was Lieutenant Orton S. Clark, of the 116th New +York, then attached to the staff of Charles J. Paine. The long +envelope he handed in felt rough to the touch; the light of a match +showed its color a dull gray; every inch of it said, "Surrender." + +When opened it was found to contain a request for an official +assurance as to the truth of the report that Vicksburg had surrendered. +If true, Gardner asked for a cessation of hostilities with a view +to consider terms. At a quarter-past one Banks replied, conveying +an exact copy of so much of Grant's despatch as related the +capitulation of Vicksburg. He told when and how the despatch had +come, and wound up by regretting that he could not consent to a +truce for the purpose indicated. In order to avoid all chance of +needless excitement or disturbance, as well as of the premature +publication of the news, the Adjutant-General carried this despatch +himself, and, accompanied by Lieutenant Clark, as well as, at his +own request, by General Stone, rode first to Augur's headquarters +to acquaint him with the news and to borrow a bugler, and then to +the outposts to meet the Confederate flag of truce. A blast upon +the bugle brought back the little party of horsemen, with the +lantern swaying from the pole; but it was nearly daylight before +they again returned with Gardner's reply. Meanwhile, right and +left word had been quietly passed to the pickets to cease firing. + +In his second letter Gardner said: + +"Having defended this position so long as I deem my duty requires, +I am willing to surrender to you, and will appoint a commission of +three officers to meet a similar commission, appointed by yourself, +at nine o'clock this morning, for the purpose of agreeing upon and +drawing up the terms of surrender, and for that purpose I ask a +cessation of hostilities. Will you please designate a point outside +of my breastworks where a meeting shall be held for this purpose?" + +To this Banks answered at 4:30 A.M.: + +"I have designated Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone, Colonel +Henry W. Birge, and Lieutenant-Colonel Richard B. Irwin as the +officers to meet the commission appointed by you. They will meet +your officers at the hour designated at a point near where the flag +of truce was received this morning. I will direct that all active +hostilities shall entirely cease on my part until further notice +for the purpose stated." + +The division commanders, as well as the commanders of the upper +and lower fleets, were at once notified, and at six o'clock Captain +Walker was sent to find Admiral Farragut, wherever he might be, +and to deliver to him despatches conveying the news of the surrender, +outlining Banks's plans for moving against Taylor in La Fourche, +and urging the Admiral to send all the light-draught gunboats at +once to Berwick Bay. + +Banks meant to march Weitzel directly to the nearest landing, which +was within the lines of Port Hudson, as soon as the formal capitulation +should be accomplished, and to send Grover after him as fast as +steamboats could be found. This called for many arrangements; the +occupying force had also to be seen to; and finally, it was necessary +that the starving garrison should be fed. Colonel Irwin was +therefore relieved, at his own request, from duty as one of the +commissioners, and Brigadier-General Dwight was named in his stead. +This drew an objection from Weitzel, who naturally felt that there +were claims of service as well as of rank that might have been +considered before those of the temporary commander of the second +division; however, it was too late to make any further change, and +when Banks offered to name Weitzel, whose protest had been not for +himself but for his brigades, as the officer to receive Gardner's +sword, the offer was declined. Among the officers of the navy, +too, especially those of higher grades, great cause of offense was +felt that, after all their services in the siege, they were left +unrepresented in the honors of the surrender. This feeling was +natural enough; yet before determining how far the complaints based +on it were just, it is necessary to consider how important was +every hour, almost every moment, with reference to the operations +against Taylor, while three and a half hours were required to make +the journey between headquarters and the upper fleet, and four and +a half hours to reach the lower fleet. Moreover, the Admiral had +gone to New Orleans the evening before. + +At nine the commissioners met under the shade of the beautiful +trees, nearly on the spot where O'Brien had rested among his men +while waiting for the word on the 27th of May. On the Confederate +side the commissioners were Colonel William R. Miles, commanding +the right wing of the garrison, Colonel I. G. W. Steedman, of the +1st Alabama, commanding the left wing, and Lieutenant-Colonel +Marshall J. Smith, Chief of Heavy Artillery. + +Among those thus brought together there was more than one gentleman +of marked conversational talent; the day was pleasant, the shade +grateful, and, to one side at least, the refreshment not less so; +and thus the time passed pleasantly until two o'clock, when the +commissioners signed, with but a single change, the articles that +had been drawn up for them and in readiness since six in the morning. +The alteration was occasioned by the great and unexpected length +to which the conference had been protracted. Five o'clock in the +afternoon had been named as the time when the besiegers were to +occupy the works; this had to be changed to seven o'clock on the +morning of the 9th. The terms, which will be found in full in the +Appendix, were those of an unconditional surrender. Gardner, who +was in waiting conveniently near, at once approved the articles, +and at half-past two they were completed by the signature of Banks. +A few minutes later the long wagon-train, loaded with provisions, +that had been standing for hours in the Plains Store road, was +signalled to go forward. The cheers that welcomed the train, as +it wound its way up the long-untravelled road and through the +disused sally-port, were perhaps not so loud as those with which +the besiegers had greeted the news from Vicksburg, yet they were +not less enthusiastic. From this moment the men of the two armies, +and to some extent the officers, mingled freely. + +Andrews was designated to receive the surrender, and from each +division two of the best regiments, with one from Weitzel's brigade, +were told off to occupy the place. + +Punctually at seven o'clock on the morning of the 9th of July the +column of occupation entered the sally-port on the Jackson road. +At its head rode Andrews with his staff. Next, in the post of +honor, came the stormers with Birge at their head, then the 75th +New York of Weitzel's brigade, followed by the 116th New York and +the 2d Louisiana of Augur's division, the 12th Maine, and the 13th +Connecticut of Grover's division, the 6th Michigan and the 14th +Maine of Dwight's division, and 4th Wisconsin and the 8th New +Hampshire of Paine's.(3) With the column was Duryea's battery. +The 38th Massachusetts was at first designated for this coveted +honor, but lost it through some necessary changes due to the intended +movement down the river. Weitzel, with his own brigade under +Thomas, on the way to the place of embarkation, closely followed +the column and witnessed the ceremonies. + +These were simple and short. The Confederate troops were drawn up +in line, Gardner at their head, every officer in his place. The +right of the line rested on the edge of the open plain south of +the railway station; the left extended toward the village. At the +word "Ground arms" from their tried commander, followed by the +command of execution from the bugles, every Confederate soldier +bowed his head and laid his musket on the ground in token of +submission, while Gardner himself tendered his sword to Andrews, +who, in a few complimentary words, waived its acceptance. At the +same instant the Stars and Bars, the colors of the Confederacy, +were hauled down from the flagstaff, where they had so long waived +defiance; a detachment of sailors from the naval batteries sprang +to the halyards and rapidly ran up the flag of the United States; +the guns of Duryea's battery saluted the colors; the garrison filed +off as prisoners of war, and all was over. + +The last echo of the salute to the colors had hardly died away when +Weitzel, at the head of the First Division, now for the first time +united, marched off to the left, and began embarking on board the +transports to go against Taylor. + +With the place were taken 6,340 prisoners of war, of whom 405 were +officers and 5,935 enlisted men. The men were paroled with the +exact observance of all the forms prescribed by the cartel then in +form; yet the paroles were immediately declared void by the +Confederate government, and the men were required to return to duty +in the ranks. The officers, in accordance with the retaliatory +orders of the period, had to be kept in captivity; they were, +however, given the choice of their place of confinement. About +211 elected to go to Memphis, and were accordingly sent up the +river a few days after the surrender, the remainder were sent to +New Orleans with instructions to Emory to keep them safely under +guard in some commodious house or houses, to be selected by him, +and to make them as comfortable as practicable.(4) There were also +captured 20 pieces of light artillery and 31 pieces of field +artillery; of these 12 heavy guns and 30 light guns were in +comparatively good order. + +The total losses of the Corps during the siege were 45 officers +and 663 men killed, 191 officers and 3,145 men wounded, 12 officers +and 307 men captured or missing; in all, 4,363. Very few prisoners +were taken by the Confederates, and little doubt remains that a +large proportion of those set down as captured or missing in reality +perished. + +Of the Confederate losses no complete return was ever made. A +partial return, without date, signed by the chief surgeon, shows +176 killed, 447 wounded, total 632. In this report the number of +those that had died in the hospital is included among the wounded. +Nor does this total include the losses at Plains Store, which, +according to the surgeon's return, were 12 killed and 36 wounded, +or, according to Colonel Miles's report, 8 killed, 23 wounded, 58 +missing; in all, 89. Major C. M. Jackson, who acted as assistant +inspector-general under Gardner, and, according to his own account, +came out through the lines of investment about an hour after the +surrender, reported to Johnston that the total casualties during +the siege were 200 killed, between 300 and 400 wounded, and 200 +died from sickness. + +(1) The figures here given do not agree with those of the monthly +and tri-monthly returns for May and June. These returns are, +however, simply the returns for March carried forward, owing to +the impossibility of collecting and collating the reports of +regiments, brigades, and divisions during active operations. + +(2) Colonel Provence, in his report, claims 7 prisoners, and says: +"The enemy fired but once, and then at a great distance." (Official +Records, vol. xxvi., part I., p. 150.) + +(3) No record exists of these details, but the list here given is +believed to be nearly correct. + +(4) As evidence of the considerate manner in which these gentlemen +were treated, see the interesting article, "Plain Living on Johnson's +Island," by Lieutenant Horace Carpenter, 4th Louisiana, printed in +the _Century_ for March, 1891, page 706. + + +CHAPTER XIX. +HARROWING LA FOURCHE. + +It will be remembered that when Banks marched to Opelousas, Taylor's +little army, greatly depleted by wholesale desertion and hourly +wearing away by the roadside, broke into two fragments, the main +body of the cavalry retiring, under Mouton, toward the Sabine, +while the remainder of the troops were conducted by Taylor himself +toward Alexandria and at last to Natchitoches. As soon as Kirby +Smith became aware that his adversary was advancing to the Red +River, he prepared to meet the menace by concentrating on Shreveport +the whole available force of the Confederacy in the Trans-Mississippi +from Texas to Missouri, numbering, according to his own estimate, +18,000 effectives. He accordingly called on Magruder for two +brigades and drew in from the line of the Arkansas the division of +John G. Walker. However, this concentration became unnecessary +and was given up the instant Smith learned that Banks had crossed +the Atchafalaya and the Mississippi and had sat down before Port +Hudson. + +While this movement was in progress, Walker was on the march toward +Natchitoches or Alexandria, by varying routes, according as the +plans changed to suit the news of the day. Taylor observed Banks +and followed his march to Simmesport, while Mouton hung upon the +rear and flank of Chickering's column, guarding the big wagon-train +and the spoils of the Teche campaign. + +Then Kirby Smith, not caring as yet to venture across the Atchafalaya, +ordered Taylor to take Walker's division back into Northern Louisiana +and try to break up Grant's campaign by interrupting his communications +opposite Vicksburg; but this attempt turned out badly, for Grant +had already given up his communications on the west bank of the +Mississippi and restored them on the east, and Taylor's forces, +after passing from Lake Catahoula by Little River into the Tensas, +ascending that stream to the neighborhood of Richmond and occupying +that town on the 3d of May, were roughly handled on the 7th in an +ill-judged attempt to take Young's Point and Milliken's Bend. +Then, leaving Walker with orders to do what damage he could along +the river bank--which was not much--and, if possible, as it was +not, to throw supplies of beef and corn into Vicksburg, Taylor went +back to Alexandria and prepared for his campaign in La Fourche, +from which Kirby Smith's superior orders had diverted him. Meanwhile +nearly a month had passed and Walker, after coming down to the Red +River, a week too late, was once more out of reach. + +Taylor's plan was for Major, with his brigade of cavalry, to cross +the Atchafalaya at Morgan's Ferry, while Taylor himself, with the +main body under Mouton, should attempt the surprise and capture of +Brashear: then, if successful, the whole army could be thrown into +La Fourche, while in case of failure Major could easily return by +the way he came. + +Major left Washington on the 10th of June, marched twenty-eight +miles to Morgan's Ferry, by a road then high and dry although in +April Banks had found it under water, and crossing the Atchafalaya +on the 14th rode along the Bayou Fordoche with the intention of +striking the river at the Hermitage; but a broken bridge turned +him northward round the sweep of False River toward Waterloo. Sage +was at False Point with six companies of his 110th New York, a +squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, and a section of Carruth's +battery. As soon as he found the enemy approaching in some force +he moved down the levee to the cover of the lower fleet and thus +lost the chance of gaining and giving timely notice of Major's +operation. Major on his part rode off by the Grosstęte through +Plaquemine, as already related, and so down the Mississippi to +Donaldsonville, having passed on the way three garrisons without +being seen by any one on board. Making a feint on Fort Butler, +Major, under cover of the night, took the cut-off road and struck +the Bayou La Fourche six miles below Donaldsonville; thence he rode +on to Thibodeaux, entering the town at daylight on the 21st of +June. At Thibodeaux Major picked up all the Union soldiers in the +place to the number of about 100, mostly convalescents. + +Soon after taking command in New Orleans, Emory had begun to look +forward to what might happen in La Fourche, as well as to the +possible consequences to New Orleans itself. The forces in the +district were the 23d Connecticut, Colonel Charles E. L. Holmes, +and the 176th New York, Colonel Charles C. Nott, both regiments +scattered along the railroad for its protection, Company F and some +odd men and recruits of the 1st Indiana, under Captain F. W. Noblett, +occupying the field works at Brashear, and two companies of the +28th Maine at Fort Butler. About this time Holmes, who as the +senior colonel had commanded the district since Weitzel quitted it +to enter on the Teche campaign, resigned on account of ill-health. +Nott and Wordin, the lieutenant-colonel of the 23d, were on the +sick-list. Finding the country thus feebly occupied and the service +yet more feebly performed, as early as the 7th of June, Emory had +chosen a very intelligent and spirited young officer of the 47th +Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Colonel Albert Stickney, placed him in +command of the district, without regard to rank, and sent him over +the line to Brashear to put things straight. In this work Stickney +was engaged, when, at daylight on the morning of the 20th of June, +he received a telegram from Emory conveying the news that the +Confederates were advancing on La Fourche Crossing; so he left +Major Anthony, of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, in command at Brashear +and went to the point where the danger threatened. When, on the +afternoon of the 21st of June, the Confederate force drew near, +Stickney found himself in command of a medley of 838 men belonging +to eight different organizations--namely, 195 of the 23d Connecticut, +154 of the 176th New York, 46 of the 42d Massachusetts, 37 of the +26th Maine, 306 of the 26th Massachusetts, 50 troopers of the 1st +Louisiana cavalry, 20 artillerymen, chiefly of the 1st Indiana, +and one section, with 30 men, of Grow's 25th New York battery. + +The levee at this point was about twelve feet high, forming a +natural fortification, which Stickney took advantage of and +strengthened by throwing up slight rifle-pits on his flanks. These +had only been carried a few yards, and were nowhere more than two +feet high, when, about seven o'clock in the evening, under cover +of the darkness, Major attacked. The attack was led by Pyron's +regiment, reported by Major as 206 strong, and was received and +thrown off by about three quarters of Stickney's force. For this +result the credit is largely due to the gallantry and good judgment +of Major Morgan Morgan, Jr., of the 176th New York, and the steadiness +of his men, inspired by his example. Grow's guns being separated +and one of them without support, this piece was abandoned by its +gunners and fell for the moment into the hands of the Confederates; +the other piece, placed by Grow himself to protect the flank, poured +an effective enfilade fire upon Pyron's column. + +Stickney's loss was 8 killed and 41 wounded, including Lieutenant +Starr, of the 23d Connecticut, whose hurt proved mortal. The +Confederate loss is not reported, but Stickney says he counted 53 +of their dead on the field, and afterward found nearly 60 wounded +in the hospitals at Thibodeaux. The next morning, June 22d, their +dead and wounded were removed under a flag of truce.(1) + +While the flag was out, Cahill came up from New Orleans with the +9th Connecticut, a further detachment of the 26th Massachusetts, +and the remainder of Grow's battery. This gave Stickney about +1,100 men, with four guns in position and six field-pieces. Cahill's +arrival was seen by Major, who, after waiting all day in a drenching +rain, began to think his condition rather critical; accordingly, +at nine o'clock in the evening he set out to force his way to +Brashear, where he was expecting to find Green. Riding hard, he +arrived at the east bank of Bayou Boeuf late the next afternoon, +and, crossing by night, at daylight on the 24th he had completely +surrounded the post of Bayou Boeuf, and was just about to attack, +when he saw the white flag that announced the surrender of the +garrison to Mouton. Before this, Captain Julius Sanford, of the +23d Connecticut, set fire to the sugar-house filled with the baggage +and clothing of the troops engaged at Port Hudson. + +Meanwhile, for the surprise of Brashear, Mouton had collected +thirty-seven skiffs and boats of all sorts near the mouth of the Teche, +and manned them with 325 volunteers, under the lead of Major Sherod +Hunter. At nightfall on the 22d of June Hunter set out, and by +daylight the next morning his whole party had safely landed in the +rear of the defences of Brashear, while Green, with three battalions +and two batteries of his command, stood on the western bank of +Berwick Bay, ostentatiously attracting the attention of the +unsuspicious garrison, and three more regiments were in waiting on +Gibbon's Island, ready to make use of Hunter's boats in support of +his movement. + +Banks meant to have broken up the great depot of military stores +at Brashear, and to have removed to Algiers or New Orleans all +regimental baggage and other property that had gone into store at +Brashear and the Boeuf before and after the Teche campaign; such +were his orders, but for some reason not easy to explain they had +not been carried out. Besides the Indianians, who numbered about +30 all told, there were at Brashear four companies--D, G, I, K--of +the 23d Connecticut, two companies of the 176th New York, about +150 strong, and one company, or the equivalent of a company, of +the 42d Massachusetts, making in all rather less than 400 effectives; +there were also about 300 convalescents, left behind by nearly +thirty regiments. Notwithstanding the vast quantity of stores +committed to their care, including the effects of their comrades, +and in spite of all warnings, so slack and indifferent was the +performance of duty on the part of the garrison of Brashear that, +on the morning of the 23d of June, the reveillé was sounded for +them by the guns of the Valverde battery. Thus sharply aroused, +without a thought of what might happen in the rear, the garrison +gave its whole attention to returning, with the heavy guns, the +fire of Green's field-pieces across Berwick Bay. Soon the gunboat +_Hollyhock_ backed down the bay and out of the action, and thus it +was that about half-past six Hunter's men, running out of the woods +toward the railway station, and making known their presence with +their rifles, took the garrison completely by surprise, and, after +a short and desultory fight, more than 700 officers and men gave +up their swords and laid down their arms to a little less than one +half of their own number. Of the men, nearly all were well enough +to march to Algiers four days later, after being paroled. Worse +still, they abandoned a fortified position with 11 heavy guns--24-, +30-, and 32-pounders. The Confederate loss was 3 killed and 18 +wounded. Hunter says the Union troops lost 46 killed and 40 wounded, +but about this there seems to be some mistake, for the proportion +is unusual, and the whole loss of the 23d Connecticut in killed +and wounded was but 7, of the 176th New York but 12. + +Green crossed Berwick Bay as fast as he could, and pushing on found +the post at Bayou Ramos abandoned. The Union troops stationed +there had retired to Bayou Boeuf, and so at daylight on the 24th, +without feeling or firing a single shot, the united guards of the +two stations, numbering 433 officers and men, with four guns, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Duganne, of the 176th New York, +promptly surrendered to the first bold summons of a handful of +Green's adventurous scouts riding five miles ahead of their column. +Taylor now turned over the immediate command of the force to Mouton +and hastened back to Alexandria to bring down Walker, in order to +secure and extend his conquests. Mouton marched at once on +Donaldsonville. + +When the Union forces at La Fourche Crossing found the Confederates +returning in such strength, they made haste to fall back on New +Orleans, and were followed as far as Boutte Station by Waller's +and Pyron's battalions. + +On the 27th of June, Green, with his own brigade, Major's brigade, +and Semmes's battery appeared before Donaldsonville, and demanded +the surrender of the garrison of Fort Butler. This was a square +redoubt, placed in the northern angle between the bayou and the +Mississippi, designed to command and protect the river gateway to +La Fourche, mounting four guns, and originally intended for a +garrison of perhaps 600 men. The parapet was high and thick, like +the levee, and was surrounded by a deep ditch, the flanks on the +bayou and the river being further protected by stout stockades +extending from the levees to the water, at ordinary stages. The +work was now held by a mixed force of 180 men, comprising two small +companies of the 28th Maine--F, Captain Edward B. Neal, and G, +Captain Augustine Thompson,--besides a number of convalescents of +various regiments. Major Joseph D. Bullen, of the 28th, was in +command, and with him at the time was Major Henry M. Porter, of +the 7th Vermont, provost-marshal of the parish of Iberville, whose +quarters in the town on the other side of the bayou were no longer +tenable. + +Farragut, who had gone down to New Orleans and hoisted his flag on +the _Pensacola_, leaving Palmer and Alden in command of the upper +and lower fleets before Port Hudson, had disposed his gunboats so +as to patrol the river in sections. The _Princess Royal_, +Lieutenant-Commander M. B. Woolsey, was near Donaldsonville; the +_Winona_, Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Weaver, near Plaquemine; and +the _Kineo_, Lieutenant-Commander John Watters, between Bonnet Carré +and the Red Church. As soon as the Confederates appeared before +Donaldsonville, Woolsey was notified, and couriers were sent up and +down the river to summon the _Winona_ and the _Kineo_. + +Green brought to the attack six regiments and one battery, between +1,300 and 1,500 strong,(2) including three regiments of his own +brigade, the 4th, 5th, and 7th Texas, and three regiments of Major's +brigade--Lane's, Stone's, and Phillips's. The river, and therefore +the bayou, were now low, exposing wide margins of batture, and +Green's plan was, while surrounding and threatening the fort on +its land faces, to gain an entrance on the water front by crossing +the batture and passing around the ends of the stockades. + +At ten minutes past midnight the red light of a Coston signal from +the fort announced to the Navy that the enemy were coming. At +twenty minutes past one the fight was opened by the Confederates +with musketry. Instantly the fort replied with the fire of its +guns, and of every musket that could be brought to the parapet. +Five minutes later the _Princess Royal_, which, since nightfall, +had been under way and cleared for action, began shelling the woods +on the right of the fort, firing a few 9-inch and 30-pounder shells +over the works and down the bayou, followed presently by 30-pounder +and 20-pounder shrapnel and 9-inch grape, fired at point-blank +range in the direction of the Confederate yells. The assault was +made in the most determined manner. Shannon, with the 5th Texas, +passed some of his men around the end of the river stockade, others +climbed and helped one another over, some tried to cut it down with +axes, many fired through the loopholes; Phillips made a circuit of +the fort and tried the bayou stockade, while Herbert's 7th Texas +attempted to cross the ditch on the land side. The fight at the +stockade was desperate in the extreme; those who succeeded in +surmounting or turning this barrier found an impassable obstacle +in the ditch, whose existence, strange to say, they had not even +suspected. Here the combatants fought hand to hand; even the sick, +who had barely strength to walk from the hospital to the rampart, +took part in the defence. The Texans assailed the defenders with +brickbats; these the Maine men threw back upon the heads of the +Texans; on both sides numbers were thus injured. Lane, who was to +have supported Phillips, somehow went adrift, and Hardeman, who +was to have attacked the stockade on the bayou side, was delayed +by his guide, but toward daylight he came up to join in the last +attack. By way of a diversion, Stone had crossed the bayou to the +east bank on a bridge of sugar coolers, and his part in the fight +was confined to yells. + +At a quarter before four the yelling, which had gone on continuously +for more than two hours, suddenly died away, the fire slackened, +and three rousing cheers went up from the fort. A few minutes +later the _Winona_ came down and opened fire, and at half-past four +the _Kineo_ hove in sight. The fight was ended. "The smoke clearing +away," says Woolsey, "discovered the American flag flying over the +fort. Gave three cheers and came to anchor." Yet the same sun +rose upon a ghastly sight--upon green slopes gray with the dead, +the dying, and the maimed, and the black ditch red with their blood. + +Green puts his loss at 40 killed, 114 wounded, 107 missing, in all +261. However, during the 28th, the _Princess Royal_ and the _Kineo_ +received on board from the provost-marshal 124 prisoners, by actual +count, including 1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 major, 3 captains, and 5 +lieutenants; and Lieutenant-Commander Woolsey says the garrison +buried 69 Confederates and were "still at it." Among the Confederates +killed was Shannon, and among the missing Phillips. Of the garrison, +1 officer, Lieutenant Isaac Murch, of the 28th Maine, and 7 men +were killed, 2 officers and 11 men wounded--in all 21. The _Princess +Royal_ had 1 man killed, 2 wounded. The vessel was struck in twenty +places by grape-shot. + +Green has been sharply criticised for the apparent recklessness +with which he delivered his assault, even after having announced +to Mouton his intention of waiting; yet it is clear that he was +sent there to attack; if he was to attack at all, he had nothing +to gain by waiting; an assault by daylight would have been wholesale +suicide; while, on the other hand, the garrison would unquestionably +be reinforced by troops and gunboats before another night. Having +paid this tribute to his judgment, and to his daring and the +intrepidity of his men the homage that every soldier feels to be +his due, one may be allowed to quote without comment this passage +from Green's report of the affair, in naked frankness hardly +surpassed even among the writings of Signor Benvenuto Cellini: + +"At daylight I sent in a flag of truce, asking permission to pick +up our wounded and bury our dead, which was refused, as I expected. +My object in sending the flag so early was to get away a great +number of our men, who had found a little shelter near the enemy's +works, and who would have been inevitably taken prisoners. I must +have saved one hundred men by instructing my flag-of-truce officer, +as he approached the fort, to order our troops to steal away." + +Bullen's message to Emory has the true ring: "The enemy have +attacked us, and we have repulsed them. I want more men; I must +have more men." Emory responded with the remaining two companies +of the 28th Maine, that had been left near New Orleans when the +regiment moved to Port Hudson, and Banks relieved the 1st Louisiana +on the lines and sent it at once to Donaldsonville, with two sections +of Closson's battery under Taylor, and Stone to command. This put +the place out of peril. + +Even this bright spot on the dull, dark background was not to be +permitted to go untarnished, for, on the 5th of July, Bullen, the +hero of this heroic defence, whose name deserves to live in the +memory of all that love a sturdy man, a stout heart, a steady mind, +or a brave deed, was murdered by a tipsy mutineer of the relieving +force. On Friday, the 14th of August, 1863, this wretched man, +Francis Scott, private of Company F, 1st Louisiana, suffered the +military penalty of his crime. + +Taylor now gave up the attempt to capture the position at +Donaldsonville, and devoted his attention to a blockade of the +river by establishing his batteries at various points behind the +natural fortification formed by the levee. Seven guns, under +Faries, were placed on Gaudet's plantation, opposite Whitehall +Point, while the guns of Semmes, Nichols, and Cornay were planted +opposite College Point and at Fifty-five Mile Point, commanding +Grand View reach. On the 3d of July Semmes opened fire on the +Union transports, as they were approaching College Point on their +way up the river. The steamer _Iberville_ was disabled, and from +this time until after the surrender no transport passed up, except +under convoy, and it was only with great difficulty that even the +fastest boats made their way down with the help of the current. + +When this state of things was reported to Farragut, who had gone +back to Port Hudson, he sent to New Orleans for his Chief of Staff, +Captain Jenkins, to come up, in order that he himself might once +more go down and give his personal attention to the affair. On +the 7th of July the _Tennessee_ started from New Orleans with +Jenkins aboard; she had successfully run the gauntlet of the +batteries, when, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, as +Faries was firing his last rounds, a solid shot struck and instantly +killed Commander Abner Read. Captain Jenkins was, at the same +time, wounded by a flying fragment of a broken cutlass. Of the +crew two were killed and four wounded. + +On the 8th the _Saint Mary's_, a fine seagoing steamer and one of +the fastest boats in the department, was carrying Lieutenant Emerson, +Acting-Assistant Adjutant-General, with important despatches from +headquarters to Emory and to the Chief Quartermaster, when, about +three o'clock in the morning, she drew the fire of all the Confederate +guns. The _Princess Royal_ and the _Kineo_ convoyed her past the +upper battery, but from this point she had to trust to her speed +and her low freeboard. In rounding Fifty-five Mile Point she was +struck five times, one conical shell and one shrapnel penetrating +her side above the water-line and bursting inboard. + +At half-past six on the morning of the 9th of July, Farragut, who +had left Port Hudson on the _Monongahela_ on the evening of the +7th, started from Donaldsonville with the _Essex, Kineo_, and +_Tennessee_ in company, ran the gauntlet of the batteries, swept +and silenced them with his broadsides, and endured for nearly two +hours a brisk musketry fire from the enemy without serious loss +suffered or inflicted. At half-past one o'clock on the morning of +the 10th of July, the gunboat _New London_, bearing Captain Walker, +Assistant Adjutant-General, with a despatch announcing the surrender +of Port Hudson, came under the fire of Faries's battery, opposite +Whitehall. She was very soon disabled by a shot through her boilers, +and was run ashore near the left bank, where the _Tennessee_ and +the _Essex_ came to her assistance from below. Landing on the east +bank, Captain Walker made his way afoot down the river along the +levee until he came in sight of the _Monongahela_, when, at six +o'clock in the morning, his signals being perceived, he was taken +aboard in one of the ship's boats and communicated to the admiral +the good news that the campaign was at an end. To dispose of Taylor +could be but a matter of a few days; then once more, in the words +of Lincoln, would the great river flow "unvexed to the sea." + +Taylor's plans were well laid, and had been brilliantly executed. +In no other way, with the force at his disposal, could he have +performed a greater service for his cause. Save the severe yet +not material check at Donaldsonville, he had had everything his +own way: he had overrun La Fourche; his guns commanded the river; +his outposts were within twenty miles of the city; he even talked +of capturing New Orleans, but this, in the teeth of an alert and +powerful fleet, was at best but a midsummer fancy. + +In New Orleans, indeed, great was the excitement when it became +known that the Confederate forces were so near. In Taylor's army +were the friends, the brothers, the lovers, the husbands, even the +fathers of the inhabitants. In the town were many thousands of +registered enemies, and of paroled Confederate prisoners of all +ranks. At one time there were no Union troops in the city, save +a detachment of the 42d Massachusetts, barely two hundred and fifty +strong. But the illness that had deprived Emory's division of its +leader in the field had given to New Orleans a commander of a +courage and firmness that now, as always, rose with the approach +of danger, with whom difficulties diminished as they drew near, +and whose character had earned the respect of the townspeople. +These, though their hearts beat high and their pulses were tremulous +with emotion, conducted themselves with a propriety and an outward +calmness that reflected the highest credit upon their virtue and +their good sense. Yet, when all that was possible had been done, +things were at such a pass that, on the 4th of July, Emory thought +it imperative to speak out. "I respectfully suggest," he wrote to +Banks, "that unless Port Hudson be already taken, you can only save +this city by sending me reinforcements immediately and at any cost. +It is a choice between Port Hudson and New Orleans." + +Banks made the choice with serenity and without a moment's hesitation +determined to run the remote risk of losing New Orleans for the +moment, with the destruction of Taylor's army in reserve as a +consolation, rather than to insure himself against this peril at +the price of instant disaster at Port Hudson, even on the very eve +of victory. + +"Operations here," was the reply sent from headquarters on the 5th +to Emory's urgent appeal, "can last but two or three days longer +at the outside, and then the whole command will be available to +drive back the enemy who is now annoying our communications and +threatening New Orleans." So the event proved and such was now +the task to be performed. + +Augur, who had been ill for some time, yet unwilling to relinquish +his command, now found himself unfitted for the summer campaign +that seemed in prospect. He accordingly turned over his division +to Weitzel, took leave of absence on surgeon's certificate, and +went North to recruit his health. Shortly afterward he was assigned +to the command of the Department of Washington and did not rejoin +the Nineteenth Corps. + +Weitzel, as has been said, took transport on the 9th of July +immediately after the formal capitulation. Getting under way toward +evening, he landed at Donaldsonville early the next morning. His +presence there so threatened the flank and front of Taylor's forces, +as to induce an immediate withdrawal of the guns from the river +and the calling in of all detachments. Morgan, with Grover's First +brigade and Nims's battery, followed Weitzel about midnight on the +10th, and Grover himself, with his other two brigades, on the 11th. +During the night of that day, Grover therefore found himself before +Donaldsonville, holding both banks of Bayou La Fourche with two +divisions. He was confronted by Green with his own brigade and +Major's, together with the batteries that had lately been annoying +the transports and drawing the attention of the gunboats on the +river. When, on the 10th, Green saw the transports coming down +the Mississippi laden with troops, it did not at once occur to him +that Port Hudson was lost; he simply thought these troops were +coming to attack him. Concentrating his whole force, he posted +Major with four regiments and four guns on the left or east bank +of the bayou, and on the right or west bank three regiments and +two guns of his own brigade. Green's pickets were within two miles +of Donaldsonville. As Grover developed and took more ground in +his front, Green drew back toward Paincourtville. + +On the morning of the 13th of July, without any intention of bringing +on a battle or of hastening the enemy's movements, but merely to +gain a little more elbow-room and to find new fields for forage +for his animals, Grover moved out an advance guard on either side +of the bayou. "The enemy is evidently making preparation," he said +in his despatch of the 12th before ordering this movement, "to +escape if pursued by a strong force or to resist a small one. Our +gunboats can hardly be expected at Brashear City for some days, +and it is evidently injudicious to press them until their retreat +is cut off." Dudley, with two sections of Carruth's battery under +Phelps and with Barrett's troop, marched on the right bank of the +bayou, supported by Charles J. Paine's brigade with Haley's battery. +Morgan, under the orders of Birge, temporarily commanding Grover's +division, moved in line with Dudley on the opposite bank. They +went forward slowly until, about six miles out, they found themselves +upon the estate of the planter whose name is variously spelled Cox, +Koch, and Kock. Here, as Dudley and Morgan showed no disposition +to attack, Green took the initiative, and, favored by a narrow +field, a rank growth of corn, dense thickets of willows, the deep +ditches common to all sugar plantations in these lowlands, and his +own superior knowledge of the country, he fell suddenly with his +whole force upon the heads of Dudley's and Morgan's columns, and +drove them in almost before they were aware of the presence in +their front of anything more than the pickets, whom they had been +seeing for two days and who had been falling back before them. +Morgan handled his brigade badly, and soon got it, or suffered it +to fall, into a tangle whence it could only extricate itself by +retiring. This fairly exposed the flank of Dudley, who was making +a good fight, but had already enough to do to take care of his +front against the fierce onset of Green's Texans. The result of +this bad mismanagement was that the whole command was in effect +clubbed and on both banks driven back about a mile, until Paine came +to its support; then Grover rode out, and, seeing what had happened, +drew in his whole force. + +Grover's losses in this affair, called the battle of Cox's Plantation, +were 2 officers and 54 men killed, 7 officers and 210 men wounded, +3 officers and 183 men captured or missing; in all 465. To add to +the reproach of this rough treatment at the hands of an inferior +force, two guns were lost, one of the 1st Maine battery and one of +the 6th Massachusetts, but without the least fault on the part of +the artillerists. + +After the close of the campaign Colonel Morgan was arraigned before +a general court-martial upon charges of misbehavior before the +enemy and drunkenness on duty, and, being found guilty upon both +charges, was sentenced to be cashiered and utterly disqualified +from holding any office of employment under the government of the +United States; but Banks disapproved the proceedings, findings, +and sentence on the ground that the evidence appeared to him too +conflicting and unsatisfactory. "The execution of this sentence," +his order continue, "is suspended until the pleasure of the President +can be known." When the record with this decision reached the +Judge Advocate-General of the Army at Washington, he sent it back +to Banks with instructions that, as no sentence remained for the +action of the President, the proceedings were at an end and Colonel +Morgan must be released from arrest. This was accordingly done on +the 26th of October, 1863. + +Green puts his loss at 3 killed and 30 wounded, including 6 mortally +wounded. The Union loss, he says, was "little less than 1,000; +there were over 500 of the enemy killed and wounded, of whom 200 +were left out on the field, and about 250 prisoners." + +When, on the evening of the 14th of July, at Port Hudson, Banks +received this news, he went at once to Donaldsonville to confer +with Grover and Weitzel on the situation and the plan of campaign. +It was agreed on all hands that it was inexpedient to press Taylor +hard or to hasten his movements in any way until time should have +been allowed for the light-draught gunboats to re-enter Berwick +Bay and thus gain control of Taylor's line of retreat. In thus +refraining from any attempt to avenge promptly what must be regarded +as a military affront, the depleted ranks and the wearied condition +of the troops were perhaps taken into account, and, moreover, it +must have been considered to the last degree inadvisable to entangle +the command in the dense swamps that would have to be crossed, +after pushing Taylor prematurely back from the fertile and +comparatively high lands that border the Bayou La Fourche. Then +Banks continued on to New Orleans, where he arrived on the 18th, +and renewed his pressure on the admiral for the gunboats; but, +unfortunately, the gunboats were not to be had. Of those that had +accompanied the army in the campaign of the Teche, only one, the +feeble _Hollyhock_, had remained in Berwick Bay after the army +descended the Red River, crossed the Atchafalaya, and moved on Port +Hudson. The others, with the transports, had followed the movements +of the troops and had been caught above the head of the Atchafalaya +when the waters fell. Thus they had long been without repairs and +not one of them was now in condition for immediate service. The +water on the bar at the mouth of the Atchafalaya was now nearly at +its lowest point, so that even of the light-draught gunboats only +the lightest could cross. Accordingly it was not until the 22d of +July that the _Estrella_ and _Clifton_ made their appearance in +Berwick Bay and put an end to Taylor's operations. + +On the afternoon of the 21st of July, knowing that the gunboats +were coming, Taylor set the finishing touch to his incursion by +burning the rolling-stock of the railway and running the engines +into the bay. He had already destroyed the bridges as far back as +Tigerville, thus rendering the road quite useless to the Union forces +for the next five weeks. + +On the morning of the 25th the advance of Weitzel's brigade, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, consisting of his own 12th Connecticut +and the 13th Connecticut, commanded by Captain Comstock, arrived +at Brashear by steamer from Donaldsonville, and, landing, once more +took possession of the place; but in the meantime Taylor had safely +withdrawn to the west bank, and gone into camp on the Teche with +all of his army intact and all his materials and supplies and most +of his captures safe. + +(1) The history of the 23d Connecticut says: "We delivered to them +108 dead. We captured 40 prisoners."--"Connecticut in the War," +p. 757. + +(2) When Green says 800, he of course refers to the four regiments +actually engaged in the assault; for, after losing, as he says, +261 of these 800, he makes the four regiments of Major's brigade, +with two sections of Faries's battery, number 800; while his own +force, with one section of Gonzales's battery, he puts at 750. +800 + 750 + 261 = 1,811. + + +CHAPTER XX. +IN SUMMER QUARTERS. + +Before Banks parted with Grover at Donaldsonville, he left orders +for the troops to rest and go into "summer quarters" as soon as +the pending operation should be decided. Accordingly, in the last +days of July, Weitzel broke away from the discomforts of muddy, +dusty, shadeless Donaldsonville, and marching down the bayou, once +more took up his quarters near Napoleonville and Thibodeaux, and +encamped his men at ease among the groves and orchards of the garden +of La Fourche. + +On the 16th of July the steamboat _Imperial_, from St. Louis on +the 8th, rounded to at the levee at New Orleans in token that the +great river was once more free. The next day she set out on her +return trip. + +On the 5th of August a despatch from Halleck, dated the 23d of +July, was received and published in orders: + +"I congratulate you and your army on the crowning success of the +campaign. It was reserved for your army to strike the last blow +to open the Mississippi River. The country, and especially the +great West, will ever remember with gratitude their services." + +Afterwards, on the 28th of January, 1864, Congress passed a joint +resolution of thanks + +"to Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks and the officers and soldiers +under his command for the skill, courage, and endurance which +compelled the surrender of Port Hudson, and thus removed the last +obstruction to the free navigation of the Mississippi River." + +Admiral Porter now came down the river to New Orleans in his flagship +_Black Hawk_, and arranged to relieve Admiral Farragut from the +trying duty of patrolling and protecting the river, so long borne +by the vessels of his fleet. Farragut then took leave of absence +and went North, leaving the West Gulf Squadron to Commodore Bell. + +When Port Hudson surrendered, two of the nine-months' regiments +had already served beyond their time. The 4th Massachusetts claimed +its discharge on the 26th of June, the 50th four days later, +insisting that their time ran from the muster-in of the last company; +but, being without information from Washington on this point, Banks +counted the time from the muster-in of the field and staff, and +therefore wished to hold these regiments respectively eighty-one +and forty-two days longer, or at all events until the receipt of +instructions or the end of the siege. To this view officers and +men alike objected, many of them so strongly that whole companies +refused duty. They were within their lawful rights, yet, better +counsels quickly prevailing, all consented to stay, and did good +service to the last. Of seven other regiments the term of enlistment +was on the point of expiring. They were the 21st, 22d, 24th, and +26th Maine, the 52d Massachusetts, the 26th Connecticut, and the +16th New Hampshire. These nine regiments were now detached from +the divisions to which they belonged and placed under the orders +of Andrews to form part of the garrison of Port Hudson until the +transports should be ready to take them home by sea or river. + +As soon as the river was opened, Grant responded freely to all the +urgent demands made upon him for steamboats, forage, beef, telegraph +operators, and so on. He sent Ransom to occupy Natchez, and about +the 25th of July Herron arrived at Port Hudson with his division +of two brigades, 3,605 effectives, with 18 guns. Herron's command, +the victor of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, formerly known as the +Army of the Frontier, had been called to the aid of Grant at +Vicksburg. It came to the Gulf as Herron's division, but was +presently, by Grant's orders, merged in the 13th Corps as its Second +Division. + +At the close of July, in response to Banks's urgent appeals for +more troops to replace the nine-months' men, Halleck ordered Grant +to send down a corps of 10,000 or 12,000 men. Accordingly, between +the 10th and 26th of August, Grant sent the reorganized Thirteenth +Corps to Carrollton. Ord, the proper commander of the Thirteenth +Corps, took sick leave, and the corps came to Louisiana under the +command of Washburn, with Benton, Herron, Lee and Lawler commanding +the divisions, and Colonel Mudd the brigade of cavalry. All told, +the effective strength of the corps was 778 officers and 13,934 men; +total, 14,712. + +Chiefly in July and August the twenty-one nine-months' regiments +and in November the nine-months' men of the 176th New York went +home to be mustered out. This left of the Nineteenth Corps +thirty-seven regiments, having an effective strength, daily +diminishing, of less than 350 men each; in all, less than 15,000. +From these it was indispensable to take one full and strong regiment +for Key West and the Tortugas, another for Pensacola, and a third +for Forts Jackson and Saint Philip. This disposed of 2,000; 2,500 +more was the least force that could be expected to do the police and +guard duty of a hostile town so great and populous as New Orleans, +containing the main depots of the army; thus the movable force of +infantry was cut down to 8,500, or, as Banks states it, 10,000, +and for any operations that should uncover New Orleans, would be +but half that number. + +In the reorganization of the Nineteenth Corps, thus rendered +necessary, the Second division was broken up and ceased to exist, +its First and Third brigades being transferred to the Third division, +the temporary command of which was given to Dwight, but only for +a short time. The First and Third brigades of the First division +were thrown into one; Weitzel's brigade at first resumed its original +name of the Reserve brigade, and a new Second brigade was provided +by taking Gooding's from the Third division, so that when a fortnight +later Weitzel's brigade was restored to the First division, it +became the Third brigade. The Fourth division, like the Third, +was reduced to two brigades. Major-General William B. Franklin, +who had just come from the North under orders from Washington, was +assigned to command of the First division, while Emory was to retain +the Third and Grover the Fourth; but when the Thirteenth Corps +began to arrive, Banks found himself in the anomalous position of +commanding a military department within whose limits two army corps +were to serve, one, numerically the smaller, under his own immediate +orders, the other under its proper commander. The approaching +completion of the organization of the Corps d'Afrique would add a +third element. It was therefore found convenient on every account +to name an immediate commander of the Nineteenth Corps, and for +this post Franklin's rank, service, and experience plainly indicated +him. The assignment was made on the 15th of August, and Franklin +took command at Baton Rouge on the 20th. Then Weitzel was designated +to command the First division. However, there were during the next +few months, among the commanders of all grades, so many changes, +due to illness or absence, that only confusion could follow the +attempt to tell them all. + +The artillery of the corps was redistributed to correspond with +the new organization, and the cavalry was concentrated at Baton +Rouge, Plaquemine, Thibodeaux, and New Orleans, with orders that +all details for orderly duty and the like were to be furnished from +a single battalion, the 14th New York, attached to the defences of +New Orleans. + +Weitzel's division, except his old brigade under Merritt, took post +at Baton Rouge, where also Emory's division was encamped, successively +commanded by Nickerson and McMillan, while Grover's division, +assigned to the defence of New Orleans, was separated, Birge +occupying La Fourche, with headquarters at Thibodeaux, and Cahill +forming the garrison of New Orleans. + +At Port Hudson, after the departure of the nine-months' troops, +Andrews had the 6th Michigan newly converted into the 1st Michigan +heavy artillery, ten troops of the 3d Massachusetts cavalry, +Rawles's, Holcomb's, and Barnes's batteries; and besides these the +infantry of the Corps d'Afrique, then in process of organization, +including, at the end of August, the old 1st and 3d regiments and +the five regiments of Ullmann's brigade--the 6th to the 10th. The +return of the post for the 31st of August accounts for an effective +force of 5,427; of these 1,815 belonged to the white troops and +3,612 to the colored regiments. The whole number of infantry +regiments of the Corps d'Afrique, then authorized, was nineteen, +of which only the first four were completed. Besides these there +were two regiments of engineers, the 1st full, the 2d about half +full, and three companies of heavy artillery, making the whole +muster of colored troops in the department about 10,000. Towards +the end of September the regiments of infantry numbered twenty, +with ranks fairly filled. The Corps d'Afrique was then organized +in two divisions of two brigades each, Ullmann commanding the First +division and the senior colonel the Second. Rawles's battery was +assigned to the First division and Holcomb's to the Second. This +division, however, never became much more than a skeleton, its +First brigade being from the first detached by regiments for garrison +duty in the various fortifications. + +Andrews at once took up the work of organization and instruction +in earnest, rightly conceiving it not merely possible, but even +essential, to give to the officers and men of the colored regiments, +thus formed into an army corps under his command, a degree of +instruction, as well in tactics as in the details of a soldier's +duty, higher then was to be found in any save a few picked regiments +of the volunteer and regular service. The prejudice at first +entertained against the bare idea of service with colored troops +had not entirely disappeared, yet it had so far lost its edge that +it was now possible to select from a number of applicants for +promotion, especially to the higher grades, officers who had already +shown their fitness and their capacity, while holding inferior +commissions or serving in the ranks of the white regiments. Thus +the original source of weakness in the composition of the first +three regiments was avoided, and, small politics and local influence +being of course absent, and Banks's instructions being urgent to +choose only the best men, the colored regiments soon had a fine +corps of officers. To the work now before him Andrews brought an +equipment and a training such as few officers possessed. Experience +had shown him the merit, the capacity, and the defects of the +American volunteer officer. At the very bottom of these defects +was the looseness of his early instruction in the elements of his +duty; once wrongly taught by an instructor, himself careless or +ignorant, he was likely to go on conscientiously making the same +mistake to the end of his term. Realizing his opportunity, Andrews +set about establishing uniformity in all details of drill and duty +by establishing a school of officers. These he himself taught with +the greatest pains and industry, correcting the slovenly, yet +encouraging the willing, until the whole corps was brought up to +a uniform standard, and on the whole a high one. + +Stone succeeded Andrews as Chief of Staff at department headquarters +on the 25th of July. + +Franklin's staff, as commander of the Nineteenth Army Corps in the +field, included Major Wickham Hoffman, Assistant Adjutant-General; +Colonel Edward L. Molineux, Acting Assistant Inspector-General; +Lieutenant-Colonel John G. Chandler, Chief Quartermaster; +Lieutenant-Colonel Henry D. Woodruff, Chief Commissary of Subsistence; +Surgeon John H. Rauch, Medical Director; Captain Henry W. Closson, +Chief of Artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bailey, Acting Chief +Engineer; Captain William A. Pigman, Chief Signal Officer. + + +CHAPTER XXI. +A FOOTHOLD IN TEXAS. + +Banks now wished and proposed to move on Mobile, which he rightly +supposed to be defended by about 5,000 men.(1) This had indeed +been among the objects specially contemplated by his first instructions +from the government, and in the progress of events had now become +the next in natural order. Grant and Farragut were of the same +mind; but other ideas had arisen, and now the government, anxious +to avert the impending risk of European complications, deemed it +of the first importance that the flag of the nation should, without +delay, be restored at some point in Texas. The place and the plan +were left discretionary with Banks, but peremptory orders were +given him to carry out the object.(2) + +Texas had no military value at that moment. To have overrun the +whole State would hardly have shortened the war by a single day. +The possession of Mobile, on the other hand, would, besides its +direct consequences, have exercised an important if not a vital +influence upon the critical operations in the central theatre of +war; would have taken from the Confederates their only remaining +line of railway communication between the Atlantic seaboard and +the States bordering on the Mississippi; would have weakened the +well-nigh fatal concentration against Rosecrans at Chickamauga and +Chattanooga; would have eased the hard task of Sherman in his +progress to Atlanta; and would have given him a safe line of retreat +in the event of misfortune. What was it, then, that persuaded the +government to put aside its designs on Mobile, to give up the +offensive, to refrain from gathering the fruits of its successes +on the Mississippi, in order to embark in the pursuit of objects +avowedly "other than military"? + +A series of acts and events, more or less menacing in character, +seemed to indicate a concerted purpose on the part of some, at +least, of the leading nations of Europe to interfere in the domestic +affairs of the United States against the government of the United +States. The powerful rams, intended for the recapture of New +Orleans, that were being almost openly built to the order of the +Confederacy in the port of Liverpool, in the very shipyards whence +the _Alabama_ had gone to sea, were approaching completion. Other +iron-clads, not less powerful, were under construction in France, +with the personal connivance of the Emperor, under the flimsy +pretence that they were intended for the imperial government of +China. Finally, on the 10th of June, casting all promises and +pretexts to the winds, the French troops had marched into the +capital of Mexico, made themselves masters of the country, vamped +up a sham throne, and upon it set an Austrian puppet. That Napoleon +III. nursed among his favorite dreams the vision of a Latin empire +in America, built upon the ruins of Mexican liberty and taking in +at least the fairest portion of the Louisiana that his illustrious +uncle had parted with so cheaply, was well known. Against the +inconvenient spread of his ambition the occupation of some part, +of any part, of Texas, was intended as a diplomatic caution. That +the warning cast its shadow even upon the dark mind of Louis Napoleon +Bonaparte there can be no doubt; yet in the meantime there had +occurred in quick succession three events that must have sounded +in his ears with tones that even his dull imagination could not +easily misunderstand. These were Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Port +Hudson. He had not the least notion of helping the unsuccessful. + +The whole Confederate force under Kirby Smith in the trans-Mississippi +region numbered at this time about 33,000 effective. Of these, +about 4,000 were in the Indian country, 8,000 in Arkansas, less +than 14,000 in Western Louisiana, and rather less than 7,000 in +Texas. Of the forces in Louisiana under Taylor, about 3,000 were +in the extreme northern district. Magruder, whose headquarters +were at Houston, and who commanded not only the whole of Texas but +nominally New Mexico and Arizona besides, was keeping rather more +than two thirds of his forces for the defence of Galveston and the +line of the Sabine, while the remainder were distributed on the +Rio Grande, at Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Indianola; he had +not 2,000 men together anywhere, nor could even Kirby Smith have +concentrated 20,000 at any single point without giving up all the +rest of the vast territory confided to his care. + +At the end of August Banks had nearly 37,000 officers and men for +duty. Of these, about 13,000 belonged to the Thirteenth Corps and +about 6,500 to that portion of the Nineteenth Corps, being the +First and Third divisions, that was concentrated and ready for +active service in the field. The defences of New Orleans, including +La Fourche, absorbed 7,000; Port Hudson, 5,500; the rest were +holding Baton Rouge, Key West, and Pensacola. + +Yielding his own views as to Mobile, Banks entered heartily into +the project of the government for gaining a foothold in Texas. +Learning from the Navy that the mouth of the Sabine was but feebly +defended, while the entrance was practicable for gunboats of light +draught, he conceived the plan of descending suddenly upon the +coast at that point with a force sufficient to march to Houston +and take Galveston in reverse. He selected the troops, and collected +the transports and the stores. When he was ready he gave the +command of the expedition to Franklin, and caused Beckwith to +replace Emory in command of the defences of New Orleans, to enable +him to rejoin his division for service in the field. + +Franklin had the brigades under Love and Merritt of Weitzel's First +division, with Bainbridge's, Closson's, and Bradbury's batteries, +and the two brigades, Nickerson's and McMillan's, of Emory's Third +division, with Duryea's, Trull's, and Hebard's batteries. For +cavalry there were the two squadrons of the 1st Texas. Commodore +Bell, who then commanded the West Gulf Squadron, gave the command +of the gunboats, destined to keep down the fire of the shore +batteries and cover the landing of the troops, to Lieutenant +Frederick Crocker, from whose personal observation while serving +on the blockade the information that led to the choice of the point +of attack had been largely drawn. Crocker, besides his own vessel, +the _Clifton_, had the _Sachem_, Lieutenant Amos Johnson; the +_Arizona_, Acting-Master Howard Tibbetts; the _Granite City_, +Acting-Master C. W. Lamson. Crocker's belief was that the defences +ashore and afloat consisted of two 32-pounder guns in battery, and +two small steamboats converted into rams. + +Franklin's orders were to proceed to Sabine Pass; there, if the +Navy should be able to secure the landing, he was to debark his +whole force rapidly, take up a strong position, seize Beaumont, or +some other point on the railroad to Houston, and then reconnoitre +the enemy to learn their position and strength. He was not to go +farther into the country until reinforced. After landing, he was +to turn back the transports to Brashear, where Benton's division +of the Thirteenth Corps would be found waiting to join him. + +After many delays, due to the state and inadequacy of the transports, +which, besides ten ocean steamers, fit and unfit, included six +river steamers wholly of the latter class, Weitzel sailed from New +Orleans on the evening of the 4th of September. Leaving the +Southwest Pass on the morning of the 5th, under convoy of the +_Arizona_, and steering westward, he was joined, early on the +following morning, off Berwick Bay, by the _Clifton_ and the +_Sachem_. A detachment of about 100 sharp-shooters, mainly from +Companies B and G of the 75th New York, under Lieutenants Root and +Cox, was then sent aboard the _Clifton_, and to the _Sachem_ an +officer and 25 men from the 161st New York. + +About daylight on the 7th, Crocker became convinced that he had +overrun his distance and gone beyond Sabine Pass; but when all the +vessels had put about and for three or four hours had been steering +to the eastward, he found himself off the entrance to the Calcasieu, +thirty miles east of the Sabine. Then he and Weitzel agreed that, +under the circumstances, the best thing to be done was to intercept +the remainder of the expedition, supposed to be following, under +the immediate command of Franklin, and assembling the whole force +where they were to wait until the next morning, the 8th of September, +for the attempt at Sabine Pass. But the arrangement had been that +the attack by the gunboats to cover Weitzel's landing was to be +made early on the morning of the 7th. Accordingly Franklin, with +his part of the fleet, carrying the supporting force, had already +passed Berwick Bay; in fact, at eleven o'clock he was off Sabine +Pass; and the _Suffolk_, bearing the headquarters flag of the +Nineteenth Corps, had crossed the bar and was about to run in, the +others following, when Franklin perceived that his advance had not +yet come up, and therefore stopped the movement. In the afternoon +Weitzel, seeing nothing of Franklin's fleet, made up his mind that +he must have gone by, and once more setting his face toward the +west, joined Franklin off the Sabine about nine o'clock that +evening. + +After the full and open notice thus given the enemy, all thought +of anything like a surprise was at an end; yet it was agreed to go +on and make the attempt the next morning. Accordingly, at daylight +on the 8th, Crocker, with the _Clifton_ and the other gunboats, +followed by Weitzel with the 75th New York on the transport steamer +_Charles Thomas_, entered the harbor, and after reconnoitring the +landing-place and the defences, signalled the rest of the fleet to +run in. Weitzel put a picked force of five hundred men on the +transport _General Banks_, and following in the wake of the four +gun-boats, made ready to land about a thousand yards below the fort. + +Shortly before four o'clock the gunboats moved to the attack. +Above the swamp through which the Sabine finds an outlet to the +Gulf, the shore lies low and barren. The fort or sand battery was +placed at the turn about one half mile below the hamlet called +Sabine City, opposite the upper end of the oyster reef that for +nearly a mile divides the channel into two parts, each narrow and +neither straight. The _Sachem_, followed by the _Arizona_, took +the eastern or Louisiana channel, and was hardly under fire before +a shot struck her steampipe and completely disabled her. The +_Clifton_ moved at full speed up the western or Texas channel until, +when almost directly under the guns of the fort, she also received +a shot through her boilers, grounding at the same time; and thus, +nearly at the same instant, before the action had fairly begun, +the two leading gunboats were completely disabled and at the mercy +of the enemy. The Louisiana channel was too narrow for the _Arizona_ +to pass the _Sachem_ or to turn about; so at the moment when the +_Clifton_ received her fatal injury, the _Arizona_ was backing down +the eastern channel to ascend the western to her assistance; but +in doing this she also took the ground. The _Sachem_ hauled down +her colors and hoisted the white flag at the fore, and after bravely +continuing the fight for twenty minutes longer the _Clifton_ followed +suit. + +The place where the _Clifton_ grounded was fairly in range of the +beach where Weitzel was expected to land his troops. There may +have been a minute, or even ten, during which it might have been +possible for Weitzel, breaking away from the concerted plan, to +have thrown his picked men ashore while the attention of the +Confederates was fixed upon the _Clifton_; yet, although this +criticism has been suggested by high authority, the point would +have been a fine one at best; and under the actual circumstances, +with the _Granite City_ in the channel ahead, the _Arizona_ aground, +and the guns of the _Sachem_ and the _Clifton_ about to be added +to those with which the enemy had opened the action, the problem +becomes one of pure speculation. What is clear is that the landing +depended upon the gunboats; that these were cruelly beaten before +they had a chance to prove themselves; and that nothing really +remained to do but what was actually done: that is, to give up +the expedition and go home. + +It is true that the orders under which Franklin was acting indicated +that if he found a landing impracticable at Sabine Pass he was to +attempt to land at some other place near by; and it is also true +that the infantry might have been set ashore almost anywhere in +the soft salt marsh that serves for the neighboring coasts of +Louisiana and Texas; but this must have been without their guns +and wagons and with no fresh water save what they carried with them +until they should have moved successfully into the interior; while +on the transports the stock of water was already running so low +that the men and animals were on short allowance. Therefore, with +the loss of 3 officers and 94 men captured, of the 75th New York, +6 killed, 2 drowned, and 4 wounded, and 200 mules and 200,000 +rations thrown into the sea, the expedition returned to New Orleans, +whence, by reason of unseaworthiness of transports, part of it had +not yet started. The transports came back in a sorry plight, the +_Cahawba_ on one wheel, the river steamboat _Laurel Hill_ without +her smokestacks, and all the others of her class with their frail +sides stove. The _Clifton_ and the _Sachem_, whose losses are but +partially reported, lost 10 killed, 9 wounded, and 39 missing. +Nearly all the rest of their crews were taken prisoners. + +The Confederate work, known as Fort Griffin, mounted six guns, of +which two were 32-pounder smooth bores, two 24-pounder smooth bores, +and two 32-pounder howitzers, manned by a single company of Cook's +regiment of Texas artillery, whose strength is stated variously, +though with great precision, as 40, 41, 42, and 44 men. This +company was commanded by Lieutenant Richard W. Dowling, and the +post by Captain Frederick H. Odlum. There was a supporting body +of about 200 men, as well as the gunboat _Uncle Ben_, but Dowling's +company was the only force actually engaged. They received, and +certainly deserved, the thanks of the Confederate Congress. + +Still intent on executing the instructions of the government, and +having in mind Halleck's strong preference for an overland operation, +Banks at once gave orders to concentrate at Brashear for a movement +up the Teche as far as Lafayette, or Vermilion, and thence across +the plains by Niblett's Bluff into Texas. The route by the +Atchafalaya and the Red River, Halleck's favorite, was now +impracticable, for both rivers were at their lowest stage, and the +great length of this line put out of the question the movement of +any large force dependent upon land transport. + +During the last fortnight of September, Banks concentrated Weitzel's +and Emory's divisions of the Nineteenth Corps, under Franklin, on +the lower Teche, near Camp Bisland, supporting them with Washburn's +and McGinnis's divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, under Ord. The +cavalry division under A. L. Lee covered the front towards New +Iberia. + +Emory being forced to go North on sick-leave, his division was +commanded by McMillan from the 17th of September until the 6th of +October, when Grover relieved him after turning over the Fourth +division to Beckwith. + +Birge, with his reorganized brigade, occupied La Fourche, with +headquarters at Thibodeaux. + +Sharpe's brigade of Weitzel's division remained at Baton Rouge, +with Gooding as the post commander. + +Burbridge's division of the Thirteenth Corps remained at Carrollton, +while Herron's, at the time of the Sabine Pass expedition, had been +posted at Morganza to observe and prevent any fresh movement by the +Confederates across the upper Atchafalaya. + +This division was about 2,500 strong, and Herron, being ill, had +just turned over the command to Dana, when on the 29th of September +Green swept down with Speight's and Mouton's brigades and the +battalions of Waller and Rountree upon the outposts on Bayou +Fordoche, at Sterling's plantation, killed 16, wounded 45, and took +454 prisoners, including nearly the full strength of the 19th Iowa +and 26th Indiana. Green's loss was 26 killed, 85 wounded, and 10 +missing; in all, 212. + +On the 3d of October Franklin broke camp at Bisland and moved by +easy marches to a position near the south bank of the Bayou Carencro, +meeting with no resistance beyond slight skirmishing at the crossing +of the Vermilion. On the 11th the Nineteenth Corps encamped within +two miles of the Carencro, its daily marches having been, on the +3d to Franklin, twelve miles; on the 4th to Sorrell's plantation, +eleven miles; on the 5th to Olivier's, near New Iberia, thirteen +miles; on the 8th to the Vermilion, fifteen miles; on the 9th, +crossing the Vermilion, eight miles; on the 11th ten miles; in all, +sixty-nine miles. + +Ord with the Thirteenth Corps, meanwhile augmented by Burbridge's +division from Carrollton, set out from Berwick at the same time +that Franklin left Bisland, and, following at an interval of a +day's march, encamped on the 10th of October on the Vermilion. On +the 14th Ord closed up on Franklin at the Carencro. A week later, +Ord being ill, Washburn took command of the detachment of the +Thirteenth Corps, his division falling to Lawler. + +Banks with his staff left New Orleans on the 7th of October. On +the following afternoon he joined the forces near New Iberia, +remaining near headquarters in the field until the evening of the +11th, when he returned to New Orleans. Stone stayed two days longer +and then followed his chief. This left Franklin in command of all +the forces in Western Louisiana, numbering about 19,500 for duty, +namely, 11,000 of the Thirteenth Corps, 6,000 of the Nineteenth +Corps, and 2,500 of the cavalry division. Banks's object in +returning to New Orleans was to organize a second expedition for +the coast of Texas. The advance to the Carencro had not only +brought his army face to face with Taylor's forces, but also with +the well-known conditions that would have to be met and overcome +in the movement beyond the Sabine. All idea of this march of more +than two hundred miles across a barren country, with no water in +the summer and fall, while in the winter and spring there is plenty +of water but no road, was now given up once for all. Besides the +natural obstacles, there was Magruder to be reckoned with at the +end of the march and Taylor in the rear. + +Taylor had now about 11,000 effectives in the divisions of Mouton, +Walker, and Green, with eleven batteries. To occupy him and to +push him farther away, Franklin marched to Opelousas on the 21st +of October, skirmishing by the way, and until the end of the month +continued to occupy a position covering that town and Barré's +Landing. + +On the 26th of October, with a force of about 4,000 effectives of +the Second division of the Thirteenth Corps under Dana, augmented +by the 13th and 15th Maine, the 1st Engineers and 16th infantry of +the Corps d'Afrique, and the 1st Texas cavalry, Banks embarked at +New Orleans for the mouth of the Rio Grande. After long delays +and great peril from bad weather, the expedition landed at Brazos +Santiago between the 3d and 5th of November, and on the 6th occupied +Point Isabel and Brownsville, distant thirty miles on the main land. + +Having thus at last secured the foothold in Texas so urgently +desired by the government, Banks, who had now entered heartily into +the expansive scheme, set about occupying successively all the +passes or inlets that connect the Gulf of Mexico with the land-locked +lagoons or sounds of the Texas coast from the Rio Grande to the +Sabine. + +Accordingly, he sent for the rest of the Thirteenth Corps, and by +the end of December had taken possession of the fringe of the coast +as far east and north as Matagorda Bay. So far he had met with +little opposition, the Confederate force in this part of Texas +being small. The Brazos and Galveston were still to be gained, +and here, if anywhere in Texas, a vigorous resistance was to be +counted on. Banks was bending everything to the attempt when, as +the new year opened, the government stopped him, and turned his +head in a new direction. + +During these operations on the Texas coast the 13th Maine, commanded +by Lieutenant-Colonel Hesseltine, and the 15th Maine formed part +of the Second division of the Thirteenth Corps. Both regiments +did good service, especially under Ransom, in the expedition that, +led by Washburn, landed on Mustang Island on the 16th of November, +took the Confederate battery commanding Aransas Pass, and then, +crossing to Matagorda Island, rapidly reduced Fort Esperanza, and +thus gained the control of Matagorda Bay before the month was out. + +(1) Banks to Halleck, July 30 and August 1, 1863: "Official +Records," vol. xxvi., part I, pp. 661, 666. + +(2) Halleck to Banks, July 24, 1863, July 31st, August 6th, August +10th, August 12th: "Official Records," vol. xxvi., part I, pp. +652, 664, 672, 673, 675. + + +CHAPTER XXII. +WINTER QUARTERS. + +In preparation for Washburn's departure on the 27th of October, +Franklin began to draw back from Opelousas to New Iberia. Lawler +led off, and was followed on the 1st of November by McGinnis, +Grover, Weitzel, and the cavalry under Fonda, in the order named. +Burbridge, followed by Mudd's cavalry brigade, took the Teche road, +by Grand Coteau. + +On the 3d, while the Nineteenth Corps rested at the Vermilion and +McGinnis at the Carencro, Burbridge, who was in camp on Bayou +Bourbeau, was surprised by the sudden descent of Green with two +brigades. Burbridge had with him only his First brigade, about +1,200 strong, with 500 men of the 118th Illinois mounted infantry +and the 14th New York cavalry, under Fonda, Rice's 17th Ohio battery, +and Marland's section of Nims's battery; in all, 1,625 men. The +23d Wisconsin, 96th Ohio, 60th Indiana, and the gunners of Rice +and Nims fought hard to prevent a rout and to save the wagon-trains +and the cavalry; and, McGinnis coming up in good time, Green drew +off, taking with him nothing save one of the Ohio 10-pounder +Parrotts. At one moment both of Marland's guns, abandoned by their +supports, were completely cut off by the Confederate cavalry, but +Marland, rising to the occasion, bade his cannoneers draw their +revolvers, and charged at a full gallop directly through the lines +of Green's cavalry, to the complete astonishment of both armies, +and came into battery on the right of the 46th Indiana. "The +bringing off of the section of Nims's battery, commanded by Lieutenant +Marland," says Washburn, "after the regiment sent to its support +had surrendered, extorted the admiration of every beholder." + +Marland's loss in this brilliant little affair was but two men +missing. Burbridge had 25 killed, 129 wounded, and 562 captured +or missing; in all, 716. Green reports his loss as 22 killed, 103 +wounded, and 53 missing. Green's report shows that he had in the +fight three regiments of infantry, seven of cavalry, and two sections +of artillery. + +With frequent skirmishing, but without serious molestation, the +march was continued, and on the 17th of November, the Nineteenth +Corps went into camp at New Iberia. + +By the end of December the Thirteenth Corps, except Sheldon's +brigade which was at Plaquemine, had been gradually transferred to +the Texas coast. Thus Franklin was left to hold the line of the +Teche with little more than 5,000 men of the Nineteenth Corps and +about 3,500 of Lee's cavalry. This, with the winter nights and +the winter roads, was too small a force to hold a position so +advanced and so exposed as New Iberia, even if there had been any +longer an object in doing so. + +Accordingly, on the evening of the 5th of January, marching orders +were issued for the following morning; but in the night a drizzling +rain came on and, freezing as it fell, coated the deep, dense mud +with a glaze of ice. The march was therefore put off a day, and +on the morning of the 7th, through a frozen bog, a biting norther +blowing, and the weather unusually cold for this region, the +Nineteenth Corps floundered back to Franklin. The best of the +roads were bad enough, but those across the bends, used in ordinary +seasons as cut-offs, were now impassable sloughs, so the troops +had to march nearly the full length of the bayou. Here a novel +form of straggling was introduced through the ever industrious +ingenuity of the lazy, many of whom contrived to leave the ranks, +and, crossing the levee, seized canoes or made rafts, and tranquilly +floated down the bayou ahead of their plodding comrades. + +On the morning of the 9th of January the corps went into winter +quarters at Franklin. Tents were not issued until a month later, +but meanwhile the men built shelters and huts for themselves of +such materials as they could find on the plantations or in the +wooded swamps; and with branches of live oak and boughs of laurel +and the long gray Spanish moss, they constructed for their camps +a lavish ornamentation of arbors and arches, mimic forts and sham +monitors. + +The terms of service of the older regiments enlisted in the early +days of 1861 being about to expire, the government now offered a +bounty and a furlough for thirty days to all veterans who should +again enlist for three years or during the war; and in carrying +out this plan Banks arranged to send home in each month, beginning +with February, at least two regiments of re-enlisted veterans from +each corps. Of the nineteen regiments and six batteries of the +Nineteenth Corps raised in 1861, every one promptly embraced these +terms. In some regiments nearly every man present re-enlisted. +The 7th Vermont enrolled every survivor, save 59, of the original +muster; in the 13th Connecticut out of 406 present 400 signed; the +26th Massachusetts returned 546. To make up, in part, for the +temporary loss to be accounted for from this cause, the government +sent down four fine regiments, well commanded, the 29th Maine, the +30th Maine, the 153d New York, and the 14th New Hampshire, and, +these being assigned to the Nineteenth Corps, the first three joined +the First division, but the 14th New Hampshire came too late for +the campaign, and was assigned to temporary duty near New Orleans. +About the same time Nields's 1st Delaware battery and Storer's 7th +Massachusetts battery joined the corps. + +The idea of a foothold in Texas had been gradually swelling until +at length it had attained the dimensions of an overland army of +occupation. For this the nature of the region to be traversed, as +well as the character of the enemy to be met, demanded a large +mounted force. Therefore the government sent from Washington and +from other Northern stations the 2d New York veteran cavalry, the +11th New York, the 18th New York, the 2d Maine, the 3d Rhode Island, +the 12th Illinois, and the 3d Maryland, and from the West many +horses. Banks also mounted seven more regiments of infantry, and +having thus raised Lee's cavalry division, when all had joined, to +nineteen regiments, they were finally organized in five brigades, +with three batteries of horse artillery, namely, Duryea's, Rawles's, +and Nims's. These three batteries were lost to the Nineteenth +Corps, and with them four of the mounted infantry regiments, the +2d Louisiana, the 75th New York, the 8th New Hampshire, and the +31st Massachusetts; the last three only for a time. + +Returning from sick-leave, Emory relieved Weitzel in command of +the First division on the 13th of December. Weitzel presently went +North on special service and did not resume his command but was +transferred in the spring to the Army of the James. + +In February, 1864, while the Nineteenth Corps lay in camp at +Franklin, it was once more re-organized by breaking up the First, +Third, and Fourth divisions, and forming two new divisions, the +First, commanded by Emory, comprising the brigades of Dwight, +McMillan and Benedict; the Second division, commanded by Grover, +composed of the brigades of Nickerson, Birge, and Sharpe. Emory's +division was already concentrated on the Teche, but Grover's brigades +were separated, Nickerson's being in the defences of New Orleans, +Birge's in La Fourche, and Sharpe's at Baton Rouge. The first +intention was to concentrate the division at Madisonville, and move +it by rail to join Franklin; but events interposed. + +The Corps staff serving at this time at headquarters in the field +included Colonel Charles C. Dwight, acting assistant inspector-general; +Surgeon Eugene F. Sanger, medical director; Captain J. G. Oltman, +topographical engineer; Captain Thomas H. Annable, commissary +of musters; Captain A. W. Chapman, judge-advocate; Lieutenant +John J. Williamson, ordnance officer; Captain Henry C. Inwood, +provost-marshal; Captain John P. Baker, Captain George M. Franklin, +and Lieutenant David Lyon, aides-de-camp. + + +CHAPTER XXIII. +THE RED RIVER. + +Seven months had thus been spent in desultory adventures and in +multitudinous preparations without a serious military object, and +still the capture of Mobile was to be put off, and still the dream +of a foothold in Texas was to be pursued. As for Texas, if the +government had, especially at this time, any settled plan, it is +by no means easy to make out what it was. In the previous July +the occupation of some point in Texas had been put forward by +Halleck as an object of paramount importance. At first the particular +place and manner were of no consequence; yet, when the mouth of +the Rio Grande had been seized, with the effect of cutting off the +contraband trade of Matamoras, Seward, who may be supposed to have +known the diplomatic purposes of the government, was frankly +delighted, while Halleck, who must be regarded as expressing its +military views, was as frankly disgusted. Finally, when not one +foothold but many footholds had been gained along the coast of +Texas, Halleck wound up the long correspondence (1) by renewing +his instructions of the previous summer, looking to a combined +naval and military operation on the Red River upon a scale even +greater than that originally contemplated; for now, besides the +great fleet of ironclads under Porter, the project was to absorb +the available strength of three armies. Banks was to move northward +by the Atchafalaya; Steele was to advance from the line of the +Arkansas; and from Vicksburg Grant was to send Sherman, with such +troops as he could spare. Grant, Banks, Sherman, and Steele, as +well as Admiral Porter, received corresponding instructions at the +same time, and, understanding them in the same sense, the Red River +expedition was fairly launched. + +Once committed to the scheme, Banks devoted himself loyally to the +arrangements necessary for prosecuting it on a scale at least +commensurate with the magnitude of the undertaking and with the +expectations of the government, as he understood them. Texas was +to be his objective, and he was the lead his army up the Red River, +as the shortest and best way to Texas. From the outset he was +committed to the use of a large body of cavalry able to operate on +the plains that lie beyond the Sabine, as well as to overcome the +opposition of the mounted forces of the Confederacy in that region. +Not only was forage scarce in the Red River country, but Shreveport +once taken and passed, the march would lie for three hundred miles +across a desert; an immense forage train was therefore indispensable. +It was also reasonable to suppose that, before passing Shreveport, +the combined armies of the Confederacy in the trans-Mississippi +would have to be met and beaten, and for this end a large force of +infantry and artillery must also form part of the expedition, at +least as far as Shreveport. The co-operation of the Navy was +necessary, in its turn, if only to keep open the long line of supply +by the Red River. Finally the usual time of the highest water in +the upper Red River fixed the date of the movement. + +Sherman came from Vicksburg to New Orleans on the 1st of March, +and within a few hours reached a distinct agreement with Banks as +to the aid expected from the Army of the Tennessee. Admiral Porter +had already arranged to be at the mouth of the Red River with a +large fleet of gunboats in time for the rising of the waters; and +now Sherman promised to send with the fleet ten thousand picked +men of his army, to be at Alexandria on the 17th of March. Banks, +on his part, agreed that his troops, marching north by the Teche, +should meet Sherman's at Alexandria. Steele, who was at Little +Rock, undertook to move at the same time to meet the combined forces +and the fleet on the Red River. Confronting Steele was Price; +across Banks's line of advance stood Taylor; with the whole or any +part of his force, Sherman and Porter might have to reckon, and in +any case Fort De Russy must be neutralized or reduced before they +could get to Alexandria. + +Thus upon a given day two armies and a fleet, hundreds of miles +apart, were to concentrate at a remote point far within the enemy's +lines, situated on a river always difficult and uncertain of +navigation, and now obstructed and fortified. Not often in the +history of war is the same fundamental principle twice violated in +the same campaign; yet here it was so, and even in the same orders, +for after once concentrating within the enemy's lines at Alexandria, +the united forces of Banks, Sherman, and Porter were actually to +meet those of Steele within the enemy's lines at Shreveport, where +Kirby Smith, strongly fortified moreover, was within three hundred +miles, roughly speaking, of either Banks or Steele, while Steele +was separated from Banks by nearly five hundred miles of hostile +territory, practically unknown to any one in the Union armies, and +neither commander could communicate with the other save by rivers +in their rear, over a long circuit, destined to lengthen with each +day's march, as they should approach their common enemy in his +central stronghold. + +Perhaps the most remarkable thing about all this was Sherman's +ready and express assent to the disregard of the first rule of the +great art of which he had always been an earnest student and long +past a master; yet it is to be observed that Sherman knew the Red +River country better than any one in the Union armies; he knew well +the scanty numbers and the scattered state of the hostile forces; +with him, as well as with Admiral Porter, this movement had long +been a favorite; he had indeed hoped and expected to undertake it +himself; but he evidently had in mind a quick and bold movement, +having for its object the destruction of the Confederate depots +and workshops at Shreveport, without giving the enemy notice, +breathing space, or time to concentrate. But this was not to be. +On learning, at New Orleans, that Banks meant to command in person, +Sherman naturally gave up all thought of accompanying the expedition, +and went back to Vicksburg to get his troops ready. The contingent +he had promised to send from the Army of the Tennessee he now made +up of two divisions of the Sixteenth Corps, united under Mower, +with Kilby Smith's division of the Seventeenth Corps, and the +command of the whole he gave to A. J. Smith. + +As early as the 2d of March Porter assembled at the mouth of the +Red River a great fleet of nineteen ironclads, including fifteen +of the heavier class and four of the lighter. The fleet carried +162 guns, of which 62 were of the higher calibres, from 80-pounder +rifles up to 11-inch Dahlgrens, and the combined weight of projectiles +was but little less than five tons. + +On the 10th of March, A. J. Smith embarked his force at Vicksburg +on an admirably organized fleet of nineteen river transports, +controlled by a simple system of signals from the flagship _Clara +Bell_. When, the next day, Smith joined Porter at the mouth of +the Red River, six days were still left until the time when Banks +had agreed to be at Alexandria with his army. Sherman's orders to +Smith required him to make use of the interval by co-operating with +the navy in an expedition up the Black and the Washita, for the +destruction of Harrisonburg, but Porter had already done the work +single-handed. Naturally supposing that Banks's troops were in +march up the Teche toward the point of meeting, although they knew +that Banks himself was still detained at New Orleans, Smith and +Porter determined at once to take or turn Fort De Russy, and then +to push on to Alexandria. On the morning of the 12th of March, +the combined fleet entered the Red River. At the head of the +Atchafalaya, Porter, with nine of the gunboats, turned off to the +left and descended that stream as far as Simmesport, followed by +the army transports, while Phelps, with the _Eastport_ and the +remainder of the fleet, continued the ascent of the Red River, with +a view of threatening Fort De Russy, and occupying the attention +of its defenders until Smith could land and march across country +to attack them. + +On the morning of the 13th of March Smith landed, and toward +nightfall took up the line of march for Fort De Russy, distant by +land twenty-eight miles, although by the windings of the river +nearly seventy. In his front, Smith found Scurry's brigade of +Walker's division partly entrenched on Yellow Bayou; but Mower +quickly brushed Scurry aside, and Walker, after observing the +strength of his enemy, concentrated on the Bayou De Glaze, to avoid +being shut up in the elbow at Marksville, as well as to get Mouton +in support; and thus the way was open to Smith. On the afternoon +of the 14th, Mower arrived before Fort De Russy, and just before +nightfall the brigades of Lynch and Shaw swept over the parapet +and forced a surrender, with a loss of 3 killed and 35 wounded. +The captures included 25 officers and 292 men, and ten guns, of +which two were 9-inch Dahlgrens from the spoils of the _Indianola_ +and the _Harriet Lane_, once more restored to their first owners. + +Phelps, who had with great energy burst through the formidable raft +nine miles below Fort De Russy, came up in _Eastport_ in time to +fire one shot from his 100-pounder Parrott, and to see the white +flag displayed. + +When this news reached him, Porter at once ordered his fastest +boats to hasten to Alexandria. The advance of the fleet arrived +off the town on the 15th of March, just as the last of the Confederate +boats were making good their escape above the falls. Kilby Smith +and his division followed on the transports with the remainder of +the fleet, and, landing at Alexandria during the afternoon of the +16th, relieved the naval detachment sent ashore some hours earlier +to occupy the town. On the 18th of March, A. J. Smith marched in +with Mower's two divisions. Thus the advance of Porter's fleet +was in Alexandria two days, and the head of A. J. Smith's column +one day, ahead of the appointed time. + +Walker retreated on Natchitoches, accompanied by Gray's brigade of +Mouton's division from the Huffpower. Taylor, quitting his +headquarters at Alexandria, called in Polignac's brigade from the +line of the Tensas and concentrated his force at Carroll Jones's +plantation, on the road between Opelousas and Fort Jesup, distant +forty-six miles in a south-southeasterly direction from Natchitoches, +twelve miles south from Cotile, and twenty miles southwesterly from +Alexandria. Here he was in a good position for receiving supplies +and reinforcements, for covering Natchitoches, and for observing +any approach of the Union forces either from Opelousas or from +Alexandria. + +Meanwhile Banks had called in from Texas the divisions of Cameron +and Ransom of the Thirteenth Corps and sent them to join Franklin +on the lower Teche. The command of this detachment being given to +Ransom, his division fell to Landram. Lee's cavalry was given the +same direction, excepting Fonda's brigade, which stayed at Port +Hudson. His last brigade, that of Dudley, marched from Donaldsonville +on the 6th of March, crossed Berwick Bay on the 9th, and arrived +at the cavalry camp near Franklin on the 10th. Cameron's wagons +reached him at Berwick on the 12th, and he marched to join the army +in the field on the morning of the 13th. On the evening of the +same day Lee led the advance of the army from the town of Franklin, +but, his column being quite nine miles long, it was not until the +following morning that his rear-guard filed into the road. On the +morning of the 15th of March he was followed by Emory and Ransom. +Lee arrived at Alexandria on the 19th, Emory on the 25th, and Ransom +on the 26th. The troops were, with some exceptions among the newly +mounted regiments, in admirable condition, all were in fine spirits, +and the long march of one hundred and sixty miles was well ordered +and well executed, without confusion, haste, or delay, so that +when, with closed ranks and bands playing, and with measured tread +and all intervals observed, the column entered Alexandria, the +appearance of the men drew exclamations of admiration even from +critics the least friendly. + +When the news of A. J. Smith's and Porter's arrival in the Red +River and of the capture of Fort De Russy reached New Orleans on +the 16th of March, it found Banks himself preparing to set out on +the following morning to join Franklin near New Iberia. He at once +despatched Stone to Alexandria by the river, and following him on +the 23d on the transport steamer _Black Hawk_, arrived at Alexandria +on the 24th, and took command of the combined forces of Franklin +and A. J. Smith. + +Grover, as has been said, was to have moved with Franklin, or close +upon his heels, but the 7th of March had come before the first +preparatory orders were given for the movement of Sharpe's brigade +from Baton Rouge, and not until the 10th was Grover told to +concentrate his division at Thibodeaux. His route was now changed +to the river. Accordingly Sharpe's brigade debarked at Alexandria +on the 26th, and the Second brigade under Molineux on the 28th, +but Nickerson stayed for a fortnight longer at Carrollton. + +Vincent, who with the 2d Louisiana cavalry had been watching and +reporting Lee's movement and regularly falling back before his +advance, joined Taylor at Carroll Jones's on the 19th. Then Taylor +sent Vincent with his regiment and Edgar's battery to watch the +crossing of Bayou Jean de Jean and to hold the road by which Banks +was expected to advance on Shreveport. Vincent encamped on the +high ground known as Henderson's Hill, commanding the junction of +the Bayou Rapides and Cotile twenty-three miles above Alexandria. +Here he was in the air, and A. J. Smith, realizing the importance +of seizing the passage without loss of time, at once proceeded to +dislodge him. Accordingly, on the 21st of March he sent out Mower +with his two divisions of the Sixteenth Corps and Lucas's brigade +of cavalry. Mower made his dispositions with great skill and +promptness, and that night, during a heavy storm of rain and hail, +completely surprised Vincent's camp and captured the whole regiment +bodily, together with four guns of Edgar's battery. A few of +Vincent's men managed to escape in the darkness and confusion, but +about 250 were brought in and with them 200 horses. This was a +heavy blow to Taylor, since it deprived him of the only cavalry he +had with him and thus of the means of scouting until Green should +come from Texas. Mower returned to Alexandria on the 22d, and +Taylor, probably unwilling to risk a surprise in his exposed +position, withdrew about thirty miles to Kisatchie, still covering +the Fort Jesup road; but a week later he sent his cavalry northward +twenty-six miles to Natchitoches and with his infantry retired to +Pleasant Hill. + +Banks has been blamed for his delay in meeting A. J. Smith and +Porter at Alexandria, yet, whatever may be the theoretical merits +of such a criticism, in fact no loss of time that occurred up to +the moment of quitting Alexandria had the least influence on the +course of the campaign, for even after the concentration was +completed the river, though very slowly rising by inches, was still +so low that the gunboats were unable to pass the rapids. The +_Eastport_ hung nearly three days on the rocks in imminent peril, +and at last had to be hauled off by main force, a whole brigade +swaying on her hawsers to the rhythm of the field music. This was +on the 26th of March, and the _Eastport_ was the first of the +gunboats to pass the rapids, the Admiral being naturally unwilling +to expose the boats of lighter draught as well as of lighter armament +to the risk of capture if sent up alone. The hospital steamer +_Woodford_, which was the first boat to follow the _Eastport_, was +wrecked in the attempt. The next five boats took three days to +pass, nor was it until the 3d of April that the last of the twelve +gunboats and thirty transports, selected to accompany the expedition +to Shreveport, floated in safety above the obstructions. Several +of the transports drew too much water to permit them to pass the +rapids; these, therefore, stayed below, and with them the remaining +seven gunboats. + +And now occurred the first important departure from the original +plan of operations. The season of high water had been looked +forward to as insuring constant communication along the whole length +of the Red River as far as the fleet should be able to ascend. +But the Red is a treacherous river at best, and this year it was +at its worst. There was to be no March rise worth speaking about. +Thus the rapids presented an obstacle, impassable, or only to be +passed with difficulty; the bare rocks divided the fleet in twain, +the only communication was overland by the road around the falls. +The supplies had to be landed at Alexandria, loaded into wagons, +hauled around, and re-shipped, and this made it necessary to +establish depots in the town as well as above the falls, and to +leave behind Grover's division, 4,000 strong, to protect the stores +and the carry. At the same time McPherson recalled Ellet's marine +brigade to Vicksburg, and thus the expedition lost a second detachment +of 3,000 men; but this loss was partly made up by Dickey's brigade +of colored troops, 1,500 strong, which joined the column from the +garrison of Port Hudson. Withal the force was ample, for at the +end of March there were 31,000 officers and men for duty, including +about 4,800 under Ransom, 6,600 under Emory, 9,000 under A. J. +Smith, and Lee's cavalry, 4,600. Here was a superb fighting column +of 25,000 officers and men of all arms, with ninety guns. This +more than met the calculations of Banks and Sherman on which the +campaign was undertaken. In the three columns there were to be +40,000 men; of these, Sherman was to furnish 10,000, Banks 15,000, +and Steele 15,000. + +Steele had already sent word that he could not be counted upon for +more than 7,000, all told. He had expected to march from Little +Rock by the 14th of March on Arkadelphia, there to be joined by +Thayer moving at the same time from Fort Smith. Thayer marched on +the 21st with 4,000 effectives and 14 guns, Steele on the 23d with +7,500 effectives and 16 guns; besides these, he left Clayton with +1,600 men and 11 guns to hold Pine Bluff. + +We have seen how, in one movement, three divergent ideas were being +carried out without either having been distinctly decided on: a +foothold in Texas, an overland occupation in force, and a swift +raid by the river. To these there was now to be added a fourth +idea, in itself sound, yet fatally inconsistent with the others. + +On the 27th of March, before setting out from Alexandria, Banks +received, by special messenger, the orders of Lieutenant-General +Grant, dated the 15th of March, on taking command of the armies of +the United States. For the first time during the war, all the +armies were to move as one, with a single purpose, ruled by a single +will; along the whole line, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, +a combined movement was to take place early in May, and in this +the entire effective force of the Department of the Gulf was to +take part. A. J. Smith was to join the Army of the Tennessee for +the Atlanta campaign, and Banks was to go against Mobile. Sherman +had lent A. J. Smith to Banks for thirty days. This limit Grant +was willing to extend by ten or fifteen days, but if Shreveport +were not to be taken by that time--that is, by the 25th of April +at the very latest,--then Banks was to send A. J. Smith's detachment +back to Vicksburg in season to arrive there at the date originally +named--that is, by the 10th of April,--even if this should lead to +the abandonment of the expedition. The orders for the expedition +given by Halleck, while occupying nominally the supreme command +that had now in truth fallen into the strong hand of Grant, were +not revoked; the expedition was to go on; only, to make sure that +it should not be gone too long, it was to be put in irons. + +Grant may easily be excused if, while as yet hardly warm in the +saddle, he hesitated to revoke orders that he must have known to +be those of the President himself; yet, since a door must be either +open or shut it would have been far better to revoke the orders +than to trammel their execution with conditions so hard that Banks +might well have thrown up the campaign then and there. However, +Banks on his part had good reason to know the wishes of the government +and not less the consequences of disregarding them; moreover, as +the case must have presented itself to him, there was an off chance +that Kirby Smith might not be able to concentrate in time to save +Shreveport; another, still more remote, that he might give up the +place without a fight; and a third, more unlikely than either, that +Steele might join Banks in time to make short work of it, or at +all events to make Banks strong enough to spare A. J. Smith by the +appointed time. Two weeks remained until the earliest date set +for A. J. Smith to be at Vicksburg; twenty-nine days to the latest +day allowed for the taking of Shreveport. In his dilemma Banks +decided to run these chances. + +After seeing the first of the gunboats safely over the falls, on +the 26th of March Banks set his column in motion. A. J. Smith +marched on Cotile Landing to wait for his boats. On the 28th Lee, +with the main body of the cavalry, preceded Smith to Henderson's +Hill, in order to hold the road and the crossing of Bayou Jean de +Jean. Franklin with Emory and Ransom and the main supply trains +followed on the same day. + +Twenty miles above Cotile Landing the Red River divides, and, for +sixty miles, until Grand Ecore is reached, the waters flow in two +unequal channels; the most southerly of these, along which the road +runs, is known as Cane River, or Old Red River. This was formerly +the main stream, but the more northerly branch, at once deeper and +less tortuous, now forms the only navigable channel, and is called +the Rigolets du Bon Dieu, or more familiarly the Bon Dieu. + +Lee crossed Cane River at Monett's Ferry, and, recrossing above +Cloutierville, entered Natchitoches on the 31st of March. At +Monett's Ferry on the 29th, Cloutierville on the 30th, and again +at Natchitoches he encountered slight opposition from the enemy's +skirmishers. + +Franklin, marching by the same road, encamped at Natchitoches on +the 2d of April. + +Embarking on his transports as they came, A. J. Smith set out from +Cotile Landing on the 2d of April in company with Porter's fleet, +and landed at Grand Ecore on the 3d. + +The river was still rising slowly, and it was not until the 7th of +April that Porter considered the draught of water sufficient to +justify him in going farther. Then, leaving at Grand Ecore the +six heavy boats that had come with him thus far, he began the ascent +of the upper reach of the river with the _Carondelet, Fort Hindman, +Lexington, Osage, Neosho_, and _Chillicothe_, convoying and closely +followed by a fleet of twenty transports, bearing Kilby Smith's +division and a large quantity of military stores of all kinds. +Porter expected to be at Springfield Landing, 110 miles above Grand +Ecore, on the 9th. On arriving there, Kilby Smith was to reconnoitre +towards Springfield, and if practicable, to send a regiment to +seize the bridge across the Bayou Pierre in the direction of +Mansfield. + +On the 6th of April, as soon as the movement of the fleet was +decided on, Banks resumed the march on Shreveport. Shortly after +leaving Natchitoches the main road, with which the road from Grand +Ecore unites, strikes off from the river toward the west to avoid +Spanish Lake, and, traversing a barren wilderness, affords neither +position nor resting-place until Shreveport is reached. Banks +meant to be at Mansfield, holding the roads that there converge, +simultaneously with the arrival at the fleet at Springfield Landing. +Lee, who was encamped at Natchitoches with the brigades of Lucas, +Robinson, and Dudley, led the advance, and marching twenty-three +miles encamped that night at Crump's Corner. Ransom broke camp at +Natchitoches at six o'clock in the morning, and marched sixteen +miles. Emory followed closely upon Ransom. A. J. Smith remained +at Grand Ecore till the next day, to await the departure of the +fleet, and then marching eight miles on the Shreveport road fell +into the rear of the column. Dickey's colored brigade formed the +guard of the main wagon train, and Gooding's brigade of cavalry +covered the rear and left flank. From this time Lee's movements +were to be directed by Franklin. + +Meanwhile, between the 3d and 5th of April, Taylor, after consuming +the forage for twenty miles around Pleasant Hill, had withdrawn +his infantry to Mansfield. Green's cavalry, long expected, was +now beginning to come in, largely augmented, from Texas, whither +it had been hastily sent, early in the winter, to meet the threatened +invasion from the coast. + +On the morning of the 7th of April, Lee advanced on Pleasant Hill, +Robinson leading, supported by Lucas. Robinson easily drove before +him the advance guard of the Confederate cavalry until about two +o'clock in the afternoon, at Wilson's farm, three miles beyond +Pleasant Hill, he came upon the main body of Green's force, comprising +Major's brigade, under Lane, posted in the skirt of the wood, on +rising ground, behind a clearing. Robinson dismounted his men and +engaged the enemy, who resisted so firmly that Lucas was sent to +Robinson's support just in time to save him from being driven off +the field by a determined charge. Lucas likewise dismounted his +men, and the two brigades, charging together afoot, drove the +Confederates from their position, and pursued them to Carroll's +saw-mill, on the southerly branch of Bayou St. Patrice, about seven +miles beyond Pleasant Hill, where, toward nightfall, they made a +strong stand. In this action, Lee took 23 prisoners, and suffered +a loss of 11 killed, 42 wounded, and 9 missing. + +Ransom marched at half-past five in the morning, and at two o'clock +in the afternoon the head of his column was at Pleasant Hill, +nineteen miles distant, where he went into camp, having overtaken +the cavalry train during the march, and Dudley's brigade at the +close. Emory, closely following Ransom, arrived at Pleasant Hill +about five o'clock in the afternoon, and went into camp. The last +of the infantry and all the wagons were much retarded by a heavy +storm that broke over the rear of the column and cut up the road +badly. The night was far spent when Ransom's train joined him, +and Emory's, in spite of every exertion, could not be brought up +until late on the following morning. A. J. Smith was now a good +day's march behind Ransom and Emory. + +When Lee found himself so obstinately opposed, and so hindered by +these dilatory tactics, he sent a message to Franklin, through +Banks's senior aide-de-camp, who had been riding with the advance, +asking that a brigade of infantry might be sent forward to his +assistance. Lee's view was that the infantry, advancing in skirmish +order, could make better progress than the cavalry, which, in a +country so thickly wooded, found itself reduced to the same tactics, +with the added drawback that as often as they dislodged the enemy +they had to run back after their horses before they could follow. +Franklin declined to accede to this request without orders, justly +reflecting that infantry thus advanced at night, after a hard day's +march, must be worn out in the attempt to keep touch with the +cavalry, while, in the history of these mixed forces, the instances +are rare indeed in which the mounted men have not, after bringing +on the action, left it, as the proper thing, for the infantry to +finish. However, late in the evening Banks joined Franklin, and +an hour or two before midnight ordered him to send a brigade to +Lee, to report to him at dawn. Upon this Franklin directed Ransom +to send either a brigade or a division, at his discretion, and +Ransom, in his turn, ordered Landram to take Emerson's brigade of +his division and join the cavalry for the service indicated. + +(1) January 4, 1864--Official Records, vol. xxxiv, part ii., p. 15. + + +CHAPTER XXIV. +SABINE CROSS-ROADS. + +Landram accordingly marched at three o'clock on the morning of the +8th of April, and reported to Lee about five. + +Soon after sunrise Lee moved forward against the enemy, Lucas +leading, with one regiment of his brigade dismounted and deployed +as skirmishers, supported by two regiments of Landram's infantry, +in line of battle. Green's men still adhering to the obstructive +policy of the day before, after a time the two remaining regiments +of Emerson's brigade were deployed and required to drive the enemy +more rapidly, while the cavalry covered the flanks. About one +o'clock in the afternoon, when half the distance that separated +Mansfield from his camp of the night before had been accomplished, +Lee found himself at the edge of a large clearing on the slope of +a hill, with the Confederates in force in his front and on his +right flank. + +Ransom marched from Pleasant Hill at half-past five, and at half-past +ten was ten miles distant on the northerly branch of the Bayou +St. Patrice, designated as his camp for the day. He was just going +into bivouac when, on a request from Lee for a fresh force of +infantry to relieve the exhausted men of Emerson's brigade, Franklin +directed Ransom to go forward himself with Vance's brigade, and +thus to make sure of Emerson's return. + +Franklin's arrangements for the day's march of his command, as well +as Banks's for the whole force, contemplated a short march for the +head of the column and a longer one for the rear, so that a +comparatively early hour in the day the army would be closed up, +ready to encounter the enemy in good order. Accordingly, shortly +before three o'clock in the afternoon, Emory went into camp on the +banks of the south branch of the St. Patrice, within easy supporting +distance of Ransom, while A. J. Smith continued his march, until +at night, having accomplished twenty-one miles, he went into bivouac +about two miles before reaching Pleasant Hill. + +At last nearly the whole of Green's cavalry corps had joined Taylor, +and at the same time two divisions of Price's army had come in from +Arkansas and taken post in supporting distance of Taylor at Keachie, +which is about half-way between Mansfield and Shreveport, or about +twenty miles from either. With his own force, under Walker and +Mouton, Green's Texans, Churchill's Arkansas division, and Parsons's +Missouri division, Taylor now had at least sixteen thousand good +men, with whom, if permitted, he might give battle in a chosen +position, while Banks's force was stretched out the length of a +long day's march on a single narrow road in a dense pine forest, +with no elbow-room save such as was to be found in the narrow and +infrequent clearings. In such a region excess of numbers was a +hindrance rather than a help, and cavalry was worse then useless +for offence. Banks was, moreover, encumbered by twelve miles of +wagons bearing all his ammunition and stores, and was weakened by +the necessity of guarding this long train through the barren +wilderness deep in the heart of the enemy's country. Of these +conditions Kirby Smith was planning to take advantage, and it was +to guard against such an enterprise that Banks's column was closing +up in readiness to meet the enemy with its full strength, when +suddenly on both sides events took the bit in their teeth and +precipitated a battle that was in the plans of neither. + +It was about eleven o'clock when Ransom set out to go to the front +with Vance's brigade. The distance to be passed over was about +five and a half miles. Riding ahead, Ransom himself arrived on +the field about half-past one in the afternoon. At this time, by +Lee's orders, Landram had pushed forward the 19th Kentucky, deployed +as skirmishers, and supporting it strongly with the rest of Emerson's +brigade, had driven Green's troopers across the open ground, over +the hill, and well into the woods beyond, and had taken position +on the crest. Here he was joined by Nims, who brought his guns +into battery across the road. On the left of Nims were placed two +of Rottaken's howitzers, detached from the 6th Missouri cavalry. +On the right and left of the horse artillery Emerson formed, and +Vance, as soon as he came up, took position on Emerson's right, +but as Banks undertook to hasten the movement through the direct +action of his own staff-officers, it resulted that the regiments +of the two brigades were sandwiched. Lucas, dismounted, extended +the line of battle to the right. With him were a section of Rawles's +battery and another of Rottaken's. + +To cover the flanks in the forest Dudley deployed as skirmishers +the 8th New Hampshire on the right, and on the left the 3d and the +31st Massachusetts, supported by the 2d Illinois. Robinson was +with the cavalry train, which was rather closely following the +march of its division, in order to clear the head of the infantry +without starving the cavalry. + +Neither side could move forward without bringing on a battle. But +Lee, instead of being able and ready to disengage his cavalry +advance-guard and to fall back to a chosen field, was now anchored +to the ground where he found himself, not alone by the concentration +of the main body of the cavalry at the very front, but also and +even more firmly by the presence of the infantry with its artillery +and their employment, naturally enough, to form the centre of his +main line. + +The clearing, the largest yet seen by the Union Army since entering +the interminable wilderness of pines, was barely half a mile in +width; across the road it stretched for about three quarters of a +mile, and down the middle it was divided by a ravine. + +Directly in front of Banks stood Taylor in order of battle, covering +the crossing of the ways that lead to Pleasant Hill, to Shreveport, +to Bayou Pierre, and to the Sabine. On his right was the cavalry +of Bee, then Walker's infantry astride of the main road, and on +Walker's left Mouton, supported on his left by the cavalry brigades +of Major and Bagby, dismounted. To this position, well selected, +Taylor had advanced from Mansfield early in the morning, with the +clear intention of offering battle, and, regardless of Kirby Smith's +purpose of concentrating nearer Shreveport, had sent back orders +for Churchill and Parsons to come forward. They marched early, +and were by this time well on the way, but a distance of twenty-five +miles separated their camp of the night before from the field of +the approaching combat. + +As on the previous day's march, Stone had been with Lee's advance +since the early morning, without, however, being charged with the +views of his chief and without attempting to issue orders in his +name; but now Banks himself rode to the extreme front, as his habit +was. Arriving on the ground not long after Ransom, and seeing the +enemy before him in force, Banks at once ordered Lee to hold his +ground and sent back orders to Franklin to bring forward the column. +The skirmishing that had been going on all the morning, as an +incident of the advance and retreat of the opposing forces, had +become the sharp prelude of battle, and through the openings of +the forest the enemy could be seen in continuous movement toward +his left. This was Major and Mouton feeling their way to the Union +right, beyond which and diagonally across the front ran the road +that leads from Mansfield to Bayou Pierre. + +Whether Taylor, as he says, now became impatient at the delay and +ordered Mouton to open the attack, or whether, as others have +asserted, Mouton attacked without the knowledge or orders of Taylor, +is not quite clear, nor is it here material. About four o'clock, +when the two lines had looked at each other for two hours or more, +Taylor suddenly delivered his attack by a vigorous charge of Mouton's +division on the east of the road. Ransom's infantry on the field +numbered about 2,400 officers and men; including Lucas, Banks's +fighting line fell below 3,500, and the whole force he had at hand +was not above 5,000 strong. Against this, Taylor was now advancing +with nearly 10,000. It was therefore inevitable that on both flanks +his line must widely overlap that of Banks as soon as the two should +meet. + +When Ransom perceived Mouton's movement, he threw forward his right +to meet it with such spirit that Mouton's first line was driven +back in confusion on his second; then rallying and returning to +the charge, Mouton's men halted, lay down, and began firing at +about two hundred yards' range. The two batteries of Landram's +division, Cone's Chicago Mercantile, and Klauss's 1st Indiana, now +came on the field, and were posted by Ransom on the ridge near the +centre, to oppose the enemy's advance on the left, before which +Dudley's men were already falling back. Bee and Walker had in fact +turned the whole left flank, and were rapidly moving on, breaking +in the line as they advanced. This soon left Nims's guns without +support, and at the same time Klauss and Cone came under a fire so +severe from Walker's men, that Ransom determined to withdraw to +the cover of the wood in his rear at the edge of the clearing. +Unfortunately, Captain Dickey, his assistant adjutant-general, fell +mortally wounded in the act of communicating these orders, and thus +some of the regiments farther toward the right, being without +orders, and fighting stubbornly against great odds, stood their +ground until they were completely surrounded and taken prisoners. +While aiding Landram to rally and reform the remnants of his division +in the skirt of timber, Ransom was severely wounded in the knee, +and had to be carried off the field. Vance and Emerson were wounded +and taken prisoners, each at the head of his brigade. + +Meanwhile, shortly after three o'clock, at his quarters, near +Ransom's camp of the forenoon, Franklin received his first suggestion +of an impending battle, in Banks's order to bring all the infantry +to the front. First sending back word to Emory, Franklin set out +at once and rode forward rapidly, followed by Cameron's division. +When, some time after four o'clock, he entered the clearing and +galloped to the hill where the guns of Nims still stood grimly +defiant and Ransom's men were still desperately struggling to hold +their first ground, the situation was already hopeless. Hardly +had he arrived on the ground, than, by a single volley from Walker's +advancing lines, Franklin's horse was killed, and he himself and +Captains Chapman and Pigman of his staff were wounded. + +Cameron came up just as Landram was striving hard to rally his men +and to hold a second position in the lower skirt of the wood, to +prevent the enemy from coming on across the clearing; but for this, +time and numbers and elbow-room were alike wanting. Moreover, +every movement of the Confederate troopers must be gaining on the +flanks. Nor was Cameron's handful, barely 1,300, enough to enable +the remnant of the Thirteenth Corps to hold for many minutes so +weak a position against such odds. Cameron deployed his four +battalions and tried hard, but the whole line soon crumbled and +fell apart to the rear. + +Until this moment, Banks and Franklin, as well as every officer of +the staff of either, beginning with Stone, had exerted themselves +to the utmost to second the efforts of Ransom and of Landram to +save the day. The retreat once fairly began, all attempt to stay +its course was for a time given up as idle, for every man knew just +how far back he must go to find room to form a line of battle longer +than the road was narrow. Green's cavalry having been for the most +part dismounted and on the flanks, as well as in the forest, the +pursuit was not very vigorous and was now and then retarded by the +successive covering lines of Lucas and of Dudley, so that the +prospect seemed fair of bringing off the remnants of the fighting +force without much more loss, when about a mile behind the +battle-field, at the foot of a slight descent, the retreating column +came upon a knot of wagons inextricably tangled and stuck fast +in a slough. This was the great cavalry train trying to escape. +Instantly what had been a severe check became a serious disaster. +Already, by holding so stiffly to his first position, in the front +line, in the road, Nims had lost more than half his horses, and +thus in quitting the field he found himself compelled to abandon +three of his guns; yet not until he had inflicted vast injuries on +his enemy, and to the last furnished a noble example of coolness +in the performance of duty and the highest courage in the hour of +trial. Now the remnant of this fine battery was swallowed up in +the wreck of the wagons, and soon fourteen more guns went to swell +the ruin. Thus Rails and Rottaken lost each a section, Cone and +Klauss their whole batteries. In all twenty guns were lost; three +on the field and seventeen at the jam. With them went 175 wagons, +11 ambulances, and 1,001 draught animals. To pass the obstruction +the infantry had to turn widely out of the road and for a long +distance push their way through the woods. No semblance of order +survived. After this there was only one mass of men, wagons, and +horses crowding to the rear. + +How little expectation there had been of fighting a battle that +day, especially on the line where the extreme outposts chanced to +be, and how suddenly all was changed, is aptly shown by what was +happening in Emory's camp when, at a quarter before four o'clock, +he received Franklin's order to go to the front. The wagons of +the Thirteenth Corps were in the road in the act of passing the +lines of the Nineteenth Corps on the way to join their proper +command. Emory's wagons had been with him for some little time +and several of the quartermasters were even engaged in issuing +clothing when the summons came. There had been no heavy firing as +yet, such as indicates a battle, and the exact degree of urgency +may be best represented by saying that the marching orders were +delivered to Emory in writing by a mounted orderly and were in +these words: "Move your infantry immediately to the front, leaving +one regiment as guard to your batteries and train. If your train +has got up, you will take two days' rations and the cooking utensils." +The language of this order, which may fairly be taken as an authentic +reflection of the oral message from Banks, on which it was directly +based, would have justified Emory in taking an hour or more for +the issue of the rations; but Emory, whose nature it was to forecast +danger, had from the first hour of the campaign been apprehensive +of some sudden attack that should find the army unprepared; and +thus it was that, merely stopping to take a double ration of hard +bread, twelve minutes later the head of his column filed into the +road and marched to the front. At this hour the battle was just +beginning, and the first sounds, rolling to the rear, served to +quicken the march of Emory's men. About a quarter before five he +was met by an aide-de-camp with orders to hasten, coupled with the +first direct information that an engagement was in progress. A +mile farther on an ambulance was met bearing Ransom to the rear. +Emory exchanged a few words with the wounded officer, and then +ordered his division to take the double-quick. A mile beyond, the +usual rabble of camp followers and stragglers was encountered, and +soon the road was filled with the swollen stream of fugitives, +crying that the day was lost. + +And now from Emory down to the smallest drummer-boy every man saw +that the hour had come to show what the First division was made +of. The leading regiments and flankers instantly fixed bayonets; +the staff-officers drew their swords; hardly a man fell out, but +at a steady and even quickened pace, Emory's men forced their way +through the confused mass in the eager endeavor to reach a position +where the enemy might be held in check. This, in that country, +was not an easy task, and it was not until the last rush of the +flying crowd and the dropping of stray bullets here and there told +that the pursuing enemy was close at hand, that Emory found room +to deploy on ground affording the least advantage for the task +before him. He was now less than three miles from the field where +Lee had been beaten back and Ransom had been overwhelmed. The +scene was a small clearing with a fenced farm, traversed by a narrow +by-road and by a little creek flowing toward the St. Patrice. Here +the Confederates could be plainly seen coming on at such a pace +that for some moments it was even doubtful whether Emory might not +have delayed just too long the formation of his line of battle. +Such was his own though as in the dire need of the crisis he +determined to sacrifice his leading regiment in order to gain time +and room for the division to form. Happily the Confederates helped +him by stopping to loot the train and the rejoice loudly over each +discovery of some special luxury to them long unfamiliar. + +Then rapidly sending orders to Dwight to hold the road at any cost, +to McMillan to form on the right, to Benedict to deploy on Dwight's +left, Emory himself rode up to Kinsey, and together they led forward +the 161st New York and deployed the regiment widely as skirmishers +across the whole front of the division, in the very teeth of the +Confederate line of battle, rapidly advancing with wild yells and +firing heavily as they came. Not a man of the division, not one +of the 161st, but felt as well as Emory the imposing duty laid on +that splendid regiment and the hard sacrifice expected of it; yet +they stood their ground so well and so long that not only had the +whole division time to deploy, but, when at last the Confederate +line of battle refused any longer to be held back by a fringe of +skirmishers, it became a serious question whether friend and foe +might not enter the Union lines together. Then, when Emory saw +that his line was formed, he gave to word to Kinsey to retire. +For some seconds his skirmishers masked fire of their own lines, +but, as the Confederates followed with great impetuosity, Dwight's +whole line, kneeling, waiting, and ready, opened a fierce fire at +point-blank range and soon threw off the attack with heavy loss to +their assailants. The brunt of the attack was borne by the 28th +Maine, holding the centre and the road. An attempt followed to +turn Emory's right flank; in this Dwight's right was pressed so +heavily that Emory was obliged to deploy McMillan nearly at right +angles to the main front, and thus the onset was easily checked. +About the same time the Confederates, whose line was longer than +Emory's, made a like attempt to turn the left, but Benedict held +on firmly, and although his position was a bad one, soon drove off +his assailants. The whole fight was over in twenty minutes, but +while it lasted it was sharp. It rolled back the pursuit and +changed the fortunes of the evil day. + +In no other battle of the war was so little use made of artillery. +In Ransom's fight only a few guns could be brought into action on +either side, though these indeed were served with vigor. As for +Emory, he left his batteries and his baggage to the safekeeping of +the 153d New York and swept to the front with all the rest of his +infantry, while the same jam of wagons that entrapped the guns of +Lee and Ransom likewise held back the guns of Taylor. Thus Emory's +fight was fought by infantry alone against infantry and dismounted +cavalry, and no roar of cannon was heard to break the rattle and +the wail of the musketry. + +So great a change had these few hours wrought that the same sun +rose upon an army marching full of confidence that within two days +Shreveport would be in its grasp, and set up the same army defeated, +brought to bay, its campaign ruined, saved only by a triumph of +valor and discipline on the part of a single division and of skill +on the part of its intrepid commander from complete destruction at +the hands of an enemy inferior in everything and outnumbered almost +as two to one. The passage of a wood is the passage of a defile; +there, then, was a blind defile, where of six divisions four were +suffered to be taken in detail and attacked in fractions on ground +of the enemy's choosing. Hardly any tactical error was wanting to +complete the discomfiture. Ransom was overwhelmed and double +outflanked by two or three times his numbers; even Emory had but +five thousand against a force reduced by casualties and straggling, +yet still half as large again as his and flushed with victory; +moreover, his position was, whether for offence or defence, worthless +beyond the passing hour. + +Banks's losses in the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads were as follows: + + Killed. Wounded. Missing. Total. + Cavalry Division . . . . 39 250 144 433 + Cameron's " . . . . . 24 99 195 318 + Landram's " . . . . . 28 148 909 1,085 + Emory's " . . . . . 24 148 175 347 + Staff of Nineteenth Corps 0 3 0 3 + ____ ____ _____ ______ + In all . . . 115 648 1,423 2,186 + +By Taylor the action is called the battle of Mansfield. He puts +his losses at 1,000, all told. Foremost among the slain, while +leading the fierce onset against Ransom's right, Mouton fell, a +regimental color in his hand, and with him perished many of his +brave Louisianians. + +Clearly the next thing, whatever might be the next after, was to +concentrate and reform on the first fair ground in the rear. Such +were Banks's orders. Accordingly at midnight Emory marched in +orderly retreat, with all his material intact, and at eight o'clock +the next morning, the 9th of April, went into bivouac at Pleasant +Hill, where A. J. Smith was found near his resting-place of the +night before, and with him Gooding. Thither Lee and the shattered +remnants of Ransom's Corps, now under Cameron, had already retired, +and there they now reformed in comparative order. + + +CHAPTER XXV. +PLEASANT HILL. + +The scenes and events of the 8th produced a deep effect on Banks. +At first he was disposed to look on the campaign as lost. Whatever +hope he might have had that morning of taking or even reaching +Shreveport within the time fixed for the breaking up of the +expedition, was at an end before night fell. Not only must A. J. +Smith be sent back to Vicksburg within two days, but Banks himself +must be on the Mississippi with his whole force ready to move +against Mobile by the 1st of May. Such were his orders from Grant, +peremptory and repeated. Therefore Banks at once made up his mind +to retreat to Grand Ecore, and sent messenger after messenger across +the country to tell Kilby Smith and Porter what had happened and +what he was about to do. In thus deciding he chose the second best +course, and the one that Taylor wished for; it would have been far +better to cover Blair's Landing and thus make sure of the safety +as well as the support of the gunboats and Kilby Smith. + +Pleasant Hill was a village of a dozen houses dispersed about a +knoll in a clearing. Beside the main highway between Natchitoches +and Shreveport, by which Banks had come and was now going back, +fairly good roads radiate to Fort Jesup and Many on the south to +the crossings of the Sabine on the west, and on the north and east +towards the Red River. The nearest point on the river was Blair's +Landing, distant sixteen miles from Pleasant Hill by the road and +forty-five miles by water above Grand Ecore. + +Though a good place to fight a battle, Pleasant Hill was not a +position that could be held for any length of time, even if there +had been an object in holding it. It was too far even from the +immediate base of supplies, and there was no water to be had save +from the cisterns in the village. These were merely sufficient, +in ordinary times, for the storage of rain water for the daily use +of the inhabitants. Now two armies had been drawing from them, +and there was not enough left in them to supply the wants of Banks's +men, to say nothing of the animals, for a single day; and for this +reason, if for no other, it was impossible for the army to stay +there an hour longer than was really necessary to cover a safe and +orderly withdrawal of the train. + +Accordingly, early on the 9th of April, Banks gave orders for the +wagon train to be set in motion toward Grand Ecore, escorted by +Lee with the cavalry and Dickey's colored brigade, and put his army +into position at Pleasant Hill to cover the movement. + +Churchill with Tappan and Parsons had accomplished the march of +twenty miles from Keachie to Mansfield too late in the evening of +the 8th to take any part in the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads. At +two o'clock the next morning he marched toward the front in order +to arrive on the ground in time to renew the fight. By the earliest +light of morning Taylor saw that his adversary had already left +the field. Then he promptly advanced his whole force, feeling his +way as he went. Green led with the cavalry; next came Churchill +with his own division, under Tappan; then Parsons, Walker, and +Polignac. The morning was wellnigh spent, when Taylor with the +head of his column drew near Pleasant Hill and discovered his +adversary in position. The last of his infantry did not come up +until after noon. Churchill's men were so fagged by their early +start and their long march of forty-five miles since the morning +of the 8th that Taylor thought it best to give them two hours' rest +before attempting anything more. + +Two miles to the southward, across the main road, stood Emory, +firmly holding the right of the Union lines. Dwight's brigade +formed the extreme right flank, thrown back and resting on a wooded +ravine that runs almost parallel with the road. Squarely across +the road and somewhat more advanced, in the skirt of the wood before +the village, commanding an open approach, was posted Shaw's brigade, +detached from Mower's Third division, to strengthen the exposed +front of Emory. Benedict occupied a ditch traversing a slight +hollow, the course of which was nearly perpendicular to the Logansport +road, on which his right rested in echelon behind the left of Shaw. +Benedict's front was generally hidden by a light growth of reed +and willow, but his left was in the open and was completely exposed. +Grow's battery, under Southworth, held the hill between Dwight and +Shaw, and Closson's battery, under Franck Taylor, was planted so +as to fire over the heads of Benedict's men. McMillan's brigade +was in reserve behind Dwight and Shaw. The position thus occupied +by Emory was a short distance north of the village in front of the +fork of the roads that lead to Mansfield and to Logansport. + +About four hundred yards behind Benedict, and slightly overlapping +his left, the line was prolonged by A. J. Smith, with the two +divisions of Mower, strongly posted in the wood, to cover the +crossing of the roads to Fort Jesup, to Natchitoches, and to Blair's +Landing. Near Mower's right, Closson placed Hebard's battery. + +The extreme left flank on the Fort Jesup road was for a time held +by Cameron; but, through some uncertainly or misunderstanding of +orders, he appears to have considered himself charged with the duty +of protecting the right flank and rear of the retreating trains, +rather than the left flank of the army. Accordingly five o'clock +found him with the wagons, two hours' march from the field of +battle. + +Lucas, with about 500 picked men of his own brigade, taken from +the 16th Indiana, the 6th Missouri, and the 14th New York, and a +like number from Gooding's brigade, was detached from the cavalry +division for service under the immediate orders of Franklin. With +these detachments Lucas skilfully watched all the approaches. + +Thus matters rested until the afternoon was well advanced, the long +train steadily rolling on its way, and the prospects of being +molested seeming to grow by degrees fainter as hour after hour +passed and gave no sign of movement on the part of the Confederates. + +Taylor formed his line of battle and set his troops in motion +between three and four o'clock in the afternoon. Bee with two +brigades of cavalry was on the left or east of the Mansfield road, +supported by Polignac, on whose division had fallen the heaviest +losses of the day before. On the right or west of the road was +Walker, while Churchill, with three regiments of cavalry on his +right flank, moved under cover and out of sight on the right or +south of the upper road to the Sabine. + +As early as the previous evening Taylor had considered the chances +of Banks's retreat on Blair's Landing, and had sent a detachment +of cavalry to gather intelligence of such a movement and to seize +the crossing of Bayou Pierre. Now, hearing nothing from this +detachment, he sent Major, with his own brigade and Bagby's, to +the right of the Union army in time to seize and hold the road to +the landing. + +Taylor's intention was that Churchill should gain the Fort Jesup +road and fall upon the flank and rear of the Union army, while at +the same instant Walker was to deliver a direct attack in echelon +of brigades from the right. As soon as Churchill should have thrown +the Union left into disorder, Bee was to charge down the Mansfield +road, while Major and Bagby were to turn the flank of Emory. + +It was after three o'clock when Churchill took up his line of march +through the woods, Parsons leading. Whether for want of a good +map of the country or from whatever cause, it seems probable that, +when the head of Churchill's column had gained the lower Sabine +road, which enters Pleasant Hill from the southwest, he mistook it +for the Fort Jesup road, which approaches the village from the +south. Thus, changing front to the left, the double lines of +Parsons and Tappan charged swiftly down on the left flank and +diagonally upon the front of Benedict, instead of falling, as Taylor +meant, upon the flank and rear of Mower. Emory says the attack +began at a quarter after five; other reports name an earlier hour. +However that may be, night was approaching, and the Union army had +practically given up the idea of being attacked that day, when +suddenly the battle began. + +Benedict's position was, unavoidably, a bad one, and this oblique +order of attack was singularly adapted for searching out its +weakness. When once Benedict's skirmishers had been driven back +through the skirt of the woods that masked his right and centre, +Churchill's men had but to descend the slope, firing as they came +on, but without checking their pace, and it was a mere question of +minutes when the defenders of a line so exposed and overlapped must +be crushed by the weight of thrice their numbers. For one brief +moment, indeed, the fight was hand to hand; then Benedict's men +were driven out of the ditch, and forced in more or less disorder +up the reverse slope. So they drifted to the cover of the wood, +where Mower lay in wait, and there by regiments they re-formed and +sought fresh places in the front of battle; for Benedict had fallen, +and the night followed so quickly that darkness had closed in before +the discreet and zealous Fessenden had gathered the brigade and +held it well in hand. The whole brigade bore the searching test +like good soldiers, yet conspicuous in steadiness under the shock +and in prompt recovery were the 30th Maine and the 173d New York, +inspired by the example and the leadership of Fessenden and of +Conrady. + +When Green heard the sound of Churchill's musketry he launched Bee +with Debray's and Buchel's regiments in an impetuous charge against +the left of Shaw's line; but this wild swoop was quickly stopped +by the muskets of the 14th Iowa and the 24th Missouri at close +range. Many saddles were emptied; Bee, Buchel, and Debray were +among the victims, and in great disorder the beaten remnants fled. + +Eighteen guns, among them, sad to say, trophies of Sabine Cross-Roads, +concentrated their fire upon the six pieces of Southworth and +presently overcame him by sheer weight. The giving way of +Benedict had already exposed Shaw's left when Walker closed with +him. Vigorously attacked in front, and menaced in flank, Shaw made +a stout fight, but he was in great danger of being cut off. Not +a moment too soon A. J. Smith recalled him. + +When Shaw gave back, Dwight suddenly found himself attacked in +front by Walker and in flank and rear by Major. At this trying +moment the 114th New York and the 153d New York were covering the +fork of the roads to Mansfield and to Logansport, while beyond the +Mansfield road, on the right, stood the 116th New York. To protect +the left and right flanks of this little line, Dwight quickly moved +the 29th Maine and the 161st New York. Fortunately his men stood +firm under the trial of a fire that seemed to come from all quarters +at once. For a moment, indeed, the exultant and still advancing +Confederates seemed masters of the plain. Along the whole Union +front nothing was to be seen in place save Dwight's men far off on +the right, standing as it were on a rocky islet, with the gray +floods surging on every side. + +But far away, out of sight from the plain, an event had already +occurred that was to cost the Confederates the battle. Parsons, +following up the overthrow of Benedict, offered his own right flank +to Lynch, who stood alert and observant in the skirt of the woods, +beyond the left of Mower. Lynch struck hard and began doubling up +the Missourians. Seeing this, and noting the condition of affairs +on the other flank, A. J. Smith instantly ordered forward his whole +line. Shaw had already re-formed his brigade on the right of Mower. +Across Dwight's rear Emory was leading McMillan from his position +in reserve, to restore the line on Dwight's left. Then, just at +the instant when to one standing on the plain the day must have +seemed hopelessly lost, the long lines of A. J. Smith, with Mower +riding at the head, were seen coming out of the woods and sweeping, +with unbroken front and steady tread, down upon the front and flank +of the enemy. To the right of this splendid line McMillan joined +his brigade, and among its intervals here and there the rallied +fragments of Benedict's brigade found places. Under this impetuous +onset, Parsons and Tappan and Walker melted away, and before anything +could be done with Polignac, the whole Confederate army was in +hopeless confusion. Their disordered ranks were pushed back about +a mile, with a loss of five guns, and after nightfall Taylor's +infantry and part of his cavalry fell back six miles to the stream +on which Emory had encamped on the morning of the previous day, +while the cavalry retired to Mansfield, but Taylor himself slept +near the field of battle with the remnant of Debray's troopers. +In the superb right wheel, three of the guns lost at Sabine +Cross-Roads were retaken. + +As soon as the news of the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads reached +Kirby Smith at Shreveport, he rode to the front and joined Taylor +after nightfall on the 9th of April. The earliest Confederate +despatches and orders of Kirby Smith and Taylor claimed a signal +and glorious victory, and to this view Taylor seems to have adhered; +but in a report dated August 28, 1864, Smith says, in giving his +reasons for not adopting Taylor's ambitious plan of pursuing Banks +to New Orleans, that Taylor's troops + +"were finally repulsed and thrown into confusion . . . The Missouri +and Arkansas troops, with the brigade of Walker's division, were +broken and scattered. The enemy recovered cannon which we had +captured, and two of our pieces were left in his hands. To my +great relief I found in the morning that the enemy had fallen back +during the night. . . . Our troops were completely paralyzed by +the repulse at Pleasant Hill." + +In an article written in 1888 (1) he adds: + +"Our repulse at Pleasant Hill was so complete and our command was +so disorganized that had Banks followed up his success vigorously +he would have met with but feeble opposition to his advance on +Shreveport. . . . Polignac's (previously Mouton's) division of +Louisiana infantry was all that was intact of Taylor's force. . . . +Our troops were completely paralyzed and disorganized by the +repulse at Pleasant Hill." + +Again, in an intercepted letter, very clear and outspoken, Lieutenant +Edward Cunningham, one of Kirby Smith's aides-de-camp, is even more +emphatic: + +"That it was impossible for us to pursue Banks immediately--under +four or five days--cannot be gainsaid. It was impossible . . . +because we had been beaten, demoralized, paralyzed, in the fight +of the 9th." + +The losses of the Union army in the battle of Pleasant Hill were +152 killed, 859 wounded, 495 missing; in all, 1,506. Of these, +nearly one half fell upon Emory's division, which reported 8 officers +and 47 men killed, 19 officers and 275 men wounded, 4 officers and +374 men missing; in all, 725. The Confederate losses were estimated +by Taylor at 1,500. + +Each side claims to have fought a superior force, yet the numbers +engaged seem to have been nearly equal. Including the thousand +horsemen, who were not seriously engaged at any time during the +day, and in the battle not at all, the Union army can hardly have +numbered more than 13,000 nor less than 11,000. Taylor's force +must have been about the same, for, although Kirby Smith's figures +account for 16,000, on the one hand the attrition of battle and +march is to be reckoned, and on the other hand Taylor himself owns +to 12,000. + +(1) "Century War Book," vol. iv., p. 372. + + +CHAPTER XXVI. +GRAND ECORE. + +In the first moments of elation that succeeded the victory, Banks +was all for resuming the advance, but later in the evening, after +consulting his corps and division commanders, he determined to +continue the retreat to Grand Ecore. Unfortunately by some mistake +the ambulances had gone off with the wagon train, so that there +were no adequate means of relieving the wounded on the field. +Indeed, all the wounded had not been gathered, and most of the dead +lay still unburied, when, about midnight, Banks gave the orders to +march. Then from each corps a detail of surgeons was ordered to +stay behind, with such hospital stores as they had at hand, and +two hours later, in silence and in darkness, unobserved and +unmolested, the army marched to the rear, leaving the dead and +wounded of both sides on the ground. In the order of march Emory +had the head of the column, Mower the rear. Early in the afternoon +of the 10th, after a march of twenty miles, the column halted at +the Bayou Mayon. At sunrise on the 11th the march was resumed; +and the same afternoon found the whole army in camp at Grand Ecore. + +Great was the astonishment of Taylor when daylight revealed to him +the retreat of the victors of Pleasant Hill. He sent Bee with some +cavalry to follow, and this Bee did, yet not rashly, for in twenty +miles he came not once near enough to Mower's rear-guard to exchange +a shot. Green, with all the rest of the cavalry, was then brought +back to Pleasant Hill to carry on operations against the fleet in +the direction of Blair's Landing, while the main body of the infantry +was drawn in to Mansfield to reorganize. + +The fleet was now in great peril. Pushing slowly up the river, +constantly retarded by the low stage of water, the gunboats and +the transports arrived at Loggy or Boggy Bayou at two o'clock on +the afternoon of the 10th of April. Kilby Smith at once landed a +detachment of his men, and was proceeding to carry out his orders +with regard to opening communication with Banks by way of Springfield, +when about four o'clock, Captain Andrews, of the 14th New York +cavalry, rode in with his squadron, bringing word of the battles +of Sabine Cross-Roads and Pleasant Hill, and bearing a message from +Banks to Kilby Smith that directed his return to Grand Ecore. He +was at the moment consulting with Porter how best they might get +rid of the obstructions caused by the sinking by the Confederates +of a large steamboat, called the _New Falls City_, quite across +the channel from bank to bank, and they had just decided to set +fire to her and blow her up; the bad news made it clear that nothing +remained to be done but to go back down the river with all speed. + +The natural obstacle presented by the deep waters and by the steep +banks of the Bayou Pierre would have formed a complete defence +against any assault on the fleet from the west bank of the Red +River, had it not been for the fact that there are three good +ferries across the bayou, approached by good roads. The upper of +these ways led to the river a long distance above the point attained +by the fleet; the second struck the bank at Grand Bayou, fifteen +miles below where the fleet stopped; the third was the road from +Pleasant Hill to Blair's Landing, which is fifty miles below Grand +Bayou. Liddell was already watching the east bank of the river, +and Taylor now sent Bagby across from Mansfield to Grand Bayou with +his brigade and Barnes's battery, to cut off the fleet. However, +Bagby did not start from Mansfield until after daybreak on the +11th, so that his arrival at the mouth of Grand Bayou was many +hours too late to catch the fleet, which at eight that evening tied +up for the night at Coushatta Chute. Here Kilby Smith received a +second order of recall from Banks, this time in writing, and dated +"On the road, April 10th." + +By noon on the 12th, Bagby, riding fast and making use of the short +cuts, overtook the rear of the fleet; and somewhat later Green, +who had marched from Pleasant Hill early on the morning of the +11th, with Woods's and Gould's regiments and Parsons's brigade of +Texans, and the batteries of Nettles, West, McMahan, and Moseley, +struck the river at Blair's Landing almost simultaneously with the +arrival of the fleet. Here, about four o'clock in the afternoon, +in the bend between the high banks, Green caught the rear of the +transport fleet at a disadvantage. Making the most of his opportunity, +he attacked with vigor. Instantly Kilby Smith and Porter responded +and a sharp fight followed, but by sunset they succeeded, without +great loss, in driving off their assailants. Indeed the total +casualties in Kilby Smith's division above Grand Ecore were but +19, and Porter mentions only one. Chief among the Confederate +killed was the brave, impetuous, and indomitable Green. + +About noon on the 13th, several of the boats being aground in +mid-stream, they were attacked by Liddell, strongly posted on the +high bluff known as Bouledeau Point. However, all passed by without +loss or serious injury, and on the morning of the 14th, the fleet +reached the bar at Campti, where A. J. Smith was met marching up +the left bank of the river to its relief. But, although Campti is +barely twenty miles above, so crooked and shallow was the river +that it was midnight on the 15th before the last of the fleet lay +in safety at Grand Ecore. + +Below Grand Ecore there was a bad bar. As the river continued to +fall, the larger gunboats were sent down as fast as possible to +Alexandria, whither Porter followed them on the 16th, leaving the +_Osage_ and _Lexington_ at Grand Ecore, and the big _Eastport_ +eight miles below, where, on the 15th, she had been sunk to her +gun-deck either by a torpedo or by a snag. The admiral brought up +his pump boats and after removing the guns got the _Eastport_ afloat +on the 21st. + +As Banks realized that his campaign was ruined, he grew earnest in +trying to meet Grant's expectations and orders, requiring him to +be on the Mississippi by the first of May. For ten days he had +been waiting at Grand Ecore, only to see the last of the fleet pass +down in safety. Meanwhile he had entrenched his position, thrown +a pontoon bridge across the river, placed a strong detachment from +Smith's command on the north bank, and sent urgent orders to +Alexandria, to New Orleans, and to Texas for reinforcements. Birge, +with his own brigade and the 38th Massachusetts and 128th New York +of Sharpe's brigade, embarked at Alexandria on the 12th of April, +and joined Emory on the 13th. Nickerson's brigade came from New +Orleans to join Grover at Alexandria. On the 20th of April, learning +that the _Eastport_ was expected to float within a few hours, Banks +sent A. J. Smith to take position covering Natchitoches, and when +the next day he heard from the admiral that the _Eastport_ was +actually afloat, he lost not a moment in beginning the march on +Alexandria. + +An hour later the _Eastport_ again struck the bottom; eight times +more she ran hard aground; at last on the 25th she lay immovable +on a raft of logs, and the next day her crew gave her to the flames. + +For some time the relations between the commanding general and his +chief-of-staff had been strained, and in spite of Stone's zeal and +gallantry in the late battles, Banks had determined on a change, +indeed had already announced it in orders, when on the 16th of +April he received an order of the War Office bearing date the 28th +of March, whereby Stone was relieved from duty in the Department +of the Gulf, deprived of his rank of brigadier-general, and ordered +to go to Cairo, Illinois, and thence to report by letter to the +adjutant-general of the army. For this action neither cause nor +occasion has ever been made known. Then Banks recalled his own +order and published this instead, and on the following day he made +Dwight his chief-of-staff, the command of Dwight's brigade falling +to Beal. + + +CHAPTER XXVII. +THE CROSSING OF CANE RIVER. + +Banks broke camp at Grand Ecore at five o'clock in the afternoon +of the 21st of April and turned over the direction and control of +the march to Franklin. + +The cavalry corps, now commanded by Arnold, was separated by +brigades. Gooding took the advance; Crebs, who had succeeded to +Robinson's command, rode with Birge; E. J. Davis, with Dudley's +brigade, covered the right flank; and Lucas, reporting to A. J. +Smith, formed the rear-guard. + +Birge led the main column with a temporary division formed of the +13th Connecticut and the 1st Louisiana of his own brigade under +Fiske, the 38th Massachusetts and the 128th New York of Sharpe's +brigade under James Smith, and Fessenden's brigade of Emory's +division. Next were the trains, in the same order as the troops. +Emory followed with the brigades of Beal and McMillan and the +artillery reserve under Closson. Then came Cameron, and last A. +J. Smith, in the order of Kilby Smith and Mower. + +Crossing Cane River about two miles below Grand Ecore, the line of +march traversed the length of the long island formed by the two +branches of the Red River, and recrossed the right arm at Monett's +Ferry. For the whole distance the army was once more separated +from the fleet. + +It was half-past one on the morning of the 22d before the last of +the wagons had effected the first crossing of Cane River. By three +o'clock Emory was on the south bank, and A. J. Smith at five. + +As early as the 14th of April, at Mansfield, Kirby Smith had +withdrawn Churchill and Walker from Taylor and sent them to aid in +driving Steele back into Arkansas. This left Taylor only the +infantry of Polignac, reduced to 2,000 muskets, and the reorganized +cavalry corps under Wharton, comprising the divisions of Bee, Major, +and William Steele. With this handful, Taylor undertook to hurry +Banks by blocking his communications and beating up his out-posts; +but just at that moment Banks moved and thus, by the merest chance, +brought Bee and Major, with four brigades and four batteries, +directly across his path, on the high ground at Monett's bluff, +commanding the ford and the ferry. At three o'clock in the afternoon +of the 22d, Wharton with Steele's division, supported by Polignac, +engaged Lucas sharply, compelling A. J. Smith to deploy and the +rest of the column to halt for an hour; and thus began a series of +almost continuous skirmishes that lasted nearly to Alexandria, yet +without material result. + +At seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d of April, Birge halted +for the night two miles beyond Cloutierville. Under orders inspired +by the urgency, he had been pushing on at all speed to seize the +crossing; in spite of the heat and the dust, he had led the column +at the furious pace of thirty-eight miles, perhaps forty, in +twenty-six hours; but Gooding had already found the Confederates in +strong possession, and now it seemed clear that the passage must be +forced. At nine o'clock Emory and Cameron closed on Birge and halted, +and at three in the morning A. J. Smith came up. + +At daylight on the 23d of April, Franklin moved down to the ferry +and began to reconnoitre. His wound had now become so painful as +to disable him; accordingly, after maturing his plans, he turned +over his command to Emory, with orders to dislodge the enemy and +to open the way. With equal skill, care, and vigor, Emory instantly +set about this critical task, upon which the fate of the army may +almost to have said depended, and with this the safety of the fleet. + +The grounds on which the Union army found itself was, like the +whole island, low and flat and largely covered with a thick growth +of cane and willow. Near the river the soil was moreover swampy +and the brakes were for the most part impenetrable. On the high +bluff opposite, masked by the trees, stood Bee with the brigades +of Debray and Terrell, Major with his two brigades under Baylor +and Bagby, and the twenty-four guns of McMahon, Moseley, West, and +Nettles. The position was too strong and too difficult of approach +to be taken by a direct attack save at a great cost. Through the +labyrinthine morass that lay between the ferry and the river's +mouth Bailey and E. J. Davis searched in vain for a practicable +ford. Nothing remained but to try the other flank. + +Birge with his temporary division augmented by Cameron's, without +artillery and with no horsemen save a few mounted men of the 13th +Connecticut, was to march back, to ford Cane River two miles above +the bluff, and by a wide detour to sweep down upon the Confederate +left. + +To amuse the enemy and to draw his attention away from Birge, Emory, +who had yielded his division to McMillan, caused him to deploy the +First and Second brigades under Beal and Rust, and to threaten the +crossing directly in front, while Closson advanced his guns and +kept up a steady and well judged fire against the Confederate +position on the hill. + +Birge took up the line of march at nine o'clock. His progress was +greatly delayed not only by the passage of Cane River, where the +water was waist-deep, but also by the swampy and broken ground, +and by the dense undergrowth through which he had to force his way. +Thus the afternoon was well advanced before he found the position +of the Confederates on a hill, with their right flank resting on +a deep ravine, and their left upon a marsh and a small lake, drained +by a muddy bayou that wound about the foot of the hill. Up to this +point Fiske had led the advance. Now, in deploying, after emerging +from the thicket, he found himself before the enemy's centre, while +Fessenden confronted their left. Fiske formed his men in two lines, +the 13th Connecticut and the 1st Louisiana in front, supported by +James Smith with the 38th Massachusetts and the 128th New York. +To Fessenden Birge gave the duty of carrying the hill. + +Behind a hedge and a high fence Fessenden deployed his brigade from +right to left in the order of the 165th New York, the 173d New +York, the 30th Maine, and the 162d New York. Directly before them, +on the other side of the fence, was an open field inclining toward +the front in a gentle slope, and traversed at the foot by a second +and stouter fence, beyond which a sandy knoll arose, covered with +trees, bushes, and fallen timber. On the crest the enemy stood, +Bee having changed front to the left and rear as soon as he made +out the movement of Birge. + +Stopping but to throw down the fence, at the word Fessenden's whole +line ran across the field to the foot of the hill. There the +brigade quickly re-formed for the ascent, and then, with Fessenden +at the head, charged stiffly up the difficult slope straight in +the teeth of the hot fire of Bee's dismounted troopers. Many fell, +among them Fessenden with a bad hurt, the 165th New York found +itself hindered by the marsh, but gallantly led on by Hubbard, by +Conrady, and by Blanchard the 30th Maine, the 173d New York, and +the 162d New York won the crest and opened fire on the retreating +foe. Once more halting to re-form his lines, Birge swept on, gained +the farther hill without much trouble, and moving to the left +uncovered the crossing. Birge's loss in this engagement was about +200, of whom 153 were in Fessenden's brigade, and of these 86 in +the 30th Maine. In leading the charge across the open ground +Fessenden was severely wounded in the leg, and the command of his +brigade fell to Lieutenant-Colonel Blanchard. + +As soon as Emory, on the north bank of Cane River, heard the noise +of the battle on the opposite heights, he posted five guns under +Closson (two of Hinkle's twenty-pounder Parrotts, one gun of Nields' +1st Delaware, one of Hebard's 1st Vermont, and one of the 25th New +York battery), to silence the Confederate artillery on their right, +in front of the crossing, well supported by the 116th New York, +and deployed his skirmishers as if for an assault. Tempted by the +exposed position of these guns, Bee sent a detachment across the +river to capture them, but Love easily threw off the attack; and, +seeing this, Chrysler, whose regiment, the 2d New York Veteran +Cavalry, was dismounted in skirmishing order on the left, at once +led his men in pursuit and seized the crossing. + +Bee retreated rapidly to Beasley's, thirty miles away to the +southward on the Fort Jesup road, without making any further effort +to stay or trouble the retreat of Banks. + +Word coming from Davis that he had been unable to find a crossing +below, Emory, when he saw the enemy in retreat, sent Chrysler and +Crebs in pursuit, supported by Cameron. However, this came to +nothing, for Chrysler naturally enough followed the small Confederate +rear-guard that held to the main road toward Alexandria. + +The pontoon bridge was at once laid, and being completed soon after +dark, the march was continued by night, McMillan, with Beal and +Rust, moving six miles to the reversed front to cover the trains. + +About ten o'clock on the same morning Wharton charged down on Kilby +Smith, who was moving up to the rear of A. J. Smith's command and +of the army, but was driven off after a fight lasting an hour. + +By two o'clock on the afternoon of April 24th, Beal's men being on +the south bank of Cane River, the bridge was taken up and the march +continued without further molestation by Cotile and Henderson's +Hill, the head of the column resting at night near the Bayou +Rapides. + +Marching thence at six o'clock on the morning of the 25th of April, +the head of the column arrived at Alexandria at two o'clock that +afternoon, and on the following day A. J. Smith brought up the +rear. Here the fleet, with the exception of the ill-fated _Eastport_, +was found lying in safety, yet unfortunately above the falls. + +Here, too, early on the 27th came Hunter, with fresh and very +positive orders from Grant to Banks, bearing date the 17th, requiring +him to bring the expedition to an immediate end, to turn over his +command at once to the next in rank, and to go himself to New +Orleans. In truth, this was but the culmination of an earnest and +persistent wish on Grant's part, shown even as far back as the +beginning of the campaign, to replace Banks in command by Hunter +or another. When, afterward, Grant came to learn of the perilous +situation of the fleet, and moreover perceived that none of the +troops engaged in the expedition could be in time to take part in +the spring campaigns east of the Mississippi, he suspended these +orders, and, without recalling that portion of them that required +Banks to go to New Orleans, directed the operations for the rescue +of the navy to go on under the senior commander present. In any +case, however, it was now clearly impossible to abandon the fleet +in its dangerous and helpless position above the rapids, with the +river falling, and an active enemy on both banks. + +And Steele,--where was Steele all this time? Having rejected +Banks's advice to join him near Alexandria, marching by way of +Monroe and so down the Ouachita, Steele set out from Little Rock +on the 24th of March, moved by his right on Arkadelphia, and arrived +there on the 28th. His object in preferring this direction was, +not only to avoid the heavy roads in the low lands of the Ouachita, +but to take up Thayer, who was already on the march from Fort Smith, +thus making a fourth concentration in the enemy's country. The +exigencies of the wretched farce called a State election in Arkansas +had reduced Steele's effective force by fully 3,000, so that he +now moved with barely 7,000 of all arms, and six batteries. Opposed +to Steele was Price, with the cavalry divisions of Fagan and +Marmaduke, the former at Spring Hill to meet the advance from +Arkadelphia, and the latter at Camden, to guard the line of the +Ouachita. To strengthen himself, Price drew in Cabell and Maxey, +who with three brigades were at first engaged in watching Thayer. + +On the 1st of April, hearing nothing from Thayer, Steele advanced +from Arkadelphia, crossed the Little Missouri at Elkin's Ferry on +the 3d, was joined by Thayer on the 6th, and on the 10th had a +sharp engagement with an outlying brigade, under Shelby, of Price's +army. Price was then at Prairie d'Ane, covering the crossing of +the roads that led to Camden and to Shreveport, but on the evening +of the 11th he drew back beyond the prairie to a strong position +eight miles north of Washington. To have followed Price would have +been to put Steele's long and lengthening line of communication at +the mercy of Marmaduke. This was what Price wanted; but when, on +the 12th, Steele saw the road to Camden left open, he promptly took +it, and, harried by Price in his rear, and not seriously impeded +by Marmaduke in his front, he marched into Camden on the 15th, and +occupied the strong line of the Confederate defences. This was +four days after the return of Banks to Grand Ecore, which of course +put an end to any farther advance of Steele in the direction of +Shreveport, and while he was waiting for authentic news, Price was +busy on his line of communication with Pine Bluff, and Kirby Smith, +with Churchill and Walker, was moving rapidly to join Price. On +the 20th of April Kirby Smith appeared before the lines of Camden; +but Steele had already begun his inevitable retreat a few hours +earlier, and having destroyed the bridge across the Ouachita, gained +so long a start that he was enabled make good the difficult crossing +of the Saline at Jenkins's Ferry, but only after a hard fight on +the 30th of April with the combined forces of Smith and Price. +Finally, the 2d of May saw Steele back at Little Rock with his army +half starved, greatly reduced in men and material in these six +ineffectual weeks, thinking no longer of Halleck's wide schemes of +conquest, or even of Grant's wish to hold the line of the Red River, +but rather hoping for some stroke of good fortune to enable him to +defend the line of the Arkansas and to keep Price out of Missouri. + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +THE DAM. + +Directly after the capture of Port Hudson, Bailey offered to float +the two Confederate transport steamers, _Starlight_ and _Red Chief_, +that were found lying on their sides high and almost dry in the +middle of Thompson's Creek. With smiles and a shrug or two permission +was given him to try; he tried; he succeeded; and this experience +it undoubtedly was that caused his words to be listened to so +readily when he now proposed to rescue the fleet in the same way. +But to build at leisure and unmolested a pair of little wing-dams +in the ooze of Thompson's creek and to close the opening by a +central boom against that sluggish current was one thing; it was +quite another to repeat the same operation against time, while +surrounded and even cut off by a strong and active enemy, this too +on the scale required to hold back the rushing waters of the Red +River, at a depth sufficient for the passage of the heaviest of +the gunboats and for a time long enough to let the whole fleet go +by. Yet, bold as the bare conception seems, and stupendous as the +work looks when regarded in detail, no sooner had it been suggested +by Bailey then every engineer in the army at once entered heartily +into the scheme. Palfrey, who had previously made a complete survey +of the rapids, examined the plan carefully, and approved it. +Franklin, to whose staff Bailey was attached, himself an engineer +of distinguished attainments and wide experience, approved it, and +Banks at once gave orders to carry it out. + +In the month that had elapsed since the fleet ascended the rapids, +the river had fallen more than six feet; for more than a mile the +rocks now lay bare. In the worst places but forty inches of water +were found, while with seven feet the heavy gunboats could barely +float, and in some places the channel, shallow as it was, narrowed +to a thread. The current ran nine miles an hour. The whole fall +was thirteen feet, and at the point just above the lower chute, +where Bailey proposed to construct his dam, the river was 758 feet +wide, with a fall of six feet below the dam. The problem was how +to raise the water above the dam seven feet, backing it up so as +to float the gunboats over the upper rapids. + +Heavy details were made from the troops, the working parties were +carefully selected, and on the 30th of April the work was begun. +From the north bank a wing-dam was constructed of large trees, the +butts tied by cross logs, the tops laid towards the current, covered +with brush, and weighted, to keep them in place, with stone and +brick obtained by tearing down the buildings in the neighborhood. +On the south bank, where large trees were scarce, a crib was made +of logs and timbers filled in with stone and with bricks and heavy +pieces of machinery taken from the neighboring sugar-houses and +cotton-gins. When this was done there remained an open space of +about one hundred and fifty feet between the wings, through which +the rising waters poured with great velocity. This gap was nearly +closed by sinking across it four of the large Mississippi coal-barges +belonging to the navy. + +When on the 8th of May all was thus complete, the water was found +to have risen five feet four and a half inches at the upper fall, +giving a measured depth there of eight feet eight and one half +inches. Three of the light-draught gunboats, _Osage, Neosho_, and +_Fort Hindman_, which had steam up, took prompt advantage of the +rise to pass the upper fall, and soon lay in safety in the pool +formed by the dam; yet for some reason the other boats of the fleet +were not ready, and thus in the very hour when safety was apparently +within their reach, suddenly they were once more exposed to a danger +even greater than before. Early on the morning of the 9th the +tremendous pressure of pent-up waters surging against the dam drove +out two of the barges, making a gap sixty-six feet wide, and swung +them furiously against the rocks below. Through the gap the river +rushed in a roaring torrent. At sight and sound of this, the +Admiral at once mounted a horse, galloped to the upper fall, and +called out to the _Lexington_ to run the rapids. Instantly the +_Lexington_ was under way, and as, with a full head of steam she +made the plunge, every man in the army and the fleet held his breath +in the terrible silence of suspense. For a moment she seemed lost +as she reeled and almost disappeared in the foam and surge, but +only to be greeted with a mighty cheer, such as brave men give to +courage and good fortune, when she was seen to ride in safety below. +The _Osage_, the _Neosho_, and the _Fort Hindman_ promptly followed +her down the chute, but the other six gunboats and the two tugs +were still imprisoned above by the sudden sinking of the swift +rushing waters; the jaws of danger, for an instant relaxed, had +once more shut tightly on the prey. Doubt and gloom took the place +of exultation. As for the army, hard as had been the work demanded +of it, still greater exertions were before it, nor was their result +by any means certain, for the volume of the river was daily +diminishing, and there would be no more rise that year. + +So far Bailey had substantially followed, though on a larger scale, +the same plan that had worked so successfully the year before at +Port Hudson. But against a weight, a volume, and a velocity of +water such as had to be encountered here, it was now plainly seen +that something else would have to be tried. No emergency, however +great or sudden, ever finds a man of his stamp unready. As soon +therefore as the collapse showed him the defect in his first plan, +he instantly set about remedying it by dividing the weight of water +to be contended with. At the upper fall three wing-dams were +constructed. Just above the rocks a stone crib was laid on the +south side, and directly opposite to this on the north side a +tree-dam, like those already described when speaking of the original +dam. Just below the rocks, projecting diagonally from the north +bank, a bracket-dam was built, made of logs having one end sunk to +meet the current, the other end raised on trestles, and the whole +then sheathed with plank. By this means the whole current was +turned into one very narrow channel, and a new rise of fourteen +inches was gained, giving in all six feet six and one half inches +of water. Every man bending himself to this task to his utmost, +by the most incredible exertions this new work was completed in +three days and three nights, and thus during the 12th and 13th the +remainder of the fleet passed free of the danger. + +The cribs were washed away during the spring rise in 1865; but it +is said that the main tree-dam survives to this day, having driven +the channel towards the south shore, and washed away a large slice +of the bank at the upper end of the town of Alexandria. + +For his part in the conception and execution of this great undertaking, +Bailey received the thanks of Congress on the 11th of June, 1864, +and was afterward made a brigadier-general by the President. + +The troops engaged in constructing the dam were the 97th colored, +Colonel George D. Robinson; the 99th colored, Lieutenant-Colonel +Uri B. Pearsall; the 29th Maine, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles S. +Emerson; the 133d New York, a detail of 300 men, under Captain +Anthony J. Allaire; the 161st New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. B. +Kinsey; the pioneers of the Thirteenth Army Corps, 125 in number, +commanded by Captain John B. Hutchens of the 24th Indiana, and +composed of men detailed from the 11th, 24th, 34th, 46th, 47th, +and 67th Indiana, the 48th, 56th, 83d, and 96th Ohio, the 24th and +28th Iowa, the 23d and 29th Wisconsin, 130th Illinois, and 19th +Kentucky; 460 men of the 27th Indiana, 29th Wisconsin, 19th Kentucky, +130th Illinois, 83d Ohio, 24th Iowa, 23d Wisconsin, 77th Illinois, +and 16th Ohio, commanded by Captain George W. Stein of the latter +regiment. + +Bailey was also greatly assisted by a detail from the navy, under +Lieutenant Amos R. Langthorne, commanding the _Mound City_. Besides +these officers, all of whom rendered service the most laborious +and the most valuable, Bailey acknowledges his indebtedness to +Brigadier-General Dwight, Colonel James Grant Wilson, and Lieutenant +Charles S. Sargent of Banks's staff; to Major W. H. Sentell, 160th +New York, provost-marshal; Lieutenant John J. Williamson, ordnance +officer of the Nineteenth Corps; and Lieutenant Sydney Smith +Fairchild, 161st New York. + +All this time the army lying about Alexandria, to secure the safety +of the navy, was itself virtually invested by the small but active +forces under Taylor, who now found himself, not only foot loose, +but once more able to use for his supplies the channel of the upper +Red River, whence he had caused the obstructions to be removed as +soon as the withdrawal of Banks relieved all fears of invasion, +and turned the thoughts of the Confederate chiefs to dreams of +conquest. + +On the 31st of March Grant had peremptorily ordered the evacuation +of the coast of Texas save only the position held at the mouth of +the Rio Grande, and Banks, as soon as he received this order, had +ordered McClernand to join him with the bulk of his troops, consisting +of the First and Second divisions of the Thirteenth Corps. +McClernand, with Lawler's brigade of the former, arrived at Alexandria +on the 29th of April; Warren, with the rest of his division, was +on his way up the Red River, when he found himself cut off near +Marksville. Then he seized Fort De Russy and held it until the +campaign ended. + +Brisk skirmishing went on from day to day between the outposts and +advanced guards, yet Banks, though he had five men to one of +Taylor's,(1) held fast by his earthworks without making any real +effort to crush or to drive off his adversary, while on their part +the Confederates refrained from any serious attempt to interrupt +the navigation of the lower Red River until the evening of the 3d +of May, when near David's Ferry Major attacked and, after a sharp +fight, took the transport _City Belle_, which he caught coming up +the river with 425 officers and men of the 120th Ohio. Many were +killed or wounded, and many others taken prisoner, a few escaping +through the forest. Major then sunk the steamboat across the +channel and thus closed it. Early on the morning of the 5th of +May Major, with Hardeman's and Lane's cavalry brigades and West's +battery, met just above Fort De Russy the gunboats _Signal_ and +_Covington_, and the transport steamer _Warner_, and after a short +and hard fight disabled all three of the boats. The _Covington_ +was set on fire by her commander and destroyed, but the _Signal_ +and _Warner_ fell into the hands of the Confederates with many of +the officers and men of the three boats, and of a detachment of +about 250 men of the 56th Ohio, on the _Warner_. These captured +steamers, also, were sunk across the channel. + +On the 2d of May, Franklin's wound compelling him to go to New +Orleans and presently to the North, Banks assigned Emory to the +command of the Nineteenth Army Corps. This brought McMillan to +the head of the First division and gave his brigade to Beal. +Captain Frederic Speed was announced as Assistant Adjutant-General +of the Corps. A few days later, in consequence of McClernand's +illness, Lawler was given the command of the Thirteenth Corps. + +(1) Banks's return for April 30th shows 33,502 officers and men for +duty. May 10th, Taylor says: "To keep this up with my little +force of scarce 6,000 men, I am compelled to 'eke out the lion's +skin with the fox's hide.'" ("Official Records," vol. xxxiv., part +I., p. 590.) He does not count his cavalry. + + +CHAPTER XXIX. +LAST DAYS IN LOUISIANA. + +On the 13th of May Banks marched from Alexandria on Simmesport, +Lawler leading the infantry column, Emory next, and A. J. Smith's +divisions of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps bringing up the +rear. As far as Fort De Russy the march followed the bank of the +river, with the object of covering the withdrawal of the fleet of +gunboats and transports against any possible molestation. Steele's +cavalry division hung upon and harassed the rear, Polignac, Major, +and Bagby hovered in front and on the flanks, while Harrison followed +on the north bank of the Red River, but no serious attempt was made +to obstruct the movement. On the afternoon of the 15th the +Confederates were seen in force in front of the town of Marksville, +but were soon driven off and retired rapidly through the town. + +On the morning of the 16th of May an event took place, described +by all who saw it as the finest military spectacle they ever +witnessed. On the wide and rolling prairie of Avoyelles, otherwise +known as the Plains of Mansura, the Confederates stood for the last +time across the line of march of the retreating army. As battery +after battery went into action and the cavalry skirmishers became +briskly engaged, it seemed as if a pitched battle were imminent. +The infantry rapidly formed line of battle, Mower on the right, +Kilby Smith next, Emory in the centre, Lawler on the left, the main +body of Arnold's cavalry in column on the flank. Save where here +and there the light smoke from the artillery hindered the view, +the whole lines of both armies were in plain sight of every man in +either, but the disparity in numbers was too great to justify Taylor +in making more than a handsome show of resistance on a field like +this, where defeat was certain, and destruction must have followed +close upon defeat; and so when our lines were advanced he prudently +withdrew. Banks's losses were small, but Lieutenant Haskin's +horse-battery F, 1st U. S., being unavoidably exposed in spite of its +skilful handling, to a hot enfilade fire of the Confederate artillery, +to cover their flank movement in retreat, suffered rather severely. + +In the afternoon the troops halted for a while on the banks of a +little stream to enjoy the first fresh, clear water they had so +much as seen for many weeks. At the sight the men broke into +cheers, and almost with one accord rushed eagerly to the banks of +the rivulet. That night the army bivouacked eight miles from the +Atchafalaya, and early the next morning, the 17th of May, marched +down to the river at Simmesport, where the transports and the +gunboats, having arrived two days earlier, lay waiting. Near +Moreauville on the 17th the rear-guard of cavalry was sharply +attacked by Wharton; at the same time Debray, lying in ambush with +two regiments and a battery, opened fire on the flank of the moving +column. While this was going on the two other regiments of Debray +made a dash on the wagon-train near the crossing of Yellow Bayou, +and threw it into some momentary confusion. Neither of these +attacks were serious, and all were easily thrown off. + +The next day, the 18th, A. J. Smith's command was in position near +Yellow Bayou to cover the crossing of the Atchafalaya, and he was +himself at the landing at Simmesport, in the act of completing his +arrangements for crossing, when Taylor suddenly attacked with his +whole force. Mower, who commanded in Smith's absence, advanced +his lines as soon as he found his skirmishers coming in, and thus +brought on one of the sharpest engagements of the campaign. With +equal judgment, skill, and daring, Mower finally drove the Confederates +off the field in confusion and with heavy loss, and so brought to +a brilliant close the part borne by the gallant soldiers of the +Army of the Tennessee in their trying service in Louisiana. Mower's +loss was 38 killed, 226 wounded, and 3 missing, in all 267. Taylor +reports his loss as about 500, including 30 killed, 50 severely +wounded, and about 100 prisoners from Polignac's division. The +Confederate returns account for 452 killed and wounded. + +At Simmesport the skill and readiness of Bailey were once more put +to good use in improvising a bridge of steamboats across the +Atchafalaya. In his report, Banks speaks of this as the first +attempt of the kind, probably forgetting, since it did not fall +under his personal observation, that when the army moved on Port +Hudson the year before, the last of the troops and trains crossed +the river at the same place in substantially the same way. However, +the Atchafalaya was then low: it was now swollen to a width of six +hundred or seven hundred yards by the back water from the Mississippi, +and thus the floating bridge, which the year before was made by +lashing together not more than nine boats, with their gangways in +line, connected by means of the gangplanks and rough boards, now +required twenty-two boats to close the gap. Over this bridge, on +the 19th of May, the troops took up their march in retreat, and so +brought the disastrous campaign of the Red River to an end just a +year after they had begun, in the same way and on the same spot, +the triumphant campaign of Port Hudson. + +On the 20th A. J. Smith crossed, the bridge was broken up, and in +the evening the whole army marched for the Mississippi. On the +21st, at Red River landing, the Nineteenth Corps bade farewell to +its brave comrades of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth. + +A. J. Smith landed at Vicksburg on the 23d of May too late for the +part assigned him in the spring campaign of Sherman's army, and +the operations on the Mississippi being now reduced to the defensive, +he remained on the banks of the river until called on to repulse +Price's invasion of Missouri. Then, having handsomely performed +his share of this service, he joined Thomas just in time to take +part in the decisive battle of Nashville. + +At Simmesport Banks was met by Canby, who on the 11th of May, at +Cairo or on the way thence to Memphis, had assumed command of the +new-made Military Division of West Mississippi, in virtue of orders +from Washington, dated the 7th. The President still refused to +yield to Grant's repeated requests that Banks might be altogether +relieved from his command, nor did Grant longer persist in this; +accordingly Banks remained the titular commander of the Department +of the Gulf, with a junior officer present as his immediate superior +and his next subordinate in actual command of his troops. + +The Thirteenth and Nineteenth Corps, the cavalry, and the trains +continued the march, under Emory, and on the 22d of May went into +camp at Morganza. + +From the Arkansas to the Gulf, from the Atchafalaya to the Rio +Grande there was no longer a Union soldier, save the insignificant +garrison kept at Brownsville to preserve the semblance of that +foothold in Texas for the sake of which so much blood and treasure +had been spilled into this sink of shame. + +When Steele's retreat to Little Rock had put an end to all hopes +of a successful pursuit, Kirby Smith faced about and set Walker in +rapid motion toward Alexandria with Churchill closely following. +A day or two after Banks had left the place Walker arrived at +Alexandria, too late to do anything more in Louisiana. + +Taylor quarrelled bitterly with Kirby Smith, who ended by ordering +him to turn over his command to Walker. Leaving a small force to +hold the country and to observe and annoy the Union army of occupation +in Louisiana, Kirby Smith then gathered his forces, and passing by +Steele's right flank, invaded Missouri. + +After arriving at Morganza, Emory, by Canby's orders, put his command +in good condition for defence or for a movement in any direction +by sending to other stations all the troops except the Nineteenth +Corps and the First division, Lawler's, of the Thirteenth Corps, +as well as all the extra animals, wagons, and baggage of the army. +For the sedentary defensive, the position at Morganza had many +advantages, but except that good water for all purposes was to be +had in plenty for the trouble of crossing the levee, the situation +was perhaps the most unfortunate in which the corps was ever +encamped. The heat was oppressive and daily growing more unbearable. +The rude shelters of bushes and leaves, cut fresh from the neighboring +thicket and often renewed, gave little protection; the levee and +the dense undergrowth kept off the breeze; and such was the state +of the soil that when it was not a cloud of light and suffocating +dust, it was a sea of fat black mud. The sickly season was close +at hand, the field and general hospitals were filled, and the deaths +were many. The mosquitoes were at their worst; but worse than all +were the six weeks of absolute idleness, broken only by an occasional +alarm or two, such as led to the brief expedition of Grover's +division to Tunica and Natchez. + +At first Canby intended to use the Nineteenth Corps as a sort of +marine patrol or coast-guard, with its trains and artillery and +cavalry reduced to the lowest point, and the main body of the +infantry kept always ready to embark on a fleet of transports +specially assigned for the service and to go quickly to any point +up or down the Mississippi or the adjacent waters that might be +menaced or attacked by the enemy. The orders for the organization +and equipment of the corps in this manner form a model of forethought +and of minute attention to detail, yet as events turned out, they +were never put in practice. + +Toward the end of June the corps underwent at the hands of Canby +the last of its many reorganizations.(1) The First and Second +divisions were left substantially as they had been during the +campaign just ended, but the Thirteenth Corps being broken up,(2) +seventeen of its best regiments were taken to form for the Nineteenth +Corps a new Third division, under Lawler. Emory, who was suffering +from the effects of the climate and the hardships of the campaign, +had just applied for leave of absence, supposing that all idea of +a movement during the summer was at an end, and Canby, having +granted this, assigned Reynolds to command the corps, to which, in +truth, his rank and record entitled him, and gave the First division, +Emory's own, to Roberts, a total stranger. Upon this, and learning +of the movement about to be made, Emory at once threw up his leave +of absence, and Reynolds, noting with the eye of a soldier the deep +and widespread disappointment among the officers and men of the +corps, magnanimously persuaded Canby to leave the command of the +Nineteenth Army Corps, for the time being, to Emory, while Reynolds +himself commanded the forces at Morganza. The brigades of the First +division were commanded by Beal, McMillan, and Currie. Grover kept +the Second division with Birge, Molineux, and Sharpe as brigade +commanders, and afterward a fourth brigade was added, made up of +four regiments from the disbanded Thirteenth Corps, under Colonel +David Shunk of the 8th Indiana, and comprising, in addition to his +own regiment, the 24th and 28th Iowa, and the 18th Indiana. At +this later period also the 1st Louisiana was taken from Molineux's +brigade to remain in the Gulf, and its place was filled by the 11th +Indiana and the 22d Iowa. Lawler's new Third division had Lee, +Cameron, and Colonel F. W. Moore of the 83d Ohio for brigade +commanders. This was a splendid division, on both sides congenial; +unfortunately it was not destined to see service with the corps. + +Three great reviews broke the torrid monotony of Morganza. On the +11th of June Emory reviewed the corps in a tropical torrent, which +suddenly descending drenched every man to the skin and reduced the +field music to discord, without interrupting the ceremony. On the +14th the troops again passed in review before Sickles, who had been +sent to Louisiana on a tour of inspection, and finally on the 25th +Reynolds reviewed the forces at Morganza on taking the command. + +Grant's orders to Canby were the same as those he had given to +Banks, to go against Mobile. + +This was indeed an integral and important, though strictly subordinate, +part of the comprehensive plan adopted by the lieutenant-general +for the spring campaign. Besides distracting the attention of the +Confederates, and either drawing off a large part of their forces +from Sherman's front or else causing them to give up Mobile without +a struggle, the control of the Alabama River would give Sherman a +secure base of supplies and a safe line of retreat in any contingency, +while the occupation of a line from Atlanta to Mobile would, as +Grant remarked, "once more split the Confederacy in twain." + +But while in Louisiana the troops stood still, awaiting the full +completion of Canby's exhaustive preparations, elsewhere events +were marching with great rapidity. On the 3d of June Grant's +campaign from the Rappahannock to the James came to an end in the +bloody repulse of Cold Harbor, with the loss of 12,737 officers +and men. On the 14th he crossed the James and sat down before +Petersburg. In the six weeks that had passed since the Army of +the Potomac made its way into the Wilderness, Grant had lost from +the ranks of the two armies of the Potomac and the James nearly as +many men as Lee had in the Army of Northern Virginia.(3) + +While he was himself directing the movement of Meade and Butler +against Richmond and Petersburg, Grant ordered Hunter, who commanded +in the Shenandoah Valley, to march by Charlottesville on Lynchburg, +and sent Sheridan, with the cavalry on a great raid to Charlottesville +to meet Hunter; but Lee sent Early to intercept the movement, and +Early, moving with the speed and promptness to which Jackson's old +corps was well used, got to Lynchburg in time to head Hunter off. +Then Hunter, rightly deeming his position precarious, instead of +retreating down the valley, made his escape across the mountains +into West Virginia. This left the gates of the great valley +thoroughfare wide open for Early, who, instantly marching north, +once more invaded Maryland, harried Pennsylvania, and menaced +Washington. + +It was at this crisis, when nothing was being accomplished in +Louisiana and everything was happening in Virginia, that Grant +ordered Canby to put off his designs on Mobile and to send the +Nineteenth Corps with all speed to Hampton Roads.(4) Canby understood +this to mean the First and Second divisions, and placed Emory in +command of this detachment. On the 30th of June the two divisions +began moving down the river to Algiers, and on the 3d of July the +advance steamed out of the river into the Gulf of Mexico with sealed +orders. When the steamer _Crescent_, which led the way, carrying +the 153d New York and four companies of the 114th, had dropped her +pilot outside of the passes, Davis broke the seal and for the first +time learned his destination. Within a few days the remainder of +the First division followed, without Roberts, Emory accompanied by +the headquarters of the expedition going on the _Mississippi_ on +the 5th of July, with the 30th Massachusetts, the 90th New York, +and the 116th New York, but transferring himself at the Southwest +Pass to the _Creole_, in his impatience at finding the _Mississippi_ +aground and his anxiety to come up with the advance of his troops. +The _Crescent_ was the first to arrive before Fortress Monroe. +The last regiment of the Third brigade sailed on the 11th. Grover's +division began its embarkation about the 10th and finished about +the 20th. + +In this movement some of the best regiments of the corps were left +behind, as well as all the cavalry and the whole of the magnificent +park of field artillery. Among the troops thus cut off were the +110th New York, the 161st New York, the 7th Vermont, the 6th +Michigan, the 4th Wisconsin, the 1st Indiana Heavy Artillery, the +1st Louisiana, and the 2d Louisiana Mounted Infantry. Reynolds +with the corps headquarters and the new Third division remained in +Louisiana. Since this came from the old Thirteenth Corps, was +afterward incorporated in the new Thirteenth Corps, formed for the +siege of Mobile, never saw service in the Nineteenth Corps and +nominally belonged to it but a few days, and since the detachment +now sent north was presently constituted the Nineteenth Corps, the +title of the corps will hereafter be used in this narrative when +speaking of the services of the First and Second divisions. + +On the 14th of June Major William H. Sentell, of the 160th New +York, was detailed by Emory as acting assistant inspector-general +of the corps, and Captain Henry C. Inwood, of the 165th New York,(5) +as provost marshal. + +To regret leaving the lowlands of Louisiana at the sickly season, +the poisonous swamps, the filthy water, the overpowering heat, and +the intolerable mosquitoes, was impossible; yet there can have been +no man in all that host that did not feel, as the light, cool +breezes of the Gulf fanned his brow, a swelling of the heart and +a tightness of the throat at the thought of all that he had seen +and suffered, and the remembrance of the many thousands of his less +fortunate comrades who had succumbed to the dangers and trials on +which he himself was now turning his back for the last time. + +(1) Begun about June 16th. The final orders are dated June 27th. + +(2) By orders from Washington, issued at Canby's request, June 11th. + +(3) From the 5th of May to the 15th of June Meade's losses were +51,908, and Butler's 9,234, together 61,142. The best estimates +give 61,000 to 64,000 as Lee's strength at the Wilderness, or 78,400 +from the Rappahannock to the James,--"Century War Book," vol. iv., +pp. 182-187. + +(4) The first suggestion seems to have come from Butler to Stanton, +May 29th, Weitzel concurring. Grant disapproved this in a telegram +dated 3 P.M., June 3d: the second assault had been made that morning. +The movement across the James for the surprise and seizure of +Petersburg came to a stand-still on the 18th. On the 23d Grant +made the request and the orders were issued the next day. + +(5) In the official records wrongly printed as the 160th. + + +CHAPTER XXX. +ON THE POTOMAC. + +Grant had meant to send the troops to join the Army of the James +under Butler at Bermuda Hundred, but already the dust of Early's +columns was in sight from the hills behind Washington, and the +capital, though fully fortified, being practically without defenders, +until the Sixth Corps should come to the rescue, in the stress of +the moment the detachments of the Nineteenth Corps were hurried up +the Potomac as fast as the transports entered the roads. It was +noon on the 11th when Davis landed the fourteen companies from the +_Crescent_ at the wharves of Washington, where he found orders to +occupy and hold Fort Saratoga.(1) + +At the hour when Davis was disembarking at the southern end of +Sixth Street wharf, Early's headquarters were at Silver Spring, +barely five miles away to the northward, and his skirmishers were +drawing within range of the guns of Fort Stevens. Behind the +defences of Washington there were but twenty thousand soldiers of +all arms. Of these less than half formed the garrison of the works, +and even of this fraction nearly all were raw, undisciplined, +uninstructed, and lacking the simplest knowledge of the ground they +were to defend. But five days before this, Grant had taken Ricketts +from the lines of the Sixth Corps before Petersburg, and sent him +by water to Baltimore, whence his superb veterans were carried by +rail to the Monocacy just in time to enable Wallace, with a chance +medley of garrison and emergency men, to face Early on the 9th, +and compel him to lose a day in crossing. Then, at last, made +quite certain of Early's true position and plans, Grant hurried +the rest of the Sixth Corps to the relief of Washington, and thus +the steamboat bearing the advance of Wright's men touched the wharf +about two hours after the _Crescent_ had made fast. The guns of +Fort Stevens were already heard shelling the approaches, and thither +Wright was at once directed, but in the great heat and dust Early +had pressed on so fast that his men arrived before the works parched +with thirst and panting with exhaustion. Moreover, evening came +before the rear of his column had closed up on the front, and during +these critical hours Wright's strong divisions of the veterans of +the Army of the Potomac lined the works and stood stiffly across +the path, while in supporting distance to the eastward was the +little handful from the Gulf. Early, who had seen something of +this and imagined more, waited, and so his opportunity, great or +little, went. On the afternoon of the next day, the 12th of July, +Early still not attacking, Wright sent out a brigade and roughly +pushed back the Confederate advance. Then Early, realizing that +he had not an hour to lose in extricating his command from its +false position, fell back at night on Rockville. + +On the 13th of July the _Clinton_ arrived at Washington with the +29th Maine and part of the 13th Maine, the _St. Mary_ with the 8th +Vermont, the _Corinthian_ with the remaining six companies of the +114th New York, the _Mississippi_ with the 90th and 116th New York +and the 30th Massachusetts, the _Creole_ with the 47th Pennsylvania. +As the detachments landed they were hurried, in most instances by +long and needless circuits to Tennallytown, where they found +themselves at night without supplies or wagons, without orders, +and without much organization. + +Now that the enemy had gone and there were enough troops in +Washington, the capital was once more a wild confusion of commands +and commanders, such as seems to have prevailed at every important +crisis during the war. Out of this Grant brought order by assigning +Wright to conduct the pursuit of Early. When, therefore, on the +morning of the 13th, Wright found Early gone from his front, he +marched after him with the Sixth Corps, and ordered the detachment +of the Nineteenth Corps to follow. Grant wished Wright to push on +to Edwards Ferry to cut off Early's retreat across the Potomac. +At nightfall Wright was at Offutt's Cross-Roads, with Russell and +Getty of the Sixth corps, the handful of the Nineteenth Corps, and +the cavalry. + +About 3,600 men of Emory's division had landed at Washington during +the 12th and 13th of July, increasing the effective force of the +Nineteenth Corps to about 4,200, most of whom spent the night in +following the windings of the road that marks the long outline of +the northern fortifications. On the morning of the 14th, the +roll-call accounted for 192 officers and 2,987 men of the corps, +representing ten regiments, in the bivouacs that lay loosely +scattered about Tennallytown. On the 14th these detachments marched +ten miles and encamped beyond Offutt's Cross-Roads, where they were +joined by Battery L of the 1st Ohio, temporarily lent to the division +from the artillery reserve of the defences of Washington. Emory +himself arrived during the day and assumed command of the division, +and Dwight, relieved from duty as Banks's chief of staff, came in +the evening to rejoin the 1st brigade. Gilmore, who found himself +in Washington without assignment, had been given command of the +Nineteenth Corps, but happening to sprain his foot badly he was +obliged to go off duty after having held the assignment nominally +for less than a day. Thereupon Emory once more took command of +the corps, and the First division fell to Dwight. + +Moving by the river road, Wright, with Getty's division, was at +Poolesville on the night of the 14th, with the last of the Nineteenth +Corps eleven miles in the rear. But Early had already made good +his escape, having crossed the Potomac that morning at White's +Ford, with all his trains and captures intact, while Wright was +still south of Seneca Creek. + +The next day Emory closed up on Getty at Poolesville, and Halleck +began sending the rest of the Sixth Corps there to join Wright. + +In the Union army the impression now prevailed that Early, having +accomplished the main object of his diversion, would, as usual, +hasten to rejoin Lee at Richmond. Wright, therefore, got ready to +go back to Washington, but Early was in fact at Leesburg, and word +came that Hunter, whose forces were beginning to arrive at Harper's +Ferry, after their long and wide excursion over the Alleghanies +and through West Virginia, had sent Sullivan's division across the +Potomac at Berlin to Hillsborough, where it threatened Early's +flank and rear while exposing its own. Therefore Wright felt +obliged to cross to the support of Hunter, and on the morning of +the 16th of July the Sixth Corps, followed by Emory's detachment +of the Nineteenth, waded the Potomac at White's Ford and encamped +at Clark's Gap, three miles beyond Leesburg. But Early, by turns +bold and wary, slipped away between Wright and Hunter, marched +through Snicker's Gap, and put the Shenandoah between him and his +enemies. Caution had been enjoined on the pursuit, and the 17th +was spend in closing up and reconnoitring. On the 18th the combined +forces of Wright and Hunter marched through Snicker's Gap, and in +the afternoon Crook, who, having brought up his own division, found +himself in command of Hunter's troops, sent Thoburn across the +Shenandoah below Snicker's Ferry to seize and hold the ferry for +the passage of the army; but when Thoburn had gained the north bank +Early fell upon him with three divisions and drove him back across +the river with heavy loss. Instead of risking anything more in +the attempt to force the crossing in the face of Early's whole +force in position, Wright was mediating a turning movement by way +of Keyes's Gap, but Duffié, after riding hard through Ashby's Gap +and crossing the Shenandoah at Berry's Ferry, likewise came to +grief on the north bank, and so the day of the 19th of July was +lost. + +Meanwhile Hunter, having seen nearly all the rest of his army arrive +at Harper's Ferry, sent a brigade and a half under Hayes to march +straight up the Shenandoah to Snicker's Ferry, while Averell with +a mixed force of cavalry and infantry was sweeping down from +Martinsburg on Winchester. Thus menaced in front, flank, and rear, +Early, on the night of the 19th of July, retreated on Strasburg. + +The next morning Wright crossed the Shenandoah, meaning to move +toward Winchester, but when he learned where Early had gone he +recrossed the river in the evening, marched by night to Leesburg, +and encamped on Goose Creek, presently crossing to the south bank. +On the morning of the 22d Wright marched on Washington, the Sixth +Corps leading, followed by the Nineteenth. On the afternoon of +the 23d Emory crossed the chain bridge and went into bivouac on +the high ground overlooking the Potomac near Battery Vermont. So +ended the "Snicker's Gap war." + +During this expedition Kenly's brigade of the Eighth Corps served +with the Nineteenth. + +As soon as Early's withdrawal from Maryland had quieted all +apprehensions for the safety of Washington, the orders that had +met the advance of the Nineteenth Corps at Hampton Roads were +recalled, and, reverting to his original intention, Grant sent the +detachments of the corps as they arrived up the James River to +Bermuda Hundred to join the right wing of his armies under Butler. +Indeed, at the moment of its arrival at Poolesville, the First +division had been ordered to take the same destination, but this +the movements of the contending armies prevented. The first of +the troops to land at Bermuda Hundred was the 15th Maine on the +17th of July. It was at once sent to the right of the lines before +Petersburg, and within the next ten days there were assembled there +parts of four brigades--McMillan's and Currie's of the First +division, and Birge's and Molineux's of Grover's. Part of Currie's +brigade was engaged, under Hancock, in the affair at Deep Bottom +on the north bank of the James on the 25th of July, losing eighteen +killed and wounded and twenty-four prisoners. The work and duty +in the trenches and on the skirmishing line were hard and constant, +reminding the men of their days and nights before Port Hudson, but +this was not to last long, and the loss was light.(2) + +On the 20th of July at Carter's Farm, three miles north of Winchester, +Averell, who was following Early, met and routed Ramseur, who had +been sent back to check the pursuit. Early continued his retreat +to Strasburg on the 22d, but when the next day he learned that +Wright was gone, he turned back to punish the weak force under +Hunter, and on the 24th overwhelmed Crook at Kernstown. Crook +retreated through Martinsburg into Maryland, and marching by +Williamsport and Boonsborough, took post at Sharpsburg, while +Averell stayed at Hagerstown to watch the upper fords of the +Potomac. + +To break up the Baltimore and Ohio railway and to ravage the borders +of Pennsylvania were favorite ideas with Early. He now entered +with zest on the unopposed gratification of both desires, and while +he himself bestrode the railway at Martinsburg with his army engaged +in its destruction, he sent McCausland with his own brigade of +cavalry and Bradley Johnson's on the famous marauding expedition +that culminated in the wanton burning of Chambersburg in default +of an impossible ransom, and at last resulted in the flight of +McCausland's whole force, with Averell at his heels, and its ultimate +destruction or dispersion by Averell, after a long chase, at +Moorefield far up the south branch of the Potomac. + +When on the 23d of July he saw Wright back at Washington and Early +at Strasburg in retreat, as was imagined, up the valley, Grant +partly changed his mind about recalling the troops he had spared +for the defence of Washington, and determining to content himself +with Wright's corps, directed Emory to stay where he was. Emory +now had 253 officers and 5,320 men for duty. + +As one turn of the wheel had given the Nineteenth Corps to Butler, +restoring to his command some of the regiments that had gone with +him to the capture of New Orleans, so the next turn was to bring +the corps under Augur, who since leaving Louisiana had been in +command of the department of Washington. So at least run the orders +of the 23d of July, yet hardly had Emory reported his division to +Augur, when the whole arrangement was suddenly broken up, and the +army that had just marched back to Washington with Wright was once +more hurried off to meet what was supposed to be a fresh invasion +by Early. In fact Early was quietly reposing at Bunker Hill, where +he easily commanded the approaches and debouches of the Shenandoah +valley, the fords of the Potomac, from Harper's Ferry to Williamsport, +and the whole line of the railway across the great bend of the +Potomac. + +By this time Grant had found out that it often took twenty-four +hours to communicate with Washington by telegraph, and that it was +consequently impossible to control from the James the movements of +his forces on the upper Potomac. On his suggesting this, the +government confided to Halleck the direction of Wright's operations +against Early. The Sixth Corps marched from Tennallytown on the +morning of the 26th of July, and immediately afterwards the Nineteenth +Corps broke up its camp near the chain bridge and followed the +Sixth. The line of march followed the road to Rockville, where +Wright divided the column, sending a detachment to the left by way +of Poolesville, while the main body pursued the direct road towards +Frederick. Emory encamped that night on the Frederick road, four +miles north of Rockville, after a march of nineteen miles. The +next day, the 27th of July, Emory, leading the column, marched at +three in the morning, moved fifteen miles, and encamped beyond +Hyattstown. On the 28th Emory took the road at five, marched to +Monocacy Junction, where the Sixth Corps crossed the Monocacy, then +filed to the right, and crossed at the upper ford, and passing +through Frederick went into bivouac four miles beyond. The distance +made was thirteen miles. On the 29th, an intensely hot day, Emory +marched at eight, following the Sixth Corps, crossed the Potomac +at Harper's Ferry, marched nineteen miles, and went into bivouac +at Halltown. Here Wright was joined by Crook, who came from +Sharpsburg by way of Shepherdstown. + +It was on the 30th of July that McCausland burned Chambersburg. +In the confusion caused by his rapid movements, Halleck imagined +that Early's whole force was in Pennsylvania. Therefore he ordered +Wright back into Maryland, first to Frederick and them to Emmettsburg, +to hold the passes of the South Mountain against the supposed +invader. About noon Wright faced about, taking Crook with him, +and recrossed the Potomac. Toward evening Crook and Wright covered +the passes, while Emory crossed the Catoctin and at one in the +morning of the 31st halted near Jefferson after a hard day's march +of thirteen miles, during which the men and animals of all the +corps suffered terribly from the heat and dust, added to the +accumulated fatigue they had already undergone from a succession +of long days and short nights. Reveille was sounded at five o'clock, +and at six the march was resumed. Emory passed through Frederick, +moved about two miles on the Emmettsburg road and went into bivouac, +having made thirteen miles during the day. The army was now +concentrated at Frederick, holding the line of the Monocacy and +observing the passes of the South Mountain. Fortunately for the +men and horses, Halleck now learned from Couch, who commanded in +Pennsylvania, with rather less than a handful of troops, the exact +dimensions of McCausland's raid. Accordingly Wright's troops were +allowed to rest where they were. + +Grant ordered up a division of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac, +and on the 4th of August set out in person for Frederick, avoiding +Washington, to see for himself just what the situation was, and to +make better arrangements for the future. On the 5th of August he +joined Hunter on the Monocacy, and at once ordered him to take +Wright, Emory, and Crook across the Potomac, to find the enemy, +and to attack him. + +Grover's division and the parts of Emory's that had been at Bermuda +Hundred embarked on the James on the 31st of July, and passed up +the Potomac to Washington, but too late to join Emory on the +Monocacy. Thus, before beginning the new movement, Emory had of +his own division 4,600 effective and eight regiments of Grover's, +numbering 2,750. These, being part of four brigades, were temporarily +organized into two, and as Grover himself had not yet joined, their +command was given to Molineux. + +About this time, Battery L, 1st Ohio, was relieved from duty with +the Nineteenth Corps, and four other batteries joined it from the +reserve park at Washington. Of these Taft's 5th New York was +assigned to the First division, Bradbury's 1st Maine, an old friend, +to the Second division, Lieutenant Chase's D, 1st Rhode Island and +Miner's 17th Indiana to the Artillery Reserve, commanded at first +by Captain Taft, afterward by Major Bradbury. + +Crook led the way across the Potomac at Harper's Ferry on the +evening of the 5th of August, Emory followed the next morning, and +Ricketts with the Sixth Corps brought up the rear. Averell with +the cavalry, as will be remembered, was still far away, engaged in +the long chase after McCausland. Hunter took up his position +covering Halltown and proceeded to strengthen it by entrenchments. +Crook's left rested on the Shenandoah, Emory extended the line to +the turnpike road, and Wright carried it to the Potomac. + +On the very day Grant left City Point, Early marched north from +Bunker Hill, meaning to cover McCausland's retreat and to destroy +Hunter, and so, curiously enough, it happened that Early's whole +army actually crossed the Potomac into Maryland at Martinsburg and +Shepherdstown a few hours before Crook passed over the ford at +Harper's Ferry into Virginia; and, still more curiously, while, +ten days before, the groundless apprehension of another invasion +by Early had thrown the North into a fever and the government into +a fright, here was Early actually in Maryland on the battle-field +of Antietam without producing so much as a sensation. As soon as +Early got the first inkling of what was going on behind him, he +tripped briskly back to Martinsburg, and finding Hunter at Halltown +resumed his old position at Bunker Hill. + +Grant had already proposed to unite in a single command the four +distinct departments covering the theatre of war on the Shenandoah +and on the upper Potomac; as the commander he had first suggested +Franklin and afterward Meade. Now, since no action had followed +either suggestion, he sent up Sheridan, meaning to place him in +command of all the active forces of these four departments, for +the purpose of overthrowing Early or expelling him from the +Shenandoah. Upon learning this, Hunter, to remove the difficulty, +asked to be relieved; and thus, on the 7th of August, Grant gained +his wish, and an order was issued by the War Department, creating +the Middle Military Division, to include Washington, Virginia, West +Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and part of Ohio, and Sheridan +was assigned to the command. + +Amusing though it may have been to Early and his followers to note +the panic and confusion into which McCausland's predatory riders +once more threw the capital and the border States, this absurd +freak produced far-reaching consequences that were not in the +thoughts of any one on either side. Its first effect was to stop +the withdrawal of the Sixth Corps, and to put Wright and Emory once +more in march toward the Shenandoah. It determined Lee to keep +Early in the valley, where his presence seemed so effective; and +this shortly led to the concentration there, under a single commander, +and that commander Sheridan, of the largest and best appointed +Union army that had ever occupied that theatre of war, and thus at +last in one short campaign worked the destruction of Early's army +and the elimination of the valley as a feature in the war. + +Upon the officers and men of the Nineteenth Corps the change from +the enervating climate of Louisiana to the bracing air, the crystal +waters, the rolling wheatfields, and the beautiful blue mountains +of the Shenandoah acted like a tonic. Daily their spirits rose +and their numbers for duty increased. The excellence of the roads +and the openness of the country on either side enabled them to +achieve long marches with ease and comfort. Nor were they slow in +remarking that they had never had a commissary and quartermaster +so good as Sheridan. + +(1) About three miles N.-N.-E. from the Capitol, overlooking the +Baltimore road and railway. + +(2) In Major William F. Tiemann's truly admirable "History of the +159th New York," he says: "July 26th we were camped near Major-General +Birney's headquarters, not far from Hatcher's house between batteries +'five' and 'six,' one of which enjoyed the euphonious title of +'Fort Slaughter.' . . . The works were built more strongly +and with more art than at Port Hudson, but were not nearly as strong +in reality, as Port Hudson was fortified naturally and the obstructions +were much harder to overcome." (P. 87.) I think this book a model +of everything that a regimental history ought to be; above all, +for the rare gifts of modesty and accuracy. + + +CHAPTER XXXI. +IN THE SHENANDOAH. + +The fourth year of the war was now well advanced, and the very name +of the Shenandoah valley had long since passed into a byword as +the Valley of Humiliation, so often had those fair and fertile +fields witnessed the rout of the national forces; so often had the +armies of the Union marched proudly up the white and dusty turnpike, +only to come flying back in disorder and disgrace. With the same +rough humor of the soldier, half in grim jest, half in sad earnest, +yet always with a grain of hard sense lying at the bottom, the +Union veterans had re-named as _Harper's Weekly_ the picturesque +landscape that appeared to them so regularly; and Lee's annual +invasion of the country beyond the Potomac had come to be known +among them as the Summer Excursion and Picnic into Maryland. + +To mete out the blame for this state of things; to apportion the +precise share of the mortifying result due to each one of several +contributing causes; to show how much should be ascribed to division +and subdivision of councils; how much to the unfitness of commanders, +too often disqualified alike by nature and training, for the +leadership of men in emergencies, or even for their temporary +profession, and in truth owing their commissions, in Halleck's +phrase, to "reasons other than military;" and how much finally to +a dense ignorance or a fine disregard of the very elements and +first principles of the art of war; all this lies outside the scope +of this history, curious, entertaining, and instructive though the +inquiry would be. Certain it is that at no period was the problem +at once comprehended and controlled until Grant took it in hand, +and equally so that the work was never done until he confided it +to Sheridan. To this, in fairness, must be added three considerations +of great moment. No commander had previously enjoyed the undivided +confidence of the government as Grant did at this period; the +relations between Grant and Sheridan were those of perfect trust +and harmony; and the Army of the Shenandoah was for the first time +made strong enough for its work. Moreover, though Early was a good +and useful general, and was soon to prove himself the master of +resources and resolution equal to the occasion, he was not Jackson; +and even had he been, no second Jackson could ever have fallen heir +to the prestige of the first. + +The parallel ranges of the Blue Ridge, extending from the +head-waters of the James to the Susquehanna in mid-course, presented +peculiar strategic conditions of which the Confederates were as +quick as the government of the United States was slow to take +advantage. Rising in the southwest, the twin forks of the Shenandoah, +wedged apart by the long and narrow range, or rather ranges, known +as the Massanutten, unite near Front Royal, where the valley begins +to widen to a plain, and pour their waters into the Potomac at +Harper's Ferry. Of the two valleys thus formed, the easternmost, +through which runs the South Fork, takes the name of Luray, or, in +local usage, Page, from its chief county, while the more western +and more important, in the lap of which lies the North Fork, +preserves the name of Shenandoah, as well for the river as the +county. Through this valley lies the course of the great macadamized +highway that before the days of steam formed the chief avenue of +communication between Pennsylvania and Virginia. Soon after the +valley begins to widen, beyond Strasburg and Front Royal, the +Opequon takes its rise in the western range, here known as Little +North Mountain, and, flowing northeast, falls into the Potomac +below Williamsport. The Cumberland valley continues the valley of +Virginia into Pennsylvania, the two being separated by the Potomac, +which in this part of its course is usually fordable at many points. +Topography was by no means Grant's strong suit, yet he was not long +in perceiving that the southwesterly trend of this great valley +led and must always lead an invading column at every step farther +away, not only from its base on the Potomac, but practically also +from its objective at Richmond. Wherefore this zone was useless +to the armies of the Union, while for the Confederates it had the +triple advantage of a granary, an easy and secure way into Maryland +and Pennsylvania, and on the flank toward Washington a mountain +wall, cut by numerous gaps, of equal convenience in advance or +retreat, besides being a constant menace to Washington as well as +to the Union army operating between the Blue Ridge and the Potomac. +Thus it was that the Confederate force was able to move speedily +and unobserved to the north bank of the Potomac at Williamsport, +and there, ninety miles north of Washington, equally distant from +Baltimore and from Washington, and actually nearer to the Susquehanna +than the capital is, held the whole country at its mercy until the +Army of the Potomac could be hurried to the rescue. + +Grant's first orders to Sheridan were twofold: he was to move +south by the valley, no matter where Early might be, or what he +might be doing, in full confidence that Early would surely be found +in his front; and he was to devastate the valley so far as to +destroy its future usefulness as a granary and a storehouse of the +Confederate army of Northern Virginia. + +Following the instructions turned over to him by Hunter, Sheridan +moved out from Halltown on the 10th of August, and marching through +Charlestown, took up a position threatening the crossing of the +Opequon and Early's communications at Winchester. Crook, on the +left, rested on Berryville, Emory held the centre, and Wright +prolonged the line to Clifton. Torbert covered the right flank at +Summit Point, which lies eleven miles east-northeast from Winchester, +and the left, with the main body of the cavalry, nine miles south +by east from Winchester, at White Post, where his presence strongly +emphasized the menace to Early's rear. The position thus held +presently became known as the Clifton-Berryville line. While +worthless for defence, it had the double advantage of covering the +short roads to Washington through Snicker's Gap and Ashby's Gap, +and of elbowing Early out of his favorite position at Bunker Hill, +at the same time that by throwing back the right flank toward +Clifton, Sheridan's road to Charlestown and Harper's Ferry was made +safe. Early quietly let go his hold on the Baltimore and Ohio +railway, and, just as Grant had anticipated, hastened to place +himself across Sheridan's path at Winchester. + +On the morning of the 11th of August, Sheridan took ground to the +left, meaning to seize and hold the fords of the Opequon, Wright +at the turnpike road between Berryville and Winchester, Emory +farther up the creek at the Senseny road, and Crook on Emory's +left, probably at the Millwood pike. The cavalry covered the right +of the Sixth Corps, and on both flanks threatened Winchester. +Early, who had moved on the previous day from Bunker Hill to a +position covering Winchester from the south, was in the act of +retiring on Strasburg when Torbert ran into his cavalry. Sharp +skirmishing resulted without bringing on a general engagement. At +night Early held and covered the valley turnpike between Newtown +and Middletown, while Sheridan, who before crossing the Opequon +had heard of Early's movement, and had simply continued his own +march up the right or east bank, rested between the Millwood crossing +of the Opequon and Stony Point on the road to Front Royal. + +The melancholy failure attending the explosion of the mine before +Petersburg and the continued reduction of Grant's forces, brought +about by Early's diversions, coming on top of the losses since +crossing the Rapidan, had brought affairs on the James to a dead-lock. +While Grant in this situation was willing to spare the Sixth corps +and the Nineteenth and even to strengthen them by two divisions +of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac, Lee on his part not only +gave up all present thought of recalling Early, as had been the +custom in former years, but even sent Anderson with Kershaw's +division of infantry, Fitzhugh Lee's division of cavalry, and +Cutshaw's battalion of artillery, to strengthen Early, so as to +enable him to hold his ground, and thus to cover the gathering of +the crops in the valley, and perhaps to encourage still further +detachments from the investing forces before Richmond and Petersburg. +The first week of August found Anderson on the march and he was +now moving down the valley. Therefore Early very properly drew +back through Strasburg to wait for Anderson, and on the night of +the 12th of August took up a strong position at Fisher's Hill. +Its natural advantages he proceeded to increase by entrenchments. + +Sheridan, following, encamped in the same order as before on the +left bank of Cedar Creek. On the 13th Wright crossed Cedar Creek +and occupied Hupp's Hill, and sending his skirmishers into Strasburg, +discovered Early in position as described; but at nightfall Sheridan, +who now had information that caused him to suspect Anderson's +movement, drew back and set the cavalry to guard the Front Royal +road. Then Early advanced his outposts to Hupp's Hill, and so for +the next three days both armies rested. + +On the 14th of August, Sheridan received from Grant authentic, +rather than exact, information of Anderson's movement, for this +was supposed to include two infantry divisions, instead of one. +Coupled with this was Grant's renewed order to be cautious. + +With his quick eye for country, Sheridan soon saw that he had but +one even tolerable position for defence, and that this was at +Halltown. The Confederate defence, on the other hand, rested on +Fisher's Hill, and between these two positions the wide plain lay +like a chess-board between the players. And now began a series of +moves, during which each side watched and waited for the adversary +to weaken himself, or to make a mistake, or for some chance encounter +to bring about an unlooked-for advantage. Finding his position at +Cedar Creek, to use his own words, "a very bad one," Sheridan was +about to retire to the extreme limit of the valley at the confluence +of the Potomac and the Shenandoah; and this was but to be the +beginning of a series of seesaw movements, in which, as often as +Sheridan went back to Halltown, Early would advance to Bunker Hill. +Early, having taken the offensive, was bound to keep it, or lose +his venture. Now, at this time, Early's objective was the Baltimore +and Ohio railway; but Sheridan's was Early. Thus, whenever he +found Early at Bunker Hill, wreaking his pleasure on the railway +and the canal, Sheridan had only to take a step forward to the +Clifton-Berryville line in order to force Early to hasten back to +Winchester, and to lay hold of the Opequon; and so this alternating +play might have continued as long as the war lasted, if other causes +and events had not intervened. + +At eleven o'clock on the night of the 15th of August, Sheridan's +retreat began, Emory moving to Winchester, where he went into +bivouac at six o'clock on the morning of the 16th. At eight o'clock +on the evening of the 16th, Wright and Crook followed, and on the +17th Early, who had now been joined by Anderson, marched in pursuit. +The same evening Sheridan took up the Clifton-Berryville position +in the old order; the cavalry, now strengthened by the arrival of +Wilson's division, covering the rear and flanks. At Berryville, +at midnight, Grover joined Emory, from Washington by Leesburg and +Snicker's Gap, with the remainder of the Nineteenth Corps from the +James (1); and since the receipt of these reinforcements formed +Sheridan's only reason for staying at Berryville, on the 18th he +fell back to Charlestown, holding the roads leading thence to +Berryville and to Bunker Hill. + +On the 19th and 20th of August, Sheridan stood still while Early +occupied Bunker Hill and Winchester; but, on the 21st, Early from +Bunker Hill and Anderson from Winchester moved together to the +attack. Rodes and Ramseur had a sharp fight with Wright, which +caused Sheridan to bring up Crook on the left and Emory on the +right; but neither came into action, because Merritt and Wilson +stood so stiffly that Anderson got no farther than Summit Point. +During the night Sheridan fell back to Halltown. + +In retreating from Cedar Creek Sheridan began to put in force +Grant's new policy of making the valley useless to the Confederate +armies by burning all the grain and carrying off all the animals +above Winchester. "I have destroyed everything eatable," are +Sheridan's words. + +On the 25th of August, after three days spent in skirmishing, Early +left Anderson to mask Halltown, and sent Fitzhugh Lee by Martinsburg +to Williamsport, marching himself to Shepherdstown. A rough fight +with Torbert's cavalry resulted near Kearneysville, in which Custer +narrowly avoided the loss of his brigade by a rapid flight across +the Potomac at Shepherdstown. Sheridan sent two divisions of +cavalry under Averell and Wilson over the Potomac to watch the +fords and to hold the gaps of the South Mountain. Thus when Fitzhugh +Lee got to the Potomac, he found Averell waiting for him, and +Anderson being pressed back by Crook on the 26th, Early fell back +behind the Opequon to Bunker Hill and Stephenson's Depot. On the +28th of August Sheridan advanced to Charlestown, and waiting there +five days while his cavalry was concentrating and feeling the enemy, +he again moved forward to the Clifton-Berryville line on the 3d of +September, and encamped in the usual order. + +Two marked features had now become regularly established: as often +as the troops halted, no matter for how short a time, of their own +accord they instantly set about protecting their front with the +spade and the axe; and, secondly, the depots of the army were fixed +behind the strong lines of Halltown with a sufficient force to +guard them, and thence, as needed, supplies were sent forward to +the troops in the field by strongly guarded trains, and these, as +soon as unloaded, were returned to Halltown, thus reducing to a +minimum the impedimenta of the army as well as the detachments +usually demanded for their care. For the Nineteenth Corps, Currie's +brigade of Dwight's division performed this service during the +campaign. + +The contingency for which Grant and Sheridan were waiting was now +close at hand. Anderson had been nearly a month away from Lee, +and meanwhile Grant had not only kept Lee on the watch on both +banks of the James, as well as for Richmond as for Petersburg, but +had taken a fast hold on the Weldon railway. Unable to shake off +Grant's clutch either on the James or on the Shenandoah, Lee greatly +needed Anderson back with him. Accordingly, on the very day when +Sheridan went back to Berryville, Anderson, seeking the shortest +way to Richmond, ran into Crook in the act of going into camp, and +darkness shortly put an end to a sharp fight that might otherwise +have proved a pitched battle. This brought Early in haste from +Stephenson's to Anderson's help, but when the next day Early saw +how strongly posted Sheridan was, he fell back across the Opequon +to cover Winchester, and finally, on the 14th of September, sent +off Anderson by Front Royal and Chester Gap, but this time without +Fitzhugh Lee. + +The interval was occupied in continual skirmishes and reconnoissances. +Meanwhile Crook changed over from the left flank to the right at +Summit Point, the cavalry covering the front and flanks from +Snicker's Gap by way of Smithfield and Martinsburg to the Potomac. +On the 16th of September, Grant, pressed by the government in behalf +of the business interests disturbed by the enemy's control of the +railway and the canal, went to Charlestown to confer with Sheridan. +In the breast-pocket of his coat Grant carried a complete plan of +the campaign he meant Sheridan to carry out; but when, having asked +Sheridan if he could be ready to move on Tuesday, Sheridan promptly +answered he should be ready whenever the General should say "Go +in"--at daylight on Monday, if necessary,--so delighted was Grant +that he said not a word about the plan, but contented himself with +echoing the words, "Go in!" + +(1) Grover's men made the hard march of 69 miles from Washington +in three days; the last 33 miles in 13˝ hours, actual time. See +Major Tiemann's "History of the 159th New York," pp. 91, 92. + + +CHAPTER XXXII. +THE OPEQUON.(1) + +Grant's approval of Sheridan's attack was founded on the withdrawal +of Kershaw; but on the 18th of September, just as Sheridan was +about to move on Newtown, meaning to offer Early the choice of +being turned out of Winchester, or being overwhelmed if he should +stay, news came from Averell that he had been driven out of +Martinsburg by two divisions of infantry. These were the divisions +of Rodes and Gordon, with which, enticed at last into a grave error +by the temptation of hearing that the railway was being repaired, +Early had marched on the 17th to Bunker Hill and Martinsburg. When +Sheridan heard of this, and perceived that Early's forces, already +diminished, were strung along all the way from Winchester to +Martinsburg, he stopped the execution of the orders he had already +issued for the movement at four o'clock in the afternoon of that +day, the 18th of September, and replaced them by fresh arrangements +which led to the battle of the Opequon on the 19th. Since last +moving to the Clifton-Berryville line, Sheridan had used his cavalry +to preserve in his front an open space fully six miles in depth, +extending to the banks of the Opequon, meaning not only to have +the first tidings of any offensive movement by the enemy, but also +that when himself ready to move he might be able to take the enemy +by surprise. + +On the evening of the 18th of September, part of Early's cavalry +was at Martinsburg, Gordon occupied Bunker Hill, Wharton was at +Stephenson's, with Rodes closing back on him, while Ramseur alone +covered Winchester in the path of Sheridan's advance. Sheridan +naturally supposed that in a quick movement he would have two +divisions to deal with after crossing the Opequon. + +At two o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 19th of September, on +the very day when Sheridan had told Grant he would be ready to +move, but just three hours earlier, Sheridan put his army in motion +toward the Opequon, covering his flank by directing Merritt and +Averell on Stephenson's. He sent Wilson rapidly ahead on the +Berryville road to carry the ford and to seize the long and deep +defile on the left or east bank through which the main column would +have to advance. Wright was to lead the infantry, closely followed +by Emory, who, in order to solidify the movement, was instructed +to take his orders from Wright after reaching the ford. Crook, +coming in from his more distant position, would naturally fall in +the rear of the others, and he was to mass his men in reserve, +covering the ford. Wright had to move partly across country, and +had farther to go than Emory. Although both started punctually at +the appointed hour, it happened that, about five o'clock, the head +of Wright's column ran into Emory's in march near the crest, whence +the road sweeps down to the Opequon. There Emory halted, by Wright's +orders, to let the Sixth Corps pass. Unfortunately, minute and +thorough as Sheridan's plans and instructions were, he appears to +have underrated the double difficulty of crossing the ford and +threading the long defile, for to this cause must be attributed +the presence of Wright's entire wagon-train in the rear of his +corps, as well as the excess of artillery for the work and the +field. The head of the column could move but slowly; thus the rear +was so long retarded, that, although the crossing began about six +o'clock, and the whole movement was urged on by Sheridan, Wright, +and Emory, and indeed by every one, it wanted but twenty minutes +of noon when the line of battle was finally formed on the rolling +ground overlooking the vale of the Opequon to the rear and Winchester +to the front. Even as it was, Sheridan's eagerness being great, +and the delay seeming interminable, Emory felt obliged to take upon +himself the responsibility of departing from the strict order of +march, and directed Dwight to move his men to the right of the road +and pass the train. Thus it had taken six hours to advance three +miles and to form in order of battle, and the immediate effect of +this delay was that Sheridan had now to deal, not only with Ramseur, +or with the two divisions counted on, but with the whole of Early's +army; for between five and six o'clock in the morning Gordon, Rodes, +and Wharton were all at Stephenson's, distant only five miles from +Winchester or from the field of battle, toward which they all moved +rapidly at the sound of the first firing, due to Wilson's advance. + +Opequon Creek flows at the foot of a broad and thickly wooded gorge, +with high and steep banks. The ravine through which the Berryville +road rises to the level of the rolling plain, in the middle of +whose western edge stands Winchester, is nearly three miles long. +Here and there the high ground is covered with large oaks, pines, +and undergrowth, and is intersected by many brooks, called runs. +Of these the largest is Red Bud Run, which forms a smaller parallel +ravine flanking the defile on the north, while a still larger +stream, called Abraham's Creek, after pursuing a nearly parallel +course on the south side of the defile, crosses the road not far +from the ford, and just below it falls into the Opequon. + +Wilson, after crossing the Opequon and completing his task of +covering the advance of the infantry through the defile, had turned +to the left on the high ground and taken post to cover the flank +on the Senseny road, which, after crossing the Opequon about a mile +and a quarter above the main ford, reaches the outskirts of Winchester +at a point little more than three hundred yards from the Berryville +road. The Sixth Corps formed across the Berryville road, Getty on +its left, Ricketts on its right. Getty rested his left on Abraham's +Creek. Behind him Russell stood in column in support. Emory +prolonged the line of battle to the Red Bud on the right by posting +Sharpe's and Birge's brigades of Grover, with Molineux and Shunk +in the second line, the 9th Connecticut deployed as skirmishers to +cover the right flank of Birge. Dwight's two brigades formed on +the right and rear of Grover in echelon of regiments on the right, +in order not only to support Grover's line, but to cover the flank +against any turning movement by the Confederates or an attack by +their reinforcements coming straight from Stephenson's. Beal's +brigade held the right of Dwight's line, and the brigade line from +right to left was formed in order of the 114th New York, 153d New +York, 116th New York, 29th Maine, and 30th Massachusetts. Beal +covered his right flank by a detail of skirmishers taken from all +his regiments and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Strain, of the +153d New York. McMillan, on the left and rear of Beal, formed in +order of the 47th Pennsylvania, 8th Vermont, 160th New York, and +12th Connecticut, with five companies of the 47th Pennsylvania +deployed to cover the whole right flank of his brigade and to move +forward with it by the flank left in front. Crook had by this time +crossed the ford and was massed on the left or west bank. + +In climbing the hill the Berryville road follows nearly a northwesterly +course, but soon after reaching the high ground bends rather sharply +toward the left, crosses the ravine called Ash Hollow forming the +head of Berryville Cańon, and runs for nearly a mile almost westerly. +Wright was following the road, but as Emory guided upon Wright, +the alignment was to be preserved by Sharpe's keeping his left in +touch with the right of Ricketts. While the ground in Wright's +front was for the most part open, Emory was chiefly in the dense +wood, where the heavy leafage and undergrowth prevented him from +seeing not only the enemy before him, but also the full extent of +his own line. It should be observed with care that Ricketts was +between Sharpe and the Berryville road, while the road was between +Getty and Ricketts, and formed the guide for both; for these facts, +of slight importance though they may seem, were destined presently +to exert an influence wellnigh fatal on the fortunes of the day. + +During the early hours of the morning Ramseur, on the Berryville +road, and the cavalry of Lomax on the Senseny road, had been the +only Confederate force between Sheridan and Winchester. But first +Gordon came up at nine o'clock, and placed himself opposite Emory's +right, his own left resting on the line of the Red Bud; then Rodes, +closely following Gordon, formed between him and Ramseur against +the right of Emory and the left of Wright. + +About a quarter before twelve o'clock, at the sound of Sheridan's +bugle, repeated from corps, division, and brigade headquarters, +the whole line moved forward with great spirit, and instantly became +engaged. Wilson pushed back Lomax, Wright drove in Ramseur, while +Emory, advancing his infantry rapidly through the wood, where he +was unable to use his artillery, attacked Gordon with great vigor. +Birge, charging with bayonets fixed, fell upon the brigade of Evans, +forming the extreme left of Gordon, and without a halt drove it in +confusion through the wood and across the open ground beyond to +the support of Braxton's artillery, posted by Gordon to secure his +flank on the Red Bud road. In this brilliant charge, led by Birge +in person, his lines naturally became disordered, and Grover, +foreseeing the effect of an advance so swift and tumultuous, ordered +Birge to halt and re-form in the wood. This order Birge tried to +execute; but whether the words of command were not heard or were +misunderstood, or in the wild excitement of the moment were wilfully +disregarded by the men, certain it is that their officers found it +impossible to restrain their ardor until they had followed on the +run the broken fragments of Evans quite through the wood and beyond +its farther skirt, where Braxton, using his guns with energy and +skill, brought them to a stand. + +Sharpe, advancing simultaneously on Birge's left, tried in vain to +keep the alignment with Ricketts and with Birge; for now the peculiar +feature of the long alignment across the swerving road began to +work, yet, by reason of the screen of timber, without the cause +being immediately observed by any one. At first the order of battle +formed a right angle with the road, but the bend once reached, in +the effort to keep closed upon it, at every step Ricketts was taking +ground more and more to the left, while the point of direction for +Birge, and equally for Sharpe, was the enemy in their front, standing +almost in the exact prolongation of the defile, from which line, +still plainly marked by Ash Hollow, the road, as we have seen, was +steadily diverging. In short, to continue the march parallel with +the road compelled a left half-wheel, while the battle was with +the enemy straight in front, so that even had it been possible for +Emory to execute his orders literally he must have offered his +wheeling flank fairly to Rodes and to Gordon. + +Sharpe, seeing that the gap between himself and Ricketts was growing +every moment wider, in vain tried to cover it by more than one +oblique movement to the left, and Keifer, whose brigade formed the +right of Ricketts, being also among the first to perceive the fault, +tried to make it good by deploying three of his regiments across +the interval. + +Birge's advance had borne him far to the right, and as Sharpe, in +the vain attempt to keep his alignment with Ricketts, was always +drifting to the left, there came a second and smaller gap between +the two leading brigades of Grover. Into this Molineux was quickly +thrust, and, deploying in parade order, under a heavy fire of cannon +and musketry, at once began firing in return with great effect on +the advancing columns of the enemy. But, shortly before this +happened, the interval between Ricketts and Sharpe had grown to be +nearly four hundred yards wide, and Birge's advance being stayed +at nearly the same instant, Early saw his opportunity and seized +it by throwing against the diverging flanks of Sharpe and Ricketts +the fresh brigade that Battle had that moment brought up from +Stephenson's. This new impulse once more carried forward the rest +of Rodes's division; Ramseur rallied; Early restored his formation; +and the whole Confederate line swept forward with renewed impetuosity, +broke in the whole right of Ricketts and the left of Sharpe, surged +around both flanks of Molineux, and swept back Birge. Sharpe's +line, thus taken fairly in flank, was quickly rolled up. By this, +the left regiment of Molineux, the gallant 22d Iowa, being in quite +open ground, was greatly exposed, so that it, too, was presently +swept back. The 159th New York and the 13th Connecticut, after +holding on stiffly for a time under the partial cover of a sort of +gully, were in like manner swept away, and on the right Birge's +men paid the penalty of their own impetuosity. The left of Ricketts, +less exposed to the shock, stood firm, and the right of Molineux, +isolated as it was, held its ground; but otherwise the whole front +of the battle, from the road to the Red Bud, was gone. As the +Confederates charged down upon a section of Bradbury's 1st Maine +Battery, posted about the centre of the division, Day, who under +many drawbacks had brought up his regiment, the 131st New York, to +a high standard of discipline and efficiency, took prompt and full +advantage of the slight cover afforded by the little wooded ravine +in which he happened to be. With equal coolness and readiness he +changed front forward on his tenth company, yet held his fire until +he could see the shoulders and almost the backs of the enemy; then, +pouring in a hot fire, and being immediately supported by the 11th +Indiana, part of the 3d Massachusetts, and the 176th New York, +which had quickly rallied from Sharpe's reverse, the attacking +force was driven back in disorder; but unfortunately, in retiring +it swept across the remains of Molineux's left centre, which had +been cut off in the gully, and took many prisoners, especially from +among the officers who had stood to their posts through everything. + +Just as when victory had seemed about to alight on the standard of +the Union, the very perch itself had been suddenly and rudely shaken +by the tread of Early's charging columns; so now, at the precise +moment when defeat--bitter, perhaps disastrous defeat--seemed +inevitable, the fortunes of the battle were once more reversed, +and the day was suddenly saved by the prompt and orderly advance +of Russell into the fatal gap. As he changed front from the wood +to the right and swept on in splendid array, it happened that the +charging line of Early, already disarranged by its own success, +offered its right flank to Russell's front. Russell himself, +bravely leading his division, fell, yet not until he had struck +the blow that gave the victory to the defenders of his country,--a +noble sacrifice in a noble cause. + +But on the right a danger almost equally serious menaced the flank +of Emory, for when Birge's men came streaming back, Shunk, who had +been supporting Birge without having men enough to cover the whole +ground, found his left uncovered to Gordon by the giving way of +Sharpe, while at the same time his line was nearly enfiladed from +the right by a section or battery of Fitzhugh Lee's horse artillery +on the north bank of the Red Bud. Seeing all this, Emory instantly +ordered his own old division to deploy at the top of its speed, +and to make good the broken line. "Have this thing stopped at +once," were the terse words of his command to Dwight. Once more, +as at the Sabine Cross-Roads, the 1st brigade was called upon the +yield up its leading regiment for a sacrifice, and again the lot +fell to New York, yet this time upon the 114th, and upon not one +of all the good veteran battalions that held the field on that +19th of September--if indeed upon any in all the armies of the +Union--could the choice have rested more securely. To the left and +front, far into the open field, through the wreck of Grover's right, +into the teeth of the pursuing lines of Gordon, Per Lee led his +regiment. No sooner had his men emerged from the cover of the wood +than they came under the fire of Gordon's infantry and artillery, +crossed with the fire of Fitzhugh Lee's guns beyond the Red Bud; yet +they were not able to fire a musket in return until their own defeated +comrades had passed to the rear. Cruel as the situation was, the +114th marched steadily forward nearly two hundred yards in front +of the forest; then, finding itself quite alone and unsupported, +confronted by the line of battle of the enemy at the skirt of the +timber opposite, Per Lee made his men lie down without other cover +than the high grass, and there, loading on their backs and at every +moment losing heavily, without yielding an inch, they held off the +enemy until support came. That this was longer than usual in coming +was no fault of their comrades, but a mere accident of the situation; +for Dwight's division being formed in echelon of battalions on the +right, just as it had in the first instance been necessary to bring +the 114th into action obliquely to the left, so now Beal was forced +to form the line of battle of his brigade by inversion, and this, +moreover, in the woods, with the steep bank of the Red Bud hampering +his right. Slow though it must have seemed to Per Lee, standing +out there alone, this difficult movement was in reality executed +by Beal with great promptness and rapidity and in admirable order. +As regiment after regiment, beginning with the 153d, came into the +new line at the double-quick by the shortest path, each advanced +with a shout to the rail fence on Per Lee's right and somewhat +toward his rear, and, throwing down the rails, opened a rapid fire. +This checked the enemy. Finding Beal unable to cover all the ground +he was now trying to hold, Emory made Dwight take the 160th New +York from McMillan's brigade and posted it on the right of Beal's. + +McMillan had been ordered to move forward at the same time as Beal, +and to form on his left. The five companies of the 47th Pennsylvania +that had been detached to form a skirmish line on Red Bud Run, to +cover McMillan's right flank, had somehow lost their way on the +broken ground among the thickets, and, not finding them in place, +McMillan had been obliged to send the remaining companies of the +regiment to do the same duty. This detail and the employment of +the 160th New York in Beal's line left McMillan but two of his +battalions, the 8th Vermont and the 12th Connecticut; but although +McMillan, holding the left of the formation in echelon, had farther +to go to reach his position, it was only necessary for him to move +straight to the front, and thus the 8th Vermont formed the right +of his line and the 12th Connecticut the left. Not a moment too +soon did Thomas and Peck bring their good regiments to the support +of Molineux's diminished and almost exhausted brigade, and thus +complete the restoration of Emory's line of battle. Almost at the +first fire Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, the brave, accomplished, and +spirited soldier who had led the 12th Connecticut in every action, +fell mortally wounded by the fragment of a shell. + +The shaken regiments of Grover quickly rallied and re-formed in +good order behind the lines of Dwight, and all pressing forward +once more, took part in the countercharge begun by Russell, by +which the whole Confederate line was driven back in confusion quite +beyond the positions from which they had advanced to the attack. +To this line, substantially, Wright and Emory followed, and, +correcting their position and alignment, waited for events or for +orders. By one o'clock the morning's fight was over. Fierce and +eventful as it had been, it had lasted barely an hour. + +The Confederates, greatly outnumbered from the first, were now, +after their losses and the rough handling they had received, no +longer in condition for the offensive, and from the defensive they +had, as things stood, little to hope. Sheridan, on his part, with +some reluctance, made up his mind that it would be better to give +up his original plan of putting in Crook to the left to cut off +Early's retreat by moving against the valley turnpike near Newtown, +and instead of this to use Crook and the cavalry on the Red Bud +line against Early's left. The time needed for this movement caused +a comparative lull in the battle of about two hours' duration. It +was not so much that the battle died away, for the fire of artillery +and even of musketry was still kept up, as that neither side moved +in force against the other. While waiting for Crook to come into +position on the right, Emory's restored line was formed by Beal on +the right, prolonged toward the left by Shunk, Birge supported by +Molineux, Day with the 131st New York, Allen with the battalion of +the 38th Massachusetts, the 8th Vermont, and the 12th Connecticut +of McMillan supported by the 160th New York, now withdrawn from +the right, and finally Neafie, leading Grover's 3d brigade in place +of Sharpe, who had been carried off the field severely wounded. + +From his position in reserve, covering the Opequon ford, Crook +moved up the right bank of the Red Bud to the rear of Dwight's +first position, and then, dividing his command, posted Thoburn on +the right of Dwight, and sent Duval across the Red Bud to his point +of attack. Then Thoburn, at Emory's request, relieved Beal's front +line of battle, while Emory drew out the 114th, the 116th, and the +153d New York and placed them under Davis to strengthen the centre. +Beal himself was looking to his flank, held by the 47th Pennsylvania +and the 30th Massachusetts. + +Meanwhile Wharton had gone back from the desperate task of covering +the flank at Stephenson's against Merritt's advance and had taken +position in the rear of Rodes. + +As soon as Crook was fairly across the Red Bud, his movement silenced +the battery on the left bank that had been enfilading Emory's line, +and this served to tell Emory that Crook was in place and at work. +Averell and Merritt could be plainly seen surging up the valley +road far in Gordon's left and rear, furiously driving before them +the main body of Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry. About four o'clock the +cheers of Duval's men beyond the Red Bud served as the signal for +Thoburn, and now as Crook moved forward, sweeping everything before +him, from right to left the whole army responded to the impulse. +To meet Thoburn, Breckinridge placed Wharton in position at right +angles with Gordon and with the valley road. Duval, having easily +driven before him everything on the left bank of the Red Bud, waded +through the marsh on his left, crossed the run, and united with +Thoburn. Then Crook, with a sudden and irregular but curiously +effective half-wheel to the left, fell vigorously upon Gordon, and +Torbert coming on with great impetuosity at the same instant, the +weight was heavier than the attenuated lines of Breckinridge and +Gordon could bear. Early saw his whole left wing give back in +disorder, and as Emory and Wright pressed hard, Rodes and Ramseur +gave way, and the battle was over. + +All that remained to Early was to make good his retreat, now +seriously compromised by the steady progress of Wilson toward and +at last upon the Millwood road. Early vainly endeavored to reunite +his shattered fragments behind the lines constructed in the former +campaigns for the defence of Winchester on the east. About five +o'clock Torbert and Crook, fairly at right angles to the first line +of battle, covered Winchester on the north from the rocky ledges +that lie to the eastward of the town nearly to the first position +of Braxton's guns. Thence Wright extended the line at right angles +with Crook and parallel with the valley road, while Sheridan drew +out Emory, who was naturally displaced by these converging movement, +and sent him to extend Wright's line toward the south. + +The disorderly retreat of Early's men once begun, there was no +staying it. Torbert pursued the fugitives to Kernstown, where +Ramseur faced about, but Sheridan, mindful that his men had been +on their feet since two o'clock in the morning, many of them since +one, and had in the meantime fought with varying success a long +and hard fight ending in a great victory, made no attempt to send +his infantry after the flying enemy. + +For what was probably the first time in their lives, his men had +seen every musket, every cannon, and every sabre put in use, and +to good use, by their young and vigorous commander. They had looked +upon a decisive victory ending with the rout of their enemy. +Sheridan himself openly rejoiced, and catching the enthusiasm of +their leader, his men went wild with excitement when, accompanied +by his corps commanders, Wright and Emory and Crook, Sheridan rode +down the front of his lines. Then went up a mighty cheer that gave +new life to the wounded and consoled the last moments of the dying, +for in every breast was firmly implanted the conviction that now +at last the end was in sight, and that deep-toned shout that shook +the hills and the heavens was not the brutal roar of a rude and +barbarous soldiery, coarsely exulting over the distress and slaughter +of the vanquished, but the glad voice of the American people (2) +rejoicing from the hill-top at the first sure glimpse of the final +victory that meant to them peace, home, and a nation saved. + +When the President heard the news his first act was to write with +his own hand a warm message of congratulation, and this he followed +up by making Sheridan a brigadier-general in the regular army, and +assigning him permanently to the high command he had been exercising +under temporary orders. + +The losses of the Army of the Shenandoah, according to the revised +statements compiled in the War Department were 5,018, including +697 killed, 3,983 wounded, 338 missing. Of the three infantry +corps, the Nineteenth, though in numbers smaller than the Sixth, +suffered the heaviest loss, the aggregate being 2,074, while the +total casualties of the Sixth Corps were 1,699, and those of the +West Virginia forces, 794. The total loss of the cavalry was 451. +The loss of the Nineteenth Corps was divided into 314 killed, +1,554 wounded, 206 missing. Of this, far the heaviest share fell +upon Grover's division, which reported 1,527 against 542 in Dwight's +division. Dwight reports 80 killed, 460 wounded, 2 missing; Grover, +234 killed, 1,089 wounded, 204 missing; but Grover had four brigades +in the action while Dwight had two, and this nearly represents the +relative strength of the two divisions. Of the brigades, Birge's +suffered the most, having 107 killed, 349 wounded, 69 missing--together, +525; while Molineux, who came next, had 58 killed, 362 wounded, 87 +missing--together, 507; yet in proportion Sharpe fared the worst, +for his brigade, though but half as strong as Birge's, lost 39 +killed, 222 wounded, 17 missing--together, 278. The 114th +New York heads the fatal record for the day with 44 killed and +mortally wounded, and 141 wounded--together, 185 out of about 270 +in action--nearly sixty-five per cent. + +Dwight's report having been sent back to him by Emory for correction, +and not again presented, no report is to be found from the First +division or any portion of it, except McMillan's brigade and the +12th Connecticut. The most useful detailed accounts of the part +taken by the division are to be found in the admirable histories +of the "First-Tenth-Twenty-Ninth Maine" by Major John M. Gould, +and of the 114th New York by Assistant-Surgeon Harris H. Beecher. + +Prominent among the slain of the Nineteenth Corps, besides +Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, already spoke of, were Colonel Alexander +Gardiner, 14th New Hampshire, Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby Babcock, +75th New York, Major William Knowlton, 29th Maine and Major Eusebius +S. Clark, 26th Massachusetts. These were fine officers, and their +loss was deeply deplored. + +Early lost nearly 4,000 in all, including about 200 prisoners. +Rodes was killed, Fitzhugh Lee severely wounded. Early was forced +to leave his dead and most of his wounded to be cared for by the +victors, into whose hands also fell five guns and nine battle-flags. + +Severe military critics have sometimes been disposed to find fault +with Early, not merely for scattering his army--which, though +certainly a fault, was handsomely made good by the rapid concentration, +--but even for fighting his battle at Winchester at all. Weakened +by the loss of Kershaw, Early should, these critics think, have +fallen back to Fisher's Hill at the first sign of Sheridan's advance; +yet upon a broad view it is difficult to concede this. The odds +against Early were the same that the Confederates had necessarily +assumed from the beginning. They were desperate; they could not +possibly be otherwise than desperate; they called for desperate +campaigns, and these for desperate battles. Standing on the +defensive at Fisher's Hill, Early would not only have given up the +main object of his campaign and of his presence in the valley, but +would have exposed himself to the risk of being cut off by a turning +column gaining his rear by way of the Luray valley. Indeed, this +would have been more than a risk; sooner or later it would have +been a certainty. + +(1) Also spelled "Opequan." Pronounced O-peck'-an. + +(2) "Hear that! That's the voice of the American people!" Thomas +is said to have exclaimed on hearing the tremendous cheers of his +men for their decisive victory of Nashville. + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. +FISHER'S HILL. + +The frowning heights of Fisher's Hill had long been the bugbear of +the valley. The position was, in truth, a purely defensive one, +its chief value being that there was no other. Except for defence +it was worthless, because it was as hard to get out of as to get +at; and even for defence it was subject to the drawback that it +could be easily and secretly turned upon either flank. In a word, +its strength resided mainly in the fact that between the peaks of +Massanutten and the North Mountain the jaws of the valley were +contracted to a width of not more than four miles. The right flank +of the shortened front rests securely upon the north fork of the +Shenandoah, where it winds about the base of Three Top Mountain +before bending widely toward the east to join the south fork and +form the Shenandoah River. Across the front, among rocks, between +steep and broken cliffs, winds the brawling brook called Tumbling +Run, and above it, from its southern edge, rises the rugged crag +called Fisher's Hill. Here, behind his old entrenchments, Early +gathered the remnants of his army for another stand, and began to +strengthen himself by fresh works. The danger of a turning movement +through the twin valley of Luray was in his mind, and to guard +against it he sent his cavalry to Milford, while Sheridan, who was +thinking of the same thing, ordered Torbert to ride up the Luray +valley from Front Royal. + +On the morning of the 20th of September Sheridan set out to follow +Early, and in the afternoon took up a position before Strasburg, +the Sixth Corps on the right, Emory on the left, and Crook behind +Cedar Creek in support. The next morning, the 21st, Sheridan pushed +and followed Early's skirmishers over the high hill that stands +between Strasburg and Fisher's Hill, overlooking both, drove them +behind the defences of Fisher's Hill, and took up a position covering +the front from the banks of the North Fork on the left, where +Emory's left rested lightly, to the crown of the hill just mentioned, +which commanded the approach by what is called the back road, or +Cedar Creek grade, and was but slightly commanded by Fisher's Hill +itself. This strong vantage-ground Wright wrested from the enemy +after a struggle, and felling the trees for protection and for +range, planted his batteries there. The ground was very difficult, +broken and rocky, and to hold it the Sixth corps had to be drawn +toward the right, while Emory, following the movement, in the dark +hours of the early morning of the 22d of September, extended his +front so as to cover the ground thus given up by Wright. + +Sheridan now thought of nothing short of the capture of Early's +army. Torbert was to drive the Confederate cavalry through Luray, +and thence, crossing the Massanutten range, was to lay hold of the +valley pike at New Market, and plant himself firmly in Early's rear +on his only line of retreat. Crook, by a wide sweep to the right, +his march hidden by the hills and woods, was to gain the back road, +so as to come up secretly on Early's left flank and rear, and the +first sounds of battle that were certain to follow the discovery +of his unexpected approach in this quarter were to serve as a signal +for Wright and Emory to fall on with everything they had. + +During the forenoon of the 22d, Grover held the left of the position +of the Nineteenth Corps, his division formed in two lines in the +order of Macauley,(1) Birge; Shunk, Molineux. Dwight, in the order +of Beal, McMillan, held the right, and connected with Wheaton. In +taking ground towards the right, as already described, this line +had become too extended, and, as it was necessary that the left of +the skirmishers, at least, should rest upon the river, Grover +shortened his front by moving forward Foster with the 128th and +Lewis with the 176th New York to drive in the enemy's skirmishers +opposite, and to occupy the ground that they had been holding. +This was handsomely done under cover of a brisk shelling from Taft's +and Bradbury's guns. As on the rest of the line, the whole front +of the corps was covered as usual by hasty entrenchments. In the +afternoon Ricketts moved far to the right, and seized a wooded +knoll commanding Ramseur's position on Fisher's Hill. In preparation +for the attack Sheridan gave Emory the ground on the left of the +railway, and Wright that beyond it, and Molineux moved forward to +lead the advance of Grover. The sun was low when the noise of +battle was heard far away on the right. This was Crook, sweeping +everything before him as he charged suddenly out of the forest full +upon the left flank and rear of Lomax and Ramseur, taking the whole +Confederate line completely in reverse. The surprise was absolute. +Instantly Wright and Emory took up the movement, and, inspired by +the presence and the impetuous commands of Sheridan, descended +rapidly the steep and broken sides of the ravine, at the bottom of +which lies Tumbling Run, and then rather scrambling than charging +up the rocky and almost inaccessible sides of Fisher's Hill, swarmed +over the strong entrenchments, line after line, and planting their +colors upon the parapets, saw the whole army of Early in disorderly +flight. Foremost to mount the parapet was Entwistle with his +company of the 176th New York. To them the good fortune fell of +being the first to lay hands on four pieces of artillery in battery, +abandoned in the panic caused by the appearance of Crook, but almost +at the same instant Wilson, gallantly leading the 28th Iowa, planted +the colors of his regiment on the works. That nothing might be +wanting to the completeness of the victory, the Confederates, who, +until that moment had felt their position so secure that they had +even taken the ammunition boxes from the caissons, abandoned sixteen +pieces of artillery where they stood. Early was unable to arrest +the retreat of his army until he found himself near Edenburg, four +miles beyond Woodstock. + +Sheridan's loss in this battle was 52 killed, 457 wounded, 19 +missing, in all, 528. Of this the Sixth Corps suffered nearly +half, namely, 27 killed, 208 wounded, 3 missing, in all, 238. +Crook's loss was 8 killed, 152 wounded, 2 missing, total 162, and +Emory accounts for 15 killed, 86 wounded, 13 missing, together 114. +All the casualties of the cavalry numbered but 14. Early reports +his loss in the infantry and artillery alone as 30 killed, 210 +wounded, 995 missing, total 1,235; but Sheridan claims 1,100 +prisoners. + +Now came Torbert's opportunity, but unfortunately, after suffering +a check from the two brigades of Fitzhugh Lee under Wickham, Torbert +had on the 22d fallen back down the Luray valley toward his +starting-point, and when on the afternoon of the 23d word came to +him of what had happened at Fisher's Hill, although he again advanced, +he was then too late. Thus for once the cavalry column completely +failed. Sheridan, from the tenor of his despatches to Torbert, +must have felt that this result was probable, but he did not let +it disturb his own movements, and without a halt he pushed forward +his whole force in pursuit, with slight regard to organization, +each regiment or brigade nearly in the order in which it chanced +to file into the road. Devin's cavalry brigade trod closely on +the heels of what was left of Lomax, and Emory, whose line had +crossed the valley road, pushed up it as fast as the men could move +over the ground. Wright moved in close support of Emory and +personally directed the operations of both corps, the Nineteenth +as well as the Sixth. So fast did the infantry march that it was +ten o'clock at night before Devin, from his place in line on the +right of the Sixth Corps, was able to take the road abreast with +the Nineteenth, and broad daylight before his or any other horsemen +passed the hardy yet toil-worn soldiers of Molineux, who were left +all night to lead the swift pursuit. Molineux caused Day to deploy +the 131st New York as skirmishers on the right of the road, while +the 11th Indiana, led by Macauley, performed the same service on +the left. About half-past eight the head of the column first came +in contact with the rear-guard of the enemy, but this was soon +driven in, and no further resistance was offered until about an +hour later, at the crossing of a creek near Woodstock, a brisk fire +of musketry, aided by two guns in the road, was opened on Molineux's +front, but was quickly silenced. At dawn on the 23d of September +Sheridan went into bivouac covering Woodstock, and let the infantry +rest until early in the afternoon, when he again took up the pursuit +with Wright and Emory, leaving Crook to care for the dead and +wounded. Early fell back to Mount Jackson, and was preparing to +make a stand when Averell coming up, he and Devin made so vigorous +a demonstration with the cavalry alone that Early thought it best +to continue his retreat beyond the North Fork to Rude's Hill, which +stands between Mount Jackson and New Market. + +Sheridan advanced to Mount Jackson on the morning of the 24th of +September, and before nightfall had concentrated his whole army +there. He was moving his cavalry to envelop both of Early's flanks +and the infantry, Wright leading, to attack in front. However, +Early did not wait for this, but retreated rapidly in order of +battle, pursued by Sheridan in the same order, that is by the right +of regiments with an attempt at deploying intervals, through New +Market and six miles beyond to a point where a country road diverges +through Keezeltown and Cross Keys to Port Republic, at the head of +the South Fork. Here both armies halted face to face, Sheridan +for the night; but Early, as soon as it was fairly dark, fell back +about five miles on the Port Republic road, and again halted at a +point about fourteen miles short of that town. + +Early's object in quitting the main valley road, which would have +conducted him to Harrisonburg, covering Staunton, was to receive +once more the reinforcements that Lee, at the first tidings from +Winchester, had again hurried forward under Kershaw. On the 25th +of September, therefore, Early retreated through Port Republic +towards Brown's Gap, where Kershaw, marching from Culpeper through +Swift Run Gap, joined him on the 26th. Here also Early's cavalry +rejoined him, Wickham from the Luray valley, and Lomax, pressed by +Powell, from Harrisonburg. + +Sheridan, keeping to the main road, advanced to Harrisonburg with +Wright and Emory, leaving Crook to hold the fork of the roads where +Early had turned off. At Harrisonburg Torbert rejoined with Merritt +and Wilson. Then Sheridan sent Torbert with Wilson and Lowell by +Staunton to Waynesboro', where, before quitting the valley by +Rockfish Gap, the major road, as well as the railway to Charlottesville, +crossed the affluent of the Shenandoah known as the South River. +To divert attention from this raid Sheridan reinforced Devin, who, +in the absence of Torbert's main body, had been following and +observing Early near Port Republic without other cavalry support, +and thus Merritt presently ran into Kershaw marching to join Early +at Brown's Gap. Early, having gone as far as he wished, turned +upon Merritt and drove him across the South Fork, but just then +getting the first inkling of Torbert's movements, divined their +purpose, and, to check them, marched with all speed, in compact +order and with the greatest watchfulness in every direction, on +Rockfish Gap. But Torbert, having a good start, won the race, and +had accomplished his object when the advance of Early's column came +up, and caused him to draw off. + +Sheridan, on his part, had gone nearly as far as he intended, but +as he meant presently to begin with his cavalry above Staunton the +work of destroying the value of the whole valley to the Confederate +army, on the 29th he ordered Wright and Emory to Mount Crawford to +support Torbert in this work. + +Grant, who, ever since he reached the James, had cast longing eyes +upon the Virginia Central railway, as well as upon the great junction +at Gordonsville, now strongly desired Sheridan to go to Staunton +or Charlottesville, but Sheridan set himself firmly against the +plan on account of the daily increasing difficulty of supplying +his army and the great force that must be wasted in any attempt to +keep open a line of communication longer or more exposed than that +he already had to maintain. As an alternative, Sheridan, who seems +to have thought Early had quitted the valley for good, proposed to +bring the Valley campaign to an end with the destruction of the +crops, and then to move with his main force to join Grant on the +James. Grant, at once agreeing to this, directed Sheridan to keep +Crook in the valley and to transfer the rest of his force to the +armies before Richmond. + +On the morning of the 6th of October Sheridan faced about and began +moving down the valley, the infantry leading in the inverse order +of its advance, and the cavalry bringing up the rear in one long +line that reached from mountain to mountain, busied in burning as +it marched the mills, the barns, and everything edible by man or +beast. From the Blue Ridge to the Shenandoah Mountains, nothing +was spared that might be of use to the Confederates in prolonging +the war. + +When Early discovered this he followed on the morning of the 7th +of October, with his whole force, including Kershaw, as well as +the cavalry brigade of Rosser, sent by Lee from Petersburg. The +command of all the cavalry being given to Rosser, he at once began +treading on the heels of Torbert. On the 9th, at Tom's Brook, +Torbert, under the energetic orders of Sheridan to whip the +Confederate cavalry or get whipped himself, turned on Rosser, and, +after a sharp fight, completely overwhelmed him and hotly pursued +his flying columns more than twenty miles up the valley. Several +hundred prisoners, eleven guns with their caissons, and many +wagons --tersely described by Sheridan "as almost everything on +wheels"--fell into the hands of the captors. But more important +even than these trophies, confidence in Rosser's cavalry was +destroyed at a blow, and its early prestige wiped out forever. + +On the 10th of October Sheridan once more crossed Cedar Creek and +went into camp, Emory holding the right or west of the valley road, +Crook on the left or east of the road, and the cavalry covering +the flanks. Wright took up the line of march by Front Royal on +Washington. + +The first intention of the government was that he should take +advantage of the Manassas Gap railway, which was again being restored +under the protection of Augur's troops; but this work was not yet +completed, and while Wright waited at Front Royal, Grant once more +fell back on his first and favorite plan of a movement on +Charlottesville and Gordonsville. To effect this he wished Sheridan +to take up an advanced position toward the head of the valley, and +to this the government added its favorite notion of rebuilding the +railways in the rear. Halleck even went so far as to instruct +Sheridan to fortify and provision heavily the position Grant had +directed him to occupy. All these ideas Sheridan combated with +such earnestness that he was summoned to Washington for consultation. +Grant at the same time reduced his call on Sheridan for troops for +service on the James to the Sixth Corps, and Sheridan, having on +his own motion stopped the work on the Manassas Gap railway, ordered +Wright to march on Alexandria by Ashby's Gap. Wright set out on +the 12th. + +Sheridan having lost touch with the main body of the Confederates +in returning down the valley, he, in common with Grant and with +the government, now thought that Early had quitted the region for +good. Sheridan's information placed Early variously at Gordonsville, +Charlottesville, and in the neighborhood of Brown's Gap; but in +truth, though nothing had been seen of Early's troops for some +days, they had never gone out of the valley, but had slowly and at +a long and safe interval been following Sheridan's footsteps, so +that on the 13th, while Wright was well on his way towards Alexandria, +and Sheridan himself was getting ready to go to Washington, Early +once more took post at Fisher's Hill, and sent his advance guard +directly on to Hupp's Hill to look down into the Union camps on +the farther bank of Cedar Creek and see what was going on there. +The first news of Early's presence, within two miles of the Union +camp, at the very moment when he was thought to be sixty miles away +on the line of the Virginia Central railway, was brought by the +shells his artillery suddenly dropped among the tents of Crook. +Thoburn at once moved out to capture the battery whose missiles +had presented themselves as uninvited guests at his dinner-table, +but was met by Kershaw and driven back after a sharp fight. Custer, +who was covering the right flank of the army, was assailed at the +same time by the Confederate cavalry, but easily threw off the +attack. At the first sound Torbert sent Merritt from the left to +the support of Custer, and afterward Sheridan kept him there. + +When on the 12th of October Sheridan received Grant's definite +instructions for the movement on Gordonsville and Charlottesville, +he ceased to offer any further opposition, yet, realizing that he +would need his whole force, he withdrew the order for Wright's +movement to Alexandria and sent him word to come back to Cedar +Creek. The head of Wright's column was wading the Shenandoah when +these orders overtook it. Wright at once faced about, and on the +next day, the 14th of October, went into camp behind the lines of +Cedar Creek on the right and rear of Emory. No change was made in +the positions of the other troops, because, until Sheridan's return +from Washington, the policy and plan of the campaign must remain +unsettled, and Wright might at any moment be called upon to resume +his march. + +On the 15th of October Sheridan received formal instructions from +Grant, limiting the proposed movement on Charlottesville and +Gordonsville to a serious menace, instead of an occupation, and +again reducing the call for troops to a single division of cavalry. +Sheridan at once sent Merritt in motion toward Chester Gap, directing +Powell to follow, and he himself rode with Merritt to Front Royal, +meaning to pay his postponed visit to the Secretary of War at +Washington; but on the 16th, before quitting Front Royal, he was +overtaken by an officer from Wright bringing the words of the +strange message read off by our signal officers from the waving +flags of the Confederates in plain sight on the crest of Three Top +Mountain.(2) This message purported to have been sent by Longstreet +to Early. "Be ready," it said, "to move as soon as my forces join +you, and we will crush Sheridan." The true story of this despatch +has not until now been made public,(3) and many are the surmises, +clever or stupid, that have been wasted upon the mystery. In fact, +the message was, as both Sheridan and Wright naturally inferred, +a trick intended to deceive them; Early thought to induce them to +move back without waiting for the attack which, with his reduced +strength, he wished to avoid. The effect was to put the Union +commanders on their guard against what was actually about to happen. +Therefore Sheridan instantly turned back all the cavalry save one +regiment, which he kept for an escort, and rode on to Rectortown, +and so went by rail to Washington--first, however, taking the +precaution to warn Wright to strengthen his position, to close in +Powell from Front Royal, to look well to the ground, and to be +prepared. In his official report of the campaign, Sheridan, speaking +of the events now to be related, said: + +"This surprise was owing probably to not closing in Powell or that +the cavalry divisions of Merritt and Custer were placed at the +right of our line, where it had always occurred to me there was +but little danger of attack." + +But it is important to observe and remember that although Wright, +in sending Longstreet's message, had remarked-- + +"If the enemy should be strongly reinforced in cavalry he might, +by turning my right, give us a great deal of trouble. . . . I shall +only fear an attack on my right," + +yet Sheridan in his reply made no allusion to any difference of +opinion on his part as to the place of danger. His instructions +to close in Powell, Torbert, under Wright's direction, executed by +calling in Moore's brigade to cover Buckton's Ford, on the left +and rear of Crook. Powell, with the rest of his division, was left +at Front Royal to hold off Lomax. + +Sheridan went on to Washington. Arriving there on the morning of +the 17th, he at once asked for a special train to take him to +Martinsburg at noon, and having, between a late breakfast and an +early luncheon, transacted all his business at the War Office, +including the conversion of the government to his views, set out +to rejoin his command. With him went two engineer officers, +Alexander and Thom, with whom he was to consult as to the best +point, if any, in the lower valley to be fortified and held; for +this venerable error was not dead, merely sleeping. + +Torbert rejoined the army at Cedar Creek on the 16th, and Merritt +took up his old position on the right. On the same night Rosser +took one of his brigades with a brigade of infantry mounted behind +the horsemen, and, supported by the whole of Early's army, set out +to capture the outlying brigade of Custer's division, but found +instead a single troop on picket duty. This he took, but it was +a rather mortifying issue to his heavy preparations and great +expectations, and a long price to pay for putting Torbert on the +alert. + +For the next two days nothing was seen of Early, although the +cavalry and both of the infantry corps of the main line kept a good +watch toward the front. There was some probability that Early +would attack, especially if he should have heard of Wright's +departure and not of his return. That Early must either attack +soon or withdraw to the head of the valley was certain, for Sheridan +had stripped the country of the supplies on which the Confederates +had been accustomed to rely, and Early had now to feed his men and +animals by the long haul of seventy-five miles from Staunton. It +was thus that Wright viewed the situation, and in fact the same +things were passing through the mind of Early. On the 18th of +October, Crook, by Wright's orders, sent Harris with his brigade +of Thoburn's division, to find out where Early really was and what +he was doing. How far Harris went is not certainly known, but when +he returned at nightfall he reported that he had been to Early's +old camps and found them evacuated. In reality Early was at Fisher's +Hill with his whole force, engaged in his last preparations for +the surprise of the morrow, but the report brought back by Harris +soon spread as a camp rumor among the officers and men of Crook, +so that they may have slept that night without thought of danger +near, and even the vigilance of their picket line, as well as that +of the cavalry to whom they largely looked for protection against +a surprise, may or may not have been inopportunely relaxed. + +For Early, warned of the strength of Sheridan's right, by the +failure of Rosser's adventure, had since been studying the chances +of an attack on the opposite flank. To this indeed the very +difficulty of the approach invited, for in all wars enterprises +apparently impracticable have been carelessly guarded against and +positions apparently impregnable have been loosely watched and +lightly defended, so that it might not be too much to say that +every insurmountable difficulty has been surmounted and every +impregnable stronghold taken. Such apprehensions as the commander +of the Union army may be supposed to have entertained were directed +toward his right, where Torbert was, and where the back road to +Winchester gave easy access to his rear. + +While Early was engaged in considering this plan, he sent Gordon, +accompanied by Major Hotchkiss of the engineers, to the signal +station on the crest of Three Top Mountain to examine the position +of the Union army and to study the details of the proposed movement. +From this height these officers looked down upon the country about +Cedar Creek as upon an amphitheatre and saw the Union camps as in +a panorama. Every feature was in plain view; they counted the +tents; they noted the dispositions for attack; they made out the +exact situation of the various headquarters; and casting careful +glances into the shadowy depths of the Shenandoah, winding about +the foot of the mountain far below them, they perceived that the +flank of Three Top afforded a footing for the passage of the infantry +at least. Upon this information Early was not long in deciding +upon his course. Under cover of the night he would send the +divisions of Gordon, Ramseur, and Pegram,(4) all under the command +of Gordon, over the Shenandoah near Fisher's Hill, across the +ox-bow, to the foot of Three Top. Thence picking his way over the +foot of the mountain, Gordon in two columns was to cross the river +a second time at McInturff's Ford, just below the mouth of Cedar +Creek and at Bowman's Ford, several hundred yards below. There he +would find himself on the flank and in easy reach of the rear of +Crook, and indeed of the whole Union army, with nothing but a thin +line of pickets to hinder the rush. While Gordon was thus stealthily +creeping into position for his spring, Early meant to take Kershaw +and Wharton upon the valley road and quietly to gain a good position +for assailing Crook and Emory in front, as soon as the rifles of +Gordon should be heard toward the rear. Rosser was to drive in +the cavalry on the right of the Union army, while Lomax, from the +Luray, was expected to gain the valley road somewhere near Newtown, +so as to cut off the retreat. Everything that could jingle or +rattle was to be left behind, and the march was to be made in dead +silence, while, as the rumble of the guns would be sure to reveal +the movement, the whole of the artillery was massed at Strasburg, +all ready to gallop to the front as soon as the battle should begin. + +A closer study of the trail showed Gordon that it would be possible, +however difficult and risky, for dismounted troopers to lead their +horses over the path already marked out for his infantry. Accordingly +the cavalry brigade of Payne was added to Gordon's column, and +after surprising and making good the passage of the fords, the +first duty of these horsemen was to ride straight to Belle Grove +House and capture Sheridan. Early supposed Sheridan to be still +present in command. + +Bold as was Early's design of surprising and attacking the vastly +superior forces of Sheridan, under conditions that must inevitably +stake everything upon the hazard of complete success, it may well +be doubted whether in the whole history of war an instance can be +found of any similar plan so carefully and successfully arranged +and so completely carried out in every detail, up to the moment +that must be looked for in the execution of every operation of war, +when the shock of battle comes and puts even the wisest prevision +in suspense. + +(1) As the wounding of Sharpe left no officer present with his +brigade of higher rank than lieutenant-colonel, Emory took Colonel +Daniel Macauley, 11th Indiana, from the 4th brigade and placed him +in command of the 3d. + +(2) According to Sheridan, agreeing with the general recollection +of the survivors; but Wright and Early both say Round Top, which +is behind Fisher's Hill. Might not the message sent from Round +Top have been repeated from Three Top? + +(3) To the courtesy and kindness of General Early, the author is +greatly indebted for the key to the riddle. Under date of Lynchburg, +Virginia, November 6, 1890, he writes: "The signal message . . . +was altogether fictitious. As Sheridan's troops occupied the north +bank of Cedar Creek in such a strong position as to render it +impracticable for me to attack them in front, I went to the signal +station just in my rear for the purpose of examining the position, +and I found the officer in charge of the station reading some +signals that were being sent by the Federal signal agents. I then +asked him if the other side could read his signals and he told me +that they had discovered the key to the signals formerly used, but +that a change had been made. I then wrote the message purporting +to be from Longstreet and had it signalled in full view of the +Federal signal men whom we saw on the hill in front of my position, +so that it might be read by them. My object was to induce Sheridan +to move back his troops from the position they then occupied, and +I am inclined to think that if he had then been present with his +command he would have done so. However, the movement was not made, +and I then determined to make the attack which was made on the 19th +of October. The object of that attack was to prevent any troops +from being returned to Grant's army." + +(4) Observe that Ramseur was now commanding the division that had +been Rodes's; Pegram having succeeded to Ramseur's old division. + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. +CEDAR CREEK. + +The ground whereon the Army of the Shenandoah now found itself was +the same on which Sheridan had left it, the troops were the same, +and the formations were in all important particulars the same as +when he had been present in command, strengthened, however, by +additional entrenchments. Twice before the army had occupied the +same line, and on both occasions Sheridan had emphatically condemned +it as a very bad one. Briefly, the position was formed by the last +great outward bend of Cedar Creek before its waters mingle with +those of the Shenandoah, the left flank resting lightly on the +river, the centre strongly across the valley road, and the extreme +right on the creek near the end of the bow. + +Crook held a high and partly wooded height or range of heights on +the left or east (1) of the valley road, and nearly parallel with +it. Thoburn occupied the most advanced spur overlooking the mouth +of the creek, while on his left and rear Hayes and Kitching faced +toward the Shenandoah with their backs to the road. As the road +descended to cross Cedar Creek by the bridge (2) and ford, it +followed the course of a rivulet on its left, and three quarters +of a mile from Crook, on the opposite side of this ravine and of +the road, Emory was posted on a hill whose crest rose steeply a +hundred and fifty feet above the bed of the creek. Here Emory +planted nearly the whole of his artillery to command the bridge +and the neighboring ford and the approaches on the opposite bank, +but the slope and crest of this hill were completely and easily +commanded from the higher ground held by Thoburn and by Hayes. +From the valley road on the left, Emory's line stretched +crescent-wise, until its right rested upon a natural bastion formed +by the highest part of the hill, whence the descent is precipitous, +not only to the creek in front, but on the flank to the gorge of +Meadow Brook. This little stream rising some miles farther north near +Newtown, and flowing now between high banks and again through marshy +borders in a general direction nearly parallel to the road, empties +into Cedar Creek about three quarters of a mile above the bridge. +Just below the mouth of the brook Cedar Creek can be crossed by a +ford lying nearly in a direct prolongation of the line of the valley +road from the point where in descending it swerves to the east to +pass the bridge, and midway between the bridge and the Meadow Brook +ford is still another ford overlooked by Emory's right wing and +commanded by the guns of his artillery. Dwight's division formed +the right of Emory's line and Grover's the left. From right to +left the front line was composed of the brigades of Thomas, Molineux, +Birge, and Macauley, with Davis in reserve supporting Thomas, and +Shunk, likewise in reserve, supporting Macauley and Birge.(3) + +The fronts of Emory and Crook overlooking the creek were strongly +entrenched, and Crook was engaged in extending his line of works +toward the left and rear of Thoburn to cover the front of Hayes, +but this fresh line was as yet unoccupied. Wright's corps, commanded +by Ricketts during the absence of Sheridan, while Wright himself +commanded the army, was held in reserve on the high ground known +as Red Hill overlooking Meadow Brook from the eastward, the divisions +encamped for convenience in a sort of irregular echelon, with +Ricketts's, under Keifer, in front, Upton's, commanded by Wheaton, +on the right and rear in close support, and Getty's on the left +and rear of both, and thus nearer to the valley road than either. +Behind the Sixth Corps, opposite Middletown, on the high ground on +both sides of Marsh Run, was Merritt, and far away on his right, +watching the approaches and the crossing by the back road, stood +Custer. + +As the Sixth Corps held no part of the front, but formed a general +reserve, its position was not entrenched. Torbert, Emory, and +Crook each picketed and watched his own front, and there was not +a horseman between the infantry and the supposed position of the +enemy at or beyond Fisher's Hill. + +Emory had for some days been distrustful of the excessive tranquillity, +and on the previous evening his uneasiness had rather been augmented +by a report that came to him from Thomas of a little group of men +in citizens' dress that had been seen during the day moving about +on the edge of Hupp's Hill, as if engaged in noting with more +intentness than is usual among civilians the arrangement of the +Union camps. This incident Emory reported to Wright for what it +might be worth, and Wright, on his part, being already doubtful of +the exactness of the information brought in by Harris, ordered +Emory and Torbert each to send out a strong reconnoitring party in +the early morning, to move in parallel columns on the valley road +and on the back road, with the significant caution that they were +to go far enough to find out whether Early was still at Fisher's +Hill or not. + +After crossing the Shenandoah and reaching the foot of Three Top, +Gordon halted his men for a few hours' rest before the hard work +awaiting them. At one o'clock he silently took up the line of +march over the rugged trail toward McInturff's and Bowman's fords, +and at five o'clock seized both crossings, with the merest show of +resistance from Moore's outlying brigade, and pressed on to Cooley's +house, the white house he had noted from Three Top. This landmark, +as he knew, was barely thirteen hundred yards from the nearest +flank of his enemy. He passed nearly half that distance beyond +the house and, as pre-arranged, silently formed his three divisions +for the attack. Within five minutes he could be in Kitching's camp. + +At the last moment, hearing that Crook was strengthening his +entrenchments, Early so far changed his plan as to part company +with Wharton at Strasburg, and then, bearing off to the right, to +conduct Kershaw to the banks of Cedar Creek at the ford that now +bears the name of Roberts. This is about twelve hundred yards +above the mouth of the creek; and there, at half-past three in the +morning, in the long shadows of the full moon,(4) Early stood with +Kershaw at his back and the sleeping ranks of Thoburn directly in +his front, and waited only for the appointed hour. At half-past +four, Early again set Kershaw in motion. The crossing of Cedar +Creek was unobserved and unopposed. Once on the north bank, Kershaw +deployed to the right and left, and stood to arms listening for +Gordon. + +Wharton, who had already formed under cover of the tress, on the +edge of Hupp's Hill, crept down the slope to the front of the wood, +and there, likewise in shadow, hardly a thousand feet from the +bridge and the middle ford, he too watched for the signal. + +To crown all, as the dawn drew near a light fog descended upon the +river bottom and covered all objects as with a veil. + +Almost from the beginning it had been the custom of the Nineteenth +Army Corps, at all times when in the presence of the enemy, to +stand to arms at daybreak. Moreover as Molineux was to go out on +a reconnoissance by half-past five, his men had breakfasted and +were lying on their arms waiting for the order to march. Birge +and Macauley were to be ready to follow in support after a proper +interval, and Shunk was to cover the front of all three during +their absence. McMillan had also been notified to support the +movement of Grover's brigades. Emory himself was up and dressed, +the horses of his staff were saddled, and his own horses were being +saddled, when from the left a startling sound broke the stillness +of the morning air. + +This was the roar of the one tremendous volley by which Kershaw +made known his presence before the sleeping camp of Thoburn. In +an instant, before a single shot could be fired in return, before +the muskets could be taken from the stacks, before the cannoneers +could reach their pieces, Kershaw's men, with loud and continuous +yells, swarmed over the parapet in Thoburn's front, seized the +guns, and sent his half-clad soldiers flying to the rear. Thus +Kershaw, who a moment before had been without artillery, suddenly +found himself in possession of the seven guns that had been planted +to secure Thoburn's ground. Then upon Emory and upon Hayes, as +well as against the flying fugitives, he turned the cannon thus +snatched from their own comrades. + +At the first sound Molineux moved his men back into the rifle-pits +they had left an hour before, and Emory, ordering his corps to +stand to arms, rode at once to the left of his line at the valley +road to find out the meaning of this strange outbreak. Knowing +that Molineux was near and ready, Emory drew from him two regiments, +the 22d Iowa and the 3d Massachusetts, to support the artillery +planted on the left to command the bridge. Hardly had this been +done when the shells began to fall among the guns and to enfilade +the lines of the infantry. What could this mean but the thing that +had actually happened to Thoburn? Grover joined Emory, Crook came +from Belle Grove, and Wright from his camp beyond Meadow Brook. +The fugitives from Thoburn's unfortunate division went streaming by. + +Then suddenly from the left and rear came the startling rattle of +the rifles that told of Gordon's attack on the exposed flank of +Hayes and Kitching. While all eyes were directed toward Kershaw, +Gordon, still further favored by the fog, the outcry, and the noise +of the cannonade, was not perceived by the troops of Hayes and +Kitching until the instant when his solid lines of battle, unheralded +by a single skirmisher of his own, and unannounced by those set to +watch against him, fell upon the ranks of Crook. He tried in vain +to form on the road. Startled from their sleep by the surprise of +their comrades on their right, and naturally shaken by the disordered +rush of the fugitives through their ranks, his men, old soldiers +and good soldiers as they were, gave way at the first onset, before +the fire of Gordon had become heavy and almost without stopping to +return it. + +Then swiftly Gordon and Kershaw moved together against the uncovered +left and rear of Emory, while at the same time Early, who after +seeing Kershaw launched, had ridden back for Wharton and the +artillery, was bringing them into position for a front attack. +Besides the sounds that had aroused Emory and Crook, Wright, from +his more remote position, had listened to the rattle of Rosser's +carbines,(5) but after a moment of natural doubt had perceived that +the true attack was on the left, and accordingly he had ordered +Ricketts to advance with Getty and Keifer to the valley road toward +the sound of the battle. If this was to be of the least advantage, +the valley road must be somehow held by somebody until Ricketts +should come. Emory sent Thomas across the road into the ravine +and the wood beyond, and bade him stand fast at all hazards. But +the time was too short. Thomas, after a desperate resistance, was +forced back by the overwhelming masses of Kershaw, yet not until +this tried brigade had left a third of its number on the ground to +attest its valor. About the colors of the 8th Vermont the fight +was furious. Again and again the colors were down; three bearers +were slain; before the sun rose two men out of three had fallen, +that the precious emblems might be saved.(6) Thus were many +priceless minutes won. Then, as there was no longer anything to +hinder the advance of Kershaw on the left, and of Gordon on the +rear, while Wharton and the forty guns of Early's artillery were +beginning their work in front, from the left toward the right, +successively the brigades of the Nineteenth Corps began to give +way; yet as they drifted toward the right and rear, in that stress +the men held well to their colors, and although there may and must +have been many that fell out, not a brigade or a regiment lost its +organization for a moment. + +When the pressure reached Molineux and Davis on the reverse side +of the entrenchments, both brigades began moving off, under Emory's +orders, by the right flank to take position near Belle Grove on +the right of Ricketts's division of the Sixth Corps, which had come +up and was trying to extend its line diagonally to reach the valley +road. To cover this position and to hold off the onward rush of +Gordon, Emory had already posted the 114th and the 153d New York +on the commanding knoll five hundred yards to the southward +overlooking the road. When driven off these regiments rejoined +their brigade before Belle Grove. Thither also came the detached +regiments of Molineux, and there Neafie joined them with the 3d +brigade, after a strong stand at their breastworks, wherein Macauley +fell severely wounded, and the 156th and 176th had hard fighting +hand-to-hand to keep their colors, at the cost of the staves. +Birge retired along the line of works to the open ground beyond +Meadow Brook, where Shunk joined him. + +In quitting their posts at the breastworks Haley, having lost +forty-nine horses killed in harness, had to abandon three guns of +his 1st Maine battery, and Taft lost three pieces of his 5th New +York battery at the difficult crossing of Meadow Brook. There, too, +from the same cause, three guns of the 17th Indiana and two of the +Rhode Island battery were abandoned. The losses of the infantry +were to be counted in thousands. Grover was slightly wounded; +Macauley, as has been said, severely. Emory had lost both his +horses, and was for a time commanding the corps afoot. Birge rode +a mule. Thus the Nineteenth Corps lost eleven guns. Crook had +already lost seven, and the Sixth Corps was presently to lose six. + +With Gordon on his flank and rear, every moment drawing nearer to +the mastery of the valley road, Wright had to think, and to think +quickly, of the safety and the success of the army he commanded. +For it there was no longer a position south of Middletown. What +security was there that Custer and Powell would be able all day +long to hold off, as in the event they did, the flank and rear +attacks of Rosser and of Lomax? What if the Longstreet message +were true and yet a third surprise in store? Time, time was needed, +whether to bring up the troops or to change front, to march to the +rear past the faces of the advancing enemy, to hold him in check, +and to re-form. Whatever was to be done was to be done quickly; +and Wright, throwing prudence into the balance, made up his mind +for a retreat to a fresh position, where his line of communications +would be preserved and its flanks protected. Middletown and the +cavalry camp pointed out the ground. Accordingly he gave the word +to Getty, Ricketts being wounded, to retire on Middletown, guiding +on the valley road, and to Emory to form on Getty's right--that +is, on the left of the Sixth Corps in retreat. The battle had been +raging for nearly an hour when Wright gave this order to abandon +Belle Grove. The retreat threw upon Getty's division, now under +Grant, the severe task of covering the exposed right flank of the +army in retreat, while the left was gradually swinging into the +direction of the new line. Getty, having handsomely performed this +service, crossed Meadow Brook abreast with Middletown and took +position on the high and partly wooded ground that rises beyond +the brook to the west of the village and on a line with Merritt's +camp. Here, on the southern edge of the village cemetery and on +the crest behind it, Getty planted his artillery, posted Grant to +hold the immediate front, and somewhat in his rear, under the trees, +following the contour of the hill, as it rises toward the west, he +placed Wheaton and Keifer. + +To reach his position on the left of Getty in retreat, Emory had +to gain ground to the westward, to descend the hill from Belle +Grove, to cross Meadow Brook, and climbing the opposite slope to +face about and re-form his line in good order on the crest of Red +Hill. Here, before Dr. Shipley's house, nearly across the ground +where the men of Wheaton and of Getty had slept the night before, +for the best part of an hour Emory stood at bay. Kershaw followed +over the Belle Grove Hill, across Meadow Brook, up the slope of +Red Hill, and formed line facing north; but then, seeing the fighting +part of Emory's infantry before him and the formidable array of +Merritt's cavalry in close support, he refrained from renewing the +attack until Early could send Gordon to his aid. Thus the bold +stand at Red Hill gave the time the situation craved, and while +Kershaw waited, Emory, following his orders from Wright, crossed +over to the cemetery (7) and placed himself on the west of Getty. +Thomas rejoined McMillan. Torbert meanwhile had moved over with +Merritt to the left flank. Thus around the cemetery, about +half-past seven, the unshaken strength of the Army of the +Shenandoah was gathered, every eye looking once more toward the +south. + +While awaiting the general attack for which Early was plainly +preparing, Wright deployed his lines, according to the ground, from +the south wall of the cemetery overlooking Meadow Brook on the +left, in a rough echelon of divisions to Marsh Brook on the right, +in order of Grant, Keifer, Wheaton, Grover, McMillan. Between the +arms of Marsh Brook, in front and behind the Old Forge road, on +open ground nearly as high as Getty's, Emory formed his corps in +echelon of brigades. Here, not doubting that the decisive combat +of the day was to be fought, Emory began fortifying his front with +the help of loose rails and stones. + +To protect himself against the menacing movement of the cavalry on +his right in front of Middletown, Early posted Ramseur with two +batteries directly across the valley road, and when he saw Getty's +stand near the cemetery, he brought Wharton directly down the road +and sent him to the attack, but this Getty easily threw off and +drove back Wharton in such confusion that before renewing the +attempt Early waited to complete a new line of battle almost +perpendicular to his first and therefore to the road. From the +right at Middletown to the left at Red Hill the new line was formed +by Pegram, Ramseur, Kershaw, and Gordon, with Wharton behind Pegram. +On the right of this line also Early massed the forty guns of his +artillery augmented by some of the twenty-four pieces taken from +the Union army. + +And now the increasing heat of the sun dissolved the fog, and +revealed to the combatants the true situation of affairs. To Early +the position of the Union army, its salient, as it were, lying +directly before him where he stood, seemed so strong that he +hesitated to hazard another attack until the concentrated fire of +his artillery should have produced an impression, while to Wright, +not only was the menace of Early's artillery very obvious, but the +weakness of his own left flank, broken by Meadow Brook and adhering +lightly to the valley road, was still present. + +The force of Early's first onset was spent; his one chance of +seizing and holding the valley road in the rear of the Union army +had slipped away, while his cavalry had utterly failed to accomplish +any part of the task confided to it. Time and strength had both +been lost to the Confederates by the uncontrollable plunder of the +camps and the sutlers' stores. + +The Old Forge road is but a country lane that crosses the field +from the north end of Middletown. It afforded no position, its +chief value being as uniting the wings of the army, and Wright's +object in taking up this line was simply to gain time to develop +a better fighting line still farther to the rear. Now, seeing that +Getty had accomplished his purpose in holding on at the cemetery, +Wright ordered him to move slowly, in line of battle, toward the +north, guiding on the valley road, with Merritt's cavalry beyond +it following and covering the operation, while Emory, taking up +the movement in his turn, was to look to Wheaton for his guide. +Wright's order found Emory's men in the act of completing their +hasty defences, while Emory was moving about among them strongly +declaring his purpose not to go back another inch. + +Getty began by withdrawing Grant, and when Grant had passed for +some distance beyond the left of Keifer, his right in retreat, +Keifer followed, while on his left, in retreat, Wheaton, and on +Wheaton's left Emory marched, as nearly as may be, shoulder to +shoulder in a solid line. Thus Keifer formed the centre of the +retreating line of battle, with Ball on his right and Emerson on +his left. Having to pass over rough ground and among trees, the +line was broken to the reversed front by the right of regiments, +the head of each guiding on its right-hand neighbor. Thus it +happened (8) that in passing through a thick wood, Keifer's division +was split in two, his brigades losing sight of one another, so that +on coming once more into the open field, Ball found himself alone +with no other troops in sight on either hand; but soon hearing the +sound of Getty's guns over the right shoulder, he faced about and +marched back to a stone wall upon a lane, where he found Getty +already in position. Emerson, however, moving more quickly through +the wood, because the ground was easier, continued his march toward +the north, continually bearing to the right as he went, in order +to regain the lost touch with Ball, while on the left Wheaton and +Emory, knowing nothing of the break, naturally and gradually +conformed to the movement of Emerson. Finally, when the left of +the line once more entered the woods, Emerson, gradually changing +the direction toward the right, drifted Wheaton away from Emory, +and when this was perceived by the commanders, each began to look +for his neighbor. It is also probable that when the separation +took place the interval was gradually widened by Emory's movement +with his right resting on a road that, while apparently following +the true line of direction, really carried him every moment a little +farther toward the left. However that may be, when almost at the +same instant Wheaton and Emory halted and faced about, they found +themselves about eight hundred yards apart, a thousand yards behind +the line that Getty had just taken up, on the westward prolongation +of which Keifer had joined him with the brigade of Ball. + +The affair had now lasted five hours; the retreat was at an end; +a tactical accident had carried it half a mile farther than was +intended; as it was, from the extreme front of Emory at daybreak +to his extreme rear at eleven o'clock, the measured distance was +but four miles. Every step of the way had been traversed under +orders--under orders that had carried the Nineteenth Corps three +times across the field of battle, so that its march, from Belle +Grove to the Old Forge road, might be represented by the letter N. + +When Early saw the Union line retreating, he moved forward to the +cross-road beyond the cemetery, and posted his troops behind the +stone walls. Wharton extended the line on the east side of the +turnpike, with three batteries massed between him and the road. +Pegram covered the turnpike, his left resting on Meadow Brook, and +beyond it Ramseur, Kershaw, and Gordon carried the line to the east +bank of Middle Marsh Brook. Early had now two courses open to him: +one was to extricate his army from its position, with its enemy +directly in front and Cedar Creek in rear, before the Union commander +could take the initiative; the other was to attack vigorously with +all his force before the Union infantry should be able to complete +the new line of battle now plainly in the act of formation. In +either case, although he could easily see than on both flanks the +line of his infantry far overlapped that of his antagonist, Early +must have perceived that he had to reckon with the whole mass of +the Union cavalry, unshaken and as yet untouched. Moreover, his +men had already done a long and hard day's work after a short night. + +Depleted as were the ranks of the Union infantry by the heavy battle +losses of the early morning, and the still heavier losses by the +misconduct of the stragglers of all the corps except the cavalry, +it was not to be doubted that the men who stood by the colors on +the Old Forge road meant to abide to the end. As all old soldiers +know, the fighting line, granting that enough remain to make a +fighting line, is never so strong as the moment after the first +shock of battle has shaken out the men that always straggle on the +march and skulk on the field. When, therefore, the first compact +line faced about, it was with determination and with hope; yet +scarcely had the fires of resolution been relit and begun to kindle +to a glow than they were suddenly extinguished and all was plunged +in gloom by the unlooked-for order to retreat. Upon the whole army +a lethargy fell, and though every man expected and stood ready to +do his duty, it was with a certain listlessness amounting almost +to indifference that he waited for what was to come next. In the +sensations of most, hunger was perhaps uppermost, and while some +munched the bread and meat from their haversacks and other waited +to make coffee, many threw themselves upon the ground where they +stood and fell asleep. + +Far down the road from among the crowd of fugitives, where no man +on that field cared to look, came a murmur like the breaking of +the surf on a far-off shore. Nearer it drew, grew louder, and +swelled to a tumult. Cheers! The cheers of the stragglers. As +the men instinctively turned toward the sound, they were seized +with amazement to see the tide of stragglers setting strongly toward +the south. Then out from among them, into the field by the roadside, +cantered a little man on a black horse, and from the ranks of his +own cavalry arose a cry of "Sheridan!" Through all the ranks the +message flashed, and, as if it had been charged by the electric +spark, set every man on his feet and made his heart once more beat +high within him. + +This was Wednesday, and Sheridan, before finally setting out for +Washington, had told Wright to look for him on Tuesday. Rapidly +despatching, as has been seen, his business at the War Office, +Sheridan left Washington by the special train he had asked for at +noon on the 17th, accompanied by the engineers charged with the +duty of selecting the position that Halleck wished to fortify. +They slept that night at Martinsburg, and rode the next day, the +18th of October, to Winchester. There Sheridan learned that all +was well with his army and was also told of the reconnoissances +projected for the next morning. He determined to remain at Winchester +in order to go over the ground the next morning with the engineers. +Aroused about six o'clock by the report of heavy firing, he ascribed +it to the reconnoitring column, and thought but little of it until, +between half-past eight and nine, having finished his breakfast, +he became uneasy at the continued sound of the cannon. Then mounting +"Rienzi," accompanied by his staff and followed by his escort, he +rode out to join his army where he had left it, fourteen miles +away, on the banks of Cedar Creek. The fight of the morning had +come to an end an hour ago. Riding at an easy trot half a mile +out on the hill beyond Abraham's Creek,(9) he was shocked to see +the tattered and dishevelled head of the column of stragglers, +every man making the best of his way toward the Potomac, without +his arms, his equipments, or his knapsack, carrying, in short, +nothing but what he wore. Most of these must have been shaken out +of the ranks when Kershaw surprised the camp of Thoburn. If this +be so, they had travelled more than thirteen miles in little more +than three hours. + +This appalling sight brought to Sheridan's mind the Longstreet +message, "Be ready when I join you, and we will crush Sheridan." +Should he stop his routed army at Winchester and fight there? No, +he must go to his men, restore their broken ranks, or share their +fate. How he rode on has been made famous in song and story, yet +never so well told as in the modest narrative, stamped in every +line with the impress of the soldier's truthful frankness, than in +the entertaining volumes that were the last work of the great +leader's life.(10) + +Once arrived on the field, about half-past ten or perhaps eleven +o'clock, Sheridan lost no time in assuming personal command of the +army. Establishing his headquarters on the hill behind Getty, he +proceeded to complete the dispositions he found already in progress. +He saw at a glance that the line on which Wright had placed Getty +was well chosen; and though knowing nothing of the break that had +taken place during the accidental loss of direction by the left +wing of Getty's corps, and so wrongly inferring from what he saw +that Getty was a mere rear-guard, he yet adopted the position for +his fighting line, sent his staff officers with orders for the rest +of the troops to form on that line, and thus actually completed +the arrangements begun by Wright. It sufficed that Emerson, Wheaton, +and Emory should face about, as they were already about to do, and +should form on the prolongation of Getty's line. This they did +promptly and in perfect order. Wright resumed the command of the +Sixth Corps and Getty of his own division. Then feeling his left +quite strong enough under Merritt's care, Sheridan sent Custer, +for whom he had other designs, back to the right flank. + +It was past noon before all this was accomplished. Then Sheridan, +content with the position and appearance of his own army, and +perceiving that Early was getting ready to attack him, acted on +the suggestion of Major George Forsyth, his aide-de-camp, and rode +the length of the line of battle in order to show himself to his +men. A tumult of cheers greeted him and followed him as, hat in +hand, he passed in front of regiment after regiment, speaking a +few words of encouragement to each. Sheridan possessed in a degree +unequalled the power of raising in the hearts of his soldiers the +sort of enthusiasm that, transmuting itself into action, causes +men to attempt impossibilities, and to disregard and overcome +obstacles. Almost from the moment of entering the valley he had +gained the confidence of the infantry, to whom he had been a +stranger. By the cavalry he had long been idolized. The feeling +of an army for its general is a thing not to be reasoned with or +explained away; once aroused, it belongs to him as exclusively as +the expression of his face, the manner of his gait, or the form of +his signature, and is not to be transferred to his successor or +delegated even to the ablest of his lieutenants, whatever the skill, +the merit, or the reputation of either. The mere presence of +Sheridan in the ranks of the Army of the Shenandoah that day brought +with it the assurance of victory. + +Emory at first formed his corps in two lines, the First division +under Dwight, whom Sheridan had released from arrest, on the right, +and Grover on the left; but soon the whole corps was deployed in +one line in the order from right to left by brigades of McMillan, +Davis, Birge, Molineux, Neafie, Shunk. + +When the line of the Old Forge road was abandoned by Wright, Early +moved forward and occupied it. Between one and two o'clock he +advanced Gordon and Kershaw to attack Wheaton and Emory. Seeing +that the weight of the attack was about to fall on the right, +Sheridan sent Wheaton to the support of Emory. However, Gordon's +onset proved so light that no assistance was needed, for, after +three or four volleys had been exchanged, the attack was easily +and completely thrown off. Kershaw's movement was even more feeble. + +Several causes now delayed the counter attack of Sheridan. Crook +was endeavoring to re-form the stragglers on his colors behind +Merritt. Apprehension of the coming of Longstreet was only dissipated +by the information gained from prisoners during the afternoon, and +finally arose a false rumor of the appearance of a column of +Confederate cavalry in the rear toward Winchester; and this seemed +plausible enough until at last word came from Powell that he was +still holding off Lomax. Then Sheridan gave the signal for the +whole line to go forward against the enemy, beginning with Getty +on the left, as a pivot, while the whole right was to sweep onward, +and, driving the enemy before it, to swing toward the valley road +near the camps of the morning. + +About four Getty started, and the movement being taken up in +succession toward the right, in a few minutes the whole line was +advancing steadily. From that moment to the end the men hardly +stopped an instant for anything. The resistance of the Confederates, +though at first steady, and here and there even spirited, was of +short duration. For a few moments, indeed, the attack seemed to +hang on the extreme right as McMillan, rushing on even more rapidly +than the order of the combat demanded, found himself suddenly +enveloped by the right wheel of the brigade of Evans, forming the +extreme left of the division of Gordon and of the Confederate army. +But while McMillan was thus attacked and his leading troops were +called to meet the danger, this, as suddenly as it had come, was +swept away by the swift onset of Davis directly upon the front and +flank of Evans. To do this Davis had not only to act instantly, +but also to change front under a double fire; yet he and his brigade +were equal to the emergency, and McMillan joining in, together they +not only threw off the attack of Evans, but bursting through the +re-entrant angle of Gordon's line, quickly swept Evans off the +field. Knowing this to be the critical point of his line, because +the wheeling flank, Sheridan was there. "Stay where you are," was +his order, "till you see my boy Custer over there." + +Then upon the high ground appeared Custer at the head of his bold +troopers, making ready to swoop down upon the broken wing of Gordon. +Almost at the same instant, the whole right of the line rushed to +the charge, and while Custer rode down Gordon's left flank, Dwight, +with McMillan and Davis, began rolling up the whole Confederate +line. Meanwhile, on the left centre the Union attack likewise hung +for a moment, where Molineux, on the southerly slope of a wooded +hollow, saw himself confronted by Kershaw on the opposite crest, +only to be reached by climbing the steep bare side of the "dirt +hill." But the keen eye of Molineux easily saw through the +difficulties of the ground, and when he was ready his men and +Birge's, rising up and together charging boldly out of the hollow, +up the hill, across the open ground, and over the stone wall, in +the face of a fierce fire, settled the overthrow of Kershaw and +sent a panic running down the line of Ramseur. Wright attacking +with equal vigor, soon the disorder spread through every part of +Early's force, and in rout and ruin the exultant victors of the +morning were flying up the valley. + +"Back to your camps!" had been the watchword ever since Sheridan +showed himself on the field. Dwight's men were the first to stand +once more upon their own ground, but by that time Sheridan's army +had executed, though without much regard to order, a complete left +wheel. While the infantry took up its original positions, the +cavalry pursued the flying enemy with such vigor that an accidental +displacement of a single plank on a little bridge near Strasburg +caused the whole of Early's artillery that had not yet passed on, +to fall into the hands of Sheridan. Thus were taken 48 cannon, 52 +caissons, all the ambulances that had been lost in the morning, +many wagons, and seven battle flags; of the artillery 24 pieces +were the same that had been lost in the early morning. From every +part of the abandoned field great stacks of rifles were gathered. +The prisoners taken were about 1,200, according to the reports of +Sheridan's officers, or something over 1,000 by Early's account. +Early also gives his loss in killed and wounded, without distinguishing +between the two, as 1,860, and reports the capture of 1,429 prisoners +from the Union army in the early hours of the day. Of these he +had made sure by sending them promptly to the rear. Ramseur was +mortally wounded in the last stand made by his division, and died +a few days later in the hands and under the care of his former +comrades of Sheridan's army. + +Sheridan's loss was 644 killed, 3,430 wounded, and 1,591 captured +or missing; in all, 5,665. Of these the Sixth Corps had 298 killed, +1,628 wounded--together, 1,926; the Nineteenth Corps 257 killed, +1,336 wounded--together, 1,593. Crook lost 60 killed, 342 wounded +--together, 402; the cavalry 29 killed, 224 wounded--together, 253. +The missing were thus divided: Wright 194, Emory 776, Crook 548, +Torbert 43. The greatest proportionate loss of the day was suffered +by the 114th New York, which had 21 killed, 86 wounded, including +17 mortally, and 8 missing--in all, 115 out of 250 engaged. Its +fatal casualties reached 15.2, and the killed and wounded 42.8 per +cent. of the number engaged. These figures are from the corrected +reports of the War Department. The missing exceed the captured, +as set down in Early's report, by only 132. Among the killed and +mortally wounded were Bidwell, Thoburn, Kitching, and that superb +soldier and accomplished gentleman, General Charles Russell Lowell, +who, although severely wounded in the morning, at the head of his +brigade held fast to the stone wall until, in the last decisive +charge, his death-blow came. Grover received a second severe wound +early in the final charge that broke the Confederate left. Birge +then took his division. + +Without a halt and with scarcely a show of organized resistance, +Early retreated to Fisher's Hill. Merritt and Custer, uniting on +the south bank of Cedar Creek, kept up the pursuit until the night +was well advanced, but soon their captures became so heavy in men +and material, that help was needed to take care of them, so, barely +an hour after going into camp the jaded infantry of Dwight once +more turned out and marched with alacrity to Strasburg. + +Toward morning Early withdrew his infantry from the lines of Fisher's +Hill, and marched on New Market, leaving Rosser to cover the +movement. In the morning, upon Torbert's approach, Rosser retired, +closely pursued to Edenburg, sending Lomax to the Luray to guard +the right flank of the retreating Confederates. + +The strength of the contending forces in this remarkable battle +may always give ground for dispute. No official figures exist to +determine the question directly; therefore on either side the +numbers are a matter of opinion. The author's, formed after a +careful consideration of all the authorities, is that when the +battle began, Wright commanded an effective force of not more than +31,000 officers and men of all arms, made up of 9,000 in the Sixth +Corps, 9,500 in the Nineteenth Corps, 6,000 in Crook's command, +and 6,500 cavalry. The infantry probably numbered 23,000: Ricketts +8,500, Emory 9,000, Crook 5,500. Of these, therefore, the hard +fighting fell on 17,500. The losses in the Sixth and Nineteenth +Corps, nearly all incurred in the early morning, being about 4,500, +the two corps should have mustered 13,500 for the counter-attack +of the afternoon, yet the ground they then stood upon, from the +road to the brook, measures barely 7,400 feet. With all allowances, +therefore, Sheridan cannot have taken more than 8,000 of his infantry +into this attack. This leaves out Crook's men bodily, and calls +for 5,500 unrepentant stragglers from the ranks of Emory and Wright +--one man in three. After all is said, unhappily there is nothing +so extraordinary in this, but strange indeed would it have been if +many of these skulkers had come back into the fight, as Sheridan +considerately declares they did. + +As to Early's force, the difficulty of coming to a positive conclusion +is even greater. General Early himself says he went into the battle +with but 8,800 muskets. General Dawes, perhaps the most accomplished +statistician of the war, makes the total present for duty 22,000; +of these 15,000 would be infantry. The figures presented by the +unprejudiced statistician of the "Century War Book" (11) call for +15,000 of all arms. Of these 10,000 would be infantry. + +Early may be said to have accomplished the ultimate object of his +attack at Cedar Creek, yet at a fearful cost, for although all +thought of transferring any part of Sheridan's force to the James +was for the moment given up, on the other hand Early had completed +the destruction (12) of his prestige, had suffered an irreparable +diminution of numbers, and had seen his army almost shaken to +pieces. + +Grant once more returned to his favorite project of a movement in +force on Charlottesville and Gordonsville, but Sheridan continuing +to oppose the scheme tenaciously, it came to nothing. His own +plan, eventually carried out, was to hold the lower valley in +sufficient strength, and to move against the line of the Virginia +Central railway with all his cavalry. The rails of the Manassas +Gap line, so often relaid, were once more and for the last time +taken up from the Blue Ridge back to Augur's outposts at Bull Run, +and so this will-o'-the-wisp, that had danced before the eyes of +the government ever since 1861, was at last extinguished, while +from Winchester to the Potomac the railway, abandoned by Johnston +when he marched to Bull Run, was re-constructed to simplify the +question of supplies. + +(1) Strictly southeast, for the course of the turnpike toward +Winchester is about northeast. + +(2) The present bridge is a short distance above where the old one +was. + +(3) Dwight having been in arrest during the past fortnight by +Emory's orders under charges growing out of criticisms and statements +made in his report of the battle of the Opequon, McMillan commanded +the First division, leaving his brigade to Thomas. Beal had gone +home on leave of absence when the campaign seemed ended, and Davis +commanded his brigade. + +(4) Being actually three days past the full, the moon rose October +18-19, 1864 at 8.5 P.M., southed at 2.25 A.M., and set at 8.45 A.M. +Daylight on the 19th was at 5.40 A.M.; the sun rose at 6.14, set +at 5.16; twilight ended 5.50 P.M. + +(5) This was probably the first sound heard that morning. + +(6) According to the regimental history (p. 218) over 100 were lost +out of 159 engaged; of 16 officers 13 were killed or wounded. The +monument erected September 21, 1885, says 110 were killed and +wounded out of 164 engaged. The revised official figures are 17 +killed, 66 wounded--together 83 (including 12 officers); besides +these there were 23 missing; in all, 106. + +(7) The official map, accurate as it is in general, errs in some +important particulars; for one, in representing Emory as retreating +in a direct line toward the north from Red Hill to the Old Forge +line. This would actually have carried his force through the ranks +of the cavalry. + +(8) "The Battle of Cedar Creek," by Col. Moses M. Granger, 122d +Ohio, printed in the valuable collection of "Sketches of War +History," published by the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion, +vol. iii., pp. 122-125. The author is likewise indebted to General +Keifer for the opportunity to use in this manuscript his paper on +Cedar Creek, prepared for the same series. + +(9) Called Mill Creek in Sheridan's report and "Memoirs." There +is a mill on the north bank. + +(10) "Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan," vol. ii., pp. 75-83. +The distance from Winchester to Getty's position is ten and three +quarter miles. + +(11) Vol. iv., pp. 524, 532. And see appendix for the valuable +memorandum kindly prepared expressly for this work by General E. +C. Dawes. + +(12) Justly or unjustly; unjustly I think, being unable to see how +any one could have done better. + + +CHAPTER XXXV. +VICTORY AND HOME. + +On the 7th of November, on the battle-field of Cedar Creek, Emory +passed his corps in review before Sheridan. Sheridan spoke freely +and in the highest terms of the soldierly bearing and good conduct +of the officers and men. On the same day the President broke up +the organization of the remnant of the various detachments, still +known as the Nineteenth Corps, left under the command of Canby in +Louisiana and Mississippi, and appointed Emory to the permanent +command of the Nineteenth Army Corps in the field in Virginia. + +The corps staff, mainly composed of the same officers who with +lower rank had been serving at the headquarters of the Detachment, +so called, since quitting Louisiana, included Lieutenant-Colonel +Duncan S. Walker, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant-Colonel +John M. Sizer, Acting-Assistant Inspector-General; Captain O. O. +Potter, Chief Quartermaster; Captain H. R. Sibley, Chief Commissary +of Subsistence; Captain Robert F. Wilkinson, Judge Advocate; Surgeon +W. R. Brownell, Medical Director; Captain Henry C. Inwood, +Provost-Marshal; Major Peter French, Captain James C. Cooley, and +Captain James W. De Forest, aides-de-camp. + +On the 17th of November Emory adopted a corps badge and a new system +of headquarters flags. The badge was to be a fan-leaved cross with +an octagonal centre; for officers, of gold suspended from the left +breast by a ribbon, the color red, white, and blue for the corps +headquarters, red for the First division, blue for the Second. +Enlisted men were to wear on the hat or cap a similar badge of +cloth, two inches square, in colors like the ribbon. The flags +were to have a similar cross, of white on a blue swallowtail for +corps headquarters; for divisions, a white cross on a triangular +flag, the ground red for the First division, blue for the Second; +the brigade flags rectangular in various combinations of red, blue, +and white cross and ground, the ground divided horizontally for +the brigades of the First division, and perpendicularly for those +of the Second division. + +On the 9th of November Sheridan drew back to Kernstown, meaning to +go into winter quarters. Early eagerly followed as far as Middletown, +intent on discovering what this might mean; but when, on the 12th, +Torbert once more fell upon the unfortunate cavalry of Rosser, on +both flanks of the Confederate position, and completely routed it, +while Dudley, advancing with his brigade (1) in support of the +cavalry, showed that Sheridan was ready to give battle, the +Confederate commander became satisfied that Sheridan had sent no +troops to Petersburg. Sheridan made all his arrangements to attack +Early on the morning of the 13th, but Early did not wait for this, +and when the sun rose he was again far on the way to New Market. +It was during Dudley's movement that the Nineteenth Corps suffered +its last loss in battle, the 29th Maine having one man wounded, by +name Barton H. Ross. + +When the approach of winter made active operations in the valley +impossible, Lee, who had already detached Kershaw, called back to +the defence of Richmond and Petersburg the whole of Early's corps, +and at the same time, almost to the very day, Grant called on +Sheridan for the Sixth Corps. Thus in the second week of December +Wright rejoined the Army of the Potomac. Soon afterward Crook's +command was divided and detached to Petersburg and West Virginia, +leaving only Torbert and Emory with Sheridan in the valley. Early, +his force reduced to Wharton and Rosser, went into winter quarters +at Staunton, with his outposts at New Market and a signal party on +watch at the station on Massanutten. + +These reductions of force, together with the increasing severity +of the winter, made it desirable to occupy a line nearer the base +of supplies at Harper's Ferry, and, accordingly, on the 30th of +December, after living for six weeks in improvised huts or "shebangs," +as they were called, roughly put together of rails, stones, and +any other material to be found, the Nineteenth Corps broke up its +cantonment before Kernstown, called Camp Russell, and marching over +the frozen ground, took up a position to cover the railway and the +roads near Stephenson's. Here, at Camp Sheridan, it was intended +to build regular huts, but on the last day of the year, when the +men were as yet without shelter of any kind, a heavy snow storm +set in, during which they suffered severely. As soon as this was +over, the men fell to work in earnest, and with lumber from the +quartermaster's department and timber from the forest, soon had +the whole command comfortably housed. + +Meanwhile Currie's brigade, which had been so long detached, engaged +in the arduous and thankless duty of guarding the wagon-trains, +rejoined Dwight's division. Brigadier-General James D. Fessenden +having succeeded Currie in command the 5th of January, 1865, the +brigade was again detached to Winchester; McMillan was at Summit +Point; and Beal, as well as the headquarters of Dwight and Emory, +at Stephenson's. + +On the 6th of January Grover's division bade farewell to the +Nineteenth Corps, and, embarking upon the cars of the Baltimore +and Ohio railway, set out by way of Baltimore for some unknown +destination. This presently proved to be Savannah, whither Grover +was ordered to hold the ground seized by the armies under Sherman, +while Sherman went on his way through the Carolinas. On the 27th +of February, Sheridan broke up what remained of his Army of the +Shenandoah, and placing himself at the head of his superb column +of 10,000 troopers, marched to achieve Grant's longing for Lynchburg, +Charlottesville, and Gordonsville, and to rejoin the Army of the +Potomac. + +Hancock now took command of the Middle Military Division. Of the +Army of the Shenandoah there remained only the fragment of the +Nineteenth Corps. On the 14th of March the men of Emory's old +division passed for the last time before their favorite commander. +A week later was published to the command the order of the President, +dated March 20, 1865, by which the Nineteenth Army Corps was +dissolved. Then bidding them a tender and touching farewell, on +the 30th of March Emory quitted the cantonment at Stephenson's, +and went to Cumberland to take command of the Military Department +of that name. + +In the early days of April the tedium of winter quarters was relieved +by the good news of Grant's successes before Petersburg. It was +evident that Lee's army was breaking up, and to guard against the +possible escape of any fragment of it by the valley highway, on +the 4th of April Hancock sent Dwight's division back to Camp Russell, +but on the 7th the troops were drawn in to Winchester and encamped +on the bank of Abraham's Creek. Here, at midnight on the 9th of +April, the whole command turned out to hear the official announcement +of Lee's surrender. The next morning, in a drenching rain, Dwight +marched eighteen miles to Summit Point. On the 20th of April the +division moved by railway to Washington, where it arrived on the +morning of the 21st, and with colors shrouded in black for the +memory of Lincoln, marched past the President's house and encamped +at Tennallytown on the same ground the detachments of the corps +had occupied on the night of the 13th of July the year before. +Here the duty devolved upon the division of guarding all the ways +out of Washington toward the northwest, from Rock Creek to the +Potomac, in order to prevent the escape of such of the assassins +of the President as might still be lurking within the city. This +was but a part of the heavy and continuous line of sentries that +stretched for thirty-five miles around the capital. A week later +Dwight moved to the neighborhood of Bladensburg and encamped on +the line the division had been ordered to defend on the afternoon +of its arrival from New Orleans. In the first week of May heavy +details were furnished to guard the prison on the grounds of the +arsenal where the assassins were confined. + +The armies of Meade and Sherman were now concentrating on the hills +about Washington, preparatory to passing in review before President +Johnson; and Dwight being ordered to report to Willcox, then +commanding the Ninth Army Corps, and to follow that corps on the +occasion of the review. Willcox inspected the division on the 12th +of May on the parade ground of Fort Bunker Hill. + +Sheridan, although he had brought up his cavalry for the great +review, had been ordered to take command in the Southwest, and as +Grant deemed the matter urgent, because of French and Mexican +complications, Sheridan was destined to have no part in the +approaching ceremonies, yet he could not resist the chance of once +more looking at what was left of the infantry that had followed +him in triumph through the Shenandoah. When the men saw him riding +at the side of Willcox, mounted once more upon "Rienzi" and wearing +the same animated smile that had cheered and encouraged them in +the evil hour at Winchester, before the cliffs of Fisher's Hill, +and in the gloom of Cedar Creek, they were not to be restrained +from violating all the solemn proprieties of the occasion, but +broke out into a tumult of cheers. + +On the 22d of May, Dwight broke camp near Bladensburg, and, marching +to the plain east of the Capitol, near the Congressional Cemetery, +went into bivouac with the Ninth Corps. Here the men, after their +long and hard field service, gave way to open disgust at hearing +the order read on parade requiring them to appear in white gloves +at the great review. On Tuesday, the 23d of May, the review took +place. The men were up at three, and were inspected at half-past +seven, but it was half-past ten before Dwight took up the line of +march in the rear of the Ninth Corps, followed by the Fifth. + +On the 1st of June, 1865, the breaking up began. The 114th and +116th New York were taken from Beal's brigade, and the 133d from +Fessenden's, and ordered to be mustered out of the service of the +United States. The 8th Vermont had already gone to the Sixth Corps +to join the old Vermont brigade. The rest of Dwight's division +embarked on transport steamers, under orders for Savannah, where +they landed on the 4th of June. There they found many of their +comrades of Grover's division. + +To return to Grover. Embarking at Baltimore about the 11th of +January, after some detention, the advance of his division landed +at Savannah on the 19th of January. The rest of the division +gradually followed, and at Savannah the troops remained doing +garrison and police duty until about the 4th of March, when Grover +was ordered to take transports and join Schofield in North Carolina, +in order to open communication with Sherman's army, then advancing +once more toward the sea-coast. Wilmington had fallen on the 22d +of February. Then Schofield sent a force, under Cox, to open the +railway from Newbern to Goldsboro, on the south bank of the Neuse. +D. H. Hill met and fought him on the 8th, 9th, and 10th, on the +south side of the river; but, the Confederates retreating to +Goldsboro to oppose Sherman's march, Schofield occupied Kinston on +the 14th and Goldsboro on the 21st. In these movements the 3d +brigade, formerly Sharpe's, now commanded by Day, took part, while +Birge's brigade was posted at Morehead City, and Molineux's at +Wilmington. + +On the 1st of April, Schofield's force, composed of the Tenth Corps, +under Terry, and the Twenty-third Corps, under Cox, was reconstructed +by Sherman as the centre of his armies, and designated as the Army +of the Ohio. The next day the troops of Grover's division, then +in North Carolina, were attached to the Tenth Corps, reorganized +into three brigades, and designated as the First division; the +command being given to Birge, and the brigades being commanded by +the three senior colonels, Washburn, Graham, and Day. Some time +before this, Shunk's 4th brigade of Grover's division had been +broken up and its regiments distributed; the 8th and 18th Indiana +to Washburn, the 28th Iowa to Graham, and the 24th Iowa to Day. +The 22d Indiana battery formed the artillery of the division. All +active operations coming to an end with the final surrender of +Johnston on the 26th of April, about the 4th of May the division +went back to Savannah. On the 11th of May it marched to Augusta, +leaving Day with all his regiments except the 24th Iowa and the +128th New York to take care of Savannah. + +Meanwhile, orders being issued by the government for disbanding +the regiments whose time was to expire before the 1st of November, +and the re-enlisted veterans of Dwight's division beginning to +arrive in Savannah on the 5th of June, Birge's brigade came down +from Augusta on the 7th and Day marched on the 9th to replace it. + +From this time the work of disintegration went on rapidly, yet all +too slowly for the impatience of the soldiers, now thinking only +of home, and soon sickened by the weary routine of provost duty in +the first dull days of peace. What was left of the divisions of +Dwight and Grover continued to occupy Charleston, Savannah, and +Augusta, and the chief towns of Georgia and South Carolina. + +When at last the final separation came, and little by little the +old corps fell apart, every man, as with inexpressible yearning he +turned his face homeward, bore with him, as the richest heritage +of his children and his children's children, the proud consciousness +of duty done. + +(1) Beal's, of Dwight's division. Dudley, having rejoined November +2d, commanded it till November 14th, when Beal came back and relieved +him; again from November 18th to December 7th, when a dispute as +to relative and brevet rank was ended by Beal's receiving his +commission as a full brigadier-general. + + +APPENDIX. + + +ROSTERS. + +I. +DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF. +As of March 22, 1862. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. John W. Phelps +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +7th Vermont Col. George T. Roberts +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas +12th Connecticut Col. Henry C. Deming +13th Connecticut Col. Henry W. Birge +1st Vermont Battery Capt. George W. Duncan +2d Vermont Battery Capt. Pythagoras E. Holcomb +4th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Charles H. Manning (1) + Capt. George G. Trull +A 2d Battalion Massachusetts Cavalry Capt. S. Tyler Read + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha B. Farr +31st Massachusetts Col. Oliver P. Gooding +21st Indiana Col. James W. McMillan +6th Michigan Col. Charles Everett +4th Wisconsin Col. Halbert E. Paine +6th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Ormand F. Nims +2d Massachusetts Battery Capt. Henry A. Durivage (2) + Capt. Jonathan E. Cown + +Third Brigade: + Col. George F. Shepley +12th Maine Lt.-Col. W. K. Kimball +13th Maine Col. Neal Dow + Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +14th Maine Col. Frank S. Nickerson +15th Maine Col. John McClusky + Col. Isaac Dyer +30th Massachusetts Col. N. A. M. Dudley +1st Maine Battery Capt. E. W. Thompson +B 2d Battalion Massachusetts Cavalry Capt. James M. Magen + +(1) Resigned October 20, 1862. +(2) Drowned April 23, 1862. + +II. +TECHE AND PORT HUDSON. +As of April 30, 1863. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Maj.-Gen. Christopher C. Augur + +First Brigade: + Col. Edward P. Chapin +116th New York Lt.-Col. John Higgins +21st Maine (1) Col. Elijah D. Johnson +48th Massachusetts (1) Col. Eben F. Stone +49th Massachusetts (1) Col. William F. Bartlett + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas +75th New York Col. Robert B. Merritt +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight +12th Connecticut Col. Ledyard Colburn + Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +114th New York Col. Elisha B. Smith + +Third Brigade: + Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. William W. Bullock +2d Louisiana Col. Charles J. Paine +50th Massachusetts (1) Col. Carlos P. Messer +161st New York Col. Gabriel T. Harrowee +174th New York Col. Theodore W. Parmele + +Artillery: +1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury + Lt. John E. Morton +6th Massachusetts Capt. William W. Carruth + Lt. John F. Phelps +A 1st United States Capt. E. C. Bainbridge + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. T. W. Sherman. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Neal Dow +6th Michigan Col. Thomas S. Clark +128th New York Col. David S. Cowles +26th Connecticut (1) Col. Thomas G. Kingsley +15th New Hampshire (1) Col. John W. Kingman + +Second Brigade: + Col. Alpha B. Farr +26th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. Josiah A. Sawtell +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +47th Massachusetts (1) Col. Lucius B. Marsh +42d Massachusetts (1) Lt.-Col. Joseph Stedman +28th Maine (1) Col. Ephraim W. Woodman + +Third Brigade: + Col. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine Lt.-Col. Thomas W. Porter +177th New York (1) Col. Ira W. Ainsworth +165th New York Lt.-Col. Abel Smith, Jr. +24th Maine (1) Col. George M. Atwood + +Artillery: +18th New York Capt. Albert G. Mack +G 5th United States Lt. Jacob B. Rails +1st Vermont Capt. George T. Hebard + +THIRD DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. + +First Brigade: + Col. Timothy Ingraham, 38th Massachusetts +162d New York Col. Lewis Benedict +110th New York Col. Clinton H. Sage +16th New Hampshire (1) Col. James Pike +4th Massachusetts (1) Col. Henry Walker + +Second Brigade: + Col. Halbert E. Paine +4th Wisconsin Lt.-Col. Sidney A. Bean +133d New York Col. Leonard D. H. Currie +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + +Third Brigade: + Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts Lt.-Col. W. S. B. Hopkins +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. William L. Rodman +156th New York Col. Jacob Sharpe +175th New York Col. Michael K. Bryan +53d Massachusetts (1) Col. John W. Kimball + +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Capt. George G. Trull +F 1st United States Capt. Richard C. Duryea +2d Vermont Capt. Pythagoras E. Holcomb + +FOURTH DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +6th New York (2) Col. William Wilson +91st New York Col. Jacob Van Zandt +131st New York Lt.-Col. Nicholas W. Day +22d Maine (1) Col. Simon G. Jerrard +1st Louisiana Col. Richard E. Holcomb + +Second Brigade: + Col. William K. Kimball +12th Maine Lt.-Col. Edward Illsley +41st Massachusetts Col. Thomas E. Chickering +52d Massachusetts (1) Col. Halbert S. Greenleaf +24th Connecticut (1) Col. Samuel M. Mansfield + +Third Brigade: + Col. Henry W. Birge +25th Connecticut (1) Col. George P. Bissell +26th Maine (1) Col. Nathaniel H. Hubbard +159th New York Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Alexander Warner + +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Capt. Ormand F. Nims +L 1st United States Capt. Henry W. Closson +C 2d United States Lt. John L. Rodgers + +(1) Nine-month's men. +(2) Detached for muster out May 20, 1863. + +OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISIONS. + +1st Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. Spencer H. Stafford +2d Louisiana Native Guards (2) Col. Nathan W. Daniels +3d Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. John A. Nelson +4th Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. Charles W. Drew +13th Maine (2) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +23d Connecticut (3, 7) Col. Charles E. L. Holmes +176th New York (3, 8) Col. Charles C. Nott +90th New York (4) Col. Joseph S. Morgan +47th Pennsylvania (4) Col. Tilghman H. Good +28th Connecticut (5, 7) Col. Samuel P. Ferris +15th Maine (5) Col. Isaac Dyer +7th Vermont (5) Col. William C. Holbrook + +Artillery: +H 2d United States (5) Capt. Frank H. Larned +K 2d United States (5) Capt. Harvey A. Allen +1st Indiana Heavy (1) Col. John A. Keith +12th Massachusetts (1) Lt. Edwin M. Chamberlin +B 1st Louisiana N. G. Heavy (2) Capt. Loren Rygaard +13th Massachusetts (2) Capt. Charles H. J. Hamlen +21st New York (2) Capt. James Barnes +25th New York (2) Capt. John A. Grow +26th New York (2) Capt. George W. Fox + +Cavalry: +1st Louisiana C and E (1) Capt. J. F. Godfrey +1st Louisiana A and B (6) Capt. Henry F. Williamson +2d Rhode Island Battalion (6) Lt.-Col. A. W. Corliss +2d Massachusetts Cavalry Battalion + A (2) Capt. S. Tyler Read + B (1) Capt. James M. Magen + C (2) Capt. Jonathan E. Cowan +14th New York Cavalry Col. Thaddeus P. Mott +1st Texas (2) Col. Edmund J. Davis + +(1) With Augur. +(2) Defences of New Orleans. +(3) La Fourche District. +(4) Key West. +(5) Pensacola. +(6) With Weitzel. +(7) Nine-months' men. +(8) Partly nine-months' men. + +III. +AFTER PORT HUDSON. +August, 1863. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel. (1) +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. (2) + +First Brigade: + Col. N. A. M. Dudley + Col. George M. Love +30th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. W. W. Bullock +2d Louisiana Col. Charles J. Paine +161st New York Lt.-Col. W. B. Kinsey +174th New York Col. Benjamin F. Gott +116th New York Col. George M. Love + +Second Brigade: + Col. Oliver P. Gooding + Col. Jacob Sharpe +31st Massachusetts Col. Oliver P. Gooding + Lt.-Col. W. S. B. Hopkins +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. Jas. P. Richardson +128th New York Col. James Smith +156th New York Col. Jacob Sharpe +175th New York Lt.-Col. John A. Foster + +Third Brigade: + Col. Robert B. Merritt +12th Connecticut Col. Ledyard Colburn + Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +75th New York Capt. Henry P. Fitch +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Artillery: + Capt. E. C. Bainbridge +1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury +18th New York Capt. Albert G. Mack +A 1st United States Capt. Edmund C. Bainbridge +6th Massachusetts (3) Capt. William W. Carruth + +(1) To December 9th. +(2) From December 9th. +(3) From Artillery Reserve, in December. + +SECOND DIVISION. +Broken up July 10th. + +THIRD DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine Col. Thomas W. Porter +110th New York Col. Clinton H. Sage +162d New York Col. Lewis Benedict +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr + Capt. Felix Agnus + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha D. Farr + Maj. Eusebius S. Clark +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + Capt. James J. Ladd +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie + Capt. James K. Fuller +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck + +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Capt. George G. Trull + Lt. George W. Taylor +F 1st United States Capt. Richard G. Duryea + Lt. Hardman P. Norris +1st Vermont Capt. George T. Hepard + Lt. Edward Rice + +FOURTH DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. +Col. Edward G. Beckwith. + +First Brigade: + Col. Henry W. Birge +13th Connecticut Capt. Apollos Comstock +90th New York Col. Joseph S. Morgan + Lt.-Col. Nelson Shaurman +131st New York Col. Nicholas W. Day +159th New York Col. Edward L. Molineux + +Second Brigade: + Col. Thomas W. Cahill +9th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Richard FitzGibbons +1st Louisiana Col. William O. Fiske +12th Maine Col. William K. Kimball +13th Maine (1) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine (1) Col. Isaac Dyer +97th Illinois (2) Col. Friend S. Rutherford + +Artillery: +25th New York Capt. John A. Grow +26th New York Capt. George W. Fox +C 2d United States Lt. Theodore Bradley +L 1st United States (3) Capt. Henry W. Closson + Lt. James A. Sanderson + +Cavalry: +3d Massachusetts (4) Col. T. E. Chickering + Lt.-Col. Lorenzo D. Sargent +1st Texas (5) Col. Edmund J. Davis +4th Wisconsin (6) Col. Frederick A. Boardman + Maj. George W. Moore + +Reserve Artillery (6): + Capt. Henry W. Closson +2d Massachusetts Capt. Ormand F. Nims +6th Massachusetts (7) Capt. William W. Carruth +L 1st United States (8) Capt. Henry W. Closson + Lt. Franck E. Taylor + +OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISIONS. +Headquarters Troops Companies A and B (9) Capt. Richard W. Francis + Troop C Capt. Frank Sayles + +DEFENCES OF NEW ORLEANS. +24th Connecticut (10) Col. Samuel M. Mansfield +31st Massachusetts Capt. Eliot Bridgman +170th New York Col. Charles C. Nott + Maj. Morgan Morgan, Jr. +1st Louisiana Cavalry Lt.-Col. Harai Robinson +A 3d Massachusetts Cavalry Lt. Henry D. Pope +14th New York Cavalry Lt.-Col. Abraham Bassford +12th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Jacob Miller +13th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Charles H. J. Hamlen +15th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Timothy Pearson +91st New York (11) Col. Jacob Van Zandt + +PORT HUDSON. + Brig.-Gen. George L. Andrews +1st Michigan Heavy Artillery Col. Thomas S. Clark +21st New York Battery Capt. James Barnes +Battery G 5th United States Lt. Jacob B. Rails +2d Vermont Battery Capt. P. E. Holcomb + +(1) In 3d Brigade, 2d Division, Thirteenth Corps, December 31st. +(2) December 31st, from 2d Brigade, 4th Division, Thirteenth Corps. +(3) From Artillery Reserve, in December. +(4) At Port Hudson. +(5) At New Orleans. +(6) At Baton Rouge. +(7) In First Division, December 31st. +(8) In Fourth Division, December 31st. +(9) Raised in Louisiana; re-enlisted nine-months' men. +(10) Nine-month's men. +(11) Heavy Artillery. + +IV. +RED RIVER. +As of March 13, 1864. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +29th Maine Col. George L. Beal +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee + Lt.-Col. Henry B. Morse +116th New York Col. George M. Love +153d New York Col. Edwin P. Davis +161st New York Lt.-Col. W. B. Kinsey +30th Massachusetts (1) Col. N. A. M. Dudley + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut (1) Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +13th Maine Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine Col. Isaac Dyer +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +47th Pennsylvania Col. Tilghman H. Good +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Third Brigade: + Col. Lewis Benedict +30th Maine Col. Francis Fessenden +162d New York Lt.-Col. Justus W. Blanchard +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr +173d New York (2) Col. Lewis M. Peck + Capt. Howard C. Conrady + +Artillery: + Capt. George T. Howard +25th New York Capt. John A. Grow +L 1st United States Lt. Irving D. Southworth +1st Vermont (3) Lt. Edward Rice +1st Delaware (4) Benjamin Nields + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +9th Connecticut (1) Col. Thomas W. Cahill +12th Maine (1) Col. William K. Kimball +14th Maine (1) Col. Thomas W. Porter +26th Massachusetts (1) Col. Alpha B. Farr +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie +176th New York Col. Charles C. Nott + Maj. Charles Lewis + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge + Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut Col. Charles D. Blink +1st Louisiana Col. William O. Fiske +90th New York (5) Maj. John C. Smart +131st New York (6) Col. Nicholas W. Day + +Third Brigade: + Col. Jacob Sharpe +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. James P. Richardson +128th New York Col. James Smith +156th New York Capt. James J. Hoyt +175th New York Capt. Charles McCarthey + +Artillery: + Capt. George W. Fox +7th Massachusetts Capt. Newman W. Stores +26th New York Capt. George W. Fox +F 1st United States (7) Lt. Hardman P. Norris + Lt. William L. Haskin +C 2d United States Lt. John L. Rodgers + +Artillery Reserve: + Capt. Henry W. Closson +1st Delaware (8) Capt. Benjamin Nields +D 1st Indiana Heavy Capt. William S. Hinkle + +(1) On veteran furlough. +(2) The 174th consolidated with the 173d. +(3) In Reserve Artillery, April 30th. +(4) In Reserve Artillery, March 31st. +(5) Three companies. +(6) In district of La Fourche, Col. Day commanding the district. +(7) With the Cavalry, April 30th. +(8) In the 1st Division, April 30th. + +V. +SHENANDOAH. +From June 27, 1864. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William Dwight + +First Brigade: + Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine Col. George L. Beal +30th Massachusetts Col. N. A. M. Dudley +90th New York (1) Lt.-Col. Nelson Shaurman +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee +116th New York Col. George M. Love +153d New York Col. Edwin P. Davis + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck + Capt. Sidney E. Clarke + Lt.-Col. George N. Lewis +13th Maine (2) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine (2) Col. Isaac Dyer +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +47th Pennsylvania Col. Tilghman H. Good + Maj. J. P. Shindel Gobin +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Third Brigade: + Col. L. D. H. Currie +30th Maine Col. Thomas H. Hubbard +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie +162d New York Col. Justus W. Blanchard +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck + +Artillery: +5th New York Capt. Elijah D. Taft + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +12th Maine Col. William K. Kimball +14th Maine Col. Thomas W. Porter +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha B. Farr +14th New Hampshire Col. Alexander Gardiner +75th New York Lt.-Col. Willoughby Babcock + +Second Brigade: + Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut (3) Col. Charles D. Blinn +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) Lt.-Col. Lorenzo D. Sargent +11th Indiana Col. Daniel Macauley +22d Iowa Col. Harvey Graham +131st New York Col. Nicholas W. Day +159th New York Lt.-Col. William Waltermire + +Third Brigade: + Col. Jacob Sharpe + Col. Daniel Macauley +38th Massachusetts Maj. Charles F. Allen +128th New York Lt.-Col. J. P. Foster +156th New York Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +175th New York Lt.-Col. John A. Foster +176th New York Col. Ambrose Stevens (4) + Maj. Charles Lewis + +Fourth Brigade: + Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana Lt.-Col. Alexander J. Kenney +18th Indiana Col. Henry D. Washburn +24th Iowa Col. John Q. Wilds +28th Iowa Col. John Connell + Lt.-Col. Bartholomew W. Wilson + +Artillery: +A 1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury + +Reserve Artillery: + Capt. Elijah D. Taft + Maj. Albert W. Bradbury +D 1st Rhode Island Lt. Frederick Chase +17th Indiana Capt. Milton L. Miner + +(1) On veteran furlough in August and September. +(2) On veteran furlough in August and September, at Martinsburg + afterward. +(3) On veteran furlough in August and early September. +(4) From November 19, 1864. + +DETACHMENTS LEFT IN LOUISIANA. +The following troops served under Canby in the siege of Mobile, + March 20 - April 12, 1865: +1st Indiana Heavy Artillery. +31st Massachusetts, as mounted infantry, from Pensacola, with + Steele. +2d Massachusetts Battery. Also engaged at Daniel's Plantation, + Alabama, April 11, 1865. +4th Massachusetts Battery. Afterward at Galveston. +7th Massachusetts Battery. " " " +15th Massachusetts Battery. " " " +4th Wisconsin Cavalry. Afterward on Rio Grande in Weitzel's corps. +1st Michigan Heavy Artillery. +161st New York, in Third brigade, First division, new XIIIth Corps, + Kinsey commanding the brigade. Loss: 2 killed, 1 wounded. + Afterward in Florida. +7th Vermont, in First brigade, Third division, new XIIIth Corps. + Loss: 18 wounded, 43 captured. Afterward on Rio Grande in Weitzel's + Corps of Observation. +18th New York Battery. +21st New York Battery. +26th New York Battery. +Battery G, 5th U. S. Artillery. + +8th New Hampshire, as mounted infantry, served at Natchez and at + Vidalia, opposite. +91st New York, after returning from veteran furlough, September, + 1864, went to Baltimore as part of Second separate brigade, VIIIth + Corps. March, 1865, joined First brigade, Third division, Vth + Corps, Army of the Potomac. Fought at White Oak Ridge, March + 29-31, and Five Forks, April, 1865. Loss: 61 killed and mortally + wounded, 152 wounded, 17 captured or missing; total, 230. +110th New York, at Key West, Florida, from February 9, 1864. + +3d Massachusetts Cavalry, detached to remount December 26, 1864; + with Chapman's brigade; in cavalry review May 23, 1865; afterward + in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. + + +LOSSES IN BATTLE. + +BATON ROUGE. +August 5, 1862. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +General Officers 1 1 +9th Connecticut 1 9 4 14 +21st Indiana 2 22 7 91 4 126 +14th Maine 36 7 64 12 119 +30th Massachusetts 1 2 3 12 18 +6th Michigan 15 4 40 1 5 65 +7th Vermont 1 9 5 15 +Troop B Massachusetts Cavalry 1 1 +2d Massachusetts Battery 4 1 5 +4th Massachusetts Battery 1 5 6 +6th Massachusetts Battery 3 1 8 1 15 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 4 80 23 243 1 32 383 + + +GEORGIA LANDING. +October 27, 1862. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +12th Connecticut 3 16 1 20 +13th Connecticut 1 5 1 7 +1st Louisiana Cavalry, A, B, and C 1 18 1 20 +8th New Hampshire 2 10 1 34 1 48 +75th New York 1 1 2 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 2 16 1 73 1 4 97 + + +BISLAND. +April 12-13, 1863. + Killed Wounded +COMMAND O E O E Aggregate +First Division, Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +8th Vermont 1 7 8 +75th New York 2 2 23 17 +160th New York 2 5 7 +114th New York 11 11 +12th Connecticut 2 1 12 15 + Total Weitzel's Brigade 7 3 48 58 +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory +Second Brigade: Col. Halbert E. Paine +4th Wisconsin 5 8 13 +133d New York 4 1 20 25 +173d New York 2 5 7 +8th New Hampshire 2 2 7 11 + Total Second Brigade 13 3 40 56 +Third Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts 1 5 6 +38th Massachusetts 1 5 1 28 35 +156th New York 1 3 18 22 +175th New York 1 6 7 +53d Massachusetts 1 2 9 12 + Total Third Brigade 3 12 1 66 82 + Total Third Division 3 25 4 106 138 +Artillery: +A 1st U. S. 4 5 9 +F 1st U. S. 5 5 +1st Maine Battery 1 1 2 +6th Massachusetts Battery 1 3 4 +18th New York Battery 2 2 +1st Indiana Heavy 3 3 + Total Artillery 5 1 19 25 +1st Louisiana Cavalry 3 3 + __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 3 37 8 176 224 + + +IRISH BEND. +April 14, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +6th New York +91st New York 2 1 10 13 +131st New York 3 3 +22d Maine 1 1 +1st Louisiana + Total First Brigade 2 1 14 17 +Third Brigade: Col. Henry W. Birge +25th Connecticut 2 7 5 72 10 96 +26th Maine 11 2 48 61 +159th New York 4 15 5 73 20 117 +13th Connecticut 7 4 43 54 + Total Third Brigade 6 40 16 236 30 328 +Artillery: +Battery C 2d U. S. 1 7 8 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 6 43 17 257 30 353 + + +PLAINS STORE. +May 21, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +2d Louisiana 2 11 1 14 +30th Massachusetts 1 3 4 +48th Massachusetts 2 7 11 20 +49th Massachusetts 1 4 1 6 +116th New York 11 1 43 1 56 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 15 3 68 14 100 + + +PORT HUDSON. +May 23 - July 8, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Maj.-Gen. Christopher C. Augur +First Brigade: Col. Edward P. Chapin (1) + Col. Charles J. Paine +2d Louisiana 32 5 103 4 144 +21st Maine 1 14 3 60 1 9 88 +48th Massachusetts 1 8 7 46 62 +49th Massachusetts 1 17 10 73 1 102 +116th New York 2 18 4 101 5 130 + Total First Brigade 5 89 29 383 1 19 526 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +Staff 1 1 +12th Connecticut 18 5 78 101 +75th New York 10 4 88 1 4 107 +114th New York 1 10 4 56 2 73 +160th New York 2 4 35 41 +8th Vermont 1 24 4 128 9 166 + Total Second Brigade 3 64 21 385 1 15 489 +Third Brigade: Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts 1 18 19 +50th Massachusetts 1 4 5 +161st New York 3 14 17 +174th New York 2 9 3 14 + Total Third Brigade 5 2 45 3 55 +Artillery: +1st Indiana Heavy 4 1 10 7 22 +1st Maine Battery 1 19 20 +6th Massachusetts Battery 1 1 +18th New York Battery 3 3 +Battery A 1st U. S. 3 1 12 3 19 +Battery G 5th U. S. 2 2 4 + Total Artillery 10 2 47 10 69 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division 8 168 54 860 2 47 1139 + +(1) Killed May 27th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Thomas W. Sherman (1) + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +Staff 2 2 +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Neal Dow (1) + Col. David S. Cowles (2) + Col. Thomas S. Clark +Staff 1 1 +26th Connecticut 1 14 9 151 1 176 +6th Michigan 1 19 5 124 149 +15th New Hampshire 17 3 55 2 77 +128th New York 2 21 3 97 1 5 129 +162d New York 1 5 3 47 3 59 + Total First Brigade 5 76 24 474 1 11 591 +Third Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine 5 5 23 33 +24th Maine 13 13 +28th Maine 3 1 8 12 +165th New York 1 15 7 80 3 106 +175th New York 1 5 5 38 2 51 +177th New York 1 3 2 17 25 + Total Third Brigade 3 31 20 179 5 238 +Artillery: +1st Vermont Battery 1 6 7 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Second Division 8 108 46 659 1 16 838 + +(1) Wounded May 27th. +(2) Killed May 27th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. Halbert E. Paine (1) + Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. +First Brigade: Col. Samuel P. Ferris +28th Connecticut 2 5 1 43 1 10 62 +4th Massachusetts 1 7 3 57 68 +110th New York 1 4 2 21 9 37 + Total First Brigade 4 16 6 121 1 19 168 +Second Brigade: Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + Maj. John H. Allcot +8th New Hampshire 4 26 7 191 2 28 258 +133d New York 1 22 5 85 2 115 +173d New York 2 11 6 72 1 92 +4th Wisconsin (2) 3 46 9 108 1 52 219 + Total Second Brigade 10 105 27 456 3 83 684 +Third Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts 13 2 47 62 +38th Massachusetts 2 13 5 85 3 108 +53d Massachusetts 2 15 7 92 5 121 +156th New York 3 2 25 30 + Total Third Brigade 4 44 16 249 8 321 +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Battery 2 2 +Battery F 1st U. S. 1 2 3 +2d Vermont Battery 2 2 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ _____ + Total Third Division 18 166 50 830 4 112 1,180 + +(1) Wounded June 14th. +(2) Includes losses at Clinton, June 3d. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight + Col. Joseph S. Morgan +1st Louisiana 1 30 3 86 3 123 +22d Maine 4 2 17 1 5 29 +90th New York 7 1 42 50 +91st New York 2 19 8 112 8 149 +131st New York 1 20 2 86 2 8 119 + Total First Brigade 4 80 16 343 3 24 470 +Second Brigade: Col. William K. Kimball +24th Connecticut 14 6 46 66 +12th Maine 10 2 57 1 70 +52d Massachusetts 8 2 12 2 24 + Total Second Brigade 32 10 115 3 160 +Third Brigade: Col. Henry W. Birge +13th Connecticut 1 6 3 20 1 31 +25th Connecticut 5 4 35 2 46 +26th Maine 5 1 11 5 22 +159th New York 17 1 53 2 73 + Total Third Brigade 1 33 9 119 10 172 +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Battery 2 3 5 +Battery L 1st U. S. 2 2 +Battery C 2d U. S. 1 1 + Total Artillery 5 3 8 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Fourth Division 5 145 35 582 3 40 810 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 39 587 185 2,931 10 215 3,967 + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Cavalry: Col. Benjamin H. Grierson +6th Illinois 1 6 1 5 13 +7th Illinois 4 4 +1st Louisiana 5 16 19 40 +3d Massachusetts 1 1 5 2 9 +14th New York 2 6 20 28 + Total Cavalry 1 9 37 1 46 94 +Corps d'Afrique: +1st Louisiana Engineers 1 7 26 19 53 +1st Louisiana Native Guards 2 32 3 92 129 +3d Louisiana Native Guards 1 9 1 37 1 2 51 +6th Infantry 1 1 2 +7th Infantry 2 3 5 +8th Infantry 5 1 5 1 12 +9th Infantry 2 2 +10th Infantry 1 4 2 3 10 + Total Corps d'Afrique 5 62 5 166 1 25 264 +2d Rhode Island Cavalry 1 5 2 8 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Port Hudson 45 658 191 3,139 12 288 4,333 + + +COX'S PLANTATION, OR KOCH'S PLANTATION, BAYOU LA FOURCHE. +July 13, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +First Brigade: Col. Charles J. Paine +2d Louisiana 7 21 9 37 +116th New York 1 5 18 20 44 + Total First Brigade 1 12 39 29 81 +Third Brigade: Col. N. A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts 8 2 37 1 48 +161st New York 7 1 38 7 53 +174th New York 1 17 1 28 7 54 + Total Third Brigade 1 32 4 103 15 155 +Artillery: +1st Maine 1 1 14 1 17 +6th Massachusetts 1 1 + Total Artillery 1 1 15 1 18 + Total First Division 2 45 5 157 45 254 +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Col. Joseph S. Morgan +1st Louisiana 3 14 13 30 +90th New York 2 1 20 48 71 +131st New York 2 10 1 42 55 + Total Brigade and Division 7 1 44 1 103 156 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 2 52 6 201 1 148 410 + + +SABINE CROSS-ROADS, April 8 and PLEASANT HILL, April 9, 1864. +Compiled in the War Department from the nominal returns; impossible + to separate the losses for each day. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Thirteenth Army Corps (Detachment): Brig.-Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom (1) + Brig.-Gen. Robert A. Cameron +Staff 2 2 +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. Robert A. Cameron + 1 4 1 6 +First Brigade: Lt.-Col. Aaron M. Flory (1) + 1 12 3 21 3 126 166 +Second Brigade: Col. William H. Raynor + 11 3 66 6 59 145 + Total Third Division 1 23 7 91 9 186 317 +Fourth Division: Col. William J. Landram +First Brigade: Col. Frank Emerson (2) + 1 18 4 79 28 398 528 +Second Brigade: Col. Joseph W. Vance (2) + 2 5 9 50 20 438 524 +Artillery: 1 1 1 5 2 23 33 + Total Fourth Division 4 24 14 134 50 859 1,085 + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ + Total Thirteenth Army Corps 5 47 23 225 59 1,045 1,404 + +(1) Wounded, April 8th. +(2) Wounded and captured April 8th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Nineteenth Army Corps: Maj.-Gen. William B. Franklin (1) +Staff 3 3 +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +29th Maine 1 26 27 +114th New York 3 3 10 4 20 +116th New York 2 2 27 3 34 +153d New York (1) 1 28 4 33 +161st New York 1 8 4 39 38 90 + Total First Brigade 1 15 9 130 49 204 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +13th Maine 5 1 29 20 55 +15th Maine 1 3 13 11 28 +160th New York 2 6 4 23 9 44 +47th Pennsylvania 1 6 34 41 + Total Second Brigade 3 18 8 99 40 168 +Third Brigade: Col. Lewis Benedict (2) + Col. Francis Fessenden +30th Maine 1 10 3 55 69 138 +162d New York 3 13 3 45 1 46 111 +165th New York 3 3 21 70 97 +173d New York 4 1 38 2 155 200 + Total Third Brigade 4 30 10 159 3 340 546 +Artillery +New York Light, 25th Battery 2 3 5 +1st United States Battery L 2 1 4 7 +Vermont Light, 1st Battery 1 1 + Total Artillery 4 1 8 13 + Total First Division 8 67 28 396 3 429 931 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 8 67 31 396 3 429 934 + +(1) Wounded, April 8th. +(2) Killed, April 9th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Cavalry Division (1): Brig.-Gen. Albert L. Lee +First Brigade: Col. Thomas J. Lucas +16th Indiana (mounted infantry) 1 3 2 17 32 55 +2d Louisiana (mounted infantry) 1 11 19 31 +6th Missouri 1 5 10 3 19 +14th New York 4 1 18 2 17 42 + Total First Brigade 2 8 8 56 2 71 147 +Third Brigade (1): Col. Harai Robinson +87th Illinois (mounted infantry) 4 2 13 2 21 +1st Louisiana 4 4 27 1 13 49 + Total Third Brigade 8 6 40 1 15 70 +Fourth Brigade: Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +2d Illinois 2 1 39 3 45 +3d Massachusetts 8 1 51 11 71 +31st Massachusetts (mounted infantry) 3 1 38 16 58 +8th New Hampshire (mounted infantry) 2 22 1 31 56 + Total Fourth Brigade 15 3 150 1 61 230 +Fifth Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +2d New York Veteran 1 5 6 +18th New York 1 1 1 9 2 14 +3d Rhode Island (detachment) 1 1 + Total Fifth Brigade 1 1 2 15 2 21 +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Battery 1 2 16 1 20 +5th United States, Battery G 4 13 17 + Total Artillery 5 2 29 1 37 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Cavalry Division 3 37 21 290 4 150 505 + +(1) Losses at Wilson's Plantation, April 7th, also included. + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ + Grand total 16 151 76 911 66 1,624 2,843 + + +SPECIAL FIELD RETURN AFTER SABINE CROSS-ROADS. + Killed Wounded Missing Effective + strength + next day + +TROOPS O Men O Men O Men Total O Men Total +Nineteenth Army Corps: + First Division (infantry) 2 22 10 138 1 174 347 243 4,910 5,153 + 153d New York Volunteers (guarding train) 31 605 636 + First Division (artillery) 9 348 357 +Thirteenth Army Corps (detachment): + General and staff 1 1 2 + Third Division: + Infantry 1 23 6 78 9 198 315 77 1,475 1,552 + Artillery 2 173 175 + Fourth Division: + Commanding officer and escort 1 1 + Infantry 2 23 6 82 59 929 1,101 56 1,418 1,474 + Artillery 1 5 3 24 33 5 204 209 +Staff of the Major-General Commanding 3 3 + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ ___ _____ _____ + Aggregate 6 68 27 304 72 1,325 1,802 423 9,133 9,556 + + +SPECIAL FIELD RETURN AFTER PLEASANT HILL. +FIRST DIVISION, Killed Wounded Missing Effective +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS. strength + next day + + O Men O Men O Men Total O Men Total +Infantry 6 43 18 261 3 369 689 243 4,802 5,045 +Artillery 4 1 14 1 5 25 8 331 339 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ____ _____ ___ _____ _____ + Aggregate 6 47 19 275 4 374 714 251 5,133 5,384 + + +PARTIAL RETURN OF LOSSES AT CANE RIVER CROSSING. +April 23, 1864. +THIRD BRIGADE, 1st DIVISION: + Col. Francis Fessenden Killed Wounded Missing + Lt.-Col. J. W. Blanchard O Men O Men O Men Total +162d New York 1 3 1 26 1 32 +165th New York 3 1 4 +173d New York 3 2 25 1 31 +30th Maine 2 11 2 64 7 86 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 3 17 5 118 10 159 + + +THE OPEQUON. +September 19, 1864. +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine 1 23 24 +30th Massachusetts 1 4 17 22 +114th New York 1 20 8 156 185 +116th New York 9 39 48 +153d New York 10 4 55 69 + Total First Brigade 2 43 13 290 348 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut 3 7 3 57 1 71 +160th New York (1) 2 13 3 58 1 77 +47th Pennsylvania 1 8 9 +8th Vermont 9 28 37 + Total Second Brigade 5 30 6 151 2 194 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (2) 7 73 19 441 2 542 + +(1) Non-veterans of 90th New York, attached. +(2) The Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut 1 1 +12th Maine 2 12 6 77 15 112 +14th Maine 1 6 6 46 3 62 +26th Massachusetts 38 11 69 2 19 139 +14th New Hampshire 4 27 9 79 19 138 +75th New York 17 4 41 1 10 73 + Total First Brigade 7 100 36 313 3 66 525 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 6 39 2 30 77 +11th Indiana 1 7 2 56 1 3 70 +22d Iowa 2 9 3 60 31 105 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 2 17 3 84 106 +131st New York 9 9 56 74 +159th New York 5 4 46 1 19 75 + Total Second Brigade 5 53 21 341 4 83 507 +Third Brigade: Col. Jacob Sharpe (1) + Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +38th Massachusetts 8 3 44 8 63 +128th New York 6 5 46 57 +156th New York 20 3 88 111 +176th New York 5 3 30 9 47 + Total Third Brigade 39 14 208 17 278 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 2 5 2 9 +18th Indiana 1 5 1 31 38 +24th Iowa 1 9 4 53 8 75 +28th Iowa 1 9 8 48 21 87 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 25 13 137 31 209 +Artillery: +1st Maine Battery 2 1 5 8 + __ ___ __ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Second Division 15 219 85 1,004 7 197 1,527 + +(1) Wounded. + +Reserve Artillery: Capt. Elijah D. Taft +17th Indiana Battery 1 1 +Battery D 1st Rhode Island 4 4 + Total Reserve Artillery 5 5 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 22 292 104 1,450 7 199 2,074 + + +FISHER'S HILL. +September 22, 1864.(1) +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine 1 3 4 +30th Massachusetts 3 6 9 +114th New York +116th New York 1 9 10 +153d New York 3 3 + Total First Brigade 4 1 21 26 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut +160th New York (2) +47th Pennsylvania 2 2 +8th Vermont 1 3 4 + Total Second Brigade 1 5 6 +Artillery: +5th New York Battery 1 1 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (3) 4 2 27 33 + +(1) Including casualties incurred on the 21st. +(2) Non-veterans of 90th New York attached. +(3) Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut 3 10 13 +12th Maine +14th Maine +26th Massachusetts +14th New Hampshire 1 1 2 +75th New York + Total First Brigade 3 11 1 15 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 2 2 +11th Indiana 2 8 10 +22d Iowa 4 4 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 2 1 3 +131st New York 1 1 +159th New York + Total Second Brigade 4 16 20 +Third Brigade: Col. Daniel Macaulay +38th Massachusetts 1 1 +128th New York 2 4 6 +156th New York 1 4 5 +175th New York (three companies) +176th New York 1 1 2 + Total Third Brigade 4 13 12 29 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 1 1 +18th Indiana 2 4 6 +24th Iowa 1 4 5 +28th Iowa 5 5 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 14 17 +Artillery: +Maine Light, 1st Battery (A) + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Second Division 11 3 54 13 81 + +Reserve Artillery: Capt. Elijah D. Taft +17th Indiana Battery +Battery D 1st Rhode Island + __ ___ ___ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 15 5 81 13 114 + + +CEDAR CREEK. +October 19, 1864. +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +Corps Staff 2 2 +First Division: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. Edwin P. Davis +29th Maine 1 17 4 105 127 +30th Massachusetts 1 11 5 91 108 +90th New York 2 3 3 43 22 73 +114th New York 1 20 6 80 1 7 115 +116th New York 7 4 39 9 59 +153d New York 8 7 56 10 81 + Total First Brigade 5 66 29 414 1 48 563 +Second Brigade: Col. Stephen Thomas + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut 2 20 5 52 93 172 +160th New York 9 3 31 23 66 +47th Pennsylvania 1 36 1 88 28 154 +8th Vermont 1 16 11 55 23 106 + Total Second Brigade 4 81 20 226 167 498 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (1) 9 147 49 640 1 215 1,064 + +(1) Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover (1) + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +Staff 1 1 +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge + Col. Thomas W. Porter +9th Connecticut (battalion) 2 2 13 1 7 25 +12th Maine 1 6 3 20 1 50 81 +14th Maine 1 4 34 1 42 82 +26th Massachusetts (battalion) 3 2 8 16 29 +14th New Hampshire 8 3 48 1 17 77 +75th New York 3 1 18 33 55 + Total First Brigade 2 26 11 141 4 165 349 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 2 1 16 10 29 +11th Indiana 4 4 35 10 53 +22d Iowa 1 6 43 2 21 73 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 6 2 29 39 76 +131st New York 2 1 21 9 33 +159th New York 2 2 1 12 6 23 + Total Second Brigade 2 17 15 156 2 95 287 +Third Brigade: Col. Daniel Macaulay (1) + Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +Staff 1 1 +38th Massachusetts 1 18 35 54 +128th New York 5 14 2 74 95 +156th New York 1 7 5 31 48 92 +175th New York (batallion) 1 2 3 +176th New York 1 5 4 11 1 31 53 + Total Third Brigade 2 18 11 76 3 188 298 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 2 2 4 33 4 21 66 +18th Indiana 5 6 43 27 81 +24th Iowa 8 6 37 41 92 +28th Iowa 1 8 2 69 10 90 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 23 18 182 4 99 329 +Artillery: +1st Maine Battery 1 2 1 16 8 28 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ _____ + Total Second Division 10 86 57 571 13 555 1,290 +Reserve Artillery: Maj. Albert W. Bradbury +17th Indiana Battery 4 1 8 3 16 +Battery D 1st Rhode Island 1 8 3 12 + Total Reserve Artillery 5 1 16 6 28 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 19 238 109 1,227 14 776 2,383 + +(1) Wounded. + + +OFFICERS KILLED OR MORTALLY WOUNDED. + +BATON ROUGE. +August 5, 1862. + +Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams +Lt. Matthew A. Latham 21st Indiana +Lt. Charles D. Seeley " " +Capt. Eugene Kelty 30th Massachusetts + +GEORGIA LANDING. +October 27, 1862. + +Capt. John Kelleher 8th New Hampshire +Capt. Q. A. Warren " " " + +BISLAND. +April 12-13, 1863. + +Capt. Samuel Gault 38th Massachusetts +Lt. George G. Nutting 53d Massachusetts +Lt. John T. Freer 156th New York + +IRISH BEND. +April 14, 1863. + +Capt. Samuel S. Hayden 25th Connecticut +Lt. Daniel P. Dewey " " +Lt.-Col. Gilbert A. Draper 159th New York +Lt. Robert D. Lathrop " " " +Lt. Byron F. Lockwood " " " +Lt. John W. Manley " " " + +PLAINS STORE. +May 21, 1863. + +Lt. Charles Borusky 116th New York + +PORT HUDSON. +May 23 - July 8, 1863. + +Capt. John B. Hubbard (1), Assistant Adjutant-General +Lt. Joseph Strickland (2) 13th Connecticut +Capt. Jedediah Randall (1) 26th Connecticut +Capt. John L. Stanton (1) " " +Lt. Harvey F. Jacobs (2) " " +Lt. Marvin R. Kenyon (1) " " +Capt. David D. Hoag (2) 28th Connecticut +Lt. Charles Durand (2) " " +Col. Richard E. Holcomb (2) " " +Lt. Martin V. B. Hill 1st Louisiana +Lt. James E. Coburn 2d Louisiana +Lt. J. B. Butler 1st Engineers, Corps d'Afrique +Capt. Andrew Cailloux (1) 1st Louisiana Native Guards +Lt. John H. Crowder (1) " " " " +Maj. Adam Haffeille 3d Louisiana Native Guards +Lt. John C. Fulton (1) 14th Maine +Lt. Charles I. Stevens " " +Lt. Aaron W. Wallace (1) 21st Maine +Capt. Henry Crosby 22d Maine +Lt. Solon A. Perkins (2) 3d Massachusetts Cavalry +Capt. William H. Bartlett (2) 4th Massachusetts +Lt.-Col. William L. Rodman (2) 38th Massachusetts +Lt. Frederick Holmes (2) " " +Lt.-Col. James O'Brien (1) 48th Massachusetts +Lt. James McGinnis " " +Lt. Burton D. Deming (1) 49th Massachusetts +Lt. Isaac E. Judd (1) " " +Capt. George S. Bliss (2) 52d Massachusetts +Capt. George H. Bailey (1) 53d Massachusetts +Capt. Jerome K. Taft (2) " " +Lt. Alfred R. Glover (2) " " +Lt. Josiah H. Vose " " +Lt. Frederick J. Clark (1) 6th Michigan +Lt.-Col. Oliver W. Lull (1) 8th New Hampshire +Lt. Luther T. Hosley (2) " " " +Lt. George W. Thompson (1) " " " +Lt. Joseph Wallis (2) " " " +Maj. George W. Stackhouse (1) 91st New York +Capt. Henry S. Hulbert (2) " " " +Lt. Sylvester B. Shepard " " " +Lt. Valorous Randall (2) 110th New York +Col. Elisha B. Smith (2) 114th New York +Capt. Charles E. Tucker (2) " " " +Col. Edward P. Chapin (1) 116th New York +Lt. David Jones " " " +Lt. Timothy J. Linahan (2) " " " +Col. David S. Cowles (1) 128th New York +Lt. Charles L. Van Slyck (1) " " " +Lt. Nathan O. Benjamin (2) 131st New York +Lt. Benjamin F. Denton (2) 133d New York +Lt.-Col. Thomas Fowler 156th New York +Maj. James H. Bogart (2) 162d New York +Lt. John Neville " " " +Lt. Stephen C. Oakley (1) " " " +Lt.-Col. Abel Smith, Jr. (1) 165th New York +Lt. Charles R. Carville (1) " " " +Maj. A. Power Gallway 173d New York +Capt. Henry Cocheu (2) " " " +Lt. Samuel H. Podger " " " +Lt. Morgan Shea (2) " " " +Col. Michael K. Bryan (2) 175th New York +Capt. Harmon N. Merriman (1) 177th New York +Lt. James Williamson (1) " " " +Lt. Stephen F. Spalding (2) 8th Vermont +Col. Sidney A. Bean 4th Wisconsin +Capt. Levi R. Blake (3) " " +Lt. Edward A. Clapp (1) " " +Lt. Daniel B. Maxson (3) " " +Lt. Gustavus Wintermeyer (2) " " +Lt. Benjamin Wadsworth 10th U. S. Volunteers, Corps d'Afrique + +(1) In the Assault of May 27th. +(2) In the Assault of June 14th. +(3) In the affair of Clinton, June 3d. + +COX'S (or KOCH'S) PLANTATION. +July 13, 1863. + +Capt. David W. Tuttle 116th New York +Lt. De Van Postley 174th New York + +THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN. +March 10 - May 22, 1864. + +Lt. Louis Meissner 13th Connecticut +Lt. Charles C. Grow 30th Maine +Lt. Reuben Seavy " " +Lt. Sumner N. Stout " " +Capt. Julius N. Lathrop 38th Massachusetts +Capt. Charles R. Cotton 160th New York, April 9th +Capt. William J. Van Deusen " " " " " +Lt. Nicholas McDonough " " " " " +Lt. Lewis E. Fitch 161st New York, April 8th +Col. Lewis Benedict 162d New York, April 9th +Capt. Frank T. Johnson " " " " " +Lt. Madison K. Finley " " " " " +Lt. William C. Haws " " " " " +Lt. Theodore A. Scudder " " " " " +Lt.-Col. William N. Green, Jr. 173d Infantry +Capt. Henry R. Lee 173d New York +Lt. Alfred P. Swoyer 47th Pennsylvania, April 8th +Lt. James A. Sanderson 1st United States Artillery + +THE OPEQUON. +September 19, 1864. + +Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck 12th Connecticut +Lt. William S. Bulkeley " " +Lt. George W. Steadman " " +Lt. William S. Mullen 11th Indiana +Capt. Silas A. Wadsworth 18th Indiana +Capt. David J. Davis 22d Iowa +Capt. Benjamin D. Parks " " +Lt. James A. Boarts " " +Capt. Joseph R. Gould 24th Iowa +Lt. Sylvester S. Dillman " " +Capt. John E. Palmer " " +Capt. Scott Houseworth " " +Capt. Daniel M. Phillips 12th Maine +Capt. Samuel F. Thompson " " +Lt. William Jackman 14th Maine +Lt. Ajalon Godwin " " +Maj. William Knowlton 29th Maine +Lt. Jasper F. Glidden 3d Massachusetts Cavalry +Lt. John F. Poole " " " +Maj. Eusebius S. Clark 26th Massachusetts +Capt. Enos W. Thayer " " +Lt. John P. Haley 30th Massachusetts +Col. Alexander Gardiner 14th New Hampshire +Capt. William H. Chaffin " " " +Capt. William A. Fosgate " " " +Lt. Artemus B. Colburn " " " +Lt. Jesse A. Fisk " " " +Lt. Henry S. Paul " " " +Lt. George H. Stone " " " +Lt. Moulton S. Webster " " " +Lt.-Col. Willoughby Babcock 75th New York +Lt. Edwin E. Breed 114th New York +Capt. Jacob C. Klock 153d New York +Lt. Herman Smith 159th New York +Capt. Sir N. Dexter 160th New York +Lt. B. Frank Maxson " " " + +CEDAR CREEK. +October 19, 1864. + +Capt. John P. Lowell 12th Connecticut +Lt. George M. Benton " " +Lt. Horace E. Phelps " " +Lt.-Col. Alexander J. Kenny 8th Indiana +Capt. William D. Watson " " +Lt. George W. Quay " " +Lt.-Col. William S. Charles 11th Indiana +Maj. Jonathan H. Williams 18th Indiana +Lt.-Col. John Q. Wilds 24th Iowa +Capt. John W. Riemenschneider 28th Iowa +Lt. John E. Morton 1st Maine Battery +Lt. Henry D. Watson 12th Maine +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore 14th Maine +Lt. John L. Hoyt 29th Maine +Lt. Lyman James 3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) +Lt. Albert L. Tilden 26th Massachusetts +Lt. George F. Whitcomb 30th Massachusetts +Lt. William F. Clark, Jr. " " +Maj. John C. Smart 90th New York +Lt. Thaddeus C. Ferris " " " +Capt. Daniel C. Knowlton 114th New York +Lt. Isaac Burch " " " +Lt. Norman M. Lewis " " " +Lt. William D. Thurber " " " +Lt. Christopher Larkin 156th New York +Lt. Johannes Lefever " " " +Maj. Robert McD. Hart 159th New York +Capt. Duncan Richmond " " " +Lt. Julius A. Jones 176th New York +Capt. Edwin G. Minnich 47th Pennsylvania +Capt. Edward Hall 8th Vermont +Lt. Nathan C. Cheney " " +Lt. Aaron K. Cooper " " + +Note.--Unfortunately, it has been found impossible to obtain a complete +list of officers who fell in skirmishes or minor affairs. + + +PORT HUDSON FORLORN HOPE. + +Officers and men who volunteered for the storming party under General +Orders No. 49, Headquarters Department of the Gulf, June 15, 1863 (1): + +Col. Henry W. Birge, 13th Connecticut, Commanding.(2) + +STAFF. +Capt. Duncan S. Walker, Assistant Adjutant-General.(3) +Acting-Master Edmond C. Weeks, U. S. Navy, A. D. C.(2) +Capt. Charles L. Norton, 25th Connecticut.(2) +Capt. John L. Swift, 3d Massachusetts Cavalry.(2) +1st Lt. E. H. Russell, 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, Acting Signal Officer. +Asst.-Surgeon George Clary, 13th Connecticut.(2) +Lt. Julius H. Tiemann, A. A. D. C., 159th New York.(2) + +FIRST BATTALION.(4) +Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petter, 160th New York. +Capt. Edward P. Hollister, 31st Massachusetts, Senior Major. +Capt. Samuel D. Hovey, 31st Massachusetts, Junior Major. +Capt. Isaac W. Case, 22d Maine, Quartermaster. +Capt. William Smith, 2d Louisiana, A. D. C. +Lt. G. A. Harmount, 12th Connecticut, Adjutant. +Surgeon David H. Armstrong, 160th New York. + +SECOND BATTALION.(1) +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore, 14th Maine. +Maj. Albion K. Bolan, 14th Maine, Major. +Lt. I. Frank Hobbs, 14th Maine, Adjutant. +Lt. Edward Marrenee, 174th New York, Quartermaster. + +12th CONNECTICUT. Company +Capt. Lester E. Braley G +Lt. A. Dwight McCall G +Lt. Stanton Allen (2) K +Lt. George A. Harmount (Adjutant) +Pvt. Charles J. Constantine A +Sgt. John Mullen B +Pvt. Charles Duboise B +Cpl. John Moore C +Pvt. George T. Dickson C +Pvt. Willoughby Hull C +Pvt. William Putnam C +Pvt. Christoher Spies C +Pvt. George W. Watkins (3) C +Pvt. John P. Woodward C +Sgt. Alexander Cohn D +Cpl. George Shaw (2) D +Cpl. James Robertson, Jr. (2) D +Pvt. L. P. Farrell (3) D +Pvt. George Kohler D +Pvt. Reuben Miles D +Pvt. Frederick C. Payne D +Pvt. William P. Smith (3) E +Pvt. Edward L. Millerick (2) E +Sgt. Charles E. McGlaflin G +Sgt. Andrew H. Davidson (3) G +Cpl. John T. Gordon G +Pvt. Oliver C. Andrews G +Pvt. J. E. Chase (2) G +Pvt. James Dunn G +Pvt. Patrick Fitzpatrick G +Pvt. Patrick Franey G +Pvt. William Tobin (2) G +Pvt. Joseph W. Weeks (2) G +Sgt. Solomon E. Whiting (2) H +Sgt. John W. Phelps H +Cpl. Joseph W. Carter H +Cpl. Charles E. Sherman (3) H +Pvt. Edwin Converse H +Pvt. Hugh Donnally (2) H +Pvt. Warren Gammons H +Pvt. Joseph Graham (2) H +Pvt. Miles P. Higley (2) H +Pvt. William Lenning H +Pvt. Thomas McCue (2) H +Pvt. Melvin Nichols H +Cpl. Daniel B. Loomis (2) K +Pvt. Francis Beaumont (2) K +Pvt. A. M. Perkins (2) K + +13th CONNECTICUT. Company +Capt. Apollos Comstock (commanding regiment) +Capt. Charles D. Blinn C +Capt. Homer B. Sprague H +Capt. Denison H. Finley G +Capt. Charles J. Fuller D +Lt. Perey Averill B +Lt. Frank Wells I +Lt. Charles E. Tibbets A +Lt. William F. Norman K +Lt. Charles Daniels K +Lt. Charles H. Beaton E +Lt. John C. Kinney A +Lt. Louis Meisner I +Lt. Newton W. Perkins C +Lt. Louis Beckwith (2) B +Cpl. Francis J. Wolf A +Cpl. Christopher Fagan A +Cpl. Andrew Black A +Pvt. William Bishop A +Pvt. Michael Cunningham (2) A +Pvt. Walter Eagan A +Pvt. John Fagan A +Pvt. Francis J. Gaffnay A +Pvt. James Gilbert (2) A +Pvt. Edward Lantey A +Pvt. John McGuire A +Pvt. Joseph Mack A +Pvt. John Martin (2) A +Pvt. Henry Morton A +Pvt. Loren D. Penfield A +Pvt. John O'Keefe (2) A +Pvt. John Quigley (2) A +Pvt. Thomas Reilly (2) A +Pvt. Charles R. Rowell (2) A +Pvt. John Smith (2) A +Pvt. Edward Stone (2) A +Sgt. George E. Fancher B +Sgt. George H. Pratt B +Sgt. Alonzo Wheeler B +Cpl. Francis E. Weed B +Cpl. Roswell Taylor B +Cpl. Isaac W. Bishop B +Pvt. George M. Balling B +Pvt. John J. Brown B +Pvt. William B. Casey B +Pvt. Balthasar Emmerick B +Pvt. Peter Gentien B +Pvt. Dennis Hegany B +Pvt. William W. Jones B +Pvt. John Klein B +Pvt. Benjamin L. Mead B +Pvt. John Mohren B +Pvt. Charles Nichols B +Pvt. Victor Pinsaid B +Pvt. George Prindle B +Pvt. Morany J. Robertson B +Pvt. Sidney B. Ruggles B +Pvt. Felix Schreger (2) B +Pvt. Louis Schmeidt B +Pvt. Frederick L. Sturgis B +Sgt. Everett S. Dunbar (2) C +Sgt. Charles H. Gaylord (2) C +Sgt. John N. Lyman C +Sgt. John Maddox C +Cpl. Lewis Hart (2) C +Cpl. Homer M. Welch (2) C +Pvt. Willis Barnes (2) C +Pvt. Seymour Buckley (2) C +Pvt. Chauncey Griffin C +Pvt. Charles Hotchkiss (2) C +Pvt. Charles Mitchell (2) C +Pvt. John O'Dell (2) C +Pvt. Frederick W. Pindar (2) C +Pvt. Joseph H. Pratt C +Pvt. George Roraback (2) C +Pvt. Mortimer H. Scott C +Pvt. Joseph Tayor C +Pvt. Daniel Thompson C +Sgt. John J. Squier (2) D +Sgt. Ezra M. Hull (2) D +Cpl. Edward Allen D +Cpl. William Fennimore (2) D +Cpl. Andrew Holford (2) D +Pvt. Thomas B. Andrus (2) D +Pvt. Antonio Astenhoffer (2) D +Pvt. Henry F. Bishop (2) D +Pvt. Charles Bliss (2) D +Pvt. John Crarey (2) D +Pvt. John Dillon D +Pvt. John Fee D +Pvt. Henry F. Fox (2) D +Pvt. Gotleib Falkling (2) D +Pvt. Thomas Fitzpatrick (2) D +Pvt. Joseph Gardner D +Pvt. Newton Gaylor (2) D +Pvt. Gaspar Heidsick (2) D +Pvt. Louis Hettinger (2) D +Pvt. Julius Kamp (2) D +Pvt. Henry Kuhlmaner (2) D +Pvt. Henry Long (2) D +Pvt. George Losaw (2) D +Pvt. Luke McCabe (2) D +Pvt. Henry E. Polley (2) D +Pvt. Frederick Poush (2) D +Pvt. Horace B. Stoddard (2) D +Pvt. William H. Tucker (2) D +Pvt. Martin Tyler (2) D +Pvt. Louis Walters (2) D +Pvt. Edward Welden D +Sgt. Nicholas Schue E +Sgt. Richard Croley E +Cpl. Robert C. Barry E +Cpl. Leonard L. Dugal E +Pvt. Jacob Brown E +Pvt. Adam Gerze (2) E +Pvt. Frederick Hanns E +Pvt. George W. Howland E +Pvt. Michael Murphy E +Pvt. Charles F. Oedekoven E +Pvt. Fritz Oedekoven (2) E +Pvt. F. F. F. Pfieffer E +Pvt. Andrew Regan E +Pvt. Frederick Schuh E +Pvt. Joseph Vogel (2) E +Pvt. August Wilson E +Sgt. Eugene S. Nash (2) F +Sgt. John T. Reynolds (2) F +Cpl. James Case (2) F +Pvt. James Barry (2) F +Pvt. George Bogue (2) F +Pvt. David H. Brown (2) F +Pvt. Henry Cousink (2) F +Pvt. James Cosgrove F +Pvt. Byron Crocker (2) F +Pvt. David D. Jaques (2) F +Pvt. Abel Johnson (2) F +Pvt. Patrick Leach F +Pvt. Patrick Martin (2) F +Pvt. Thomas R. McCormick (2) F +Pvt. James O'Neil (2) F +Pvt. Henry E. Phinney F +Pvt. Thomas Powers (2) F +Pvt. Orrin M. Price (2) F +Pvt. Theodore Secelle (2) F +Pvt. William L. Webb (2) F +Sgt. Samuel L. Cook (2) G +Sgt. Charles B. Hutchings G +Sgt. John W. Bradley G +Sgt. Francis Huxford G +Cpl. Moses Gay G +Cpl. Louis Frotish G +Cpl. Edmund Bogue G +Cpl. Timothy Allen G +Pvt. Frank Austin (2) G +Pvt. George I. Austin G +Pvt. John Brand G +Pvt. Octave Ceressolle G +Pvt. William B. Crawford (2) G +Pvt. Charles Culver G +Pvt. James Gay G +Pvt. Albert Hopkins G +Pvt. John Hoyt G +Pvt. Henry A. Hurlburt G +Pvt. Asahel Ingraham G +Pvt. Jeremy T. Jordan G +Pvt. Michael Kearney G +Pvt. Joseph Kemple G +Pvt. Albert Leleitner (2) G +Pvt. Walter McGrath (2) G +Pvt. John McKeon G +Pvt. William M. Maynard G +Pvt. Daniel Moore G +Pvt. Morris Newhouse (2) G +Pvt. Timothy O'Connell G +Pvt. William H. Reynolds (2) G +Pvt. Ellis D. Robinson (2) G +Pvt. Henry Robinson G +Pvt. John Ryan (2) G +Pvt. Anton Schlosser G +Pvt. Martin J. Shaden G +Pvt. Martin Sheer G +Pvt. Charles Sidders G +Pvt. Edward Skinner (2) G +Pvt. John Suarman G +Pvt. Anson F. Suber (2) G +Pvt. Sebree W. Tinker G +Sgt. William H. Huntley H +Sgt. Dennis Doyle H +Sgt. Herman W. Bailey H +Cpl. Thomas Harrison (2) H +Pvt. Philo Andrews H +Pvt. Niram Blackman H +Pvt. John Blake H +Pvt. Frank Patterson H +Pvt. George H. Twitchell H +Pvt. William H. Smith (2) H +Sgt. John Duress (2) I +Sgt. Abner N. Sterry I +Sgt. Samuel Taylor I +Sgt. Engelbert Sauter I +Cpl. Francis W. Preston (2) I +Cpl. Joseph Franz (2) I +Cpl. Garrett Herbert (2) I +Pvt. William Albrecht (2) I +Pvt. Fritz Bowman (2) I +Pvt. Ulrich Burgart (2) I +Pvt. Michael Burke I +Pvt. James Dillon I +Pvt. Patrick Hines (2) I +Pvt. Thomas McGee I +Pvt. Clifford C. Newberry (2) I +Pvt. Henry Reltrath (2) I +Pvt. Edward Smith (2) I +Pvt. Edward O. Thomas (2) I +Pvt. Henry Whiteman (2) I +Sgt. Miles J. Beecher K +Sgt. George H. Winslow K +Sgt. Charles E. Humphrey K +Cpl. Herman Saunders K +Cpl. Herbert C. Baldwin K +Cpl. John Nugent K +Cpl. Robert Hollinger K +Pvt. John Bennett K +Pvt. Benjamin E. Benson K +Pvt. Frank C. Bristol K +Pvt. William Call (2) K +Pvt. George Clancy K +Pvt. William J. Cojer K +Pvt. Thomas Duffy K +Pvt. Samuel Eaves (2) K +Pvt. Edward Ellison K +Pvt. John Gall (2) K +Pvt. Thomas Griffin K +Pvt. William Kraige (2, 5) K +Pvt. Patrick Mahoney K +Pvt. Thomas Morris K +Pvt. Richard O'Donnell K +Pvt. George C. Russell K +Pvt. Bernard Stanford K +Pvt. John Storey K +Pvt. Bartley Tiernon K + +25th CONNECTICUT. Company +Lt. Henry C. Ward (Adjutant) +Lt. Henry H. Goodell F +Sgt.-Maj. Charles F. Ulrich +Pvt. Eli Hull (2) B +Pvt. Samuel Schlesinger F +Pvt. John Williams (2) H + +1st LOUISIANA. Company +Capt. J. R. Parsons I +Lt. C. A. Tracey (3) I +Lt. J. T. Smith (2) I +Sgt. Michael H. Dunn I +Sgt. James York (3) I +Sgt. George McGraw I +Cpl. Henry Carle I +Cpl. John Emperor I +Cpl. Jos. A. Scovell I +Cpl. John Lower I +Pvt. Charles Baker I +Pvt. Richard Balshaw (3) I +Pvt. Patrick Brennan I +Pvt. Joseph Briggs I +Pvt. Leonard Demarquis I +Pvt. John Fahy I +Pvt. John Hunt I +Pvt. Henry Kathea I +Pvt. Alex. Kiah (3) I +Pvt. James Manahan I +Pvt. James McGuire (2) I +Pvt. John Reas I +Pvt. Joseph Reaman (3) I +Pvt. Jerry Rourke I +Pvt. James Smith I + +2d LOUISIANA. Company +Capt. William Smith (2) H +Pvt. Lewis Diemert A +Pvt. Henry Mayo A +Pvt. Frederick A. Murnson A +Sgt. Albert Sadusky B +Cpl. John Hoffman B +Pvt. James Clinton B +Pvt. Michael Dunn (2) B +Pvt. Barney McClosky B +Pvt. William Rocher B +Pvt. James Sullivan B +Sgt. B. E. Rowland (2) C +Sgt. Andrew Harrigon C +Pvt. Patrick Brown (2, 6) C +Pvt. James Donovan C +Pvt. John Fry (3) C +Pvt. William Hayes (2) C +Pvt. Adolph Joinfroid (2) C +Pvt. Daniel Theale C +Pvt. William Wilkie C +Pvt. Leon Paul D +Pvt. Joseph Dupuy F +Pvt. William Gallagher F +Pvt. George Tyler F +Pvt. Eugene Gallagher G +Sgt. Theodore Lederick H +Sgt. Benjamin C. Rollins (3) H +Cpl. Jacob Stall (3) H +Pvt. John Brennan H +Pvt. Patrick Devine (3) H +Pvt. John Eldridge (3) H +Pvt. Patrick Garrity (3) H +Pvt. Louis Harrell H +Pvt. John Hayes H +Pvt. Louis Icks (3) H +Pvt. John Luke H +Pvt. Thomas R. Blakely (3) I +Pvt. Louis L. Drey I +Pvt. James E. Mariner (3) I +Pvt. Francis McGahay (3) I +Pvt. Edwin Rice (3) I +Cpl. Otto Fouche (3) K +Pvt. Henry Gordon (3) K +Pvt. George Seymore (3) K +Pvt. Paul E. Trosclair (3) K + +1st LOUISIANA NATIVE GUARDS.(3) Company +Sgt. Joseph Frick C +Sgt. Charles Dugué C +Sgt. Ernest Legross C +Cpl. Arthur Meyé C +Pvt. Valcour Brown C +Pvt. Camile Cazainier C +Pvt. Edmond Champanel C +Pvt. Eugene Degruy C +Pvt. Clement Galice C +Pvt. Louis Lacraie C +Pvt. Pierre Martiel C +Pvt. Joseph Moushaud C +Pvt. Armand Roche C +Pvt. Francois Severin C +Pvt. Henry Smith C +Pvt. J. Baptiste Smith C +Pvt. Martin White C +Pvt. Joseph Lewis G +Pvt. Robert Lotsum G +Cpl. Jules Frits H +Pvt. Jaques Auguste H +Pvt. Henry Bradford H +Pvt. Joseph Carter H +Pvt. Isidore Charles H +Pvt. Emile Chatard H +Pvt. Frederick Derinsbourg H +Pvt. Franics Fernandez H +Pvt. Arthur Guyot H +Pvt. Samuel Hall H +Pvt. John Howard H +Pvt. Joseph Jackson H +Pvt. Richard John H +Pvt. Joe Joseph H +Pvt. Auguste Lee H +Pvt. Henry Lee H +Pvt. Oscar Pointoiseau H +Pvt. Joseph Patterson, Sr. H +Pvt. Joseph Patterson, Jr. H +Pvt. Perry Randolph H +Pvt. James Richards H +Pvt. Benjamin String H +Pvt. Ralemy Walse H +Sgt. John J. Cage I +Sgt. John W. Berweeks I +Cpl. Thomas Alexander I +Pvt. Charles Branson I +Pvt. Alexander Jones I +Pvt. William McDowell I +Pvt. Collin Page I +Pvt. Thomas Redwood I +Pvt. William Wood I +Pvt. George Burke K +Pvt. Ed. Madison K +Pvt. Charles Smith K + +3d LOUISIANA NATIVE GUARDS.(3) Company +Pvt. Abram Frost A +Pvt. Henry Marshel A +Sgt. Wade Hambleton C +Cpl. Massalla Lofra C +Cpl. William Mack C +Cpl. E. Thominick C +Pvt. Daniel Anderson C +Pvt. ---- Bracton C +Pvt. William Dallis C +Pvt. Jack Dorson C +Pvt. William Finick C +Pvt. Solomon Fleming C +Pvt. William Green C +Pvt. George Joseph C +Pvt. Victor Lewis C +Pvt. ---- Sanders C +Pvt. ---- Taylor C +Pvt. ---- White C +Sgt. Thomas Jefferson E +Pvt. W. Henry E +Pvt. Benjamin Johnson E +Pvt. Joseph Miller E +Pvt. Thomas Simmons E +Pvt. J. W. Thomas E +Pvt. Edward Brown H +Pvt. Isaac Gillis H +Pvt. ---- Johnson H +Pvt. Silas Huff H +Pvt. Lewis Paulin H +Pvt. John Ross H +Pvt. J. Smith H +Pvt. Silas Dicton I +Pvt. Loudon McDaniel I +Pvt. John Taller I +Pvt. Isaac Twiggs I +Pvt. George Washington I +Pvt. ---- Williams I + +12th MAINE. Company +Capt. John F. Appleton (2) H +Lt. Daniel M. Phillips H +Lt. Marcellus L. Stearns E +Pvt. John Cooper A +Pvt. Isaac R. Douglass A +Pvt. Almon L. Gilpatrick A +Pvt. John Weller A +Sgt. Seymour A. Farrington E +Cpl. Henry S. Berry E +Pvt. Edgar G. Adams E +Pvt. Oliver D. Jewett E +Pvt. Nathan W. Kendall E +Pvt. James Powers E +Sgt. William M. Berry H +Sgt. James W. Smith I +Sgt. Henry Tyler (3) H +Pvt. Frank E. Anderson (2) H + +13th MAINE. +Lt. Joseph B. Carson (2) + +14th MAINE. Company +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore +Maj. Albion K. Bolan +Capt. George Blodgett K +Lt. John K. Laing F +Lt. I. Frank Hobbs G +Lt. Warren T. Crowell K +Lt. Merrill H. Adams B +Lt. William H. Gardiner G +Lt. Charles E. Blackwell (3) I +Sgt.-Maj. Charles W. Thing (2) +Sgt. Jos. F. Clement A +Sgt. George C. Hagerty A +Cpl. William C. Townsend A +Cpl. Otis G. Crockett A +Cpl. Alva Emerson A +Pvt. Peter Beauman A +Pvt. Wilson Bowden A +Pvt. Richard J. Colby A +Pvt. Seth P. Colby A +Pvt. Peter Misher (3) A +Pvt. Irvin Morse A +Pvt. Edwin Ordway A +Pvt. Albert Webster (3) A +Sgt. John Dougherty B +Sgt. James Shehan B +Cpl. Peter Emerich (2) B +Pvt. John Darby (2, 6) B +Pvt. Benjamin Douglass, Jr. B +Pvt. James Elders B +Pvt. George N. Larrabee B +Pvt. John Dailey C +Pvt. Simon Beattie E +Sgt. F. H. Blackman (2) F +Sgt. Jos. W. Grant F +Cpl. William M. Cobb (2) F +Cpl. William F. Jenkins F +Pvt. Edward Bethum F +Pvt. William E. Merrifield F +Pvt. Horace Sawyer F +Sgt. Archelaus Fuller G +Cpl. Edward Bradford G +Pvt. Samuel Connelly G +Pvt. Ezra A. Merrill G +Sgt. Calvin S. Gordon H +Cpl. Louis C. Gordon (3) H +Pvt. John Cunningham I +Sgt. C. Pembroke Carter I +Sgt. Samuel T. Logan I +Sgt. John S. Smith I +Sgt. William L. Busher (2) I +Cpl. John Hayes I +Pvt. William R. Hawkins (3) I +Pvt. Jos. Preble I +Pvt. Albert B. Meservy I +Pvt. Benjamin F. Roleson I +Sgt. William Muller K +Sgt. Alex. Wilson K +Sgt. Bazel Hogue K +Cpl. John Moore K +Cpl. William Darby K +Pvt. Daniel Connors K +Pvt. Benjamin Sandon (2) K +Pvt. George Waterhouse K +Pvt. Julius Wendlandt K +Pvt. Charles Wilkerson K +Pvt. Elliot Witham K + +21st MAINE. Company +Capt. James L. Hunt (3) C +Capt. Samuel W. Clarke H +Pvt. J. Mink (3) A +Pvt. Otis Sprague (3) A +Pvt. Sewell Sprague (3) A +Pvt. Joel Richardson (3) B +Pvt. Andrew P. Watson (3) B +Pvt. John H. Brown C +Pvt. John E. Heath C +Pvt. Charles T. Lord C +Pvt. George F. Stacey C +Pvt. William N. Tibbetts C +Cpl. Galen A. Chapman D +Cpl. Alonzo L. Farrow D +Pvt. David O. Priest (3) D +Pvt. David B. Cole (3) E +Pvt. Charles S. Crowell (3) E +Pvt. Melville Merrill (3) E +Pvt. William Douglass (3) F +Pvt. Gustavus Hiscock (3) F +Cpl. Minot D. Hewett G +Pvt. Leander Woodcock (2) G +Pvt. Frederic Goud (3) H +Pvt. Thomas Wyman (3) H +Pvt. John B. Morrill (3) I +Pvt. James S. Jewell (3) K +Pvt. Frank S. Wade (3) K + +22d MAINE. Company +Capt. Isaac W. Case H +Capt. Henry L. Wood E +Lt. George E. Brown A +Pvt. Van Buren Carll B +Pvt. Daniel McPhetres B +Cpl. D. S. Chadbourne (2) E +Sgt. Samuel S. Mason F +Pvt. Timothy N. Erwin G +Pvt. Amaziah W. Webb K + +24th MAINE. Company +Sgt. George E. Taylor H +Pvt. James Hughes H + +28th MAINE. +Pvt. James N. Morrow + +3d MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY. Company +Col. Thomas E. Chickering (3) +Capt. John L. Swift (2) C +Capt. Francis E. Boyd H +Lt. William T. Hodges C +Lt. Henry S. Adams (3) (Adjutant) +Lt. David P. Muzzey G +Lt. Charles W. C. Rhoads H +Sgt.-Maj. William S. Stevens +Pvt. Ferdinand Rolle A +Sgt. Nathan G. Smith C +Sgt. Horace P. Flint C +Cpl. George D. Cox (2) C +Pvt. Joseph Elliott C +Pvt. Edward Johnson C +Cpl. Patrick Dunlay G +Sgt. Jason Smith (2) G +Pvt. Simon Daly G +Pvt. Peter Donahuye G +Pvt. James Gallagher (2) G +Pvt. John Granville (2) G +Pvt. James McLaughlin (2) G +Sgt. Patrick S. Curry (2) G +Pvt. Solomon Hall (2) G +Sgt. William Wildman H +Sgt. John Kelley H +Sgt. George E. Long (2) H +Cpl. William S. Caldwell H +Cpl. Randall F. Hunnewell H +Cpl. William P. Pethie H +Cpl. Charles Miller H +Cpl. William R. Davis (3) H +Pvt. Edwin T. Ehrlacher H +Pvt. Gros Granadino H +Pvt. Eli Hawkins H +Pvt. Patrick J. Monks H +Pvt. John Veliscross H +Pvt. George Wilson H + +13th MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY. +Pvt. Cesar DuBois +Pvt. John V. Warner (2) + +26th MASSACHUSETTS. +Lt. Seth Bonner (2), Company F + +30th MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Capt. Edward A. Fiske D +Lt. Thomas B. Johnston H +Lt. Nathaniel K. Reed C +Lt. Ferdinand C. Poree (3) C +Sgt. W. H. H. Richards B +Cpl. George E. Coy B +Cpl. Thomas Courtney B +Pvt. James M. Brown B +Pvt. Andrew Cole B +Pvt. Martin Hassett B +Pvt. George Toowey B +Sgt. Luther H. Marshall C +Pvt. William McCutcheon C +Pvt. Charles B. Richardson C +Pvt. George Sutherland C +Sgt. George H. Moule D +Sgt. John E. Ring (3) D +Cpl. Charles D. Moore D +Pvt. James Boyce D +Pvt. William Kenny D +Pvt. Horace F. Davis E +Sgt. Murty Quinlan F +Sgt. Thomas A. Warren F +Cpl. Michael Mealey F +Pvt. J. Sullivan (2, 7) F +Sgt. John Leary G +Sgt. Willard A. Hussey H +Pvt. John Battles H +Pvt. John Higgins H +Pvt. Paul Jesemaughn H +Pvt. William F. Kavanagh H +Pvt. John Welch H +Pvt. John Wilson H +Sgt. Samuel Ryan I + +31st MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Capt. Edward P. Hollister A +Capt. Samuel D. Hovey K +Lt. Luther C. Howell (Adjutant) +Lt. James M. Stewart A +Pvt. Chester Bevins A +Pvt. Patrick Carnes A +Pvt. Frank Fitch A +Pvt. William Thorlington A +Pvt. Peter Valun A +Pvt. Ethan H. Cowles B +Pvt. William J. Coleman K +Pvt. Maurice Lee K + +38th MASSACHUSETTS. +Lt. Frank N. Scott, Company D + +48th MASSACHUSETTS. +Pvt. Michael Roach, Company G + +49th MASSACHUSETTS.(3) Company +Lt. Edson F. Dresser F +Pvt. James W. Bassett A +Pvt. William E. Clark A +Pvt. Willard L. Watkins A +Pvt. George Dowley B +Pvt. Henry E. Griffin B +Pvt. Conrad Hiens B +Cpl. Thomas H. Hughes D +Pvt. Peter Come D +Pvt. Edwin N. Hubbard D +Pvt. Franklin Allen H +Pvt. George Knickerbocker H +Cpl. John Kelley I +Pvt. Zera Barnum I +Pvt. Philadner B. Chadwick K +Pvt. Thomas Maloney K +Pvt. Albert F. Thompson K + +50th MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Cpl. E. S. Tubbs G +Pvt. James Miller G + +53d MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Pvt. Peter T. Downs G +Pvt. Peter Dyer H + +6th MICHIGAN. Company +Pvt. Robert Atwood A +Pvt. John R. Cowles A +Pvt. James E. Root A +Sgt. Lester Fox C +Sgt. Albert B. Chapman (3) C +Cpl. William A. Porter C +Pvt. Walter B. Hunter C +Pvt. Joseph W. Rolph C +Cpl. Charles St. John D +Pvt. Peter Dorr D +Pvt. Henry Plummer (2) D +Pvt. Tobias Porter (3) D +Sgt. Frederick Buck E +Sgt. William L. Leinrie E +Cpl. Harry S. Howard E +Cpl. William Kelly (3) E +Cpl. Henry Rhodes E +Pvt. John Austin E +Pvt. Daniel Fero E +Pvt. William Hogue (3) E +Pvt. James R. Johnson E +Pvt. Augustus Jones E +Pvt. William Rapsher E +Pvt. Jacob Urwiler E +Pvt. Alfred E. Day F +Pvt. George W. Sparling F +Sgt. George H. Harris G +Cpl. Peter A. Martin (3) G +Cpl. Francis M. Hurd G +Pvt. George W. Dailey (3) G +Pvt. Freeman Hadden (3) G +Pvt. John W. McBride (3) G +Pvt. Robert Payne (3) G +Pvt. Charles E. Plummer (3) G +Pvt. Enoch T. Simpson (3) G +Pvt. Osborn Sweeney (3) G +Pvt. Theodore Weed (3) G +Sgt. A. C. Whitcomb (3) H +Pvt. Henry B. Dow (3) H +Pvt. George A. Benet (3) I +Cpl. Levi A. Logan (3) K +Cpl. John H. Wisner (3) K +Pvt. Simon P. Boyce (3) K +Pvt. David H. Servis (3) K +Pvt. Francis E. Todd (3) K + +8th NEW HAMPSHIRE. Company +Capt. Jos. J. Ladd (3) D +Lt. Dana W. King A +Pvt. John Riney (3) B +Sgt. John Ferguson (2) I + +16th NEW HAMPSHIRE. Company +Capt. John L. Rice (3) H +Lt. Edgar E. Adams F +Lt. Edward J. O'Donnell C +Cpl. Daniel C. Dacey A +Pvt. Edward J. Wiley B +Cpl. Clinton Bohannon C +Pvt. Asa Burgess C +Cpl. William A. Rand K +Pvt. Rufus L. Jones K + +75th NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Edson V. R. Blakeman B +Pvt. Levi Coppernoll B +Pvt. Lenox Kent B +Pvt. Ethan Bennett (2) I +Pvt. Martin Norton I +Pvt. Jonas L. Palmer (2) I +Pvt. Charles Wright (2) I + +90th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Honoré De La Paturelle E +Sgt. Henry M. Crydenwise A +Pvt. Nichoals Schmilan (2) A +Pvt. Albert Barnes (2) B +Pvt. George Robinson (2) B +Cpl. John Neil F +Pvt. John McCormick F +Pvt. Martin McNamara F +Pvt. James Proctor (3) F +Cpl. Willam Dally (2) G +Pvt. Timothy Quirk (2) G +Pvt. ---- Serriler (2) G +Pvt. Christopher Autenreith K +Pvt. John Heron K +Pvt. Amos Maker K +Pvt. Nelson Root K + +91st NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Samuel Webster A +Sgt. James A. Shattuck B +Pvt. James T. McCollum (3) B +Sgt. Edward R. Cone C +Cpl. Platt F. Vincent C +Pvt. Edwin De Frate C +Cpl. Charles E. Bowles E +Pvt. Jos. C. Wallace E +Cpl. Charles Kearney (2) K + +114th NEW YORK.(2) Company +Sgt. William H. Calkins I +Cpl. Nathan Sampson G +Cpl. C. L. Widger I +Pvt. Herbert Chislin G +Pvt. Warren H. Howard G +Pvt. William Potter G + +116th NEW YORK. Company +Cpl. Frank Bentley A +Pvt. Isaac Colvin A +Pvt. Andrew Cook A +Pvt. Daniel Covensparrow A +Pvt. Philip Linebits A +Pvt. Jacob Bergtold (3) B +Pvt. Sylvester Glass (3) B +Cpl. George W. Hammond (3) C +Pvt. Henry D. Daniel C +Pvt. Charles Fisher C +Pvt. Frederick Hilderbrand C +Pvt. Christain Grawi (3) D +Pvt. William W. McCumber (3) D +Pvt. Cornelius Fitzpatrick E +Pvt. James Gallagher E +Pvt. Theodore Hansell E +Pvt. Thomas Maloney E +Pvt. Henry C. Miller E +Pvt. Frederick Webber E +Cpl. Joshua D. Baker F +Pvt. Jacob Demerly F +Pvt. Frederick Jost G +Pvt. William Martin G +Pvt. Samuel Whitmore G +Pvt. Henry Trarer (2) H +Pvt. Jacob Tschole H +Pvt. Jacob Zumstein H +Pvt. Philip Mary I +Cpl. Albert D. Prescot K +Pvt. Nicholas Fedick K + +128th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Francis S. Keese C +Sgt. Theodore W. Krafft A +Sgt. Freeman Skinner A +Cpl. Milo P. Moore A +Pvt. Jos. M. Downing A +Pvt. John N. Hague A +Pvt. Jared Harrison (2) A +Pvt. Jos. C. Mosher A +Pvt. James Mosherman A +Pvt. Freeman Ostrander A +Sgt. Charles W. McKown C +Sgt. Henry A. Brundage C +Sgt. John H. Hagar C +Cpl. Clement R. Dean C +Cpl. David H. Haunaburgh C +Cpl. Elijah D. Morgan C +Cpl. George F. Simmons C +Pvt. Albert Cole C +Pvt. George Cronk C +Pvt. Edward Delamater C +Pvt. Peter Dyer (2) C +Pvt. Albert P. Felts C +Pvt. Charles Murch C +Pvt. Daniel Neenan C +Pvt. George A. Norcutt C +Pvt. John R. Schriver C +Pvt. John L. Delamater D +Pvt. William Platto D +Pvt. Charles P. Wilson D +Cpl. Charles Brower F +Sgt. C. M. Davidson (2) H +Pvt. John A. Wamsley (2) H +Pvt. Charles F. Appleby I +Pvt. Stephen H. Moore I +Cpl. Sylvester Brewer K +Pvt. Thomas Rice K +Pvt. William Van Bak (2) K + +131st NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Eugene H. Fales C +Lt. Eugene A. Hinchman H +Lt. James O'Connor F +Lt. Louis F. Ellis I +Lt. James E. McBeth K +Pvt. William Burris B +Pvt. Charles Cameron (2) B +Pvt. Nicholas Hansler (2) B +Pvt. George E. Stanford B +Sgt. Robert W. Reid C +Cpl. Jonas Cheshire C +Cpl. Edward Northup C +Cpl. Isaac Ogden C +Pvt. Henry Ayres C +Pvt. Richard M. Edwards C +Pvt. Theodore Kellet C +Pvt. Charles W. Weeks C +Pvt. Jacob Hohn I +Pvt. Ferdinand Nesch I + +133d NEW YORK. Company +Capt. James K. Fuller (3) C +Lt. Richard W. Buttle D +Lt. Henry O'Connor I +Pvt. Nicolas Pitt B +Pvt. Nelson Beane C +Pvt. Patrick Boyne C +Pvt. Joseph Finn C +Pvt. Peter Hudson C +Pvt. James G. Kelly C +Cpl. John Eisemann D +Pvt. John Newman (2) D +Pvt. John A. Shepard (2) D +Pvt. Patrick Callanan E +Pvt. Cyrus Tooker F +Sgt. George Giehl G +Pvt. Joseph J. Burke G +Pvt. George Schleifer G +Pvt. James Brenna I +Pvt. John H. Dawson I +Pvt. John H. Gale I +Sgt. George Hamel K +Cpl. William Stratton (3) K +Pvt. Patrick Costello K +Pvt. Henry Hodinger K +Pvt. Philip Ready K + +156th NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Innus A. Graves (2) B +Pvt. Thomas Horton (2) B +Pvt. Henry Jones (2) B +Pvt. Philip Lewis B +Pvt. Benjamin Roberson (2) B +Pvt. Simon Washburn (2) B +Sgt. C. G. Earle (2) C +Sgt. Daniel B. Degs (2) C +Sgt. Clement Y. Carle (2) C +Cpl. J. B. Barlison (2) C +Pvt. Stephen R. Acker (2) C +Pvt. Mathew Diets (2) C +Pvt. Stephen Ernhout (2) C +Pvt. John Herringer (2) C +Pvt. A. Jarvis Hater (2) C +Pvt. Abraham Keyser (2) C +Pvt. Alexander Lown (2) C +Pvt. F. L. Scampmouse (2) C +Pvt. A. C. Schriver (2) C +Pvt. W. Shadduck (2) C +Pvt. A. G. Slater (2) C +Pvt. J. R. Slater (2) C +Pvt. John Strivinger (2) C +Pvt. William Thadduck (2) C +Cpl. Richard Ellmandorph (2) D +Cpl. Archibald Terwilliger (2) E +Sgt. John D. Fink F +Sgt. Hiram S. Barrows (2) F +Cpl. George Bradshaw (2) F +Pvt. James R. Lane (2) F +Pvt. Edward Liter (2) F +Pvt. Michael McGorm (2) F +Pvt. Charles L. Meguire (2) F +Lt. Edward Olbenshaw (2) H +Pvt. John Marvell (2) H +Capt. Orville D. Jewett (2) I +Lt. James J. Randall (2) I +Lt. Charles W. Kennedy (2) I +Sgt. Edward Steers (2) I +Sgt. William S. Costilyou (2) I +Sgt. Thomas F. Donnelly (2) I +Sgt. Thomas Saunders (2) I +Pvt. James Brougham (2) I +Pvt. Welkin Moorehouse (2) I +Pvt. John Provost (2) I +Pvt. James Watson (2) I +Sgt. Charles B. Weston K +Sgt. Henry Abbott (3) K +Cpl. Ivan Netterberg K +Cpl. Isaac W. Fullager K +Pvt. Simeon Fritter (2) K +Pvt. Charles Gay K +Pvt. August Leonard K +Pvt. Neil Neilson K +Pvt. Samuel Outerkirk K +Pvt. Chalres Podrick (2) K +Pvt. Sven Svenson (2) K +Pvt. Charles Stump K +Pvt. Augustus Swenson (2) K +Pvt. Joseph von Matt K +Pvt. Thoeodore Webster (2) K +Pvt. Alexander Wehl (2) K + +159th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Robert McD. Hart F +Lt. Alfred Greenleaf, Jr. B +Lt. Duncan Richmond H +Pvt. Amos Hark B +Pvt. George W. Hatfield B +Pvt. Hugh McKenny B +Pvt. John Taylor B +Sgt. Michael Hogan C +Pvt. Christain Schnack C +Sgt. James T. Perkins E +Pvt. John Thorp E +Sgt. Gilbert S. Gullen F +Pvt. Bartholomey Toser F +Cpl. E. Hollenback (2) H +Pvt. H. McIlravy (2) H +Pvt. D. C. McNeil (2) H +Pvt. James Braizer, 2d. I +Pvt. George W. Schofield I +Sgt. Thomas Bergen (2) K + +160th NEW YORK. Company +Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +Asst. Surgon David H. Armstrong +Lt. William J. Van Deusen A +Lt. Robert R. Seeley I +Pvt. Oscar Curtis (3) B +Pvt. A. A. Hammer C +Pvt. Joseph S. Insley (3) C +Pvt. Henry F. McIntyre C +Pvt. George Matthies C +Sgt. J. Sahvey (2) E +Pvt. Michael Hill E +Pvt. John Long E +Pvt. John O'Lahey (3) E +Sgt. B. F. Maxson G +Sgt. Elon Spink G +Sgt. Samuel Kriegelstein G +Sgt. Jacob McDowell K +Sgt. Michael Hewitt (2) K +Pvt. Arthur Clarkson K +Pvt. Lewis Kraher K +Pvt. John Raince K + +161st NEW YORK. Company +Maj. Charles Strawn (3) +Lt. William B. Kinsey (Adjutant) +Capt. Benjamin T. Van Tuyl A +Sgt. George E. Rosenkrans (2) A +Cpl. Clark Evans A +Pvt. William Jolley A +Pvt. Cornelius Osterhout A +Pvt. James Anderson B +Sgt. Lewis E. Fitch C +Cpl. Mahlon M. Murcur C +Pvt. Edgar L. Dewitt C +Pvt. Henry W. Mead C +Pvt. George Oliver C +Pvt. Charles Spaulding C +Sgt. Dennis Lacy D +Sgt. Bradford Sanford D +Pvt. James E. Borden D +Pvt. Luman Philley D +Pvt. Thomas A. Sawyer D +Pvt. John Van Dousen D +Pvt. Madison M. Collier E +Sgt. Baskin Freeman F +Pvt. Charles Robinson F +Sgt. De Witt C. Amey H +Cpl. Samuel Robinson H +Pvt. John F. Young H +Pvt. John Reas (2) I +Sgt. Silas E. Warren K +Pvt. Charles A. Herrick K + +162d NEW YORK. Company +Capt. William P. Huxford C +Lt. John H. Van Wyck G +Lt. William Kennedy E +Lt. R. W. Leonard (Adjutant) +Sgt. John McCormick A +Sgt. Thomas Barry (2) A +Sgt. John E. Burke B +Sgt. Henry Landy C +Sgt. Frederick Shellhass C +Pvt. Anton Bleistein C +Pvt. William F. Eisele C +Pvt. John Engel C +Pvt. Alex. Herrman C +Pvt. Leo Kalt C +Pvt. Conrad Siegle C +Sgt. Theodore Churchill D +Sgt. William Kelley (2) D +Cpl. Thomas McConnell D +Sgt. James Stack E +Sgt. George W. Keiley E +Cpl. John McLaughlin E +Cpl. George W. Waite E +Cpl. James Ball E +Cpl. Lorenzo Sully (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Clarey E +Pvt. Peter Corbett E +Pvt. Thomas Duff E +Pvt. Daniel W. Dunn E +Pvt. Patrick Ginett E +Pvt. Daniel Gray E +Pvt. Hawrence Halley E +Pvt. George Larmore E +Pvt. James McCall E +Pvt. Mathew Mullen (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Perry (2) E +Pvt. Patrick Sweeny E +Cpl. Gustave Normann F +Pvt. John G. Thalmann F +Sgt. George W. Gibson G +Sgt. Edmund Nourse G +Pvt. William Ferguson G +Pvt. William Ketaing G +Cpl. Edward Murphy I +Cpl. Joseph Martines I +Cpl. Maxamillian Miller I +Cpl. David Hart (2) I +Cpl. George Welch (2) I +Pvt. James Brady K +Pvt. Peter Cherry K +Pvt. Eugene Detrich K +Pvt. John Frazer K +Pvt. Jos. Gitey K +Pvt. Fleming Knipe K +Pvt. Dominick McConnell (2) K +Pvt. John McDonald K +Pvt. Lewis Young K + +165th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Felix Angus A +Capt. Henry C. Inwood E +Lt. Gustavus F. Linguist C +Sgt. Walter T. Hall A +Sgt. William T. Sinclair A +Sgt. John Fleming A +Sgt. John W. Dicins A +Cpl. Richard Baker A +Cpl. Josiah C. Dixon A +Cpl. George E. Armstrong A +Pvt. James E. Barker A +Pvt. Peter Beaucamp A +Pvt. Samuel Davis A +Pvt. Gustav Druckhammer A +Pvt. Thomas Kerney (2) A +Pvt. David Lewis A +Pvt. George McKinney A +Pvt. George A. Metzel A +Pvt. Elias H. Tucker A +Pvt. John H. Vale A +Pvt. Edward Vass A +Drummer Michael Donohue (2) A +Pvt. Elisha E. Dennison (2) B +Pvt. Patrick H. Matthews B +Pvt. John Cassidy C +Pvt. Robert Hobbey C +Pvt. Laurentz Lange C +Pvt. John Laughtman C +Cpl. James F. Campbell D +Pvt. Eugene Deflandre (2) D +Pvt. Henry Edward (2) D +Pvt. Henry R. Loomis (2) D +Pvt. Thomas Belcher E +Pvt. John Feighery E +Pvt. Stephen Gilles E +Pvt. Edwin A. Shaw E +Pvt. William Vero E + +173d NEW YORK. +Pvt. Alexander Hendrickson, Company C + +174th NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Edward Marrenee I +Lt. Latham A. Fish E +Lt. Eugene E. Ennson C +Lt. Charles Emerson (3) I +Sgt. Samuel Wilson (2) A +Sgt. Morris Lancaster A +Cpl. Louis Hageman A +Pvt. William Coopere A +Pvt. John Cullen A +Pvt. John Maloney A +Cpl. George Anderson B +Sgt. John Gray C +Pvt. John Kuhfuss C +Pvt. Gustavus Heller (2) C +Pvt. George W. Jones (2) C +Pvt. William McElroy (2) C +Pvt. Ernst Schmidt C +Sgt. John Kenney E +Cpl. Joseph H. Murphy E +Pvt. Thomas Williams E +Pvt. Thomas Fletcher G +Pvt. Henry D. Lasher G +Pvt. Charles N. Thompson G +Sgt. Charles Gardner H +Pvt. Thomas Carroll H +Pvt. William Johnson H +Pvt. Henry Jones H +Pvt. Cornelius Mohoney H +Pvt. Joseph Messmer I +Pvt. Henry Pooler I +Pvt. Richard Schottler I +Sgt. Charles Draner K +Pvt. Frederick Bandka K +Pvt. William Heinrichs K +Pvt. Edward Kuhlman K +Pvt. Julius Ladiges K +Pvt. Frederick Nilsen K + +175th NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Seigmund Sternberg I +Sgt.-Maj. Abraham Loes +Pvt. Frank Markham A +Cpl. Timothy Allen B +Pvt. Otto Dornback C +Pvt. Richard O'Gorham C +Pvt. Patrick Manering D +Sgt. William O'Callaghan E +Sgt. James Hillis (3) E +Sgt. James H. Callor (2) E +Pvt. John O'Conner E +Cpl. Philip Daub (3) K + +177th NEW YORK. Company +Sgt. John D. Brooks A +Cpl. Percy B. S. Cole A +Pvt. Seymour D. Carpenter A +Pvt. John J. Gallup A +Pvt. Thomas J. Garvey A +Pvt. William Hemstreet A +Pvt. John Housen A +Pvt. Barney Lavary A +Pvt. Richard C. Main A +Pvt. Adam Milliman A +Pvt. Henry von Lehman A +Pvt. Willard Loundsbery (2) A +Cpl. George A. McCormick B +Pvt. Eben Halley B +Pvt. David N, Kirk B +Pvt. Charles M. Smith B +Pvt. Samuel H. Stevens, Jr. B +Pvt. John Gorman C +Pvt. Moses De Coster D +Pvt. Charles W. Lape E +Cpl. Alonzo G. Luddes G +Pvt. S. W. Meisden (3) G +Pvt. Elias Nashold G +Pvt. Jeddiah Tompkins G +Pvt. Russell W. Cooneys H +Pvt. George Merinus I + +8th VERMONT. Company +Capt. John L. Barstow (2, 3), Acting Assitant Adjutant-General +Pvt. John Adams (2) C +Pvt. James K. Bennett C +Pvt. Francis C. Cushman (2) C +Pvt. T. E. Harriman (2) C +Pvt. Frank Lamarsh (2) C +Pvt. Jovite Pinard (2) C +Sgt. George G. Hutchins (2) E +Cpl. N. H. Hibbard (2) E +Cpl. Benjamin F. Bowman (2) E +Pvt. Thomas F. Ferrin (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Holland (2) E +Sgt. Byron J. Hurlburt F +Cpl. Edward Saltus (3) F +Pvt. George N. Faneuf F +Pvt. David Larock, Jr. F +Pvt. Abner Niles F +Cpl. Abner N. Flint G +Pvt. Seymour N. Coles G +Pvt. Lyman P. Luck G +Pvt. Andrew B. Morgan H +Pvt. Patrick Bloan I +Pvt. D. Martin (2) I + +2d U. S. ARTILLERY. +Pvt. J. D. Hickley (2), Company C + +4th WISCONSIN. Company +Lt. Isaac N. Earl C +Cpl. L. C. Bartlett C +Pvt. Patrick Pigeon (2) A + +Note.--On the 28th of June, 1863, Birge reported to Headquarters, 2 +battalions of stormers, of 8 companies each, present for duty--67 +officers, 826 men, total 893. His duplicate roll, evidently of later +date than June 28th and not later than July 7th, accounts for 10 +companies with 71 officers and 865 men, total 936. The list here +printed gives 1,230 names, probably representing 1,228 persons. + +(1) The original roll of the storming party was made up in duplicate. +After the siege, one copy was retained by General Birge, the other being +turned in to the Adjutant-General's Office, Department of the Gulf, by +Captain, afterward Brevet Brigadier-General Duncan S. Walker, Assistant +Adjutant-General. The latter copy has not been found among the documents +turned over to the War Department in 1865. All Birge's papers and +records were captured by the Confederates and among them his copy of +the roll was lost. In 1886, from one of his officers he obtained a +book containing a third copy of the roll, described by him as "complete +and perfect," and placed it in the hands of Captain Charles L. Norton, +25th Connecticut (Colonel 29th Connecticut), himself one of the stomers, +by whom the volume was delivered to Colonel D. P. Mussey, President, +and Captain C. W. C. Rhoades, Secretary, of the Forlorn Hope Association. +The list here printed is made up by collating with this roll the detached +and obviously incomplete memoranda gathered into the XXVIth volume of +the "Official Records." So many mistakes in names have been found in +the certified copy of Birge's list as furnished by the author, that +others are likely to exist among the names marked (2), that could not be +compared with the records. For example, it is found that Privates +F. L. Scampmouse and Levi Scapmouse, Company C, 156th New York, are +the same man and, Seven Soepson, same regiment, is Sven Svenson. + +(2) Not on the roll as printed in the Official Records, vol. xxvi., +part I., pp. 57-68. + +(3) Not on Birge's duplicate roll. + +(4) The names of the Battalion Field and Staff Officers appear again +under their proper regiments. + +(5) Probably Krug, or Kramer. + +(6) Not on muster roll. + +(7) Jeremiah, Co. B, James, I., or Michael, F.? + + +ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION (1) + +Proposed between the commissioners on the part of the garrison of +Port Hudson, La., and the forces of the United States before said +place, July 8, 1863. + +Article I. Maj.-Gen. F. Gardner surrenders to the United States +forces under Major-General Banks the place of Port Hudson and its +dependencies, with its garrison, armament, munitions, public funds, +and material of war, in the condition, as nearly as may be, in +which they were at the hour of cessation of hostilities, viz., 6 +A.M., July 8, 1863. + +Art. II. The surrender stipulated in Article I. is qualified by +no condition, save that the officers and enlisted men comprising +the garrison shall receive the treatment due to prisoners of war, +according to the usages of civilized warfare. + +Art. III. All private property of officers and enlisted men shall +be respected and left to their respective owners. + +Art. IV. The position of Port Hudson shall be occupied to-morrow +at 7 A.M. by the forces of the United States, and its garrison +received as prisoners of war by such general officer of the United +States service as may be designated by Major-General Banks, with +the ordinary formalities of rendition. The Confederate troops will +be drawn up in line, officers in their positions, the right of the +line resting on the edge of the prairie south of the railroad dept, +the left extending in the direction of the village of Port Hudson. +The arms and colors will be piled conveniently, and will be received +by the officers of the United States. + +Art. V. The sick and wounded of the garrison will be cared for by +the authorities of the United States, assisted, if desired by either +party, by the medical officers of the garrison. + +(1) See _ante_ p. 231 and Official Records, vol. xxvi., part I., pp. +52-54. + + +NOTE ON EARLY'S STRENGTH. +By Brevet Brigadier-General E. C. Dawes, U.S.V. + +The return of the Army of Northern Virginia for October 31, 1864, +gives the "present for duty" in the Second Army Corps commanded by +General Early, in the infantry divisions of Ramseur (Early's old +division), Rodes, Gordon, Wharton, Kershaw, and the artillery as + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,516 + +The cavalry division of General Lomax, by its return of September +10th, numbered for duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,605 + +The cavalry brigade of General Rosser (1) about . . . 1,300 + +The cavalry division of General Fitz Lee (2) . . . . . 1,600 + +The casualties of the army at Cedar Creek were . . . . 3,100 + +Total force engaged at the battle of Cedar Creek . . . 22,121 + +Lomax's division probably lost 500 men in the different actions +prior to Cedar Creek after its return of September 10th. To offset +this no account is made of the "Valley Reserves" (men over and boys +under conscript age) and "detailed men" (those subject to conscription +who were permitted to remain at home to do necessary work), who +joined the army after its defeat at Fisher's Hill. General Lee +wrote General Early 27th September: "All the reserves in the Valley +have been ordered to you." That the order was obeyed appears from +the following extracts, from the diary of Mr. J. A. Waddell of +Staunton, Virginia, printed in the "Annals of Augusta County, Va.," +page 325 _et seq._ + +"Saturday, September 24 [1864]: A dispatch from General Early this +morning assured the people of Staunton that they were in no danger, +that his army was safe and receiving reinforcements. He however +ordered the detailed men to be called out. . . . October 15: +Nothing talked of except the recent order calling into service the +detailed men. . . . The recent order takes millers from their +grinding, but men sent from the army undertake in some cases to +run the machinery. Farmers are ordered from their fields and barns +and soldiers are detailed to thresh the wheat. All men engaged in +making horseshoes are ordered off so that our cavalry and artillery +horses will have to go barefooted." + +The return of the Army of Northern Virginia for 30th November, +1864, confirms the figures given above. It shows "present for +duty" in the infantry divisions of Ramseur, Rodes, Gordon, Wharton, +and Kershaw, and the Second Corps artillery . . . . . 15,070 + +In the cavalry divisions of Fitz Lee and Lomax (2 brigades, Payne's +and Rosser's, not reporting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,625 + +Add for Rosser's and Payne's brigades . . . . . . . . 2,000 + +Total of Gen. Early's army, November 30th . . . . . . 20,695 + +Kershaw had returned to Richmond, but the above figures include +the organizations present at Cedar Creek. + +Cincinnati, August 24, 1890. + +(1) Rosser's brigade belonged to Hampton's old division. This +division, with Rosser's brigade, numbered for duty September 10, +1864, 2,942. On October 31st, without Rosser's brigade, 1.547. +It is fair to assume the difference as Rosser's strength. + +(2) Fitz Lee's division on return of August 31st numbered for duty +1,683; on 30th November, 1,524. + + +INDEX. +[omitted] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY +CORPS*** + + +******* This file should be named 24606-8.txt or 24606-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/0/24606 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/24606-8.zip b/24606-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8eaef15 --- /dev/null +++ b/24606-8.zip diff --git a/24606.txt b/24606.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc9beff --- /dev/null +++ b/24606.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16074 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, History of the Nineteenth Army Corps, by +Richard Biddle Irwin + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: History of the Nineteenth Army Corps + + +Author: Richard Biddle Irwin + + + +Release Date: February 13, 2008 [eBook #24606] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY +CORPS*** + + +E-text prepared by Ed Ferris + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Footnotes in the main text are at the end of each chapter. + + 19th-century spellings, in particular the use of double-l, have + been retained. + + Chapter XI: "flag-ships" plural in original. + Chapter XII _et seq._: "St. Martinsville" corrected to + "St. Martinville" + Chapter XXI: "Brownville", Texas, corrected to "Brownsville". + Chapter XXXIV: the Grant in temporary command of Getty's division + is Brigadier-General Lewis Grant, not U. S. Grant as in the rest + of the book. + + The following changes have been made in the Appendix: + + Military ranks have been abbreviated. + + Footnotes have been re-numbered and headings repeated by section + instead of page. The footnotes were all italics. + + The box rules and period leaders have been removed from the Losses + in Battle tables and the headings "Officers" and "Enlisted men", + set vertically in the original, have been abbreviated "O" and "E". + Text has been extended across columns for legibility. + + + + + +HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS + +by + +RICHARD B. IRWIN + +Formerly Lieutenant-Colonel U. S. Volunteers, +Assistant Adjutant-General of the Corps and of the +Department of the Gulf + + + + + + + +G. P. Putnam's Sons +New York +27 West Twenty-Third Street +London +24 Bedford Street, Strand +The Knickerbocker Press +1892 + +Copyright, 1892 +by +G. P. Putnam's Sons + +Electrotyped, Printed, and Bound by +The Knickerbocker Press, New York +G. P. Putnam's Sons + + + + +IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR LATE COMMANDER +MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HEMSLEY EMORY +AND OF THE MANY COMRADES WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE +OF THEIR COUNTRY THIS HISTORY IS INSCRIBED BY THE SURVIVING MEMBERS +OF THE SOCIETY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS + + +CONTENTS. + +Chapter. +Introductory + I. New Orleans + II. The First Attempt on Vicksburg + III. Baton Rouge + IV. La Fourche + V. Banks in Command + VI. Organizing the Corps + VII. More Ways than One + VIII. Farragut Passes Port Hudson + IX. The Teche + X. Bisland + XI. Irish Bend + XII. Opelousas + XIII. Banks and Grant + XIV. Alexandria + XV. Back to Port Hudson + XVI. The Twenty-Seventh of May + XVII. The Fourteenth of June + XVIII. Unvexed to the Sea + XIX. Harrowing La Fourche + XX. In Summer Quarters + XXI. A Foothold in Texas + XXII. Winter Quarters + XXIII. The Red River + XXIV. Sabine Cross-Roads + XXV. Pleasant Hill + XXVI. Grand Ecore + XXVII. The Crossing of Cane River +XXVIII. The Dam + XXIX. Last Days in Louisiana + XXX. On the Potomac + XXXI. In the Shenandoah + XXXII. The Opequon +XXXIII. Fisher's Hill + XXXIV. Cedar Creek + XXXV. Victory and Home + +Appendix: + Rosters + Losses in Battle + Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded + Port Hudson Forlorn Hope + Articles of Capitulation + Note on Early's Strength + Index + + +MAPS AND PLANS. + +Map of Louisiana. Sheet I. + " " " " II. + " " " " III. +Battle Plan of Bisland, April 12-13, 1863 +Battle Plan of Irish Bend, April 14, 1863 +Battle Plan of Port Hudson +Map of Louisiana. Sheet IV. +Battle Plan of Sabine Cross-Roads, April 8, 1864. From General + Emory's Map +Battle Plan of Pleasant Hill, April 9, 1864. From General Emory's + Map +Battle Plan of Cane River Crossing or Monett's Bluff, April 23, + 1864. From General Emory's Map +The Red River Dam +Map of Shenandoah Valley Campaign. From Major W. F. Tiemann's + "History of the 159th New York" +Battle Plan of Opequon, September 19, 1864. From the Official Map, + 1873 +Battle Plan of Fisher's Hill, September 22, 1864. From the Official + Map +Battle Plan of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. From the Official + Map of 1873 + + +INTRODUCTORY + +The history of the Nineteenth Army Corps, like that of by far the +greater number of the organizations of like character, in which +were arrayed the great armies of volunteers that took up arms to +maintain the Union, is properly the history of all the troops that +at any time belonged to the corps or served within its geographical +limits. + +To be complete, then, the narrative my comrades have asked me to +write must go back to the earliest service of these troops, at a +period before the corps itself was formally established, and must +continue on past the time when the earlier territorial organization +became merged or lost and the main body of the corps was sent into +the Shenandoah, down to the peace, and the final muster of the last +regiment. + +If hitherto less known and thus less considered than the proud +record of those great corps of the Armies of the Potomac, of the +Tennessee, and of the Cumberland, on whom in the fortune of war +fell the heat and burthen of so many pitched battles, whose colors +bear the names of so many decisive victories, yet the story of the +Nineteenth Army Corps is one whose simple facts suffice for all +that need to told or claimed of valor, of achievement, of sacrifice, +or of patient endurance. I shall, therefore, attempt neither eulogy +nor apology, nor shall I feel called upon to undertake to criticise +the actions or the failures of the living or the dead, save where +such criticism may prove to be an essential part of the narrative. +From the brows of other soldiers, no one of us could ever wish to +pluck the wreaths so dearly won, so honorably worn; yet, since the +laurel grows wild on every hill-side in this favored land, we may +without trespass be permitted to gather a single spray or two to +decorate the sacred places where beneath the cypresses and the +magnolias of the lowlands of Louisiana, or under the green turf +among the mountains of Virginia, reposes all that was mortal of so +many thousands of our brave and beloved comrades. + + +THE NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS. + +CHAPTER I. +NEW ORLEANS. + +The opening of the Mississippi and the capture of New Orleans formed +important parts of the first comprehensive plan of campaign, +conceived and proposed by Lieutenant-General Scott soon after the +outbreak of the war. When McClellan was called to Washington to +command the Army of the Potomac, one of his earliest communications +to the President set forth in general terms his plans for the +suppression of the Rebellion. Of these plans, also, the capture +of New Orleans formed an integral and important part. Both Scott +and McClellan contemplated a movement down the river by a strong +column. However nothing had been done by either toward carrying +out this project, when, in September, 1861, the Navy Department +took up the idea of an attack on New Orleans from the sea. + +At the time of the secession of Louisiana, New Orleans was not only +the first city in wealth, population, and importance in the seceded +States, but the sixth in all the Union. With a population of nearly +170,000 souls, she carried on an export trade larger than that of +any other port in the country, and enjoyed a commerce in magnitude +and profit second only to that of New York. The year just ended +had witnessed the production of the largest crop of cotton ever +grown in America, fully two fifths of which passed through the +presses and paid toll to the factors of New Orleans. The receipts +of cotton at this port for the year 1860-1861 were but little less +than 2,000,000 bales, valued at nearly $100,000,000. Of sugar, +mainly the production of the State of Louisiana, the receipts +considerably exceeded 250,000 tons, valued at more than $25,000,000; +the total receipts of products of all kinds amounted to nearly +$200,000,000. The exports were valued at nearly $110,000,000; the +imports at nearly $23,000,000. It is doubtful if any other crop +in any part of the world then paid profits at once so large and so +uniform to all persons interested as the cotton and sugar of +Louisiana. If cotton were not exactly king, as it was in those +days the fashion to assert, there could be no doubt that cotton +was a banker, and a generous banker for New Orleans. The factors +of Carondelet Street grew rich upon the great profits that the +planters of the "coast," as the shores of the river are called, +paid them, almost without feeling it, while the planters came, +nearly every winter, to New Orleans to pass the season and to spend, +in a round of pleasure, at least a portion of the net proceeds of +the account sales. In the transport of these products nearly two +thousand sailing ships and steamers were engaged, and in the town +itself or its suburb of Algiers, on the opposite bank, were to be +found all the appliances and facilities necessary for the conduct +of so extensive a commerce. These, especially the work-shops and +factories, and the innumerable river and bayou steamers that thronged +the levee, were destined to prove of the greatest military value, +at first to the Confederacy, and later to the forces of the Union. +For food and fuel, however, New Orleans was largely dependent upon +the North and West. Finally, beside her importance as the guardian +of the gates of the Mississippi, New Orleans had a direct military +value as the basis of any operations destined for the control or +defence of the Mississippi River. + +About the middle of November the plan took definite shape, and on +the 23d of December Farragut received preparatory orders to take +command of the West Gulf Squadron and the naval portion of the +expedition destined for the reduction of New Orleans. Farragut +received his final orders on the 20th of January, 1862, and +immediately afterward hoisted his flag on the sloop-of-war +_Hartford_. + +The land portion of the expedition was placed under the command of +Major-General Benjamin F. Butler. On the 10th and 12th of September, +1861, Butler had been authorized by the War Department to raise, +organize, arm, uniform, and equip, in the New England States, such +troops as he might judge fit for the purpose, to make an expedition +along the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia to Cape Charles; +but early in November, before Butler's forces were quite ready, +these objects were accomplished by a brigade under Lockwood, sent +from Baltimore by Dix. On the 23d of November the advance of +Butler's expedition sailed from Portland, Maine, for Ship Island, +in the steamer _Constitution_, and on the 2d of December, in +reporting the sailing, Butler submitted to the War Department his +plan for invading the coast of Texas and the ultimate capture of +New Orleans. + +On the 24th of January, 1862, McClellan, then commanding all the +armies of the United States, was called on by the Secretary of War +to report whether the expedition proposed by General Butler should +be prosecuted, abandoned, or modified, and in what manner. McClellan +at once urged that the expedition be suspended. In his opinion, +"not less than 30,000 men, and it is believed 50,000, would be +required to insure success against New Orleans in a blow to be +struck from the Gulf." This suggestion did not meet the approval +of the government, now fully determined on the enterprise. + +Brigadier-General J. G. Barnard, the chief engineer of the Army of +the Potomac, an engineer also of more than common ability, energy, +and experience, was now called into consultation. On the 28th of +January, 1862, he submitted to the Navy Department a memorandum +describing fully the defences of Forts Jackson and St. Philip and +outlining a plan for a combined attempt on these works by the army +and navy. The military force required for the purpose he estimated +at 20,000 men. + +Meanwhile the work of transferring Butler's forces by sea to Ship +Island had been going on with vigor. He had raised thirteen +regiments of infantry, ten batteries of light artillery, and three +troops of cavalry, numbering in all about 13,600 men. To these +were now added from the garrison of Baltimore three regiments, the +21st Indiana, 4th Wisconsin, and 6th Michigan, and the 2d Massachusetts +battery, thus increasing his force to 14,400 infantry, 275 cavalry, +and 580 artillerists; in all, 15,255 officers and men. + +On the 23d of February, 1862, Butler received his final orders: +"The object of your expedition," said McClellan, "is one of vital +importance--the capture of New Orleans. The route selected is up +the Mississippi River, and the first obstacle to be encountered +(perhaps the only one) is in the resistance offered by Forts St. +Philip and Jackson. It is expected that the navy can reduce these +works. Should the navy fail to reduce the works, you will land +your forces and siege-train, and endeavor to breach the works, +silence their guns, and carry them by assault. + +"The next resistance will be near the English bend, where there +are some earthen batteries. Here it may be necessary for you to +land your troops to co-operate with the naval attack, although it +is more than probable that the navy, unassisted, can accomplish +the result. If these works are taken, the city of New Orleans +necessarily falls." + +After obtaining possession of New Orleans, the instructions went +on to say, Butler was to reduce all the works guarding the approaches, +to join with the navy in occupying Baton Rouge, and then to endeavor +to open communication with the northern column by the Mississippi, +always bearing in mind the necessity of occupying Jackson, as soon +as this could safely be done. Mobile was to follow, then Pensacola +and Galveston. By the time New Orleans should have fallen the +government would probably reinforce his army sufficiently to +accomplish all these objects. + +On the same day a new military department was created called the +Department of the Gulf, and Butler was assigned to the command. +Its limits were to comprise all the coast of the Gulf of Mexico +west of Pensacola harbor, and so much of the Gulf States as might +be occupied by Butler's forces. Since the middle of October he +had commanded the expeditionary forces, under the name of the +Department of New England. + +Arriving at Ship Island on the 20th of March, he formally assumed +the command of the Department of the Gulf, announcing Major George +C. Strong as Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff, +Lieutenant Godfrey Weitzel as Chief Engineer, and Surgeon Thomas +Hewson Bache as Medical Director. To these were afterward added +Colonel John Wilson Shaffer as Chief Quartermaster, Colonel John +W. Turner as Chief Commissary, and Captain George A. Kensel as +Acting Assistant Inspector-General and Chief of Artillery. + +By the end of March all the troops destined for the expedition had +landed at Ship Island, with the exception of the 13th Connecticut, +15th Maine, 7th and 8th Vermont regiments, 1st Vermont and 2d +Massachusetts batteries. Within the next fortnight all these troops +joined the force except the 2d Massachusetts battery, which being +detained more than seven weeks at Fortress Monroe, and being nearly +five weeks at sea, did not reach New Orleans until the 21st of May. +Meanwhile, of the six Maine batteries, all except the 1st had been +diverted to other fields of service. + +While awaiting at Ship Island the completion of the preparations +of the navy for the final attempt on the river forts, Butler +proceeded to organize his command and to discipline and drill the +troops composing it. Many of these were entirely without instruction +in any of the details of service. On the 22d of March, he divided +his forces into three brigades of five or six regiments each, attaching +to each brigade one or more batteries of artillery and a troop of +cavalry. These brigades were commanded by Brigadier-Generals John W. +Phelps and Thomas Williams, and Colonel George F. Shepley of the 12th +Maine. When finally assembled the whole force reported about 13,500 +officers and men for duty, and from that moment its strength was +destined to undergo a steady diminution by the natural attrition of +service, augmented, in this case, by climatic influences. + +The fleet under Farragut consisted of seventeen vessels, mounting +154 guns. Four were screw-sloops, one a side-wheel steamer, three +screw corvettes, and nine screw gunboats. Each of the gunboats +carried one 11-inch smooth-bore gun, and one 30-pounder rifle; but +neither of these could be used to fire at an enemy directly ahead, +and, in the operations awaiting the fleet, it is within bounds to +say that not more than one gun in four could be brought to bear at +any given moment. With this fleet were twenty mortar-boats, under +Porter, each carrying one 13-inch mortar, and six gunboats, assigned +for the service of the mortar-boats and armed like the gunboats of +the river fleet. Farragut, with the _Hartford_, had reached Ship +Island on the 20th of February; the rest of the vessels assigned +to his fleet soon followed. Then entering the delta, from that +time he conducted the blockade of the river from the head of the +passes. + +The Confederacy was now being so closely pressed in every quarter +as to make it impossible, with the forces at its command, to defend +effectively and at the same moment every point menaced by the troops +and fleets of the Union. Thus the force that might otherwise have +been employed in defending New Orleans was, under the pressure of +the emergency, so heavily drawn from to strengthen the army at +Corinth, then engaged in resisting the southward advance of the +combined armies of the Union under Halleck, as to leave New Orleans, +and indeed all Louisiana, at the mercy of any enemy that should +succeed in passing the river forts. At this time the entire +land-force, under Major-General Mansfield Lovell, hardly exceeded +5,000 men. Of these, 1,100 occupied Forts Jackson and St. Philip, +under the command of General Duncan; 1,200 held the Chalmette line, +under General Martin L. Smith, and about 3,000, chiefly new levies, +badly armed, were in New Orleans. Besides this small land-force, +the floating defences consisted of four improvised vessels of the +Confederate navy, two belonging to the State of Louisiana, and six +others of what was called the Montgomery fleet. These were boats +specially constructed for the defence of the river, but most of +them had been sent up the river to Memphis to hold off Foote and +Davis. The twelve vessels carried in all thirty-eight guns. Each +of the boats of the river-fleet defence had its bows shod with iron +and its engines protected with cotton. This was also the case with +the two sea-going steamers belonging to the State. Of this flotilla +the most powerful was the iron-clad _Louisiana_, whose armor was +found strong enough to turn an 11-inch shell at short range, and, +as her armament consisted of two 7-inch rifles, three 9-inch shell +guns, four 18-inch shell guns, and seven 6-inch rifles, she might +have proved a formidable foe had her engines been equal to their +work. + +At the Plaquemine Bend, twenty miles above the head of the passes +and ninety below New Orleans, the engineers of the United States +had constructed two permanent fortifications, designed to defend +the entrance of the river against the foreign enemies of the Union. +These formidable works had now to be passed or taken before New +Orleans could be occupied. Fort St. Philip, on the left or north +bank, was a work of brick and earth, flanked on either hand by a +water battery. In the main work were mounted, in barbette, four +8-inch columbiads and one 24-pounder gun; the upper water battery +carried sixteen 24-pounders, the lower one one 8-inch columbiad, +one 7-inch rifle, six 42-pounders, nine 32-pounders, and four +24-pounders. Besides these, there were seven mortars, one of 13-inch +calibre, five of 10-inch, and one of 8-inch. Forty-two of the guns +could be brought to bear upon the fleet ascending the river. + +Fort Jackson, on the south or left bank of the river, was a casemated +pentagon of brick, mounting in the casemates fourteen 24-pounder +guns, and ten 24-pounder howitzers, and in barbette in the upper +tier two 10-inch columbiads, three 8-inch columbiads, one 7-inch +rifle, six 42-pounders, fifteen 32-pounders, and eleven 24-pounders, +in all sixty-two guns. The water battery below the main work was +armed with one 10-inch columbiad, two 8-inch columbiads, and two +rifled 32-pounders. Fifty of these pieces were available against +the fleet, but of the whole armament of one hundred and nine guns, +fifty-six were old 24-pounder smooth-bores. + +The passage of the forts had been obstructed by a raft or chain +anchored between them. The forts once overcome, no other defence +remained to be encountered until English Turn was reached, where +earthworks had been thrown up on both banks. Here at Chalmette, +on the left bank, it was that, in 1815, Jackson, with his handful +of raw levies, so signally defeated Wellington's veterans of the +Peninsula, under the leadership of the fearless Pakenham. + +Fort St. Philip stands about 700 yards higher up the river than +Fort Jackson; the river at this point is about 800 yards wide, and +the distance between the nearest salients of the main works is +about 1,000 yards. A vessel attempting to run the gauntlet of the +batteries would be under fire while passing over a distance of +three and a half miles. The river was now high, and the banks, +everywhere below the river level, and only protected from inundation +by the levees, were overflowed. There was no standing room for an +investing army; the lower guns were under water, and in the very +forts the platforms were awash. + +When the fleet was ready, Butler embarked eight regiments and three +batteries under Phelps and Williams on transports, and, going to +the head of the passes, held his troops in readiness to co-operate +with the navy. On the 16th of April the fleet took up its position. +The mortar-boats, or "bombers," as they began to be called, were +anchored between 3,000 and 4,000 yards below Fort Jackson, upon +which the attack was mainly to be directed. From the view of those +in the fort, the boats that lay under the right bank were covered +by trees. Those on the opposite side of the river were screened, +after a fashion, by covering their hulls with reeds and willows, +cut for the purpose. + +On the 18th of April the bombardment began. It soon became evident +that success was not to be attained in this way, and Farragut +determined upon passing the forts with his fleet. Should he fail +in reducing them by this movement, Butler was to land in the rear +of Fort St. Philip, near Quarantine, and carry the works by storm. +Accordingly, he remained with his transports below the forts, and +waited for the hour. Shepley occupied Ship Island with the rest +of the force. + +Early in March the raft, formed of great cypress trees, forty feet +long and fifty inches through, laid lengthwise in the river about +three feet apart, anchored by heavy chains and strengthened by +massive cross-timbers, had been partly carried away by the flood. +To make good the damage, a number of large schooners had then been +anchored in the gap. On the morning of the 21st of April this +formidable obstruction was cleverly and in a most gallant manner +broken through by the fleet. + +On the night of the 23d of April, Farragut moved to the attack. +His fleet, organized in three divisions of eight, three, and six +vessels respectively, was formed in line ahead. The first division +was led by Captain Bailey, in the _Cayuga_, followed by the +_Pensacola, Mississippi, Oneida, Varuna, Katahdin, Kineo_, and +_Wissahickon;_ the second division followed, composed of Farragut's +flag-ship, the _Hartford_, Commander Richard Wainwright, the +_Brooklyn_, and the _Richmond;_ while the third division, forming +the rear of the column, was led by Captain Bell, in the _Sciota_, +followed by the _Iroquois, Kennebec, Pinola, Itasca,_ and _Winona_. + +At half-past two o'clock on the morning of the 24th of April the +whole fleet was under way; a quarter of an hour later the batteries +of Forts Jackson and St. Philip opened simultaneously upon the +_Cayuga_. It was some time before the navy could reply, but soon +every gun was in action. Beset by perils on every hand, the fleet +pressed steadily up the river. The Confederate boats were destroyed, +the fire-rafts were overcome, the gunners of the forts were driven +from their guns, and when the sun rose Farragut was above the forts +with the whole of his fleet, except the _Itasca, Winona_, and +_Kennebec_, which put back disabled, and the _Varuna_, sunk by the +Confederate gunboats. The next afternoon, having made short work +of Chalmette, Farragut anchored off New Orleans, and held the town +at his mercy. + +The casualties were 37 killed and 147 wounded, in all 184. The +Confederate loss was 50, 11 killed and 39 wounded. The _Louisiana, +McCrea_, and _Defiance_, sole survivors of the Confederate fleet, +escaping comparatively unhurt, took refuge under the walls of Fort +St. Philip. + +Leaving Phelps, with the 30th Massachusetts and 12th Connecticut +and Manning's 4th Massachusetts battery, at the head of the passes, +in order to be prepared to occupy the works immediately on their +surrender, Butler hastened with the rest of his force to Sable +Island in the rear of Fort St. Philip. When the transports came +to anchor on the morning of the 26th, the Confederate flags on +Forts St. Philip and Jackson were plainly visible to the men on +board, while these, in their turn, were seen from the forts. Here +the troops received the news of Farragut's arrival at New Orleans. +On the morning of the 28th they saw the Confederate ram _Louisiana_ +blown up while floating past the forts, and on the same day Jones +landed with the 26th Massachusetts and Paine with two companies of +the 4th Wisconsin and a detachment of the 21st Indiana, to work +their way through a small canal to Quarantine, six miles above Fort +St. Philip, for the purpose of seizing the narrow strip by which +the garrison must escape, if at all. This was only accomplished +by a long and tiresome transport in boats, and finally by wading. +However, at half-past two on the afternoon of the 28th April, the +Confederate flags over Forts Jackson and St. Philip were observed +to disappear; the national ensign floated in their stead; and soon +it became known that Duncan had surrendered to Porter. + +Porter immediately took possession and held it until Phelps came +up the river to relieve him. Then Major Whittemore, of the 30th +Massachusetts, with about two hundred men of his regiment, landed +and took command at Fort St. Philip, while Manning occupied Fort +Jackson. Almost simultaneously the frigate _Mississippi_ came down +the river, bringing Jones with the news that his regiment was at +Quarantine, holding both banks of the river, and thus effectually +sealing the last avenue of escape; for at this time the levee formed +the only pathway. On the 29th Phelps put Deming in command of Fort +Jackson, intending to leave his regiment, the 12th Connecticut, in +garrison there, and to place Dudley, with the 30th Massachusetts, +at Fort St. Philip; but before this arrangement could be carried +out, orders came from Butler, designating the 26th Massachusetts +as the garrison of the two forts, with Jones in command. Phelps, +with his force, was directed to New Orleans. + +On the 1st of May Butler landed at New Orleans and took military +possession of the city. Simultaneously, at five o'clock in the +afternoon, the 31st Massachusetts with a section of Everett's 6th +Massachusetts battery, and six companies of the 4th Wisconsin, +under Paine, disembarked and marched up the broad levee to the +familiar airs that announced the joint coming of "Yankee Doodle" +and of "Picayune Butler." + +The outlying defences on both banks of the river and on the lakes +were abandoned by the Confederates without a struggle. Forts Pike +and Wood, on Lake Pontchartrain, were garrisoned by detachments +from the 7th Vermont and 8th New Hampshire regiments. The 21st +Indiana landed at Algiers, and marching to Brashear, eighty miles +distant on Berwick Bay, took possession of the New Orleans and +Opelousas railway. New Orleans itself was occupied by the 30th +and 31st Massachusetts, the 4th Wisconsin and 6th Michigan, 9th +and 12th Connecticut, 4th and 6th Massachusetts batteries, 2d +Vermont battery, and Troops A and B of the Massachusetts cavalry. +At Farragut's approach Lovell, seeing that further resistance was +useless, abandoned New Orleans to its fate and withdrew to Camp +Moore, distant seventy-eight miles, on the line of the Jackson +railway. + + +CHAPTER II. +THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON VICKSBURG. + +With the capture of New Orleans the first and vital object of the +expedition had been accomplished. The occupation of Baton Rouge +by a combined land and naval force was the next point indicated in +McClellan's orders to Butler. Then he was to endeavor to open +communication with the northern column coming down the Mississippi. +McClellan was no longer General-in-chief; but this part of his plan +represented the settled views of the government. + +On the 2d of May, therefore, Farragut sent Craven with the _Brooklyn_ +and six other vessels of the fleet up the river. On the 8th, as +early as the river transports could be secured, Butler sent Williams +with the 4th Wisconsin and the 6th Michigan regiments, and two +sections of Everett's 6th Massachusetts battery, to follow and +accompany the fleet. The next day Williams landed his force at +Bonnet Carre, on the east bank of the river, about thirty-five +miles above the town. After wading about five miles through a +swamp, where the water and mud were about three feet deep, the +troops halted at night at Frenier, a station of the Jackson railway, +situated on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about ten miles above +Kenner. A detachment of the 4th Wisconsin, under Major Boardman, +was sent to Pass Manchac. The Confederates made a slight but +ineffective resistance with artillery, resulting in trivial losses +on either side. The bridges at Pass Manchac and Frenier being then +destroyed, on the following morning, the 10th, the troops marched +back the weary ten miles along the uneven trestle-work of the +railway from Frenier to Kenner and there took transport. After +their long confinement on shipboard, with scant rations, without +exercise or even freedom of movement, the excessive heat of the +day caused the troops to suffer severely. The embarkation completed, +the transports, under convoy of the navy, set out for Baton Rouge. +There on the morning of the 12th of May the troops landed, the +capitol was occupied by the 4th Wisconsin, and the national colors +were hoisted over the building. The troops then re-embarked for +Vicksburg. + +Natchez surrendered on the 12th of May to Commander S. Phillips +Lee, of the _Oneida_, the advance of Farragut's fleet. On the 18th +of May the _Oneida_ and her consorts arrived off Vicksburg, and +the same day Williams and Lee summoned "the authorities" to surrender +the town and "its defences to the lawful authority of the United +States." To this Brigadier-General Martin L. Smith, commander of +the defences, promptly replied: "Having been ordered here to hold +these defences, my intention is to do so as long as it is in my +power." + +On the 19th the transports stopped for wood at Warrenton, about +ten miles below Vicksburg, and here a detachment of the 4th Wisconsin, +sent to guard the working party, became involved in a skirmish with +the Confederates, in which Sergeant-Major N. H. Chittenden and +Private C. E. Perry, of A Company, suffered the first wounds received +in battle by the troops of the United States in the Department of +the Gulf. The Confederates were easily repulsed, with small loss. + +Almost at the instant when Farragut was decided to run the gauntlet +of the forts, Beauregard had begun to fortify Vicksburg. Up to +this time he had trusted the defence of the river above New Orleans +to Fort Pillow, Helena, and Memphis. + +When Smith took command at Vicksburg on the 12th of May, in accordance +with the orders of Lovell, the department commander, three of the +ten batteries laid out for the defence of the position had been +nearly completed and a fourth had been begun. These batteries were +intended for forty-eight guns from field rifles to 10-inch columbiads. +The garrison was to be 3,000 strong, but at this time the only +troops present were parts of two Louisiana regiments. When the +fleet arrived, on the 18th, six of the ten batteries had been +completed, and two days later twenty-three heavy guns were in place +and the defenders numbered more than 2,600. + +The guns of the navy could not be elevated sufficiently for their +projectiles to reach the Confederate batteries on the bluff, and +the entire land-force, under Williams, was less than 1,100 effectives. +Even had it been possible by a sudden attack to surprise and overcome +the garrison and seize the bluffs, the whole available force of +the Department of the Gulf would have been insufficient to hold +the position for a week, as things then stood. + +The truth is that the northern column with which, following their +orders, Butler and Farragut were now trying to co-operate had +ceased to exist; Jackson meant Beauregard's rear; and, as for any +co-operation between Halleck and Williams, Beauregard stood solidly +between them. On the 17th of April, the day before Porter's mortars +first opened upon Forts Jackson and St. Philip, the whole land +force of this northern column, under Pope, at that moment preparing +for the attack on Fort Pillow, had been withdrawn by imperative +orders from Halleck, and, on the very evening before the attack on +Fort Pillow was to have been made, had gone to swell the great army +assembled under Halleck at Corinth; but as yet neither Butler nor +Farragut knew anything of all this. Save by the tedious roundabout +of Washington, New York, the Atlantic, and the Gulf, there was at +this time no regular or trustworthy means of communication between +the forces descending the Mississippi and those that had just +achieved the conquest of New Orleans and were now ascending the +river to co-operate with the northern column. Thus it was that +a single word, daubed in a rude scrawl upon the walls of the +custom-house, meeting the eyes of Paine's men after they had made +a way into the building with their axes, gave to Butler the first +intelligence of the desperate battle of the 6th and 7th of April, +on which the fate of the whole Union campaign in the West had been +staked, if not imperilled, and which in its result was destined to +change materially the whole course of operations in the Gulf +Department. That word was Shiloh. + +By the 26th of May the _Oneida_ had been joined by the rest of the +fleet, under the personal command of the restless and energetic +flag-officer. On the afternoon of this day the fleet opened fire. +The Confederates replied sparingly, as much to economize their +ammunition and to keep the men fresh, as to avoid giving the Union +commanders information regarding the range and effect of their fire. + +The river was now falling. The _Hartford_ in coming up had already +grounded hard, and so remained helpless for fifty hours, and had +only been got off by incredible exertions. Provisions of all kinds +were running very low. On the 25th of May, after a thorough +reconnoissance, Farragut and Williams decided to give up the attempt +on Vicksburg as evidently impracticable. Farragut left Palmer with +the _Iroquois_ and six gunboats to blockade the river and to amuse +the garrison at Vicksburg by an occasional bombardment in order to +prevent Smith from sending reinforcements to Corinth. + +While Williams was descending the river on the 26th, the transports +were fired into by the Confederate battery on the bluff at Grand +Gulf, sixty miles below Vicksburg. About sixty rounds were fired +in all, many of which passed completely through the transport +_Laurel Hill_, bearing the 4th Wisconsin, part of the 6th Michigan, +and the 6th Massachusetts battery. One private of the 6th Michigan +was killed and Captain Chauncey J. Bassett, of the same regiment, +wounded. The _Ceres_, bearing the remainder of the 6th Michigan +and the 6th Massachusetts battery, was following the _Laurel Hill_ +and was similarly treated. After a stern chase of about twenty +miles, the convoy was overhauled, and the gunboat _Kineo_, returning, +shelled the town and caused the withdrawal of the battery. During +the evening Williams sent four companies of the 4th Wisconsin, +under Major Boardman, to overtake the enemy's battery and break up +the camp, about one mile and a half in the rear of the town. +Boardman came upon the Confederates as they were retiring, and +shots were exchanged. The casualties were few, but Lieutenant +George DeKay, a gallant and attractive young officer, serving as +aide-de-camp to General Williams, received a mortal wound. + +On the 29th the troops under Williams once more landed and took +post at Baton Rouge. During their absence of seventeen days, the +Confederates had improved the opportunity to remove much valuable +property that had been found stored in the arsenal on the occasion +of the first landing of the Union forces. + +On his return to New Orleans Farragut received pressing orders from +the Navy Department to take Vicksburg. He therefore returned with +his fleet, reinforced by a detachment of the mortar flotilla, and +Butler once more despatched Williams, this time with an increased +force, to co-operate. Williams left Baton Rouge on the morning of +the 20th of June with a force composed of the 30th Massachusetts, +9th Connecticut, 7th Vermont, and 4th Wisconsin regiments, Nims's +2d Massachusetts battery and two sections of Everett's 6th +Massachusetts battery. This time a garrison was left to hold Baton +Rouge, consisting of the 21st Indiana and 6th Michigan regiments, +the remaining section of Everett's battery and Magee's Troop C of +the Massachusetts cavalry battalion. On the 22d of June the +transports arrived off Ellis's Cliffs, twelve miles below Natchez, +where Williams found three gunboats waiting to convoy him past the +high ground. Here he landed a detachment consisting of the 30th +Massachusetts regiment and two guns of Nims's battery to turn the +supposed position of two field-pieces said to have been planted by +the Confederates on the bluffs, while a second force, composed of +the 4th Wisconsin, 9th Connecticut, the other two sections of Nims's +battery, and the four guns of Everett's, marched directly forward +up the cliff road. An abandoned caisson or limber was all that +the troops found. + +On the 24th, anticipating more serious resistance from the guns +said to be in position on the bluffs at Grand Gulf, Williams entered +Bayou Pierre with his whole force in the early morning, intending +to strike the crossing, about seventeen miles up the stream, of +the railway from Port Gibson to Grand Gulf, and thence to move +directly on the rear of the town. Half-way up the bayou the boats +were stopped by obstructions and had to back down again. Toward +noon the troops landed and marched on Grand Gulf in two detachments, +one under Paine, consisting of the 4th Wisconsin and 9th Connecticut +regiments and a section of Nims's battery; the other, under Dudley, +embracing the remainder of the force. Paine had a short skirmish +with the enemy near Grand Gulf, and captured eight prisoners, but +their camp, a small one, was found abandoned. The same evening +the troops re-embarked, and on the 25th arrived before Vicksburg. + +The orders from Butler, under which Williams was now acting, required +him to take or burn Vicksburg at all hazards. Here, too, we catch +the first glimpse of the famous canal upon which so much labor was +to be expended during the next year with so little result. "You +will send up a regiment or two at once," Butler said, "and cut off +the neck of land beyond Vicksburg by means of a trench, making a +gap about four feet deep and five feet wide." + +To accomplish this purpose Williams had with him four regiments +and ten guns, making an effective force in all less than three +thousand, rapidly diminished by hard work, close quarters, meagre +rations, and a bad climate nearly at its worst. + +On the 24th of June the _Monarch_, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel +Alfred W. Ellet, arrived in the reach above Vicksburg. This was +one of the nondescript fleet of rams, planned, built, equipped, +and manned, under the orders of the War Department, by Ellet's +elder brother, Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr., but now acting under +the orders of the Commander of the Mississippi fleet. Ellet promptly +sent a party of four volunteers, led by his young nephew, Medical +Cadet Charles R. Ellet, to communicate with Farragut across the +narrow neck of land opposite Vicksburg. This was the first direct +communication between the northern and southern columns. By it +Farragut learned of the abandonment of Fort Pillow by the Confederates +on the 4th of June, and the capture of Memphis on the 6th, after +a hard naval fight, in which nearly the whole Confederate fleet +was taken or destroyed. There Charles Ellet was mortally wounded. +When the _Monarch_ party went back to their vessel, they bore with +them a letter from Farragut, the contents of which being promptly +made known by Ellet to Davis, brought that officer, with his fleet, +at once to Vicksburg. On the following day, June 25th, a detachment +of the 4th Wisconsin, sent up the river overland by Colonel Paine, +succeeded in establishing a second communication with the _Monarch_, +believing it to be the first. + +Farragut's fleet, now anchored below Vicksburg, comprised the +flagship _Hartford_, the sloops-of-war _Brooklyn_ and _Richmond_, +the corvettes _Iroquois_ and _Oneida_, and six gunboats. Porter +had joined with the _Octorara, Miami_, six other steamers, and +seventeen of the mortar schooners. The orders of the government +were peremptory that the Mississippi should be cleared. The +Confederates held the river by a single thread. The fall of Memphis +and the ruin of the famous river-defence fleet left between St. +Louis and the Gulf but a solitary obstruction. This was Vicksburg. + +Vicksburg stand at an abrupt turn, where within ten miles the +winding river doubles upon itself, forming on the low ground opposite +a long finger of land, barely three quarters of a mile wide. +Opposite the extreme end of this peninsula, known as De Soto, the +bluff reaches the highest point attained along the whole course of +the river, the crest standing about 250 feet above the mean stage +of water. Sloping slowly toward the river, the bluff follows it +with a diminished altitude for two miles. Here stands the town of +Vicksburg, then a place of about ten thousand inhabitants. Below +the town the bluffs draw away from the river until, about four +miles beyond the bend, their height diminishes to about 150 feet. +For the defence of this line, as has been already seen, a formidable +series of batteries had been constructed, extending from the bluff +at the mouth of Chickasaw Bayou on the north to Warrenton on the +south. These batteries now mounted twenty-six heavy guns, served +by gunners comparatively well trained and instructed, and supported +against an attack by land by about 6,000 infantry under Lovell. +Almost simultaneously with the arrival of Farragut and Williams, +came Breckinridge with his division, augmenting the effective force +of the defenders to not less than 10,000. On the 30th of May +Beauregard evacuated Corinth and drew back to Tupelo; Halleck did +not follow; and so 35,000 Confederates were now set free to strengthen +Vicksburg. Thus defended and supported Vicksburg was obviously +impregnable to any attack by the combined forces of Farragut and +Williams. On the 28th of June, Van Dorn arrived and took command +of the Confederate forces. + +After some preliminary bombarding and reconnoitring Farragut, who +was well informed as to the condition of the defences, determined +upon repeating before Vicksburg his exploit below New Orleans. +Accordingly, on the 28th of July, in the darkness of the early +morning, under cover of the fire of Porter's mortar flotilla, +Farragut got under way with his fleet to pass the batteries of +Vicksburg. The fleet was formed in two columns, with wide intervals, +the starboard column led by the _Hartford_, the port column by the +_Iroquois_. The battle was opened by the mortars at four o'clock, +the enemy replying instantly. By six o'clock the _Hartford_ and +six of her consorts had successfully run the gauntlet, and lay safely +anchored above the bend, while the rest of the fleet, through some +confusion of events or misapprehension of orders, had resumed its +former position below the bend. The losses of the navy in this +engagement were fifteen killed and thirty wounded, including many +scalded by the effect of a single shot that pierced the boiler of +the _Clifton_. The eight rifled guns of Nims's and Everett's +batteries having been landed, were placed in position behind the +levee at Barney's Point, and replied effectively to the fire of +the heavy guns on the high bluff, at a range of about fourteen +hundred yards. This slight service was the only form of active +co-operation by the army that the circumstances admitted; yet all the +troops stood to arms, ready to do any thing that might be required. + +On the 1st of July Davis joined Farragut with four gunboats and +six mortar-boats of the Mississippi fleet. On the 9th Farragut +received orders from the Navy Department, dated on the 5th, and +forwarded by way of Cairo, to send Porter with the _Octorara_ and +twelve mortar-boats at once to Hampton Roads. Porter steamed down +the river on the 10th. This was obviously one of the first-fruits +of the campaign of the Peninsula just ended by the withdrawal of +the Army of the Potomac to the James. Indeed, at this crisis, all +occasions seemed to be informing against the Union plan of campaign, +and the same events that drew the Confederate armies together served +to draw the Union armies apart. Just as we have seen Pope called +away from Fort Pillow on the eve of an attack that must have resulted +in its capture, and taken in haste to swell the slow march of +Halleck's army before Corinth, so now, when for a full month Corinth +had been abandoned by the Confederates, Halleck's forces were being +broken up and dispersed to all four of the winds, save that which +might have blown them to the south. Halleck declared himself unable +to respond to Farragut's urgent appeal for help. "I cannot," he +said, when urged by Stanton; "I am sending reinforcements to General +Curtis, in Arkansas, and to General Buell, in Tennessee and Kentucky." +Not only this, but he was being called upon by Lincoln himself for +25,000 troops to reinforce the Army of the Potomac before Richmond. +"Probably I shall be able to do so," Halleck told Farragut, "as +soon as I can get my troops more concentrated. This may delay the +clearing of the river, but its accomplishment will be certain in +a few weeks." + +Meanwhile Williams was hard at work on the canal. In addition to +such details as could be furnished by the troops without wholly +neglecting the absolutely necessary portions of their military +duties, Williams had employed a force of about 1,200 negroes, rather +poorly provided with tools. The work was not confined to excavation, +but involved the cutting down of the large cottonwoods and the +clearing away of the dense masses of willows that covered the low +ground and matted the heavy soil with their tangled roots. By the +4th of July the excavation had reached a depth in the hard clay of +nearly seven feet. The length of the canal was about one and a +half miles. By the 11th of July the cut, originally intended to +be four feet deep and five feet wide, with a profile of twenty +square feet, had been excavated through this stiff clay to a depth +of thirteen feet and a width of eighteen feet, presenting a profile +of 234 feet. The river, which, up to this time, had been falling +more rapidly than the utmost exertions had been able to sink the +bottom of the canal, had now begun to fall more slowly, so that at +last the grade was about eighteen inches below the river level. +In a few hours the water was to have been let in. Suddenly the +banks began to cave, and before any thing could be done to remedy +this, the river, still falling, was once more below the bottom of +the cut. Although with this scanty and overworked force he had +already performed nearly twelve times the amount of labor originally +contemplated, Williams does not seem to have been discouraged at +this; his orders were to make the cut, and his purpose clearly was +to make it, even if it should take, as he thought it would, the +whole of the next three months. He set to work with vigor to +collect laborers, wheelbarrows, shovels, axes, carts, and scrapers, +and "to make a real canal," to use his own words, "to the depth of +the greatest fall of the river at this point, say some thirty-five +to forty feet." But this was not to be. + +Until toward the end of June, the _Polk_ and _Livingston_, the last +vestiges of the Confederate navy on the Mississippi spared from +the general wreck at Memphis, lay far up the Yazoo River, with a +barrier above them, designed to cover the building of the ram +_Arkansas_. This formidable craft was approaching completion at +Yazoo City. The Ellets, uncle and nephew, with the _Monarch_ and +_Lancaster_, steamed up the Yazoo River to reconnoitre. The rams +carried no armament whatever, but this the Confederate naval +commander in the Yazoo did not know; so, unable to pass the barrier, +he set fire to his three gunboats immediately on perceiving Ellet's +approach. On the 14th of July, Flag-Officers Farragut and Davis +sent the gunboats _Carondelet_ and _Tyler_, and the ram _Queen of +the West_, on a second expedition up the Yazoo to gain information +of the _Arkansas_. This object was greatly facilitated by the fact +that the _Arkansas_ had at this very moment just got under way for +the first time, and was coming down the Yazoo to gather information +of the Federal fleet. The _Arkansas_, which had been constructed +and was now commanded by Captain Isaac N. Brown, formerly of the +United States Navy, was, for defensive purposes, probably the most +effective of all the gunboats ever set afloat by the Confederacy +upon the western waters. Her deck was covered by a single casemate +protected by three inches of railroad iron, set aslant like a gable +roof, and heavily backed up with timber and cotton bales. Her +whole bow formed a powerful ram; the shield, flat on the top, was +pierced for ten guns of heavy calibre, three in each broadside, +two forward, and two aft. Had her means of propulsion proved equal +to her power of attack and defence, it is doubtful if the whole +Union navy on the Mississippi could have stood against her +single-handed. The situation thus strangely recalls that presented by +the _Merrimac_, or _Virginia_, in Hampton Roads before the opportune +arrival of the _Monitor_. On board the _Tyler_ was a detachment +of twenty sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin regiment, under Captain +J. W. Lynn, and on the _Carondelet_ were twenty men of the 30th +Massachusetts regiment, under Lieutenant E. A. Fiske. About six +miles above the Yazoo the Union gunboats encountered the _Arkansas_. +The unarmed ram _Queen of the West_ promptly fled. After a hard +fight the _Carondelet_ was disabled and run ashore, and the _Tyler_ +was forced to retire, with the _Arkansas_ in pursuit. The +sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin suffered more severely than if +they had been engaged in an ordinary pitched battle, Captain Lynn +and six of his men being killed and six others wounded. + +The _Queen of the West_, flying out of the mouth of the Yazoo under +a full head of steam, gave to the fleet at anchor the first +intimation, though perhaps a feeble one, of what was to follow. +Not one vessel of either squadron had steam. The ram _Bragg_, +which might have been expected to do something, did nothing. The +_Arkansas_, so seriously injured by the guns of the _Carondelet_ +and _Tyler_ that the steam pressure had gone from 120 pounds to +the square inch down to 20 pounds, kept on her course, and proceeded +to run the gauntlet of the Union fleet, giving and taking blows as +she went. Battered, but safe, she soon lay under the guns of +Vicksburg. + +This decided the fate of the campaign, and extinguished in the +breast of Farragut the last vestige of the ardent hope he had +expressed to the government a few days earlier that he might soon +have the pleasure of recording the combined attack of the army and +navy, for which all so ardently longed. The river was falling; +the canal was a failure. Of the officers and men of the army, two +fifths, and of the effective force of the army nearly three fourths, +were on the sick-list. There was no longer any thing to hope for +or to wait on. The night that followed the exploit of the _Arkansas_ +saw Farragut's fleet descending the river and once more running +the gauntlet of the batteries of Vicksburg. A flying attempt was +made by each vessel in succession, but by all unsuccessfully, to +destroy the offending _Arkansas_. + +On the 24th of July, Williams, with his small force, under convoy +of Farragut's fleet, sailed down the river. So ended the second +attempt on Vicksburg, usually called the first, when remembered. +Its sudden collapse gave the Confederates the river for another +year. + + +CHAPTER III. +BATON ROUGE. + +On the 26th of July, the troops landed at Baton Rouge. In the five +weeks that had elapsed since their departure their effective strength +had been diminished, by privations, by severe labor, and by the +effects of a deadly climate, from 3,200 to about 800. For more +than three months, ever since their re-embarkation at Ship Island +on the 10th of April, they had undergone hardships such as have +seldom fallen to the lot of soldiers, in a campaign whose existence +is scarcely known and whose name has been wellnigh forgotten; but +their time for rest and recreation had not yet come. + +No sooner did Van Dorn see the allied fleets of Davis and Farragut +turning their backs on one another and steaming one to the north +and the other to the south, than he determined to take the initiative. +His preparations had been already made in anticipation of this +event. He now ordered Breckinridge to hasten with his division to +the attack of Baton Rouge, and even as the fleet got under way, +the train bearing Breckinridge's troops was also in motion. + +Breckinridge received his orders on the 26th, and arrived at Camp +Moore by the railway on the 28th. At Jackson he had been told that +he would receive rations sufficient for ten days, but he could get +no more than half the quantity. Van Dorn had estimated the Union +force to be met at Baton Rouge as about 5,000, and had calculated +that Breckinridge would find himself strong enough to dislodge the +Union army and drive it away. In fact, Van Dorn estimated +Breckinridge's division, including 1,000 men under Brigadier-General +Ruggles that were to meet him at Camp Moore, at 6,000 men. The +_Arkansas_ was to join in the attack, and she was justly considered +a full offset to any naval force the Union commander would be likely +to have stationed at Baton Rouge. Breckinridge left Vicksburg with +less than 4,000. On the 30th of July he reports his total effective +force, including Ruggles, at 3,600. The same day he marched on +Baton Rouge, and on the 4th of August encamped at the crossing of +the Comite, distant about ten miles from his objective. His morning +report of that day shows but 3,000 effectives, according to the +methods by which effective strength was commonly counted by the +Confederates. + +The distance from Camp Moore to Baton Rouge is about sixty miles, +and the march had been thus retarded to await the co-operation of +the _Arkansas_. This Breckinridge was finally assured he might +expect at daylight on the morning of the 5th of August. The +_Arkansas_ had in fact left Vicksburg on the 3d. + +Van Dorn's object obviously was by crushing Williams to regain +control of the Mississippi from Vicksburg to Baton Rouge, to break +the blockade of Red River and to open the way for the recapture of +New Orleans. Williams was expecting the attack and awaited the +result with calmness. + +At Baton Rouge the Mississippi washes for the last time the base +of the high and steep bluffs that for so many hundreds of miles +have followed the coasts of the great river and formed the contour +of its left bank, overlooking its swift yellow waters and the vast +lowlands of the western shore. The bluff is lower at Baton Rouge +than it is above and slopes more gently to the water's edge; and +here the highland draws back from the river and gradually fades +away in a southeasterly direction toward the Gulf, while the surface +of the country becomes more open and less broken. The stiff +post-tertiary clays that compose the soil of these bluffs were in +many places covered with a rich growth of timber, great magnolias +and beautiful live oaks replacing the rank cottonwood and tangled +willows of the lowlands, as well as the giant cypresses of the +impenetrable swamps, with their mournful hangings of Spanish moss, +and the wild grape binding them fast in a deadly embrace. + +Six roads led out of the town in various directions. Of these the +most northerly was the road from Bayou Sara. Passing behind the +town its course continued toward the south along the river. Between +these outstretched arms ran the road to Clinton, the Greenwell +Springs road, by which the Confederates had come, the Perkins road, +and the Clay Cut road. + +In numbers the opposing forces were nearly equal. The Confederates +went into action with about 2,600, without counting the partisan +rangers and militia, numbering 400 or 500 more. Williams had about +2,500 fighting men. He had eighteen guns, the Confederates eleven. +On both sides the men were enfeebled by malaria and exposure; yet +the Confederates had left their sick behind, while the Union force +included convalescents that came out of the hospital to take part +in the battle. "There were not 1,200," said Weitzel after the +battle, "who could have marched five miles. None of our men had +been in battle; very few had been under fire." Among the Confederates +were many of the veterans of Shiloh and more of the triumphant +defenders of Vicksburg. The advantages of position was slight on +either side. On the one hand Williams was forced to post his left +with regard to the expected attack of the _Arkansas_, so that in +the centre his line fell behind the camps. To offset this his +right rested securely on the gunboats. As it turned out the +_Arkansas_ was not encountered, and the gunboats told off to meet +her were therefore able to render material assistance on the left +by their oblique fire across Williams' front. + +Breckinridge commanded four picked brigades, three selected from +his own division and one of Martin L. Smith's Vicksburg brigades, +the whole organized in two divisions, under Brigadier-Generals +Charles Clark and Daniel Ruggles. Clark had the brigades of +Brigadier-General Bernard H. Helm and Colonel Thomas B. Smith, of +the 20th Tennessee, with the Hudson battery and Cobb's battery. +Ruggles had the brigades of Colonel A. P. Thompson, of the 3d +Kentucky, and Colonel Henry W. Allen, of the 4th Louisiana, with +Semmes's battery. From right to left the order of attack ran, +Helm, Smith, Thompson, Allen. Clark moved on the right of the +Greenwell Springs road, and Ruggles on the left. Scott's cavalry +was posted on the extreme left, four guns of Semmes's battery +occupied the centre of Ruggles's division, while in Clark's centre +were the four guns of the Hudson battery and one of Cobb's; the +other two having been disabled in a panic during the night march +before the battle. On the extreme right the Clinton road was +picketed and held by a detachment of infantry and rangers and the +remaining section of Semmes's battery. + +To meet the expected attack, Williams had posted his troops in rear +of the arsenal and of the town, occupying an irregular line, +generally parallel to the Bayou Sara road, and extending from the +Bayou Grosse, on the left, to and beyond the intersection of the +Perkins and Clay Cut roads, on the right. On the extreme left, +behind the Bayou Grosse, was the 4th Wisconsin, commanded by +Lieutenant-Colonel Bean. Next, but on the left bank of the bayou, +stood the 9th Connecticut. Next, and on the left of the Greenwell +Springs road, the 14th Maine. On the right of that road was posted +the 21st Indiana, under Lieutenant-Colonel Keith, with three guns +attached to the regiment, under Lieutenant J. H. Brown. Across +the Perkins and Clay Cut roads the 6th Michigan was formed, under +command of Captain Charles E. Clarke, while in the rear of the +interval between the 6th Michigan and the 21st Indiana stood the +7th Vermont. The extreme right and rear were covered by the 30th +Massachusetts in column, supporting Nims's battery, under Lieutenant +Trull. On the centre and left were planted the guns of Everett's +battery, under Carruth, and of Manning's 4th Massachusetts battery. + +The left flank was supported by the _Essex_, Commander William D. +Porter; the _Cayuga_, Lieutenant Harrison; and the _Sumter_, +Lieutenant Erben; the right flank by the _Kineo_, Lieutenant-Commander +Ransom, and _Katahdin_, Lieutenant Roe. + +These dispositions were planned expressly to meet the expected +attack by the ram _Arkansas_, and in that view the arrangement was +probably the best that the formation of the ground permitted. But +the fighting line was very far advanced; the camps still farther; +the reserve on the right was posted quite a mile and a half behind +the capitol, and, as at Shiloh, no portion of the line was fortified +or protected in any way, though the field was an open plain and +the converging roads gave to the attacking party a wide choice of +position. + +About daylight Breckinridge moved to the attack in a summer fog so +dense that those engaged could at first distinguish neither friend +nor enemy. The blow fell first, and heavily, upon the centre and +right, held by the 14th Maine, 21st Indiana, and 6th Michigan. As +our troops were pressed back by the vigor of the first onset, the +exposed camps of the 14th Maine, 7th Vermont, and 21st Indiana fell +into the hands of the Confederates. The 9th Connecticut, with +Manning's battery, moved to the support of the 14th Maine and 21st +Indiana, on the right of the former, and the 4th Wisconsin formed +on the left of the 14th. Further to the right, the 30th Massachusetts +advanced to the support of the 21st Indiana and 6th Michigan, +covering the interval between the two battalions to replace the +7th Vermont. In the first fighting in the darkness and the fog +this regiment had been roughly handled; its colonel fell, a momentary +confusion followed, and the regiment drifted back into a convenient +position, where it was soon reformed, under Captain Porter. Nims +brought his guns into battery on the right of the 6th Michigan. + +The battle was short, but the fighting was severe; both sides +suffered heavily, and each fell into some disorder. At different +moments both wings of the Confederate force were broken, and fell +back in something not very unlike panic. The colors of the 4th +Louisiana were captured by the 6th Michigan. As the fog lifted, +under the influence of the increasing heat, it became clear to both +sides that the attack had failed. The force of the fierce Confederate +outset was quite spent. The Union lines, however thinned and +shattered, remained in possession of the prize. "It was now ten +o'clock," says Breckinridge. "We had listened in vain for the guns +of the _Arkansas_: I saw around me not more than 1,000 exhausted +men." The battle was over. Indeed it had been over for some hours; +these words probably indicate the period when the Confederate +commander gave up his last hope. + +The _Arkansas_, disabled within sight of the goal by an accident +to her machinery, was run ashore and destroyed by her commander to +save her from capture. The Confederate losses were about 84 killed, +313 wounded, and 56 missing; total, 453. Clark was severely wounded +and made prisoner. Allen was killed, and two other brigade commanders +wounded. Helm, Hunt, and Thompson had been previously disabled by +an accident during the night panic. + +The Union losses were 84 killed, 266 wounded, and 33 missing; total, +383. The heaviest loss fell upon the 21st Indiana, which suffered +126 casualties, and upon the 14th Maine, which reported 118. Of +the killed, 36, or nearly one half, belonged to the 14th Maine, +while more than two thirds of the killed and nearly two thirds of +the total belonged to that regiment and the 21st Indiana. The 4th +Wisconsin, being posted quite to the left of the point of attack, +was not engaged. + +Colonel G. T. Roberts, of the 7th Vermont, fell early in the action, +and near its close Williams was instantly killed while urging his +men to the attack. In him his little brigade lost the only commander +present of experience in war; the country, a brave and accomplished +soldier. If he was, as must be confessed, arbitrary, at times +unreasonable, and often harsh, in his treatment of his untrained +volunteers, yet many who then thought his discipline too severe to +be endured, lived to know, and by their conduct vindicate, the +value of his training. + +The Confederates appear to have suffered to some extent during the +last attack, until the lines drew too near together, from the fire +of the _Essex_ and her consorts. Ransom also speaks of having +shelled the enemy with great effect during the afternoon from the +_Kineo_ and _Katahdin_, accurately directed by signals from the +capitol; but no other account even mentions any firing at that +period of the day; the effect cannot, therefore, have been severe, +and it seems probable that the troops against whom it was directed +may have been some outlying party. + +Cahill's seniority entitled him to the command after Williams fell, +yet during the remainder of the battle Dudley seems to have commanded +the troops actually engaged. Shortly after the close of the action +Cahill assumed the command and sent word to Butler of the state of +affairs. + +The Confederates were still to be seen upon the field of battle. +Their force was naturally enough over-estimated. Another attack +was expected during the afternoon, and reinforcements were urgently +called for. Butler had none to give without putting New Orleans +itself in peril. However, during the evening he determined to +release from arrest a number of officers who had been deprived of +their swords by Williams at various times, and for various causes, +mainly growing out of the confused and as yet rather unsettled +policy of the government in reference to the treatment of the +negroes, and to send all these officers to Baton Rouge. Among them +were Colonel Paine of the 4th Wisconsin and Colonel Clark of the +6th Michigan. Since the 11th of June Paine had been in arrest; an +arrest of a character peculiar and perhaps unprecedented in the +history of armies. Whenever danger was to be faced, or unusual +duty to be performed, he might wear his sword and command his men, +but the moment the duty or the danger was at an end he must go back +into arrest. Paine, who was an extremely conscientious officer, +as well as a man of high character and firmness of purpose, had +from the first taken strong ground against the use of any portion +of his force in aid of the claims of the master to the service of +the slave. Williams, strict in his idea of obedience due his +superiors, not less than in his notions of obedience due to him by +his own inferiors in rank, stood upon his construction of the law +and the orders of the War Department, as they then existed; hence +in the natural course of events inevitably arose more than one +irreconcilable difference of opinion. Paine was now ordered to go +at once to Baton Rouge and take command. He was told by Butler to +burn the town and the capitol. The library, the paintings, the +statuary, and the relics were to be spared, as well as the charitable +institutions of the town. The books, the paintings, and the statue +of Washington, he was to send to New Orleans; he was then to evacuate +Baton Rouge and retire with his whole force to New Orleans. + +At midnight on the 6th of August Paine arrived at Baton Rouge. +There he found every thing quiet, with the troops in camp on an +interior and shorter line, but expecting another attack. There +was in fact an alarm before morning came, but nothing happened. +On the 7th Paine took command and set about putting the town in +complete condition for an effective defence. With his accustomed +care and energy he soon rectified the lines and entrenched them +with twenty-four guns in position, and, in co-operation with the +navy, concerted every measure for an effective defence, even against +large numbers. + +Breckinridge, however, after continuing to menace Baton Rouge for +some days, had, by Van Dorn's orders, retired to Port Hudson, and +was now engaged in fortifying that position. Ruggles was sent +there on the 12th of August. The next day Breckinridge received +orders from Van Dorn, then at Jackson, to follow with his whole +force. "Port Hudson," Van Dorn said, "must be held if possible." +"Port Hudson," remarks Breckinridge, in his report of the battle +of Baton Rouge, "is one of the strongest points on the Mississippi, +which Baton Rouge is not, and batteries there will command the +river more completely than at Vicksburg." + +Meanwhile Butler had changed his mind with regard to the evacuation +of Baton Rouge, and had directed Paine to hold the place for the +present. With an accuracy unusual at this period, Butler estimated +Breckinridge's entire force at 5,000 men and fourteen guns. On +the 13th the defences were complete, the entrenchments forming two +sides of a triangle of which the river was the base and the cemetery +mound the apex. The troops stood to arms at three o'clock every +morning; one fourth of the force was constantly under arms, day +and night, at its station. At two points on each face of the +entrenchment flags were planted by day and lights by night, to +indicate to the gunboats their line of fire. + +On the 16th of August Butler renewed his orders to burn and evacuate +Baton Rouge. Its retention up to this time he had avowedly regarded +as having political rather than military importance. Now he wrote +to Paine: "I am constrained to come to the conclusion that it is +necessary to evacuate Baton Rouge. . . . Begin the movement quietly +and rapidly; get every thing off except your men, and then see to +it that the town is destroyed. After mature deliberation I deem +this a military necessity of the highest order." + +Against these orders Paine made an earnest appeal, based upon +considerations partly humane, partly military. He was so far +successful that Butler was induced to countermand the order to +burn. The movement was not to be delayed on account of the statue +of Washington. However, the statue had been already packed. It +is now in the Patent Office at the national capital. All the books +and paintings were brought off, "except," to quote from Paine's +diary, "the portrait of James Buchanan, which we left hanging in +the State House for his friends." Finally, on the 20th, Paine +evacuated Baton Rouge, and on the following day reached the lines +of Carrollton, known as Camp Parapet, and turned over his command +to Phelps. + + +CHAPTER IV. +LA FOURCHE. + +On the 22d of August Paine was assigned to the command of what was +called the "reserve brigade" of a division under Phelps. The +brigade was composed of the 4th Wisconsin, 21st Indiana, and 14th +Maine, with Brown's battery attached to the Indiana regiment. +But this was not to last, for the tension that had long existed +between Phelps and the department commander, on the subject of the +treatment of the negroes, as well as on the question of arming +and employing them, finally resulted in Phelps's resignation on +the 21st of August. On the 13th of September he was succeeded by +Brigadier-General Thomas W. Sherman, himself recently relieved +from command of the Department of the South, partly, perhaps, in +consequence of differences of opinion of a like character. + +On the 29th of September the division, then known as Sherman's, +was reorganized, and Paine took command of the 1st brigade, composed +of the 4th Wisconsin, 21st Indiana, and 8th New Hampshire regiments +with the 1st and 2d Vermont batteries and Brown's guns of the 21st +Indiana. Paine's command also included Camp Parapet. These lines +had been originally laid out by the Confederates for the defence +of New Orleans against an attack by land from the north; as, for +example, by a force approaching through Lake Pontchartrain and Pass +Manchac. They were now put in thorough order, and the Indianians, +who had received some artillery instruction during their term of +service at Fort McHenry, completed the foundation for the future +service as heavy artillerists by going back to the big guns. In +October and November the 8th New Hampshire and 21st Indiana were +transferred to Weitzel's brigade and were replaced in Paine's by +the 2d Louisiana and temporarily by the 12th Maine. + +The official reports covering this period afford several strong +hints of a Confederate plan for the recapture of New Orleans. With +this object, apparently, Richard Taylor, a prominent and wealthy +Louisianian, closely allied to Jefferson Davis by his first marriage +with the daughter of Zachary Taylor, was made a major-general in +the Confederate army, and on the 1st of August was assigned to +command the Confederate forces in Western Louisiana. It seems +likely that the troops of Van Dorn's department, as well as those +at Mobile, were expected to take part. + +On the 8th of August orders were issued by the War Department +transferring the district of West Florida to the Department of the +Gulf. West Florida meant Pensacola. Fort Pickens, on the sands +of Santa Rosa, commanding the entrance to the splendid harbor, owed +to the loyalty of a few staunch officers of the army and the navy +the proud distinction of being the one spot between the Chesapeake +and the Rio Grande over which, in spite of all hostile attempts, +the ensign of the nation had never ceased to float; for the works +at Key West and the Dry Tortugas, though likewise held, were never +menaced. Though Bragg early gathered a large force for the capture +of the fort, the only serious attempt, made in the dawn of the 9th +of October, 1861, was repulsed with a loss to the Confederates of +87, to the Union troops of 61. Of these, the 6th New York had 9 +killed, 7 wounded, 11 missing--in all, 27. In December the 75th +New York came down from the North to reinforce the defenders. +Finally, after learning the fate of New Orleans, Bragg evacuated +Pensacola, and burned his surplus stores, and on the 10th of May, +1862, Porter, seeing from the passes the glare of the flames, ran +over and anchored in the bay. The advantage thus gained was held +to the end. + +This transfer gave Butler two strong infantry regiments, as well +as several fine batteries and companies of the regular artillery, +but at the same time correspondingly increased the territory he +had to guard, already far too extensive and too widely scattered +for the small force at his disposal. + +Toward the end of September Lieutenant Godfrey Weitzel, of the +engineers, having been made a brigadier-general on Butler's +recommendation, a promotion more than usually justified by service +and talent, a brigade was formed for him called the Reserve Brigade, +and consisting of the 12th and 13th Connecticut, 75th New York, +and 8th New Hampshire, Carruth's 6th Massachusetts battery, Thompson's +1st Maine battery, Perkins's Troop C of the Massachusetts cavalry, +and three troops of Louisiana cavalry under Williamson. From that +time, through all the changes, which were many and frequent, +Weitzel's brigade changed less than any thing else, and its history +may almost be said to be the military history of the Department. + +Taylor, with his accustomed energy and enthusiasm, had collected +and organized a force, primarily for the defence of the La Fourche +country and the Teche, ultimately for the offensive operations +already planned. Butler at once committed to Weitzel the preparations +for dislodging Taylor and occupying La Fourche. This object was +important, not only to secure the defence of New Orleans, but +because the territory to be occupied comprised or controlled the +fertile region between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya. The +country lies low and flat, and is intersected by numerous navigable +bayous, with but narrow roadways along their banks and elsewhere +none. Without naval assistance, the operation would have been +difficult, if not impossible; and the navy had in Louisiana no +gunboats of a draught light enough for the service. With the funds +of the army Butler caused four light gunboats, the _Estrella, +Calhoun, Kinsman,_ and _Diana,_ to be quietly built and equipped, +the navy furnishing the officers and the crews. Under Commander +McKean Buchanan they were then sent by the gulf to Berwick Bay. + +When he was ready, Weitzel took transports, under convoy of the +_Kineo, Sciota, Katahdin,_ and _Itasca_, landed below Donaldsonville, +entered the town, and on the 27th of October moved on Thibodeaux, +the heart of the district. At Georgia Landing, about two miles +above Labadieville, he encountered the Confederates under Mouton, +consisting of the 18th and 33d Louisiana, the Crescent and Terre +Bonne regiments, with Ralston's and Semmes's batteries and the 2d +Louisiana cavalry, in all reported by Mouton as 1,392 strong. They +had taken up a defensive position on both sides of the bayou. +Along these bayous the standing room is for the most part narrow; +and as the land, although low, is in general heavily wooded and +crossed by many ditches of considerable depth, the country affords +defensive positions at once stronger and more numerous than are to +be found in most flat regions. Small bodies of troops, familiar +with the topography, have also this further advantage, that there +are few points from which their position and numbers can be easily +made out. + +After a short but spirited engagement Mouton's force was compelled +to retreat. Weitzel pursued for about four miles. + +Mouton then called in his outlying detachments, including the La +Fourche regiment, 500 strong, 300 men of the 33d Louisiana, and +the regiments of Saint Charles and St. John Baptist, burned the +railway station of Terre Bonne and the bridges at Thibodeaux, La +Fourche Crossing, Terre Bonne, Des Allemands, and Bayou Boeuf, and +evacuated the district. By the 30th, every thing was safely across +Berwick Bay. For this escape, he was indebted to an opportune gale +that compelled Buchanan's gunboats to lie to in Caillou Bay on +their way to Berwick Bay, to cut off the retreat. Mouton's report +accounts for 5 killed, 8 wounded, and 186 missing; in all 199. +Among the killed was Colonel G. P. McPheeters of the Crescent +regiment. + +Weitzel followed to Thibodeaux, and went into camp beyond the town. +He claims to have taken 208 prisoners and one gun, and states his +own losses as 18 killed, and 74 wounded, agreeing with the nominal +lists, which also contain the names of 5 missing, thus bringing +the total casualties to 97. + +Arriving off Brashear a day too late, Buchanan was partly consoled +by capturing the Confederate gunboat _Seger_. On the 4th and 5th +of November he made a reconnoissance fourteen miles up the Teche +with his own boat, the _Calhoun_, and the _Estrella, Kinsman, Saint +Mary's_, and _Diana_, and meeting a portion of Mouton's forces and +the Confederate gunboat _J. A. Cotton_, received and inflicted some +damage and slight losses, yet with no material result. + +Simultaneously with Weitzel's movement on La Fourche, Butler pushed +the 8th Vermont and the newly organized 1st Louisiana Native Guards +forward from Algiers along the Opelousas Railway, to act in +conjunction with Weitzel and to open the railway as they advanced. +Weitzel had already turned the enemy out of his position, but the +task committed to Thomas was slow and hard, for all the bridges +and many culverts had to be rebuilt, and from long disuse of the +line the rank grass, that in Louisiana springs up so freely in +every untrodden spot above water, had grown so tall and thick and +strongly matted that the troops had to pull it up by the roots +before the locomotive could pass. + +So ended operations in Louisiana for the year. Until the following +spring, Taylor continued to occupy the Teche region, while Weitzel +rested quietly in La Fourche, with his headquarters at Thibodeaux +and his troops so disposed as to cover and hold the country without +losing touch. On the 9th of November, the whole of Louisiana lying +west of the Mississippi, except the delta parishes of Plaquemine +and Terre Bonne, was constituted a military district to be known +as the District of La Fourche, and Weitzel was assigned to the +command. + +Meanwhile General Butler, with the consent of the War Department, +had raised, organized, and equipped, in the neighborhood of New +Orleans, two good regiments of Louisianans, the 1st Louisiana, Colonel +Richard E. Holcomb, and the 2d Louisiana, Colonel Charles J. Paine, +both regiments admirably commanded and well officered; three +excellent troops of Louisiana cavalry, under fine leaders, Captains +Henry F. Williamson, Richard Barrett, and J. F. Godfrey; and beside +these white troops, three regiments of negroes, designated as the +1st, 2d, and 3d Louisiana Native Guards. This was the name originally +employed by Governor Moore early in 1861, to describe an organization +of the free men of color of New Orleans enrolled for the defence +of the city against the expected attack by the forces of the Union. + +This action was taken by Butler of his own motion. It was never +formally approved by the government, but it was not interfered +with. These three regiments were the first negro troops mustered +into the service of the United States. At least one of them, the +1st, was largely made up of men of that peculiar and exclusive +caste known to the laws of slavery as the free men of color of +Louisiana. All the field and staff officers were white men, mainly +taken from the rolls of the troops already in service; but at first +all the company officers were negroes. As this was the first +experiment, it was perhaps, in the state of feeling then prevailing, +inevitable, yet not the less to be regretted, that the white officers +were, with some notable exceptions, inferior men. Fortunately, +however, courts-martial and examining boards made their career for +the most part a short one. As for the colored officers of the +line, early in 1863 they were nearly all disqualified on the most +rudimentary examination, and then the rest resigned. After that, +the government having determined to raise a large force of negro +troops, it became the settled policy to grant commissions as officers +to none but white men. + +The 1st and 2d regiments were sent into the district of La Fourche +to guard the railway. + +Then, between Butler and Weitzel, in spite of confidence on the +one hand and respect and affection on the other, began the usual +controversy about arming the negro. To one unacquainted with the +history of this question and of those times it must seem strange +indeed to read the emphatic words in which a soldier so loyal and, +in the best sense, so subordinate as Weitzel, declared his +unwillingness to command these troops, and to reflect that in a +little more than two years he was destined to accept with alacrity +the command of a whole army corps of black men, and at last to ride +in triumph at their head into the very capital of the Confederacy. + +With the exception of the levies raised by its commander, the +Department of the Gulf had so far received no access of strength +from any quarter. From the North had come hardly a recruit. In +the intense heat and among the poisonous swamps the effective +strength melted away day by day. Thus the numbers present fell +3,795 during the month of July; in October, when the sickly season +had done its worst, the wastage reached a total of 5,390. At the +time of the battle of Baton Rouge, Butler's effective force can +hardly have exceeded 7,000. When his strength was the greatest it +probably did not exceed, if indeed it reached, the number of 13,000 +effective. The condition of affairs was therefore such that Butler +found himself with an army barely sufficient for the secure defence +of the vast territory committed to his care, and for any offensive +operation absolutely powerless. To hold what had been gained it +was practically necessary to sit still; and to sit still then, as +always in all wars, was to invite attack. + +These things Butler did not fail to represent to the government, +and to repeat. At last, about the middle of November, he received +a few encouraging words from Halleck, dated the 3d of that month, +in which he was assured that the "delay in sending reinforcements +has not been the fault of the War Department. It is hoped that +some will be ready to start as soon as the November elections are +over. Brigadier-generals will be sent with these reinforcements." +With them was to be a major-general, the new commander of the +department; but this Halleck did not say. + + +CHAPTER V. +BANKS IN COMMAND. + +When the campaigns of 1862 were drawing to an end, the government +changed all the commanders and turned to the consideration of new +plans. With President Lincoln, as we have seen, the opening of +the Mississippi had long been a favored scheme. His early experience +had rendered him familiar with the waters, the shores, and the vast +traffic of the great river, and had brought home to him the common +interests and the mutual dependence of the farmers, the traders, +the miners, and the manufacturers of the States bordering upon the +upper Mississippi and the Ohio on the one hand, and of the merchants +and planters of the Gulf on the other. Thus he was fully prepared +to enter warmly into the idea that had taken possession of the +minds and hearts of the people of the Northwest. From a vague +longing this idea had now grown into a deep and settled sentiment. +Indeed in all the West the opening of the Mississippi played a part +that can only be realized by comparing it with the prevailing +sentiment of the East, so early, so long, so loudly expressed in +the cry, "On to Richmond!" + +That the President should have been in complete accord with the +popular impulse is hardly to be wondered at by any one that has +followed, with the least attention, the details of his remarkable +career. Moreover, the popular impulse was right. Wars take their +character from the causes that produce them and the people or the +nations by whom they are waged. This was not a contest upon some +petty question involving the fate of a ministry, a dynasty, or even +a monarchy, to be fought out between regular armies upon well-known +plans at the convergence of the roads between two opposing capitals. +The struggle was virtually one between two peoples hitherto united +as one,--between the people of the North, who had taken up arms +for the maintenance and the restoration of the Union, and the people +of the South, who had taken up arms to destroy the Union. Of such +an issue there could be no compromise; to such a contest there +could be no end short of exhaustion. For four long years it was +destined to go on, and at times to rage with a fury almost unexampled +along lines whose length was measured by the thousand miles and +over a battle-ground nearly as large as the continent of Europe. +Looked at merely from the standpoint of strategy, and discarding +all considerations not directly concerning the movements of armies, +true policy might, perhaps, have dictated the concentration of all +available resources in men and material upon the great central +lines of operations, roughly indicated by the mention of Chattanooga +and Atlanta,--the road eventually followed by Sherman in his +triumphant march to the sea. Apart, however, from considerations +strictly tactical, the importance of cutting off the trans-Mississippi +region as a source of supply for the main Confederate armies was +obvious; while from the governments of Europe, of England and France +above all, the pressure was great for cotton, partly, indeed, as +a pretext for interfering in our domestic struggle to their own +advantage, but largely, also, to enable those governments to quiet +the cry of the starving millions of their people. + +Instructed, as well as warned, by the events of the previous summer, +the President now resolved on a combined attempt by two strong +columns. On the 21st of October he sent Major-General John A. +McClernand to Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, with confidential orders, +authorizing him to raise troops for an expedition, under his command, +to move against Vicksburg from Cairo or Memphis as a place of +rendezvous, and "to clear the Mississippi River and open navigation +to New Orleans." Perhaps because of the confidence still felt in +Grant by the President himself, although within narrowing limits, +Grant was not to share the fate of McClellan, of Buell, and of so +many others. The secret orders were not made known to him, yet it +was settled that he was to retain the command of his department, +while the principal active operations of the army within its limits +were to be conducted by another. Even for this consideration it +is rather more than likely he was indebted in a great degree to +the exceptional advantage he enjoyed in having at all times at the +seat of government, in the person of Washburne, a strong and devoted +party of one, upon whose assistance the government daily found it +convenient to lean. + +A few days later, on the 31st of October, Major-General Nathaniel +P. Banks was sent to New York and Boston, with similar orders, to +collect in New England and New York a force for the co-operating +column from New Orleans. On the 8th of November this was followed +by the formal order of the President assigning Banks to the command +of the Department of the Gulf, including the State of Texas. + +This assignment was wholly unexpected by Banks. It was, indeed, +unsought and unsolicited, and the first offer, from the President +himself, came as a surprise. At the close of Pope's campaign, when +the reorganized Army of the Potomac, once more under McClellan, +was in march to meet Lee in Maryland, Banks had been forced, by +injuries received at Cedar Mountain, to give up the command of the +Twelfth Army Corps to the senior division commander, Brigadier-General +A. S. Williams. As soon as this was reported at headquarters, +McClellan created a new organization under the name of the "Defences +of Washington," and placed Banks in command. + +For some time after this Banks was unable to leave his room; yet, +within forty-eight hours, a mob of thirty thousand wounded men and +convalescents, who knew not where to go, and of stragglers, who +meant not to go where they were wanted, was cleared out of the +streets of Washington, and pandemonium was at an end. Order was +rather created than restored, since none had existed in any direction. +The Fifth Corps was sent to join the army in the field; within a +fortnight, a full army corps of able-bodied stragglers followed; +the fortifications were completed; ample garrisons of instructed +artillerists were provided. These became "the Heavies" of Grant's +campaigns. Almost another full army corps was organized from the +new regiments. Finally the whole force of the defences, about +equal in numbers to Lee's army, was so disposed that Washington +was absolutely secure. The dispositions for the defence of the +capital and the daily operations of the command were clearly and +constantly made known to the President and Secretary of War as well +as to the General-in-chief. Thus it was that, less than two months +later, in the closing days of October, President Lincoln sent for +Banks and said: "You have let me sleep in peace for the first time +since I came here. I want you to go to Louisiana and do the same +thing there." + +On the 9th of November Halleck communicated to Banks the orders of +the President to proceed immediately to New Orleans with the troops +from Baltimore and elsewhere, under Emory, already assembling in +transports at Fort Monroe. An additional force of ten thousand +men, he was told, would be sent to him from Boston and New York as +soon as possible. Though this order was never formally revoked or +modified, yet in fact it was from the first a dead letter, and +Banks, who received it in New York, remained there to complete the +organization and to look after the collection and transport of the +additional force mentioned in Halleck's instructions. Including +the eight regiments of Emory, but not counting four regiments of +infantry and five battalions of cavalry diverted to other fields, +the reinforcements for the Department of the Gulf finally included +thirty-nine regiments of infantry, six batteries of artillery, and +one battalion of cavalry. Of the infantry twenty-one regiments +were composed of officers and men enlisted to serve for nine months. +Even of this brief period many weeks had, in some cases, already +elapsed. To command the brigades and divisions, when organized, +Major-General Christopher C. Auger, and Brigadier-Generals Cuvier +Grover, William Dwight, George L. Andrews, and James Bowen were +ordered to report to Banks. + +The work of chartering the immense fleet required to transport this +force, with its material of all kinds, was confided by the government +to Cornelius Vanderbilt, possibly in recognition of his recent +princely gift to the nation of the finest steamship of his fleet, +bearing his own name. This service Vanderbilt performed with his +usual vigor, "laying hands," as he said, "upon every thing that +could float or steam," including, it must be added, more than one +vessel to which it would have been rash to ascribe either of these +qualities. + +Before the embarkation each vessel was carefully inspected by a +board of officers, usually composed of the inspector-general or an +officer of his department, an experienced quartermaster, and an +officer of rank and intelligence, who was himself to sail on the +vessel. This last was a new, but, as soon appeared, a very necessary +precaution. When every thing was nearly ready the embarkation +began at New York, and as each vessel was loaded she was sent to +sea with sealed orders directing her master and the commanding +officer of the troops to make the best of their way to Ship Island, +and there await the further instructions of the general commanding. +Ship Island was chosen for the place of meeting because of the +great draught of water of some of the vessels. At the same time +Emory's force, embarking at Hampton Roads, set out under convoy of +the man-of-war _Augusta_, Commander E. G. Parrott, for the same +destination with similar orders. + +For three months the _Florida_ had lain at anchor in the harbor at +Mobile, only waiting for a good opportunity to enter upon her +historic career of destruction. Since the 20th of August the +_Alabama_ was known to have been scourging our commerce in the +North Atlantic from the Azores to the Antilles. On the 5th of +December she took a prize off the northern coast of San Domingo. +Relying on the information with which he was freely furnished, +Semmes expected to find the expedition off Galveston about the +middle of January. In the dead of night, "after the midwatch was +set and all was quiet," he meant, in the words of his executive +officer,(1) slowly to approach the transports, "steam among them +with both batteries in action, pouring in a continuous discharge +of shell, and sink them as we went." Fortunately Semmes's information, +though profuse and precise, was not quite accurate, for it brought +him off Galveston on the 13th of January: the wrong port, a month +too late. What might have happened is shown by the ease with which +he then destroyed the _Hatteras_. + +To guard against these dangers, it had been the wish of the +government, and was a part of the original plan, that the transports +sailing from New York should be formed in a single fleet and proceed, +under strong convoy, to its destination. However, it soon became +evident that as the rate of sailing of a fleet is governed by that +of its slowest ship, the expedition, thus organized, would be forced +to crawl along the coast at a speed hardly greater than five miles +an hour. This would not only have exposed three ships out of five, +and five regiments out of six, for at least twice the necessary +time to the perils of the sea, increased by having to follow an +inshore track at this inclement season; it would not only have +introduced chances of detention and risks of collision and of +separation, but the peril from the _Alabama_ would have been +augmented in far greater degree than the security afforded by any +naval force the government could just then spare. Therefore, the +slow ships were loaded and sent off first and the faster ones kept +back to the last; then, each making the best of its way to Ship +Island, nearly all came in together. Thus, when the _North Star_, +bearing the flag of the commanding general and sailing from New +York on the 4th of December, arrived in the early morning of the +13th at Ship Island, nearly the whole fleet lay at anchor or in +the offing; and as soon as a hasty inspection could be completed +and fresh orders given, the expedition got under way for New Orleans. +The larger vessels, however, like the _Atlantic, Baltic_, and +_Ericsson_ being unable to cross the bar, lay at anchor at Ship +Island until they could be lightened. + +Truly grand as was the spectacle afforded by the black hulls and +white sails of this great concourse of ships at anchor, in the +broad roadstead, yet a grander sight still was reserved for the +next day, a lovely Sunday, as all these steamers in line ahead, +the _North Star_ leading, flags flying, bands playing, the decks +blue with the soldiers of the Union, majestically made their way +up the Mississippi. Most of those on board looked for the first +time, with mingled emotions, over the pleasant lowlands of Louisiana, +and all were amused at the mad antics of the pageant-loving negroes, +crowding and capering on the levee as plantation after plantation +was passed. So closely had the secret been kept that, until the +transports got under way from Ship Island for the purpose, probably +not more than three or four officers, if so many, of all the force +really knew its destination. Nor was it until the two generals +met at New Orleans that Butler learned that Banks was to relieve +him. + +On the 15th of December Banks took the command of the Department +of the Gulf, although the formal orders were not issued until the +17th. The officers of the department, as well as of the personal +staff of General Butler, were relieved from duty and permitted to +accompany him to the North. The new staff of the department included +Lieutenant-Colonel Richard B. Irwin, Assistant Adjutant-General; +Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Abert, Assistant Inspector-General; +Major G. Norman Lieber, Judge-Advocate; Colonel Samuel B. Holabird, +Chief Quartermaster; Colonel Edward G. Beckwith, Chief Commissary +of Subsistence; Surgeon Richard H. Alexander, Medical Director; +Major David C. Houston, Chief Engineer; Captain Henry L. Abbot, +Chief of Topographical Engineers; First-Lieutenant Richard M. Hill, +Chief of Ordnance; Captain Richard Arnold, Chief of Artillery; +Captain William W. Rowley, Chief Signal Officer. + +Banks's orders from the government were to go up the Mississippi +and open the river, in co-operation with McClernand's expedition +against Vicksburg. "As the ranking general of the Southwest," +Halleck's orders proceeded, "you are authorized to assume control +of any military forces from the upper Mississippi which may come +within your command. The line of the division between your department +and that of Major-General Grant is, therefore, left undecided for +the present, and you will exercise superior authority as far north +as you may ascend the river. The President regards the opening of +the Mississippi river as the first and most important of all our +military and naval operations, and it is hoped that you will not +lose a moment in accomplishing it." + +Immediately on assuming command Banks ordered Grover to take all +the troops that were in condition for service at once to Baton +Rouge, under the protection of the fleet, and there disembark and +go into camp. Augur was specially charged with the arrangements +for the despatch of the troops from New Orleans. Before starting +they were carefully inspected, and all that were found to be affected +with disease of a contagious or infectious character were sent +ashore and isolated. + +On the morning of the 16th the advance of Grover's expedition got +under way, under convoy of a detachment of Farragut's fleet, led +by Alden in the _Richmond_. Grover took with him about 4,500 men, +but when all were assembled at Baton Rouge there were twelve +regiments, three batteries, and two troops of cavalry. The +Confederates, who were in very small force, promptly evacuated +Baton Rouge, and Grover landed and occupied the place on the 17th +of December. After sending off the last of the troops, Augur went +up and took command. The lines constructed by Paine in August were +occupied and strengthened, and all arrangements promptly made for +the defence in view of an attack, such as might not unnaturally be +looked for from Port Hudson, whose garrison then numbered more than +12,000 effectives. The two places are but a long day's march apart. +Since the occupation in August, the Confederate forces at Port +Hudson had been commanded by Brigadier-General William N. R. Beall. +On the 28th of December, however, he was relieved by Major-General +Frank Gardner, who retained the command thenceforward until the +end. While the war lasted, Baton Rouge continued to be held by +the Union forces without opposition or even serious menace. + +An attempt to occupy Galveston was less fortunate. This movement +was ordered by Banks a few days after his arrival at New Orleans, +apparently under the pressure of continued importunity from Andrew +J. Hamilton, and in furtherance of the policy that had led the +government to send him with the expedition, nominally as a +brigadier-general, but under a special commission from the President +that named him as military governor of Texas. On the 21st of +December, three companies, D, G, and I, of the 42d Massachusetts, +under Colonel Isaac S. Burrell, were sent from New Orleans without +disembarking from the little _Saxon_, on which they had made the +journey from New York. With them went Holcomb's 2d Vermont battery, +leaving their horses to follow ten days later on the _Cambria_, +with the horses and men of troops A and B of the Texas cavalry. +Protected by the flotilla under Commander W. B. Renshaw, comprising +his own vessel, the _Westfield_, the gunboats _Harriet Lane_, +Commander J. M. Wainwright; _Clifton_, Commander Richard L. Law; +_Owasco_, Lieutenant Henry Wilson; and _Sachem_, Acting-Master Amos +Johnson; and the schooner _Corypheus_, Acting-Master Spears, Burrell +landed unopposed at Kuhn's Wharf on the 24th, and took nominal +possession of the town in accordance with his instructions. These +were indeed rather vague, as befitted the shadowy nature of the +objects to be accomplished. "The situation of the people of +Galveston," wrote General Banks, "makes it expedient to send a +small force there for the purpose of their protection, and also to +afford such facilities as may be possible for recruiting soldiers +for the military service of the United States." Burrell was +cautioned not to involve himself in such difficulty as to endanger +the safety of his command, and it was rather broadly hinted that +he was not to take orders from General Hamilton. In reality, +Burrell's small force occupied only the long wharf, protected by +barricades at the shore end, and seaward by the thirty-two guns of +the fleet, lying at anchor within 300 yards. + +Magruder, who had been barely a month in command of the Confederate +forces in Texas, had given his first attention to the defenceless +condition of the coast, menaced as it was by the blockading fleet, +and thus it happened that Burrell's three companies, performing +their maiden service on picket between wind and water, found +themselves confronted by the two brigades of Scurry and Sibley, +Cook's regiment of heavy artillery, and Wilson's light battery, +with twenty-eight guns, and two armed steamboats, having their +vulnerable parts protected by cotton bales. + +Long before dawn on the 1st of January, 1863, under cover of a +heavy artillery fire, the position of the 42d Massachusetts was +assaulted by two storming parties of 300 and 500 men respectively, +led by Colonels Green, Bagby, and Cook, the remainder of the troops +being formed under Scurry in support. A brisk fight followed, but +the defenders had the concentrated fire of the fleet to protect +them; the scaling ladders proved too short to reach the wharf, and +as day began to break, the baffled assailants were about to draw +off, when, suddenly, the Confederate gunboats appeared on the scene +and in a few moments turned the defeat into a signal victory. The +_Neptune_ was disabled and sunk by the _Harriet Lane_, the _Harriet +Lane_ was boarded and captured by the _Bayou City_, the _Westfield_ +ran aground and was blown up by her gallant commander, and soon +the white flag floated from the masts of all the Union fleet. +Wainwright and Wilson had been killed; Renshaw, with his executive +officer, Zimmermann, and his chief engineer, Green, had perished +with the ship. The survivors were given three hours to consider +terms. + +When Burrell saw the flag of truce from the fleet, he too showed +the white flag and surrendered to the commander of the Confederate +troops. The Confederates ceased firing on him as soon as they +perceived his signal, but the navy, observing that the fire on +shore went on for some time, notwithstanding the naval truce, +thought it had been violated; accordingly the _Clifton, Owasco, +Sachem_, and _Corypheus_ put out to sea, preceded by the army +transport steamers _Saxon_ and _Mary A. Boardman_. On the latter +vessel were the military governor of Texas, with his staff, and +the men and guns of Holcomb's battery. + +The Confederates lost 26 killed and 117 wounded; the Union troops +5 killed and 15 wounded, and all the survivors (probably about 250 +in number) were made prisoners save the adjutant, Lieutenant Charles +A. Davis, who had been sent off to communicate with the fleet. +The navy lost 29 killed, 31 wounded, and 92 captured. So ended +this inauspicious New Year's day. + +The transports made the best of their way to New Orleans with the +news. The _Cambria_, with the Texas cavalry and the horses of the +2d Vermont battery, arrived in the offing on the evening of the 2d +of January. For two days a strong wind and high sea rendered +fruitless all efforts to communicate with the shore; then learning +the truth, the troops at once returned to New Orleans. + +Orders had been left with the guard ship at Pilot Town to send the +transport steamers, _Charles Osgood_ and _Shetucket_, with the +remainder of the 42d, directly to Galveston. It was now necessary +to change these orders, and to do it promptly. The bad news reached +headquarters early in the afternoon of the 3d January: "Stop every +thing going to Galveston," was at once telegraphed to the Pass. + +(1) "Cruise and Combats of the _Alabama_," by her Executive Officer, +John Mackintosh Kell.--"Century War Book," vol. iv., p. 603. + + +CHAPTER VI. +ORGANIZING THE CORPS. + +Meanwhile the new troops continued to come from New York, although +it was not until the 11th of February that the last detachments +landed. The work of organizing the whole available force of the +department for the task before it was pursued with vigor. In order +to form the moving column, as well as for the purposes of +administration, so that the one might not interfere with the other, +the main body of troops was composed of four divisions of three +brigades each. The garrisons of the defences and the permanent +details for guard and provost duty were kept separate. While this +was in progress orders came from the War Office dated the 5th of +January, 1863, by which all the forces in the Department of the +Gulf were designated as the Nineteenth Army Corps, to take effect +December 14, 1862, and Banks was named by the President as the +corps commander. + +To Augur was assigned the First division, to Sherman the Second, +to Emory the Third, and to Grover the Fourth. Weitzel, retaining +his old brigade, became the second in command in Augur's division. +In making up the brigades the regiments were so selected and combined +as to mingle the veterans with the raw levies, and to furnish, in +right of seniority, the more capable and experienced of the colonels +as brigade commanders. Andrews, who had been left in New York to +bring up the rear of the expedition, became Chief-of-Staff on the +6th of March, and Bowen was made Provost-Marshal General. + +To each division three batteries of artillery were given, including +at least one battery belonging to the regular army, thus furnishing, +except for the second division, an experienced regular officer as +chief of artillery of the division. The cavalry was kept, for the +most part, unattached, mainly serving in La Fourche, at Baton Rouge, +and with the moving column. The 21st Indiana, changed into the +1st Indiana heavy artillery, was told off to man the siege train, +for which duty it was admirably suited. When all had joined, the +whole force available for active operations that should not uncover +New Orleans was about 25,000. Two thirds, however, were new levies, +and of these half were nine months' men. Some were armed with guns +that refused to go off. Others did not know the simplest evolutions. +In one instance, afterwards handsomely redeemed, the colonel, having +to disembark his men, could think of no way save by the novel +command, "Break ranks, boys, and get ashore the best way you can." +The cavalry, except the six old companies, was poor and quite +insufficient in numbers. Of land and water transportation, both +indispensable to any possible operation, there was barely enough +for the movement of a single division. In Washington, Banks had +been led to expect that he might count on the depots or the country +for all the material required for moving his army; yet Butler found +New Orleans on the brink of starvation; the people had now to be +fed, as well as the army, and the provisions that formerly came +from the West by the great river had now to find their way from +the North by the Atlantic and the Gulf. The depots were calculated, +and barely sufficed, for the old force of the department, while +the country could furnish very little at best, and nothing at all +until it should be occupied. + +Again, until he reached his post, Banks was not informed that the +Confederates were in force anywhere on the river save Vicksburg, +yet, in fact, Port Hudson, 250 miles below Vicksburg and 135 miles +above New Orleans, was found strongly intrenched with twenty-nine +heavy guns in position and garrisoned by 12,000 men. Long before +Banks could have assembled and set in motion a force sufficient to +cope with this enemy behind earthworks, the 12,000 became 16,000. +Moreover, Banks was not in communication either with Grant or with +McClernand; he knew next to nothing of the operations, the movements, +or the plans of either; he had not the least idea when the expedition +would be ready to move from Memphis; he was even uncertain who the +commander of the Northern column was to be. On their part, not +only were Grant, the department commander; McClernand, the designated +commander of the Vicksburg expedition; and Sherman, its actual +commander, alike ignorant of every thing pertaining to the movements +of the column from the Gulf, but, at the most critical period of +the campaign, not one of the three was in communication with either +of the others. Under these conditions, all concert between the +co-operating forces was rendered impossible from the start, and the +expectations of the government that Banks would go against Vicksburg +immediately on landing in Louisiana were doomed to sharp and sudden, +yet inevitable, disappointment. + +Grant, believing himself free to dispose of McClernand's new levies, +had projected a combined movement by his own forces, marching by +Grand Junction, and Sherman's, moving by water from Memphis, on +the front and rear of Vicksburg. + +Sherman set out from Memphis on the 20th of December in complete +ignorance of Halleck's telegram of the 18th, conveying the President's +positive order that McClernand was to command the expedition. +Forrest cut the wires on the morning of the 19th just in time to +intercept this telegram, as well as its counterpart, addressed to +McClernand at Springfield, Illinois. On the 29th of December, +Sherman met with the bloody repulse of Chickasaw Bluffs. On the +2d of January he returned to the mouth of the Yazoo, and there +found McClernand armed with the bowstring and the baton. + +Where was Grant? While his main body was still at Oxford, in march +to the Yallabusha, Forrest, the ubiquitous, irrepressible Forrest, +struck his line of communications, and, on the 20th of December, +at the instant when Sherman was giving the signal to get under way +from Memphis, Van Dorn was receiving the surrender of Holly Springs +and the keys of Grant's depots. There seemed nothing for it but +to fall back on Memphis or starve. Of this state of affairs Grant +sent word to Sherman on the 20th. Eleven days later the despatch +was telegraphed to Sherman by McClernand; nor was it until the 8th +of January that Grant, at Holly Springs, learned from Washington +the bad news from Sherman, then ten days old. As if to complete +a very cat's-cradle of cross-purposes, Washington had heard of it +only through the Richmond newspapers. + +The collapse of the northern column, coupled with the Confederate +occupation of Port Hudson, had completely changed the nature of +the problem confided to Banks for solution. If he was to execute +the letter of his instructions at all, he had now to choose between +three courses, each involving an impossibility: to carry by assault +a strong line of works, three miles long, defended by 16,000 good +troops; to lay siege to the place, with the certainty that it would +be relieved from Mississippi, and with the reasonable prospect of +losing at least his siege train in the venture; to leave Port Hudson +in his rear and go against Vicksburg, upon the supposition, in the +last degree improbable, that he might find Grant, or McClernand, +or Sherman there to meet him and furnish him with food and ammunition. +This last alternative appears to have been the one towards which +the government leaned, as far as its intentions can be gathered, +yet Banks could only have accepted it by sacrificing his communications, +putting New Orleans in imminent peril, and creating irreparable +and almost inevitable disaster as a price of a remote chance of +achieving a great success. In point of fact, in the early days of +January, McClernand, accompanied by Sherman as a corps commander, +was moving toward the White River and the brilliant adventure of +Arkansas Post. After capturing this place on the 11th, McClernand +meant to go straight to Little Rock, but Grant rose to the occasion +and peremptorily recalled the troops to Milliken's Bend. "This +wild-goose chase," as Grant not inaptly termed it, cost McClernand +his new-fledged honors as commander of "The Army of the Mississippi," +and brought him to Sherman's side as a commander of one of his own +corps; a bitter draught of the same medicine he had so recently +administered to Sherman. + +Had Banks marched against Vicksburg at the same time that McClernand +was moving on Little Rock, with Grant cut off somewhere in northern +Mississippi, the Confederate commanders must have been dull and +slow indeed had they failed to seize with promptitude so rare an +opportunity for resuming, at a sweep, the complete mastery of the +river, ruining their adversary's campaign, and eliminating 100,000 +of his soldiers. + +Thus, almost at the first step, the two great expeditions were +brought to a standstill. They could neither act together nor +advance separately. The generals began to look about them for a +new way. + + +CHAPTER VII. +MORE WAYS THAN ONE. + +Since Port Hudson could neither be successfully attacked nor safely +disregarded, the problem now presented to Banks was to find a way +around the obstacle without sacrificing or putting in peril his +communications. The Atchafalaya was the key to the puzzle, and to +that quarter attention was early directed, yet for a long time the +difficulties encountered in finding a way to the Atchafalaya seemed +well-nigh insuperable. The rising waters were expected to render +the largest of the bayous that connect the Atchafalaya and the +Mississippi navigable for steamboats of small size and light draught. +Of these there were, indeed, but few, so that the work of transporting +troops from the one line to the other must have been, at the best, +slow and tedious, yet, once accomplished, the army would have found +itself, with the help of the navy, above and beyond Port Hudson, +with a sufficient line of communications open to the rear, and the +Mississippi and the Red River closed against the enemy. + +The Confederates had in Western Louisiana, near the mouth of the +Teche, a small division of Taylor's troops, about 4,500 strong, +with one gunboat. At first Banks thought to leave a brigade, with +two or three light-draught gunboats, on Berwick Bay to observe +Taylor's force, and then to disregard it as a factor in the subsequent +movements. This, while the Atchafalaya was high and the eastern +lowlands of the Attakapas widely overflowed, might have been safely +done, but all these plans were destined to be essentially modified +by a series of unexpected events in widely different quarters. + +In the second week of January, Weitzel heard that Taylor meditated +an attack on the outlying force at Berwick Bay, and that with this +view the armament of the gunboat _Cotton_ was being largely augmented. +Weitzel resolved to strike the first blow. For this purpose he +concentrated his whole force of seven regiments, including four of +his own brigade, besides the 21st Indiana, 6th Michigan, and 23d +Connecticut, with Carruth's and Thompson's batteries, four pieces +of Bainbridge's battery, Barrett's Troop B of the Louisiana cavalry, +and Company B of the 8th New Hampshire, commanded by Lieutenant +Charles H. Camp. The 1st Louisiana held Donaldsonville and the +114th New York guarded the railway. To open the way, as well as +to meet the fire of the _Cotton_, there were four gunboats of the +light-draught flotilla under Buchanan--the flagship _Calhoun, +Estrella, Kinsman,_ and _Diana_. + +At three o'clock on the morning of the 13th of January the crossing +of Berwick Bay began; by half-past ten the gunboats had completed +the ferriage of the cavalry and artillery; the infantry following +landed at Pattersonville; then the whole force formed in line and, +moving forward in the afternoon to the junction of the Teche with +the Atchafalaya, went into bivouac. The next morning began the +ascent of the Teche. The 8th Vermont was thrown over to the east +or left bank of the bayou, while the main line moved forward on +the west bank to attack the _Cotton_, now in plain sight. The +gunboats led the movement, necessarily in line ahead, owing to the +narrowness of the bayou. On either bank Weitzel's line of battle, +with skirmishers thrown well forward, was preceded by sixty volunteers +from the 8th Vermont and the same number from the 75th New York, +whose orders were to move directly up to the _Cotton_ and pick off +her gunners. The line of battle moved forward steadily with the +column of gunboats. Between the Union gunboats and the _Cotton_ +the bayou had been obstructed so as to prevent any hostile vessel +from ascending the stream beyond that point. A brisk fight followed. +Under cover of the guns of the navy and of the raking and broadside +fire of the batteries, the 8th Vermont and 75th New York first +drove off the land supports and then moving swiftly on the _Cotton_ +silenced her. In this advance the Vermonters captured one lieutenant +and forty-one men. The _Cotton_ retreated out of range. That +night her crew applied the match and let her swing across the bayou +to serve as an additional obstruction. In a few moments she was +completely destroyed. + +Then, having thus easily gained his object, Weitzel returned to La +Fourche. His losses in the movement were 1 officer and 5 men +killed, and 2 officers and 25 men wounded. Lieutenant James E. +Whiteside, of the 75th New York, who had volunteered to lead the +sharpshooters on the right bank, was killed close to the _Cotton_, +in the act of ordering the crew to haul down her flag. Among the +killed, also, was the gallant Buchanan--a serious loss, not less +to the army than to the navy. + +During a lull in the naval operations above Vicksburg, occasioned +by the want of coal, eleven steamboats that had been in use by the +Confederates on the Mississippi between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, +took advantage of Porter's absence to slip up the Yazoo for supplies. +There Porter's return caught them as in a trap. + +Toward the end of January Grant landed on the long neck opposite +Vicksburg, and once more set to work on the canal. Porter now +determined to let a detachment of his fleet run the gauntlet of +the batteries of Vicksburg for the purpose of destroying every +thing the Confederates had afloat below the town. The ran _Queen +of the West_, Colonel Charles R. Ellet, protected by two tiers of +cotton bales, was told off to lead the adventure. On the 2d of +February she performed the feat; then passing on down the river, +on the 3d, ran fifteen miles below the mouth of the Red River, and +the same distance up that stream, took and burned three Confederate +supply steamboats, and got safely back to Vicksburg on the 5th. +Porter was naturally jubilant, for, as it seemed, the mastery of +the great river had been the swift reward of his enterprise. + +A week later Ellet again ran down the Mississippi and up the Red, +burning and destroying until, pushing his success too far, he found +himself under the guns of Fort De Russy. A few shots sufficed to +disable the _Queen of the West_, which fell into the hands of the +Confederates, while Ellet and his men escaped in one of their +captures. + +Below Natchez they met the _Indianola_ coming down the river, after +safely passing Vicksburg. On the 24th the Confederate gunboat +_Webb_, and the ram _Queen of the West_, now also flying the +Confederate colors, came after the _Indianola_, attacked her off +Palmyra Island, and sank her. Thus, as suddenly as it had gone +from them, the control of the long reach of the Mississippi once +more passed over to the Confederates. + +At this news Farragut took fire. Between him and the impudent +little Confederate flotilla, whose easy triumph had suddenly laid +low the hopes and plans of his brother admiral, there stood nothing +save the guns of Port Hudson. These batteries he would pass, and +for the fourth time, yet not the last, would look the miles of +Confederate cannon in the mouth. Banks, whose movements were +retarded and to some extent held in abeyance, from the causes +already mentioned, promptly fell in with the Admiral's plans, and +both commanders conferring freely, the details were soon arranged. + + +CHAPTER VIII. +FARRAGUT PASSES PORT HUDSON. + +While Farragut was putting his fleet in thorough order for this +adventure, looking after all needful arrangements with minute +personal care, Banks concentrated all his disposable force at Baton +Rouge. By the 7th of March, leaving T. W. Sherman to cover New +Orleans and Weitzel to hold strongly La Fourche, Banks had a marching +column, composed of Augur's, Emory's, and Grover's divisions, 15,000 +strong. On the 9th of March tents were struck, to be pitched no +more for five hard months, and the next morning the troops were +ready, but repairs delayed the fleet, the last vessels of which +did not reach Baton Rouge until about the 12th. On that day, for +the first time, Banks reviewed his army, on the old battle-ground, +in the presence of the admiral, his staff, and many officers of +the fleet. The new regiments, with some exceptions, showed plainly +the progress already attained under the energetic training and +constant work of their officers. The degree of instruction and +care then apparent forecast the value of their actual service. +The 38th Massachusetts and 116th New York were specially commended +in orders. + +To hold Baton Rouge about 3,000 men were detached, under Chickering, +including the 41st Massachusetts, 173d New York, 175th New York, +1st Indiana heavy artillery, 3d Louisiana native guards, Mack's +battery, and Troop F of the Rhode Island cavalry. + +All arrangements being concerted for the passage of the batteries +on the evening of the 14th of March, Grover set out on the afternoon +of the 13th, followed, at daybreak the next morning, by Emory, with +Augur bringing up the rear. In the afternoon Grover went into +camp, covering the intersection of the Bayou Sara road and the road +that leads from it toward the river. Emory formed on his left, +covering the branches of this road that lead to Springfield Landing +and to Ross Landing, his main body supporting the centre at +Alexander's plantation. Augur, on the right, held the cross-road +that leads from the Bayou Sara road by Alexander's to the Clinton +road at Vallandigham's. At two o'clock in the afternoon the signal +officers opened communication from Springfield Landing with the +fleet at anchor near the head of Prophet Island, and a strong +detachment was posted near the landing to maintain the connection. + +As the Confederates were known to have a force of about 1,200 +cavalry somewhere between Clinton and Baton Rouge, strong detachments +became necessary to observe all the approaches and to hold the +roads and bridges in the rear in order to secure the withdrawal of +the army when the demonstration should be completed, as well as to +guard the operation from being inopportunely interrupted. These +dispositions reduced the force for battle to about 12,000. + +It had been intended to concentrate nearly all the artillery near +the river in the vicinity of Ross Landing in such a manner as to +engage, or at least divide, the attention of the lower batteries +of Port Hudson; but the maps were even more imperfect than usual, +and when a reconnoissance, naturally retarded by the enemy's advance +guard, showed that the road by which the guns were to have gone +into position did not exist, the daylight was already waning. A +broken bridge also caused some delay. + +At five o'clock in the afternoon Banks received a despatch from +Farragut announcing an important change in the hour fixed for the +movement of the fleet. Instead of making the attempt "in the gray +of the morning," as had been the admiral's first plan, he now meant +to get under way at eight o'clock in the evening. When darkness +fell, therefore, it found the troops substantially in the positions +already described, yet with their outposts well thrown forward. + +About ten o'clock the fleet weighed anchor and moved up the river. +The flagship _Hartford_ took the lead, with the _Albatross_ lashed +to her port side, next the _Richmond_ with the _Genesee_, the +_Monongahela_ with the _Kineo_, and last the side-wheeler _Mississippi_ +alone. The _Essex_ and _Sachem_ remained at anchor below, with +the mortar boats, to cover the advance. An hour later a rocket +shot up from the bluff and instantly the Confederate batteries +opened fire. They were soon joined by long lines of sharpshooters. +To avoid the shoal that makes out widely from the western bank, as +well as to escape the worst of the enemy's fire, both of musketry +and artillery, the ships hugged closely the eastern bluff; so +closely, indeed, that the yards brushed the leaves from the +overhanging trees and the voices of men on shore could be distinctly +heard by those on board. Watch-fires were lighted by the Confederates +to show as well the ships as the range; yet this did more harm than +good, since the smoke united with that of the guns ashore and afloat +to render the fleet invisible. On the other hand, the pilots were +soon unable to see. + +The _Hartford_, meeting the swift eddy at the bend, where the +current describes nearly a right angle, narrowly escaped being +driven ashore. The _Richmond_, following, was disabled by a shot +through her engine-room when abreast of the upper battery at the +turn. The _Monongahela's_ consort, the _Kineo_, lost the use of +her rudder, and the _Monongahela_ herself ran aground on the spit; +presently the _Kineo_, drifting clear, also grounded, but was soon +afloat again, and, with her assistance, the _Monongahela_ too swung +free, after nearly a half hour of imminent peril. Then the _Kineo_, +cast loose by her consort, drifted helplessly down the stream, +while the _Monongahela_ passed up until a heated bearing brought +her engines to a stop and she too drifted with the current. + +Last of the fleet, the _Mississippi_, unseen in the smoke, and +therefore safe enough from the Confederate guns, yet equally unable +to see either friend, foe, or landmark, was carried by the current +hard on the spit; then, after a half hour of ineffectual exertion, +lying alone and helpless under the concentrated aim of the Confederate +batteries, she was abandoned and set on fire by her captain. About +three in the morning, becoming lighter, as the fire did its work, +she floated free and drifted down the stream one mass of flames, +in plain view, not merely of the fleet, but also of the army, +condemned to stand to arms in sight and sound of the distant battle +and now to look on idly as, with a mighty flash and roar, the +_Mississippi_ cast to the heavens her blazing timbers, amid a myriad +of bursting shells, in one mountain of flame: then black silence. + +Thus, when at last the gray of the morning came, the _Hartford_ +and _Albatross_ rode in safety above Port Hudson, while the _Richmond, +Monongahela, Genesee_, and _Kineo_, all battered and more or less +injured, lay at anchor once more near Prophet Island, and the +_Mississippi_ had perished in a blaze of glory. + +Narrowly escaping the total failure of his plans and the destruction +of his fleet, Farragut had so far succeeded in his objects that +henceforth the Confederates practically lost the control of the +Mississippi above Port Hudson, as well as the use of the Red River +as their base of supplies. Save in skiff-loads, beef, corn, and +salt could no longer be safely carried across the Mississippi, and +the high road from Galveston and Matamoras was closed against the +valuable and sorely needed cargoes brought from Europe by the +blockade runners. + +As for the army, it had gained some facility of movement, some +knowledge of its deficiencies, and some information of great future +value as to the topography of the unknown country about Port Hudson; +more than this could hardly have been expected. Indeed, the sole +object of the presence of the army was defeated by the movement of +the fleet so many hours before the time agreed upon. This object +was to make a diversion that might attract the enemy's attention +and thus tend to reduce the fire of musketry on the exposed decks +of the fleet, and to draw off or hold off the fire of the +field-pieces that might otherwise be massed on the river front. +The disparity between the relative strength of Banks's army and +that of the garrison was too well known to justify the thought of +an actual attack upon the works. + +Such, however, was not the opinion of the government, which to the +last seems to have taken for granted that all that was needed to +insure the surrender of Port Hudson was a desire to attack it. +Even after the surrender, Halleck, in his annual report for 1863, +speaking of the position of affairs in March, said: "Had our land +forces invested Port Hudson at this time, it could have been easily +reduced, as its garrison was weak . . . but the strength of the +place was not then known." In truth, the place was never so strong, +before or after, as at this time; nor is it often in war that the +information tallies so nearly with the fact. The effective strength +of the garrison was more than 16,000. Gardner's monthly report +accounts for 1,366 officers and 14,921 men present for duty, together +16,287 out of a total present of 20,388. Besides the twenty-two +heavy guns in position, he had thirteen light batteries. + +Morning found the army alone and in a bad position, either for +attack or defence. Nothing was to be gained by staying there, and +much was to be risked. As soon, therefore, as word came through +the ever-active and adventurous signal-officers that all was well +with what remained of the fleet, Banks once more took up the line +of march for Baton Rouge, and went into bivouac in great discomfort +on the soggy borders of the Bayou Montesanto, about eight miles +north of the town. + +Meanwhile, what had become of Farragut? The last seen of the +_Hartford_ and _Albatross_ was on the morning of the 15th by the +signal officers at Springfield Landing. The two vessels then lay +at anchor beyond the bend above Port Hudson. Several attempts were +made to communicate with the Admiral across the intervening neck +of lowland. The first was on the 16th, by Parmele, with the 174th +New York and a squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry. Next, on +the 18th, Banks, eager to advance the effort, took Dudley's brigade, +two sections of Rails's battery, and Magen's troop, and joined +Parmele. But for a time these efforts accomplished nothing, since +it was impossible to see far over the flat and wooded country; and +the Confederates having cut the great levee at Morganza, the whole +neighborhood was under water and the bridges gone. Finally, on +the 19th, Colonel Charles J. Paine went out with the 2d Louisiana, +the 174th New York, and a small squad of cavalry, and leaving first +the infantry and then most of the troopers behind, and riding on +almost alone, succeeded in crossing the bend and gained the levee +at the head of the old channel known as Fausse River, about three +miles above Port Hudson. There he had a good view of the river, +yet nothing was to be seen of the _Hartford_ and _Albatross_. +Again, on the 24th, Dudley sent Magen with his troop to Hermitage +Landing. Pushing on with a few men, Magen got a full view of the +reach above Waterloo for five miles, but he too learned nothing of +the fleet. Farragut had in fact gone up the river on the 15th, +after vainly attempting to exchange signals with his ships below +and with the army, and was now near Vicksburg in communication with +Admiral Porter, engaged in concerting plans for the future. Before +getting under way he had caused three guns to be fired from the +_Hartford_. This was the signal agreed upon with Banks, but for +some reason it was either not heard or not reported. + +Just before separating at Baton Rouge, Banks had handed to Farragut +a letter addressed to Grant, to be delivered by the Admiral in the +event of success. This letter, the first direct communication +between the two generals, Grant received on the 20th of March, and +from it derived his first information of the actual state of affairs +in the Department of the Gulf. After stating his position and +force Banks wound up by saying: "Should the Admiral succeed in +his attempt, I shall try to open communication with him on the +other side of the river, and, in that event, trust I shall hear +from you as to your position and movements, and especially as to +your views as to the most efficient mode of co-operation upon the +part of the forces we respectively command." + +With the _Hartford_ and _Albatross_ controlling the reach between +Port Hudson and Vicksburg, as well as the mouth of the Red River +and the head of the Atchafalaya, Banks might now safely disregard +the movements of the Confederate gunboats. Accordingly, while +waiting for Grant's answer, he turned to the execution of his former +plan. + + +CHAPTER IX. +THE TECHE. + +In effect, this plan was to turn Port Hudson by way of the Atchafalaya. +For the original conception, the credit must be given to Weitzel, +who seems indeed to have formed a very similar scheme when he first +occupied La Fourche. However, his force was, at that time, barely +sufficient for the defence of the territory confided to his care. +Not only was there then no particular object in moving beyond the +Atchafalaya, but any advance in that direction would have exposed +his little corps to disaster on account of the great facilities +afforded by the numberless streams for a movement by detachments +of the enemy into his rear. It was largely to prepare for an +advance into Western Louisiana, as well as to defend his occupancy +of La Fourche, that Butler, upon Weitzel's suggestion, had created +the gunboat flotilla. + +Soon after Banks took the command, Weitzel, who had opinions and +the courage to enforce them, laid his ideas before his new chief. +On the 18th of January, disturbed by hearing that Admiral Farragut +meant to take one of the army gunboats, recently transferred to +the navy, away from Berwick Bay, instead of sending more, Weitzel +expressed himself strongly in a despatch to headquarters. + +"With such a naval force in that bay, in co-operation with a suitable +land force, the only true campaign in this section could be made. +Look at the map. Berwick Bay leads into Grand Lake, Grand Lake +into the Atchafalaya, the Atchafalaya into Red River. Boats drawing +not more than four or five feet and in the force I mention [10 or +12], with a proper land force, could clear out the Atchafalaya, +Red River, and Black River. All communications from Vicksburg and +Port Hudson cross this line indicated by me. By taking it in the +manner I propose, Vicksburg and Port Hudson would be a cipher to +the rebels. It would be a campaign that 100,000 men could not so +easily fight, and so successfully. It is an operation to which +the taking of Galveston Island is a cipher and the capture of the +Mobile Bay forts a nonentity." + +With these views Banks was himself in accord, yet not in their +entirety. The pressure of time led him to desire to avoid divergences +into the Teche country. If it were possible, he wished to gain +the Atchafalaya by some route at once speedier and more direct. +While the explorations were in progress to discover such a route, +Weitzel once more took occasion to urge his original plan. On the +15th of February, he wrote to Augur, his division commander: + +"I feel it a duty which I owe you and my country to address you at +this late hour in the night on the present proposed movement on +Butte a la Rose and the Teche country. . . . In all honesty and +candor, I do not believe the present plan to be a proper one. . . . +Sibley's Texas brigade is somewhere in the Opelousas country. . . . +Mouton's main body is in rear of intrenchments on Madame Meade's +plantation, six miles below Centreville. If we defeat these two +commands we form a junction with our forces near Vicksburg. By +pursuing our success to Alexandria, we may capture General Mouton's +force, and with little loss, unless it form a junction with Sibley. +If it forms a junction, we will meet them near Iberia and engage +them in open field, and with a proper force can defeat them. +General Emory's whole division (moved to Brashear City) and my +brigade can do this work. Let the light transportation, now with +General Emory, and all destined for and collected by me be collected +at Brashear City. Let two of the brigades be moved to and landed +at Indian Bend, while the other two are crossed and attack in front. +If Mouton escapes (which I think, if properly conducted, will be +doubtful) we form a junction at Indian Bend. We proceed to attack +and with much superior force, because I do not believe Mouton and +Sibley united will exceed 6,000 men. We can defeat them, pursue +our success to Alexandria and of course get Butte a la Rose; our +gunboats to facilitate its fall, attacking it as they cannot +accompany us farther up than Saint Martinville. I believe this to +be the true and only correct plan of the campaign." + +These views were unquestionably sound; they were such as might have +been expected of an officer of Weitzel's skill and experience and +special knowledge of the theatre of operations. Supported by the +strong current of events, they were now to be carried into effect. + +At the date of this despatch, Emory's division had been for several +weeks near the head of the Bayou Plaquemine, with headquarters at +Indian Village, endeavoring to find or force a waterway to the +Atchafalaya, while Weitzel was holding his brigade in readiness to +co-operate by a simultaneous movement against Taylor on the Teche. +Many attempts were made by Emory to carry out the object confided +to him, yet all proved failures. Bayou Sorrel, Lake Chicot, Grand +River, and the Plaquemine itself, from both ends of the stream, +were thoroughly explored, but only to find the bayous choked with +driftwood impossible to remove, and until removed rendering the +streams impassable. Two of these drifts in Bayou Sorrel were +carefully examined by Captain Henry Cochen, of the 173d New York. +The first he reported to be about a mile in length, "composed of +one mass of logs, roots, big and small trees, etc., jammed tightly +for thirty feet, the whole length of my pole." The second drift, +just beyond, was found nearly as bad, and farther on lay another +even worse. Moreover, a thorough reconnoissance showed the whole +country, between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya above the +Plaquemine, to be impracticable at that season for all arms. After +more than a month of this sort of work, Emory was called across +the river to Baton Rouge to take part in the events narrated in +the last chapter. + +Banks returned to New Orleans on the 24th of March, and the next +day ordered Grover to embark and move down the river to Donaldsonville, +and thence march down the Bayou La Fourche to Thibodeaux. At the +same time Emory was ordered, as soon as Grover's river transports +should be released, to embark his command for Algiers, and thence +move by the railway to Brashear. Meanwhile, on the 18th of March, +Weitzel learned of the presence of the _Queen of the West_ and +_Webb_ in the Atchafalaya, and as this seemed to indicate an +intention to attack him, and the navy had no more light-draught +gunboats to spare for his further security, to avoid having his +hand forced and the game spoiled, he discreetly fell back on the +21st to the railway bridge over Bayou Boeuf, and took up a position +where he was not exposed, as at Brashear, to the risk of being cut +off by any sudden movement of the enemy. + +On the 28th of March the _Diana_ was sent to reconnoitre the +Confederate position and strength on the lower Teche; but continuing +on down the Atchafalaya, instead of returning by Grand Lake as +intended, and thus running into the arms of the enemy, she fell an +easy prey. The _Calhoun_ went to her relief, but ran aground, +and the _Estrella_ had to go to the assistance of the _Calhoun_. +Acting-Master James L. Peterson, commanding the _Diana_, was killed, +and Lieutenant Pickering D. Allen, aide-de-camp to General Weitzel, +was wounded. With the _Diana_ there fell into the enemy's hands +nearly one hundred and fifty prisoners. This gave the Confederates +three rather formidable boats in the Atchafalaya and the Teche. + +The movement of the troops was necessarily slow, as well by reason +of the extremely limited facilities for transportation, as because +of the state of the roads, but by the 8th of April every thing was +well advanced, and on that day Banks moved his headquarters to +Brashear. Weitzel, who had been reinforced by the siege-train, +manned by the 1st Indiana heavy artillery, had already re-occupied +his former front on Berwick Bay. Emory was in bivouac at Bayou +Ramos, about five miles in the rear of Weitzel, and Grover at Bayou +Boeuf, about four miles behind Emory. Thus the whole movement was +almost completely masked from the Confederates, who from their side +of the bay saw only Weitzel, and knew little or nothing of the +gathering forces in his rear. So little, indeed, that Taylor, with +his usual enterprise, seems to have thought this a favorable moment +for attempting upon Weitzel the same operation that Weitzel had +been so long meditating for the discomfiture of Taylor. + +Emory marched early in the morning of the 9th of April and closed +up on Weitzel, who, an hour later, about ten o'clock, began to +cross. No enemy was seen save a small outpost, engaged in observing +the movement. This detachment retired before Weitzel's advance, +without coming to blows. Weitzel at once sent his Assistant +Adjutant-General, Captain John B. Hubbard, with Perkins's and +Williamson's troops of cavalry and one section of Bainbridge's +battery to discover the enemy's position. The Confederates were +found to be in some force in front of Pattersonville, with their +cavalry pickets advanced to within a mile of Weitzel's front. + +As soon as Weitzel had completed his crossing, and released the +boats, Emory followed him. The four brigades bivouacked in front +of the landing-place that night. The gunboats, having done the +greater share of the ferriage, went back to the east bank for +Grover. + +Grover, who had marched from Bayou Boeuf at nine o'clock, just as +Emory was arriving at Brashear, came there, in his turn, early in +the afternoon. The plan had been that Grover should embark +immediately, and, having his whole force on board by an early hour +in the night, the boats should set out at daylight, so as to place +Grover by nine o'clock on the morning of the 11th in position for +the work cut out for him. With few pilots, and the shores unlighted, +it was out of the question to attempt the navigation of the waters +of the Grand Lake during the night. However, it was not until the +night of the 11th that Grover was able to complete the embarkation +of his division. To understand this it is necessary to observe +that Emory and Weitzel, in making the passage of Berwick Bay, were +merely crossing a short ferry, so that the boats engaged in the +transfer could be loaded rapidly to almost any extent, so long as +they remained afloat, and being unloaded with equal facility, were +in a few minutes ready to repeat the operation. In Grover's case, +however, the infantry, artillery, cavalry, and stores had all to +be taken care of at once, with every provision for fighting a +battle. For this the artillery was considered indispensable, and +it was not without great trouble and long delay that the guns and +horses were got afloat. Fate seemed to be against Grover, for +after all had been accomplished by the greatest exertion on his +part, as well as on the part of his officers and the corps +quartermasters, a fog set in so dense that the pilots were unable +to see their way. This continued until nine o'clock on the morning +of the 12th; then at last the movement began. + +About noon, on the 11th of April, Weitzel, leading the advance of +the main column, moved forward. At once his skirmishers felt the +skirmishers of the enemy, who retired slowly, without attempting +any serious opposition. In the evening, Weitzel rested in line of +battle a short distance above Pattersonville. Emory followed +closely, and went into bivouac on Weitzel's left. The march had +not been begun earlier, and the enemy was not pressed, because it +was desired to keep him amused until Grover should have gained his +rear, and Grover had not yet started. + +After the early morning of Sunday, the 12th of April, had been spent +in light skirmishing and in demonstrations of the cavalry, designed +to observe the enemy, and at the same time to attract and hold his +attention, word came that Grover was under way. Banks knew that +the passing fleet must soon be in plain sight of the Confederates. +Therefore, it was now necessary to move promptly, and to feel the +enemy strongly, yet not too strongly, lest he should abandon his +position too soon and suddenly spoil all. From this moment it is +important to remember that, save in the event of complete success, +no word could come from Grover for nearly two days. The first news +from him was expected to be the sound of his guns in the enemy's +rear. + +At eleven o'clock the bugle again sounded the advance. The whole +line moved forward, continually skirmishing, until, about four +o'clock in the afternoon, the infantry came under fire of the +Confederate guns in position on the lines known as Camp Bisland. +The line of march led up the right bank of the Atchafalaya until +the mouth of the Teche was reached, thence up the Teche, partly +astride the stream, yet mainly by the right bank. At first Weitzel +formed on the right, Emory on the left, but as the great bend of +the Teche was reached, about four miles below Bisland, and by the +nature of the ground the front became narrowed at the same time +that in following the change of direction of the bayou the line +was brought to a wheel, Weitzel took ground to the left in two +lines, while Emory advanced Paine's brigade into the front line on +Weitzel's right, placed Ingraham in his second line, and made a +third line with Godfrey. + +Then finding the enemy beyond the Teche too strong for the cavalry +to manage single-handed, Banks called on Emory to reinforce the +right bank. Emory sent Bryan across with the 175th New York and +a section of the 1st Maine battery, commanded by Lieutenant Eben +D. Haley. They were to push the enemy back, and to conform to the +advance of the main line. + +The day was hot, the air close, and the march over the fields of +young cane, across or aslant the heavy furrows and into and over +the deep ditches, was trying to the men, as yet but little accustomed +to marches. Fortunately, however, there was no need of pressing +the advance until Grover's guns should be heard. About half-past +five in the afternoon a brisk artillery fire began, and was kept +up until night fell; then Emory moved the 4th Wisconsin forward to +hold a grove in front of a sugar-house, near the bayou, well in +advance of his right, in order to prevent the Confederates from +occupying it, to the annoyance of the whole line. + +After dark all the pickets were thrown well forward in touch with +those of the enemy, but the main lines were drawn back out of range, +for the sake of a good night's sleep before a hard day's work. + + +CHAPTER X. +BISLAND. + +The works behind which the Confederates now stood to battle were +named Camp Bisland or Fort Bisland, in honor of the planter whose +fields were thus given over to war. The defences consisted of +little more than a line of simple breastworks, of rather low relief, +thrown completely across the neck of dry land on either bank of +the Teche, the flanks resting securely on the swamps that border +Grand Lake on the left and on the right extend to the Gulf. The +position was well chosen, for five miles below Centreville, where +the plantation of Mrs. Meade adjoins the Bethel Place, the neck is +at its narrowest. The Teche, passing a little to the left of the +centre of the works, enabled the guns of the _Diana_, moving freely +around the bends, to contribute to the defence, while the obstructions +placed below the works hindered the ascent of the bayou by the +Union gunboats. The Confederate right was also somewhat strengthened +by the embankment of the unfinished railroad to Opelousas. On the +other hand, from the nature of the ground, low and flat as it was, +the works were in part rather commanded than commanding; yet the +difference of level was inconsiderable, and for a force as small +as Taylor's, outnumbered as his was, any slight disadvantage in +this way was more than compensated by the shortness of the line. + +Along the banks of the bayou were a few live oaks; on either flank +the swamp was densely wooded, mainly with cypress, cottonwood, and +willow, with an outlying and almost impenetrable canebrake, while +between the attacking columns and the Confederate position, on +either bank of the bayou, stretched a field where the young shoots +of the sugar-cane stood knee-high. This was crossed at right angles +with the bayou, by many of those wide and deep ditches by which +the planters of Louisiana are accustomed to drain their tilled +lowlands. + +Such was the scene of the action now about to be fought, known to +the Union army as the battle of Bisland or Fort Bisland; to the +Confederates, as the battle of Bethel Place or Bayou Teche. + +During the whole of the night of the 12th a dense fog prevailed, +but this lifting about eight o'clock on the morning of Monday, the +13th of April, disclosed a day as bright and beautiful as the scene +was fair. At an early hour the whole line advanced to within short +musketry range, in substantially the same order as on the previous +day. An attack by a detachment of Confederate cavalry upon the +skirmishers of the 4th Wisconsin, in advance of the sugar-house, +was easily thrown off, and a later demonstration by the Confederate +infantry upon Paine's position in the grove shared the same fortune. +Emory moved first the 8th New Hampshire, and afterwards the 133d +and 173d New York, to the support of the 4th Wisconsin. At the +same time Banks ordered Emory to send the other four regiments of +Gooding's brigade and the two remaining sections of the 1st Maine +battery to reinforce Bryan with the 175th New York on the left bank +of the Teche, in order to be prepared, not only to meet a flank +movement of the Confederates from that direction, but also to carry +to works on that side, should this be thought best. After these +dispositions had been completed the advance was steady and continuous, +yet not rapid, until toward noon the last of the Confederates +retired behind their breastworks and opened fire with musketry. +The ditches already spoken of hindered the progress of the Union +artillery, yet not seriously, while they afforded an excellent +protection for the supports of the batteries and enabled the lines +of infantry to rest at intervals: no small gain, for the sun grew +very hot, and the march over the heavy windrows and across the deep +ditches was exhausting. + +The Confederate gunboat _Diana_ took position well in front of the +works, so as to command completely the right flank of Emory and +Weitzel as they approached by a fire that, had it not been checked, +must have enfiladed the whole line. Just as this fire was beginning +to be disturbing it was silenced by a fortunate shot from one of +the two 30-pounder Parrott guns, served by the 1st Indiana, posted +in rear of Weitzel's left and trained upon the _Diana_, under the +personal supervision of Arnold. The third shot from this battery, +aimed at the flash of the _Diana_'s guns, exploded in her engine +room; then above the trees, whose leafage full and low hid the +vessel, was seen a flash like a puff of vapor; a rousing cheer was +heard from the sharpshooters of the 4th Wisconsin and 8th New +Hampshire, who had been told off to keep down the fire of the +gunboat; and the _Diana_ was seen to pass up the bayou and out of +the fight. + +All risk of an enfilade file being thus removed, the whole Union +line quickly closed with the Confederates, and the engagement became +general with artillery and musketry. On both sides of the bayou +the firing was brisk, at times even severe. Save where the view +was broken here and there by the trees or became lightly clouded +by the smoke of battle, the whole field lay in plain sight. As +the course of the Teche in ascending turned toward the left, Gooding, +on the east bank, had the wheeling flank, while Weitzel formed the +pivot. + +Gooding went forward in gallant style, his men quickening their +pace at times to a run, in order to keep the alignment with the +main body on the west bank. Perceiving on his extreme right, toward +the lake, a fine grove or copse, Gooding threw out Sharpe with the +156th New York to examine the wood with a view of attempting to +turn the left flank of the Confederate lines. These, as it proved, +did not extend beyond the grove, but there ended in an unfinished +redoubt. Indeed, nearly the whole of the Confederate works on the +east side of the bayou, although laid out long since, had been but +recently and hastily thrown up, after it became known to Taylor +that Banks was crossing to attack him. In the wood, about five +hundred yards in advance of the breastworks, Mouton had posted +Bagby's 3d Texas regiment. The Texans held their ground so stiffly +that Gooding found it necessary to send his own regiment, the 31st +Massachusetts, to the support of Sharpe. Mouton supported Bagby +with the left wing of the 18th Louisiana and part of Fournet's and +Waller's battalions. Gooding's men carried the rifle-pits in the +wood by a spirited charge, in which they took two officers and +eighty-four men prisoners. His main line in the open ground between +the wood and the bayou was formed by the 38th Massachusetts, deployed +as skirmishers, covering the front and followed, at a distance of +about one hundred and fifty yards, by the 53d Massachusetts, in +like order. Behind the 53d, two sections of the 1st Maine battery +were posted to command two parallel plantation roads leading up +the bayou, while the third section was held in reserve. After the +31st Massachusetts had gone to the support of the right, the main +line here was composed of the 175th New York. Shortly after five +o'clock the 53d Massachusetts relieved the 38th, which had expended +its ammunition, and was falling back under orders to replenish. +When this was done, the 38th once more advanced and formed in +support of the skirmish line. + +Meanwhile on the left of the Teche the main body moved forward in +two lines of battalions deployed, Paine on the right and Weitzel +on the left, while Ingraham, in column of companies, formed the +reserve for both. Paine's first line on the right, nearest the +bayou, was composed of the 4th Wisconsin and 8th New Hampshire, +his second line of the 133d New York and the 173d New York. Mack's +20-pounders commanded the bayou road, and Duryea went into battery +in advance of the centre, between Paine and Weitzel. + +Weitzel's front line was composed of the 8th Vermont and 114th New +York, with the 12th Connecticut, 160th New York, and 75th New York +in the second line. The guns of Bainbridge and Carruth went into +battery near the left flank, and working slowly kept down the fire +of the Confederate artillery in their front. When the fire of +musketry became hot, Weitzel sent the 75th New York to try to gain +the canebrake on the left, in advance of the enemy's works, with +a view of turning that flank. Of this movement Taylor says in his +report that it was twice repulsed by the 5th Texas and Waller's +battalion, under Green, and the 28th Louisiana, Colonel Gray, aided +by the guns of Semmes's battery and the Valverde battery. However, +the counter-movement on the part of the Confederates, being begun +in plain view, was instantly seen, and Banks sent word to Weitzel +to check it. With this object, Weitzel ordered the 114th New York +to go to the support of the 75th. A brisk fight followed, without +material advantage to either side. In truth, the canebrake formed +an impenetrable obstacle to the combatants, who, when once they +had passed within the outer edge of the tangle, were unable either +to see or approach one another, although the struggle was plainly +visible from the front of both armies. + +The reserve of Parrott guns, manned by the 1st Indiana and composed +of four 30-pounders and four 20-pounders, was posted under McMillan +to cover the left flank and the broken centre where it was pierced +by the bayou, as well as to watch for the return of the _Diana_ to +activity. Toward evening the remaining guns of the 1st Indiana, +two 12-pounder rifles under Cox, after being posted in support of +the centre, were sent to the left to assist Bainbridge and Carruth, +whose ammunition was giving out. + +Banks, after gaining advanced positions in contact with the enemy, +forbore to press them hard because, as has been seen, his whole +purpose was to hold the Confederates where they stood until he +could hear of Grover or from Grover. As the day advanced without +news or the long-expected sound of Grover's guns, Banks began to +grow impatient and to fear that the adventure from which so much +had been hoped had somehow miscarried. He therefore became even +more anxious than before lest the Confederates should move off +under cover of the coming night. Accordingly, during the afternoon, +although it had been his previous purpose not to deliver an assault +until certain that Grover held the Confederate line of retreat, +Banks gave discretionary orders to Emory and Weitzel to form for +an attack and move upon the Confederate works if a favorable +opportunity should present itself. The exercise of this discretion +in turn devolved upon the commanders of the front line, that is, +upon Weitzel and Paine, for Gooding, being out of communication, +except by signal, with the troops on the west bank, was occupied +in conforming to their movements. Paine and Weitzel, after +conferring, resolved to attack, and having made every preparation, +only waited for the word from the commanding general. + +The day was waning; it was already past four o'clock; and Banks +was still somewhat anxiously weighing the approach of night and +the cost of the assault against the chance of news from Grover, +when suddenly, straight up the bayou, and high above the heads of +Banks and his men, a 9-inch shell came hurtling, and as it was seen +to burst over the lines of Bisland, from far in the rear broke the +deep roar of the _Clifton_'s bow-gun. Soon from below the obstructions +that barred her progress came a messenger bearing the long-expected +tidings of Grover. At last he was on land and in march toward his +position. With a sense of relief Banks recalled the orders for +the assault and drew his front line back out of fire of the +Confederate musketry so that the men might rest. To relieve the +exhausted skirmish line, the 4th Massachusetts and the 162d New +York of Ingraham's brigade were sent forward from the reserve, +leaving him only the 110th New York. + +By dawn the next morning, at all events, Banks calculated, the +turning column would be in place; accordingly during the night he +gave orders to assault along the whole front as soon as it should +be light enough to see. + +However, shortly after midnight, sounds were heard on the picket +line, indicating some unusual movement behind the Confederate works. +When, at daybreak, the various skirmishers moved forward in eager +rivalry, they found the Confederates gone. Captain Allaire, leading +his company of the 133d New York, was the first to enter the works; +the regiment itself and the 8th New Hampshire followed closely, +and the colors of the 8th were the first to mount the parapet, +where they were planted by Paine. On the left bank, this honor +fell to the 53d Massachusetts. But in truth the surge was so nearly +simultaneous that the whole line of entrenchments on both sides of +the bayou, from right to left, was crossed almost at the same +instant. + +It was nine o'clock on Monday night when Taylor learned of Grover's +movements and position, as narrated in the next chapter. Taylor +at once began to move out of the lines of Bisland and to direct +his attention to Grover in order to secure a retreat. Just before +daylight Green, to whom, with his 5th Texas, Waller's battalion, +and West's section of Semmes's battery, Taylor had given the more +than usually delicate task of covering the rear, marched off the +ground, leaving nothing behind save one 24-pounder siege gun and +a disabled howitzer of Cornay's battery. + +Without losing an instant the pursuit of the retreating Confederates +was begun, Weitzel leading the way, and was conducted with vigor +and with scarcely a halt, notwithstanding the energetic opposition +of the Confederate rear-guard, until early in the afternoon, just +beyond Franklin, Emory's advance guard, under Paine, following the +bayou road, ran into Grover's under Dwight, approaching from the +opposite direction. Weitzel, having entered Franklin without +opposition, kept the left-hand or cut-off road until he came to +the burnt bridge over the Choupique, by which, as will presently +be seen, the Confederates had escaped. + +Gooding, after occupying the works in his front, crossed the Teche +by a bridge to the west bank and fell into Emory's column behind +Ingraham. The _Clifton_, as soon as the obstructions could be +removed, got under way and moved up the bayou abreast with the +advance of the army. + +The losses of the Nineteenth Army Corps in this its first battle +were 3 officers and 37 men killed, 8 officers and 176 men wounded; +in all 224. The 38th Massachusetts headed the list with 6 killed +and 29 wounded, and Gooding's brigade, to which this regiment +belonged, reported 87 casualties, or 38 per cent. of the whole. +In the six light batteries 15 horses were killed and 12 wounded, +and one caisson of the 1st Maine was upset and lost in crossing +the Teche to go into action. + +The losses of the Confederates have never been reported and no +means are known to exist for estimating them. + +The disparity of the forces engaged was more than enough to overcome +the Confederate advantage of position, for Banks had 10,000 men +with 38 guns, while Taylor reports but 4,000 men with four batteries, +estimated at 24 or 25 guns. To these must be added the _Diana_, +until disabled on Monday morning, and to the Union strength the +_Clifton_, after she arrived and opened fire at long range on Monday +afternoon. + +At Bisland the new headquarters flags were for the first time +carried under fire. These distinguishing colors, as prescribed in +General Orders on the 18th of February, were guidons four feet +square attached to a lance twelve feet long, made for convenience +in two joints. In camp or garrison they served to indicate the +quarters of the general commanding the corps, division, or brigade, +while on the march they were borne near his person by a mounted +orderly, commonly a trusty sergeant. The flag of the Nineteenth +Army Corps was blue with a white four-pointed star in the middle, +and on the star the figures 19 in red. From this the division +flags differed only in having a red ground and the number of the +division in black. The brigade flags had blue, white, and blue +horizontal stripes of equal width, with the number of the brigade +in black in the white stripe. Thenceforward these colors were +borne through every engagement in which the corps took part. Not +one of them was ever abandoned by its bearer or taken by the enemy. + + +CHAPTER XI. +IRISH BEND. + +Grover's instructions were to gain a landing on the shore of Grand +Lake, and then marching on Franklin, to cut off Taylor's retreat +or to attack him in the rear, as circumstances might suggest. + +We have seen how, instead of being ready to move from Berwick Bay +on the morning of the 10th of April, Grover found his departure +delayed by the various causes already mentioned until the morning +of the 12th was well advanced. + +The flotilla, under Lieutenant-Commander Cooke, composed of the +flag-ships _Estrella, Arizona, Clifton_, and _Calhoun_, having +completed the ferriage of Emory and Weitzel over Berwick Bay, was +now occupied in assisting the army transports to convey Grover to +his destination, besides standing ready to protect his movement +and his landing with its guns. + +About noon, when off Cypress Island, the _Arizona_ ran hard and +fast aground, and four precious hours were lost in a vain attempt +to get her afloat. If, in the light of after events, this may seem +like time wasted, it should always be remembered that all four of +the gunboats were crowded with troops, while an attack from the +_Queen of the West_ and her consorts was to be looked for at any +moment. Finally, rather than to put the adventure in peril by a +longer delay, Cooke determined to leave the _Arizona_ to take care +of herself, and once more steaming ahead, at half-past seven o'clock, +the gunboats and transports came to anchor below Miller's Point, +off Madame Porter's plantation. At this place, known as Oak Lawn, +Grover in the orders under which he was acting had been told he +might expect to find a good shell road leading straight to the +Teche, and crossing the bayou about the middle of the bow called +Irish Bend. Grover at once sent Fiske with two companies of the +1st Louisiana ashore in the _Clifton_'s boats to reconnoitre. It +was midnight when, after carefully examining the ground, Fiske +returned to the gunboat and reported the road under water, and +quite impracticable for all arms. The fleet then got under way, +and proceeding about six miles farther up the lake, anchored beyond +Magee's Point. + +Before daylight Dwight sent two of his staff officers, Captain +Denslow and Lieutenant Matthews, ashore, with a small detachment +from the 6th New York, to examine the plantation road leading from +this point to the Teche. The road being found practicable for all +arms, the debarkation began at daybreak. + +Dwight landed first. As soon as his leading regiment, the 1st +Louisiana, reached the shore, Holcomb threw forward two companies, +under Lieutenant-Colonel Fiske, as skirmishers, and formed the +battalion in line to cover the landing. + +Taylor, when he first learned that the gunboats and transports had +passed up Grand Lake, had sent Vincent, with the 2d Louisiana +cavalry and a section of Cornay's battery, to Verdun landing, about +four miles behind Camp Bisland, to observe and oppose the movement. +This was about noon on Sunday, the 12th. In the evening, hearing +of the progress of the fleet, Taylor sent a second section of +Cornay's battery to the lake, and going himself to Vincent ordered +him to follow the movement and try to prevent a landing. The next +morning Taylor sent Reily with the 4th Texas, to join Vincent and +aid him in retarding Grover's progress. + +Taylor seems to have censured Vincent for letting Grover land, yet +in truth Vincent was not to blame. The line he had to watch was +too long for his numbers, and the Union flotilla could and did move +more rapidly on the lake than the Confederate troops by the roads. +When he had stationed his pickets at the probable landing-places, +and taken up a central position to support them, he had done all +that lay in his power. The range and weight of the 9-inch shells +of the navy were alone enough to put a serious opposition to the +landing out of the question, but as soon as Vincent found where +the attempt was to be made, he disposed his men and guns to retard +it. Two of Cornay's guns even tried, ineffectually of course, to +destroy the transports: Cooke quickly drove them off. + +As Holcomb's skirmishers deployed they were met by a brisk fusillade +from Vincent's men strongly posted in ambush behind a high fence +in the thick wood that skirts the shore; but when Holcomb advanced +his battalion Vincent's men fell back on their main body and left +the wood to Holcomb, who immediately moved to the edge of the +clearing and held it, observing the enemy on the farther border. +This was Vincent with his regiment and the four guns of Corney; +and from this moment all that was happening on the lake shore passed +unseen by the Confederates. + +Meanwhile the landing went on very slowly, for the transports could +not come nearer to the beach than a hundred yards, and, although +the foot-soldiers were able to jump overboard and scramble ashore, +and the horses could also take to the water, it was necessary to +make a bridge of flats for the guns and caissons of the artillery. +Thus it was four o'clock in the afternoon before the whole division +found itself assembled on the plantation of Duncan McWilliams on +the shore of the lake, with the Teche at the upper reach of Irish +Bend four miles to the southward, and Charenton in the hollow of +Indian Bend lying but two miles toward the southwest. There were +roads in either direction, but Irish Bend was the way to Franklin, +and to Franklin Grover was under orders to go. + +About nine o'clock in the morning Dwight had borrowed from Birge +his two leading regiments, the 13th Connecticut and the 159th New +York, to support the 1st Louisiana. Grover also gave Dwight +Closson's battery and Barrett's troop of cavalry. Toward noon, +moving a detachment by his left, Dwight seized the bridge that +crosses the Teche in approaching Madame Porter's plantation from +the northward, just in time to extinguish the flames that Vincent's +men had lighted to destroy it. After seizing the bridge at Oak +Lawn, Barrett galloped down the left bank of the Teche and seized +the bridge a mile or two below, by which the same small plantation +is reached from the eastward; probably by the shell road that Grover +had been told to take, and at which he had tried to land. Barrett +was in time to save the bridge from Vincent, and to hold the +advantage thus gained Dwight soon sent Holcomb with the 1st Louisiana, +131st New York, 6th New York, 22d Maine, and Closson's battery. + +Meanwhile, the division being entirely without wagons, save a few +that were loaded with the reserve ammunition, still another wait +took place while the men's haversacks were being filled with hard +bread and coffee. All these delays were now having their effect +upon Grover's own calculations. He now knew nothing of Banks's +movements or his situation. Of his own movements he was bound to +suppose that Taylor had received early and full information. +Moreover, the topography of the country where Grover found himself +was obscure and to him unknown. Instead, therefore, of marching +forward as fast as his troops could land, boldly and at all hazards +to seize the roads by which Taylor must retreat, Grover now took +counsel with prudence and concealing his force behind the natural +screen of the wood, waited till his whole division should be fully +ready. + +Thus it was six o'clock and the sun stood low among the tree-tops +when Grover, with Birge and Kimball, took up the line of march for +the Teche. Crossing the upper of the two bridges, he went into +bivouac on the right bank on the plantation of Madame Porter, and +called in Dwight's detachment. Before setting out to rejoin the +division Holcomb burned the lower bridge, under orders, and then +marching up the left bank, crossed the upper bridge at a late hour +of the night. In Grover's front stood Vincent alone, for Reily +had not yet come; but in the darkness it was impossible for Grover +to make out the enemy's force, or even to find his exact position. + +When about nine o'clock that night, as related in the last chapter, +Taylor heard the news from Reily, he supposed Grover to be already +in strong possession of the only road by which the Confederates +could make good their retreat up the Teche; yet desperate as the +situation seemed, Taylor at once made up his mind to try to extricate +himself from the toils. Sending his wagon train ahead, soon after +midnight he silently moved out of the lines of Bisland and marched +rapidly on Franklin, leaving Green to cover the rear and retard +the pursuit. These dispositions made, Taylor himself rode at once +to his reversed front, a mile east of Franklin. With him were +Reily, whom he had picked up on the road below Franklin, Vincent +who with the four guns of Cornay was still watching Grover, and +Clack's Louisiana battalion, which had come in from New Iberia just +in the nick of time. The plantation with the sugar-house, then +belonging to McKerrall, is now known as Shaffer's. The grounds of +Oak Lawn adjoin it toward the east and north, and along its western +boundary stand Nerson's Woods, whence the coming battle takes the +name given to it in the Confederate accounts. Here, beneath the +trees, along their eastern skirt and behind a stout fence, Taylor +formed his line of battle, facing toward the east, and waited for +the coming of Grover. South of the bayou road stood Clack; on his +left, two pieces of Cornay's battery, next Reily, then Vincent with +a second section of Cornay's guns. The task before them was simple +but desperate. They were to hold off Grover until all but they +had safely passed behind the living barrier. Then they were to +extricate themselves as best they could, and falling in the rear +of the main column of the Confederate army try to make good their +own escape. Before this could happen, Grover might overwhelm them +or Banks might overtake them; yet there was no other way. + +As early on the morning of Tuesday the 14th of April as it was +light enough to see, Grover marched on Franklin by the winding +bayou road. Preceded by Barrett and a strong line of skirmishers, +Birge with Rodgers's battery led the column; Dwight with Closson's +battery, followed; while Kimball with Nims's battery brought up +the rear. + +The head of Grover's column had gone about two miles, and in a few +moments more would have turned the sharp corner of the bayou and +faced toward Franklin, when, on the right, near the sugar-house, +Birge's skirmishers ran into those of Clack's battalion, and the +battle of Irish Bend began. + +Between Birge and the concealed Confederate ranks, past which he +was in fact marching, while his line of direction gave his right +flank squarely to the hostile front, lay the broad and open fields +of McKerrall's plantation, where the young sugar-cane stood a foot +high above the deep and wide furrows. From recent ploughing and +still more recent rains the fat soil was soft and heavy under foot, +and here and there the cross-furrows, widening and deepening into +a ditch, added to the toil and difficulty of movement, both for +men and guns. On the left flowed the dark and sluggish Teche. On +the right lay the swamp, thickly overgrown and nearly impassable, +whence the waters of the Choupique begin to ooze toward the Gulf. +Along the southern border of this morass ran a great transverse +ditch that carried off the gathered seepage of the lesser drains. +In front, on the western edge of the cane-field, stood Nerson's +woods, where, as yet unseen, the Confederates lay in wait; while +before them, like a screen, stretched a low fringe of brake and +undergrowth. + +Birge's order of march placed the 25th Connecticut in the advance, +one wing deployed as skirmishers across the road, the other wing +in reserve. Next came the 26th Maine with Bradley's section of +Rodgers's battery, then the 159th New York, then the remainder of +Rodgers's battery, while the 13th Connecticut brought up the rear. +When he saw his skirmishers briskly engaged and by the sound and +smoke discovered the position of the enemy, Birge made the reserved +battalion of the 25th Connecticut change front forward and move +across the field against the Confederate left. Bissell led his +men quickly to within a hundred yards of the wood, where they lay +down under the partial cover of a ditch and began firing. Hubbard, +with the 26th Maine, came up on Bissell's left and took up the same +tactics. At once the enfilade fire of the Confederate line became +vigorous and annoying, until Bradley took his two guns at a gallop +to the skirt of the undergrowth opposite the interval between the +infantry battalions and, opening fire at five hundred yards' range, +engaged for a time the whole attention of the Confederate cannoneers. +Then Grover, who rode with Birge, sent in the 159th New York on +the left of the 26th Maine, with orders to take the wood, while +the 13th Connecticut, marching round the bend of the bayou, formed +on the extreme left between the stream and the road. + +Molineux promptly deployed his regiment, and gallantly led it +forward at the double-quick over and beyond the left of the line +already formed, until the men were within short point-blank range +of the enemy's musketry; there, finding them exhausted by the rapid +advance over the rough and heavy ground, as well as suffering +severely from the bullets of the enemy, he made the men throw off +their blankets and overcoats, lie down, and open a vigorous fire. +Perhaps under the stress of this, but more probably in preparation +for the counter-attack, the Confederates slackened their fire, and +Molineux, perceiving his opportunity, as it seemed, was in the act +of uttering the command "Forward!" when a bullet struck him in the +mouth and he fell, painfully wounded, leaving the command of the +regiment, for the time, to Captain Dayton. Lieutenant-Colonel +Draper had already fallen, and Major Burt was with Grover, serving +on the staff. + +At the word the men sprang to their feet, but before the command +could be carried out, suddenly came the crisis of the battle. +About seven o'clock, Gray had brought up the 28th Louisiana to +Taylor's aid, and with it the news that the rest of the forces from +Bisland were close at hand and all was well with them. Under cover +of the wood, Taylor moved Gray quietly to the left, and perceiving +that his line now overlapped Grover's right, promptly determined +to gain the brief time he still needed for the safe retreat of his +main body by a bold and vigorous attack with the whole force he +had under his hand. The order was obeyed with spirit. Out of the +wood beyond the right, and from the main ditch, well in the rear +of the 159th, the Confederates came charging strongly, and halting, +they poured in a hot volley. Seeing that the situation was critical +Dayton ordered the regiment to retire. Under a severe fire it fell +back quickly, yet in good order, to the road. There it promptly +re-formed on its colors, and Burt rejoining took command. + +In their retreat the New Yorkers swept over the position of the +26th Maine and the 25th Connecticut and carried these already shaken +regiments with them, in some natural disorder; but his lasted hardly +longer than was needed for Dwight to hear and obey the command that +now came back from Grover, to deploy the first brigade and take up +the broken battle. + +Bradley held his ground stoutly to the last moment, and when finally +the choice was narrowed to retreat or capture, he retired in good +order to a fresh position, and there serving his canister with +coolness and deliberation, held off the enemy's advance. At this +point, Rodgers, who with his centre section was in the road on the +left, engaged at 800 and 400 yards with Cornay's right section, +turned his attention to the Confederate infantry on the right, and +crossing with spherical case-shot the canister fire of his Lieutenant, +made good the check. + +Almost at the moment when Taylor's left was thus roughly bearing +down the right of Birge, on his left his own 13th Connecticut, +under Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, enveloped in a grove, was moving +steadily on the Confederate right, where Clack stood and the two +guns of Cornay. Emerging from the grove into an open field that +still lay between them and the enemy in the wood, Warner's men +instantly replied to the volleys of cannon and small-arms that +greeted their appearance and pushed on, firing as they went. More +fortunate than their comrades in the direction and the moment of +their attack, they pressed back Clack, drove off Cornay's guns, +and took two of his caissons, a limber, and a color presented to +his battery by the ladies of Franklin. Nearly 60 prisoners at the +same time fell into their hands. They were still advancing when +Grover's orders recalled them to the restored line of battle of +the brigade. + +As Birge's right retired, Dwight deployed in two lines, the 6th +New York and the 91st New York in front, the 22d Maine, 1st Louisiana, +and 131st New York in support, and advancing against Taylor's left +flank and overlapping it in its turn pushed it back into and beyond +the woods. In this movement Dwight took 70 prisoners. The resistance +he encountered was feeble compared with the vigor with which Birge +had been met and turned back, for in that effort the Confederate +line of battle had practically gained its main object and had now +only to extricate itself and make good its own withdrawal. + +Birge, at the same time that he drew back the 13th Connecticut, +once more moved forward his three other regiments and re-formed +the brigade in two lines on Dwight's left. + +Kimball, whose brigade was in two lines in reserve, brought up the +12th Maine to the support of the 13th Connecticut. + +This done, Grover advanced the whole division through the woods to +the open fields on their farther or western verge, and seeing the +Confederates in force on the knoll beyond, to which they had retired, +halted and began to observe and reconnoitre. + +To cover the right flank of the last Confederate position Semmes +brought up the _Diana_, whose injuries of the day before he had +during the night partly made good by repairs. Her 30-pounder +Parrott now opened a slow fire without great effect other than to +add to Grover's caution. + +Shortly after eight o'clock Mouton rode up. To him Taylor turned +over the command of the force confronting Grover, and then rode +into Franklin to direct the retreat. By half-past nine Green with +the rear-guard moved out on the direct road toward New Iberia. +The last of Green's troopers had not quitted the little town at +the upper end when the first of Weitzel's entered at the lower end. + +Some time passed before Mouton knew of this. Then for a brief +space his peril was great; but fortunately for him the unlooked-for +situation of affairs raised a momentary doubt in the minds of +Green's pursuers. Should they go to the right or to the left? +And where was Grover? After questioning prisoners and townspeople, +Banks directed Weitzel to follow by the cut-off road and Emory to +move up the bayou. The interval, short as it was, enabled Mouton +to fall back quickly, and taking a by-way across country to strike +into the cut-off road beyond the northern outskirts of Franklin. +Not an instant too soon, for in the confusion Sibley had fired the +bridge over the Choupique and across the blazing timbers lay Mouton's +last hope of escape. Hardly had his men reached the north bank in +safety when Weitzel's advance guard came in sight down the road. +They galloped to the bridge only to find it impassable. + +Before retiring the Confederates blew up the _Diana_ and applied +the match to all their transport steamers on the Teche save the +hospital boat, the _Cornie_, which loaded with the sick and wounded +of Bisland fell into the hands of the Union forces. Captain Semmes, +who had but the day before left his battery to command the _Diana_, +was taken prisoner, with all his crew. He and Weitzel had been +friends and classmates at West Point; he now refused the offered +courtesies of his captor, and a few hours later, finding himself +rather loosely guarded, cleverly managed to regain his liberty. + +To return to Grover. The situation of the enemy's force in his +front, the vigorous resistance encountered in his advance, and +lastly, the information gathered from the prisoners he had taken, +had convinced him that he had to deal with Taylor's whole force, +save a small rear-guard, and that Taylor had already succeeded in +passing him, so that it was no longer possible to cut the Confederate +line of retreat. Indeed, Grover seems rather to have thought that +Taylor meant to attack him. It was while careful reconnoissances +were being conducted to develop the true facts that Taylor slipped +away, as we have seen, having thus adroitly extricated himself from +the net spread in his sight. + +About two o'clock, however, as Taylor did not attack, Grover moved +forward, and as he marched down the bayou road soon met Emory coming +up, as related in the last chapter. + +Banks, seeing that the bridge could not be made passable before +morning, and that nothing was to be gained by marching his tired +troops over the long roundabout of the bayou road, went into bivouac +early in the afternoon, covering the northern approaches of Franklin. +Grover occupied his battle-field of the morning, Emory held the +bayou road between Grover and the town, and Weitzel the cut-off +road. + +Taylor crossed the Cypremort and having marched fifteen miles since +quitting Franklin, or twenty-five since midnight, rested near +Jeannerette. + +Grover reported his loss during the 13th, 14th, and 17th as 53 +killed, 270 wounded, and 30 captured or missing; in all 353. In +the battle of Irish Bend, according to the nominal lists as complied +in the Official Records, his loss was 6 officers and 43 men killed, +17 officers and 257 men wounded, and 30 men missing; in all 353; +agreeing with the first statement covering the three days, yet +differing slightly in the details. Of this total Dwight's brigade +lost 3 killed and 9 wounded on the 13th, 1 killed and 5 wounded on +the 17th, and only 2 killed and 13 wounded in the battle. Both +statements seem to leave out the 1st Louisiana, which had 2 men +killed and the lieutenant-colonel and 2 men wounded on the 13th. +In Birge's brigade the loss in the battle, according to Grover's +report, was 46 killed, 236 wounded, 49 missing; in all 312. The +official reports show 16 less in the columns of wounded and in the +total: these are probably the 16 wounded officers accounted for +in the nominal lists. Of the regiments engaged the heaviest loss +fell upon the 159th New York, in which the nominal lists show 4 +officers and 15 men killed, 5 officers and 73 men wounded, and 20 +men captured or missing; in all 117.(1) But this fine regiment +suffered even more severely than these figures indicate, for besides +having to mourn the death of the gallant and promising Draper, +Molineux received a grievous wound that for many weeks deprived +the regiment of one of the best colonels in the service, while of +the wounded officers two were mortally hurt and died soon afterward. +Birge's loss was nearly one man in four or five, for his strength +did not exceed 1,500, and it is probable that his fighting line +numbered not more than 1,200. + +The Confederate loss is not reported. They left on the field, to +be cared for by their adversary, 21 of their dead and 35 of their +wounded. Among these were Gray, Vincent, and Reily. + +Taylor gives the number of his infantry engaged in the charge on +Birge's right as less than 1,000. The disparity of the opposing +forces in that affair was, therefore, not important, and Birge's +somewhat greater numbers may fairly be considered as off-set by +the advantages of Taylor's position and the familiarity with the +country common to nearly all the Confederate soldiers there engaged, +while to their antagonists it was an unknown land. Grover's whole +force was about 5,000, of all arms, but of these, though all are +to be taken into account, nearly a third were in reserve, neither +firing nor under fire, while another third met a resistance so +light that its loss was no more than one per cent. of its numbers +--hardly more than it had suffered in the skirmishes of the day +before. Grover had eighteen pieces of artillery, of which but four +were in action; Taylor also had four guns of which he made good +use, and these, toward the close of the battle, were reinforced by +the five heavy guns of the _Diana_, of which, however, it is probable +that but one, or at most two, could be brought to bear. + +The field of battle was so contracted that Taylor's strength sufficed +to occupy its front, while Grover was hindered or prevented from +deploying a force large enough to outflank and crush his antagonist +at a blow. + +Viewed from a Confederate standpoint, the issue forms an instructive +example of the great results that may be achieved by a right use +of small forces. If, on the other hand, one turns to consider the +lost opportunity of Grover, two things stand out in strong relief: +the one, the positive disadvantage of employing forces, too large +for the affair in hand or for the scene of operations; the other, +that bold adventures must be carried boldly to the end. + +Instead of making the campaign with four brigades and twenty-four +guns, as Weitzel's original plan had contemplated, Banks, for +greater security, set out with seven brigades and fifty-six guns. +So far as concerned the main body ascending the Teche, this excess +of strength could do no harm, but it was otherwise with the turning +column by the lake; for to the needless augmentation of the artillery +were directly due not only the day and night first lost, but also +the still more precious hours of daylight consumed in landing guns +that were not to fire a shot. Two brigades of infantry, with six +guns at most, landing at Indian Bend, and marching directly toward +the Cypremort, and quickly entrenching across both roads at or near +their upper fork, would have been enough to hold the position +against the best efforts of the whole of Taylor's army, with Emory +close on their heels; and thus Taylor must have been lost and the +war in Western Louisiana brought to an end. Consequences many and +far-reaching would have followed. Moreover, when it was determined +to use more than two divisions one of these was naturally Grover's, +and thus it happened that to Grover, who knew nothing of the country, +was assigned the delicate duty first cut out for Weitzel, while +Weitzel, who had studied to the last point every detail of the +topography and of the plan, stayed behind as the third in command +of the column destined to butt its nose against the breastworks of +Bisland and wait for the real work to be done a day's march on +their farther side. + +Grover has been often criticised and much misunderstood for alleged +over-caution and for taking the wrong direction after quitting the +borders of the lake. Both criticisms are unjust. Generals, like +other men, act according to their temperaments. In the whole war +no braver man than Grover ever rode at the head of a division, nor +any more zealous, more alert, more untiring in his duty. No troops +of his ever went into battle but he was with them. But he was by +nature cautious, and the adventure was essentially one that called +for boldness. Moreover, he was by nature conscientious. That his +orders, based as they were on misinformation of a date much later +than Weitzel's intelligence, required him to land at Irish Bend +instead of at Indian Bend, as first arranged, and to march on +Franklin instead of toward the Cypremort, was not his affair. +Surely no soldier is to be blamed, least of all in combined and +complex operations, for choosing to obey the clearly expressed +orders of those set over him, rather than to follow the illusory +inspirations of the will-o'-the-wisp commonly mistaken for genius. + +As for the orders themselves, they were correct upon the information +at hand when they were given and the state of affairs then existing. +To land at Madame Porter's and to seize the roads at Franklin was +better than to go farther afield to gain the same end; for the +distance was less, and while on the march Grover was enabled to +offer his front instead of his flank to the enemy. But the +information proved inexact; when Madame Porter's road was tried it +was found impassable, and with this and the unforeseen delays it +happened that the orders became inapplicable. + +(1) According to the regimental history (MS.), 4 officers and 22 +men killed; 5 officers and 76 men wounded; 11 men missing; in all, +118: of the wounded, 2 officers and 10 men mortally. + + +CHAPTER XII. +OPELOUSAS. + +Cooke, after detaching the _Clifton_ to go up the Teche after the +_Diana_, as already related, remained at anchor in Grand Lake +opposite Grover's landing-place and awaited developments. He had +not long to wait. The first news of Banks's movement across Berwick +Bay had overtaken and recalled Taylor on his way up the Atchafalaya +to bring down the _Queen of the West_ and her consorts, the _Grand +Duke_ and _Mary T_, to join in the intended operations against +Weitzel. Although Taylor at once sent a staff officer to urge +despatch, yet from some cause more than two full days had passed +before, on the afternoon of the 13th, the distant smoke of the +Confederate gun-boats coming down Lake Chicot was seen by the +lookouts of the Union navy in Grand Lake. At daylight the _Queen +of the West_ and the _Mary T_, were seen approaching from Chicot +Pass. Cooke at once got the _Estrella, Calhoun_, and _Arizona_ +under way, opened fire at long range, and forming his boats in a +crescent began to close with the enemy. Soon, however, the _Queen +of the West_ was seen to be in flames, from the explosion of the +Union shells, and, her consort having promptly taken to flight, +Cooke ceased firing and lowered all his boats to save the crew of +the burning vessel from drowning. Captain Fuller, who had formerly +commanded the _Cotton_, was rescued with 90 of his men, but nearly +30 were lost. Then with a loud explosion the eventful career of +the _Queen of the West_ came to an end, leaving her five guns, +however, once more in the hands of the Union navy. This fortunate +stroke gave the mastery of the Atchafalaya into Cooke's hands with +nothing save Butte-a-la-Rose and two feeble gunboats to hinder his +taking possession. + +Once safely across the Cypremort, Taylor's army began to melt away +and his men, as they passed their homes, to fall out without +hindrance. Many were of the simple class called Acadians, with +scant sympathy for either side of the great war into which they +found themselves drawn, and in all the regiments there were many +conscripts. + +On the 15th of April, Taylor marched ten miles to New Iberia. +While there, he had the unfinished ironclad gunboat _Stevens_, +previously known as the _Hart_, floated two miles down the Teche, +destroyed by fire, and the wreck sunk in the channel. + +On the 16th he marched twenty miles, crossed the Vermilion River, +went into camp on high ground on the north bank, and burned the +bridges behind him. + +Early in the morning of the 15th of April, Banks took up the pursuit +with his united force, now outnumbering Taylor's as three to one. +Weitzel led the advance of the main column on the direct road. +Emory followed him, and Grover marching at first on the bayou road +fell in the rear after passing the fork. The army halted for the +night at Jeannerette. + +On the following afternoon Banks entered New Iberia. Here the ways +parted, the right-hand road by Saint Martinville following for +many miles the windings of the Teche, while the left-hand road +leads almost directly to Opelousas, by way of Vermilionville, now +called Lafayette. + +Beyond Indian Bend the lowlands, in many places below and nowhere +much above the level of the adjacent waters, may be said to end +and the plains to begin; and soon after leaving New Iberia and +Saint Martinville the troops found themselves on the broad prairies +of Western Louisiana, where the rich grasses that flourish in the +light soil sustain almost in a wild state vast herds of small yet +fat beeves and of small yet strong horses; where in favored spots +the cotton plant is cultivated to advantage; where the ground, +gently undulating, gradually rises as one travels northward; where +the streams become small rivers that drain the land upon their +borders, instead of merely bayous taking the back waters of the +Mississippi and the Red. Near the right bank of the Teche runs +even a narrow ribbon of bluffs that may be said to form the western +margin of the great swamps of the Atchafalaya. Along the streams +live-oaks, magnolias, pecans, and other trees grow luxuriantly; +but, for the most part, the prairies are open to the horizon, and +at this time, though the gin-houses were full of cotton, the fields +were mainly given over to the raising of corn for the armies and +the people of the Confederacy. + +From New Iberia Banks ordered Grover to send a detachment to destroy +the famous Avery salt-works, on Petit Anse Island, distant about +twelve miles toward the southwest. On the 17th of April, Grover +accordingly dispatched Kimball on this errand, with his 12th Maine, +the 41st Massachusetts, one company of the 24th Connecticut, and +Snow's section of Nims's battery. The extremely rich natural +deposit of rock salt was, at that time, in the hands of the +Confederate government, being, indeed, the main source of supply +of this indispensable article for the whole Confederacy, especially +for the region between the Mississippi and the Atlantic. The works +required for its extraction are, however, very simple, for the +deposit lies close to the surface, and has only to be quarried in +blocks of convenient size. These, always as clear and beautiful +as crystal, have only to be crushed or broken to be ready to use +for common purposes, and when pulverized, however rudely, yield +the finest table salt. Kimball burned all the buildings, destroyed +the engines and implements, with six hundred barrels of salt, and +marched back to New Iberia, and, on the 19th, rejoined Grover on +the Vermilion. The Confederates having drawn off the detachment +and the guns previously posted to guard the works, Kimball met with +no opposition. + +On the 17th of April, Grover, with the main body of his division, +reinforced by Gooding's brigade, temporarily commanded by Colonel +John W. Kimball, of the 53d Massachusetts, continued the pursuit +toward Vermilion, while Banks, with Weitzel and Emory, marched to +Saint Martinville, on the Teche. + +Early in the afternoon Grover caught sight of Green's rear-guard +of Taylor's retreating forces, then about two miles distant, and +in the act of crossing the Vermilion. Before Grover could overtake +them, the bridges were in flames. Dwight's skirmishers deployed +on the right and left of the road, and, with the help of the guns +of Closson and Nims, drove off the enemy, posted to hinder or +prevent the work of reconstruction. In this affair Dwight lost +one killed and five wounded. The next day, the 18th of April, was +spent by Grover in rebuilding the main bridge. + +Then began to be felt the need of such a force of mounted troops +as on these plains formed the main strength of Taylor's little +army, and the source of its safety; for Banks's cavalry, taken as +a whole, with some splendid exceptions, was at this time greatly +inferior, not only in numbers but in fitness for the work at hand, +to the rough riders led by the restless and indomitable Green. A +few more horsemen, under leaders like Barrett, Williamson, and +Perkins, would have saved the bridge and insured the dispersion or +the destruction of Taylor's force. + +Weitzel, who, as far as Saint Martinville, had led the advance of +the main column, followed by Emory with Paine and Ingraham, there +took the road to the left and halted on the evening of the 17th of +April at Cote Gelee, four miles in the rear of Grover. The next +morning Weitzel moved up to Grover's support, while Banks, with +Emory, rested at Cote Gelee to await the rebuilding of the bridge. + +From St. Martinville, Emory sent the 173d New York, under Major +Gallway, with Norris's section of Duryea's battery, to follow the +Teche road to Breaux Bridge and endeavor to capture the bayou +steamboats, five in number, that were still left to the Confederates. +Five miles below the village of that name, Gallway met a small +Confederate picket, and pushing it aside, soon afterward found the +bridge over the bayou in flames. On the morning of the 18th he +learned that four of the boats had been burned by the Confederates, +and about the same time his farther advance was stopped by orders +from Banks, despatched as soon as it was known that Grover had been +brought to a stand. A courier from headquarters having lost his +way in the night of the 18th, on the following morning Gallway +found himself in the air without any apparent object. He accordingly +marched along the banks of the Teche and the Bayou Fusilier, and +taking the road to Opelousas, there rejoined Paine on the 1st. + +On the 19th of April the army crossed the Vermilion and the Carencro, +and marched unopposed sixteen miles over the prairie to Grand +Coteau. Gooding's brigade rejoined Emory during the day. + +On the 20th the march was continued about eight miles to Opelousas. +Just outside the town the Corps went into bivouac, after throwing +forward all the cavalry, the 13th Connecticut, and a section of +Rodgers's battery, to Washington, on the Courtableau. + +On the same day, after a brief engagement, Cooke, with the gunboats +_Estrella, Arizona_, and _Calhoun_, and a detachment of four +companies of the 16th New Hampshire from Brashear, captured Fort +Burton at Butte-a-la-Rose, with its garrison of 60 men of the +Crescent regiment and its armament of two 32-pounders; thus at last +gaining the complete control of the Atchafalaya, and at the same +time opening communication with Banks by way of Port Barre or +Barre's Landing on the Courtableau, distant about nine miles +northeasterly from Opelousas. Then Cooke steamed up the Atchafalaya +to make his report to Farragut, lying in the Mississippi off the +mouth of the Red River, and to seek fresh orders. + +At the outset of the campaign the 16th New Hampshire had been +detached from Ingraham's brigade of Emory and left at Brashear to +guard the main depots and the surplus baggage. After the battle +of Bisland, the 4th Massachusetts was turned back to Brashear to +relieve the 16th New Hampshire. This regiment having assisted in +the capture of Butte-a-la-Rose, now formed the garrison of that +desolate and deadly hummock. + +While at Opelousas the army could draw its supplies from Brashear +by the Atchafalaya and the Courtableau, but so long as the direction +of the future operations remained uncertain, it was necessary to +keep a firm hold of the communications by the Teche. Accordingly, +the 175th New York took post at Franklin and the 22d Maine at New +Iberia. + +On the 22d of April the 162d New York, under Blanchard, with a +section of the 1st Maine battery and one troop of the 2d Rhode +Island cavalry, marched to Barre's Landing, seized the position, +and captured the little steamboat _Ellen_, the last of the Teche +fleet. + +On the 23d of April the little _Cornie_ arrived at Barre's Landing +from the depot at Brashear, and the next day the first wagon-train +came into camp laden with the supplies now sadly needed. At sight +of the white-covered wagons winding over the plain, the men gave +way to those demonstrations of delight so familiar to all who have +ever seen soldiers rejoice. For fifteen days they had been subsisting +upon an uncertain issue of hard bread, coffee, and salt, eked out +by levies, more or less irregular, upon the countryside. They were +sick of chickens and cornbread, and fairly loathed the very sight, +to say nothing of the smell, of fresh-killed beef; tough at best, +even in the heart of the tenderloin, the flesh had to be eaten with +the odor and the warmth of the blood still in it, under penalty of +finding it fly-blown before the next meal. Thus it was that, as +Paine relates in his Diary, the men now "howled for salt pork and +hard tack." + +Although the army had now a double line of communication with its base, +yet the long haul from New Iberia and the scarcity of light-draught +steamboats adapted to the navigation of the narrow and tortuous bayous +made the task of supplying even the urgent wants of the troops +both tedious and difficult. The herds near Opelousas were fast +disappearing under the ravages of the foragers, authorized and +unauthorized, yet had it not been for the beef obtained from +this source and for the abundant grass of the prairie men and horses +must soon have suffered greatly. + +On the 24th of April, Banks reviewed his army in the open plain, +near Opelousas. The troops, not as yet inured to the long and hard +marches, were indeed greatly diminished in numbers by the unaccustomed +toil and exposure, as well as by the casualties of battle and the +enervating effects of the climate, yet they presented a fine +appearance, and were in the best of spirits. + +On learning of Cooke's success at Butte-a-la-Rose, Banks detached +Dwight, posted him at Washington in observation, and placed Grover +with his remaining brigades at Barre's Landing, to secure the +depots, while Emory and Weitzel covered Opelousas. + +Having by burning the Vermilion bridge gained a day's rest for his +tired soldiers, Taylor resumed the retreat at noon on the 17th of +April, and passing through Opelousas and Washington on the 18th +and 19th, on the following day found himself with all his trains +behind the Cocodrie and the Boeuf. On the 20th he sent Mouton, +with all the cavalry except Waller's battalion, westward over the +prairie toward Niblett's Bluff, on the Sabine. Then, with Waller +and the frayed remnant of the infantry, day by day wearing away at +the edges, Taylor continued his retreat toward Alexandria, halting +with what may be called his main body at Lecompte. To hinder the +pursuit he burned the bridges over the Bayou Cocodrie and the Bayou +Boeuf. + +Opelousas, miles away from every thing, in the heart of a vast +prairie, presented in itself no object for an invading army. Even +the temptation of a good position was wanting. + +Banks meant merely to halt there a day or two for rest, and then, +if it should be found practicable to obtain the necessary supplies, +to push on rapidly to Alexandria, and dispose for the season of +Taylor's disordered fragments. Whether this could have been done +will never be known, for although the army had now far outmarched +its supplies, and even from its secondary base at Brashear was +separated by nearly a hundred miles, and although the campaign had +so far been made upon less than half the regular rations for men +and animals, supplemented from farm, sugar-house, and prairie, the +country on the line of march was no longer to be counted on for +any thing save sugar in plenty and a little corn; nevertheless, it +might have been possible, by great exertions, to replenish the +trains and depots, as well as to fill up the haversacks. Moreover, +a three days' march would find the army on the banks of Red River, +with a new and ample source of supply open to them, and within easy +reach of Grant, provided only the navy might be counted upon to +control the waters of that stream and its larger tributaries. Of +this Banks had no doubt whatever. To open communication with Grant +and to dispose of Taylor had been the chief ends that Banks had +proposed to himself in setting out on the campaign. These ends he +now held almost in his hand. But on the 21st of April an event +occurred that, slight as was its apparent importance, was destined, +in the train of consequences, vitally to affect the operations of +the Army of the Gulf. + +This was the arrival at headquarters of Lieutenant Joseph T. Tenney, +one of Dudley's aides-de-camp, who had been sent by Augur to find +Banks, wherever he might be. With him Tenney brought important +despatches from Grant and Farragut. What the contents were and +what came of them will be related in the next chapter. + +From Opelousas Bean, with the 4th Wisconsin, a section of Duryea's +battery, and a squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, went a +day's march toward the southwest, to the crossing of the Plaquemine +Brule, and discovered that Mouton was retreating beyond the Mermentau. +From Washington, Dwight moved out twenty miles along the Bayou +Boeuf to Satcham's plantation without finding the enemy in force. +After learning these things, on the 25th of April, Banks turned +over the command of the forces to Emory and went to New Orleans to +give his attention to affairs of urgency, chiefly affecting the +civil administration of the department. He returned to headquarters +in the field on the evening of the 1st of May. + +Meanwhile Emory sent Paine, who, when crossing the Carencro, had +seen the last of the Confederates disappearing in the distance, +with his brigade and a section of Duryea's battery far out on the +Plaquemine Brule road, in order to find and disperse some cavalry, +vaguely reported to be moving about somewhere in that quarter, a +constant menace to the long trains from New Iberia. In fact Mouton, +with the Texans, was now on the prairie, beyond the Calcasieu eighty +miles away, in good position to retreat to Texas or to hang on the +flank and rear of the Union army, as circumstances might suggest. +On the 26th of April Paine marched sixteen miles to the Plaquemine +Brule, and on the following day sent four companies on horseback +twenty miles farther toward the southwest across Bayou Queue de +Tortue, and another detachment to Bayou Mallet to reconnoitre. +Seeing nothing of the enemy, on the 28th Paine rejoined his division +and resumed the command of it at Opelousas. Some time before this +orders had been given to mount the 4th Wisconsin, and when the army +finally marched from Opelousas this capital regiment made its +appearance in the new role of mounted infantry. To say nothing of +the equipments, a wide divergence in the size, color, and quality +of the horses, hastily gathered from the four quarters of the +prairie, gave to these improvised dragoons rather a ludicrous +appearance it must be confessed; yet marching afoot or standing to +horse, the 4th Wisconsin was always ready and equal to the work +cut out for it. + +From his advanced camp, on Shields's plantation, twenty-three miles +beyond Washington and twenty-nine from Opelousas, Dwight fell back +on the 28th of April to his bivouac at Washington and waited for +the movement of the army to begin. + +In preparation for this, on the evening of the 1st of May, Bean, +with the 4th Wisconsin, mounted, was sent forward to join the main +body of the cavalry, under Major Robinson, in front of Washington. +That night Dwight, with the cavalry, his own brigade, and a section +of Nims's battery, marched out some distance to discover the position +of the Confederate outposts. These, in the interval that elapsed, +had been advanced to the junction of the Cocodrie and the Boeuf. +After driving them in Dwight returned the next morning to +Washington. + +The advance of the column from Franklin to Opelousas had been +disfigured by the twin evils of straggling and marauding. Before +the campaign opened, Banks had taken the precaution to issue +stringent orders against pillage, yet no means adequate to the +enforcement of these orders were provided, and the marches were so +long and rapid, the heat at times so intense, and the dust so +intolerable, that comparatively few of the men were able to keep +up with the head of the column. This contributed greatly to disorder +of the more serious kind. One regiment, neither the best nor the +worst, halting at the end of a particularly hard day's march, found +itself with scarcely fifty men in the ranks. Then, too, the men +were on short rations, in what they considered the enemy's country; +the whole region was sparsely populated; and the residents had, +for the most part, fled from their homes at the news of the approach +of the Union army. + +With these disorders there sprang up a third, less prevalent indeed, +but to the last degree annoying and not without its share of danger, +for when the straggler chanced to find himself in easy range of +any thing, from a steer to a chicken, that he happened to fancy +for his supper, he was not always careful in his aim or accurate +in his judgment of distance; thus a number of officers and men were +wounded and the lives of many put in peril. + +As if to complete the lesson so often taught in all wars, that +discipline, care, and efficiency go hand in hand, when the army +moved out from Opelousas, though but a fortnight later, a different +state of things was seen. This must be ascribed to the fact that +immediately after entering Opelousas the most stringent and careful +orders were given for the regulation of future marches, and the +punishment of stragglers and marauders. By these orders was provided +for the first time a system adequate to their enforcement, and +sufficiently elastic to meet without annoyance and difficulty all +those cases, of hourly and even momentary occurrence in the movement +of an army, that require officers or men to quit the column. In +the rear of each regiment was posted a surgeon, without whose +permission no sick man was allowed to fall out. In the rear of +each brigade and division marched a detachment of cavalry, under +the orders of the provost marshal of the brigade or division, +charged with the duty of picking up as stragglers all men found +out of the ranks without a written permit from the surgeon or the +company commander. The vital importance of a strict enforcement +of these arrangements was personally impressed upon the division +and brigade commanders; yet this was not now necessary, for there +were but few persons in the column of any rank that did not realize, +in part at least, the evil consequences resulting from the irregular +practices that had hitherto prevailed. Thus the march to the Red +River was made rapidly and in order, and now for the first time +the soldiers of the Nineteenth Army Corps marched with that swift +and regulated movement of the column as a unit that was to be ever +afterwards a source of comfort to the men, of satisfaction to their +officers, and of just pride to every one belonging to the corps. + +Unhappily, on the 25th of April, before the result of these +arrangements had had a chance to show themselves, Dwight, while on +detached service in the advance, caught an unfortunate man of the +131st New York, Henry Hamill by name, absent from his regiment +under circumstances that pointed him out as a plunderer. Then, +without pausing to communicate with the general commanding, Dwight +took upon himself the task of trial and judgment on the spot, and +becoming satisfied of the man's guilt, caused him to be shot to +death at sunset in front of the brigade. This action Banks, who +was just setting out for New Orleans, sustained in special orders +as soon as he returned. Indeed, between this course and the instant +delivery of Dwight to punishment, Banks had practically no choice. +Nevertheless, whatever may have been the excuse or how extreme the +provocation, the act was altogether wrong. The rules and articles +of war lay down the penal code of armies in all its severity, in +terms too clear to be misunderstood and too ample to warrant an +attempt on the part of any one in the service, however exalted his +rank, to enlarge or evade them. The offender should have been +tried by court-martial. No emergency or exigency existed to delay +the assembling of the court. Had he been found guilty, his death +might swiftly have followed. Then the terrible lesson would have +been impressive. Then none would have thought it hasty, needless, +violent, or unlawful. + +As it was, the wretched man's punishment furnished chiefly matter +for regret, and an example to be avoided. + + +CHAPTER XIII. +BANKS AND GRANT. + +The first effect of the despatches from Grant and Farragut, referred +to in the preceding chapter, was to cause Banks to reconsider his +plan of campaign, and to put the direction of his next movement in +suspense. While waiting for fresh advices in answer to his own +communications and proposals Banks halted, and while he halted +Taylor got time to breathe and Kirby Smith to gather new strength. + +This correspondence has been so much discussed, yet so little +understood, that, chronology being an essential part of history, +the narrative of the events now at hand may be rendered clearer, +if we turn aside for a moment to consider not only the substance +of what was said upon both sides, but, what was even more important, +the time at which it was heard. + +Farragut's letter, written from the _Hartford_ above Port Hudson +on the 6th of April, was the first communication Banks had received +from Farragut, save a brief verbal message brought to him by the +Admiral's secretary, Mr. E. C. Gabaudan, on the 10th of April, just +before the army set out from Brashear. Mr. Gabaudan had come +straight from the Admiral, but without any thing in writing, having +floated past Port Hudson by night in a skiff covered with twigs so +as to look like a drift log. Farragut's letter gave assurance of +the complete control of the Red River and the Atchafalaya by the +navy of the Union. + +Grant's despatch bore date the 23d of March. It was the first +writing received from him. It conveyed the answer to the letter +addressed to him by Banks on the 13th of March, and placed in the +hands of Farragut just before the _Hartford_ ran the batteries of +Port Hudson. Thus on either side began a correspondence clearly +intended by both commanders to bring about an effective co-operation +between the two armies, aided by the combined fleets of Farragut +and Porter. Yet in the end, while the consequences remained unfelt +in the Army by the Tennessee, upon the Army of the Gulf the practical +effect, after the first period of delay and doubt, was to cause +its commander to give up the thought of moving toward Grant and to +conform all his movements to the expectation that Grant would send +an army corps to Bayou Sara to join in reducing Port Hudson. Thus, +quite apart from the confusion and the eventual disappointment, +much valuable time was lost while the matter was in suspense; and +so was demonstrated once more the impossibility, well established +by the history of war, of co-ordinating the operations of two armies +widely separated, having different objectives, while an enemy +strongly holds the country between them. + +When Banks wrote his despatch of the 13th of March, he was at Baton +Rouge, about to demonstrate against Port Hudson. When Grant received +this despatch he was on the low land opposite Vicksburg, with the +rising river between him and his enemy, laboriously seeking a +practical pathway to the rear of Vicksburg, and in the meantime +greatly troubled to find dry ground for his seventy thousand men +to stand on. Grant's first idea, derived from Halleck's despatches, +was that Banks should join him before Vicksburg, with the whole +available force of the Army of the Gulf. When he learned from +Banks that this would be out of the question so long as Port Hudson +should continue to be held by the Confederates, Grant took up the +same line of thought that had already attracted Banks, and began +to meditate a junction by the Atchafalaya, the Red, the Tensas, +and the Black rivers. What Grant then needed was not more troops, +but standing-room for those he had. Accordingly, he began by +preparing to send twenty thousand men to Banks, when the Ohio River +steamers he had asked for should come.(1) They never came, yet even +after he had embarked upon the campaign, alike sound in conception +and splendid in execution, that was to become the corner-stone of +his great and solid fame, Grant kept to his purpose. + +On the 14th of April he penned this brief telegram to Banks: + +"I am concentrating my forces at Grand Gulf; will send an army +corps Bayou Sara by the 25th, to co-operate with you on Port Hudson. +Can you aid me and send troops after the reduction of Port Hudson +to assist me at Vicksburg?" + +This message, although Banks and Grant were then only about two +hundred miles apart, had to travel three thousand miles to reach +its destination. Banks received it just before marching from +Opelousas on the 5th of May, twenty-one days after it left Grant's +hands. As received, the message was in cipher and without a date. +As the prevailing practice was, in conformity with the orders of +the Secretary of War, the only persons in the Department of the +Gulf who held the key to the cipher were the Superintendent of +Military Telegraphs and such of his assistants as he chose to trust, +and Mr. Bulkley was at New Iberia, where the wires ended. The code +employed was the route cipher in common use in the service, and +with the help of the words "Bayou" and "Sara" as guides the meaning +was not hard to make out. Banks did not trust to this, however, +and waited until, late at night, he received from the Superintendent +an official translation, still without date, as indeed was the +original document received at headquarters from New Orleans. The +25th Banks naturally took to mean the 25th of May. Grasping eagerly +at the first real chance of effective co-operation, he at once +replied: "By the 25th probably, by the 1st, certainly, I will be +there." This despatch was not in cipher, because he had no code. +Captain Crosby carried it to the _Hartford_ at the mouth of Red +River. Captain Palmer, who was found in command, the Admiral having +crossed Fausse Point and joined his fleet below, at once forwarded +the despatch. Near Natchez Crosby met Captain Uffers of Grant's +staff and turned back with him bringing Grant's despatch of the +10th of May, written at Rocky Springs. This Banks received at +Alexandria on the 12th of May. From it he learned that Grant was +not coming. Having met the Confederates after landing at Grand +Gulf and followed on their heels to the Big Black, he could not +afford to retrace his steps; but he urged Banks to join him or to +send all the force he could spare "to co-operate in the great +struggle for opening the Mississippi River." The reasons thus +assigned by Grant for his change of mind were certainly valid; yet +it must be doubted whether in these hurried lines the whole of the +matter is set forth, for three weeks earlier, on the 19th of April, +five days after the promise to send an army corps to Bayou Sara by +the 25th, Grant had reported to Halleck: "This will now be +impossible." Moreover, until the moment when he crossed the river +with his advance on the 30th of April he not only held firmly to +his intention to send the twenty thousand men to join Banks at +Bayou Sara as soon as the landing should have been secured, but +the corps for this service had been designated; it was to be made +up of the main body of McClernand's corps and McPherson's, and +Grant himself meant to go with it. It was indeed the 2d of May +when Grant received at Port Gibson Banks's despatch sent from +Brashear on the 10th of April indicating his purpose of returning +to Baton Rouge by the 10th of May, and although Grant also attributes +to this despatch the change of his plans, the 10th of May had +already come before he made known the change to Banks. + +All this time Banks bore with him Halleck's instructions of the +9th of November, and more than once studied with care and solicitude +these significant words: "As the ranking general in the Southwest +you are authorized to assume the control of any military force from +the upper Mississippi which may come within your command. The line +of division between your department and that of Major-General Grant +is, therefore, left undecided for the present, and you will exercise +superior authority as far north as you may ascend the river." By +the articles of war, without these words, Banks would have been +entitled to the command they gave him, but the words showed him +plainly what was expected of him by his government. To the incentives +of patriotism and duty were thus superadded one of the most powerful +motives that can affect the mind of the commander of an army,--the +hope and assurance of power and promotion. If, then, he held back +from joining Grant in Mississippi, it was because he hesitated to +take the extraordinary risks involved in the movement. In this he +was more than justified. + +Since the miscarriage of Sherman's attempt at the beginning of the +year, Grant had been engaged in a series of tentative efforts, +steadily prosecuted in various directions, yet all having a common +object, the finding of a foothold of dry ground for a decisive +movement against Vicksburg. Four of these experimental operations +had failed completely, and Grant was now entering upon a fifth, +destined indeed to lead to a great and glorious result, yet in +itself conveying hardly more assurance of success than the most +promising of its predecessors, while involving perils greater than +any that had been so far encountered. Of these, the greatest danger +was that the enemy, after allowing him to land on the east bank of +the river and to penetrate, with a portion of his army, into the +heart of Mississippi, might then concentrate all the available +forces of the Confederacy in that region and fall upon him with +vigor at the moment when his supplies should be exhausted and his +communications interrupted. In such an event the fortune of war +might have rendered it imperative for him to retire down the river; +but what would have happened then if Banks, disregarding Port Hudson +in his eagerness to join Grant before Vicksburg, should in his turn +have abandoned his communications? Both armies would have been +caught in a trap of their own making, whence not merit but some +rare stroke of luck could alone have rescued either. + +In the strong light of the great and decisive victory of Vicksburg, +it is scarcely possible to reproduce, even in the mind of the most +attentive reader, the exact state of affairs as they existed at +the moment of Grant's landing below Grand Gulf. This phenomenal +success was not foreshadowed by any thing that had gone before it, +and it would have been the height of imprudence to stake upon it +the fate of two armies, the issue of an entire campaign, and the +mastery of the Mississippi River, if not the final result of the +war. Nor should it be forgotten that Grant himself regarded this +movement as experimental, like its forerunners, and that up to the +moment he set foot upon the soil of Mississippi, he had formed no +conception of the brilliant campaign on which he was about presently +to embark. But instead of concentrating and acting with instant +determination upon a single plan with a single idea, at the critical +moment the Confederates became divided in council, distracted in +purpose, and involved in a maze of divergent plans, cross purposes, +and conflicting orders. While events caused the Confederate leaders +to shift from one plan to the other, with the chances of the day, +Grant was prompt to see and quick to profit by his advantage, and +thus the campaign was given into his hands. + +But on the 4th of May these great events were as yet hidden in the +unknown future, and when, after waiting thirteen days at Opelousas, +Banks began his march on Alexandria, it was with the earnest hope +of a speedy meeting of the two Union armies on the Mississippi; +then came the cipher telegram to exalt this hope into a firm and +just expectation of finding three weeks later an entire corps from +Grant's army at Bayou Sara, and as Banks mounted his horse to ride +toward the head of his column, it was with the fixed purpose of +being with his whole force at the appointed place at the appointed +time. + +(1) "I sent several weeks ago for this class of steamers, and +expected them before this. Should they arrive and Admiral Porter +get his boats out of the Yazoo, so as to accompany the expedition, +I can send a force of say 20,000 effective men to co-operate with +General Banks on Port Hudson."--Grant to Farragut, March 23d; +received by Banks, April 21st. The cipher message that followed +seemed to Banks a confirmation of this. + + +CHAPTER XIV. +ALEXANDRIA. + +Every one was in high spirits at the prospect of meeting the Army +of the Tennessee, and, to add to the general good-humor, just before +quitting Opelousas two pieces of good news became known. + +Grierson rode into Baton Rouge on the 2d of May at the head of his +own 6th Illinois and Prince's 7th Illinois cavalry, together 950 +horse. Leaving La Grange on the 17th of April, he had within +sixteen days ridden nearly 600 miles around the rear of Vicksburg +and Port Hudson and along the whole line of the Jackson and Great +Northern railroad. Beside breaking up the railway and the telegraph, +and destroying for the time being their value to the Confederate +army, Grierson's ride had an indirect effect, perhaps even more +important than the direct objects Grant had in view when he gave +his orders. That the railway should be rendered useless for the +movement of troops and supplies, and the telegraph for the transmission +of orders and intelligence, was of course the essential purpose of +the operation, yet no one could have foreseen the extent of the +confusion that followed, aided by Grierson's rapid movements, amid +the fluttering and distracted councils at Vicksburg. Thus it +happened that, when he heard of Grant's landing below Grand Gulf, +Pemberton actually thought himself menaced by the advance of Banks, +and this misapprehension was the parent of the first of those +mistakes of his adversary of which Grant made such good use. + +Lieutenant Sargent,(1) the aide-de-camp sent to communicate with +Admiral Farragut, as stated in the last chapter, found at the mouth +of the Red River Admiral Porter, with the gunboats _Benton, Lafayette, +Pittsburg_, and _Price_, the ram _Switzerland_, and the tugboat +_Ivy_, with which he had run the batteries of Vicksburg in preparation +for Grant's movement. Porter brought, indeed, no despatches, but +he brought the great news that Grant had secured his landing at +Grand Gulf and had begun his victorious march on Vicksburg. When +Sargent returned to headquarters at Opelousas, he brought with him +a despatch from Porter, promising to meet the army at Alexandria. + +Banks had already broken up the depots at Barre's Landing and New +Iberia. On the afternoon of the 4th of May, he set Dwight in motion +from his advance post at Washington. Weitzel marched from Opelousas +at five o'clock the same afternoon, and Emory's division under +Paine followed on the morning of the 5th. Emory, who had been +suffering for some weeks, had at last consented to obey his surgeon's +orders and go to New Orleans for a brief rest. Grover followed +from Barre's Landing early in the afternoon of the same day. Banks +himself remained at Opelousas until early in the morning of the +6th, having waited to receive and answer the translation of the +cipher telegram from Grant; then he rode forward rapidly and joined +his troops near Washington. From this time the communications of +the army were to be by the Atchafalaya and the Red River. + +On the 4th of May, while riding to the front to join the advance +commanded by his brother, Captain Howard Dwight, Assistant +Adjutant-General, was surprised and cut off at a sharp turn in the +Bayou Boeuf by a party of armed men on the opposite bank. Having no +reason to apprehend any special danger so far in the rear of the +advance, the little party was proceeding along the road without +precaution. At the moment of the encounter Captain Dwight was +quite alone, concealed by the turn in the road from the ambulance +and the few orderlies that were following at leisure. Armed only +with his sword, and seeing that escape was hopeless, he instantly +declared his readiness to surrender. "Surrender be damned!" cried +the guerillas, and, firing a volley without further parley, shot +him dead. When the orderlies who were with the ambulance heard +the firing they galloped forward, only to find poor Dwight's lifeless +body lying in the dusty road. The murderers had fled. + +By this painful event the service lost a brave and promising young +officer and the staff a pleasant and always cheerful comrade. The +distinguished family to which this gallant gentleman belonged had +given four brothers to the service of their country. Of these +Howard himself most nearly resembled in character, looks, and +bearing his elder brother Wilder, who fell at Antietam, honored +and lamented by all that knew him. + +Upon hearing the news, Banks instantly sent order to Brigadier-General +Dwight to arrest all the white men he might find near the +line of his march to the number of one hundred, and to send them +to New Orleans to be held as hostages for the delivery of the +murderers. "The people of the neighborhood who harbor and feed +these lawless men," Banks wrote, "are even more directly responsible +for the crimes which they commit, and it is by punishing them that +this detestable practice will be stopped." There were not a hundred +white men in the region through which Dwight was marching, but many +were punished by imprisonment after this order--a harsh measure, +it must be admitted, yet not without the justification that the +countryside was infested by men wearing no uniform, who acted in +turn the part of soldiers in front of the Union army, of citizens +on its line of march, and of guerillas in its rear. When, under +a flag of truce, Dwight presently demanded from Taylor the surrender +of his brother's murderers, the Confederate officers not only +disavowed but severely condemned the crime, declaring themselves, +however, unable to pick out the criminals. + +Two miles beyond Washington the Bayous Boeuf and Cocodrie unite to +form the Bayou Courtableau, out of which again, below the town, +flows the Bayou Maricoquant, forming a double connection with the +Teche at its head. For a long distance the Boeuf and the Cocodrie +keep close company, each following a crooked channel cut deeply +into the light soil. Crossing the Courtableau above Washington, +the line of march now lay along the east bank of the Boeuf, by +Holmesville and Cheneyville, through a country of increasing richness +and beauty, gradually rising with quickened undulations almost +until the bluffs that border the Red River draw in sight. + +Banks had promised that he would be in Alexandria on the morning +of the 9th of May; but no opposition was encountered; the roads +were good, dry, and easy under foot; the weather fine, and the men +were filled with a desire to push the march, and with an eager +rivalry to be first in Alexandria. Early on the afternoon of the +7th of May the brigades of Dwight and Weitzel, both under Weitzel's +command, arrived at the beautiful plantation of Governor Moore, +and went into bivouac. Here the cavalry, who had ridden well +forward, returned, bringing the news that Porter, with his gunboats, +was already in the river off Alexandria, where the fleet had cast +anchor early that morning, a full day before its time. This made +Banks desire to push on, and he at first ordered Paine to continue +the march, preceded by all the cavalry. When Weitzel heard this, +his spirit rose for the honor of his brigade, and in emphatic yet +respectful terms he protested against being deprived at the last +moment of the post he had held almost since leaving Brashear. +Banks yielded to Weitzel's wishes, and his men, not less eager than +their commander, notwithstanding the long march of twenty miles +they had already made, at once broke camp and with a swinging stride +set out the accomplish the twelve miles that still separated them +from the river. One of the ever-present regimental wits sought to +animate the spirits and quicken the flagging footsteps of his +comrades by offering a turkey ready trussed upon his bayonet to +the man that should get to Alexandria before him. For a long part +of the way the men of the 8th Vermont and the 75th New York amused +themselves by taking advantage of the wide and good roadway to run +a regimental race. As the eager rivals came swinging down the +hill, they found their progress checked by a momentary halt of the +horsemen in their front, while watering their jaded animals. Then, +"Get out of the way with that cavalry," was the cry, "or we'll run +over you!" + +It was ten o'clock at night when Weitzel's men led the way into +Alexandria. A full ration of spirits was served out to the men, +who then threw themselves on the ground without further ceremony +and used to the full the permission to enjoy for once a long sleep +mercifully unbroken by a reveille. Paine followed and encamped +near Alexandria on the following morning; Grover rested near +Lecompte, about twenty miles in the rear. + +Beside his own vessels, Porter brought with him to Alexandria the +_Estrella_ and _Arizona_ from the flotilla that had been operating +on the Atchafalaya under Cooke. Porter was thus fully prepared to +deal with any opposition he might encounter from the Confederate +batteries at Fort De Russy; but, although only the day before the +_Albatross, Estrella_, and _Arizona_ had been driven off after a +sharp fight of forty minutes, when, on the 5th of May, Porter +arrived at Fort De Russy, he found the place deserted and the guns +gone.(2) + +On the 8th of May, finding that the river was falling, Porter, +after conferring freely with Banks, withdrew all his vessels except +the _Lafayette_, and descending the Red River, sent four of the +gunboats seventy miles up the Black and its principal affluent, +the Washita, to Harrisonburg. This latter expedition had no +immediate result, but it served to show the ease with which the +original plan of campaign might have been followed to its end. + +While Banks was still at Opelousas, Kirby Smith, taking Dwight's +approach to signify a general advance of the Union army, had arranged +to retire up the Red River and to concentrate at Shreveport. +Thither, on the 24th of April, he removed his headquarters from +Alexandria and called in not only Taylor but a division of infantry +under Walker, and three regiments of Texans already on the Red +River. All the troops that Magruder could spare from the 8,000 +serving in Eastern Texas he was at once to put in march to the +Sabine. These orders, though too late for the emergency, brought +about the concentration that was presently to threaten the ruin of +Banks's main campaign on the Mississippi. + +Weitzel, with Dwight, followed the Confederate rear-guard to Lawson's +Ferry, forty-one miles by the river beyond Alexandria, taking a +few prisoners. Taylor himself appears to have had a narrow escape +from being among them. + +During the week spent at Alexandria, Banks was for the first time +in direct and comparatively rapid communication with Grant, now in +the very heart of his Vicksburg campaign, and here, as we have +seen, the correspondence was brought to a point. When he first +learned that Grant had given up all intention of sending to him +any portion of the Army of the Tennessee, Banks was greatly cast +down, and his plans rapidly underwent many changes and perturbations. +At first he was disposed to think that nothing remained but to +retrace his steps over the whole toilsome way by Opelousas, the +Teche, Brashear, New Orleans, and the Mississippi River to Baton +Rouge, and thence to conduct a separate attack upon Port Hudson. +This movement would probably have consumed two months, and long +before the expiration of that time it was fair to suppose the object +of such an operation would have ceased to exist. What led Banks +to this despondent view was the fact that he had been counting upon +Grant's steamboat transportation for the crossing of the Mississippi +to Bayou Sara, and at first, he did not see how this deficiency +could now be met. + +Indeed, on the 12th of May, he went so far as to issue his preparatory +orders for the retrograde movement; but the next day careful +reconnoissances by his engineers, Major Houston and Lieutenant +Harwood, led him to change his mind and to conclude that it would, +after all, be possible to march to Simmesport, and there, using +the light-draught boats of the Department of the Gulf, supplemented +by such steamers as Grant might be able to spare for this purpose, +to transfer the whole column to Grand Gulf and thence march to join +Grant in the rear of Vicksburg. Accordingly, on the 13th of May, +Banks gave orders for the immediate movement of his whole force in +accordance with this plan, and set aside all the preparations that +had previously been made. + +When the news reached Washington that Grant had gone to Jackson +and Banks to Alexandria, great was the dissatisfaction of the +Government and emphatic its expression. On the 19th of May Halleck +wrote to Banks: + +"These operations are too eccentric to be pursued. I must again +urge that you co-operate as soon as possible with General Grant +east of the Mississippi. Your forces must be united at the earliest +possible moment. Otherwise the enemy will concentrate on Grant +and crush him. Do all you can to prevent this. . . . + +"We shall watch with the greatest anxiety the movements of yourself +and General Grant. I have urged him to keep his forces concentrated +as much as possible and not to move east until he gets control of +the Mississippi River." + +And again, on the 23d of May, still more pointedly: + +"If these eccentric movements, with the main forces of the enemy +on the Mississippi River, do not lead to some serious disaster, it +will be because the enemy does not take full advantage of his +opportunity. I assure you the Government is exceedingly disappointed +that you and General Grant are not acting in conjunction. It +thought to secure that object by authorizing you to assume the +entire command as soon as you and General Grant could unite." + +When the despatches were penned, Grant and Banks were already +committed to their own plans for the final campaign on the Mississippi. +When they were received, Grant was before Vicksburg, Banks before +Hudson; each had delivered his first assault and entered upon the +siege. The censure was withdrawn as soon as, in the light of full +explanations, the circumstances came to be understood. + +(1) Professor Charles Sprague Sargent, of Harvard University, +Director of the Arnold Arboretum, the distinguished author of the +great book on Forest Trees of North America. At this time he was +serving zealously as a volunteer aide-de-camp without pay. + +(2) Under orders from Kirby Smith to Taylor, dated April 22d: "The +General is of the opinion that if a portion of the force pursuing +you should move against Fort De Russy by the road from Hauffpaur, +it would be impossible to hold it." See also Smith to Cooper, +April 23d: "The people at Fort De Russy cannot stand a land attack. +The advance of the enemy's column to the Hauffpaur . . . will ensure +its speedy fall, with loss of guns and garrison. Under these +circumstances, General Taylor has ordered the removal of the +32-pounder rifle and 11-inch columbiads to a position higher up the +Red River." + + +CHAPTER XV. +BACK TO PORT HUDSON. + +On the 7th of May Porter relived Farragut in the guardianship of +the Mississippi and its tributaries above the mouth of the Red +River. This left Farragut free to withdraw his fleet so long +blockading and blockaded above Port Hudson. Accordingly he gave +discretionary orders to Palmer to choose his time for once more +running the gauntlet, and Palmer was only watching his opportunity +when he yielded to the earnest entreaty of Banks, and agreed to +remain and co-operate if the General meant to go against Port +Hudson. + +Grover began the movement on the 14th of May; Paine followed early +on the morning of the 15th, while Weitzel, still retaining Dwight, +was ordered to hold Alexandria until the 17th, and then to retire +to Murdock's plantation, where the east and west road along the +Bayou Hauffpaur crosses the road from Alexandria to Opelousas, and +there await further orders. + +Besides the ordinary duty of a rear-guard, the object of this +disposition of Weitzel's force was to cover the withdrawal toward +Brashear of the long train of surplus wagons for which there was +now no immediate need, and which would only have encumbered the +proposed movement of the Corps by water. All the troops took the +road by Cheneyville instead of that by Marksville, in order to +conceal from the Confederates as long as possible the true direction +of the movement. + +Having given these orders, Banks embarked on one of the river +steamboats on the evening of the 15th and transferred his headquarters +to Simmes's plantation on the east bank of the Atchafalaya opposite +Simmesport. Thence he proceeded down the Atchafalaya to Brashear, +and so by rail to New Orleans. + +Grover broke camp at Stafford's plantation on the 14th of May, and +marched seventeen miles to Cheneyville; on the 15th, fourteen miles +to Enterprise; on the 16th, sixteen miles to the Bayou de Glaise; +and, on the morning of the 17th, twelve miles to Simmesport, and +immediately began to cross on large flatboats rowed by negro boatmen. +To these were presently added a little, old, slow, and very frail +stern-wheel steamboat, named the _Bee_, which, a short time +afterwards, quietly turned upside down, without any observable +cause, while lying alongside the levee; then the _Laurel Hill_, +one of the best boats in the service of the quartermaster; afterward +gradually but very slowly the other steamers began to come in. +Grover finished crossing on the morning of the 18th, and went into +camp near the Corps headquarters. + +Paine, with the 6th New York added to his command for the few +remaining days of its service, followed in the footsteps of Grover. +Leaving Alexandria on the morning of the 15th, Paine marched twenty +miles and halted at Lecompte. On the 16th, he marched twenty-five +miles to the Bayou Rouge; on the 17th, twenty miles to the Bayou +de Glaise, where the Marksville road crosses it; on the 18th, seven +miles to Simmesport, and on the following morning began to cross. + +Before leaving Alexandria, Weitzel, on the 14th May, sent two +companies of cavalry to reconnoitre a small force of the enemy said +to be near Boyce's Bridge on Bayou Cotile. The Confederates were +found in some force. A slight skirmish followed, with trifling +loss on either side, and when, the next day, Weitzel sent the main +body of the cavalry with one piece of Nims's battery, accompanied +by the ram _Switzerland_ with a detachment of 200 men of the 75th +New York, the Confederates once more retired beyond Cane River. + +Weitzel moved out of Alexandria at four o'clock on the morning of +the 17th of May, and, lengthening his march to thirty-eight miles +during the night, encamped on Murdock's plantation on the following +morning. The gunboats _Estrella_ and _Arizona_ and the ram +_Switzerland_ stayed in the river off Alexandria until noon of the +17th to cover Weitzel's withdrawal, and then dropped down to the +mouth of Red River and the head of the Atchafalaya. The Confederates +slowly followed Weitzel at some distance, observing his movements, +and, on the morning of the 20th, attacked his pickets. Then Bean, +who commanded Weitzel's advanced guard, consisting of his own 4th +Wisconsin, mounted, the 12th Connecticut, and all the cavalry, +threw off the attack and pursued the Confederates nearly to +Cheneyville, where Barrett, advancing too boldly after the main +body had halted, was cut off, with a detachment of seventeen of +his troop, and, finding himself surrounded, was forced to surrender. +Barrett himself and several of his men afterwards succeeded in +making their escape. The attacking party of the Confederates +consisted of Lane's regiment, fresh from Texas, Waller's battalion, +and a part of Sibley's brigade, with a battery of artillery. + +On the morning of the 22d, Weitzel, having completed the object +of his halt at Murdock's plantation, marched at a stretch the +thirty-four miles to Simmesport without further molestation, and +arriving there on the morning of the 23d, at once began the crossing. + +Chickering marched from Barre's Landing on the morning of the 21st +of May. His force consisted of his own regiment, the 41st +Massachusetts, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sargent and mounted +on prairie horses, the 52d Massachusetts, the 22d Maine, the +26th Maine, the 90th New York, the 114th New York, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Per Lee, Company E of the 13th Connecticut, and +Snow's section of Nims's battery. + +The 90th New York, Colonel Joseph S. Morgan, was among the older +regiments in the Department of the Gulf, having been mustered into +the service in December, 1861. In January, 1862, it went to Florida +with Brannan, on his appointment to command the Department of Key +West; and in June, 1862, it formed the garrison of Fort Jefferson +on the Dry Tortugas and of Key West; in November it was relieved +by the 47th Pennsylvania, and joined Seymour's brigade on Port +Royal Island, South Carolina. In March, 1863, it was back at Key +West. There both regiments remained together until May. Meanwhile +the district, then commanded by Woodbury, had been transferred from +the Department of the South to the Department of the Gulf by orders +from the War Office dated the 16th of March. These Banks received +on the 10th of April, just before leaving Brashear, and as soon as +he learned the condition and strength of the post, he called in +the 90th New York. The regiment arrived at Barre's Landing just +in time to go back to Brashear with Chickering. Morgan, though +Chickering's senior in rank, waived his claim to the command and +accepted a temporary brigade made up of all the infantry and the +artillery. + +The 114th New York, after quitting the column on the 19th of April, +before passing the Vermilion, and performing the unpleasant duty +of driving before it to Brashear all the beeves within its reach, +was so unfortunate as to arrive at Cheneyville, on the return march, +on the 12th of May, at the moment when Banks had made up his mind +to retire to Brashear, and so just in time to face about and once +more retrace its weary steps. Passing through Opelousas and Grand +Couteau, the 114th turned to the left by the Bayou Fusilier and +fell in with Chickering on the Teche. + +The way was by the Teche, on either bank. By this time Mouton, +reinforced by a brigade of three regiments under Pyron, with a +light battery, probably Nichols's, had recrossed the Calcasieu +under orders sent him by Kirby Smith on the 14th of May, before he +knew of Banks's latest movement, and was approaching the Vermilion +just in time to harry the flank and rear of Chickering's column, +scattered as it was in the effort to guard the long train that +stretched for eight miles over the prairies, with a motley band of +5,000 negroes, 2,000 horses, and 1,500 beeves for a cumbrous +accompaniment. With the possible exception of the herd that set +out to follow Sherman's march through Georgia, this was perhaps +the most curious column ever put in motion since that which defiled +after Noah into the ark. + +On the 21st of May, Chickering halted near Breaux Bridge; on the +22d, above Saint Martinville; on the 23d, above New Iberia; on +the 24th, at Jeannerette. On the following afternoon the column +had halted five miles beyond Franklin, when a small force of the +enemy, supposed to be part of Green's command or of Fournet's +battalion, fell upon the rear-guard and a few shots were exchanged, +with slight casualties on either side, save that Lieutenant Almon +A. Wood, of the 110th New York, fell with a mortal wound. However, +although the troops had already traversed twenty-five miles, this +decided Morgan, who seems by this time to have taken the command, +to push on, and the march being kept up throughout the night, the +wearied troops, after a short rest for breakfast arrived at Berwick +Bay at eleven o'clock on the following morning. In the last +thirty-one hours the command had marched forty-eight miles. In the +forty-one days that had passed since the campaign opened the 114th +New York had covered a distance of almost 500 miles, nearly every +mile of it afoot and with but three days' rest. The same afternoon +the crossing began, and by the 28th every living thing was in safety +at Brashear. + +Banks had sent his despatches of the 13th of May to Grant by the +hands of Dwight, with instructions to lay the whole case before +Grant and to urge the view held by Banks with regard to the +co-operation of the two armies. Dwight proceeded to Grand Gulf by +steamboat, and thence riding forward, overtook Grant just in time +to witness the battle of Champion's Hill on the 16th of May. That +night he sent a despatch by way of Grand Gulf, promising to secure +the desired co-operation, but urging Banks not to wait for it. +The message arrived at headquarters at Simmes's plantation on the +evening of the 17th, and was at once sent on to Brashear to be +telegraphed to the commanding general at New Orleans. This assurance +sent by Dwight really conveyed no more than his own opinion, but +Banks read it as a promise from Grant, and once more convinced that +it would be futile to attempt a movement toward Grand Gulf with +the limited means of transport he had at hand, he again changed +his plan and determined to go directly to Bayou Sara, hoping and +trusting to meet there on the 25th of May a corps of 20,000 men +from Grant's army. + +The effective strength of the force now assembled near the head of +the Atchafalaya was 8,400 infantry, 700 cavalry, 900 artillery; in +all, 10,000. This great reduction was not wholly due to the effects +of the climate, hardships, and long marches, but is partly to be +ascribed to heavy detachments. These included the six regiments +with Chickering, one at Butte-a-la-Rose, and one at Brashear. + +At Simmesport the Corps sustained its first loss by expiration of +service. The 6th New York, having completed the two years' term +for which it had enlisted, went by the Atchafalaya and the railway +to New Orleans, and there presently took transport for New York to +be mustered out. + +The movements of the army, though pressed as much as possible, were +greatly retarded by the scanty means of water transportation and +the pressing need of coal. From this cause the navy was also +suffering, and urgent means had to be taken to supply the +deficiency. + +Reconnoissances, conducted by Lieutenant Harwood, in the course of +which the enemy's cavalry was seen but not engaged, showed the +roads from the Atchafalaya to Waterloo to be practicable for all +arms. A detachment of cavalry sent out on the 18th to ascertain +whether the Confederates had any force on the west bank of the +Mississippi, encountered near Waterloo about 120 men of the 1st +Alabama regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Locke, who had been sent +over the day before from Port Hudson in skiffs to prevent any +communication between the upper and the lower fleets. A skirmish +followed, with slight loss on either side. + +First placing Emory in command of the defences of New Orleans, and +ordering Sherman to take Dow and Nickerson and join Augur before +Port Hudson, Banks left the city on the 20th of May, rejoined his +headquarters on the 21st, and at once set his troops in motion +toward Bayou Sara. At half-past eight o'clock on the morning of +the 21st of May, Paine broke up his bivouac on the Atchafalaya and +marched to Morganza, after detaching the 131st New York and the 173d +New York with a section of artillery to guard the ammunition train. +Grover followed by water as fast as the steamboats could be provided. +At two o'clock on the morning of the 22d of May, Banks and Grover, +with the advance of Grover's division, landed at Bayou Sara without +meeting any opposition from the enemy, who, up to this time, seems +not to have suspected the movement. The other troops followed as +rapidly as the means of transport permitted. Grover's division +was sent ashore, followed by two brigades of Paine's division from +Morganza. The wagon train went on down the road to the landing +directly opposite Bayou Sara, under the escort of the 110th New +York, and the 162d New York, with one section of Carruth's battery, +all under the command of Benedict. + +Soon after the landing at Bayou Sara, a party of cavalry rode in, +bringing the news of Augur's battle of the 21st. Hearing that +Augur was at that moment engaged with the enemy, Banks pressed +forward his troops. In a violent storm of wind and rain Grover +pushed on until he met Augur's outlying detachments. Then, finding +all quiet, he went into bivouac near Thompson's Creek, north-west +of Port Hudson. Paine followed, and rested on the Perkins plantation, +a mile in the rear of Grover. Banks made his headquarters with +Grover. Augur covered the front of the position taken up by the +enemy after the battle of Plains Store. On the same day, the 22d, +Sherman came up the river, landed at Springfield, and went into +position on the Bayou Sara road on Augur's left. Thus at night on +the 22d the garrison of Port Hudson was practically hemmed in. + +On the 18th, Banks had ordered Augur to march with his whole +disposable force to the rear of Port Hudson to prevent the escape +of the garrison. As early as the 13th of May, while yet the plan +of campaign was in suspense, Augur had sent Grierson with the +cavalry and Dudley with his brigade to Merritt's plantation, near +the junction of the Springfield Landing and Bayou Sara roads, to +threaten the enemy and discover his movements. Dudley then took +post near White's Bayou, a branch of the Comite, and remained in +observation, covering the road to Clinton and the fork that leads +to Jackson. On the 20th of May Augur moved the remainder of his +force up to Dudley, in order to be ready to cover T. W. Sherman's +landing at Springfield, as well as to meet the advance of the main +column under Banks from Bayou Sara, now likely to occur at any +moment. With Augur now were Dudley, Chapin, Grierson, Godfrey's +squadron composed of troops C and E of the Louisiana cavalry, two +sections of Rawles's battery, Holcomb's battery, and one section +of Mack's commanded by Sergeant A. W. McCollin. At six o'clock on +the morning of the 21st of May Augur marched toward the crossing +of the Plains Store and Bayou Sara roads to seize the enemy's line +of retreat and to open the way for Banks. When Grierson came to +the edge of the wood that forms the southern boundary of the plain, +his advance fell in with a detachment of the garrison under Colonel +S. P. Powers of the 14th Arkansas regiment, and a brisk skirmish +followed. The same afternoon Gardner sent out Miles, with his +battalion, about 400 strong, and Boone's battery, to feel Augur's +advance and perhaps to drive it away. This brought on the action +known as the battle of Plains Store. Unfortunately, no complete +reports of the affair were made and the regimental narratives are +meagre. + +In the heavy forest that then masked the crossroads and formed the +western border of the plain, Miles met Augur moving into position; +Dudley, on the right of the road that leads from Plains Store to +Port Hudson, supporting Holcomb's guns, and Chapin on the left +supporting Rawles's guns. For about an hour the artillery fire +was brisk. The 48th Massachusetts, being badly posted in column +on either side of the Port Hudson road, gave way in some confusion +under the sharp attack of Miles's men coming on through the thicket, +and thus exposed the guns of Beck's section of Rails. As the 48th +fell back through the advancing ranks of the 49th Massachusetts, +the progress of that regiment was momentarily hindered, but a brisk +charge of the 116th New York restored the battle. On the right, +a section of Boone's battery got an enfilade fire on Rails and +Chapin, and enabled Miles to draw off and retire behind the +breastworks. Thus the affair was really ended before Augur, whose +duty it was to act with prudence, had time to complete the proper +development of his division as for a battle with the full force of +the enemy, which he was bound to suppose was about to engage him. +Then he completed the task of making good his position, and proceeded +to open communication with Banks and with Sherman. + +The main loss fell upon Chapin, Dudley's casualties numbering but +18, Grierson's but 2. The total casualties were 15 men killed, 3 +officers and 69 men wounded, and 25 men missing--in all, 102. Miles +reports his loss as 8 killed, 23 wounded, and 58 missing,--in all, +89. + +When Augur quitted Baton Rouge he placed Drew with the 4th Louisiana +Native Guards in Fort Williams to hold the place, supported by the +fleet, and ordered Nelson with the 1st and 3d Louisiana Native +Guards to be ready to follow the division to Port Hudson. + + +CHAPTER XVI. +THE TWENTY-SEVENTH OF MAY. + +Port Hudson was now held by Gardner with a force of about seven +thousand of all arms. During the interval that had elapsed since +its first occupation a formidable series of earthworks had been +thrown up, commanding not only the river but all the inland approaches +that were deemed practicable. The first plan for land defence was +mainly against the attack expected to come from the direction of +Baton Rouge. Accordingly, about four miles below Port Hudson a +system of works was begun that, if completed, according to the +original trace, would have involved a defensive line eight miles +in length, requiring thirty-five thousand men and seventy guns to +hold it. As actually constructed, the lines were four and a half +miles long, and ran in a semicircular sweep from the river near +Ross Landing, below Port Hudson, to the impassable swamp above. +Following this line for thirteen hundred yards after leaving the +river on the south, the bluff is broken into irregular ridges and +deep ravines, with narrow plateaus; thence for two thousand yards +the lines crossed the broad cotton fields of Gibbons's and of +Slaughter's plantations; beyond these for four hundred yards they +were carried over difficult gullies; beyond these again for fourteen +hundred yards their course lay through fields and over hilly ground +to the ravine at the bottom of which runs Sandy Creek. Here, on +the day of the investment, the line of Confederate earthworks +stopped, the country lying toward the northeast being considered +so difficult that no attack was looked for in that quarter. Sandy +Creek finds its way into the marshy bottom of Foster's Creek, and +from Sandy Creek, where the earthworks ended, to the river at the +mouth of Foster's Creek, is about twenty-five hundred yards. Save +where the axe had been busy, nearly the whole country was covered +with a heavy growth of magnolia trees of great size and beauty. +This was a line that, for its complete defence against a regular +siege, conducted according to the strict principles of military +science, as laid down in the books, should have had a force of +fifteen thousand men. At the end of March the garrison consisted +of 1,366 officers, 14,921 men of all arms present for duty, making +a total of 16,287. The main body was organized in 5 brigades, +commanded by Beall, Buford, Gregg, Maxey, and Rust. The fortifications +on the river front mounted 22 heavy guns, from 10-inch columbiads +down to 24-pounder siege guns, manned by 3 battalions of heavy +artillerists, while 13 light batteries, probably numbering 78 +pieces, were available for the defence of all the lines: of these +batteries only 5 were now left, with 30 guns. + +When, early in May, Pemberton began to feel the weight of Grant's +pressure, he called on Gardner for reinforcements; thus Rust and +Buford marched to the relief of Vicksburg on the 4th of May, Gregg +followed on the 5th, and Maxey on the 8th. Miles was to have +followed Maxey; in fact the preparations and orders had been given +for the evacuation of Port Hudson; but now the same uncertainty +and vacillation on the part of the Confederate chiefs that were to +seal the doom of Vicksburg began to be felt at Port Hudson. Gardner, +who had moved out with Maxey, had hardly arrived at Clinton when +he was met by an order from Pemberton to return to Port Hudson with +a few thousand men and to hold the place to the last. But ten days +later, on the 19th of May, Johnston, who was then engaged in carrying +out his own ideas, which differed radically from those of Davis +and Pemberton, ordered Gardner to evacuate Port Hudson and to march +on Jackson, Mississippi. This order, sent by courier as well as +by telegraph, Gardner received just as Augur was marching from +Baton Rouge to cut him off. Then it was too late, and when on the +23d Johnston peremptorily renewed his order for the evacuation, +even the communication was closed. + +The investment was made perfect by the presence in the river, above +and below Port Hudson, of the ships and gunboats of the navy. Just +above the place and at anchor around the bend lay the _Hartford_, +now Commodore Palmer's flagship, with the _Albatross, Sachem, +Estrella,_ and _Arizona_. Below, at anchor off Prophet's Island, +were the _Monongahela_, bearing Farragut's flag, the _Richmond, +Genesee, Essex_, and the mortar flotilla. Both the upper and the +lower fleets watched the river at night by means of picket-boats +in order to discover any movement and to intercept any communication +with the garrison. + +At the Hermitage plantation, on the west bank of the river, Benedict +was stationed with his own regiment, the 162d New York, the 110th +New York, and a section of artillery to prevent the escape of the +Confederates by water. As soon as Weitzel joined, on the 25th of +May, Banks began to close in his lines along the entire front. +Weitzel moved up to the sugar-house on the telegraph road near the +bridge over Foster's Creek; Paine advanced into the woods on +Weitzel's left; Grover moved forward on the north of the Clinton +Railway, crossed the ravine of Sandy Creek, and occupied the wooded +rest of the steep hill in front. Augur prolonged the line across +the Plains Store road under cover of the woods, yet in plain view +of the Confederate entrenchments. Sherman held the Baton Rouge +road, occupying the skirt of woods that formed the eastern edge of +Slaughter's and Gibbons's fields. + +The 1st and 3d Louisiana Native Guards, under Nelson, having come +up from Baton Rouge, were posted at the sugar-house near Foster's +Creek, forming the extreme right of the line of investment. + +Banks now placed Weitzel in command of the right wing of the army, +comprising his own brigade under Thomas, Dwight's brigade of Grover's +division under Van Zandt, together forming a temporary division +under Dwight, the six regiments that remained of Paine's division +after the heavy detachments, and the two colored regiments under +Nelson. During the day of the 25th Weitzel gained the wooded slope +covering the Confederate left front. The Confederate advanced +guard on this part of their line, composed in part of the 9th +battalion of Louisiana partisan rangers, under Lieutenant-Colonel +Wingfield, resisted Weitzel's advance stoutly, but was steadily +and without difficulty pushed back into the entrenchments. + +When night fell on the 26th of May the division commanders met at +headquarters at Riley's on the Bayou Sara road to consider the +question of an assault. No minutes of this council were kept, and +to this day its conclusions are a matter of dispute. They may +safely be regarded as sufficiently indicated by the orders for the +following day. By at least one of those present any immediate +movement in the nature of an assault was objected to because of +the great distance that still separated the lines of investment +from the Confederate earthworks; it was urged that the troops would +have to move to the attack over ground the precise character of +which was as yet unknown to them or to their commanders, although +it was known to be broken and naturally difficult and to be obstructed +by felled timber. The general opinion was, however, that prompt +and decisive action was demanded in view of the unusual and precarious +nature of the campaigns on which the two armies of Grant and Banks +were now embarked, the uncertainty as to what Johnston might do, +and the certainty that a disaster at Vicksburg would bring ruin in +Louisiana. Moreover, officers and men alike were in high spirits +and full of confidence in themselves, and they outnumbered the +Confederates rather more than two to one. This was the view held +by Banks himself. Upon his mind, moreover, the disapproval and +the repeated urgings of the government acted as a goad. Accordingly, +as soon as the council broke up he gave orders for an assault on +the following morning. + +All the artillery was to open upon the Confederate works at daybreak. +For this purpose the reserve artillery was placed under the immediate +orders of Arnold. He was to open fire at six. + +Weitzel was to take advantage of the attacks on the left and centre +to force his way into the works on his front, since it was natural +to expect that, whether they should prove successful or not, these +attacks would distract the attention of the enemy and serve to +relieve the pressure in Weitzel's front. + +Grover was thus left with five regiments to support the left centre, +to reinforce either the right or left, and to support the right +flank of the reserve artillery, or to force his way into the works, +as occasion might require. + +Augur, holding the centre, with Dudley's brigade forming his right +and Chapin his left, and Sherman, at the extreme left, separated +from Augur by a thick wood, were to begin the attack during the +cannonade by advancing their skirmishers to kill the enemy's +cannoneers and to cover the assault. They were to place their +troops in position to take instant advantage of any favorable +opportunity, and, if possible, to force the enemy's works at the +earliest moment. + +Each division commander was to provide his own means for passing +the ditch. These, for the most part, consisted of cotton bags, +fascines, and planks borne by detachments of men, furnished by +detail or by volunteering. + +It will be observed that no time was fixed for the assault of either +column nor any provision made to render the several attacks +simultaneous. Moreover, although the order wound up with the +emphatic declaration that "Port Hudson must be taken to-morrow," +an impression prevailed in the minds of at least two of the division +commanders that there were still to be reconnoissances by the +engineers, and that upon the results of these would depend the +selection of the points of attack. + +There were no roads along the front or rear of the investing army, +and the only means by which communication was maintained between +the left, the centre, and the right was either by wide detours or +through dense and unknown woods and thickets. It was impossible +to see the troops in front or rear or on either flank. On no part +of the line was either division in sight of the other. + +The forest approached within 250 yards at the nearest point on +Weitzel's front, within 450 yards on Grover's, within 500 yards on +Augur's, and within 1,200 yards on Sherman's front. The field to +be passed over was partly the cleared land of the plantations, +crossed by fences and hedges, but in many places, especially on +Augur's approach, the timber had been recently felled, and, lying +thick upon the ground, made a truly formidable obstacle. + +The morning of the 27th of May broke bright and beautiful. As the +early twilight began to open out along the entire front the artillery +began a furious cannonade. At first the Confederate guns replied +with spirit, but it soon became apparent that they were overweighted, +and, moreover, the necessity of husbanding their scanty store of +ammunition no doubt impressed itself upon the minds of the Confederate +commanders. + +About six o'clock, when Weitzel judged that the movement on the +left must be well advanced, he put his columns in motion through +the dense forest in his front, forming his command, as far as the +nature of the ground admitted, in column of brigades, Dwight's +brigade under Van Zandt leading, followed by Weitzel's brigade +under Thomas. Paine formed his division in two lines in support, +his own brigade under Fearing in front, and Gooding's in reserve. +The Confederate skirmishers and outposts continued to occupy the +forest and the ravines on this part of their front, and the first +hour was spent in pressing them back behind their entrenchments. +Then Thomas moved forward through Van Zandt's intervals, and +deploying from right to left the 160th New York, Lieutenant-Colonel +Van Petter; 8th Vermont, Lieutenant-Colonel Dillingham; 12th +Connecticut, Lieutenant-Colonel Peck; and 75th New York, +Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock, advanced to the attack. Van Zandt, +owing to the inequalities of the ground and the difficulty of +finding the way, drifted somewhat toward the right. Thereupon +Paine, finding his front uncovered, moved forward into the +interval. Then began what has been aptly termed a "huge bushwack." + +Until within three days a part of the Confederate lines in front +of Weitzel had not been fortified at all, the defence resting on +the great natural difficulties of the approaches no less than of +the ground to be held; but in the interval Gardner had taken notice +of the indications that pointed to an advance in this quarter, and +had caused light breastworks to be constructed in all haste. This +the great trees that covered the hill rendered an easy task. On +the morning of the 27th of May, therefore, the works that Weitzel +was called upon to attack consisted mainly of big logs on the crest +and following the contour of the hill, rendered almost unapproachable +by the felled timber that choked the ravines. Thus, while Weitzel's +men could not even see their enemy, they were themselves unable to +move beyond the cover of the hollows and the timber without offering +an easy mark for a destructive fire of small-arms, as well as of +grape, shell, shrapnel, and canister. When finally, after climbing +over hills, logs, and fallen trees, and forcing the ravines filled +with tangled brush and branches, Weitzel had driven the Confederates +into their works, he held the ridge about two hundred yards distant +from the position to be attacked. + +Paine's position at this time was to the right and rear of battery +No. 6, as shown on the map; Weitzel and Dwight were on the same +crest near batteries 3, 4, and 5. The pioneers worked like beavers +to open the roads as fast as the infantry advanced, and with such +skill and zeal that hardly had the infantry formed upon the crest +than the guns of Duryea, Bainbridge, Nims, Haley, and Carruth +unlimbered and opened fire by their side. + +At length Thomas succeeded in making his way across the rivulet +known as Little Sandy Creek, and, working gradually forward, began +to fortify with logs the hill on the right, afterward known as Fort +Babcock, in honor of the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 75th New York. + +To support Weitzel's movement, Grover sent the 159th New York, +Lieutenant-Colonel Burt, and the 25th Connecticut by a wide detour +to the right to make their way in on Paine's left. Taking advantage +of the protection afforded by the ravine, at the bottom of which +ran or rather trickled Sandy Creek, these regiments, after the most +difficult and exhausting scramble through the brush and over the +fallen timber, came to the base of a steep bluff, near the position +afterward occupied by siege battery No. 6. This, although the works +directly opposite were as yet light, was naturally one of the +ugliest approaches on the whole front. In spite of every exertion, +it took the 159th an hour to move half a mile. Just before reaching +the foot of the hill over which they were to charge, they captured +a Confederate captain and six skirmishers, who lay concealed in +the ravine, cut off by the advance and unable to retire. So crooked +and obscure was the path and so difficult was it to see any thing, +even a few feet ahead, that the officers had to stand at every +little turning to tell the men which way to go. At last the regiment +formed, and, with a rush, began the assault of the bluff, but they +could get no farther than the crest, where they were met by a +destructive flank fire from the Confederate riflemen. There, within +thirty yards of the works, the men sought shelter. + +To try the effect of a diversion, Grover put in the 12th Maine, +supported by the remaining fragment of his division, reduced to +the 13th and 25th Connecticut, against the partly exposed west face +of the bastion that formed the left of the finished portion of the +Confederate earthworks. The point of attack is shown at X. and +XI., and the position whence Grover moved at 1 and 7. + +After the first attack on the right had wellnigh spent itself, and +when its renewal, in conjunction with an advance on the centre and +left, was momentarily expected, Dwight thought to create a diversion +and at the same time to develop the strength and position of the +Confederates toward their extreme left, where their lines bent back +to rest on the river, and to this end he ordered Nelson to put in +his two colored regiments. This portion of the Confederate line +occupied the nearly level crest of a steep bluff that completely +dominates the low ground by the sugar-house, where the telegraph +road crosses Foster's Creek. Over this ground the colored troops +had to advance unsupported to receive their first fire. The bridge +had been burned when the Confederates retired to their works. +Directly in front of the crest, and somewhat below it, a rugged +bluff stands a little apart, projecting boldly from the main height +with a sharp return to the right, so as to form a natural outwork +of great strength, practically inaccessible save by the road that +winds along the bottom of the little rivulet at the foot of the +almost perpendicular flank. This detached ridge is about four +hundred yards in length. It was held by six companies of the 39th +Mississippi regiment, under Colonel W. B. Shelby, while behind, in +the positions of land batteries III. and IV., were planted six +field pieces, and still farther back on the water front the columbiads +of Whitfield and Seawell, mounted on traversing carriages, stood +ready to rake the road with their 8-inch and 10-inch shell and +shrapnel. + +Shortly after seven o'clock, Nelson sent in the 1st Louisiana Native +Guards, under Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, in column, to force the +crossing of the creek. The 3d Louisiana Native Guards followed in +close support. Just before the head of the column came near the +creek, the movement was perceived by the Confederates, who immediately +opened on the negroes a sharp fire of musketry from the rifle-pits +on the detached bluff; at the same moment the field guns opened +with shell and shrapnel from the ridge behind, and as the men +struggled on through the creek and up the farther bank they became +exposed to the enfilade fire of the columbiads. When, in mounting +the narrow gorge that led up the hill, the head of the column, +necessarily shattered as it was by this concentrated fire, had +gained a point within about two hundred yards of the crest, suddenly +every gun opened on them with canister. This was more than any +man could stand. Bassett's men gave back in disorder on their +supports, then in the act of crossing the creek, and the whole +column retired in confusion to its position near the sugar-house +on the north bank. Here both regiments were soon re-formed and +again moved forward in good order, anticipating instructions to +renew the attack; yet none came, and, in fact, the attack was not +renewed, although the contemporary accounts, some of them even +official, distinctly speak of repeated charges. In this abortive +attempt, Captain Andrew Cailloux and Second Lieutenant John H. +Crowder, of the 1st regiment, were instantly killed. Cailloux, +who is said to have been a free man of color, although all the +officers of his race were at that time supposed to have resigned, +fell at the head of the leading company of his regiment, while +gallantly cheering on his men. The 1st regiment lost, in this +brief engagement, 2 officers, and 24 men killed and 79 wounded--in +all, 105. The 3d, being far less exposed, as well as for a shorter +time, lost 1 officer and 5 men killed, and 1 officer wounded--in +all, 7. + +The morning was drawing out when these movements were well spent, +and the advanced positions simply held without further effort to +go forward. The hour may have been about ten o'clock. Grover, +Paine, and Weitzel listened in vain for any sounds of musketry on +their left to indicate that either Augur or Sherman was at work, +yet no sound came from that quarter save the steady pounding of +the Union artillery. Now Weitzel believed that, by pursuing his +advance in what might be called skirmishing order and working his +way gradually forward from the vantage-ground of Fort Babcock, he +might gain, without great addition to his losses, already heavy, +a foothold on the high ground held by the Confederate left; yet of +the character of the defences of this part of the line Weitzel knew +but little, and of the nature of the ground behind these defences +and the direction of the roads, neither he nor any one in the Union +army knew any thing. The topography of the ground in sight afforded +the only indication of what might be expected farther on, and this +was confusing and difficult to the last degree. Weitzel had, +therefore, strong reason for believing that his difficulties, +instead of ending with the capture of the Confederate works, might +be only beginning. There was, of course, the chance that the +garrison along the whole front might throw down their arms or +abandon their defences the moment they should find themselves taken +in reverse at any point, for it was known that they had no reserves +to be reckoned with after breaking through the line. Grover had +been ordered to support either the right or the left, or to attempt +to make his way into the works, as circumstances might suggest. +This last he had tried, and failed to accomplish. On his left +there was no attack to support. When riding toward the right he +met Weitzel, who, although commanding the right wing, was his junior +in rank as well as in experience, Grover gave Weitzel the counsel +of prudence, and Weitzel fell in with these views. The two commanders +decided to ask fresh orders or to wait for an assault on the centre +or left before renewing the attack on the right. + +All this time Augur stood ready, his division formed and all in +perfect order, waiting for the word from Banks, who made his +headquarters close at hand, and who, in his turn, waited for the +sound of Sherman's musketry as the signal to put in Augur. With +Sherman, Augur was in connection along the front, although not in +easy communication. The precise nature of the causes that held +Sherman back it is, even now, impossible to state, nor would it be +easy, in the absence of the facts, to form a conjecture that should +seem to be altogether probable and at the same time reasonable. +The most plausible surmise seems to be that Sherman supposed he +was to wait for the engineers to indicate the point of attack, and +that he himself did not choose to go beyond what he conceived to +be his orders to precipitate a movement whose propriety he doubted. +Sherman was an officer of the old army, of wide experience, favorably +known and highly esteemed throughout the service for his intelligence, +his character, and his courage. He was known as one of the most +distinguished of the chosen commanders of the few light batteries +that the government of the United States had thought itself able +to afford in the days before the war. Before coming to Louisiana +he had commanded a department, and in that capacity had carried to +a successful conclusion the brilliant operations that gave Hilton +Head and Port Royal to the forces of the Union. Neither in his +previous history was there any thing to his personal discredit as +a man or as a soldier. The fact remains, however, account for it +how we may, that when about noon, greatly disturbed by the check +on the right, and still more by the silence on the left, Banks +himself rode almost unattended to Sherman's headquarters, he found +Sherman at luncheon in his tent, surrounded by his staff, while in +front the division lay idly under arms, without orders. Hot words +passed, the precise nature of which has not been recorded, and +Banks returned to his headquarters determined to replace Sherman +by the chief-of-staff of the department. The roads had not yet +been opened, and it was half-past one before these orders could be +given. Andrews rode directly to the left, accompanied by but a +single aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Fiske. When he came on the ground +he found Sherman's division deployed, and Sherman himself on +horseback at the head of his men, ready to lead them forward. Then +Andrews, with great propriety, deferred the delivery of the orders +placing him in command, and, after a few words, at a quarter past +two Sherman moved to the assault. Andrews remained to witness the +operation. + +Nickerson moved forward on the right in column of regiments. The +14th Maine, deployed as skirmishers, covered his front, followed +by the 24th Maine, 177th New York, and 165th New York in line. +After emerging from the woods, Nickerson's right flank rested on +the road that runs past Slaughter's house, near the position of +battery 16. + +Dow formed the left of the division and of the army. He advanced +at the same time as Nickerson, and in like order, his right resting +near the position of battery 17 and his left near Gibbons's house, +marked as the position of battery 18. The 6th Michigan led the +brigade, followed by the 15th New Hampshire, 26th Connecticut, and +128th New York. + +In the interval between the two brigades rode Sherman, surrounded +by his whole staff and followed by his escort. + +No sooner had the line emerged from among the trees than the +Confederates opened upon every part of it, as it came in sight, a +galling fire of musketry and artillery. At first the troops moved +forward steadily and at a good pace, but as they drew nearer to +the enemy and the musketry fire grew hotter, their progress was +delayed and their formation somewhat broken by four successive and +parallel lines of fence that had to be thrown down and crossed. +Once clear of the young corn, they found themselves entangled with +the abatis that covered and protected the immediate front of the +Confederate works on this part of the line. This had been set on +fire by the exploding shells, and the smoke and flame now added to +the difficulty of the movement. Here the men suffered greatly, +many being shot down in the act of climbing the great trunks of +the fallen trees, and many more having their clothing reduced to +tatters and almost torn from their bodies in the attempt to force +their way through the entangled branches. The impetus was soon +lost, the men lay down or sought cover; numbers of Dow's men made +their way to the grove in their rear and into the gully on their +left; of Nickerson's, many drifted singly and in groups into the +ravine on their right. + +Long before this, indeed within a few minutes after the line first +marched out from the wood, Sherman had fallen from his horse, +severely wounded in the leg; under the vigorous fire concentrated +upon this large group of horsemen in plain sight of the Confederates +and in easy range, two of his staff officers had shared the same +fate. This would have brought Dow to the command of the division; +but nearly at the same instant Dow himself was wounded and went to +the rear, and so the command fell to Nickerson, who was with his +brigade, and, in the confusion of the moment, was not notified. +Thus, for some interval, there was no one to give orders for fresh +dispositions among the regiments. Many officers had fallen; the +128th New York had lost its colonel, Cowles; the 165th New York, +at last holding the front of Nickerson's line, had lost two successive +commanders, Abel Smith and Carr, both wounded, the former mortally, +while standing by the colors. To retire was now only less difficult +than to advance. Nickerson's men, lying down, held their ground +until after dark; but Dow's, being nearer the cover of the woods, +fell back to their first position. + +Andrews now took command of the division, in virtue of the written +orders of the commanding general, and prepared to obey whatever +fresh instructions he might receive. None came; there was, indeed, +nothing to be done but to withdraw and to restore order. + +As soon as Banks heard the rattle of the musketry on the left, and +saw from the smoke of the Confederate guns that Sherman was engaged, +he ordered Augur forward. Augur, as has been said, had been ready +and waiting all day. His arrangements were to make the attack with +Chapin's brigade, deployed across the Plains Store road, and to +support it with Dudley's, held in reserve under cover of one of +the high and thick hedges of the Osage orange that crossed and +divided the fields on the right of the road. Chapin's front was +covered by the skirmishers of the 21st Maine; immediately in their +rear were to march the storming column of two hundred volunteers, +under Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien, of the 48th Massachusetts. The +stormers rested and waited for the word in the point of the wood +on the left of the Plains Store road, nearly opposite the position +of battery 13. Half their number carried cotton bags and fascines +to fill the ditch. On the right of the road the 116th New York +was deployed; on its left the 49th Massachusetts, closely supported +by the 48th Massachusetts, the 2d Louisiana, of Dudley's brigade, +and the reserve of the 21st Maine. + +O'Brien shook hands with the officer who brought him the last order, +and, turning to his men, who were lying or sitting near by, some +on their cotton bags, others on the ground, said in the coolest +and most business-like manner: "Pick up your bundles, and come +on!" The movement of the stormers was the signal for the whole +line. A truly magnificent sight was the advance of these battalions, +with their colors flying and borne sturdily toward the front; yet +not for long. Hardly had the movement begun when the whole force +--officers, men, colors, stormers, and all,--found themselves +inextricably entangled in the dense abatis under a fierce and +continuous discharge of musketry and a withering cross-fire of +artillery. Besides the field-pieces bearing directly down the +road, two 24-pounders poured upon their flank a storm of missiles +of all sorts, with fragments of railway bars and broken chains for +grape, and rusty nails and the rakings of the scrap-heap for +canister. No part of the column ever passed beyond the abatis, +nor was it even possible to extricate the troops in any order +without greatly adding to the list of casualties, already of a +fearful length. Banks was all for putting Dudley over the open +ground directly in his front, but, before any thing could be done, +came the bad news from the left, and at last it was clear to the +most persistent that the day was miserably lost. When, after +nightfall, the division commanders reported at headquarters, among +the wounded under the great trees, it was known that the result +was even worse than the first accounts. + +The attempt had failed without inflicting serious loss upon the +enemy, save in ammunition expended, yet at a fearful cost to the +Union army. When the list came to be made up, it was found that +15 officers and 278 men had been killed, 90 officers and 1,455 men +wounded, 2 officers and 155 men missing, making the total killed +293, total wounded 1,545, total missing 157, and an aggregate of +1,995. Of the missing, many were unquestionably dead. Worse than +all, if possible, the confidence that but a few hours before had +run so high, was rudely shaken. It was long indeed before the men +felt the same faith in themselves, and it is but the plain truth +to say that their reliance on the department commander never quite +returned. + +The heavy loss in killed and wounded taxed to the utmost the skill +and untiring exertions of the surgeons, who soon found their +preparations and supplies exceeded by the unlooked-for demand upon +them. All night long on that 27th of May the stretcher-bearers +were engaged in removing the wounded to the field-hospitals in the +rear. These were soon filled to overflowing, and many rested under +the shelter of the trees. Hither, too, came large numbers of men +not too badly hurt to be able to walk, and to all the tired troops +the whole night was rendered dismal to the last degree by the groans +of their suffering comrades mingled everywhere, the wounded with +the well, the dying with the dead. + +Among the killed were: Colonel Edward P. Chapin, of the 116th New York; +Colonel Davis S. Cowles, of the 128th New York; Lieutenant-Colonel +William L. Rodman, of the 38th Massachusetts; Lieutenant-Colonel +James O'Brien, of the 48th Massachusetts; Captain John B. +Hubbard, Assistant Adjutant-General, of Weitzel's brigade; Lieutenant +Ladislas A. Wrotnowkski, Topographical Engineer on Weitzel's staff. +Lieutenant-Colonels Oliver W. Lull, of the 8th New Hampshire, and +Abel Smith, Jr., of the 165th New York, were mortally wounded. +The long list of the wounded included Brigadier-General Thomas W. +Sherman, Brigadier-General Neal Dow, Colonel Richard E. Holcomb, +of the 1st Louisiana; Colonel Thomas S. Clark, of the 6th Michigan; +Colonel William F. Bartlett, of the 49th Massachusetts; Major +Gouverneur Carr, of the 165th New York. + +Farragut's ships and mortar-boats, which had been harassing the +garrison at intervals, day and night, for more than ten days, joined +hotly in the bombardment, but ceased firing, by arrangement, as +soon as the land batteries slackened. The fire of the fleet, +especially that of the mortars, was very annoying to the garrison, +especially at first, yet the actual casualties were not great. + +The Confederate losses during the assault are not known. In Beall's +brigade all the losses up to the 1st of June numbered 68 killed, +194 wounded, and 96 missing; together, 358; most of these must have +been incurred on the 27th of May. The Confederate artillery was +soon so completely overpowered, that it became nearly useless, save +when the Union guns were masked by the advance of assaulting columns. +Three 24-pounders were dismounted, and of these one was completely +disabled. + +With the result of this day the last hope of a junction between +the armies of Banks and Grant vanished. It may therefore be +convenient to retrace our steps a little in order to note the +closing incidents of this strange chapter of well-laid plans by +fortune brought to naught. + +Dwight returned from his visit to Grant on the 22d of May, and +reported to Banks in person at his headquarters with Grover on +Thompson's Creek. In his account of what had taken place, Dwight +confirmed the idea Banks had already derived from the despatch that +Dwight had sent from Grand Gulf on the 16th, before he had seen +Grant. Grant would send 5,000 men, Dwight reported, but Banks was +not to wait for them. Practically this had no effect whatever upon +the campaign, and how little impression it made upon the mind of +Grant himself may be seen from his description, written in 1884, +of his interview with Dwight. It was the morning of the 17th of +May and Grant's troops were standing on the eastern bank of the +Big Black ready to force the passage of the river: + +"While the troops were standing as here described, an officer from +Banks's staff came up and presented me with a letter from General +Halleck, dated the 11th of May. It had been sent by way of New +Orleans to Banks to forward to me. He ordered me to return to +Grand Gulf and to co-operate from there with Banks against Port +Hudson, and then to return with our combined forces to besiege +Vicksburg. I told the officer that the order came too late and +that Halleck would not give it then if he knew our position. The +bearer of the despatch insisted that I ought to obey the order, +and was giving arguments to support his position when I heard great +cheering to the right of our line, and looking in that direction, +saw Lawler, in his shirt-sleeves, leading a charge upon the enemy. +I immediately mounted my horse and rode in the direction of the +charge, and saw no more of the officer who delivered the despatch, +I think not even to this day."(1) + +Here two mistakes are perhaps worth noting as curious rather than +important: Dwight was not a member of Banks's staff, and the letter +from Halleck, dated the 11th of May, which General Grant strangely +supposed to have come by way of New Orleans, was, in fact, Halleck's +telegram of that date, sent by way of Memphis, which Dwight had +picked up as he passed through Grand Gulf, after Grant had cut his +communications. Dwight's account may have taken color from his +hopes, yet the course of events gives some reason to think he may +have had warrant for his belief. + +On the 19th of May Grant's first assault of Vicksburg was repulsed +with a loss of 942. Three days later he delivered his second +assault, which likewise failed, at a cost of 3,199 killed, wounded, +and missing. This drove him to the siege and put him in need of +more troops; yet when, on the 25th of May, he sat down to write to +Banks, it was with the purpose of offering to send down a force of +8,000 or 10,000 men if Banks could now provide the means of transport. +But even while Grant wrote, word came that Johnston was gathering +in his rear; and so the whole thing was one more given up, and +instead, once again he called on Banks for help; and this time he +sent down two large steamers, the _Forest Queen_ and _Moderator_, +to fetch the men. But Banks had now no men to spare; he too was +cast for a siege; he could only echo the entreaty and send back +the steamboats empty as they came. So the affair ended. + +(1) "Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant," vol. I., p. 524. + + +CHAPTER XVII. +THE FOURTEENTH OF JUNE. + +Banks at once ordered up the ammunition and the stores from the +depot at Riley's, near the headquarters of the day before, and +early on the morning of the 28th of May established his headquarters +in tents at Young's, in rear of the centre, and began his arrangements +to reduce Port Hudson by gradual approaches. At six o'clock in +the morning he sent a flag of truce to Gardner, from Augur's front +on the Plains Store road, bearing a request for a suspension of +hostilities until two o'clock in the afternoon, to permit the +removal of the dead and wounded. To this Gardner at once refused +to agree unless Banks would agree to withdraw at all points to a +distance of eight hundred yards. He also demanded that the fleet +should drop down out of range. Banks was unable to consent. A +long correspondence followed, twelve letters in all, crossing and +recrossing, to the utter confusion of time. At length, shortly +after half-past three o'clock, Banks received Gardner's assent to +an armistice extending till seven o'clock. The conditions were +that the besiegers were to send to the lines of the defence, by +unarmed parties, such of the Confederate killed as remained unburied, +and such of their wounded as had not already been picked up and +sent to the rear. The killed and wounded of the Union army, lying +between their lines and the Confederate works, were to be cared +for in the same way. + +Arnold was ordered to bring up the siege train, manned by the 1st +Indiana heavy artillery, and Houston to provide entrenching tools +and siege materials. When all the siege artillery was in position +there were forty pieces, of which six were 8-inch sea-coast howitzers +on siege carriages, eight 24-pounders, seven 30-pounder Parrotts, +four 6-inch rifles, four 9-inch Dahlgren guns, four 8-inch mortars, +three 10-inch mortars, and four 13-inch mortars. To these were +added twelve light batteries of sixty pieces, namely, six 6-pounder +Sawyer rifles, two 10-pounder Parrotts, twenty-six 12-pounder +Napoleons, two 12-pounder howitzers, twelve 3-inch rifles, and +twelve 20-pounder Parrotts. The Dahlgren guns were served by a +detachment of fifty-one men from the _Richmond_ and seventeen from +the _Essex_, under Lieutenant-Commander Edward Terry, with Ensign +Robert P. Swann, Ensign E. M. Shepard, and Master's Mates William +R. Cox and Edmund L. Bourne for chiefs of the gun divisions. + +In the course of the next few days the eight regiments that had +been left on the Teche and the Atchafalaya rejoined the army before +Port Hudson, coming by way of Brashear, Algiers, and the river. +This gave to the cavalry under Grierson one more regiment, the 41st +Massachusetts, now mounted, and henceforth known as the 3d +Massachusetts cavalry, the three troops of the old 2d battalion +being merged in it; Weitzel got back the 114th New York; Paine +recovered the 4th Massachusetts and the 16th New Hampshire of +Ingraham's brigade, now practically broken up; and Grover the 22d +Maine and 90th New York of Dwight's brigade, the 52d Massachusetts +of Kimball's, and the 26th Maine of Birge's, while losing the 41st +Massachusetts by its conversion into a mounted regiment. The 16th +New Hampshire, however, had suffered so severely during its six +week's confinement in the heart of the pestilential swamp that it +was reduced to a mere skeleton, without strength either numerical +or physical. It was easy to see that officers and men alike were +suffering from some aggravated form of hepatic disorder, due to +malarial poison. Many were added to the sick-report every day. +Few that went to the regimental or general hospital returned to +duty, while of the men called well all were yellow, emaciated, and +restless, or so drowsy that the sentries were found asleep on their +posts at noonday. This unfortunate regiment was therefore taken +from the front and set to guard the general ammunition depot, near +headquarters. Without being once engaged in battle, so that it +had not a single gunshot wound to report, the 16th New Hampshire +suffered a loss by disease during its seven months' service in +Louisiana of 5 officers and 216 men--in all, 221; and nearly the +whole of this occurred in the last two months. This regiment was +replaced in Paine's division by the 28th Connecticut, from +Pensacola. + +Dwight was now given the command of Sherman's division, relieving +Nickerson, who had assumed command the morning after the assault +of the 27th. Dow being disabled by his wounds, his brigade fell +to Clark. The 2d Louisiana was transferred from Dudley's brigade +to Chapin's, bringing Charles J. Paine in command. Halbert E. +Paine's division was withdrawn from the earlier formation of the +right wing under Weitzel, and was established in position on Grover's +left, covering the Jackson road and the second position of Duryea's +battery at No. 12. Grover was placed in command, from the afternoon +of the 27th, of the whole right wing, but Dwight's brigade, under +Morgan, remained with Weitzel as part of a temporary division under +his command, Thomas retaining the command of Weitzel's brigade. +Finally, the 162d New York and the 175th New York were temporarily +taken from Paine and lent to Dwight, who, directly after the 14th +of June, united them with the 28th Maine of Sherman's division to +form a temporary 2d brigade. At the same time he transferred the +6th Michigan to Nickerson's brigade, evidently meaning to take the +command of the 1st brigade from Clark; but these arrangements were +promptly set aside by orders from headquarters. The left wing, +comprising Augur's division and Sherman's, now Dwight's, was placed +under the command of Augur. + +Along the whole front the troops now held substantially the advanced +positions they had gained on the 27th of May. This shortened the +line, and, as it was on the whole better arranged and the connections +and communications better, Augur took ground a little to the left +and held, with Charles J. Paine's brigade, a part of the field that +had been in Sherman's front on the 27th; while Dwight, in closing +up and drawing in his left flank, moved nearer to the river and +covered the road leading in a southerly direction from the Confederate +works around the eastern slope of Mount Pleasant and past Troth's +house. + +The cavalry, being of no further use to the divisions, but rather +an encumbrance upon them, was massed, under Grierson, behind the +centre, and assigned to the duty of guarding the rear, the depots, +and the communications against the incursions of the Confederate +cavalry, under Logan, known to be hovering between Port Hudson and +Clinton, and supposed to be from 1,500 to 2,000 strong. Logan's +actual force at this time was about 1,200 effective. Grierson had +about 1,700, including his own regiment, the 6th Illinois, the +7th Illinois, Colonel Edward Prince, a detachment of the 1st +Louisiana, the 3d Massachusetts cavalry, and the 14th New York. + +As fast as the engineers were able to survey the ground and the +working parties to open the roads, Arnold and Houston chose with +great care the positions for the siege batteries, and heavy details +were soon at work upon them, as well as upon the long line of +rifle-pits, connecting the batteries and practically forming the +first parallel of the siege works. The positions of some of these +batteries, especially on the left, were afterward changed; but as +finally constructed and mounted, they began at the north, near the +position of the colored regiments on the right bank of Foster's +Creek, and extended, at a distance from the Confederate works +varying from six hundred to twelve hundred yards, to the Mount +Pleasant road, across which was planted siege battery No. 21. The +first position of siege battery No. 20 is marked "old 20," and the +three formidable batteries on the extreme left, Nos. 22, 23, and +24, were not established till later, the attack of the Confederate +works in their front being at first left to the guns of the fleet. +Two epaulements for field artillery were thrown up on either side +of the road at Foster's Creek to command the passage of the stream, +but no siege guns were mounted there. The extreme right of the +siege batteries was at No. 2. + +While all eyes were turned upon the siege works and every nerve +strained for their completion, Logan's presence in the rear, though +at no time so hurtful as might fairly have been expected, was a +continual source of anxiety and annoyance. To find out just what +force he had and what he was about, Grierson moved toward Clinton +on the morning of the 3d of June with the 6th and 7th Illinois, +the old 2d Massachusetts battalion, now merged in the 3d, a squadron +of the 1st Louisiana, two companies of the 4th Wisconsin, mounted, +and one section of Nims's battery. Grierson took the road by +Jackson, and, when within three miles of that place, sent Godfrey, +with 200 men of the Massachusetts and Louisiana cavalry, to ride +through the town, while the main column went direct to Clinton. +Godfrey pushing on briskly through Jackson, captured and paroled, +after the useless fashion of the time, a number of prisoners, and +rejoined the column two miles beyond. When eight miles west of +Clinton, Grierson heard a report that Logan had gone that morning +toward Port Hudson, but pushing on toward Clinton, after crossing +the Comite Grierson found Logan's advance and drove it back on the +main body, strongly posted on Pretty Creek. A three hours' engagement +followed, resulting in Grierson's retirement to Port Hudson, with +a loss of 8 killed, 28 wounded, and 15 missing; 3 of the dead and +7 of the wounded falling into the hands of the enemy. Logan reports +his loss as 20 killed and wounded, and claims 40 prisoners. Among +the killed, unfortunately, was the young cavalry officer, Lieutenant +Solon A. Perkins, of the 3d Massachusetts, whose skill and daring +had commended itself to the notice of Weitzel during the early +operations in La Fourche, and whose long service without proper +rank had drawn out the remark: "This Perkins is a splendid officer, +and he deserves promotion as much as any officer I ever saw." + +Banks determined to chastise Logan for this; accordingly, at daylight +on the morning of the 5th of June, Paine took his old brigade under +Fearing, with the 52d Massachusetts, the 91st New York, and two +sections of Duryea's battery, and preceded by Grierson's cavalry, +marched on Clinton by way of Olive Branch and the plank road. That +night Paine encamped at Redwood creek; on the 6th he made a short +march to the Comite, distant nine miles from his objective, and +there halted till midnight. Then, after a night march, the whole +force entered Clinton at daylight on the morning of the 7th, only +to find that Logan, forewarned, had gone toward Jackson. Then +Paine countermarched to the Comite, and, remaining till sunset, +marched that evening to Redwood, and, there going into bivouac, at +two o'clock on the following morning, the 8th of June, returned to +the lines before Port Hudson. On this fruitless expedition the +men and horses suffered severely from the heat, and there were many +cases of sunstroke. + +By the 1st of June the artillery and the sharp-shooters of the +besieged had obtained so complete a mastery over the guns of the +defenders, that on the whole line these were practically silent, +if not silenced. In part, no doubt, this is to be ascribed to a +desire on the part of the Confederate artillerists to reserve their +ammunition for the emergency, yet something was also due to the +effect of the Union fire, by which, in the first week, twelve heavy +guns were disabled. The 10-inch columbiad in water battery 4 was +dismounted at long range. This gun was known to the Union soldiers, +and perhaps to the Confederates first, as the "Lady Davis," and +great was the dread awakened by the deep bass roar and the wail of +the big shells as they came rolling down the narrow pathway, or +searched the ravines where the men lay massed. The fire of the +navy also did great damage among the heavy batteries along the +river front. When the siege batteries were nearly ready, on the +evening of the 10th of June, Banks ordered a feigned attack at +midnight by skirmishers along the whole front, for the purpose, as +stated in the orders, "of harassing the enemy, of inducing him to +bring forward and expose his artillery, acquiring a knowledge of +the ground before the enemy's front, and of favoring the operations +of pioneers who may be sent forward to remove obstructions if +necessary." None of these objects can be said to have been +accomplished, nor was any advantage gained beyond a slight advance +of the lines, at a single point on Weitzel's front, by the 131st +New York. The full loss in this night's reconnoissance is not +known; in Weitzel's own brigade, there were 2 killed, 41 wounded, +6 missing--in all, 49; in Morgan's, a partial report accounts for +12 wounded and 59 missing, including two companies of the 22d Maine +that became entangled and for the moment lost in the ravines. + +On the evening of the 12th of June, all arrangements being nearly +complete, Banks ordered a vigorous bombardment to be begun the next +morning. Punctually at a quarter past eleven on the morning of +the 13th, every gun and mortar of the army and navy that could be +brought to bear upon the defences of Port Hudson opened fire, and +for a full hour kept up a furious cannonade, limited only by the +endurance of the Union guns and gunners, for the Confederates hardly +ventured to reply, save at first feebly. When the bombardment was +at its fiercest, more than one shell in a second could be seen to +fall and explode within the narrow circuit of the defences visible +from the headquarters on the field. The defenders had three heavy +guns dismounted during the day, yet suffered little loss in men, +for long before this nearly the whole garrison had accustomed +themselves to take refuge in their caves and "gopher-holes" at the +first sound of Union cannon, and to await its cessation as a signal +to return to their posts at the parapet. They were not always so +fortunate, however, for more than once it happened that three or +four men were killed by the bursting of a single shell. + +When the hour was up the cannonade ended as suddenly as it began, +and profound silence followed close on the intolerable din. Then +Banks sent a flag of truce summoning the garrison to surrender in +these words: "Respect for the usages of war and a desire to avoid +unnecessary sacrifice of life, impose on me the necessity of formally +demanding the surrender of the garrison at Port Hudson. I am not +unconscious, in making this demand, that the garrison is capable +of continuing a vigorous and gallant defence. The events that have +transpired during the pending investment exhibit in the commander +and garrison a spirit of constancy and courage that, in a different +cause, would be universally regarded as heroism. But I know the +extremities to which they are reduced. . . . I desire to avoid +unnecessary slaughter, and I therefore demand the immediate surrender +of the garrison, subject to such conditions only as are imposed by +the usages of civilized warfare." To this Gardner replied: "My +duty requires me to defend this position, and therefore I decline +to surrender." + +In the evening the generals of division met in council at headquarters. +In anticipation of what was to come, Dudley had already been ordered +to send the 50th Massachusetts, and Charles J. Paine the 48th +Massachusetts, to Dwight; and Dudley himself, with the 161st and +174th New York, was to report to Grover. This left under Augur's +immediate command only five regiments of his division, namely, one, +the 30th Massachusetts, of Dudley's brigade, and four of C. J. +Paine's. Shortly before midnight a general assault was ordered +for the following morning. At a quarter before three Augur was to +open a heavy fire of artillery on his front, following it up half +and hour later by a feigned attack of skirmishers. Dwight was to +take two regiments, and, with a pair of suborned deserters for +guides, was to try and find an entrance on the extreme left of the +works near the river. But the main attack was to be made by Grover +on the priest-cap. Its position is shown on the map at XV. and +XVI., and the approach was to be from the cover of the winding +ravine, near the second position of Duryea's battery, at No. 12. +The artillery cross-fire at this point was to begin at three o'clock, +and was to cease at a signal from Grover. At half-past three the +skirmishers were to attack. The general formation of each of the +two columns of attack had been settled in orders issued from +headquarters on the morning of the 11th. Each column, assumed to +consist of about 2,000 men, was to be preceded and covered by 300 +skirmishers; immediately behind the skirmishers were to be seventy +pioneers, carrying thirty-five axes, eighteen shovels, ten pickaxes, +two handsaws, and two hatchets; next was to come the forlorn hope, +or storming party, of 300 men, each carrying a bag stuffed with +cotton; following the stormers, thirty-four men were to carry +the balks and chesses to form a bridge over the ditch, in order +to facilitate the passage of the artillery, as well as of the +men. The main assaulting column was to follow, marching in +lines-of-battle, as far as the nature of the ground would permit, +which, as it happened, was not far. The field-artillery was to go +with the assaulting column, each battery having its own pioneers. +To the cavalry, meanwhile, was assigned the work of picketing and +protecting the rear, as well as of holding the telegraph road +leading out of Port Hudson toward Bayou Sara, by which it was +thought the garrison might attempt to escape, on finding their +lines broken through, or even to avoid the blow. + +As was the uniform custom during the siege, all watches at division +and brigade headquarters were set at nine o'clock, by a telegraphic +signal, to agree with the adjutant-general's watch. + +These final orders for the assault bear the hour of 11.30 P.M. +This was in fact the moment at which the earliest copies were sent +out by the aides-de-camp, held in readiness to carry them. There +were seven hundred and fifty words to be written, and eleven o'clock +had already passed when the council listened to the reading of the +drafts and broke up. From the lateness of the hour, as well as +from the distance and the darkness of the night, it resulted that +one o'clock came before the last orders were in the hands of the +troops that were to execute them. Many arrangements had still to +be carried out and many of the detachments had still to be moved +over long distances and by obscure ways to the positions assigned +to them. In some instances all that was left of the night was thus +occupied, and it was broad daylight before every thing was ready. + +A dense fog prevailed in the early morning of Sunday, the 14th of +June, strangely veiling, while it lasted, even the sound of the +big guns, so that in places it was unheard a hundred yards in the +rear. Punctually at the hour fixed the cannonade opened. It was +an hour later, that is to say, about four o'clock, when the first +attack was launched. + +For the chief assault Grover had selected Paine's division and had +placed the main body of his own division with Weitzel's brigade, +in close support. Paine determined to lead the attack himself. +Across his front as skirmishers he deployed the 4th Wisconsin, now +again dismounted, and the 8th New Hampshire. The 4th Massachusetts +was told off to follow the skirmishers with improvised hand-grenades +made of 6-pounder shells. Next the 38th Massachusetts and the 53d +Massachusetts were formed into line of battle. At the head of the +infantry column the 31st Massachusetts, likewise deployed, carried +cotton bags, to fill the ditch. The rest of Gooding's brigade +followed, next came Fearing's, then Ingraham's under Ferris. In +rear of the column was posted the artillery under Nims. At a point +on the crest of the ridge, ninety yards distant from the left face +of the priest-cap, Paine's advance was checked. Then Paine, who +had previously gone along the front of every regiment, addressing +to each a few words of encouragement and of preparation for the +work, passed afoot from the head of the column to the front of the +skirmish line, and exerting to the full his sonorous voice, gave +the order to the column to go in. At the word the men sprang +forward, but almost as they did so, the Confederates behind the +parapet in their front, with fairly level aim and at point-blank +range, poured upon the head of the column a deadly volley. Many +fell at this first discharge; among them, unfortunately, the gallant +Paine himself, his thigh crushed by a rifle-ball. Some of the men +of the 4th Wisconsin, of the 8th New Hampshire, and of the 38th +Massachusetts gained the ditch, and a few even climbed the parapet, +but of these nearly all were made prisoners. The rear of the column +fell back to the cover of the hill, while all those who had gained +the crest were forced to lie there, exposed to a pitiless fire of +sharp-shooters and the scarcely more endurable rays of the burning +sun of Louisiana, until night came and brought relief. In this +unfortunate situation the sufferings of the wounded became so +unbearable, and appealed so powerfully to the sympathy of their +comrades, that many lives were risked and some lost in the attempt +to alleviate the thirst, at least, of these unfortunates. Two men, +quite of their own accord, took a stretcher and tried to reach the +point where Paine lay, but the attempt was unsuccessful, and cost +both of them their lives. These heroes were E. P. Woods, of Company +E of the 8th New Hampshire, and John Williams, of Company D, 31st +Massachusetts. Not less nobly, Patrick H. Cohen, a private soldier +of the 133d New York, himself lying wounded on the crest, cut a +canteen from the body of a dead comrade and by lengthening the +strap succeeded in tossing it within reach of his commander; this +probably preserved Paine's life, for unquestionably many of the +more seriously hurt perished from the heat and from thirst on that +fatal day. + +It was about seven o'clock, and the fog had lifted, when Weitzel +advanced to the attack on the right face of the priest-cap. The +12th Connecticut and the 75th New York of his own brigade were +deployed to the left and right as skirmishers to cover the head of +the column. Two regiments of Morgan's brigade, loosely deployed, +followed the skirmishers; in front the 91st New York, with +hand-grenades, and next the 24th Connecticut, every man carrying two +cotton bags weighing thirty pounds each. In immediate support came +the remainder of Weitzel's brigade in column of regiments, in the +order of the 8th Vermont, 114th New York, and 160th New York, +followed by the main body of Morgan's brigade. Birge was in close +support and Kimball in reserve. Finally, in the rear, as in Paine's +formation, was massed the artillery of the division. + +Toward the north face of the priest-cap the only approach was by +the irregular, but for some distance nearly parallel, gorges cut +out from the soft clay of the bluffs by Sandy Creek and one of its +many arms. The course of these streams being toward the Confederate +works, the hollows grew deeper and the banks steeper at every step. +At most the creeks were but two hundred yards apart, and the ridge +that separated them gave barely standing room. Within a few feet +of the breastworks the smaller stream and its ravine turned sharply +toward the north and served as a formidable ditch until they united +with the main stream and ravine below the bastion. This larger +ravine near its outlet and the natural ditch throughout its length +were mercilessly swept by the fire of the bastion on the right, +the breastworks in front, and the priest-cap on the left. The +smaller ravine led toward the south to the crest from which Paine's +men had recoiled, where their wounded and their dead lay thick, +and behind which the survivors were striving to restore the broken +formations. + +Weitzel therefore chose the main ravine. Bearing to the right from +the Jackson road, the men moved by the flank and cautiously, availing +themselves of every advantage afforded by the timber or the +irregularities of the ground, until they gained the crest of the +ridge at points varying from twenty to fifty yards from the works +near the north face of the priest-cap. In advancing to this position +the column came under fire immediately on filing out of the ravine +and the wood in front of the position of battery No. 9. Then, in +such order as they happened to be, they went forward with a rush +and a cheer, but beyond the crest indicated few men ever got. From +this position it was impossible either to advance or retire until +night came. + +At the appointed hour Dwight sent the 6th Michigan, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Bacon, and the 14th Maine, to the extreme left +to make an attempt in that quarter, the arrangements for which have +been already described; but either Dwight gave his orders too late, +or the column mistook the path, or else the difficulties were really +greater than they had been thought beforehand or than they afterward +seemed, for nothing came of it. Then recalling this detachment to +the Mount Pleasant road, Dwight tried to advance in that direction. +The 14th Maine was sent back to its brigade and Clark deployed his +own regiment, the 6th Michigan, as skirmishers, supported by the +128th New York, now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Smith. +The 15th New Hampshire followed and the 26th Connecticut, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Selden, brought up the rear. These two +regiments went forward in column of companies on the main road, +but as the Confederates immediately opened a heavy artillery fire +upon the head of the column, they had to be deployed. However, +the ground, becoming rapidly narrower, did not long permit of an +advance in this order, so that it soon became necessary to ploy +once more into column. About 350 yards from the outer works the +Mount Pleasant road enters and crosses a deep ravine by a bridge, +then destroyed. The hollow was completely choked with felled +timber, through which, under the heavy fire of musketry and artillery, +it was impossible to pass; so here the brigade stayed till night +enabled it to retire. Nickerson's brigade supported the movement +of Clark's, but without becoming seriously engaged. Thus ended +Dwight's movement. It can hardly be described as an assault, as +an attack, or even as a serious attempt to accomplish any valuable +result; yet indirectly it was the means of gaining, and at a small +cost, the greatest, if not the only real, advantage achieved that +day, for it gave Dwight possession of the rough hill, the true +value of which was then for the first time perceived, and on the +commanding position of its northern slope was presently mounted +the powerful array of siege artillery that overlooked and controlled +the land and water batteries on the lower flank of the Confederate +defences. + +Of Augur's operations in the centre, it is enough to say that the +feigned attack assigned to this portion of the line was made briskly +and in good order at the appointed time, without great loss. + +The result of the day may be summed up as a bloody repulse; beholding +the death and maiming of so many of the bravest and best of the +officers and men, the repulse may be even termed a disaster. In +the whole service of the Nineteenth Army Corps darkness never shut +in upon a gloomier field. Men went about their work in a silence +stronger than words. + +On this day 21 officers and 182 men were killed, 72 officers and +1,245 men were wounded, 6 officers and 180 men missing; besides +these, 13 were reported as killed, 84 as wounded, and 2 as missing +without distinguishing between officers and men, thus making a +total of 216 killed, 1,401 wounded, 188 missing--in all, 1,805. +Among the wounded many had received mortal hurts, while of the +missing, as in the first assault, many must now be set down as +killed. + +Paine, as we have seen, fell seriously hurt while in the very act +of leading his division to the assault. Nine days earlier he had +received his well-earned commission as brigadier-general. He was +taken to New Orleans, and there nine days later, at the Hotel de +Dieu Hospital, after vain efforts to save the limb, the surgeons +performed amputation of the thigh. A few days after the surrender, +in order to avoid the increasing dangers of the climate, Paine was +sent to his home in Wisconsin on the captured steamer _Starlight_, +the first boat that ascended the river. Thus the Nineteenth Corps +lost one of its bravest and most promising commanders, one who had +earned the affection of his men, not less through respect for his +character than by his unfailing sympathy and care in all situations, +and who was commended to the confidence and esteem of his associates +and superiors by talent and devotion of the first order joined to +every quality that stamps a man among men. + +The fiery Holcomb, wounded in the assault of the 27th, yet refusing +to leave his duty to another, fell early on this fatal morning at +the head of his regiment and brigade, in the first moment of the +final charge of Weitzel's men. This was another serious loss, for +Holcomb had that disposition that may, for want of a better term, +be described as the fighting character. All soldiers know it and +respect it, and every wise general, seeing it anywhere among his +officers, shuts his eyes to many a blemish and pardons many a fault +that would be severely visited in another; yet in Holcomb there +was nothing to overlook or forgive. As he was the most prominent +and the most earnest of the few officers of the line that to the +last remained eager for the fatal assault, so he was among the +earliest and noblest of its victims. + +Mortally wounded at the head of Weitzel's brigade fell Colonel +Elisha B. Smith, of the 114th New York. Barely recovered from a +serious illness, his spirit could not longer brook the restraint +of the hospital at New Orleans with the knowledge that his men were +engaged with the enemy. Thomas was ill and had received a slight +wound of the scalp; this brought Smith to the head of the brigade; +his fall devolved the command upon Lieutenant-Colonel Van Petten, +for though Thomas, unable to bear the torture inflicted upon him +by the sounds of battle, rose from his sick-bed and resumed the +command, his weakness again overcame him when the day's work was +done. + +No regiment at Port Hudson approached the 8th New Hampshire in the +number and severity of its losses, no brigade suffered so much as +Paine's, to which this regiment belonged, and no division so much +as Emory's, under the command of Paine. On this day, Fearing +commanded the brigade, and later the division, and Lull having +fallen in the previous assault, the regiment went into action 217 +strong, led by Captain William M. Barrett; of this number, 122, or +56 per cent., were killed or wounded. On the 27th of May, out of +298 engaged, the regiment lost 124, or 41 per cent. + +Next to the 8th New Hampshire on the fatal roll stands the 4th +Wisconsin. This noble regiment, at all times an honor to the +service and to its State, whence came so many splendid battalions, +was a shining monument to the virtue of steady, conscientious work +and strict discipline applied to good material. Bean had been +instantly killed by a sharp-shooter on the 29th of May; the regiment +went into action on the 14th of June 220 strong, commanded by +Captain Webster P. Moore; of these, 140 fell, or 63 per cent. In +the first assault, however, it had fared better, its losses numbering +but 60. + +The eccentric Currie, who came to the service from the British +army, with the lustre of the Crimea still about him, rather brightened +than dimmed by time and distance, fell severely wounded on the same +fatal crest. He was struck down at the head of his regiment, boldly +leading his men and urging them forward with the quaint cry of "Get +on, lads!" so well known to English soldiers, yet so unfamiliar to +all Americans as to draw many a smile, even in that grim moment, +from those who heard it. + +To the cannonade that preceded the assault and announced it to the +enemy must be attributed not only the failure but a great part of +the loss. The wearied Confederates were asleep behind the breastworks +when the roar of the Union artillery broke the stillness of the +morning, and gave them time to make ready. Such was their extremity +that in Grover's front they burned their last caps in repelling +the final assault, and, for the time, were able to replenish only +from the pouches of the fallen. + +Under cover of night all the wounded that were able to walk or +crawl made their way to places of safety in the rear; while, +disregarding the incessant fire of the sharp-shooters, heavy details +and volunteer parties of stretcher-bearers, plying their melancholy +trade, carried the wounded with gentle care to the hospitals and +the dead swiftly to the long trenches. The proportion of killed +and mortally wounded, already unusually heavy, was increased by +the exposure and privations of the long day, while many, whom it +was impossible to find or reach during the night, succumbed sooner +or later during the next forty-eight hours. For although when, on +the morning of the 15th, Banks sent a flag of truce asking leave +to send in medical and hospital supplies for the comfort of the +wounded of both armies, Gardner promptly assented, and in his reply +called attention to the condition of the dead and wounded before +the breastworks, yet it was not until the evening of the 16th that +Banks could bring himself to ask for a suspension of hostilities +for the relief of the suffering and the burial of the slain. But +three days and two nights had already passed; most of the hurt, +and these the most grievously, were already beyond the need of +succor. The same thing had already occurred at Vicksburg. + +The operations at Vicksburg and Port Hudson were so far alike in +their character and objects that no just estimate of the events at +either place can well be formed without considering what happened +at the other. In this view it is instructive to observe that Grant +assaulted the Confederate position at Vicksburg within a few hours +after the arrival of his troops in front of the place, on the +afternoon of the 19th of May, when two determined attacks were +easily thrown off by the defenders, with a loss to their assailants +of 942 men. On the 22d of May Grant delivered the second assault, +in which about three fourths of his whole effective force of 43,000 +of all arms were engaged. The full corps of Sherman and McPherson, +comprising six divisions, were repulsed by four brigades of the +garrison, numbering probably 13,000 effectives. In this second +assault Grant's loss was 3,199. These are the reasons he gives +for his decision to attack: + +"Johnston was in my rear, only fifty miles away, with an army not +much in inferior in numbers to the one I had with me, and I knew +he was being reinforced. There was danger of his coming to the +assistance of Pemberton, and, after all, he might defeat my +anticipations of capturing the garrison, if, indeed, he did not +prevent the capture of the city. The immediate capture of Vicksburg +would save sending me the reinforcements which were so much wanted +elsewhere, and would set free the army under me to drive Johnston +from the State. But the first consideration of all was--the troops +believed they could carry the works in their front, and they would +not have worked so patiently in their trenches if they had not been +allowed to try." + +Having tried, he now "determined upon a regular siege--to 'outcamp +the enemy,' as it were, and to incur no more losses. The experience +of the 22d convinced officers and men that this was best, and they +went to work on the defences and approaches with a will."(1) + +It has also to be remembered, in any fair and candid consideration +of the subject, that at this comparatively early period of the war +even such bloody lessons as Fredericksburg had not sufficed to +teach either the commanders or their followers on either side, +Federal or Confederate, the full value, computed in time, of even +a simple line of breastworks of low relief, or the cost in blood +of any attempt to eliminate this value of time by carrying the +works at a rush. Indeed, it may be doubted whether, from the +beginning of the war to the end, this reasoning, in spite of all +castigations that resulted from disregarding it, was ever fully +impressed upon the generals of either army, although at last there +came, it is true, a time when, as at Cold Harbor, the men had an +opinion of their own, and chose to act upon it. It is also very +questionable whether earthworks manned by so much as a line of +skirmishers, prepared and determined to defend them, have ever been +successfully assaulted save as the result of a surprise. Sedgwick's +captures of the Rappanhannock redoubts and of Marye's Heights have +indeed been cited as instances to the contrary, yet on closer +consideration it is apparent that although in the former case the +Confederates had been looking for an attack, they had given up all +expectation of being called on to meet it that day, when, just at +sunset, Russell fell suddenly upon them and finished the affair +handsomely before they had time to recover. Marye's Heights, again, +may be described as a moral surprise, for no Confederate officer +or man that had witnessed the bloody repulse of Burnside's great +army on the very same ground, but a few weeks before, could have +expected to be called on so soon to meet the swift and triumphant +onset of a single corps of that army. Moreover, Sedgwick's tactical +arrangements were perfect. + +The truth is, the insignificant appearance of a line of simple +breastworks has almost always caused those general and staff-officers +especially that viewed them through their field-glasses, with the +diminishing power of a long perspective, to forget that an assault +upon an enemy behind entrenchments is not so much a battle as a +battue, where one side stands to shoot and the other goes out to +be shot, or if he stops to shoot it is in plain sight of an almost +invisible foe. European examples, as usual misapplied or misunderstood, +have contributed largely to the persistency of this fatal illusion, +and Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos have served but as incantations to +confuse many a mind to which these sounding syllables were no more +than names; ignorant, therefore, of the stern necessities that +drove Wellington to these victories, forgetful of their fearful +cost, and above all ignoring or forgetting the axiom, on which +rests the whole art and science of military engineering--that the +highest and stoutest of stone walls must yield at last to the +smallest trench through which a man may creep unseen. Vast, indeed, +is the difference between an assault upon a walled town, delivered +as a last resort after crowning the glacis and opening wide the +breach, and any conceivable movement, though bearing the same name, +made as the first resort, against earthworks of the very kind +whereby walled towns are taken, approached over ground unknown and +perhaps obstructed. + +Even so, in the storm of Rodrigo the defenders struck down more +than a third of their own numbers; Badajos was taken by a happy +chance after the main assault had miserably failed; at both places +the losses of the assailants were in proportion less, and in number +but little greater, than at Port Hudson; yet, in the contemplation +of the awful slaughter of Badajos, even the iron firmness of +Wellington broke down in a passion of tears. + +(1) "Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant," pp. 530, 532. + + +CHAPTER XVIII. +UNVEXED TO THE SEA. + +With that quick appreciation of facts that forms so large a part +of the character of the American soldier, even to the extent of +exercising upon the fate of battles and campaigns an influence not +always reserved for considerations derived from a study of the +principles of the art of war, the men of the Army of the Gulf had +now made up their minds that the end sought was to be attained by +hard work on their part and by starvation on the part of the +garrison. Criticism and denunciation, by no means confined to +those officers whose knowledge of the art of war is drawn from +books, have been freely passed upon this peculiarity, yet both +alike have been wasted, since no proposition can be clearer than +that a nation, justly proud of the superior intelligence of its +soldiers, cannot expect to reap the full advantage of that intelligence +and at the same time escape every disadvantage attending its +exercise. Among these drawbacks, largely overbalanced by the +obvious gains, not the least is the peculiar quality that has been +aptly described in the homely saying, "They know too much." When, +therefore, the American volunteer has become a veteran, and has +reached his highest point of discipline, endurance, and the simple +sagacity of the soldier, it is often his way to stay his hand from +exertions that he deems needless and from sacrifices that he +considers useless or worse than useless, although the same exertions +and the same sacrifices would, but a few months earlier in the days +of his inexperience, have been met by him with the same alacrity +that the ignorant peasant of Europe displays in obeying the orders +of his hereditary chief in the service of the king. + +After the 14th of June the siege progressed steadily without farther +attempt at an assault. This was now deferred to the last resort. +At four points a system of comparatively regular approaches was +begun, and upon these labor was carried on incessantly, night and +day; indeed, as is usual with works of this character, the greatest +progress was made in the short hours of the June nights. The main +approach led from Duryea's battery No. 12 toward the priest-cap, +following the winding of the ravines and the contour of the hill. +When at last the sap had, with great toil and danger, been carried +to the crest facing the priest-cap, and only a few yards distant, +the trench was rapidly and with comparative ease extended toward +the left, in a line parallel with the general direction of the +defences. The least distance from this third parallel, as it was +called by an easy stretch of the language, to the enemy's parapet +was about twenty yards, the greatest about forty-five. + +About two hundred yards farther to the right of the elbow of the +main sap, a zigzag ran out of the ravine on the left flank of +Bainbridge's battery, No. 8, toward the bastion. Upon this approach, +because of its directness, the use of the sap-roller, or some +equivalent for it, could never be given up until the ditch was +gained. + +From the extreme left, after the northern slope of Mount Pleasant +had been gained, a main approach was extended from the flank of +Roy's battery of 20-pounder Parrotts, No. 20, almost directly toward +the river, until the trench cut the edge of the bluff, forming +meanwhile a covered way that connected all the batteries looking +north from the left flank. Of these No. 24 was the seventeen-gun +battery, including two 9-inch Dahlgrens removed from the naval +battery of the right wing, and commanded by Ensign Swann. On the +2d of July, Lieutenant-Commander Terry took command of the _Richmond_ +and turned over the command of the right naval battery to Ensign +Shepard. These "blue-jacket" batteries, with their trim and alert +gun crews, were always bright spots in the sombre line. From the +river bank the sap ran with five stretches of fifty or sixty yards, +forming four sharp elbows, to the foot and well up the slope of +the steep hill on the opposite side of the ravine, where the +Confederates had constructed the strong work known to both combatants +as the Citadel. From the head of the sap to the nearest point of +the Confederate works the distance was about ninety-five yards. + +From the ravine in front of the mortar battery of the left wing, +No. 18, a secondary approach was carried to a parallel facing the +advanced lunette, No. XXVII., and distant from it 375 yards. The +object of this approach was partly to amuse the enemy, partly to +prevent his breaking through the line, now drawn out very thin, +and partly also to serve as a foothold for a column of attack in +case of need. + +From the ravine near Slaughter's house a zigzag, constructed by +the men of the 21st Maine, under the immediate direction of Colonel +Johnson, led to the position of battery No. 16, where were posted +the ten guns of Rails and Baines. The distance from this battery +to the defences was four hundred yards. + +On the 15th of June, on the heels of the bloody repulse of the +previous day, Banks issued a general order congratulating his troops +upon the steady advance made upon the enemy's works, and expressed +his confidence in an immediate and triumphant issue of the contest: + +"We are at all points on the threshold of his fortifications," the +order continues. "Only one more advance, and they are ours! + +"For the last duty that victory imposes, the Commanding General +summons the bold men of the corps to the organization of a storming +column of a thousand men, to vindicate the flag of the Union, and +the memory of its defenders who have fallen! Let them come forward! + +"Officers who lead the column of victory in this last assault may +be assured of the just recognition of their services by promotion; +and every officer and soldier who shares its perils and its glory +shall receive a medal to commemorate the first great success of +the campaign of 1863 for the freedom of the Mississippi. His name +will be placed in General Orders upon the Roll of Honor." + +Colonel Henry W. Birge, of the 13th Connecticut, at once volunteered +to lead the stormers, and although the whole project was disapproved +by many of the best officers and men in the corps, partly as +unnecessary and partly because they conceived that it implied some +reflection upon the conduct of the brave men that had fought and +suffered and failed on the 27th and the 14th, yet so general was +the feeling of confidence in Birge that within a few days the ranks +of the stormers were more than filled. As nearly as can now be +ascertained, the whole number of officers who volunteered was at +least 80; of enlisted men at least 956. Of these, 17 officers and +226 men belonged to the 13th Connecticut. As the different parties +offered and were accepted, they were sent into camp in a retired +and pleasant spot, in a grove behind the naval battery on the right. +On the 15th of June Birge was ordered to divide his column into +two battalions, and to drill it for its work. On the 28th this +organization was complete. The battalions were then composed of +eight companies, but two companies were afterwards added to the +first battalion. To Lieutenant-Colonel Van Petter, of the 160th +New York, Birge gave the command of the first battalion, and to +Lieutenant-Colonel Bickmore, of the 14th Maine, that of the second +battalion. On that day, 67 of the officers and 826 men--in all, +893, were present for duty in the camp of the stormers. Among +those that volunteered for the forlorn hope but were not accepted +were 54 non-commissioned officers and privates of the 1st Louisiana +Native Guards, and 37 of the 3d. From among the officers of the +general staff and staff departments that were eager to go, two were +selected to accompany the column and keep up the communication with +headquarters and with the other troops; these were Captain Duncan +S. Walker, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieutenant Edmund H. +Russell, of the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, acting signal officer. + +Then the officers and men quietly prepared themselves for the +serious work expected of them. Those that had any thing to leave +made their wills in the manner sanctioned by the custom of armies, +and all confided to the hands of comrades the last words for their +families or their friends. + +Meanwhile an event took place, trifling in itself, yet accenting +sharply some of the more serious reasons that had, in the first +instance, led Banks to resist the repeated urging to join Grant +with his whole force, and afterward had formed powerful factors in +determining him to deliver and to renew the assault. Early on the +morning of the 18th of June a detachment of Confederate cavalry +rode into the village of Plaquemine, surprised the provost guard, +captured Lieutenant C. H. Witham and twenty-two men of the 28th +Maine, and burned the three steamers lying the bayou, the _Sykes, +Anglo-American_, and _Belfast_. Captain Albert Stearns, of the +131st New York, who was stationed at Plaquemine as provost marshal +of the parish, made his escape with thirteen men of his guard. +The Confederates were fired upon by the guard and lost one man +killed and two wounded. In their turn they fired upon the steamboats, +and wounded two of the crew. Three hours later the gunboat _Winona_, +Captain Weaver, came down from Baton Rouge, and, shelling the enemy, +hastened their departure. In the tension of greater events, little +notice was taken at the moment of this incident; yet it was not +long before it was discovered that the raiders were the advance +guard of the little army with which Taylor was about to invade La +Fourche, intent upon the bold design of raising the siege of Port +Hudson by blockading the river and threatening New Orleans. + +Thus Banks was brought face to face with the condition described +in his letter of the 4th of June to Halleck: + +"The course to be pursued here gives me great anxiety. If I abandon +Port Hudson, I leave its garrison, some 6,000 or 7,000 men, the +force under Mouton and Sibley, now threatening Brashear City and +the Army of Mobile, large or small, to threaten or attack New +Orleans. If I detach from my command in the field a sufficient +force to defend that city, which ought not to be less than 8,000 +or 10,000, my assistance to General Grant is unimportant, and I +leave an equal or larger number of the enemy to reinforce Johnston. +If I defend New Orleans and its adjacent territory, the enemy will +go against Grant. If I go with a force sufficient to aid him, my +rear will be seriously threatened. My force is not large enough +to do both. Under these circumstances, my only course seems to be +to carry this post as soon as possible, and then to join General +Grant. If I abandon it I cannot materially aid him." + +Taylor's incursion caused Banks some anxiety and appreciable +inconvenience, without, however, exercising a material influence +on the fortunes of the siege; accordingly, it will be better to +reserve for another chapter the story of this adventure. + +About the same time, Logan again became troublesome. At first he +seems to have thought of retiring on Jackson, Mississippi; but this +Johnston forbade, telling him to stay where he was, to observe and +annoy the besiegers, and if pressed by too strong a force, to fall +back only so far as necessary, hindering and retarding the advance +of his assailants. By daylight, on the morning of the 15th of +June, Logan dashed down the Clinton road, surprised the camp of +the 14th New York cavalry, who made little resistance, and the +guard of the hospital at the Carter House, who made none. In this +raid Logan took nearly one hundred disabled prisoners, including +six officers, and carried off a number of wagons. However, finding +Grierson instantly on his heels, Logan promptly "fell back as far +as necessary." On the evening of the 30th of June, while hovering +in the rear of Dwight, Logan captured and carried off Brigadier-General +Dow, who, while waiting for his wound to heal, had taken up his +headquarters in a house some distance behind the lines. At daylight, +on the morning of the 2d of July, Logan surprised the depot at +Springfield Landing, guarded by the 162d New York, Lieutenant-Colonel +Blanchard, and a small detachment of the 16th New Hampshire, +under Captain Henry. Careless picket duty was the cause, and a +great stampede the consequence, but Logan hardly stayed long enough +to find out exactly what he had accomplished, since he reports +that, besides burning the commissary and quartermasters' stores, +he killed and wounded 140 of his enemy, captured 35 prisoners, +fought an entire brigade, and destroyed 100 wagons, with a loss on +his part of 4 killed and 10 wounded; whereas, in fact, the entire +loss of the Union army was 1 killed, 11 wounded, 21 captured or +missing, while the stores burned consisted of a full supply of +clothing and camp and garrison equipment for about 1,000 men. The +wagons mentioned by Logan were part of a train met in the road, +cut out, and carried off as he rapidly rode away, and the number +may be correct. + +The end of June was now drawing near, and already the losses of +the besiegers in the month of constant fighting exceeded 4,000. +At least as many more were sick in the hospitals, while the +reinforcements from every quarter barely numbered 3,000. There +were no longer any reserves to draw from; the last man was up. +The effective strength of all arms had at no time exceeded 17,000.(1) +Of these less than 12,000 can be regarded as available for any duty +directly connected with the siege, and now every day saw the command +growing smaller in numbers, as the men fell under the fire of the +sharp-shooter, or succumbed to the deadly climate, or gave out +exhausted by incessant labor and privation. The heat became almost +insupportable, even to those who from time to time found themselves +so fortunate as to be able to snatch a few hours' rest in the dense +shade of the splendid forest, until their tour of duty should come +again in the trenches, where, under the June sun beating upon and +baking all three surfaces, the parched clay became like a reverberating +furnace. The still air was stifling, but the steam from the almost +tropical showers was far worse. Merely in attempting to traverse +a few yards of this burning zone many of the strongest men were +sunstruck daily. The labor of the siege, extending over so wide +a front, pressed so severely upon the numbers of the besieging +army, always far too weak for such an undertaking in any climate +at any season, above all in Louisiana in June, that the men were +almost incessantly on duty, either in digging, as guards of the +trenches, as sharp-shooters, or on outpost service; and as the +number available for duty grew smaller, and the physical strength +of all that remained in the ranks daily wasted, the work fell the +more heavily. When the end came at last the effective force, +outside of the cavalry, hardly exceeded 8,000, while even of this +small number nearly every officer and man might well have gone on +the sick-report had not pride and duty held him to his post. + +This will seem the less remarkable when it is remembered that the +garrison during the same period suffered in the same proportion, +while from like causes less than a year before Breckinridge had, +in a much shorter time, lost the use of half his division. Butler's +experience had been nearly as severe. + +To the suffering and labors that are inseparable from any operation +in the nature of a siege were added insupportable torments, the +least of which were vermin. As the summer days drew out and the +heat grew more intense, the brooks dried up; the creek lost itself +in the pestilential swamp; the wells and springs gave out; the river +fell, exposing to the almost tropical sun a wide margin of festering +ooze. The mortality and the sickness were enormous. + +The animals suffered in their turn, the battery horses from want +of exercise, the train horses and mules from over-work, and all +from the excessive heat and insufficiency of proper forage. There +was never enough hay; the deficiency was partly eked out by making +fodder of the standing corn, but this resource was quickly exhausted, +and after the 3d of July, when Taylor sealed the river by planting +his guns below Donaldsonville, all the animals went upon half or +quarter rations of grain, with little hay or none. At length, for +two or three days, the forage depots fairly gave out; the poor +beasts were literally starving when the place fell, nor was it for +nearly a week after that event that, by the raising of Taylor's +blockade below and the arrival of supplies from Grant above, the +stress was wholly relieved. + +The two colored regiments, the 1st and 3d Louisiana Native Guards, +besides strongly picketing their front, were mainly occupied, after +the 27th of May, in fatigue duty in the trenches on the right. +While the army was in the Teche country, Brigadier-General Daniel +Ullmann had arrived at New Orleans from New York, bringing with +him authority to raise a brigade of colored troops. With him came +a full complement of officers. A few days later, on the 1st of +May, Banks issued, at Opelousas, an order, which he had for some +time held in contemplation, for organizing a corps of eighteen +regiments of colored infantry, to consist, at first, of five hundred +men each. These troops were to form a distinct command, to which +he gave the name of the Corps d'Afrique, and in it he incorporated +Ullmann's brigade. By the end of May Ullmann had enrolled about +1,400 men for five regiments, the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. +These recruits, as yet unarmed and undrilled, were now brought to +Port Hudson, organized, and set to work in the trenches and upon +the various siege operations. + +About the same time the formation of a regiment of engineer troops +was undertaken, composed of picked men of color, formed in three +battalions of four companies each, under white officers carefully +chosen from among the veterans. The ranks of this regiment, known +as the 1st Louisiana engineers, were soon recruited to above a +thousand; the strength for duty was about eight hundred. Under +the skilful handling of Colonel Justin Hodge it rendered valuable +service throughout the siege. + +Company K of the 42d Massachusetts, commanded by Lieutenant Henry +A. Harding, had for some months been serving as pontoniers, in +charge of the bridge train. During the siege it did good and hard +work in all branches of field engineering under the immediate +direction of the Chief Engineer. + +While at Opelousas, Banks had applied to Halleck to order +Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone to duty in the Department of the +Gulf. Stone had been without assignment since his release, in the +preceding August, from his long and lonely imprisonment in the +casemates of the harbor forts of New York, and, up to this moment, +every suggestion looking to his employment had met the stern +disapproval of the Secretary of War. Even when in the first flush +of finding himself at last at the top notch of his career, Hooker, in +firm possession, as he believed, of the post he had long coveted, as +commander of the Army of the Potomac, had asked for Stone as his Chief +of Staff, the request had been met by a flat refusal. A different fate +awaited Banks's application. On the 7th of May Halleck issued the +orders asked for, and in the last days of the month Stone reported +for duty before Port Hudson. At first Banks was rather embarrassed +by the gift he had solicited, for he saw that he himself was falling +into disfavor at Washington; the moment was critical; and it was +easy to perceive how disaster, or even the slightest check, might +be magnified in the shadows of Ball's Bluff and Fort Lafayette. +Moreover, Stone was equally unknown to and unknown by the troops +of the Nineteenth Army Corps. Instead, therefore, of giving him +the command of Sherman's division, for which his rank indicated +him, Banks kept Stone at headquarters without special assignment, +and made every use of his activity, as well as of his special +knowledge and ready skill in all matters relating to ordnance and +gunnery. + +On the evening of the 26th of June a strange thing happened. While +it was yet broad daylight Colonel Provence of the 16th Arkansas, +posted in rear of the position of battery XXIV, discovering and +annoyed by the progress made on battery 16 in his front, sent out, +one at a time, two bold men, named Mieres and Parker, to see what +was going on. After nightfall, on their report, he despatched +thirty volunteers, under Lieutenant McKennon, to drive off the +guard and the working party and destroy the works. The position +was held by the advance guard of the 21st Maine, under Lieutenant +Bartlett, who, for some reason hard to understand, ordered his men +not to fire. The Arkansas party, therefore, accomplished its +purpose, without further casualty than having one man knocked down, +as he was leaping the parapet of the trench, by a soldier who +happened to consider his orders as inapplicable to this method of +defence. Then Major Merry, with the reserves of the 21st, coming +promptly to the rescue, easily drove out the enterprising assailants, +with whom went as prisoners Lieutenant Bartlett and five of his +men, with fourteen muskets that had not been fired.(2) + +As the saps in front of Bainbridge's and Duryea's batteries drew +every day nearer to the bastion and the priest-cap, the working +parties were harassed and began to be greatly delayed by the +unceasing fire of the Confederate sharp-shooters. Moreover, in +spite of the vigilance of the sharp-shooters in the trenches, their +adversaries had so much the advantage of ground that they were able +to render the passage of certain exposed points of the approaches +slow and hazardous. At first, cotton bales were used to protect +the head of the sap, but these the adventurous enemy set alight +with blazing arrows or by sallies of small parties under cover of +darkness. In the short night it was impossible to raise a pile of +sand-bags high enough to overlook the breastworks. Toward the end +of June this was changed in a single night by the skill and ingenuity +of Colonel Edward Prince, of the 7th Illinois cavalry. + +Happening to be at headquarters when the trouble was being talked +about, he heard an officer suggest making use of the empty hogsheads +at the sugar-house; how to get them to the trenches was the next +question. This he promptly offered to solve if simply ordered to +do it and left to himself. Cavalry had never been of any use in +a siege, he said; it was time for a change. The order was instantly +given. Prince swung himself into the saddle and rode away. Before +daylight his men had carried through the woods and over the hills +to the mouth of the sap, opposite the southern angle of the +priest-cap, enough sugar hogsheads to make two tiers. The heads had +been knocked in, a long pole thrust through each hogshead, and thus +slung, it was easy for two mounted troopers to carry it between +them. Quietly rolled into position by the working parties and +rapidly filled with earth, a rude platform erected behind for the +sharp-shooter to mount upon, with a few sand-bags thrown on top to +protect his head,--this was the beginning of the great trench +cavalier, whose frowning crest the astonished Confederates awoke +the next morning to find towering high above their heads. Afterwards +enlarged and strengthened, it finally dominated the whole line of +defence not only in its immediate front, but for a long distance +on either side. + +Not less ingenious was the device almost instinctively resorted to +by the artillerists for the safety of the gunners when, after the +siege batteries opened, the Confederate sharp-shooters began picking +off every head that came in sight. The first day saw a number of +gunners stricken in the act of taking aim, an incident not conducive +to deliberation or accuracy on the part of their successors at the +guns. The next sunrise saw every exposed battery, from right to +left, protected by a hinged shutter made of flat iron chiefly taken +from the sugar troughs, covered with strips of rawhide from the +commissary's, the space stuffed tight with loose cotton, and a hole +made through all, big enough for the gunner's eye, but too small +for the sharp-shooter's bullet. Such was substantially the plan +simultaneously adopted at three or four different points and +afterwards followed everywhere. The remedy was perfect. + +On the 3d of July arrangements were made for the daily detail of +a brigade commander to act as General of the Trenches during a tour +of twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. His duties were to +superintend the siege operations, to post the guards of the trenches, +to repulse sorties, and to protect the works. The works to be +constructed were indicated and laid out by the Chief Engineer, +whose duties, after the 17th of June, when Major Houston fell +seriously ill, were performed by Captain John C. Palfrey, aided +and overlooked by General Andrews, the Chief of Staff. Daily, at +nine o'clock in the morning, the General of the Trenches and the +Chief Engineer made separate reports to headquarters of everything +that had happened during the previous day. Each of these officers +made five reports, yet of the ten but two are to be found printed +among the Official Records. These are the engineer's reports of +work done on the 5th and 6th of July. They contain almost the only +details of the siege to be gathered from the record, notwithstanding +the fact that every paper, however small, or irregular in size or +form, or apparently unimportant in substance, that related in any +way to the military operations of the Army of the Gulf was carefully +preserved on the files of its Adjutant-General's office, where, +for safety as well as convenience, documents of this character were +kept separate from the ordinary files covering matters of routine +and requiring to be handled every day or hour. The proof is strong +that these important records were in due time delivered into the +custody of the War Office, where, for a considerable period after +the close of the war, little or no care seems to have been taken +of the documents thus turned in by the several Corps and Departments, +as these were discontinued; and although the care and management +of the War Records division of the Adjutant-General's Office at +Washington has, from its earliest organization, been such as to +deserve the highest admiration, yet many of these papers are not +to be found there. The probability is that they were either mislaid +or else swept away and destroyed before this office was organized. + +Palfrey's report for the 5th of July shows the left cavalier finished +and occupied, and the right cavalier nearly finished, but constantly +injured by a 24-pounder gun that had so far escaped destruction by +the artillery of the besiegers. The sap in front of Bainbridge's +battery, No. 8, was advanced about twenty yards during this day, +and the parallel in front of the priest-cap extended to the left +eleven yards; work was greatly retarded by a heavy rain in the +night. The mine was so far advanced that a shaft was begun to run +obliquely under the salient, this course being chosen instead of +the usual plan of a vertical shaft with enveloping galleries, as +shorter in time and distance, although more dangerous. + +On the 6th the sap was pushed forward forty-two feet, and the +parallel carried to the left sixty-nine feet. The mine shaft, +begun the day before, was carried about twenty-seven feet underground, +directly toward the salient. The cavaliers were finished. + +During the 7th, although there is no report for that day, the shaft +for the mine under the priest-cap was finished, the chamber itself +excavated and charged with about twelve hundred pounds of powder, +and the mine tamped with sand-bags. The mine on the left had been +ready for some days; it was now charged with fifteen hundred pounds +of powder and tamped. + +Heavy thunder-storms, accompanied by warm rain, had been frequent +of late, and the night dews had been at times heavy. Accordingly +it was thought best not to trust so delicate an operation as the +explosion of the mines to the chance of a damp fuse. Daybreak on +the 9th of July having been set as the hour for the simultaneous +explosion of the mines, to be instantly followed by one last rush +through the gaps, Captain Walker was sent on the evening of the +7th, to the _Richmond_ to ask for dry fuses from the magazines of +the Navy. + +Meanwhile events were moving rapidly to an end. In the early +morning of Tuesday, the 7th, the gunboat _General Price_ came down +the river bringing the great news that Vicksburg had surrendered +to Grant on the 4th of July. Commodore Palmer, on board the +_Hartford_, was the first to receive the news, but for some reason +it happened that signal communication was obstructed or suspended +between the _Hartford_ and headquarters, so that it was not until +a quarter before eleven that Colonel Kilby Smith, of Grant's staff, +delivered to Banks the welcome message of which he was the bearer. + +In less time than it takes to tell, an aide-de-camp was on his way +to the General of the Trenches bearing the brief announcement, +"Vicksburg surrendered on the 4th of July." This note, written +upon the thin manifold paper of the field order-books, the General +of the Trenches was directed to wrap securely around a clod of clay +--the closest approach to a stone to be found in all the lowlands +of Louisiana--and toss it over into the enemy's works. At the same +time the good news was sped by wire and by staff officers to the +commanders of divisions. At noon a national salute was to be fired +and all the bands were to play the national airs; but the men could +not wait for these slow formalities. No sooner was the first loud +shout of rejoicing heard from the trenches, where for so many weary +nights and days there had been little to rejoice at, than by a sort +of instinct the men of both armies seem to have divined what had +happened. From man to man, from company to company, from regiment +to regiment, the word passed, and as it passed, once more the cheers +of the soldiers of the Union rang out, and again the forest echoed +with the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from the long-silent +bands. Many a rough cheek, unused to tears, was wet that morning, +and the sound of laughter was heard from many lips that had long +been set in silence; but when the first thrill was spent, it gave +way to a deep-drawn sigh of relief. The work was done; all the +toil and suffering was over. Nor was this feeling restricted to +the outside of the parapet; the defenders felt it even more strongly. +At first they received the news with real or affected incredulity. +An officer of an Arkansas regiment, to whom was first handed the +little scrap of tissue paper on which the whole chapter of history +was told in seven words, acknowledged the complement by calling +back, "This is another damned Yankee lie!" Yet before many minutes +were over the firing had died away, save here and there a scattering +exception, although peremptory orders were even given to secure +its renewal. In spite of everything the men began to mingle and +to exchange story for story, gibe for gibe, coffee for corn-beer, +and when night fell there can have been few men in either army but +believed the fighting was over. + +That evening Gardner summoned his commanders to meet him in council. +Among them all there was but one thought--the end had come. + +Shortly after half-past twelve the notes of a bugle were heard on +the Plains Store road sounding the signal, "Cease firing." A few +seconds later an officer with a small escort approached, bearing +a lantern swung upon a long pole, with a white handkerchief tied +beneath it, to serve as a flag of truce. At the outpost of Charles +J. Paine's brigade the flag was halted and its purpose ascertained. +This was announced to be the delivery of an important despatch from +Gardner to Banks. Thus it was that a few minutes after one o'clock +the hoofs of two horses were heard at the same instant at headquarters, +yet each with a sound of its own that seemed in keeping with its +story. One, a slow and measured trot, told of duty done and stables +near; the other, quick and nervous, spoke of pressing news. Two +officers dismounted; the clang of their sabres was heard together; +together they made their way to the tent where the writer of these +lines lay awake and listening. One was Captain Walker, with the +fuse, the other was Lieutenant Orton S. Clark, of the 116th New +York, then attached to the staff of Charles J. Paine. The long +envelope he handed in felt rough to the touch; the light of a match +showed its color a dull gray; every inch of it said, "Surrender." + +When opened it was found to contain a request for an official +assurance as to the truth of the report that Vicksburg had surrendered. +If true, Gardner asked for a cessation of hostilities with a view +to consider terms. At a quarter-past one Banks replied, conveying +an exact copy of so much of Grant's despatch as related the +capitulation of Vicksburg. He told when and how the despatch had +come, and wound up by regretting that he could not consent to a +truce for the purpose indicated. In order to avoid all chance of +needless excitement or disturbance, as well as of the premature +publication of the news, the Adjutant-General carried this despatch +himself, and, accompanied by Lieutenant Clark, as well as, at his +own request, by General Stone, rode first to Augur's headquarters +to acquaint him with the news and to borrow a bugler, and then to +the outposts to meet the Confederate flag of truce. A blast upon +the bugle brought back the little party of horsemen, with the +lantern swaying from the pole; but it was nearly daylight before +they again returned with Gardner's reply. Meanwhile, right and +left word had been quietly passed to the pickets to cease firing. + +In his second letter Gardner said: + +"Having defended this position so long as I deem my duty requires, +I am willing to surrender to you, and will appoint a commission of +three officers to meet a similar commission, appointed by yourself, +at nine o'clock this morning, for the purpose of agreeing upon and +drawing up the terms of surrender, and for that purpose I ask a +cessation of hostilities. Will you please designate a point outside +of my breastworks where a meeting shall be held for this purpose?" + +To this Banks answered at 4:30 A.M.: + +"I have designated Brigadier-General Charles P. Stone, Colonel +Henry W. Birge, and Lieutenant-Colonel Richard B. Irwin as the +officers to meet the commission appointed by you. They will meet +your officers at the hour designated at a point near where the flag +of truce was received this morning. I will direct that all active +hostilities shall entirely cease on my part until further notice +for the purpose stated." + +The division commanders, as well as the commanders of the upper +and lower fleets, were at once notified, and at six o'clock Captain +Walker was sent to find Admiral Farragut, wherever he might be, +and to deliver to him despatches conveying the news of the surrender, +outlining Banks's plans for moving against Taylor in La Fourche, +and urging the Admiral to send all the light-draught gunboats at +once to Berwick Bay. + +Banks meant to march Weitzel directly to the nearest landing, which +was within the lines of Port Hudson, as soon as the formal capitulation +should be accomplished, and to send Grover after him as fast as +steamboats could be found. This called for many arrangements; the +occupying force had also to be seen to; and finally, it was necessary +that the starving garrison should be fed. Colonel Irwin was +therefore relieved, at his own request, from duty as one of the +commissioners, and Brigadier-General Dwight was named in his stead. +This drew an objection from Weitzel, who naturally felt that there +were claims of service as well as of rank that might have been +considered before those of the temporary commander of the second +division; however, it was too late to make any further change, and +when Banks offered to name Weitzel, whose protest had been not for +himself but for his brigades, as the officer to receive Gardner's +sword, the offer was declined. Among the officers of the navy, +too, especially those of higher grades, great cause of offense was +felt that, after all their services in the siege, they were left +unrepresented in the honors of the surrender. This feeling was +natural enough; yet before determining how far the complaints based +on it were just, it is necessary to consider how important was +every hour, almost every moment, with reference to the operations +against Taylor, while three and a half hours were required to make +the journey between headquarters and the upper fleet, and four and +a half hours to reach the lower fleet. Moreover, the Admiral had +gone to New Orleans the evening before. + +At nine the commissioners met under the shade of the beautiful +trees, nearly on the spot where O'Brien had rested among his men +while waiting for the word on the 27th of May. On the Confederate +side the commissioners were Colonel William R. Miles, commanding +the right wing of the garrison, Colonel I. G. W. Steedman, of the +1st Alabama, commanding the left wing, and Lieutenant-Colonel +Marshall J. Smith, Chief of Heavy Artillery. + +Among those thus brought together there was more than one gentleman +of marked conversational talent; the day was pleasant, the shade +grateful, and, to one side at least, the refreshment not less so; +and thus the time passed pleasantly until two o'clock, when the +commissioners signed, with but a single change, the articles that +had been drawn up for them and in readiness since six in the morning. +The alteration was occasioned by the great and unexpected length +to which the conference had been protracted. Five o'clock in the +afternoon had been named as the time when the besiegers were to +occupy the works; this had to be changed to seven o'clock on the +morning of the 9th. The terms, which will be found in full in the +Appendix, were those of an unconditional surrender. Gardner, who +was in waiting conveniently near, at once approved the articles, +and at half-past two they were completed by the signature of Banks. +A few minutes later the long wagon-train, loaded with provisions, +that had been standing for hours in the Plains Store road, was +signalled to go forward. The cheers that welcomed the train, as +it wound its way up the long-untravelled road and through the +disused sally-port, were perhaps not so loud as those with which +the besiegers had greeted the news from Vicksburg, yet they were +not less enthusiastic. From this moment the men of the two armies, +and to some extent the officers, mingled freely. + +Andrews was designated to receive the surrender, and from each +division two of the best regiments, with one from Weitzel's brigade, +were told off to occupy the place. + +Punctually at seven o'clock on the morning of the 9th of July the +column of occupation entered the sally-port on the Jackson road. +At its head rode Andrews with his staff. Next, in the post of +honor, came the stormers with Birge at their head, then the 75th +New York of Weitzel's brigade, followed by the 116th New York and +the 2d Louisiana of Augur's division, the 12th Maine, and the 13th +Connecticut of Grover's division, the 6th Michigan and the 14th +Maine of Dwight's division, and 4th Wisconsin and the 8th New +Hampshire of Paine's.(3) With the column was Duryea's battery. +The 38th Massachusetts was at first designated for this coveted +honor, but lost it through some necessary changes due to the intended +movement down the river. Weitzel, with his own brigade under +Thomas, on the way to the place of embarkation, closely followed +the column and witnessed the ceremonies. + +These were simple and short. The Confederate troops were drawn up +in line, Gardner at their head, every officer in his place. The +right of the line rested on the edge of the open plain south of +the railway station; the left extended toward the village. At the +word "Ground arms" from their tried commander, followed by the +command of execution from the bugles, every Confederate soldier +bowed his head and laid his musket on the ground in token of +submission, while Gardner himself tendered his sword to Andrews, +who, in a few complimentary words, waived its acceptance. At the +same instant the Stars and Bars, the colors of the Confederacy, +were hauled down from the flagstaff, where they had so long waived +defiance; a detachment of sailors from the naval batteries sprang +to the halyards and rapidly ran up the flag of the United States; +the guns of Duryea's battery saluted the colors; the garrison filed +off as prisoners of war, and all was over. + +The last echo of the salute to the colors had hardly died away when +Weitzel, at the head of the First Division, now for the first time +united, marched off to the left, and began embarking on board the +transports to go against Taylor. + +With the place were taken 6,340 prisoners of war, of whom 405 were +officers and 5,935 enlisted men. The men were paroled with the +exact observance of all the forms prescribed by the cartel then in +form; yet the paroles were immediately declared void by the +Confederate government, and the men were required to return to duty +in the ranks. The officers, in accordance with the retaliatory +orders of the period, had to be kept in captivity; they were, +however, given the choice of their place of confinement. About +211 elected to go to Memphis, and were accordingly sent up the +river a few days after the surrender, the remainder were sent to +New Orleans with instructions to Emory to keep them safely under +guard in some commodious house or houses, to be selected by him, +and to make them as comfortable as practicable.(4) There were also +captured 20 pieces of light artillery and 31 pieces of field +artillery; of these 12 heavy guns and 30 light guns were in +comparatively good order. + +The total losses of the Corps during the siege were 45 officers +and 663 men killed, 191 officers and 3,145 men wounded, 12 officers +and 307 men captured or missing; in all, 4,363. Very few prisoners +were taken by the Confederates, and little doubt remains that a +large proportion of those set down as captured or missing in reality +perished. + +Of the Confederate losses no complete return was ever made. A +partial return, without date, signed by the chief surgeon, shows +176 killed, 447 wounded, total 632. In this report the number of +those that had died in the hospital is included among the wounded. +Nor does this total include the losses at Plains Store, which, +according to the surgeon's return, were 12 killed and 36 wounded, +or, according to Colonel Miles's report, 8 killed, 23 wounded, 58 +missing; in all, 89. Major C. M. Jackson, who acted as assistant +inspector-general under Gardner, and, according to his own account, +came out through the lines of investment about an hour after the +surrender, reported to Johnston that the total casualties during +the siege were 200 killed, between 300 and 400 wounded, and 200 +died from sickness. + +(1) The figures here given do not agree with those of the monthly +and tri-monthly returns for May and June. These returns are, +however, simply the returns for March carried forward, owing to +the impossibility of collecting and collating the reports of +regiments, brigades, and divisions during active operations. + +(2) Colonel Provence, in his report, claims 7 prisoners, and says: +"The enemy fired but once, and then at a great distance." (Official +Records, vol. xxvi., part I., p. 150.) + +(3) No record exists of these details, but the list here given is +believed to be nearly correct. + +(4) As evidence of the considerate manner in which these gentlemen +were treated, see the interesting article, "Plain Living on Johnson's +Island," by Lieutenant Horace Carpenter, 4th Louisiana, printed in +the _Century_ for March, 1891, page 706. + + +CHAPTER XIX. +HARROWING LA FOURCHE. + +It will be remembered that when Banks marched to Opelousas, Taylor's +little army, greatly depleted by wholesale desertion and hourly +wearing away by the roadside, broke into two fragments, the main +body of the cavalry retiring, under Mouton, toward the Sabine, +while the remainder of the troops were conducted by Taylor himself +toward Alexandria and at last to Natchitoches. As soon as Kirby +Smith became aware that his adversary was advancing to the Red +River, he prepared to meet the menace by concentrating on Shreveport +the whole available force of the Confederacy in the Trans-Mississippi +from Texas to Missouri, numbering, according to his own estimate, +18,000 effectives. He accordingly called on Magruder for two +brigades and drew in from the line of the Arkansas the division of +John G. Walker. However, this concentration became unnecessary +and was given up the instant Smith learned that Banks had crossed +the Atchafalaya and the Mississippi and had sat down before Port +Hudson. + +While this movement was in progress, Walker was on the march toward +Natchitoches or Alexandria, by varying routes, according as the +plans changed to suit the news of the day. Taylor observed Banks +and followed his march to Simmesport, while Mouton hung upon the +rear and flank of Chickering's column, guarding the big wagon-train +and the spoils of the Teche campaign. + +Then Kirby Smith, not caring as yet to venture across the Atchafalaya, +ordered Taylor to take Walker's division back into Northern Louisiana +and try to break up Grant's campaign by interrupting his communications +opposite Vicksburg; but this attempt turned out badly, for Grant +had already given up his communications on the west bank of the +Mississippi and restored them on the east, and Taylor's forces, +after passing from Lake Catahoula by Little River into the Tensas, +ascending that stream to the neighborhood of Richmond and occupying +that town on the 3d of May, were roughly handled on the 7th in an +ill-judged attempt to take Young's Point and Milliken's Bend. +Then, leaving Walker with orders to do what damage he could along +the river bank--which was not much--and, if possible, as it was +not, to throw supplies of beef and corn into Vicksburg, Taylor went +back to Alexandria and prepared for his campaign in La Fourche, +from which Kirby Smith's superior orders had diverted him. Meanwhile +nearly a month had passed and Walker, after coming down to the Red +River, a week too late, was once more out of reach. + +Taylor's plan was for Major, with his brigade of cavalry, to cross +the Atchafalaya at Morgan's Ferry, while Taylor himself, with the +main body under Mouton, should attempt the surprise and capture of +Brashear: then, if successful, the whole army could be thrown into +La Fourche, while in case of failure Major could easily return by +the way he came. + +Major left Washington on the 10th of June, marched twenty-eight +miles to Morgan's Ferry, by a road then high and dry although in +April Banks had found it under water, and crossing the Atchafalaya +on the 14th rode along the Bayou Fordoche with the intention of +striking the river at the Hermitage; but a broken bridge turned +him northward round the sweep of False River toward Waterloo. Sage +was at False Point with six companies of his 110th New York, a +squadron of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, and a section of Carruth's +battery. As soon as he found the enemy approaching in some force +he moved down the levee to the cover of the lower fleet and thus +lost the chance of gaining and giving timely notice of Major's +operation. Major on his part rode off by the Grosstete through +Plaquemine, as already related, and so down the Mississippi to +Donaldsonville, having passed on the way three garrisons without +being seen by any one on board. Making a feint on Fort Butler, +Major, under cover of the night, took the cut-off road and struck +the Bayou La Fourche six miles below Donaldsonville; thence he rode +on to Thibodeaux, entering the town at daylight on the 21st of +June. At Thibodeaux Major picked up all the Union soldiers in the +place to the number of about 100, mostly convalescents. + +Soon after taking command in New Orleans, Emory had begun to look +forward to what might happen in La Fourche, as well as to the +possible consequences to New Orleans itself. The forces in the +district were the 23d Connecticut, Colonel Charles E. L. Holmes, +and the 176th New York, Colonel Charles C. Nott, both regiments +scattered along the railroad for its protection, Company F and some +odd men and recruits of the 1st Indiana, under Captain F. W. Noblett, +occupying the field works at Brashear, and two companies of the +28th Maine at Fort Butler. About this time Holmes, who as the +senior colonel had commanded the district since Weitzel quitted it +to enter on the Teche campaign, resigned on account of ill-health. +Nott and Wordin, the lieutenant-colonel of the 23d, were on the +sick-list. Finding the country thus feebly occupied and the service +yet more feebly performed, as early as the 7th of June, Emory had +chosen a very intelligent and spirited young officer of the 47th +Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Colonel Albert Stickney, placed him in +command of the district, without regard to rank, and sent him over +the line to Brashear to put things straight. In this work Stickney +was engaged, when, at daylight on the morning of the 20th of June, +he received a telegram from Emory conveying the news that the +Confederates were advancing on La Fourche Crossing; so he left +Major Anthony, of the 2d Rhode Island cavalry, in command at Brashear +and went to the point where the danger threatened. When, on the +afternoon of the 21st of June, the Confederate force drew near, +Stickney found himself in command of a medley of 838 men belonging +to eight different organizations--namely, 195 of the 23d Connecticut, +154 of the 176th New York, 46 of the 42d Massachusetts, 37 of the +26th Maine, 306 of the 26th Massachusetts, 50 troopers of the 1st +Louisiana cavalry, 20 artillerymen, chiefly of the 1st Indiana, +and one section, with 30 men, of Grow's 25th New York battery. + +The levee at this point was about twelve feet high, forming a +natural fortification, which Stickney took advantage of and +strengthened by throwing up slight rifle-pits on his flanks. These +had only been carried a few yards, and were nowhere more than two +feet high, when, about seven o'clock in the evening, under cover +of the darkness, Major attacked. The attack was led by Pyron's +regiment, reported by Major as 206 strong, and was received and +thrown off by about three quarters of Stickney's force. For this +result the credit is largely due to the gallantry and good judgment +of Major Morgan Morgan, Jr., of the 176th New York, and the steadiness +of his men, inspired by his example. Grow's guns being separated +and one of them without support, this piece was abandoned by its +gunners and fell for the moment into the hands of the Confederates; +the other piece, placed by Grow himself to protect the flank, poured +an effective enfilade fire upon Pyron's column. + +Stickney's loss was 8 killed and 41 wounded, including Lieutenant +Starr, of the 23d Connecticut, whose hurt proved mortal. The +Confederate loss is not reported, but Stickney says he counted 53 +of their dead on the field, and afterward found nearly 60 wounded +in the hospitals at Thibodeaux. The next morning, June 22d, their +dead and wounded were removed under a flag of truce.(1) + +While the flag was out, Cahill came up from New Orleans with the +9th Connecticut, a further detachment of the 26th Massachusetts, +and the remainder of Grow's battery. This gave Stickney about +1,100 men, with four guns in position and six field-pieces. Cahill's +arrival was seen by Major, who, after waiting all day in a drenching +rain, began to think his condition rather critical; accordingly, +at nine o'clock in the evening he set out to force his way to +Brashear, where he was expecting to find Green. Riding hard, he +arrived at the east bank of Bayou Boeuf late the next afternoon, +and, crossing by night, at daylight on the 24th he had completely +surrounded the post of Bayou Boeuf, and was just about to attack, +when he saw the white flag that announced the surrender of the +garrison to Mouton. Before this, Captain Julius Sanford, of the +23d Connecticut, set fire to the sugar-house filled with the baggage +and clothing of the troops engaged at Port Hudson. + +Meanwhile, for the surprise of Brashear, Mouton had collected +thirty-seven skiffs and boats of all sorts near the mouth of the Teche, +and manned them with 325 volunteers, under the lead of Major Sherod +Hunter. At nightfall on the 22d of June Hunter set out, and by +daylight the next morning his whole party had safely landed in the +rear of the defences of Brashear, while Green, with three battalions +and two batteries of his command, stood on the western bank of +Berwick Bay, ostentatiously attracting the attention of the +unsuspicious garrison, and three more regiments were in waiting on +Gibbon's Island, ready to make use of Hunter's boats in support of +his movement. + +Banks meant to have broken up the great depot of military stores +at Brashear, and to have removed to Algiers or New Orleans all +regimental baggage and other property that had gone into store at +Brashear and the Boeuf before and after the Teche campaign; such +were his orders, but for some reason not easy to explain they had +not been carried out. Besides the Indianians, who numbered about +30 all told, there were at Brashear four companies--D, G, I, K--of +the 23d Connecticut, two companies of the 176th New York, about +150 strong, and one company, or the equivalent of a company, of +the 42d Massachusetts, making in all rather less than 400 effectives; +there were also about 300 convalescents, left behind by nearly +thirty regiments. Notwithstanding the vast quantity of stores +committed to their care, including the effects of their comrades, +and in spite of all warnings, so slack and indifferent was the +performance of duty on the part of the garrison of Brashear that, +on the morning of the 23d of June, the reveille was sounded for +them by the guns of the Valverde battery. Thus sharply aroused, +without a thought of what might happen in the rear, the garrison +gave its whole attention to returning, with the heavy guns, the +fire of Green's field-pieces across Berwick Bay. Soon the gunboat +_Hollyhock_ backed down the bay and out of the action, and thus it +was that about half-past six Hunter's men, running out of the woods +toward the railway station, and making known their presence with +their rifles, took the garrison completely by surprise, and, after +a short and desultory fight, more than 700 officers and men gave +up their swords and laid down their arms to a little less than one +half of their own number. Of the men, nearly all were well enough +to march to Algiers four days later, after being paroled. Worse +still, they abandoned a fortified position with 11 heavy guns--24-, +30-, and 32-pounders. The Confederate loss was 3 killed and 18 +wounded. Hunter says the Union troops lost 46 killed and 40 wounded, +but about this there seems to be some mistake, for the proportion +is unusual, and the whole loss of the 23d Connecticut in killed +and wounded was but 7, of the 176th New York but 12. + +Green crossed Berwick Bay as fast as he could, and pushing on found +the post at Bayou Ramos abandoned. The Union troops stationed +there had retired to Bayou Boeuf, and so at daylight on the 24th, +without feeling or firing a single shot, the united guards of the +two stations, numbering 433 officers and men, with four guns, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Duganne, of the 176th New York, +promptly surrendered to the first bold summons of a handful of +Green's adventurous scouts riding five miles ahead of their column. +Taylor now turned over the immediate command of the force to Mouton +and hastened back to Alexandria to bring down Walker, in order to +secure and extend his conquests. Mouton marched at once on +Donaldsonville. + +When the Union forces at La Fourche Crossing found the Confederates +returning in such strength, they made haste to fall back on New +Orleans, and were followed as far as Boutte Station by Waller's +and Pyron's battalions. + +On the 27th of June, Green, with his own brigade, Major's brigade, +and Semmes's battery appeared before Donaldsonville, and demanded +the surrender of the garrison of Fort Butler. This was a square +redoubt, placed in the northern angle between the bayou and the +Mississippi, designed to command and protect the river gateway to +La Fourche, mounting four guns, and originally intended for a +garrison of perhaps 600 men. The parapet was high and thick, like +the levee, and was surrounded by a deep ditch, the flanks on the +bayou and the river being further protected by stout stockades +extending from the levees to the water, at ordinary stages. The +work was now held by a mixed force of 180 men, comprising two small +companies of the 28th Maine--F, Captain Edward B. Neal, and G, +Captain Augustine Thompson,--besides a number of convalescents of +various regiments. Major Joseph D. Bullen, of the 28th, was in +command, and with him at the time was Major Henry M. Porter, of +the 7th Vermont, provost-marshal of the parish of Iberville, whose +quarters in the town on the other side of the bayou were no longer +tenable. + +Farragut, who had gone down to New Orleans and hoisted his flag on +the _Pensacola_, leaving Palmer and Alden in command of the upper +and lower fleets before Port Hudson, had disposed his gunboats so +as to patrol the river in sections. The _Princess Royal_, +Lieutenant-Commander M. B. Woolsey, was near Donaldsonville; the +_Winona_, Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Weaver, near Plaquemine; and +the _Kineo_, Lieutenant-Commander John Watters, between Bonnet Carre +and the Red Church. As soon as the Confederates appeared before +Donaldsonville, Woolsey was notified, and couriers were sent up and +down the river to summon the _Winona_ and the _Kineo_. + +Green brought to the attack six regiments and one battery, between +1,300 and 1,500 strong,(2) including three regiments of his own +brigade, the 4th, 5th, and 7th Texas, and three regiments of Major's +brigade--Lane's, Stone's, and Phillips's. The river, and therefore +the bayou, were now low, exposing wide margins of batture, and +Green's plan was, while surrounding and threatening the fort on +its land faces, to gain an entrance on the water front by crossing +the batture and passing around the ends of the stockades. + +At ten minutes past midnight the red light of a Coston signal from +the fort announced to the Navy that the enemy were coming. At +twenty minutes past one the fight was opened by the Confederates +with musketry. Instantly the fort replied with the fire of its +guns, and of every musket that could be brought to the parapet. +Five minutes later the _Princess Royal_, which, since nightfall, +had been under way and cleared for action, began shelling the woods +on the right of the fort, firing a few 9-inch and 30-pounder shells +over the works and down the bayou, followed presently by 30-pounder +and 20-pounder shrapnel and 9-inch grape, fired at point-blank +range in the direction of the Confederate yells. The assault was +made in the most determined manner. Shannon, with the 5th Texas, +passed some of his men around the end of the river stockade, others +climbed and helped one another over, some tried to cut it down with +axes, many fired through the loopholes; Phillips made a circuit of +the fort and tried the bayou stockade, while Herbert's 7th Texas +attempted to cross the ditch on the land side. The fight at the +stockade was desperate in the extreme; those who succeeded in +surmounting or turning this barrier found an impassable obstacle +in the ditch, whose existence, strange to say, they had not even +suspected. Here the combatants fought hand to hand; even the sick, +who had barely strength to walk from the hospital to the rampart, +took part in the defence. The Texans assailed the defenders with +brickbats; these the Maine men threw back upon the heads of the +Texans; on both sides numbers were thus injured. Lane, who was to +have supported Phillips, somehow went adrift, and Hardeman, who +was to have attacked the stockade on the bayou side, was delayed +by his guide, but toward daylight he came up to join in the last +attack. By way of a diversion, Stone had crossed the bayou to the +east bank on a bridge of sugar coolers, and his part in the fight +was confined to yells. + +At a quarter before four the yelling, which had gone on continuously +for more than two hours, suddenly died away, the fire slackened, +and three rousing cheers went up from the fort. A few minutes +later the _Winona_ came down and opened fire, and at half-past four +the _Kineo_ hove in sight. The fight was ended. "The smoke clearing +away," says Woolsey, "discovered the American flag flying over the +fort. Gave three cheers and came to anchor." Yet the same sun +rose upon a ghastly sight--upon green slopes gray with the dead, +the dying, and the maimed, and the black ditch red with their blood. + +Green puts his loss at 40 killed, 114 wounded, 107 missing, in all +261. However, during the 28th, the _Princess Royal_ and the _Kineo_ +received on board from the provost-marshal 124 prisoners, by actual +count, including 1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 major, 3 captains, and 5 +lieutenants; and Lieutenant-Commander Woolsey says the garrison +buried 69 Confederates and were "still at it." Among the Confederates +killed was Shannon, and among the missing Phillips. Of the garrison, +1 officer, Lieutenant Isaac Murch, of the 28th Maine, and 7 men +were killed, 2 officers and 11 men wounded--in all 21. The _Princess +Royal_ had 1 man killed, 2 wounded. The vessel was struck in twenty +places by grape-shot. + +Green has been sharply criticised for the apparent recklessness +with which he delivered his assault, even after having announced +to Mouton his intention of waiting; yet it is clear that he was +sent there to attack; if he was to attack at all, he had nothing +to gain by waiting; an assault by daylight would have been wholesale +suicide; while, on the other hand, the garrison would unquestionably +be reinforced by troops and gunboats before another night. Having +paid this tribute to his judgment, and to his daring and the +intrepidity of his men the homage that every soldier feels to be +his due, one may be allowed to quote without comment this passage +from Green's report of the affair, in naked frankness hardly +surpassed even among the writings of Signor Benvenuto Cellini: + +"At daylight I sent in a flag of truce, asking permission to pick +up our wounded and bury our dead, which was refused, as I expected. +My object in sending the flag so early was to get away a great +number of our men, who had found a little shelter near the enemy's +works, and who would have been inevitably taken prisoners. I must +have saved one hundred men by instructing my flag-of-truce officer, +as he approached the fort, to order our troops to steal away." + +Bullen's message to Emory has the true ring: "The enemy have +attacked us, and we have repulsed them. I want more men; I must +have more men." Emory responded with the remaining two companies +of the 28th Maine, that had been left near New Orleans when the +regiment moved to Port Hudson, and Banks relieved the 1st Louisiana +on the lines and sent it at once to Donaldsonville, with two sections +of Closson's battery under Taylor, and Stone to command. This put +the place out of peril. + +Even this bright spot on the dull, dark background was not to be +permitted to go untarnished, for, on the 5th of July, Bullen, the +hero of this heroic defence, whose name deserves to live in the +memory of all that love a sturdy man, a stout heart, a steady mind, +or a brave deed, was murdered by a tipsy mutineer of the relieving +force. On Friday, the 14th of August, 1863, this wretched man, +Francis Scott, private of Company F, 1st Louisiana, suffered the +military penalty of his crime. + +Taylor now gave up the attempt to capture the position at +Donaldsonville, and devoted his attention to a blockade of the +river by establishing his batteries at various points behind the +natural fortification formed by the levee. Seven guns, under +Faries, were placed on Gaudet's plantation, opposite Whitehall +Point, while the guns of Semmes, Nichols, and Cornay were planted +opposite College Point and at Fifty-five Mile Point, commanding +Grand View reach. On the 3d of July Semmes opened fire on the +Union transports, as they were approaching College Point on their +way up the river. The steamer _Iberville_ was disabled, and from +this time until after the surrender no transport passed up, except +under convoy, and it was only with great difficulty that even the +fastest boats made their way down with the help of the current. + +When this state of things was reported to Farragut, who had gone +back to Port Hudson, he sent to New Orleans for his Chief of Staff, +Captain Jenkins, to come up, in order that he himself might once +more go down and give his personal attention to the affair. On +the 7th of July the _Tennessee_ started from New Orleans with +Jenkins aboard; she had successfully run the gauntlet of the +batteries, when, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, as +Faries was firing his last rounds, a solid shot struck and instantly +killed Commander Abner Read. Captain Jenkins was, at the same +time, wounded by a flying fragment of a broken cutlass. Of the +crew two were killed and four wounded. + +On the 8th the _Saint Mary's_, a fine seagoing steamer and one of +the fastest boats in the department, was carrying Lieutenant Emerson, +Acting-Assistant Adjutant-General, with important despatches from +headquarters to Emory and to the Chief Quartermaster, when, about +three o'clock in the morning, she drew the fire of all the Confederate +guns. The _Princess Royal_ and the _Kineo_ convoyed her past the +upper battery, but from this point she had to trust to her speed +and her low freeboard. In rounding Fifty-five Mile Point she was +struck five times, one conical shell and one shrapnel penetrating +her side above the water-line and bursting inboard. + +At half-past six on the morning of the 9th of July, Farragut, who +had left Port Hudson on the _Monongahela_ on the evening of the +7th, started from Donaldsonville with the _Essex, Kineo_, and +_Tennessee_ in company, ran the gauntlet of the batteries, swept +and silenced them with his broadsides, and endured for nearly two +hours a brisk musketry fire from the enemy without serious loss +suffered or inflicted. At half-past one o'clock on the morning of +the 10th of July, the gunboat _New London_, bearing Captain Walker, +Assistant Adjutant-General, with a despatch announcing the surrender +of Port Hudson, came under the fire of Faries's battery, opposite +Whitehall. She was very soon disabled by a shot through her boilers, +and was run ashore near the left bank, where the _Tennessee_ and +the _Essex_ came to her assistance from below. Landing on the east +bank, Captain Walker made his way afoot down the river along the +levee until he came in sight of the _Monongahela_, when, at six +o'clock in the morning, his signals being perceived, he was taken +aboard in one of the ship's boats and communicated to the admiral +the good news that the campaign was at an end. To dispose of Taylor +could be but a matter of a few days; then once more, in the words +of Lincoln, would the great river flow "unvexed to the sea." + +Taylor's plans were well laid, and had been brilliantly executed. +In no other way, with the force at his disposal, could he have +performed a greater service for his cause. Save the severe yet +not material check at Donaldsonville, he had had everything his +own way: he had overrun La Fourche; his guns commanded the river; +his outposts were within twenty miles of the city; he even talked +of capturing New Orleans, but this, in the teeth of an alert and +powerful fleet, was at best but a midsummer fancy. + +In New Orleans, indeed, great was the excitement when it became +known that the Confederate forces were so near. In Taylor's army +were the friends, the brothers, the lovers, the husbands, even the +fathers of the inhabitants. In the town were many thousands of +registered enemies, and of paroled Confederate prisoners of all +ranks. At one time there were no Union troops in the city, save +a detachment of the 42d Massachusetts, barely two hundred and fifty +strong. But the illness that had deprived Emory's division of its +leader in the field had given to New Orleans a commander of a +courage and firmness that now, as always, rose with the approach +of danger, with whom difficulties diminished as they drew near, +and whose character had earned the respect of the townspeople. +These, though their hearts beat high and their pulses were tremulous +with emotion, conducted themselves with a propriety and an outward +calmness that reflected the highest credit upon their virtue and +their good sense. Yet, when all that was possible had been done, +things were at such a pass that, on the 4th of July, Emory thought +it imperative to speak out. "I respectfully suggest," he wrote to +Banks, "that unless Port Hudson be already taken, you can only save +this city by sending me reinforcements immediately and at any cost. +It is a choice between Port Hudson and New Orleans." + +Banks made the choice with serenity and without a moment's hesitation +determined to run the remote risk of losing New Orleans for the +moment, with the destruction of Taylor's army in reserve as a +consolation, rather than to insure himself against this peril at +the price of instant disaster at Port Hudson, even on the very eve +of victory. + +"Operations here," was the reply sent from headquarters on the 5th +to Emory's urgent appeal, "can last but two or three days longer +at the outside, and then the whole command will be available to +drive back the enemy who is now annoying our communications and +threatening New Orleans." So the event proved and such was now +the task to be performed. + +Augur, who had been ill for some time, yet unwilling to relinquish +his command, now found himself unfitted for the summer campaign +that seemed in prospect. He accordingly turned over his division +to Weitzel, took leave of absence on surgeon's certificate, and +went North to recruit his health. Shortly afterward he was assigned +to the command of the Department of Washington and did not rejoin +the Nineteenth Corps. + +Weitzel, as has been said, took transport on the 9th of July +immediately after the formal capitulation. Getting under way toward +evening, he landed at Donaldsonville early the next morning. His +presence there so threatened the flank and front of Taylor's forces, +as to induce an immediate withdrawal of the guns from the river +and the calling in of all detachments. Morgan, with Grover's First +brigade and Nims's battery, followed Weitzel about midnight on the +10th, and Grover himself, with his other two brigades, on the 11th. +During the night of that day, Grover therefore found himself before +Donaldsonville, holding both banks of Bayou La Fourche with two +divisions. He was confronted by Green with his own brigade and +Major's, together with the batteries that had lately been annoying +the transports and drawing the attention of the gunboats on the +river. When, on the 10th, Green saw the transports coming down +the Mississippi laden with troops, it did not at once occur to him +that Port Hudson was lost; he simply thought these troops were +coming to attack him. Concentrating his whole force, he posted +Major with four regiments and four guns on the left or east bank +of the bayou, and on the right or west bank three regiments and +two guns of his own brigade. Green's pickets were within two miles +of Donaldsonville. As Grover developed and took more ground in +his front, Green drew back toward Paincourtville. + +On the morning of the 13th of July, without any intention of bringing +on a battle or of hastening the enemy's movements, but merely to +gain a little more elbow-room and to find new fields for forage +for his animals, Grover moved out an advance guard on either side +of the bayou. "The enemy is evidently making preparation," he said +in his despatch of the 12th before ordering this movement, "to +escape if pursued by a strong force or to resist a small one. Our +gunboats can hardly be expected at Brashear City for some days, +and it is evidently injudicious to press them until their retreat +is cut off." Dudley, with two sections of Carruth's battery under +Phelps and with Barrett's troop, marched on the right bank of the +bayou, supported by Charles J. Paine's brigade with Haley's battery. +Morgan, under the orders of Birge, temporarily commanding Grover's +division, moved in line with Dudley on the opposite bank. They +went forward slowly until, about six miles out, they found themselves +upon the estate of the planter whose name is variously spelled Cox, +Koch, and Kock. Here, as Dudley and Morgan showed no disposition +to attack, Green took the initiative, and, favored by a narrow +field, a rank growth of corn, dense thickets of willows, the deep +ditches common to all sugar plantations in these lowlands, and his +own superior knowledge of the country, he fell suddenly with his +whole force upon the heads of Dudley's and Morgan's columns, and +drove them in almost before they were aware of the presence in +their front of anything more than the pickets, whom they had been +seeing for two days and who had been falling back before them. +Morgan handled his brigade badly, and soon got it, or suffered it +to fall, into a tangle whence it could only extricate itself by +retiring. This fairly exposed the flank of Dudley, who was making +a good fight, but had already enough to do to take care of his +front against the fierce onset of Green's Texans. The result of +this bad mismanagement was that the whole command was in effect +clubbed and on both banks driven back about a mile, until Paine came +to its support; then Grover rode out, and, seeing what had happened, +drew in his whole force. + +Grover's losses in this affair, called the battle of Cox's Plantation, +were 2 officers and 54 men killed, 7 officers and 210 men wounded, +3 officers and 183 men captured or missing; in all 465. To add to +the reproach of this rough treatment at the hands of an inferior +force, two guns were lost, one of the 1st Maine battery and one of +the 6th Massachusetts, but without the least fault on the part of +the artillerists. + +After the close of the campaign Colonel Morgan was arraigned before +a general court-martial upon charges of misbehavior before the +enemy and drunkenness on duty, and, being found guilty upon both +charges, was sentenced to be cashiered and utterly disqualified +from holding any office of employment under the government of the +United States; but Banks disapproved the proceedings, findings, +and sentence on the ground that the evidence appeared to him too +conflicting and unsatisfactory. "The execution of this sentence," +his order continue, "is suspended until the pleasure of the President +can be known." When the record with this decision reached the +Judge Advocate-General of the Army at Washington, he sent it back +to Banks with instructions that, as no sentence remained for the +action of the President, the proceedings were at an end and Colonel +Morgan must be released from arrest. This was accordingly done on +the 26th of October, 1863. + +Green puts his loss at 3 killed and 30 wounded, including 6 mortally +wounded. The Union loss, he says, was "little less than 1,000; +there were over 500 of the enemy killed and wounded, of whom 200 +were left out on the field, and about 250 prisoners." + +When, on the evening of the 14th of July, at Port Hudson, Banks +received this news, he went at once to Donaldsonville to confer +with Grover and Weitzel on the situation and the plan of campaign. +It was agreed on all hands that it was inexpedient to press Taylor +hard or to hasten his movements in any way until time should have +been allowed for the light-draught gunboats to re-enter Berwick +Bay and thus gain control of Taylor's line of retreat. In thus +refraining from any attempt to avenge promptly what must be regarded +as a military affront, the depleted ranks and the wearied condition +of the troops were perhaps taken into account, and, moreover, it +must have been considered to the last degree inadvisable to entangle +the command in the dense swamps that would have to be crossed, +after pushing Taylor prematurely back from the fertile and +comparatively high lands that border the Bayou La Fourche. Then +Banks continued on to New Orleans, where he arrived on the 18th, +and renewed his pressure on the admiral for the gunboats; but, +unfortunately, the gunboats were not to be had. Of those that had +accompanied the army in the campaign of the Teche, only one, the +feeble _Hollyhock_, had remained in Berwick Bay after the army +descended the Red River, crossed the Atchafalaya, and moved on Port +Hudson. The others, with the transports, had followed the movements +of the troops and had been caught above the head of the Atchafalaya +when the waters fell. Thus they had long been without repairs and +not one of them was now in condition for immediate service. The +water on the bar at the mouth of the Atchafalaya was now nearly at +its lowest point, so that even of the light-draught gunboats only +the lightest could cross. Accordingly it was not until the 22d of +July that the _Estrella_ and _Clifton_ made their appearance in +Berwick Bay and put an end to Taylor's operations. + +On the afternoon of the 21st of July, knowing that the gunboats +were coming, Taylor set the finishing touch to his incursion by +burning the rolling-stock of the railway and running the engines +into the bay. He had already destroyed the bridges as far back as +Tigerville, thus rendering the road quite useless to the Union forces +for the next five weeks. + +On the morning of the 25th the advance of Weitzel's brigade, under +Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, consisting of his own 12th Connecticut +and the 13th Connecticut, commanded by Captain Comstock, arrived +at Brashear by steamer from Donaldsonville, and, landing, once more +took possession of the place; but in the meantime Taylor had safely +withdrawn to the west bank, and gone into camp on the Teche with +all of his army intact and all his materials and supplies and most +of his captures safe. + +(1) The history of the 23d Connecticut says: "We delivered to them +108 dead. We captured 40 prisoners."--"Connecticut in the War," +p. 757. + +(2) When Green says 800, he of course refers to the four regiments +actually engaged in the assault; for, after losing, as he says, +261 of these 800, he makes the four regiments of Major's brigade, +with two sections of Faries's battery, number 800; while his own +force, with one section of Gonzales's battery, he puts at 750. +800 + 750 + 261 = 1,811. + + +CHAPTER XX. +IN SUMMER QUARTERS. + +Before Banks parted with Grover at Donaldsonville, he left orders +for the troops to rest and go into "summer quarters" as soon as +the pending operation should be decided. Accordingly, in the last +days of July, Weitzel broke away from the discomforts of muddy, +dusty, shadeless Donaldsonville, and marching down the bayou, once +more took up his quarters near Napoleonville and Thibodeaux, and +encamped his men at ease among the groves and orchards of the garden +of La Fourche. + +On the 16th of July the steamboat _Imperial_, from St. Louis on +the 8th, rounded to at the levee at New Orleans in token that the +great river was once more free. The next day she set out on her +return trip. + +On the 5th of August a despatch from Halleck, dated the 23d of +July, was received and published in orders: + +"I congratulate you and your army on the crowning success of the +campaign. It was reserved for your army to strike the last blow +to open the Mississippi River. The country, and especially the +great West, will ever remember with gratitude their services." + +Afterwards, on the 28th of January, 1864, Congress passed a joint +resolution of thanks + +"to Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks and the officers and soldiers +under his command for the skill, courage, and endurance which +compelled the surrender of Port Hudson, and thus removed the last +obstruction to the free navigation of the Mississippi River." + +Admiral Porter now came down the river to New Orleans in his flagship +_Black Hawk_, and arranged to relieve Admiral Farragut from the +trying duty of patrolling and protecting the river, so long borne +by the vessels of his fleet. Farragut then took leave of absence +and went North, leaving the West Gulf Squadron to Commodore Bell. + +When Port Hudson surrendered, two of the nine-months' regiments +had already served beyond their time. The 4th Massachusetts claimed +its discharge on the 26th of June, the 50th four days later, +insisting that their time ran from the muster-in of the last company; +but, being without information from Washington on this point, Banks +counted the time from the muster-in of the field and staff, and +therefore wished to hold these regiments respectively eighty-one +and forty-two days longer, or at all events until the receipt of +instructions or the end of the siege. To this view officers and +men alike objected, many of them so strongly that whole companies +refused duty. They were within their lawful rights, yet, better +counsels quickly prevailing, all consented to stay, and did good +service to the last. Of seven other regiments the term of enlistment +was on the point of expiring. They were the 21st, 22d, 24th, and +26th Maine, the 52d Massachusetts, the 26th Connecticut, and the +16th New Hampshire. These nine regiments were now detached from +the divisions to which they belonged and placed under the orders +of Andrews to form part of the garrison of Port Hudson until the +transports should be ready to take them home by sea or river. + +As soon as the river was opened, Grant responded freely to all the +urgent demands made upon him for steamboats, forage, beef, telegraph +operators, and so on. He sent Ransom to occupy Natchez, and about +the 25th of July Herron arrived at Port Hudson with his division +of two brigades, 3,605 effectives, with 18 guns. Herron's command, +the victor of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, formerly known as the +Army of the Frontier, had been called to the aid of Grant at +Vicksburg. It came to the Gulf as Herron's division, but was +presently, by Grant's orders, merged in the 13th Corps as its Second +Division. + +At the close of July, in response to Banks's urgent appeals for +more troops to replace the nine-months' men, Halleck ordered Grant +to send down a corps of 10,000 or 12,000 men. Accordingly, between +the 10th and 26th of August, Grant sent the reorganized Thirteenth +Corps to Carrollton. Ord, the proper commander of the Thirteenth +Corps, took sick leave, and the corps came to Louisiana under the +command of Washburn, with Benton, Herron, Lee and Lawler commanding +the divisions, and Colonel Mudd the brigade of cavalry. All told, +the effective strength of the corps was 778 officers and 13,934 men; +total, 14,712. + +Chiefly in July and August the twenty-one nine-months' regiments +and in November the nine-months' men of the 176th New York went +home to be mustered out. This left of the Nineteenth Corps +thirty-seven regiments, having an effective strength, daily +diminishing, of less than 350 men each; in all, less than 15,000. +From these it was indispensable to take one full and strong regiment +for Key West and the Tortugas, another for Pensacola, and a third +for Forts Jackson and Saint Philip. This disposed of 2,000; 2,500 +more was the least force that could be expected to do the police and +guard duty of a hostile town so great and populous as New Orleans, +containing the main depots of the army; thus the movable force of +infantry was cut down to 8,500, or, as Banks states it, 10,000, +and for any operations that should uncover New Orleans, would be +but half that number. + +In the reorganization of the Nineteenth Corps, thus rendered +necessary, the Second division was broken up and ceased to exist, +its First and Third brigades being transferred to the Third division, +the temporary command of which was given to Dwight, but only for +a short time. The First and Third brigades of the First division +were thrown into one; Weitzel's brigade at first resumed its original +name of the Reserve brigade, and a new Second brigade was provided +by taking Gooding's from the Third division, so that when a fortnight +later Weitzel's brigade was restored to the First division, it +became the Third brigade. The Fourth division, like the Third, +was reduced to two brigades. Major-General William B. Franklin, +who had just come from the North under orders from Washington, was +assigned to command of the First division, while Emory was to retain +the Third and Grover the Fourth; but when the Thirteenth Corps +began to arrive, Banks found himself in the anomalous position of +commanding a military department within whose limits two army corps +were to serve, one, numerically the smaller, under his own immediate +orders, the other under its proper commander. The approaching +completion of the organization of the Corps d'Afrique would add a +third element. It was therefore found convenient on every account +to name an immediate commander of the Nineteenth Corps, and for +this post Franklin's rank, service, and experience plainly indicated +him. The assignment was made on the 15th of August, and Franklin +took command at Baton Rouge on the 20th. Then Weitzel was designated +to command the First division. However, there were during the next +few months, among the commanders of all grades, so many changes, +due to illness or absence, that only confusion could follow the +attempt to tell them all. + +The artillery of the corps was redistributed to correspond with +the new organization, and the cavalry was concentrated at Baton +Rouge, Plaquemine, Thibodeaux, and New Orleans, with orders that +all details for orderly duty and the like were to be furnished from +a single battalion, the 14th New York, attached to the defences of +New Orleans. + +Weitzel's division, except his old brigade under Merritt, took post +at Baton Rouge, where also Emory's division was encamped, successively +commanded by Nickerson and McMillan, while Grover's division, +assigned to the defence of New Orleans, was separated, Birge +occupying La Fourche, with headquarters at Thibodeaux, and Cahill +forming the garrison of New Orleans. + +At Port Hudson, after the departure of the nine-months' troops, +Andrews had the 6th Michigan newly converted into the 1st Michigan +heavy artillery, ten troops of the 3d Massachusetts cavalry, +Rawles's, Holcomb's, and Barnes's batteries; and besides these the +infantry of the Corps d'Afrique, then in process of organization, +including, at the end of August, the old 1st and 3d regiments and +the five regiments of Ullmann's brigade--the 6th to the 10th. The +return of the post for the 31st of August accounts for an effective +force of 5,427; of these 1,815 belonged to the white troops and +3,612 to the colored regiments. The whole number of infantry +regiments of the Corps d'Afrique, then authorized, was nineteen, +of which only the first four were completed. Besides these there +were two regiments of engineers, the 1st full, the 2d about half +full, and three companies of heavy artillery, making the whole +muster of colored troops in the department about 10,000. Towards +the end of September the regiments of infantry numbered twenty, +with ranks fairly filled. The Corps d'Afrique was then organized +in two divisions of two brigades each, Ullmann commanding the First +division and the senior colonel the Second. Rawles's battery was +assigned to the First division and Holcomb's to the Second. This +division, however, never became much more than a skeleton, its +First brigade being from the first detached by regiments for garrison +duty in the various fortifications. + +Andrews at once took up the work of organization and instruction +in earnest, rightly conceiving it not merely possible, but even +essential, to give to the officers and men of the colored regiments, +thus formed into an army corps under his command, a degree of +instruction, as well in tactics as in the details of a soldier's +duty, higher then was to be found in any save a few picked regiments +of the volunteer and regular service. The prejudice at first +entertained against the bare idea of service with colored troops +had not entirely disappeared, yet it had so far lost its edge that +it was now possible to select from a number of applicants for +promotion, especially to the higher grades, officers who had already +shown their fitness and their capacity, while holding inferior +commissions or serving in the ranks of the white regiments. Thus +the original source of weakness in the composition of the first +three regiments was avoided, and, small politics and local influence +being of course absent, and Banks's instructions being urgent to +choose only the best men, the colored regiments soon had a fine +corps of officers. To the work now before him Andrews brought an +equipment and a training such as few officers possessed. Experience +had shown him the merit, the capacity, and the defects of the +American volunteer officer. At the very bottom of these defects +was the looseness of his early instruction in the elements of his +duty; once wrongly taught by an instructor, himself careless or +ignorant, he was likely to go on conscientiously making the same +mistake to the end of his term. Realizing his opportunity, Andrews +set about establishing uniformity in all details of drill and duty +by establishing a school of officers. These he himself taught with +the greatest pains and industry, correcting the slovenly, yet +encouraging the willing, until the whole corps was brought up to +a uniform standard, and on the whole a high one. + +Stone succeeded Andrews as Chief of Staff at department headquarters +on the 25th of July. + +Franklin's staff, as commander of the Nineteenth Army Corps in the +field, included Major Wickham Hoffman, Assistant Adjutant-General; +Colonel Edward L. Molineux, Acting Assistant Inspector-General; +Lieutenant-Colonel John G. Chandler, Chief Quartermaster; +Lieutenant-Colonel Henry D. Woodruff, Chief Commissary of Subsistence; +Surgeon John H. Rauch, Medical Director; Captain Henry W. Closson, +Chief of Artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bailey, Acting Chief +Engineer; Captain William A. Pigman, Chief Signal Officer. + + +CHAPTER XXI. +A FOOTHOLD IN TEXAS. + +Banks now wished and proposed to move on Mobile, which he rightly +supposed to be defended by about 5,000 men.(1) This had indeed +been among the objects specially contemplated by his first instructions +from the government, and in the progress of events had now become +the next in natural order. Grant and Farragut were of the same +mind; but other ideas had arisen, and now the government, anxious +to avert the impending risk of European complications, deemed it +of the first importance that the flag of the nation should, without +delay, be restored at some point in Texas. The place and the plan +were left discretionary with Banks, but peremptory orders were +given him to carry out the object.(2) + +Texas had no military value at that moment. To have overrun the +whole State would hardly have shortened the war by a single day. +The possession of Mobile, on the other hand, would, besides its +direct consequences, have exercised an important if not a vital +influence upon the critical operations in the central theatre of +war; would have taken from the Confederates their only remaining +line of railway communication between the Atlantic seaboard and +the States bordering on the Mississippi; would have weakened the +well-nigh fatal concentration against Rosecrans at Chickamauga and +Chattanooga; would have eased the hard task of Sherman in his +progress to Atlanta; and would have given him a safe line of retreat +in the event of misfortune. What was it, then, that persuaded the +government to put aside its designs on Mobile, to give up the +offensive, to refrain from gathering the fruits of its successes +on the Mississippi, in order to embark in the pursuit of objects +avowedly "other than military"? + +A series of acts and events, more or less menacing in character, +seemed to indicate a concerted purpose on the part of some, at +least, of the leading nations of Europe to interfere in the domestic +affairs of the United States against the government of the United +States. The powerful rams, intended for the recapture of New +Orleans, that were being almost openly built to the order of the +Confederacy in the port of Liverpool, in the very shipyards whence +the _Alabama_ had gone to sea, were approaching completion. Other +iron-clads, not less powerful, were under construction in France, +with the personal connivance of the Emperor, under the flimsy +pretence that they were intended for the imperial government of +China. Finally, on the 10th of June, casting all promises and +pretexts to the winds, the French troops had marched into the +capital of Mexico, made themselves masters of the country, vamped +up a sham throne, and upon it set an Austrian puppet. That Napoleon +III. nursed among his favorite dreams the vision of a Latin empire +in America, built upon the ruins of Mexican liberty and taking in +at least the fairest portion of the Louisiana that his illustrious +uncle had parted with so cheaply, was well known. Against the +inconvenient spread of his ambition the occupation of some part, +of any part, of Texas, was intended as a diplomatic caution. That +the warning cast its shadow even upon the dark mind of Louis Napoleon +Bonaparte there can be no doubt; yet in the meantime there had +occurred in quick succession three events that must have sounded +in his ears with tones that even his dull imagination could not +easily misunderstand. These were Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Port +Hudson. He had not the least notion of helping the unsuccessful. + +The whole Confederate force under Kirby Smith in the trans-Mississippi +region numbered at this time about 33,000 effective. Of these, +about 4,000 were in the Indian country, 8,000 in Arkansas, less +than 14,000 in Western Louisiana, and rather less than 7,000 in +Texas. Of the forces in Louisiana under Taylor, about 3,000 were +in the extreme northern district. Magruder, whose headquarters +were at Houston, and who commanded not only the whole of Texas but +nominally New Mexico and Arizona besides, was keeping rather more +than two thirds of his forces for the defence of Galveston and the +line of the Sabine, while the remainder were distributed on the +Rio Grande, at Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Indianola; he had +not 2,000 men together anywhere, nor could even Kirby Smith have +concentrated 20,000 at any single point without giving up all the +rest of the vast territory confided to his care. + +At the end of August Banks had nearly 37,000 officers and men for +duty. Of these, about 13,000 belonged to the Thirteenth Corps and +about 6,500 to that portion of the Nineteenth Corps, being the +First and Third divisions, that was concentrated and ready for +active service in the field. The defences of New Orleans, including +La Fourche, absorbed 7,000; Port Hudson, 5,500; the rest were +holding Baton Rouge, Key West, and Pensacola. + +Yielding his own views as to Mobile, Banks entered heartily into +the project of the government for gaining a foothold in Texas. +Learning from the Navy that the mouth of the Sabine was but feebly +defended, while the entrance was practicable for gunboats of light +draught, he conceived the plan of descending suddenly upon the +coast at that point with a force sufficient to march to Houston +and take Galveston in reverse. He selected the troops, and collected +the transports and the stores. When he was ready he gave the +command of the expedition to Franklin, and caused Beckwith to +replace Emory in command of the defences of New Orleans, to enable +him to rejoin his division for service in the field. + +Franklin had the brigades under Love and Merritt of Weitzel's First +division, with Bainbridge's, Closson's, and Bradbury's batteries, +and the two brigades, Nickerson's and McMillan's, of Emory's Third +division, with Duryea's, Trull's, and Hebard's batteries. For +cavalry there were the two squadrons of the 1st Texas. Commodore +Bell, who then commanded the West Gulf Squadron, gave the command +of the gunboats, destined to keep down the fire of the shore +batteries and cover the landing of the troops, to Lieutenant +Frederick Crocker, from whose personal observation while serving +on the blockade the information that led to the choice of the point +of attack had been largely drawn. Crocker, besides his own vessel, +the _Clifton_, had the _Sachem_, Lieutenant Amos Johnson; the +_Arizona_, Acting-Master Howard Tibbetts; the _Granite City_, +Acting-Master C. W. Lamson. Crocker's belief was that the defences +ashore and afloat consisted of two 32-pounder guns in battery, and +two small steamboats converted into rams. + +Franklin's orders were to proceed to Sabine Pass; there, if the +Navy should be able to secure the landing, he was to debark his +whole force rapidly, take up a strong position, seize Beaumont, or +some other point on the railroad to Houston, and then reconnoitre +the enemy to learn their position and strength. He was not to go +farther into the country until reinforced. After landing, he was +to turn back the transports to Brashear, where Benton's division +of the Thirteenth Corps would be found waiting to join him. + +After many delays, due to the state and inadequacy of the transports, +which, besides ten ocean steamers, fit and unfit, included six +river steamers wholly of the latter class, Weitzel sailed from New +Orleans on the evening of the 4th of September. Leaving the +Southwest Pass on the morning of the 5th, under convoy of the +_Arizona_, and steering westward, he was joined, early on the +following morning, off Berwick Bay, by the _Clifton_ and the +_Sachem_. A detachment of about 100 sharp-shooters, mainly from +Companies B and G of the 75th New York, under Lieutenants Root and +Cox, was then sent aboard the _Clifton_, and to the _Sachem_ an +officer and 25 men from the 161st New York. + +About daylight on the 7th, Crocker became convinced that he had +overrun his distance and gone beyond Sabine Pass; but when all the +vessels had put about and for three or four hours had been steering +to the eastward, he found himself off the entrance to the Calcasieu, +thirty miles east of the Sabine. Then he and Weitzel agreed that, +under the circumstances, the best thing to be done was to intercept +the remainder of the expedition, supposed to be following, under +the immediate command of Franklin, and assembling the whole force +where they were to wait until the next morning, the 8th of September, +for the attempt at Sabine Pass. But the arrangement had been that +the attack by the gunboats to cover Weitzel's landing was to be +made early on the morning of the 7th. Accordingly Franklin, with +his part of the fleet, carrying the supporting force, had already +passed Berwick Bay; in fact, at eleven o'clock he was off Sabine +Pass; and the _Suffolk_, bearing the headquarters flag of the +Nineteenth Corps, had crossed the bar and was about to run in, the +others following, when Franklin perceived that his advance had not +yet come up, and therefore stopped the movement. In the afternoon +Weitzel, seeing nothing of Franklin's fleet, made up his mind that +he must have gone by, and once more setting his face toward the +west, joined Franklin off the Sabine about nine o'clock that +evening. + +After the full and open notice thus given the enemy, all thought +of anything like a surprise was at an end; yet it was agreed to go +on and make the attempt the next morning. Accordingly, at daylight +on the 8th, Crocker, with the _Clifton_ and the other gunboats, +followed by Weitzel with the 75th New York on the transport steamer +_Charles Thomas_, entered the harbor, and after reconnoitring the +landing-place and the defences, signalled the rest of the fleet to +run in. Weitzel put a picked force of five hundred men on the +transport _General Banks_, and following in the wake of the four +gun-boats, made ready to land about a thousand yards below the fort. + +Shortly before four o'clock the gunboats moved to the attack. +Above the swamp through which the Sabine finds an outlet to the +Gulf, the shore lies low and barren. The fort or sand battery was +placed at the turn about one half mile below the hamlet called +Sabine City, opposite the upper end of the oyster reef that for +nearly a mile divides the channel into two parts, each narrow and +neither straight. The _Sachem_, followed by the _Arizona_, took +the eastern or Louisiana channel, and was hardly under fire before +a shot struck her steampipe and completely disabled her. The +_Clifton_ moved at full speed up the western or Texas channel until, +when almost directly under the guns of the fort, she also received +a shot through her boilers, grounding at the same time; and thus, +nearly at the same instant, before the action had fairly begun, +the two leading gunboats were completely disabled and at the mercy +of the enemy. The Louisiana channel was too narrow for the _Arizona_ +to pass the _Sachem_ or to turn about; so at the moment when the +_Clifton_ received her fatal injury, the _Arizona_ was backing down +the eastern channel to ascend the western to her assistance; but +in doing this she also took the ground. The _Sachem_ hauled down +her colors and hoisted the white flag at the fore, and after bravely +continuing the fight for twenty minutes longer the _Clifton_ followed +suit. + +The place where the _Clifton_ grounded was fairly in range of the +beach where Weitzel was expected to land his troops. There may +have been a minute, or even ten, during which it might have been +possible for Weitzel, breaking away from the concerted plan, to +have thrown his picked men ashore while the attention of the +Confederates was fixed upon the _Clifton_; yet, although this +criticism has been suggested by high authority, the point would +have been a fine one at best; and under the actual circumstances, +with the _Granite City_ in the channel ahead, the _Arizona_ aground, +and the guns of the _Sachem_ and the _Clifton_ about to be added +to those with which the enemy had opened the action, the problem +becomes one of pure speculation. What is clear is that the landing +depended upon the gunboats; that these were cruelly beaten before +they had a chance to prove themselves; and that nothing really +remained to do but what was actually done: that is, to give up +the expedition and go home. + +It is true that the orders under which Franklin was acting indicated +that if he found a landing impracticable at Sabine Pass he was to +attempt to land at some other place near by; and it is also true +that the infantry might have been set ashore almost anywhere in +the soft salt marsh that serves for the neighboring coasts of +Louisiana and Texas; but this must have been without their guns +and wagons and with no fresh water save what they carried with them +until they should have moved successfully into the interior; while +on the transports the stock of water was already running so low +that the men and animals were on short allowance. Therefore, with +the loss of 3 officers and 94 men captured, of the 75th New York, +6 killed, 2 drowned, and 4 wounded, and 200 mules and 200,000 +rations thrown into the sea, the expedition returned to New Orleans, +whence, by reason of unseaworthiness of transports, part of it had +not yet started. The transports came back in a sorry plight, the +_Cahawba_ on one wheel, the river steamboat _Laurel Hill_ without +her smokestacks, and all the others of her class with their frail +sides stove. The _Clifton_ and the _Sachem_, whose losses are but +partially reported, lost 10 killed, 9 wounded, and 39 missing. +Nearly all the rest of their crews were taken prisoners. + +The Confederate work, known as Fort Griffin, mounted six guns, of +which two were 32-pounder smooth bores, two 24-pounder smooth bores, +and two 32-pounder howitzers, manned by a single company of Cook's +regiment of Texas artillery, whose strength is stated variously, +though with great precision, as 40, 41, 42, and 44 men. This +company was commanded by Lieutenant Richard W. Dowling, and the +post by Captain Frederick H. Odlum. There was a supporting body +of about 200 men, as well as the gunboat _Uncle Ben_, but Dowling's +company was the only force actually engaged. They received, and +certainly deserved, the thanks of the Confederate Congress. + +Still intent on executing the instructions of the government, and +having in mind Halleck's strong preference for an overland operation, +Banks at once gave orders to concentrate at Brashear for a movement +up the Teche as far as Lafayette, or Vermilion, and thence across +the plains by Niblett's Bluff into Texas. The route by the +Atchafalaya and the Red River, Halleck's favorite, was now +impracticable, for both rivers were at their lowest stage, and the +great length of this line put out of the question the movement of +any large force dependent upon land transport. + +During the last fortnight of September, Banks concentrated Weitzel's +and Emory's divisions of the Nineteenth Corps, under Franklin, on +the lower Teche, near Camp Bisland, supporting them with Washburn's +and McGinnis's divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, under Ord. The +cavalry division under A. L. Lee covered the front towards New +Iberia. + +Emory being forced to go North on sick-leave, his division was +commanded by McMillan from the 17th of September until the 6th of +October, when Grover relieved him after turning over the Fourth +division to Beckwith. + +Birge, with his reorganized brigade, occupied La Fourche, with +headquarters at Thibodeaux. + +Sharpe's brigade of Weitzel's division remained at Baton Rouge, +with Gooding as the post commander. + +Burbridge's division of the Thirteenth Corps remained at Carrollton, +while Herron's, at the time of the Sabine Pass expedition, had been +posted at Morganza to observe and prevent any fresh movement by the +Confederates across the upper Atchafalaya. + +This division was about 2,500 strong, and Herron, being ill, had +just turned over the command to Dana, when on the 29th of September +Green swept down with Speight's and Mouton's brigades and the +battalions of Waller and Rountree upon the outposts on Bayou +Fordoche, at Sterling's plantation, killed 16, wounded 45, and took +454 prisoners, including nearly the full strength of the 19th Iowa +and 26th Indiana. Green's loss was 26 killed, 85 wounded, and 10 +missing; in all, 212. + +On the 3d of October Franklin broke camp at Bisland and moved by +easy marches to a position near the south bank of the Bayou Carencro, +meeting with no resistance beyond slight skirmishing at the crossing +of the Vermilion. On the 11th the Nineteenth Corps encamped within +two miles of the Carencro, its daily marches having been, on the +3d to Franklin, twelve miles; on the 4th to Sorrell's plantation, +eleven miles; on the 5th to Olivier's, near New Iberia, thirteen +miles; on the 8th to the Vermilion, fifteen miles; on the 9th, +crossing the Vermilion, eight miles; on the 11th ten miles; in all, +sixty-nine miles. + +Ord with the Thirteenth Corps, meanwhile augmented by Burbridge's +division from Carrollton, set out from Berwick at the same time +that Franklin left Bisland, and, following at an interval of a +day's march, encamped on the 10th of October on the Vermilion. On +the 14th Ord closed up on Franklin at the Carencro. A week later, +Ord being ill, Washburn took command of the detachment of the +Thirteenth Corps, his division falling to Lawler. + +Banks with his staff left New Orleans on the 7th of October. On +the following afternoon he joined the forces near New Iberia, +remaining near headquarters in the field until the evening of the +11th, when he returned to New Orleans. Stone stayed two days longer +and then followed his chief. This left Franklin in command of all +the forces in Western Louisiana, numbering about 19,500 for duty, +namely, 11,000 of the Thirteenth Corps, 6,000 of the Nineteenth +Corps, and 2,500 of the cavalry division. Banks's object in +returning to New Orleans was to organize a second expedition for +the coast of Texas. The advance to the Carencro had not only +brought his army face to face with Taylor's forces, but also with +the well-known conditions that would have to be met and overcome +in the movement beyond the Sabine. All idea of this march of more +than two hundred miles across a barren country, with no water in +the summer and fall, while in the winter and spring there is plenty +of water but no road, was now given up once for all. Besides the +natural obstacles, there was Magruder to be reckoned with at the +end of the march and Taylor in the rear. + +Taylor had now about 11,000 effectives in the divisions of Mouton, +Walker, and Green, with eleven batteries. To occupy him and to +push him farther away, Franklin marched to Opelousas on the 21st +of October, skirmishing by the way, and until the end of the month +continued to occupy a position covering that town and Barre's +Landing. + +On the 26th of October, with a force of about 4,000 effectives of +the Second division of the Thirteenth Corps under Dana, augmented +by the 13th and 15th Maine, the 1st Engineers and 16th infantry of +the Corps d'Afrique, and the 1st Texas cavalry, Banks embarked at +New Orleans for the mouth of the Rio Grande. After long delays +and great peril from bad weather, the expedition landed at Brazos +Santiago between the 3d and 5th of November, and on the 6th occupied +Point Isabel and Brownsville, distant thirty miles on the main land. + +Having thus at last secured the foothold in Texas so urgently +desired by the government, Banks, who had now entered heartily into +the expansive scheme, set about occupying successively all the +passes or inlets that connect the Gulf of Mexico with the land-locked +lagoons or sounds of the Texas coast from the Rio Grande to the +Sabine. + +Accordingly, he sent for the rest of the Thirteenth Corps, and by +the end of December had taken possession of the fringe of the coast +as far east and north as Matagorda Bay. So far he had met with +little opposition, the Confederate force in this part of Texas +being small. The Brazos and Galveston were still to be gained, +and here, if anywhere in Texas, a vigorous resistance was to be +counted on. Banks was bending everything to the attempt when, as +the new year opened, the government stopped him, and turned his +head in a new direction. + +During these operations on the Texas coast the 13th Maine, commanded +by Lieutenant-Colonel Hesseltine, and the 15th Maine formed part +of the Second division of the Thirteenth Corps. Both regiments +did good service, especially under Ransom, in the expedition that, +led by Washburn, landed on Mustang Island on the 16th of November, +took the Confederate battery commanding Aransas Pass, and then, +crossing to Matagorda Island, rapidly reduced Fort Esperanza, and +thus gained the control of Matagorda Bay before the month was out. + +(1) Banks to Halleck, July 30 and August 1, 1863: "Official +Records," vol. xxvi., part I, pp. 661, 666. + +(2) Halleck to Banks, July 24, 1863, July 31st, August 6th, August +10th, August 12th: "Official Records," vol. xxvi., part I, pp. +652, 664, 672, 673, 675. + + +CHAPTER XXII. +WINTER QUARTERS. + +In preparation for Washburn's departure on the 27th of October, +Franklin began to draw back from Opelousas to New Iberia. Lawler +led off, and was followed on the 1st of November by McGinnis, +Grover, Weitzel, and the cavalry under Fonda, in the order named. +Burbridge, followed by Mudd's cavalry brigade, took the Teche road, +by Grand Coteau. + +On the 3d, while the Nineteenth Corps rested at the Vermilion and +McGinnis at the Carencro, Burbridge, who was in camp on Bayou +Bourbeau, was surprised by the sudden descent of Green with two +brigades. Burbridge had with him only his First brigade, about +1,200 strong, with 500 men of the 118th Illinois mounted infantry +and the 14th New York cavalry, under Fonda, Rice's 17th Ohio battery, +and Marland's section of Nims's battery; in all, 1,625 men. The +23d Wisconsin, 96th Ohio, 60th Indiana, and the gunners of Rice +and Nims fought hard to prevent a rout and to save the wagon-trains +and the cavalry; and, McGinnis coming up in good time, Green drew +off, taking with him nothing save one of the Ohio 10-pounder +Parrotts. At one moment both of Marland's guns, abandoned by their +supports, were completely cut off by the Confederate cavalry, but +Marland, rising to the occasion, bade his cannoneers draw their +revolvers, and charged at a full gallop directly through the lines +of Green's cavalry, to the complete astonishment of both armies, +and came into battery on the right of the 46th Indiana. "The +bringing off of the section of Nims's battery, commanded by Lieutenant +Marland," says Washburn, "after the regiment sent to its support +had surrendered, extorted the admiration of every beholder." + +Marland's loss in this brilliant little affair was but two men +missing. Burbridge had 25 killed, 129 wounded, and 562 captured +or missing; in all, 716. Green reports his loss as 22 killed, 103 +wounded, and 53 missing. Green's report shows that he had in the +fight three regiments of infantry, seven of cavalry, and two sections +of artillery. + +With frequent skirmishing, but without serious molestation, the +march was continued, and on the 17th of November, the Nineteenth +Corps went into camp at New Iberia. + +By the end of December the Thirteenth Corps, except Sheldon's +brigade which was at Plaquemine, had been gradually transferred to +the Texas coast. Thus Franklin was left to hold the line of the +Teche with little more than 5,000 men of the Nineteenth Corps and +about 3,500 of Lee's cavalry. This, with the winter nights and +the winter roads, was too small a force to hold a position so +advanced and so exposed as New Iberia, even if there had been any +longer an object in doing so. + +Accordingly, on the evening of the 5th of January, marching orders +were issued for the following morning; but in the night a drizzling +rain came on and, freezing as it fell, coated the deep, dense mud +with a glaze of ice. The march was therefore put off a day, and +on the morning of the 7th, through a frozen bog, a biting norther +blowing, and the weather unusually cold for this region, the +Nineteenth Corps floundered back to Franklin. The best of the +roads were bad enough, but those across the bends, used in ordinary +seasons as cut-offs, were now impassable sloughs, so the troops +had to march nearly the full length of the bayou. Here a novel +form of straggling was introduced through the ever industrious +ingenuity of the lazy, many of whom contrived to leave the ranks, +and, crossing the levee, seized canoes or made rafts, and tranquilly +floated down the bayou ahead of their plodding comrades. + +On the morning of the 9th of January the corps went into winter +quarters at Franklin. Tents were not issued until a month later, +but meanwhile the men built shelters and huts for themselves of +such materials as they could find on the plantations or in the +wooded swamps; and with branches of live oak and boughs of laurel +and the long gray Spanish moss, they constructed for their camps +a lavish ornamentation of arbors and arches, mimic forts and sham +monitors. + +The terms of service of the older regiments enlisted in the early +days of 1861 being about to expire, the government now offered a +bounty and a furlough for thirty days to all veterans who should +again enlist for three years or during the war; and in carrying +out this plan Banks arranged to send home in each month, beginning +with February, at least two regiments of re-enlisted veterans from +each corps. Of the nineteen regiments and six batteries of the +Nineteenth Corps raised in 1861, every one promptly embraced these +terms. In some regiments nearly every man present re-enlisted. +The 7th Vermont enrolled every survivor, save 59, of the original +muster; in the 13th Connecticut out of 406 present 400 signed; the +26th Massachusetts returned 546. To make up, in part, for the +temporary loss to be accounted for from this cause, the government +sent down four fine regiments, well commanded, the 29th Maine, the +30th Maine, the 153d New York, and the 14th New Hampshire, and, +these being assigned to the Nineteenth Corps, the first three joined +the First division, but the 14th New Hampshire came too late for +the campaign, and was assigned to temporary duty near New Orleans. +About the same time Nields's 1st Delaware battery and Storer's 7th +Massachusetts battery joined the corps. + +The idea of a foothold in Texas had been gradually swelling until +at length it had attained the dimensions of an overland army of +occupation. For this the nature of the region to be traversed, as +well as the character of the enemy to be met, demanded a large +mounted force. Therefore the government sent from Washington and +from other Northern stations the 2d New York veteran cavalry, the +11th New York, the 18th New York, the 2d Maine, the 3d Rhode Island, +the 12th Illinois, and the 3d Maryland, and from the West many +horses. Banks also mounted seven more regiments of infantry, and +having thus raised Lee's cavalry division, when all had joined, to +nineteen regiments, they were finally organized in five brigades, +with three batteries of horse artillery, namely, Duryea's, Rawles's, +and Nims's. These three batteries were lost to the Nineteenth +Corps, and with them four of the mounted infantry regiments, the +2d Louisiana, the 75th New York, the 8th New Hampshire, and the +31st Massachusetts; the last three only for a time. + +Returning from sick-leave, Emory relieved Weitzel in command of +the First division on the 13th of December. Weitzel presently went +North on special service and did not resume his command but was +transferred in the spring to the Army of the James. + +In February, 1864, while the Nineteenth Corps lay in camp at +Franklin, it was once more re-organized by breaking up the First, +Third, and Fourth divisions, and forming two new divisions, the +First, commanded by Emory, comprising the brigades of Dwight, +McMillan and Benedict; the Second division, commanded by Grover, +composed of the brigades of Nickerson, Birge, and Sharpe. Emory's +division was already concentrated on the Teche, but Grover's brigades +were separated, Nickerson's being in the defences of New Orleans, +Birge's in La Fourche, and Sharpe's at Baton Rouge. The first +intention was to concentrate the division at Madisonville, and move +it by rail to join Franklin; but events interposed. + +The Corps staff serving at this time at headquarters in the field +included Colonel Charles C. Dwight, acting assistant inspector-general; +Surgeon Eugene F. Sanger, medical director; Captain J. G. Oltman, +topographical engineer; Captain Thomas H. Annable, commissary +of musters; Captain A. W. Chapman, judge-advocate; Lieutenant +John J. Williamson, ordnance officer; Captain Henry C. Inwood, +provost-marshal; Captain John P. Baker, Captain George M. Franklin, +and Lieutenant David Lyon, aides-de-camp. + + +CHAPTER XXIII. +THE RED RIVER. + +Seven months had thus been spent in desultory adventures and in +multitudinous preparations without a serious military object, and +still the capture of Mobile was to be put off, and still the dream +of a foothold in Texas was to be pursued. As for Texas, if the +government had, especially at this time, any settled plan, it is +by no means easy to make out what it was. In the previous July +the occupation of some point in Texas had been put forward by +Halleck as an object of paramount importance. At first the particular +place and manner were of no consequence; yet, when the mouth of +the Rio Grande had been seized, with the effect of cutting off the +contraband trade of Matamoras, Seward, who may be supposed to have +known the diplomatic purposes of the government, was frankly +delighted, while Halleck, who must be regarded as expressing its +military views, was as frankly disgusted. Finally, when not one +foothold but many footholds had been gained along the coast of +Texas, Halleck wound up the long correspondence (1) by renewing +his instructions of the previous summer, looking to a combined +naval and military operation on the Red River upon a scale even +greater than that originally contemplated; for now, besides the +great fleet of ironclads under Porter, the project was to absorb +the available strength of three armies. Banks was to move northward +by the Atchafalaya; Steele was to advance from the line of the +Arkansas; and from Vicksburg Grant was to send Sherman, with such +troops as he could spare. Grant, Banks, Sherman, and Steele, as +well as Admiral Porter, received corresponding instructions at the +same time, and, understanding them in the same sense, the Red River +expedition was fairly launched. + +Once committed to the scheme, Banks devoted himself loyally to the +arrangements necessary for prosecuting it on a scale at least +commensurate with the magnitude of the undertaking and with the +expectations of the government, as he understood them. Texas was +to be his objective, and he was the lead his army up the Red River, +as the shortest and best way to Texas. From the outset he was +committed to the use of a large body of cavalry able to operate on +the plains that lie beyond the Sabine, as well as to overcome the +opposition of the mounted forces of the Confederacy in that region. +Not only was forage scarce in the Red River country, but Shreveport +once taken and passed, the march would lie for three hundred miles +across a desert; an immense forage train was therefore indispensable. +It was also reasonable to suppose that, before passing Shreveport, +the combined armies of the Confederacy in the trans-Mississippi +would have to be met and beaten, and for this end a large force of +infantry and artillery must also form part of the expedition, at +least as far as Shreveport. The co-operation of the Navy was +necessary, in its turn, if only to keep open the long line of supply +by the Red River. Finally the usual time of the highest water in +the upper Red River fixed the date of the movement. + +Sherman came from Vicksburg to New Orleans on the 1st of March, +and within a few hours reached a distinct agreement with Banks as +to the aid expected from the Army of the Tennessee. Admiral Porter +had already arranged to be at the mouth of the Red River with a +large fleet of gunboats in time for the rising of the waters; and +now Sherman promised to send with the fleet ten thousand picked +men of his army, to be at Alexandria on the 17th of March. Banks, +on his part, agreed that his troops, marching north by the Teche, +should meet Sherman's at Alexandria. Steele, who was at Little +Rock, undertook to move at the same time to meet the combined forces +and the fleet on the Red River. Confronting Steele was Price; +across Banks's line of advance stood Taylor; with the whole or any +part of his force, Sherman and Porter might have to reckon, and in +any case Fort De Russy must be neutralized or reduced before they +could get to Alexandria. + +Thus upon a given day two armies and a fleet, hundreds of miles +apart, were to concentrate at a remote point far within the enemy's +lines, situated on a river always difficult and uncertain of +navigation, and now obstructed and fortified. Not often in the +history of war is the same fundamental principle twice violated in +the same campaign; yet here it was so, and even in the same orders, +for after once concentrating within the enemy's lines at Alexandria, +the united forces of Banks, Sherman, and Porter were actually to +meet those of Steele within the enemy's lines at Shreveport, where +Kirby Smith, strongly fortified moreover, was within three hundred +miles, roughly speaking, of either Banks or Steele, while Steele +was separated from Banks by nearly five hundred miles of hostile +territory, practically unknown to any one in the Union armies, and +neither commander could communicate with the other save by rivers +in their rear, over a long circuit, destined to lengthen with each +day's march, as they should approach their common enemy in his +central stronghold. + +Perhaps the most remarkable thing about all this was Sherman's +ready and express assent to the disregard of the first rule of the +great art of which he had always been an earnest student and long +past a master; yet it is to be observed that Sherman knew the Red +River country better than any one in the Union armies; he knew well +the scanty numbers and the scattered state of the hostile forces; +with him, as well as with Admiral Porter, this movement had long +been a favorite; he had indeed hoped and expected to undertake it +himself; but he evidently had in mind a quick and bold movement, +having for its object the destruction of the Confederate depots +and workshops at Shreveport, without giving the enemy notice, +breathing space, or time to concentrate. But this was not to be. +On learning, at New Orleans, that Banks meant to command in person, +Sherman naturally gave up all thought of accompanying the expedition, +and went back to Vicksburg to get his troops ready. The contingent +he had promised to send from the Army of the Tennessee he now made +up of two divisions of the Sixteenth Corps, united under Mower, +with Kilby Smith's division of the Seventeenth Corps, and the +command of the whole he gave to A. J. Smith. + +As early as the 2d of March Porter assembled at the mouth of the +Red River a great fleet of nineteen ironclads, including fifteen +of the heavier class and four of the lighter. The fleet carried +162 guns, of which 62 were of the higher calibres, from 80-pounder +rifles up to 11-inch Dahlgrens, and the combined weight of projectiles +was but little less than five tons. + +On the 10th of March, A. J. Smith embarked his force at Vicksburg +on an admirably organized fleet of nineteen river transports, +controlled by a simple system of signals from the flagship _Clara +Bell_. When, the next day, Smith joined Porter at the mouth of +the Red River, six days were still left until the time when Banks +had agreed to be at Alexandria with his army. Sherman's orders to +Smith required him to make use of the interval by co-operating with +the navy in an expedition up the Black and the Washita, for the +destruction of Harrisonburg, but Porter had already done the work +single-handed. Naturally supposing that Banks's troops were in +march up the Teche toward the point of meeting, although they knew +that Banks himself was still detained at New Orleans, Smith and +Porter determined at once to take or turn Fort De Russy, and then +to push on to Alexandria. On the morning of the 12th of March, +the combined fleet entered the Red River. At the head of the +Atchafalaya, Porter, with nine of the gunboats, turned off to the +left and descended that stream as far as Simmesport, followed by +the army transports, while Phelps, with the _Eastport_ and the +remainder of the fleet, continued the ascent of the Red River, with +a view of threatening Fort De Russy, and occupying the attention +of its defenders until Smith could land and march across country +to attack them. + +On the morning of the 13th of March Smith landed, and toward +nightfall took up the line of march for Fort De Russy, distant by +land twenty-eight miles, although by the windings of the river +nearly seventy. In his front, Smith found Scurry's brigade of +Walker's division partly entrenched on Yellow Bayou; but Mower +quickly brushed Scurry aside, and Walker, after observing the +strength of his enemy, concentrated on the Bayou De Glaze, to avoid +being shut up in the elbow at Marksville, as well as to get Mouton +in support; and thus the way was open to Smith. On the afternoon +of the 14th, Mower arrived before Fort De Russy, and just before +nightfall the brigades of Lynch and Shaw swept over the parapet +and forced a surrender, with a loss of 3 killed and 35 wounded. +The captures included 25 officers and 292 men, and ten guns, of +which two were 9-inch Dahlgrens from the spoils of the _Indianola_ +and the _Harriet Lane_, once more restored to their first owners. + +Phelps, who had with great energy burst through the formidable raft +nine miles below Fort De Russy, came up in _Eastport_ in time to +fire one shot from his 100-pounder Parrott, and to see the white +flag displayed. + +When this news reached him, Porter at once ordered his fastest +boats to hasten to Alexandria. The advance of the fleet arrived +off the town on the 15th of March, just as the last of the Confederate +boats were making good their escape above the falls. Kilby Smith +and his division followed on the transports with the remainder of +the fleet, and, landing at Alexandria during the afternoon of the +16th, relieved the naval detachment sent ashore some hours earlier +to occupy the town. On the 18th of March, A. J. Smith marched in +with Mower's two divisions. Thus the advance of Porter's fleet +was in Alexandria two days, and the head of A. J. Smith's column +one day, ahead of the appointed time. + +Walker retreated on Natchitoches, accompanied by Gray's brigade of +Mouton's division from the Huffpower. Taylor, quitting his +headquarters at Alexandria, called in Polignac's brigade from the +line of the Tensas and concentrated his force at Carroll Jones's +plantation, on the road between Opelousas and Fort Jesup, distant +forty-six miles in a south-southeasterly direction from Natchitoches, +twelve miles south from Cotile, and twenty miles southwesterly from +Alexandria. Here he was in a good position for receiving supplies +and reinforcements, for covering Natchitoches, and for observing +any approach of the Union forces either from Opelousas or from +Alexandria. + +Meanwhile Banks had called in from Texas the divisions of Cameron +and Ransom of the Thirteenth Corps and sent them to join Franklin +on the lower Teche. The command of this detachment being given to +Ransom, his division fell to Landram. Lee's cavalry was given the +same direction, excepting Fonda's brigade, which stayed at Port +Hudson. His last brigade, that of Dudley, marched from Donaldsonville +on the 6th of March, crossed Berwick Bay on the 9th, and arrived +at the cavalry camp near Franklin on the 10th. Cameron's wagons +reached him at Berwick on the 12th, and he marched to join the army +in the field on the morning of the 13th. On the evening of the +same day Lee led the advance of the army from the town of Franklin, +but, his column being quite nine miles long, it was not until the +following morning that his rear-guard filed into the road. On the +morning of the 15th of March he was followed by Emory and Ransom. +Lee arrived at Alexandria on the 19th, Emory on the 25th, and Ransom +on the 26th. The troops were, with some exceptions among the newly +mounted regiments, in admirable condition, all were in fine spirits, +and the long march of one hundred and sixty miles was well ordered +and well executed, without confusion, haste, or delay, so that +when, with closed ranks and bands playing, and with measured tread +and all intervals observed, the column entered Alexandria, the +appearance of the men drew exclamations of admiration even from +critics the least friendly. + +When the news of A. J. Smith's and Porter's arrival in the Red +River and of the capture of Fort De Russy reached New Orleans on +the 16th of March, it found Banks himself preparing to set out on +the following morning to join Franklin near New Iberia. He at once +despatched Stone to Alexandria by the river, and following him on +the 23d on the transport steamer _Black Hawk_, arrived at Alexandria +on the 24th, and took command of the combined forces of Franklin +and A. J. Smith. + +Grover, as has been said, was to have moved with Franklin, or close +upon his heels, but the 7th of March had come before the first +preparatory orders were given for the movement of Sharpe's brigade +from Baton Rouge, and not until the 10th was Grover told to +concentrate his division at Thibodeaux. His route was now changed +to the river. Accordingly Sharpe's brigade debarked at Alexandria +on the 26th, and the Second brigade under Molineux on the 28th, +but Nickerson stayed for a fortnight longer at Carrollton. + +Vincent, who with the 2d Louisiana cavalry had been watching and +reporting Lee's movement and regularly falling back before his +advance, joined Taylor at Carroll Jones's on the 19th. Then Taylor +sent Vincent with his regiment and Edgar's battery to watch the +crossing of Bayou Jean de Jean and to hold the road by which Banks +was expected to advance on Shreveport. Vincent encamped on the +high ground known as Henderson's Hill, commanding the junction of +the Bayou Rapides and Cotile twenty-three miles above Alexandria. +Here he was in the air, and A. J. Smith, realizing the importance +of seizing the passage without loss of time, at once proceeded to +dislodge him. Accordingly, on the 21st of March he sent out Mower +with his two divisions of the Sixteenth Corps and Lucas's brigade +of cavalry. Mower made his dispositions with great skill and +promptness, and that night, during a heavy storm of rain and hail, +completely surprised Vincent's camp and captured the whole regiment +bodily, together with four guns of Edgar's battery. A few of +Vincent's men managed to escape in the darkness and confusion, but +about 250 were brought in and with them 200 horses. This was a +heavy blow to Taylor, since it deprived him of the only cavalry he +had with him and thus of the means of scouting until Green should +come from Texas. Mower returned to Alexandria on the 22d, and +Taylor, probably unwilling to risk a surprise in his exposed +position, withdrew about thirty miles to Kisatchie, still covering +the Fort Jesup road; but a week later he sent his cavalry northward +twenty-six miles to Natchitoches and with his infantry retired to +Pleasant Hill. + +Banks has been blamed for his delay in meeting A. J. Smith and +Porter at Alexandria, yet, whatever may be the theoretical merits +of such a criticism, in fact no loss of time that occurred up to +the moment of quitting Alexandria had the least influence on the +course of the campaign, for even after the concentration was +completed the river, though very slowly rising by inches, was still +so low that the gunboats were unable to pass the rapids. The +_Eastport_ hung nearly three days on the rocks in imminent peril, +and at last had to be hauled off by main force, a whole brigade +swaying on her hawsers to the rhythm of the field music. This was +on the 26th of March, and the _Eastport_ was the first of the +gunboats to pass the rapids, the Admiral being naturally unwilling +to expose the boats of lighter draught as well as of lighter armament +to the risk of capture if sent up alone. The hospital steamer +_Woodford_, which was the first boat to follow the _Eastport_, was +wrecked in the attempt. The next five boats took three days to +pass, nor was it until the 3d of April that the last of the twelve +gunboats and thirty transports, selected to accompany the expedition +to Shreveport, floated in safety above the obstructions. Several +of the transports drew too much water to permit them to pass the +rapids; these, therefore, stayed below, and with them the remaining +seven gunboats. + +And now occurred the first important departure from the original +plan of operations. The season of high water had been looked +forward to as insuring constant communication along the whole length +of the Red River as far as the fleet should be able to ascend. +But the Red is a treacherous river at best, and this year it was +at its worst. There was to be no March rise worth speaking about. +Thus the rapids presented an obstacle, impassable, or only to be +passed with difficulty; the bare rocks divided the fleet in twain, +the only communication was overland by the road around the falls. +The supplies had to be landed at Alexandria, loaded into wagons, +hauled around, and re-shipped, and this made it necessary to +establish depots in the town as well as above the falls, and to +leave behind Grover's division, 4,000 strong, to protect the stores +and the carry. At the same time McPherson recalled Ellet's marine +brigade to Vicksburg, and thus the expedition lost a second detachment +of 3,000 men; but this loss was partly made up by Dickey's brigade +of colored troops, 1,500 strong, which joined the column from the +garrison of Port Hudson. Withal the force was ample, for at the +end of March there were 31,000 officers and men for duty, including +about 4,800 under Ransom, 6,600 under Emory, 9,000 under A. J. +Smith, and Lee's cavalry, 4,600. Here was a superb fighting column +of 25,000 officers and men of all arms, with ninety guns. This +more than met the calculations of Banks and Sherman on which the +campaign was undertaken. In the three columns there were to be +40,000 men; of these, Sherman was to furnish 10,000, Banks 15,000, +and Steele 15,000. + +Steele had already sent word that he could not be counted upon for +more than 7,000, all told. He had expected to march from Little +Rock by the 14th of March on Arkadelphia, there to be joined by +Thayer moving at the same time from Fort Smith. Thayer marched on +the 21st with 4,000 effectives and 14 guns, Steele on the 23d with +7,500 effectives and 16 guns; besides these, he left Clayton with +1,600 men and 11 guns to hold Pine Bluff. + +We have seen how, in one movement, three divergent ideas were being +carried out without either having been distinctly decided on: a +foothold in Texas, an overland occupation in force, and a swift +raid by the river. To these there was now to be added a fourth +idea, in itself sound, yet fatally inconsistent with the others. + +On the 27th of March, before setting out from Alexandria, Banks +received, by special messenger, the orders of Lieutenant-General +Grant, dated the 15th of March, on taking command of the armies of +the United States. For the first time during the war, all the +armies were to move as one, with a single purpose, ruled by a single +will; along the whole line, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, +a combined movement was to take place early in May, and in this +the entire effective force of the Department of the Gulf was to +take part. A. J. Smith was to join the Army of the Tennessee for +the Atlanta campaign, and Banks was to go against Mobile. Sherman +had lent A. J. Smith to Banks for thirty days. This limit Grant +was willing to extend by ten or fifteen days, but if Shreveport +were not to be taken by that time--that is, by the 25th of April +at the very latest,--then Banks was to send A. J. Smith's detachment +back to Vicksburg in season to arrive there at the date originally +named--that is, by the 10th of April,--even if this should lead to +the abandonment of the expedition. The orders for the expedition +given by Halleck, while occupying nominally the supreme command +that had now in truth fallen into the strong hand of Grant, were +not revoked; the expedition was to go on; only, to make sure that +it should not be gone too long, it was to be put in irons. + +Grant may easily be excused if, while as yet hardly warm in the +saddle, he hesitated to revoke orders that he must have known to +be those of the President himself; yet, since a door must be either +open or shut it would have been far better to revoke the orders +than to trammel their execution with conditions so hard that Banks +might well have thrown up the campaign then and there. However, +Banks on his part had good reason to know the wishes of the government +and not less the consequences of disregarding them; moreover, as +the case must have presented itself to him, there was an off chance +that Kirby Smith might not be able to concentrate in time to save +Shreveport; another, still more remote, that he might give up the +place without a fight; and a third, more unlikely than either, that +Steele might join Banks in time to make short work of it, or at +all events to make Banks strong enough to spare A. J. Smith by the +appointed time. Two weeks remained until the earliest date set +for A. J. Smith to be at Vicksburg; twenty-nine days to the latest +day allowed for the taking of Shreveport. In his dilemma Banks +decided to run these chances. + +After seeing the first of the gunboats safely over the falls, on +the 26th of March Banks set his column in motion. A. J. Smith +marched on Cotile Landing to wait for his boats. On the 28th Lee, +with the main body of the cavalry, preceded Smith to Henderson's +Hill, in order to hold the road and the crossing of Bayou Jean de +Jean. Franklin with Emory and Ransom and the main supply trains +followed on the same day. + +Twenty miles above Cotile Landing the Red River divides, and, for +sixty miles, until Grand Ecore is reached, the waters flow in two +unequal channels; the most southerly of these, along which the road +runs, is known as Cane River, or Old Red River. This was formerly +the main stream, but the more northerly branch, at once deeper and +less tortuous, now forms the only navigable channel, and is called +the Rigolets du Bon Dieu, or more familiarly the Bon Dieu. + +Lee crossed Cane River at Monett's Ferry, and, recrossing above +Cloutierville, entered Natchitoches on the 31st of March. At +Monett's Ferry on the 29th, Cloutierville on the 30th, and again +at Natchitoches he encountered slight opposition from the enemy's +skirmishers. + +Franklin, marching by the same road, encamped at Natchitoches on +the 2d of April. + +Embarking on his transports as they came, A. J. Smith set out from +Cotile Landing on the 2d of April in company with Porter's fleet, +and landed at Grand Ecore on the 3d. + +The river was still rising slowly, and it was not until the 7th of +April that Porter considered the draught of water sufficient to +justify him in going farther. Then, leaving at Grand Ecore the +six heavy boats that had come with him thus far, he began the ascent +of the upper reach of the river with the _Carondelet, Fort Hindman, +Lexington, Osage, Neosho_, and _Chillicothe_, convoying and closely +followed by a fleet of twenty transports, bearing Kilby Smith's +division and a large quantity of military stores of all kinds. +Porter expected to be at Springfield Landing, 110 miles above Grand +Ecore, on the 9th. On arriving there, Kilby Smith was to reconnoitre +towards Springfield, and if practicable, to send a regiment to +seize the bridge across the Bayou Pierre in the direction of +Mansfield. + +On the 6th of April, as soon as the movement of the fleet was +decided on, Banks resumed the march on Shreveport. Shortly after +leaving Natchitoches the main road, with which the road from Grand +Ecore unites, strikes off from the river toward the west to avoid +Spanish Lake, and, traversing a barren wilderness, affords neither +position nor resting-place until Shreveport is reached. Banks +meant to be at Mansfield, holding the roads that there converge, +simultaneously with the arrival at the fleet at Springfield Landing. +Lee, who was encamped at Natchitoches with the brigades of Lucas, +Robinson, and Dudley, led the advance, and marching twenty-three +miles encamped that night at Crump's Corner. Ransom broke camp at +Natchitoches at six o'clock in the morning, and marched sixteen +miles. Emory followed closely upon Ransom. A. J. Smith remained +at Grand Ecore till the next day, to await the departure of the +fleet, and then marching eight miles on the Shreveport road fell +into the rear of the column. Dickey's colored brigade formed the +guard of the main wagon train, and Gooding's brigade of cavalry +covered the rear and left flank. From this time Lee's movements +were to be directed by Franklin. + +Meanwhile, between the 3d and 5th of April, Taylor, after consuming +the forage for twenty miles around Pleasant Hill, had withdrawn +his infantry to Mansfield. Green's cavalry, long expected, was +now beginning to come in, largely augmented, from Texas, whither +it had been hastily sent, early in the winter, to meet the threatened +invasion from the coast. + +On the morning of the 7th of April, Lee advanced on Pleasant Hill, +Robinson leading, supported by Lucas. Robinson easily drove before +him the advance guard of the Confederate cavalry until about two +o'clock in the afternoon, at Wilson's farm, three miles beyond +Pleasant Hill, he came upon the main body of Green's force, comprising +Major's brigade, under Lane, posted in the skirt of the wood, on +rising ground, behind a clearing. Robinson dismounted his men and +engaged the enemy, who resisted so firmly that Lucas was sent to +Robinson's support just in time to save him from being driven off +the field by a determined charge. Lucas likewise dismounted his +men, and the two brigades, charging together afoot, drove the +Confederates from their position, and pursued them to Carroll's +saw-mill, on the southerly branch of Bayou St. Patrice, about seven +miles beyond Pleasant Hill, where, toward nightfall, they made a +strong stand. In this action, Lee took 23 prisoners, and suffered +a loss of 11 killed, 42 wounded, and 9 missing. + +Ransom marched at half-past five in the morning, and at two o'clock +in the afternoon the head of his column was at Pleasant Hill, +nineteen miles distant, where he went into camp, having overtaken +the cavalry train during the march, and Dudley's brigade at the +close. Emory, closely following Ransom, arrived at Pleasant Hill +about five o'clock in the afternoon, and went into camp. The last +of the infantry and all the wagons were much retarded by a heavy +storm that broke over the rear of the column and cut up the road +badly. The night was far spent when Ransom's train joined him, +and Emory's, in spite of every exertion, could not be brought up +until late on the following morning. A. J. Smith was now a good +day's march behind Ransom and Emory. + +When Lee found himself so obstinately opposed, and so hindered by +these dilatory tactics, he sent a message to Franklin, through +Banks's senior aide-de-camp, who had been riding with the advance, +asking that a brigade of infantry might be sent forward to his +assistance. Lee's view was that the infantry, advancing in skirmish +order, could make better progress than the cavalry, which, in a +country so thickly wooded, found itself reduced to the same tactics, +with the added drawback that as often as they dislodged the enemy +they had to run back after their horses before they could follow. +Franklin declined to accede to this request without orders, justly +reflecting that infantry thus advanced at night, after a hard day's +march, must be worn out in the attempt to keep touch with the +cavalry, while, in the history of these mixed forces, the instances +are rare indeed in which the mounted men have not, after bringing +on the action, left it, as the proper thing, for the infantry to +finish. However, late in the evening Banks joined Franklin, and +an hour or two before midnight ordered him to send a brigade to +Lee, to report to him at dawn. Upon this Franklin directed Ransom +to send either a brigade or a division, at his discretion, and +Ransom, in his turn, ordered Landram to take Emerson's brigade of +his division and join the cavalry for the service indicated. + +(1) January 4, 1864--Official Records, vol. xxxiv, part ii., p. 15. + + +CHAPTER XXIV. +SABINE CROSS-ROADS. + +Landram accordingly marched at three o'clock on the morning of the +8th of April, and reported to Lee about five. + +Soon after sunrise Lee moved forward against the enemy, Lucas +leading, with one regiment of his brigade dismounted and deployed +as skirmishers, supported by two regiments of Landram's infantry, +in line of battle. Green's men still adhering to the obstructive +policy of the day before, after a time the two remaining regiments +of Emerson's brigade were deployed and required to drive the enemy +more rapidly, while the cavalry covered the flanks. About one +o'clock in the afternoon, when half the distance that separated +Mansfield from his camp of the night before had been accomplished, +Lee found himself at the edge of a large clearing on the slope of +a hill, with the Confederates in force in his front and on his +right flank. + +Ransom marched from Pleasant Hill at half-past five, and at half-past +ten was ten miles distant on the northerly branch of the Bayou +St. Patrice, designated as his camp for the day. He was just going +into bivouac when, on a request from Lee for a fresh force of +infantry to relieve the exhausted men of Emerson's brigade, Franklin +directed Ransom to go forward himself with Vance's brigade, and +thus to make sure of Emerson's return. + +Franklin's arrangements for the day's march of his command, as well +as Banks's for the whole force, contemplated a short march for the +head of the column and a longer one for the rear, so that a +comparatively early hour in the day the army would be closed up, +ready to encounter the enemy in good order. Accordingly, shortly +before three o'clock in the afternoon, Emory went into camp on the +banks of the south branch of the St. Patrice, within easy supporting +distance of Ransom, while A. J. Smith continued his march, until +at night, having accomplished twenty-one miles, he went into bivouac +about two miles before reaching Pleasant Hill. + +At last nearly the whole of Green's cavalry corps had joined Taylor, +and at the same time two divisions of Price's army had come in from +Arkansas and taken post in supporting distance of Taylor at Keachie, +which is about half-way between Mansfield and Shreveport, or about +twenty miles from either. With his own force, under Walker and +Mouton, Green's Texans, Churchill's Arkansas division, and Parsons's +Missouri division, Taylor now had at least sixteen thousand good +men, with whom, if permitted, he might give battle in a chosen +position, while Banks's force was stretched out the length of a +long day's march on a single narrow road in a dense pine forest, +with no elbow-room save such as was to be found in the narrow and +infrequent clearings. In such a region excess of numbers was a +hindrance rather than a help, and cavalry was worse then useless +for offence. Banks was, moreover, encumbered by twelve miles of +wagons bearing all his ammunition and stores, and was weakened by +the necessity of guarding this long train through the barren +wilderness deep in the heart of the enemy's country. Of these +conditions Kirby Smith was planning to take advantage, and it was +to guard against such an enterprise that Banks's column was closing +up in readiness to meet the enemy with its full strength, when +suddenly on both sides events took the bit in their teeth and +precipitated a battle that was in the plans of neither. + +It was about eleven o'clock when Ransom set out to go to the front +with Vance's brigade. The distance to be passed over was about +five and a half miles. Riding ahead, Ransom himself arrived on +the field about half-past one in the afternoon. At this time, by +Lee's orders, Landram had pushed forward the 19th Kentucky, deployed +as skirmishers, and supporting it strongly with the rest of Emerson's +brigade, had driven Green's troopers across the open ground, over +the hill, and well into the woods beyond, and had taken position +on the crest. Here he was joined by Nims, who brought his guns +into battery across the road. On the left of Nims were placed two +of Rottaken's howitzers, detached from the 6th Missouri cavalry. +On the right and left of the horse artillery Emerson formed, and +Vance, as soon as he came up, took position on Emerson's right, +but as Banks undertook to hasten the movement through the direct +action of his own staff-officers, it resulted that the regiments +of the two brigades were sandwiched. Lucas, dismounted, extended +the line of battle to the right. With him were a section of Rawles's +battery and another of Rottaken's. + +To cover the flanks in the forest Dudley deployed as skirmishers +the 8th New Hampshire on the right, and on the left the 3d and the +31st Massachusetts, supported by the 2d Illinois. Robinson was +with the cavalry train, which was rather closely following the +march of its division, in order to clear the head of the infantry +without starving the cavalry. + +Neither side could move forward without bringing on a battle. But +Lee, instead of being able and ready to disengage his cavalry +advance-guard and to fall back to a chosen field, was now anchored +to the ground where he found himself, not alone by the concentration +of the main body of the cavalry at the very front, but also and +even more firmly by the presence of the infantry with its artillery +and their employment, naturally enough, to form the centre of his +main line. + +The clearing, the largest yet seen by the Union Army since entering +the interminable wilderness of pines, was barely half a mile in +width; across the road it stretched for about three quarters of a +mile, and down the middle it was divided by a ravine. + +Directly in front of Banks stood Taylor in order of battle, covering +the crossing of the ways that lead to Pleasant Hill, to Shreveport, +to Bayou Pierre, and to the Sabine. On his right was the cavalry +of Bee, then Walker's infantry astride of the main road, and on +Walker's left Mouton, supported on his left by the cavalry brigades +of Major and Bagby, dismounted. To this position, well selected, +Taylor had advanced from Mansfield early in the morning, with the +clear intention of offering battle, and, regardless of Kirby Smith's +purpose of concentrating nearer Shreveport, had sent back orders +for Churchill and Parsons to come forward. They marched early, +and were by this time well on the way, but a distance of twenty-five +miles separated their camp of the night before from the field of +the approaching combat. + +As on the previous day's march, Stone had been with Lee's advance +since the early morning, without, however, being charged with the +views of his chief and without attempting to issue orders in his +name; but now Banks himself rode to the extreme front, as his habit +was. Arriving on the ground not long after Ransom, and seeing the +enemy before him in force, Banks at once ordered Lee to hold his +ground and sent back orders to Franklin to bring forward the column. +The skirmishing that had been going on all the morning, as an +incident of the advance and retreat of the opposing forces, had +become the sharp prelude of battle, and through the openings of +the forest the enemy could be seen in continuous movement toward +his left. This was Major and Mouton feeling their way to the Union +right, beyond which and diagonally across the front ran the road +that leads from Mansfield to Bayou Pierre. + +Whether Taylor, as he says, now became impatient at the delay and +ordered Mouton to open the attack, or whether, as others have +asserted, Mouton attacked without the knowledge or orders of Taylor, +is not quite clear, nor is it here material. About four o'clock, +when the two lines had looked at each other for two hours or more, +Taylor suddenly delivered his attack by a vigorous charge of Mouton's +division on the east of the road. Ransom's infantry on the field +numbered about 2,400 officers and men; including Lucas, Banks's +fighting line fell below 3,500, and the whole force he had at hand +was not above 5,000 strong. Against this, Taylor was now advancing +with nearly 10,000. It was therefore inevitable that on both flanks +his line must widely overlap that of Banks as soon as the two should +meet. + +When Ransom perceived Mouton's movement, he threw forward his right +to meet it with such spirit that Mouton's first line was driven +back in confusion on his second; then rallying and returning to +the charge, Mouton's men halted, lay down, and began firing at +about two hundred yards' range. The two batteries of Landram's +division, Cone's Chicago Mercantile, and Klauss's 1st Indiana, now +came on the field, and were posted by Ransom on the ridge near the +centre, to oppose the enemy's advance on the left, before which +Dudley's men were already falling back. Bee and Walker had in fact +turned the whole left flank, and were rapidly moving on, breaking +in the line as they advanced. This soon left Nims's guns without +support, and at the same time Klauss and Cone came under a fire so +severe from Walker's men, that Ransom determined to withdraw to +the cover of the wood in his rear at the edge of the clearing. +Unfortunately, Captain Dickey, his assistant adjutant-general, fell +mortally wounded in the act of communicating these orders, and thus +some of the regiments farther toward the right, being without +orders, and fighting stubbornly against great odds, stood their +ground until they were completely surrounded and taken prisoners. +While aiding Landram to rally and reform the remnants of his division +in the skirt of timber, Ransom was severely wounded in the knee, +and had to be carried off the field. Vance and Emerson were wounded +and taken prisoners, each at the head of his brigade. + +Meanwhile, shortly after three o'clock, at his quarters, near +Ransom's camp of the forenoon, Franklin received his first suggestion +of an impending battle, in Banks's order to bring all the infantry +to the front. First sending back word to Emory, Franklin set out +at once and rode forward rapidly, followed by Cameron's division. +When, some time after four o'clock, he entered the clearing and +galloped to the hill where the guns of Nims still stood grimly +defiant and Ransom's men were still desperately struggling to hold +their first ground, the situation was already hopeless. Hardly +had he arrived on the ground, than, by a single volley from Walker's +advancing lines, Franklin's horse was killed, and he himself and +Captains Chapman and Pigman of his staff were wounded. + +Cameron came up just as Landram was striving hard to rally his men +and to hold a second position in the lower skirt of the wood, to +prevent the enemy from coming on across the clearing; but for this, +time and numbers and elbow-room were alike wanting. Moreover, +every movement of the Confederate troopers must be gaining on the +flanks. Nor was Cameron's handful, barely 1,300, enough to enable +the remnant of the Thirteenth Corps to hold for many minutes so +weak a position against such odds. Cameron deployed his four +battalions and tried hard, but the whole line soon crumbled and +fell apart to the rear. + +Until this moment, Banks and Franklin, as well as every officer of +the staff of either, beginning with Stone, had exerted themselves +to the utmost to second the efforts of Ransom and of Landram to +save the day. The retreat once fairly began, all attempt to stay +its course was for a time given up as idle, for every man knew just +how far back he must go to find room to form a line of battle longer +than the road was narrow. Green's cavalry having been for the most +part dismounted and on the flanks, as well as in the forest, the +pursuit was not very vigorous and was now and then retarded by the +successive covering lines of Lucas and of Dudley, so that the +prospect seemed fair of bringing off the remnants of the fighting +force without much more loss, when about a mile behind the +battle-field, at the foot of a slight descent, the retreating column +came upon a knot of wagons inextricably tangled and stuck fast +in a slough. This was the great cavalry train trying to escape. +Instantly what had been a severe check became a serious disaster. +Already, by holding so stiffly to his first position, in the front +line, in the road, Nims had lost more than half his horses, and +thus in quitting the field he found himself compelled to abandon +three of his guns; yet not until he had inflicted vast injuries on +his enemy, and to the last furnished a noble example of coolness +in the performance of duty and the highest courage in the hour of +trial. Now the remnant of this fine battery was swallowed up in +the wreck of the wagons, and soon fourteen more guns went to swell +the ruin. Thus Rails and Rottaken lost each a section, Cone and +Klauss their whole batteries. In all twenty guns were lost; three +on the field and seventeen at the jam. With them went 175 wagons, +11 ambulances, and 1,001 draught animals. To pass the obstruction +the infantry had to turn widely out of the road and for a long +distance push their way through the woods. No semblance of order +survived. After this there was only one mass of men, wagons, and +horses crowding to the rear. + +How little expectation there had been of fighting a battle that +day, especially on the line where the extreme outposts chanced to +be, and how suddenly all was changed, is aptly shown by what was +happening in Emory's camp when, at a quarter before four o'clock, +he received Franklin's order to go to the front. The wagons of +the Thirteenth Corps were in the road in the act of passing the +lines of the Nineteenth Corps on the way to join their proper +command. Emory's wagons had been with him for some little time +and several of the quartermasters were even engaged in issuing +clothing when the summons came. There had been no heavy firing as +yet, such as indicates a battle, and the exact degree of urgency +may be best represented by saying that the marching orders were +delivered to Emory in writing by a mounted orderly and were in +these words: "Move your infantry immediately to the front, leaving +one regiment as guard to your batteries and train. If your train +has got up, you will take two days' rations and the cooking utensils." +The language of this order, which may fairly be taken as an authentic +reflection of the oral message from Banks, on which it was directly +based, would have justified Emory in taking an hour or more for +the issue of the rations; but Emory, whose nature it was to forecast +danger, had from the first hour of the campaign been apprehensive +of some sudden attack that should find the army unprepared; and +thus it was that, merely stopping to take a double ration of hard +bread, twelve minutes later the head of his column filed into the +road and marched to the front. At this hour the battle was just +beginning, and the first sounds, rolling to the rear, served to +quicken the march of Emory's men. About a quarter before five he +was met by an aide-de-camp with orders to hasten, coupled with the +first direct information that an engagement was in progress. A +mile farther on an ambulance was met bearing Ransom to the rear. +Emory exchanged a few words with the wounded officer, and then +ordered his division to take the double-quick. A mile beyond, the +usual rabble of camp followers and stragglers was encountered, and +soon the road was filled with the swollen stream of fugitives, +crying that the day was lost. + +And now from Emory down to the smallest drummer-boy every man saw +that the hour had come to show what the First division was made +of. The leading regiments and flankers instantly fixed bayonets; +the staff-officers drew their swords; hardly a man fell out, but +at a steady and even quickened pace, Emory's men forced their way +through the confused mass in the eager endeavor to reach a position +where the enemy might be held in check. This, in that country, +was not an easy task, and it was not until the last rush of the +flying crowd and the dropping of stray bullets here and there told +that the pursuing enemy was close at hand, that Emory found room +to deploy on ground affording the least advantage for the task +before him. He was now less than three miles from the field where +Lee had been beaten back and Ransom had been overwhelmed. The +scene was a small clearing with a fenced farm, traversed by a narrow +by-road and by a little creek flowing toward the St. Patrice. Here +the Confederates could be plainly seen coming on at such a pace +that for some moments it was even doubtful whether Emory might not +have delayed just too long the formation of his line of battle. +Such was his own though as in the dire need of the crisis he +determined to sacrifice his leading regiment in order to gain time +and room for the division to form. Happily the Confederates helped +him by stopping to loot the train and the rejoice loudly over each +discovery of some special luxury to them long unfamiliar. + +Then rapidly sending orders to Dwight to hold the road at any cost, +to McMillan to form on the right, to Benedict to deploy on Dwight's +left, Emory himself rode up to Kinsey, and together they led forward +the 161st New York and deployed the regiment widely as skirmishers +across the whole front of the division, in the very teeth of the +Confederate line of battle, rapidly advancing with wild yells and +firing heavily as they came. Not a man of the division, not one +of the 161st, but felt as well as Emory the imposing duty laid on +that splendid regiment and the hard sacrifice expected of it; yet +they stood their ground so well and so long that not only had the +whole division time to deploy, but, when at last the Confederate +line of battle refused any longer to be held back by a fringe of +skirmishers, it became a serious question whether friend and foe +might not enter the Union lines together. Then, when Emory saw +that his line was formed, he gave to word to Kinsey to retire. +For some seconds his skirmishers masked fire of their own lines, +but, as the Confederates followed with great impetuosity, Dwight's +whole line, kneeling, waiting, and ready, opened a fierce fire at +point-blank range and soon threw off the attack with heavy loss to +their assailants. The brunt of the attack was borne by the 28th +Maine, holding the centre and the road. An attempt followed to +turn Emory's right flank; in this Dwight's right was pressed so +heavily that Emory was obliged to deploy McMillan nearly at right +angles to the main front, and thus the onset was easily checked. +About the same time the Confederates, whose line was longer than +Emory's, made a like attempt to turn the left, but Benedict held +on firmly, and although his position was a bad one, soon drove off +his assailants. The whole fight was over in twenty minutes, but +while it lasted it was sharp. It rolled back the pursuit and +changed the fortunes of the evil day. + +In no other battle of the war was so little use made of artillery. +In Ransom's fight only a few guns could be brought into action on +either side, though these indeed were served with vigor. As for +Emory, he left his batteries and his baggage to the safekeeping of +the 153d New York and swept to the front with all the rest of his +infantry, while the same jam of wagons that entrapped the guns of +Lee and Ransom likewise held back the guns of Taylor. Thus Emory's +fight was fought by infantry alone against infantry and dismounted +cavalry, and no roar of cannon was heard to break the rattle and +the wail of the musketry. + +So great a change had these few hours wrought that the same sun +rose upon an army marching full of confidence that within two days +Shreveport would be in its grasp, and set up the same army defeated, +brought to bay, its campaign ruined, saved only by a triumph of +valor and discipline on the part of a single division and of skill +on the part of its intrepid commander from complete destruction at +the hands of an enemy inferior in everything and outnumbered almost +as two to one. The passage of a wood is the passage of a defile; +there, then, was a blind defile, where of six divisions four were +suffered to be taken in detail and attacked in fractions on ground +of the enemy's choosing. Hardly any tactical error was wanting to +complete the discomfiture. Ransom was overwhelmed and double +outflanked by two or three times his numbers; even Emory had but +five thousand against a force reduced by casualties and straggling, +yet still half as large again as his and flushed with victory; +moreover, his position was, whether for offence or defence, worthless +beyond the passing hour. + +Banks's losses in the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads were as follows: + + Killed. Wounded. Missing. Total. + Cavalry Division . . . . 39 250 144 433 + Cameron's " . . . . . 24 99 195 318 + Landram's " . . . . . 28 148 909 1,085 + Emory's " . . . . . 24 148 175 347 + Staff of Nineteenth Corps 0 3 0 3 + ____ ____ _____ ______ + In all . . . 115 648 1,423 2,186 + +By Taylor the action is called the battle of Mansfield. He puts +his losses at 1,000, all told. Foremost among the slain, while +leading the fierce onset against Ransom's right, Mouton fell, a +regimental color in his hand, and with him perished many of his +brave Louisianians. + +Clearly the next thing, whatever might be the next after, was to +concentrate and reform on the first fair ground in the rear. Such +were Banks's orders. Accordingly at midnight Emory marched in +orderly retreat, with all his material intact, and at eight o'clock +the next morning, the 9th of April, went into bivouac at Pleasant +Hill, where A. J. Smith was found near his resting-place of the +night before, and with him Gooding. Thither Lee and the shattered +remnants of Ransom's Corps, now under Cameron, had already retired, +and there they now reformed in comparative order. + + +CHAPTER XXV. +PLEASANT HILL. + +The scenes and events of the 8th produced a deep effect on Banks. +At first he was disposed to look on the campaign as lost. Whatever +hope he might have had that morning of taking or even reaching +Shreveport within the time fixed for the breaking up of the +expedition, was at an end before night fell. Not only must A. J. +Smith be sent back to Vicksburg within two days, but Banks himself +must be on the Mississippi with his whole force ready to move +against Mobile by the 1st of May. Such were his orders from Grant, +peremptory and repeated. Therefore Banks at once made up his mind +to retreat to Grand Ecore, and sent messenger after messenger across +the country to tell Kilby Smith and Porter what had happened and +what he was about to do. In thus deciding he chose the second best +course, and the one that Taylor wished for; it would have been far +better to cover Blair's Landing and thus make sure of the safety +as well as the support of the gunboats and Kilby Smith. + +Pleasant Hill was a village of a dozen houses dispersed about a +knoll in a clearing. Beside the main highway between Natchitoches +and Shreveport, by which Banks had come and was now going back, +fairly good roads radiate to Fort Jesup and Many on the south to +the crossings of the Sabine on the west, and on the north and east +towards the Red River. The nearest point on the river was Blair's +Landing, distant sixteen miles from Pleasant Hill by the road and +forty-five miles by water above Grand Ecore. + +Though a good place to fight a battle, Pleasant Hill was not a +position that could be held for any length of time, even if there +had been an object in holding it. It was too far even from the +immediate base of supplies, and there was no water to be had save +from the cisterns in the village. These were merely sufficient, +in ordinary times, for the storage of rain water for the daily use +of the inhabitants. Now two armies had been drawing from them, +and there was not enough left in them to supply the wants of Banks's +men, to say nothing of the animals, for a single day; and for this +reason, if for no other, it was impossible for the army to stay +there an hour longer than was really necessary to cover a safe and +orderly withdrawal of the train. + +Accordingly, early on the 9th of April, Banks gave orders for the +wagon train to be set in motion toward Grand Ecore, escorted by +Lee with the cavalry and Dickey's colored brigade, and put his army +into position at Pleasant Hill to cover the movement. + +Churchill with Tappan and Parsons had accomplished the march of +twenty miles from Keachie to Mansfield too late in the evening of +the 8th to take any part in the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads. At +two o'clock the next morning he marched toward the front in order +to arrive on the ground in time to renew the fight. By the earliest +light of morning Taylor saw that his adversary had already left +the field. Then he promptly advanced his whole force, feeling his +way as he went. Green led with the cavalry; next came Churchill +with his own division, under Tappan; then Parsons, Walker, and +Polignac. The morning was wellnigh spent, when Taylor with the +head of his column drew near Pleasant Hill and discovered his +adversary in position. The last of his infantry did not come up +until after noon. Churchill's men were so fagged by their early +start and their long march of forty-five miles since the morning +of the 8th that Taylor thought it best to give them two hours' rest +before attempting anything more. + +Two miles to the southward, across the main road, stood Emory, +firmly holding the right of the Union lines. Dwight's brigade +formed the extreme right flank, thrown back and resting on a wooded +ravine that runs almost parallel with the road. Squarely across +the road and somewhat more advanced, in the skirt of the wood before +the village, commanding an open approach, was posted Shaw's brigade, +detached from Mower's Third division, to strengthen the exposed +front of Emory. Benedict occupied a ditch traversing a slight +hollow, the course of which was nearly perpendicular to the Logansport +road, on which his right rested in echelon behind the left of Shaw. +Benedict's front was generally hidden by a light growth of reed +and willow, but his left was in the open and was completely exposed. +Grow's battery, under Southworth, held the hill between Dwight and +Shaw, and Closson's battery, under Franck Taylor, was planted so +as to fire over the heads of Benedict's men. McMillan's brigade +was in reserve behind Dwight and Shaw. The position thus occupied +by Emory was a short distance north of the village in front of the +fork of the roads that lead to Mansfield and to Logansport. + +About four hundred yards behind Benedict, and slightly overlapping +his left, the line was prolonged by A. J. Smith, with the two +divisions of Mower, strongly posted in the wood, to cover the +crossing of the roads to Fort Jesup, to Natchitoches, and to Blair's +Landing. Near Mower's right, Closson placed Hebard's battery. + +The extreme left flank on the Fort Jesup road was for a time held +by Cameron; but, through some uncertainly or misunderstanding of +orders, he appears to have considered himself charged with the duty +of protecting the right flank and rear of the retreating trains, +rather than the left flank of the army. Accordingly five o'clock +found him with the wagons, two hours' march from the field of +battle. + +Lucas, with about 500 picked men of his own brigade, taken from +the 16th Indiana, the 6th Missouri, and the 14th New York, and a +like number from Gooding's brigade, was detached from the cavalry +division for service under the immediate orders of Franklin. With +these detachments Lucas skilfully watched all the approaches. + +Thus matters rested until the afternoon was well advanced, the long +train steadily rolling on its way, and the prospects of being +molested seeming to grow by degrees fainter as hour after hour +passed and gave no sign of movement on the part of the Confederates. + +Taylor formed his line of battle and set his troops in motion +between three and four o'clock in the afternoon. Bee with two +brigades of cavalry was on the left or east of the Mansfield road, +supported by Polignac, on whose division had fallen the heaviest +losses of the day before. On the right or west of the road was +Walker, while Churchill, with three regiments of cavalry on his +right flank, moved under cover and out of sight on the right or +south of the upper road to the Sabine. + +As early as the previous evening Taylor had considered the chances +of Banks's retreat on Blair's Landing, and had sent a detachment +of cavalry to gather intelligence of such a movement and to seize +the crossing of Bayou Pierre. Now, hearing nothing from this +detachment, he sent Major, with his own brigade and Bagby's, to +the right of the Union army in time to seize and hold the road to +the landing. + +Taylor's intention was that Churchill should gain the Fort Jesup +road and fall upon the flank and rear of the Union army, while at +the same instant Walker was to deliver a direct attack in echelon +of brigades from the right. As soon as Churchill should have thrown +the Union left into disorder, Bee was to charge down the Mansfield +road, while Major and Bagby were to turn the flank of Emory. + +It was after three o'clock when Churchill took up his line of march +through the woods, Parsons leading. Whether for want of a good +map of the country or from whatever cause, it seems probable that, +when the head of Churchill's column had gained the lower Sabine +road, which enters Pleasant Hill from the southwest, he mistook it +for the Fort Jesup road, which approaches the village from the +south. Thus, changing front to the left, the double lines of +Parsons and Tappan charged swiftly down on the left flank and +diagonally upon the front of Benedict, instead of falling, as Taylor +meant, upon the flank and rear of Mower. Emory says the attack +began at a quarter after five; other reports name an earlier hour. +However that may be, night was approaching, and the Union army had +practically given up the idea of being attacked that day, when +suddenly the battle began. + +Benedict's position was, unavoidably, a bad one, and this oblique +order of attack was singularly adapted for searching out its +weakness. When once Benedict's skirmishers had been driven back +through the skirt of the woods that masked his right and centre, +Churchill's men had but to descend the slope, firing as they came +on, but without checking their pace, and it was a mere question of +minutes when the defenders of a line so exposed and overlapped must +be crushed by the weight of thrice their numbers. For one brief +moment, indeed, the fight was hand to hand; then Benedict's men +were driven out of the ditch, and forced in more or less disorder +up the reverse slope. So they drifted to the cover of the wood, +where Mower lay in wait, and there by regiments they re-formed and +sought fresh places in the front of battle; for Benedict had fallen, +and the night followed so quickly that darkness had closed in before +the discreet and zealous Fessenden had gathered the brigade and +held it well in hand. The whole brigade bore the searching test +like good soldiers, yet conspicuous in steadiness under the shock +and in prompt recovery were the 30th Maine and the 173d New York, +inspired by the example and the leadership of Fessenden and of +Conrady. + +When Green heard the sound of Churchill's musketry he launched Bee +with Debray's and Buchel's regiments in an impetuous charge against +the left of Shaw's line; but this wild swoop was quickly stopped +by the muskets of the 14th Iowa and the 24th Missouri at close +range. Many saddles were emptied; Bee, Buchel, and Debray were +among the victims, and in great disorder the beaten remnants fled. + +Eighteen guns, among them, sad to say, trophies of Sabine Cross-Roads, +concentrated their fire upon the six pieces of Southworth and +presently overcame him by sheer weight. The giving way of +Benedict had already exposed Shaw's left when Walker closed with +him. Vigorously attacked in front, and menaced in flank, Shaw made +a stout fight, but he was in great danger of being cut off. Not +a moment too soon A. J. Smith recalled him. + +When Shaw gave back, Dwight suddenly found himself attacked in +front by Walker and in flank and rear by Major. At this trying +moment the 114th New York and the 153d New York were covering the +fork of the roads to Mansfield and to Logansport, while beyond the +Mansfield road, on the right, stood the 116th New York. To protect +the left and right flanks of this little line, Dwight quickly moved +the 29th Maine and the 161st New York. Fortunately his men stood +firm under the trial of a fire that seemed to come from all quarters +at once. For a moment, indeed, the exultant and still advancing +Confederates seemed masters of the plain. Along the whole Union +front nothing was to be seen in place save Dwight's men far off on +the right, standing as it were on a rocky islet, with the gray +floods surging on every side. + +But far away, out of sight from the plain, an event had already +occurred that was to cost the Confederates the battle. Parsons, +following up the overthrow of Benedict, offered his own right flank +to Lynch, who stood alert and observant in the skirt of the woods, +beyond the left of Mower. Lynch struck hard and began doubling up +the Missourians. Seeing this, and noting the condition of affairs +on the other flank, A. J. Smith instantly ordered forward his whole +line. Shaw had already re-formed his brigade on the right of Mower. +Across Dwight's rear Emory was leading McMillan from his position +in reserve, to restore the line on Dwight's left. Then, just at +the instant when to one standing on the plain the day must have +seemed hopelessly lost, the long lines of A. J. Smith, with Mower +riding at the head, were seen coming out of the woods and sweeping, +with unbroken front and steady tread, down upon the front and flank +of the enemy. To the right of this splendid line McMillan joined +his brigade, and among its intervals here and there the rallied +fragments of Benedict's brigade found places. Under this impetuous +onset, Parsons and Tappan and Walker melted away, and before anything +could be done with Polignac, the whole Confederate army was in +hopeless confusion. Their disordered ranks were pushed back about +a mile, with a loss of five guns, and after nightfall Taylor's +infantry and part of his cavalry fell back six miles to the stream +on which Emory had encamped on the morning of the previous day, +while the cavalry retired to Mansfield, but Taylor himself slept +near the field of battle with the remnant of Debray's troopers. +In the superb right wheel, three of the guns lost at Sabine +Cross-Roads were retaken. + +As soon as the news of the battle of Sabine Cross-Roads reached +Kirby Smith at Shreveport, he rode to the front and joined Taylor +after nightfall on the 9th of April. The earliest Confederate +despatches and orders of Kirby Smith and Taylor claimed a signal +and glorious victory, and to this view Taylor seems to have adhered; +but in a report dated August 28, 1864, Smith says, in giving his +reasons for not adopting Taylor's ambitious plan of pursuing Banks +to New Orleans, that Taylor's troops + +"were finally repulsed and thrown into confusion . . . The Missouri +and Arkansas troops, with the brigade of Walker's division, were +broken and scattered. The enemy recovered cannon which we had +captured, and two of our pieces were left in his hands. To my +great relief I found in the morning that the enemy had fallen back +during the night. . . . Our troops were completely paralyzed by +the repulse at Pleasant Hill." + +In an article written in 1888 (1) he adds: + +"Our repulse at Pleasant Hill was so complete and our command was +so disorganized that had Banks followed up his success vigorously +he would have met with but feeble opposition to his advance on +Shreveport. . . . Polignac's (previously Mouton's) division of +Louisiana infantry was all that was intact of Taylor's force. . . . +Our troops were completely paralyzed and disorganized by the +repulse at Pleasant Hill." + +Again, in an intercepted letter, very clear and outspoken, Lieutenant +Edward Cunningham, one of Kirby Smith's aides-de-camp, is even more +emphatic: + +"That it was impossible for us to pursue Banks immediately--under +four or five days--cannot be gainsaid. It was impossible . . . +because we had been beaten, demoralized, paralyzed, in the fight +of the 9th." + +The losses of the Union army in the battle of Pleasant Hill were +152 killed, 859 wounded, 495 missing; in all, 1,506. Of these, +nearly one half fell upon Emory's division, which reported 8 officers +and 47 men killed, 19 officers and 275 men wounded, 4 officers and +374 men missing; in all, 725. The Confederate losses were estimated +by Taylor at 1,500. + +Each side claims to have fought a superior force, yet the numbers +engaged seem to have been nearly equal. Including the thousand +horsemen, who were not seriously engaged at any time during the +day, and in the battle not at all, the Union army can hardly have +numbered more than 13,000 nor less than 11,000. Taylor's force +must have been about the same, for, although Kirby Smith's figures +account for 16,000, on the one hand the attrition of battle and +march is to be reckoned, and on the other hand Taylor himself owns +to 12,000. + +(1) "Century War Book," vol. iv., p. 372. + + +CHAPTER XXVI. +GRAND ECORE. + +In the first moments of elation that succeeded the victory, Banks +was all for resuming the advance, but later in the evening, after +consulting his corps and division commanders, he determined to +continue the retreat to Grand Ecore. Unfortunately by some mistake +the ambulances had gone off with the wagon train, so that there +were no adequate means of relieving the wounded on the field. +Indeed, all the wounded had not been gathered, and most of the dead +lay still unburied, when, about midnight, Banks gave the orders to +march. Then from each corps a detail of surgeons was ordered to +stay behind, with such hospital stores as they had at hand, and +two hours later, in silence and in darkness, unobserved and +unmolested, the army marched to the rear, leaving the dead and +wounded of both sides on the ground. In the order of march Emory +had the head of the column, Mower the rear. Early in the afternoon +of the 10th, after a march of twenty miles, the column halted at +the Bayou Mayon. At sunrise on the 11th the march was resumed; +and the same afternoon found the whole army in camp at Grand Ecore. + +Great was the astonishment of Taylor when daylight revealed to him +the retreat of the victors of Pleasant Hill. He sent Bee with some +cavalry to follow, and this Bee did, yet not rashly, for in twenty +miles he came not once near enough to Mower's rear-guard to exchange +a shot. Green, with all the rest of the cavalry, was then brought +back to Pleasant Hill to carry on operations against the fleet in +the direction of Blair's Landing, while the main body of the infantry +was drawn in to Mansfield to reorganize. + +The fleet was now in great peril. Pushing slowly up the river, +constantly retarded by the low stage of water, the gunboats and +the transports arrived at Loggy or Boggy Bayou at two o'clock on +the afternoon of the 10th of April. Kilby Smith at once landed a +detachment of his men, and was proceeding to carry out his orders +with regard to opening communication with Banks by way of Springfield, +when about four o'clock, Captain Andrews, of the 14th New York +cavalry, rode in with his squadron, bringing word of the battles +of Sabine Cross-Roads and Pleasant Hill, and bearing a message from +Banks to Kilby Smith that directed his return to Grand Ecore. He +was at the moment consulting with Porter how best they might get +rid of the obstructions caused by the sinking by the Confederates +of a large steamboat, called the _New Falls City_, quite across +the channel from bank to bank, and they had just decided to set +fire to her and blow her up; the bad news made it clear that nothing +remained to be done but to go back down the river with all speed. + +The natural obstacle presented by the deep waters and by the steep +banks of the Bayou Pierre would have formed a complete defence +against any assault on the fleet from the west bank of the Red +River, had it not been for the fact that there are three good +ferries across the bayou, approached by good roads. The upper of +these ways led to the river a long distance above the point attained +by the fleet; the second struck the bank at Grand Bayou, fifteen +miles below where the fleet stopped; the third was the road from +Pleasant Hill to Blair's Landing, which is fifty miles below Grand +Bayou. Liddell was already watching the east bank of the river, +and Taylor now sent Bagby across from Mansfield to Grand Bayou with +his brigade and Barnes's battery, to cut off the fleet. However, +Bagby did not start from Mansfield until after daybreak on the +11th, so that his arrival at the mouth of Grand Bayou was many +hours too late to catch the fleet, which at eight that evening tied +up for the night at Coushatta Chute. Here Kilby Smith received a +second order of recall from Banks, this time in writing, and dated +"On the road, April 10th." + +By noon on the 12th, Bagby, riding fast and making use of the short +cuts, overtook the rear of the fleet; and somewhat later Green, +who had marched from Pleasant Hill early on the morning of the +11th, with Woods's and Gould's regiments and Parsons's brigade of +Texans, and the batteries of Nettles, West, McMahan, and Moseley, +struck the river at Blair's Landing almost simultaneously with the +arrival of the fleet. Here, about four o'clock in the afternoon, +in the bend between the high banks, Green caught the rear of the +transport fleet at a disadvantage. Making the most of his opportunity, +he attacked with vigor. Instantly Kilby Smith and Porter responded +and a sharp fight followed, but by sunset they succeeded, without +great loss, in driving off their assailants. Indeed the total +casualties in Kilby Smith's division above Grand Ecore were but +19, and Porter mentions only one. Chief among the Confederate +killed was the brave, impetuous, and indomitable Green. + +About noon on the 13th, several of the boats being aground in +mid-stream, they were attacked by Liddell, strongly posted on the +high bluff known as Bouledeau Point. However, all passed by without +loss or serious injury, and on the morning of the 14th, the fleet +reached the bar at Campti, where A. J. Smith was met marching up +the left bank of the river to its relief. But, although Campti is +barely twenty miles above, so crooked and shallow was the river +that it was midnight on the 15th before the last of the fleet lay +in safety at Grand Ecore. + +Below Grand Ecore there was a bad bar. As the river continued to +fall, the larger gunboats were sent down as fast as possible to +Alexandria, whither Porter followed them on the 16th, leaving the +_Osage_ and _Lexington_ at Grand Ecore, and the big _Eastport_ +eight miles below, where, on the 15th, she had been sunk to her +gun-deck either by a torpedo or by a snag. The admiral brought up +his pump boats and after removing the guns got the _Eastport_ afloat +on the 21st. + +As Banks realized that his campaign was ruined, he grew earnest in +trying to meet Grant's expectations and orders, requiring him to +be on the Mississippi by the first of May. For ten days he had +been waiting at Grand Ecore, only to see the last of the fleet pass +down in safety. Meanwhile he had entrenched his position, thrown +a pontoon bridge across the river, placed a strong detachment from +Smith's command on the north bank, and sent urgent orders to +Alexandria, to New Orleans, and to Texas for reinforcements. Birge, +with his own brigade and the 38th Massachusetts and 128th New York +of Sharpe's brigade, embarked at Alexandria on the 12th of April, +and joined Emory on the 13th. Nickerson's brigade came from New +Orleans to join Grover at Alexandria. On the 20th of April, learning +that the _Eastport_ was expected to float within a few hours, Banks +sent A. J. Smith to take position covering Natchitoches, and when +the next day he heard from the admiral that the _Eastport_ was +actually afloat, he lost not a moment in beginning the march on +Alexandria. + +An hour later the _Eastport_ again struck the bottom; eight times +more she ran hard aground; at last on the 25th she lay immovable +on a raft of logs, and the next day her crew gave her to the flames. + +For some time the relations between the commanding general and his +chief-of-staff had been strained, and in spite of Stone's zeal and +gallantry in the late battles, Banks had determined on a change, +indeed had already announced it in orders, when on the 16th of +April he received an order of the War Office bearing date the 28th +of March, whereby Stone was relieved from duty in the Department +of the Gulf, deprived of his rank of brigadier-general, and ordered +to go to Cairo, Illinois, and thence to report by letter to the +adjutant-general of the army. For this action neither cause nor +occasion has ever been made known. Then Banks recalled his own +order and published this instead, and on the following day he made +Dwight his chief-of-staff, the command of Dwight's brigade falling +to Beal. + + +CHAPTER XXVII. +THE CROSSING OF CANE RIVER. + +Banks broke camp at Grand Ecore at five o'clock in the afternoon +of the 21st of April and turned over the direction and control of +the march to Franklin. + +The cavalry corps, now commanded by Arnold, was separated by +brigades. Gooding took the advance; Crebs, who had succeeded to +Robinson's command, rode with Birge; E. J. Davis, with Dudley's +brigade, covered the right flank; and Lucas, reporting to A. J. +Smith, formed the rear-guard. + +Birge led the main column with a temporary division formed of the +13th Connecticut and the 1st Louisiana of his own brigade under +Fiske, the 38th Massachusetts and the 128th New York of Sharpe's +brigade under James Smith, and Fessenden's brigade of Emory's +division. Next were the trains, in the same order as the troops. +Emory followed with the brigades of Beal and McMillan and the +artillery reserve under Closson. Then came Cameron, and last A. +J. Smith, in the order of Kilby Smith and Mower. + +Crossing Cane River about two miles below Grand Ecore, the line of +march traversed the length of the long island formed by the two +branches of the Red River, and recrossed the right arm at Monett's +Ferry. For the whole distance the army was once more separated +from the fleet. + +It was half-past one on the morning of the 22d before the last of +the wagons had effected the first crossing of Cane River. By three +o'clock Emory was on the south bank, and A. J. Smith at five. + +As early as the 14th of April, at Mansfield, Kirby Smith had +withdrawn Churchill and Walker from Taylor and sent them to aid in +driving Steele back into Arkansas. This left Taylor only the +infantry of Polignac, reduced to 2,000 muskets, and the reorganized +cavalry corps under Wharton, comprising the divisions of Bee, Major, +and William Steele. With this handful, Taylor undertook to hurry +Banks by blocking his communications and beating up his out-posts; +but just at that moment Banks moved and thus, by the merest chance, +brought Bee and Major, with four brigades and four batteries, +directly across his path, on the high ground at Monett's bluff, +commanding the ford and the ferry. At three o'clock in the afternoon +of the 22d, Wharton with Steele's division, supported by Polignac, +engaged Lucas sharply, compelling A. J. Smith to deploy and the +rest of the column to halt for an hour; and thus began a series of +almost continuous skirmishes that lasted nearly to Alexandria, yet +without material result. + +At seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d of April, Birge halted +for the night two miles beyond Cloutierville. Under orders inspired +by the urgency, he had been pushing on at all speed to seize the +crossing; in spite of the heat and the dust, he had led the column +at the furious pace of thirty-eight miles, perhaps forty, in +twenty-six hours; but Gooding had already found the Confederates in +strong possession, and now it seemed clear that the passage must be +forced. At nine o'clock Emory and Cameron closed on Birge and halted, +and at three in the morning A. J. Smith came up. + +At daylight on the 23d of April, Franklin moved down to the ferry +and began to reconnoitre. His wound had now become so painful as +to disable him; accordingly, after maturing his plans, he turned +over his command to Emory, with orders to dislodge the enemy and +to open the way. With equal skill, care, and vigor, Emory instantly +set about this critical task, upon which the fate of the army may +almost to have said depended, and with this the safety of the fleet. + +The grounds on which the Union army found itself was, like the +whole island, low and flat and largely covered with a thick growth +of cane and willow. Near the river the soil was moreover swampy +and the brakes were for the most part impenetrable. On the high +bluff opposite, masked by the trees, stood Bee with the brigades +of Debray and Terrell, Major with his two brigades under Baylor +and Bagby, and the twenty-four guns of McMahon, Moseley, West, and +Nettles. The position was too strong and too difficult of approach +to be taken by a direct attack save at a great cost. Through the +labyrinthine morass that lay between the ferry and the river's +mouth Bailey and E. J. Davis searched in vain for a practicable +ford. Nothing remained but to try the other flank. + +Birge with his temporary division augmented by Cameron's, without +artillery and with no horsemen save a few mounted men of the 13th +Connecticut, was to march back, to ford Cane River two miles above +the bluff, and by a wide detour to sweep down upon the Confederate +left. + +To amuse the enemy and to draw his attention away from Birge, Emory, +who had yielded his division to McMillan, caused him to deploy the +First and Second brigades under Beal and Rust, and to threaten the +crossing directly in front, while Closson advanced his guns and +kept up a steady and well judged fire against the Confederate +position on the hill. + +Birge took up the line of march at nine o'clock. His progress was +greatly delayed not only by the passage of Cane River, where the +water was waist-deep, but also by the swampy and broken ground, +and by the dense undergrowth through which he had to force his way. +Thus the afternoon was well advanced before he found the position +of the Confederates on a hill, with their right flank resting on +a deep ravine, and their left upon a marsh and a small lake, drained +by a muddy bayou that wound about the foot of the hill. Up to this +point Fiske had led the advance. Now, in deploying, after emerging +from the thicket, he found himself before the enemy's centre, while +Fessenden confronted their left. Fiske formed his men in two lines, +the 13th Connecticut and the 1st Louisiana in front, supported by +James Smith with the 38th Massachusetts and the 128th New York. +To Fessenden Birge gave the duty of carrying the hill. + +Behind a hedge and a high fence Fessenden deployed his brigade from +right to left in the order of the 165th New York, the 173d New +York, the 30th Maine, and the 162d New York. Directly before them, +on the other side of the fence, was an open field inclining toward +the front in a gentle slope, and traversed at the foot by a second +and stouter fence, beyond which a sandy knoll arose, covered with +trees, bushes, and fallen timber. On the crest the enemy stood, +Bee having changed front to the left and rear as soon as he made +out the movement of Birge. + +Stopping but to throw down the fence, at the word Fessenden's whole +line ran across the field to the foot of the hill. There the +brigade quickly re-formed for the ascent, and then, with Fessenden +at the head, charged stiffly up the difficult slope straight in +the teeth of the hot fire of Bee's dismounted troopers. Many fell, +among them Fessenden with a bad hurt, the 165th New York found +itself hindered by the marsh, but gallantly led on by Hubbard, by +Conrady, and by Blanchard the 30th Maine, the 173d New York, and +the 162d New York won the crest and opened fire on the retreating +foe. Once more halting to re-form his lines, Birge swept on, gained +the farther hill without much trouble, and moving to the left +uncovered the crossing. Birge's loss in this engagement was about +200, of whom 153 were in Fessenden's brigade, and of these 86 in +the 30th Maine. In leading the charge across the open ground +Fessenden was severely wounded in the leg, and the command of his +brigade fell to Lieutenant-Colonel Blanchard. + +As soon as Emory, on the north bank of Cane River, heard the noise +of the battle on the opposite heights, he posted five guns under +Closson (two of Hinkle's twenty-pounder Parrotts, one gun of Nields' +1st Delaware, one of Hebard's 1st Vermont, and one of the 25th New +York battery), to silence the Confederate artillery on their right, +in front of the crossing, well supported by the 116th New York, +and deployed his skirmishers as if for an assault. Tempted by the +exposed position of these guns, Bee sent a detachment across the +river to capture them, but Love easily threw off the attack; and, +seeing this, Chrysler, whose regiment, the 2d New York Veteran +Cavalry, was dismounted in skirmishing order on the left, at once +led his men in pursuit and seized the crossing. + +Bee retreated rapidly to Beasley's, thirty miles away to the +southward on the Fort Jesup road, without making any further effort +to stay or trouble the retreat of Banks. + +Word coming from Davis that he had been unable to find a crossing +below, Emory, when he saw the enemy in retreat, sent Chrysler and +Crebs in pursuit, supported by Cameron. However, this came to +nothing, for Chrysler naturally enough followed the small Confederate +rear-guard that held to the main road toward Alexandria. + +The pontoon bridge was at once laid, and being completed soon after +dark, the march was continued by night, McMillan, with Beal and +Rust, moving six miles to the reversed front to cover the trains. + +About ten o'clock on the same morning Wharton charged down on Kilby +Smith, who was moving up to the rear of A. J. Smith's command and +of the army, but was driven off after a fight lasting an hour. + +By two o'clock on the afternoon of April 24th, Beal's men being on +the south bank of Cane River, the bridge was taken up and the march +continued without further molestation by Cotile and Henderson's +Hill, the head of the column resting at night near the Bayou +Rapides. + +Marching thence at six o'clock on the morning of the 25th of April, +the head of the column arrived at Alexandria at two o'clock that +afternoon, and on the following day A. J. Smith brought up the +rear. Here the fleet, with the exception of the ill-fated _Eastport_, +was found lying in safety, yet unfortunately above the falls. + +Here, too, early on the 27th came Hunter, with fresh and very +positive orders from Grant to Banks, bearing date the 17th, requiring +him to bring the expedition to an immediate end, to turn over his +command at once to the next in rank, and to go himself to New +Orleans. In truth, this was but the culmination of an earnest and +persistent wish on Grant's part, shown even as far back as the +beginning of the campaign, to replace Banks in command by Hunter +or another. When, afterward, Grant came to learn of the perilous +situation of the fleet, and moreover perceived that none of the +troops engaged in the expedition could be in time to take part in +the spring campaigns east of the Mississippi, he suspended these +orders, and, without recalling that portion of them that required +Banks to go to New Orleans, directed the operations for the rescue +of the navy to go on under the senior commander present. In any +case, however, it was now clearly impossible to abandon the fleet +in its dangerous and helpless position above the rapids, with the +river falling, and an active enemy on both banks. + +And Steele,--where was Steele all this time? Having rejected +Banks's advice to join him near Alexandria, marching by way of +Monroe and so down the Ouachita, Steele set out from Little Rock +on the 24th of March, moved by his right on Arkadelphia, and arrived +there on the 28th. His object in preferring this direction was, +not only to avoid the heavy roads in the low lands of the Ouachita, +but to take up Thayer, who was already on the march from Fort Smith, +thus making a fourth concentration in the enemy's country. The +exigencies of the wretched farce called a State election in Arkansas +had reduced Steele's effective force by fully 3,000, so that he +now moved with barely 7,000 of all arms, and six batteries. Opposed +to Steele was Price, with the cavalry divisions of Fagan and +Marmaduke, the former at Spring Hill to meet the advance from +Arkadelphia, and the latter at Camden, to guard the line of the +Ouachita. To strengthen himself, Price drew in Cabell and Maxey, +who with three brigades were at first engaged in watching Thayer. + +On the 1st of April, hearing nothing from Thayer, Steele advanced +from Arkadelphia, crossed the Little Missouri at Elkin's Ferry on +the 3d, was joined by Thayer on the 6th, and on the 10th had a +sharp engagement with an outlying brigade, under Shelby, of Price's +army. Price was then at Prairie d'Ane, covering the crossing of +the roads that led to Camden and to Shreveport, but on the evening +of the 11th he drew back beyond the prairie to a strong position +eight miles north of Washington. To have followed Price would have +been to put Steele's long and lengthening line of communication at +the mercy of Marmaduke. This was what Price wanted; but when, on +the 12th, Steele saw the road to Camden left open, he promptly took +it, and, harried by Price in his rear, and not seriously impeded +by Marmaduke in his front, he marched into Camden on the 15th, and +occupied the strong line of the Confederate defences. This was +four days after the return of Banks to Grand Ecore, which of course +put an end to any farther advance of Steele in the direction of +Shreveport, and while he was waiting for authentic news, Price was +busy on his line of communication with Pine Bluff, and Kirby Smith, +with Churchill and Walker, was moving rapidly to join Price. On +the 20th of April Kirby Smith appeared before the lines of Camden; +but Steele had already begun his inevitable retreat a few hours +earlier, and having destroyed the bridge across the Ouachita, gained +so long a start that he was enabled make good the difficult crossing +of the Saline at Jenkins's Ferry, but only after a hard fight on +the 30th of April with the combined forces of Smith and Price. +Finally, the 2d of May saw Steele back at Little Rock with his army +half starved, greatly reduced in men and material in these six +ineffectual weeks, thinking no longer of Halleck's wide schemes of +conquest, or even of Grant's wish to hold the line of the Red River, +but rather hoping for some stroke of good fortune to enable him to +defend the line of the Arkansas and to keep Price out of Missouri. + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +THE DAM. + +Directly after the capture of Port Hudson, Bailey offered to float +the two Confederate transport steamers, _Starlight_ and _Red Chief_, +that were found lying on their sides high and almost dry in the +middle of Thompson's Creek. With smiles and a shrug or two permission +was given him to try; he tried; he succeeded; and this experience +it undoubtedly was that caused his words to be listened to so +readily when he now proposed to rescue the fleet in the same way. +But to build at leisure and unmolested a pair of little wing-dams +in the ooze of Thompson's creek and to close the opening by a +central boom against that sluggish current was one thing; it was +quite another to repeat the same operation against time, while +surrounded and even cut off by a strong and active enemy, this too +on the scale required to hold back the rushing waters of the Red +River, at a depth sufficient for the passage of the heaviest of +the gunboats and for a time long enough to let the whole fleet go +by. Yet, bold as the bare conception seems, and stupendous as the +work looks when regarded in detail, no sooner had it been suggested +by Bailey then every engineer in the army at once entered heartily +into the scheme. Palfrey, who had previously made a complete survey +of the rapids, examined the plan carefully, and approved it. +Franklin, to whose staff Bailey was attached, himself an engineer +of distinguished attainments and wide experience, approved it, and +Banks at once gave orders to carry it out. + +In the month that had elapsed since the fleet ascended the rapids, +the river had fallen more than six feet; for more than a mile the +rocks now lay bare. In the worst places but forty inches of water +were found, while with seven feet the heavy gunboats could barely +float, and in some places the channel, shallow as it was, narrowed +to a thread. The current ran nine miles an hour. The whole fall +was thirteen feet, and at the point just above the lower chute, +where Bailey proposed to construct his dam, the river was 758 feet +wide, with a fall of six feet below the dam. The problem was how +to raise the water above the dam seven feet, backing it up so as +to float the gunboats over the upper rapids. + +Heavy details were made from the troops, the working parties were +carefully selected, and on the 30th of April the work was begun. +From the north bank a wing-dam was constructed of large trees, the +butts tied by cross logs, the tops laid towards the current, covered +with brush, and weighted, to keep them in place, with stone and +brick obtained by tearing down the buildings in the neighborhood. +On the south bank, where large trees were scarce, a crib was made +of logs and timbers filled in with stone and with bricks and heavy +pieces of machinery taken from the neighboring sugar-houses and +cotton-gins. When this was done there remained an open space of +about one hundred and fifty feet between the wings, through which +the rising waters poured with great velocity. This gap was nearly +closed by sinking across it four of the large Mississippi coal-barges +belonging to the navy. + +When on the 8th of May all was thus complete, the water was found +to have risen five feet four and a half inches at the upper fall, +giving a measured depth there of eight feet eight and one half +inches. Three of the light-draught gunboats, _Osage, Neosho_, and +_Fort Hindman_, which had steam up, took prompt advantage of the +rise to pass the upper fall, and soon lay in safety in the pool +formed by the dam; yet for some reason the other boats of the fleet +were not ready, and thus in the very hour when safety was apparently +within their reach, suddenly they were once more exposed to a danger +even greater than before. Early on the morning of the 9th the +tremendous pressure of pent-up waters surging against the dam drove +out two of the barges, making a gap sixty-six feet wide, and swung +them furiously against the rocks below. Through the gap the river +rushed in a roaring torrent. At sight and sound of this, the +Admiral at once mounted a horse, galloped to the upper fall, and +called out to the _Lexington_ to run the rapids. Instantly the +_Lexington_ was under way, and as, with a full head of steam she +made the plunge, every man in the army and the fleet held his breath +in the terrible silence of suspense. For a moment she seemed lost +as she reeled and almost disappeared in the foam and surge, but +only to be greeted with a mighty cheer, such as brave men give to +courage and good fortune, when she was seen to ride in safety below. +The _Osage_, the _Neosho_, and the _Fort Hindman_ promptly followed +her down the chute, but the other six gunboats and the two tugs +were still imprisoned above by the sudden sinking of the swift +rushing waters; the jaws of danger, for an instant relaxed, had +once more shut tightly on the prey. Doubt and gloom took the place +of exultation. As for the army, hard as had been the work demanded +of it, still greater exertions were before it, nor was their result +by any means certain, for the volume of the river was daily +diminishing, and there would be no more rise that year. + +So far Bailey had substantially followed, though on a larger scale, +the same plan that had worked so successfully the year before at +Port Hudson. But against a weight, a volume, and a velocity of +water such as had to be encountered here, it was now plainly seen +that something else would have to be tried. No emergency, however +great or sudden, ever finds a man of his stamp unready. As soon +therefore as the collapse showed him the defect in his first plan, +he instantly set about remedying it by dividing the weight of water +to be contended with. At the upper fall three wing-dams were +constructed. Just above the rocks a stone crib was laid on the +south side, and directly opposite to this on the north side a +tree-dam, like those already described when speaking of the original +dam. Just below the rocks, projecting diagonally from the north +bank, a bracket-dam was built, made of logs having one end sunk to +meet the current, the other end raised on trestles, and the whole +then sheathed with plank. By this means the whole current was +turned into one very narrow channel, and a new rise of fourteen +inches was gained, giving in all six feet six and one half inches +of water. Every man bending himself to this task to his utmost, +by the most incredible exertions this new work was completed in +three days and three nights, and thus during the 12th and 13th the +remainder of the fleet passed free of the danger. + +The cribs were washed away during the spring rise in 1865; but it +is said that the main tree-dam survives to this day, having driven +the channel towards the south shore, and washed away a large slice +of the bank at the upper end of the town of Alexandria. + +For his part in the conception and execution of this great undertaking, +Bailey received the thanks of Congress on the 11th of June, 1864, +and was afterward made a brigadier-general by the President. + +The troops engaged in constructing the dam were the 97th colored, +Colonel George D. Robinson; the 99th colored, Lieutenant-Colonel +Uri B. Pearsall; the 29th Maine, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles S. +Emerson; the 133d New York, a detail of 300 men, under Captain +Anthony J. Allaire; the 161st New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. B. +Kinsey; the pioneers of the Thirteenth Army Corps, 125 in number, +commanded by Captain John B. Hutchens of the 24th Indiana, and +composed of men detailed from the 11th, 24th, 34th, 46th, 47th, +and 67th Indiana, the 48th, 56th, 83d, and 96th Ohio, the 24th and +28th Iowa, the 23d and 29th Wisconsin, 130th Illinois, and 19th +Kentucky; 460 men of the 27th Indiana, 29th Wisconsin, 19th Kentucky, +130th Illinois, 83d Ohio, 24th Iowa, 23d Wisconsin, 77th Illinois, +and 16th Ohio, commanded by Captain George W. Stein of the latter +regiment. + +Bailey was also greatly assisted by a detail from the navy, under +Lieutenant Amos R. Langthorne, commanding the _Mound City_. Besides +these officers, all of whom rendered service the most laborious +and the most valuable, Bailey acknowledges his indebtedness to +Brigadier-General Dwight, Colonel James Grant Wilson, and Lieutenant +Charles S. Sargent of Banks's staff; to Major W. H. Sentell, 160th +New York, provost-marshal; Lieutenant John J. Williamson, ordnance +officer of the Nineteenth Corps; and Lieutenant Sydney Smith +Fairchild, 161st New York. + +All this time the army lying about Alexandria, to secure the safety +of the navy, was itself virtually invested by the small but active +forces under Taylor, who now found himself, not only foot loose, +but once more able to use for his supplies the channel of the upper +Red River, whence he had caused the obstructions to be removed as +soon as the withdrawal of Banks relieved all fears of invasion, +and turned the thoughts of the Confederate chiefs to dreams of +conquest. + +On the 31st of March Grant had peremptorily ordered the evacuation +of the coast of Texas save only the position held at the mouth of +the Rio Grande, and Banks, as soon as he received this order, had +ordered McClernand to join him with the bulk of his troops, consisting +of the First and Second divisions of the Thirteenth Corps. +McClernand, with Lawler's brigade of the former, arrived at Alexandria +on the 29th of April; Warren, with the rest of his division, was +on his way up the Red River, when he found himself cut off near +Marksville. Then he seized Fort De Russy and held it until the +campaign ended. + +Brisk skirmishing went on from day to day between the outposts and +advanced guards, yet Banks, though he had five men to one of +Taylor's,(1) held fast by his earthworks without making any real +effort to crush or to drive off his adversary, while on their part +the Confederates refrained from any serious attempt to interrupt +the navigation of the lower Red River until the evening of the 3d +of May, when near David's Ferry Major attacked and, after a sharp +fight, took the transport _City Belle_, which he caught coming up +the river with 425 officers and men of the 120th Ohio. Many were +killed or wounded, and many others taken prisoner, a few escaping +through the forest. Major then sunk the steamboat across the +channel and thus closed it. Early on the morning of the 5th of +May Major, with Hardeman's and Lane's cavalry brigades and West's +battery, met just above Fort De Russy the gunboats _Signal_ and +_Covington_, and the transport steamer _Warner_, and after a short +and hard fight disabled all three of the boats. The _Covington_ +was set on fire by her commander and destroyed, but the _Signal_ +and _Warner_ fell into the hands of the Confederates with many of +the officers and men of the three boats, and of a detachment of +about 250 men of the 56th Ohio, on the _Warner_. These captured +steamers, also, were sunk across the channel. + +On the 2d of May, Franklin's wound compelling him to go to New +Orleans and presently to the North, Banks assigned Emory to the +command of the Nineteenth Army Corps. This brought McMillan to +the head of the First division and gave his brigade to Beal. +Captain Frederic Speed was announced as Assistant Adjutant-General +of the Corps. A few days later, in consequence of McClernand's +illness, Lawler was given the command of the Thirteenth Corps. + +(1) Banks's return for April 30th shows 33,502 officers and men for +duty. May 10th, Taylor says: "To keep this up with my little +force of scarce 6,000 men, I am compelled to 'eke out the lion's +skin with the fox's hide.'" ("Official Records," vol. xxxiv., part +I., p. 590.) He does not count his cavalry. + + +CHAPTER XXIX. +LAST DAYS IN LOUISIANA. + +On the 13th of May Banks marched from Alexandria on Simmesport, +Lawler leading the infantry column, Emory next, and A. J. Smith's +divisions of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps bringing up the +rear. As far as Fort De Russy the march followed the bank of the +river, with the object of covering the withdrawal of the fleet of +gunboats and transports against any possible molestation. Steele's +cavalry division hung upon and harassed the rear, Polignac, Major, +and Bagby hovered in front and on the flanks, while Harrison followed +on the north bank of the Red River, but no serious attempt was made +to obstruct the movement. On the afternoon of the 15th the +Confederates were seen in force in front of the town of Marksville, +but were soon driven off and retired rapidly through the town. + +On the morning of the 16th of May an event took place, described +by all who saw it as the finest military spectacle they ever +witnessed. On the wide and rolling prairie of Avoyelles, otherwise +known as the Plains of Mansura, the Confederates stood for the last +time across the line of march of the retreating army. As battery +after battery went into action and the cavalry skirmishers became +briskly engaged, it seemed as if a pitched battle were imminent. +The infantry rapidly formed line of battle, Mower on the right, +Kilby Smith next, Emory in the centre, Lawler on the left, the main +body of Arnold's cavalry in column on the flank. Save where here +and there the light smoke from the artillery hindered the view, +the whole lines of both armies were in plain sight of every man in +either, but the disparity in numbers was too great to justify Taylor +in making more than a handsome show of resistance on a field like +this, where defeat was certain, and destruction must have followed +close upon defeat; and so when our lines were advanced he prudently +withdrew. Banks's losses were small, but Lieutenant Haskin's +horse-battery F, 1st U. S., being unavoidably exposed in spite of its +skilful handling, to a hot enfilade fire of the Confederate artillery, +to cover their flank movement in retreat, suffered rather severely. + +In the afternoon the troops halted for a while on the banks of a +little stream to enjoy the first fresh, clear water they had so +much as seen for many weeks. At the sight the men broke into +cheers, and almost with one accord rushed eagerly to the banks of +the rivulet. That night the army bivouacked eight miles from the +Atchafalaya, and early the next morning, the 17th of May, marched +down to the river at Simmesport, where the transports and the +gunboats, having arrived two days earlier, lay waiting. Near +Moreauville on the 17th the rear-guard of cavalry was sharply +attacked by Wharton; at the same time Debray, lying in ambush with +two regiments and a battery, opened fire on the flank of the moving +column. While this was going on the two other regiments of Debray +made a dash on the wagon-train near the crossing of Yellow Bayou, +and threw it into some momentary confusion. Neither of these +attacks were serious, and all were easily thrown off. + +The next day, the 18th, A. J. Smith's command was in position near +Yellow Bayou to cover the crossing of the Atchafalaya, and he was +himself at the landing at Simmesport, in the act of completing his +arrangements for crossing, when Taylor suddenly attacked with his +whole force. Mower, who commanded in Smith's absence, advanced +his lines as soon as he found his skirmishers coming in, and thus +brought on one of the sharpest engagements of the campaign. With +equal judgment, skill, and daring, Mower finally drove the Confederates +off the field in confusion and with heavy loss, and so brought to +a brilliant close the part borne by the gallant soldiers of the +Army of the Tennessee in their trying service in Louisiana. Mower's +loss was 38 killed, 226 wounded, and 3 missing, in all 267. Taylor +reports his loss as about 500, including 30 killed, 50 severely +wounded, and about 100 prisoners from Polignac's division. The +Confederate returns account for 452 killed and wounded. + +At Simmesport the skill and readiness of Bailey were once more put +to good use in improvising a bridge of steamboats across the +Atchafalaya. In his report, Banks speaks of this as the first +attempt of the kind, probably forgetting, since it did not fall +under his personal observation, that when the army moved on Port +Hudson the year before, the last of the troops and trains crossed +the river at the same place in substantially the same way. However, +the Atchafalaya was then low: it was now swollen to a width of six +hundred or seven hundred yards by the back water from the Mississippi, +and thus the floating bridge, which the year before was made by +lashing together not more than nine boats, with their gangways in +line, connected by means of the gangplanks and rough boards, now +required twenty-two boats to close the gap. Over this bridge, on +the 19th of May, the troops took up their march in retreat, and so +brought the disastrous campaign of the Red River to an end just a +year after they had begun, in the same way and on the same spot, +the triumphant campaign of Port Hudson. + +On the 20th A. J. Smith crossed, the bridge was broken up, and in +the evening the whole army marched for the Mississippi. On the +21st, at Red River landing, the Nineteenth Corps bade farewell to +its brave comrades of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth. + +A. J. Smith landed at Vicksburg on the 23d of May too late for the +part assigned him in the spring campaign of Sherman's army, and +the operations on the Mississippi being now reduced to the defensive, +he remained on the banks of the river until called on to repulse +Price's invasion of Missouri. Then, having handsomely performed +his share of this service, he joined Thomas just in time to take +part in the decisive battle of Nashville. + +At Simmesport Banks was met by Canby, who on the 11th of May, at +Cairo or on the way thence to Memphis, had assumed command of the +new-made Military Division of West Mississippi, in virtue of orders +from Washington, dated the 7th. The President still refused to +yield to Grant's repeated requests that Banks might be altogether +relieved from his command, nor did Grant longer persist in this; +accordingly Banks remained the titular commander of the Department +of the Gulf, with a junior officer present as his immediate superior +and his next subordinate in actual command of his troops. + +The Thirteenth and Nineteenth Corps, the cavalry, and the trains +continued the march, under Emory, and on the 22d of May went into +camp at Morganza. + +From the Arkansas to the Gulf, from the Atchafalaya to the Rio +Grande there was no longer a Union soldier, save the insignificant +garrison kept at Brownsville to preserve the semblance of that +foothold in Texas for the sake of which so much blood and treasure +had been spilled into this sink of shame. + +When Steele's retreat to Little Rock had put an end to all hopes +of a successful pursuit, Kirby Smith faced about and set Walker in +rapid motion toward Alexandria with Churchill closely following. +A day or two after Banks had left the place Walker arrived at +Alexandria, too late to do anything more in Louisiana. + +Taylor quarrelled bitterly with Kirby Smith, who ended by ordering +him to turn over his command to Walker. Leaving a small force to +hold the country and to observe and annoy the Union army of occupation +in Louisiana, Kirby Smith then gathered his forces, and passing by +Steele's right flank, invaded Missouri. + +After arriving at Morganza, Emory, by Canby's orders, put his command +in good condition for defence or for a movement in any direction +by sending to other stations all the troops except the Nineteenth +Corps and the First division, Lawler's, of the Thirteenth Corps, +as well as all the extra animals, wagons, and baggage of the army. +For the sedentary defensive, the position at Morganza had many +advantages, but except that good water for all purposes was to be +had in plenty for the trouble of crossing the levee, the situation +was perhaps the most unfortunate in which the corps was ever +encamped. The heat was oppressive and daily growing more unbearable. +The rude shelters of bushes and leaves, cut fresh from the neighboring +thicket and often renewed, gave little protection; the levee and +the dense undergrowth kept off the breeze; and such was the state +of the soil that when it was not a cloud of light and suffocating +dust, it was a sea of fat black mud. The sickly season was close +at hand, the field and general hospitals were filled, and the deaths +were many. The mosquitoes were at their worst; but worse than all +were the six weeks of absolute idleness, broken only by an occasional +alarm or two, such as led to the brief expedition of Grover's +division to Tunica and Natchez. + +At first Canby intended to use the Nineteenth Corps as a sort of +marine patrol or coast-guard, with its trains and artillery and +cavalry reduced to the lowest point, and the main body of the +infantry kept always ready to embark on a fleet of transports +specially assigned for the service and to go quickly to any point +up or down the Mississippi or the adjacent waters that might be +menaced or attacked by the enemy. The orders for the organization +and equipment of the corps in this manner form a model of forethought +and of minute attention to detail, yet as events turned out, they +were never put in practice. + +Toward the end of June the corps underwent at the hands of Canby +the last of its many reorganizations.(1) The First and Second +divisions were left substantially as they had been during the +campaign just ended, but the Thirteenth Corps being broken up,(2) +seventeen of its best regiments were taken to form for the Nineteenth +Corps a new Third division, under Lawler. Emory, who was suffering +from the effects of the climate and the hardships of the campaign, +had just applied for leave of absence, supposing that all idea of +a movement during the summer was at an end, and Canby, having +granted this, assigned Reynolds to command the corps, to which, in +truth, his rank and record entitled him, and gave the First division, +Emory's own, to Roberts, a total stranger. Upon this, and learning +of the movement about to be made, Emory at once threw up his leave +of absence, and Reynolds, noting with the eye of a soldier the deep +and widespread disappointment among the officers and men of the +corps, magnanimously persuaded Canby to leave the command of the +Nineteenth Army Corps, for the time being, to Emory, while Reynolds +himself commanded the forces at Morganza. The brigades of the First +division were commanded by Beal, McMillan, and Currie. Grover kept +the Second division with Birge, Molineux, and Sharpe as brigade +commanders, and afterward a fourth brigade was added, made up of +four regiments from the disbanded Thirteenth Corps, under Colonel +David Shunk of the 8th Indiana, and comprising, in addition to his +own regiment, the 24th and 28th Iowa, and the 18th Indiana. At +this later period also the 1st Louisiana was taken from Molineux's +brigade to remain in the Gulf, and its place was filled by the 11th +Indiana and the 22d Iowa. Lawler's new Third division had Lee, +Cameron, and Colonel F. W. Moore of the 83d Ohio for brigade +commanders. This was a splendid division, on both sides congenial; +unfortunately it was not destined to see service with the corps. + +Three great reviews broke the torrid monotony of Morganza. On the +11th of June Emory reviewed the corps in a tropical torrent, which +suddenly descending drenched every man to the skin and reduced the +field music to discord, without interrupting the ceremony. On the +14th the troops again passed in review before Sickles, who had been +sent to Louisiana on a tour of inspection, and finally on the 25th +Reynolds reviewed the forces at Morganza on taking the command. + +Grant's orders to Canby were the same as those he had given to +Banks, to go against Mobile. + +This was indeed an integral and important, though strictly subordinate, +part of the comprehensive plan adopted by the lieutenant-general +for the spring campaign. Besides distracting the attention of the +Confederates, and either drawing off a large part of their forces +from Sherman's front or else causing them to give up Mobile without +a struggle, the control of the Alabama River would give Sherman a +secure base of supplies and a safe line of retreat in any contingency, +while the occupation of a line from Atlanta to Mobile would, as +Grant remarked, "once more split the Confederacy in twain." + +But while in Louisiana the troops stood still, awaiting the full +completion of Canby's exhaustive preparations, elsewhere events +were marching with great rapidity. On the 3d of June Grant's +campaign from the Rappahannock to the James came to an end in the +bloody repulse of Cold Harbor, with the loss of 12,737 officers +and men. On the 14th he crossed the James and sat down before +Petersburg. In the six weeks that had passed since the Army of +the Potomac made its way into the Wilderness, Grant had lost from +the ranks of the two armies of the Potomac and the James nearly as +many men as Lee had in the Army of Northern Virginia.(3) + +While he was himself directing the movement of Meade and Butler +against Richmond and Petersburg, Grant ordered Hunter, who commanded +in the Shenandoah Valley, to march by Charlottesville on Lynchburg, +and sent Sheridan, with the cavalry on a great raid to Charlottesville +to meet Hunter; but Lee sent Early to intercept the movement, and +Early, moving with the speed and promptness to which Jackson's old +corps was well used, got to Lynchburg in time to head Hunter off. +Then Hunter, rightly deeming his position precarious, instead of +retreating down the valley, made his escape across the mountains +into West Virginia. This left the gates of the great valley +thoroughfare wide open for Early, who, instantly marching north, +once more invaded Maryland, harried Pennsylvania, and menaced +Washington. + +It was at this crisis, when nothing was being accomplished in +Louisiana and everything was happening in Virginia, that Grant +ordered Canby to put off his designs on Mobile and to send the +Nineteenth Corps with all speed to Hampton Roads.(4) Canby understood +this to mean the First and Second divisions, and placed Emory in +command of this detachment. On the 30th of June the two divisions +began moving down the river to Algiers, and on the 3d of July the +advance steamed out of the river into the Gulf of Mexico with sealed +orders. When the steamer _Crescent_, which led the way, carrying +the 153d New York and four companies of the 114th, had dropped her +pilot outside of the passes, Davis broke the seal and for the first +time learned his destination. Within a few days the remainder of +the First division followed, without Roberts, Emory accompanied by +the headquarters of the expedition going on the _Mississippi_ on +the 5th of July, with the 30th Massachusetts, the 90th New York, +and the 116th New York, but transferring himself at the Southwest +Pass to the _Creole_, in his impatience at finding the _Mississippi_ +aground and his anxiety to come up with the advance of his troops. +The _Crescent_ was the first to arrive before Fortress Monroe. +The last regiment of the Third brigade sailed on the 11th. Grover's +division began its embarkation about the 10th and finished about +the 20th. + +In this movement some of the best regiments of the corps were left +behind, as well as all the cavalry and the whole of the magnificent +park of field artillery. Among the troops thus cut off were the +110th New York, the 161st New York, the 7th Vermont, the 6th +Michigan, the 4th Wisconsin, the 1st Indiana Heavy Artillery, the +1st Louisiana, and the 2d Louisiana Mounted Infantry. Reynolds +with the corps headquarters and the new Third division remained in +Louisiana. Since this came from the old Thirteenth Corps, was +afterward incorporated in the new Thirteenth Corps, formed for the +siege of Mobile, never saw service in the Nineteenth Corps and +nominally belonged to it but a few days, and since the detachment +now sent north was presently constituted the Nineteenth Corps, the +title of the corps will hereafter be used in this narrative when +speaking of the services of the First and Second divisions. + +On the 14th of June Major William H. Sentell, of the 160th New +York, was detailed by Emory as acting assistant inspector-general +of the corps, and Captain Henry C. Inwood, of the 165th New York,(5) +as provost marshal. + +To regret leaving the lowlands of Louisiana at the sickly season, +the poisonous swamps, the filthy water, the overpowering heat, and +the intolerable mosquitoes, was impossible; yet there can have been +no man in all that host that did not feel, as the light, cool +breezes of the Gulf fanned his brow, a swelling of the heart and +a tightness of the throat at the thought of all that he had seen +and suffered, and the remembrance of the many thousands of his less +fortunate comrades who had succumbed to the dangers and trials on +which he himself was now turning his back for the last time. + +(1) Begun about June 16th. The final orders are dated June 27th. + +(2) By orders from Washington, issued at Canby's request, June 11th. + +(3) From the 5th of May to the 15th of June Meade's losses were +51,908, and Butler's 9,234, together 61,142. The best estimates +give 61,000 to 64,000 as Lee's strength at the Wilderness, or 78,400 +from the Rappahannock to the James,--"Century War Book," vol. iv., +pp. 182-187. + +(4) The first suggestion seems to have come from Butler to Stanton, +May 29th, Weitzel concurring. Grant disapproved this in a telegram +dated 3 P.M., June 3d: the second assault had been made that morning. +The movement across the James for the surprise and seizure of +Petersburg came to a stand-still on the 18th. On the 23d Grant +made the request and the orders were issued the next day. + +(5) In the official records wrongly printed as the 160th. + + +CHAPTER XXX. +ON THE POTOMAC. + +Grant had meant to send the troops to join the Army of the James +under Butler at Bermuda Hundred, but already the dust of Early's +columns was in sight from the hills behind Washington, and the +capital, though fully fortified, being practically without defenders, +until the Sixth Corps should come to the rescue, in the stress of +the moment the detachments of the Nineteenth Corps were hurried up +the Potomac as fast as the transports entered the roads. It was +noon on the 11th when Davis landed the fourteen companies from the +_Crescent_ at the wharves of Washington, where he found orders to +occupy and hold Fort Saratoga.(1) + +At the hour when Davis was disembarking at the southern end of +Sixth Street wharf, Early's headquarters were at Silver Spring, +barely five miles away to the northward, and his skirmishers were +drawing within range of the guns of Fort Stevens. Behind the +defences of Washington there were but twenty thousand soldiers of +all arms. Of these less than half formed the garrison of the works, +and even of this fraction nearly all were raw, undisciplined, +uninstructed, and lacking the simplest knowledge of the ground they +were to defend. But five days before this, Grant had taken Ricketts +from the lines of the Sixth Corps before Petersburg, and sent him +by water to Baltimore, whence his superb veterans were carried by +rail to the Monocacy just in time to enable Wallace, with a chance +medley of garrison and emergency men, to face Early on the 9th, +and compel him to lose a day in crossing. Then, at last, made +quite certain of Early's true position and plans, Grant hurried +the rest of the Sixth Corps to the relief of Washington, and thus +the steamboat bearing the advance of Wright's men touched the wharf +about two hours after the _Crescent_ had made fast. The guns of +Fort Stevens were already heard shelling the approaches, and thither +Wright was at once directed, but in the great heat and dust Early +had pressed on so fast that his men arrived before the works parched +with thirst and panting with exhaustion. Moreover, evening came +before the rear of his column had closed up on the front, and during +these critical hours Wright's strong divisions of the veterans of +the Army of the Potomac lined the works and stood stiffly across +the path, while in supporting distance to the eastward was the +little handful from the Gulf. Early, who had seen something of +this and imagined more, waited, and so his opportunity, great or +little, went. On the afternoon of the next day, the 12th of July, +Early still not attacking, Wright sent out a brigade and roughly +pushed back the Confederate advance. Then Early, realizing that +he had not an hour to lose in extricating his command from its +false position, fell back at night on Rockville. + +On the 13th of July the _Clinton_ arrived at Washington with the +29th Maine and part of the 13th Maine, the _St. Mary_ with the 8th +Vermont, the _Corinthian_ with the remaining six companies of the +114th New York, the _Mississippi_ with the 90th and 116th New York +and the 30th Massachusetts, the _Creole_ with the 47th Pennsylvania. +As the detachments landed they were hurried, in most instances by +long and needless circuits to Tennallytown, where they found +themselves at night without supplies or wagons, without orders, +and without much organization. + +Now that the enemy had gone and there were enough troops in +Washington, the capital was once more a wild confusion of commands +and commanders, such as seems to have prevailed at every important +crisis during the war. Out of this Grant brought order by assigning +Wright to conduct the pursuit of Early. When, therefore, on the +morning of the 13th, Wright found Early gone from his front, he +marched after him with the Sixth Corps, and ordered the detachment +of the Nineteenth Corps to follow. Grant wished Wright to push on +to Edwards Ferry to cut off Early's retreat across the Potomac. +At nightfall Wright was at Offutt's Cross-Roads, with Russell and +Getty of the Sixth corps, the handful of the Nineteenth Corps, and +the cavalry. + +About 3,600 men of Emory's division had landed at Washington during +the 12th and 13th of July, increasing the effective force of the +Nineteenth Corps to about 4,200, most of whom spent the night in +following the windings of the road that marks the long outline of +the northern fortifications. On the morning of the 14th, the +roll-call accounted for 192 officers and 2,987 men of the corps, +representing ten regiments, in the bivouacs that lay loosely +scattered about Tennallytown. On the 14th these detachments marched +ten miles and encamped beyond Offutt's Cross-Roads, where they were +joined by Battery L of the 1st Ohio, temporarily lent to the division +from the artillery reserve of the defences of Washington. Emory +himself arrived during the day and assumed command of the division, +and Dwight, relieved from duty as Banks's chief of staff, came in +the evening to rejoin the 1st brigade. Gilmore, who found himself +in Washington without assignment, had been given command of the +Nineteenth Corps, but happening to sprain his foot badly he was +obliged to go off duty after having held the assignment nominally +for less than a day. Thereupon Emory once more took command of +the corps, and the First division fell to Dwight. + +Moving by the river road, Wright, with Getty's division, was at +Poolesville on the night of the 14th, with the last of the Nineteenth +Corps eleven miles in the rear. But Early had already made good +his escape, having crossed the Potomac that morning at White's +Ford, with all his trains and captures intact, while Wright was +still south of Seneca Creek. + +The next day Emory closed up on Getty at Poolesville, and Halleck +began sending the rest of the Sixth Corps there to join Wright. + +In the Union army the impression now prevailed that Early, having +accomplished the main object of his diversion, would, as usual, +hasten to rejoin Lee at Richmond. Wright, therefore, got ready to +go back to Washington, but Early was in fact at Leesburg, and word +came that Hunter, whose forces were beginning to arrive at Harper's +Ferry, after their long and wide excursion over the Alleghanies +and through West Virginia, had sent Sullivan's division across the +Potomac at Berlin to Hillsborough, where it threatened Early's +flank and rear while exposing its own. Therefore Wright felt +obliged to cross to the support of Hunter, and on the morning of +the 16th of July the Sixth Corps, followed by Emory's detachment +of the Nineteenth, waded the Potomac at White's Ford and encamped +at Clark's Gap, three miles beyond Leesburg. But Early, by turns +bold and wary, slipped away between Wright and Hunter, marched +through Snicker's Gap, and put the Shenandoah between him and his +enemies. Caution had been enjoined on the pursuit, and the 17th +was spend in closing up and reconnoitring. On the 18th the combined +forces of Wright and Hunter marched through Snicker's Gap, and in +the afternoon Crook, who, having brought up his own division, found +himself in command of Hunter's troops, sent Thoburn across the +Shenandoah below Snicker's Ferry to seize and hold the ferry for +the passage of the army; but when Thoburn had gained the north bank +Early fell upon him with three divisions and drove him back across +the river with heavy loss. Instead of risking anything more in +the attempt to force the crossing in the face of Early's whole +force in position, Wright was mediating a turning movement by way +of Keyes's Gap, but Duffie, after riding hard through Ashby's Gap +and crossing the Shenandoah at Berry's Ferry, likewise came to +grief on the north bank, and so the day of the 19th of July was +lost. + +Meanwhile Hunter, having seen nearly all the rest of his army arrive +at Harper's Ferry, sent a brigade and a half under Hayes to march +straight up the Shenandoah to Snicker's Ferry, while Averell with +a mixed force of cavalry and infantry was sweeping down from +Martinsburg on Winchester. Thus menaced in front, flank, and rear, +Early, on the night of the 19th of July, retreated on Strasburg. + +The next morning Wright crossed the Shenandoah, meaning to move +toward Winchester, but when he learned where Early had gone he +recrossed the river in the evening, marched by night to Leesburg, +and encamped on Goose Creek, presently crossing to the south bank. +On the morning of the 22d Wright marched on Washington, the Sixth +Corps leading, followed by the Nineteenth. On the afternoon of +the 23d Emory crossed the chain bridge and went into bivouac on +the high ground overlooking the Potomac near Battery Vermont. So +ended the "Snicker's Gap war." + +During this expedition Kenly's brigade of the Eighth Corps served +with the Nineteenth. + +As soon as Early's withdrawal from Maryland had quieted all +apprehensions for the safety of Washington, the orders that had +met the advance of the Nineteenth Corps at Hampton Roads were +recalled, and, reverting to his original intention, Grant sent the +detachments of the corps as they arrived up the James River to +Bermuda Hundred to join the right wing of his armies under Butler. +Indeed, at the moment of its arrival at Poolesville, the First +division had been ordered to take the same destination, but this +the movements of the contending armies prevented. The first of +the troops to land at Bermuda Hundred was the 15th Maine on the +17th of July. It was at once sent to the right of the lines before +Petersburg, and within the next ten days there were assembled there +parts of four brigades--McMillan's and Currie's of the First +division, and Birge's and Molineux's of Grover's. Part of Currie's +brigade was engaged, under Hancock, in the affair at Deep Bottom +on the north bank of the James on the 25th of July, losing eighteen +killed and wounded and twenty-four prisoners. The work and duty +in the trenches and on the skirmishing line were hard and constant, +reminding the men of their days and nights before Port Hudson, but +this was not to last long, and the loss was light.(2) + +On the 20th of July at Carter's Farm, three miles north of Winchester, +Averell, who was following Early, met and routed Ramseur, who had +been sent back to check the pursuit. Early continued his retreat +to Strasburg on the 22d, but when the next day he learned that +Wright was gone, he turned back to punish the weak force under +Hunter, and on the 24th overwhelmed Crook at Kernstown. Crook +retreated through Martinsburg into Maryland, and marching by +Williamsport and Boonsborough, took post at Sharpsburg, while +Averell stayed at Hagerstown to watch the upper fords of the +Potomac. + +To break up the Baltimore and Ohio railway and to ravage the borders +of Pennsylvania were favorite ideas with Early. He now entered +with zest on the unopposed gratification of both desires, and while +he himself bestrode the railway at Martinsburg with his army engaged +in its destruction, he sent McCausland with his own brigade of +cavalry and Bradley Johnson's on the famous marauding expedition +that culminated in the wanton burning of Chambersburg in default +of an impossible ransom, and at last resulted in the flight of +McCausland's whole force, with Averell at his heels, and its ultimate +destruction or dispersion by Averell, after a long chase, at +Moorefield far up the south branch of the Potomac. + +When on the 23d of July he saw Wright back at Washington and Early +at Strasburg in retreat, as was imagined, up the valley, Grant +partly changed his mind about recalling the troops he had spared +for the defence of Washington, and determining to content himself +with Wright's corps, directed Emory to stay where he was. Emory +now had 253 officers and 5,320 men for duty. + +As one turn of the wheel had given the Nineteenth Corps to Butler, +restoring to his command some of the regiments that had gone with +him to the capture of New Orleans, so the next turn was to bring +the corps under Augur, who since leaving Louisiana had been in +command of the department of Washington. So at least run the orders +of the 23d of July, yet hardly had Emory reported his division to +Augur, when the whole arrangement was suddenly broken up, and the +army that had just marched back to Washington with Wright was once +more hurried off to meet what was supposed to be a fresh invasion +by Early. In fact Early was quietly reposing at Bunker Hill, where +he easily commanded the approaches and debouches of the Shenandoah +valley, the fords of the Potomac, from Harper's Ferry to Williamsport, +and the whole line of the railway across the great bend of the +Potomac. + +By this time Grant had found out that it often took twenty-four +hours to communicate with Washington by telegraph, and that it was +consequently impossible to control from the James the movements of +his forces on the upper Potomac. On his suggesting this, the +government confided to Halleck the direction of Wright's operations +against Early. The Sixth Corps marched from Tennallytown on the +morning of the 26th of July, and immediately afterwards the Nineteenth +Corps broke up its camp near the chain bridge and followed the +Sixth. The line of march followed the road to Rockville, where +Wright divided the column, sending a detachment to the left by way +of Poolesville, while the main body pursued the direct road towards +Frederick. Emory encamped that night on the Frederick road, four +miles north of Rockville, after a march of nineteen miles. The +next day, the 27th of July, Emory, leading the column, marched at +three in the morning, moved fifteen miles, and encamped beyond +Hyattstown. On the 28th Emory took the road at five, marched to +Monocacy Junction, where the Sixth Corps crossed the Monocacy, then +filed to the right, and crossed at the upper ford, and passing +through Frederick went into bivouac four miles beyond. The distance +made was thirteen miles. On the 29th, an intensely hot day, Emory +marched at eight, following the Sixth Corps, crossed the Potomac +at Harper's Ferry, marched nineteen miles, and went into bivouac +at Halltown. Here Wright was joined by Crook, who came from +Sharpsburg by way of Shepherdstown. + +It was on the 30th of July that McCausland burned Chambersburg. +In the confusion caused by his rapid movements, Halleck imagined +that Early's whole force was in Pennsylvania. Therefore he ordered +Wright back into Maryland, first to Frederick and them to Emmettsburg, +to hold the passes of the South Mountain against the supposed +invader. About noon Wright faced about, taking Crook with him, +and recrossed the Potomac. Toward evening Crook and Wright covered +the passes, while Emory crossed the Catoctin and at one in the +morning of the 31st halted near Jefferson after a hard day's march +of thirteen miles, during which the men and animals of all the +corps suffered terribly from the heat and dust, added to the +accumulated fatigue they had already undergone from a succession +of long days and short nights. Reveille was sounded at five o'clock, +and at six the march was resumed. Emory passed through Frederick, +moved about two miles on the Emmettsburg road and went into bivouac, +having made thirteen miles during the day. The army was now +concentrated at Frederick, holding the line of the Monocacy and +observing the passes of the South Mountain. Fortunately for the +men and horses, Halleck now learned from Couch, who commanded in +Pennsylvania, with rather less than a handful of troops, the exact +dimensions of McCausland's raid. Accordingly Wright's troops were +allowed to rest where they were. + +Grant ordered up a division of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac, +and on the 4th of August set out in person for Frederick, avoiding +Washington, to see for himself just what the situation was, and to +make better arrangements for the future. On the 5th of August he +joined Hunter on the Monocacy, and at once ordered him to take +Wright, Emory, and Crook across the Potomac, to find the enemy, +and to attack him. + +Grover's division and the parts of Emory's that had been at Bermuda +Hundred embarked on the James on the 31st of July, and passed up +the Potomac to Washington, but too late to join Emory on the +Monocacy. Thus, before beginning the new movement, Emory had of +his own division 4,600 effective and eight regiments of Grover's, +numbering 2,750. These, being part of four brigades, were temporarily +organized into two, and as Grover himself had not yet joined, their +command was given to Molineux. + +About this time, Battery L, 1st Ohio, was relieved from duty with +the Nineteenth Corps, and four other batteries joined it from the +reserve park at Washington. Of these Taft's 5th New York was +assigned to the First division, Bradbury's 1st Maine, an old friend, +to the Second division, Lieutenant Chase's D, 1st Rhode Island and +Miner's 17th Indiana to the Artillery Reserve, commanded at first +by Captain Taft, afterward by Major Bradbury. + +Crook led the way across the Potomac at Harper's Ferry on the +evening of the 5th of August, Emory followed the next morning, and +Ricketts with the Sixth Corps brought up the rear. Averell with +the cavalry, as will be remembered, was still far away, engaged in +the long chase after McCausland. Hunter took up his position +covering Halltown and proceeded to strengthen it by entrenchments. +Crook's left rested on the Shenandoah, Emory extended the line to +the turnpike road, and Wright carried it to the Potomac. + +On the very day Grant left City Point, Early marched north from +Bunker Hill, meaning to cover McCausland's retreat and to destroy +Hunter, and so, curiously enough, it happened that Early's whole +army actually crossed the Potomac into Maryland at Martinsburg and +Shepherdstown a few hours before Crook passed over the ford at +Harper's Ferry into Virginia; and, still more curiously, while, +ten days before, the groundless apprehension of another invasion +by Early had thrown the North into a fever and the government into +a fright, here was Early actually in Maryland on the battle-field +of Antietam without producing so much as a sensation. As soon as +Early got the first inkling of what was going on behind him, he +tripped briskly back to Martinsburg, and finding Hunter at Halltown +resumed his old position at Bunker Hill. + +Grant had already proposed to unite in a single command the four +distinct departments covering the theatre of war on the Shenandoah +and on the upper Potomac; as the commander he had first suggested +Franklin and afterward Meade. Now, since no action had followed +either suggestion, he sent up Sheridan, meaning to place him in +command of all the active forces of these four departments, for +the purpose of overthrowing Early or expelling him from the +Shenandoah. Upon learning this, Hunter, to remove the difficulty, +asked to be relieved; and thus, on the 7th of August, Grant gained +his wish, and an order was issued by the War Department, creating +the Middle Military Division, to include Washington, Virginia, West +Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and part of Ohio, and Sheridan +was assigned to the command. + +Amusing though it may have been to Early and his followers to note +the panic and confusion into which McCausland's predatory riders +once more threw the capital and the border States, this absurd +freak produced far-reaching consequences that were not in the +thoughts of any one on either side. Its first effect was to stop +the withdrawal of the Sixth Corps, and to put Wright and Emory once +more in march toward the Shenandoah. It determined Lee to keep +Early in the valley, where his presence seemed so effective; and +this shortly led to the concentration there, under a single commander, +and that commander Sheridan, of the largest and best appointed +Union army that had ever occupied that theatre of war, and thus at +last in one short campaign worked the destruction of Early's army +and the elimination of the valley as a feature in the war. + +Upon the officers and men of the Nineteenth Corps the change from +the enervating climate of Louisiana to the bracing air, the crystal +waters, the rolling wheatfields, and the beautiful blue mountains +of the Shenandoah acted like a tonic. Daily their spirits rose +and their numbers for duty increased. The excellence of the roads +and the openness of the country on either side enabled them to +achieve long marches with ease and comfort. Nor were they slow in +remarking that they had never had a commissary and quartermaster +so good as Sheridan. + +(1) About three miles N.-N.-E. from the Capitol, overlooking the +Baltimore road and railway. + +(2) In Major William F. Tiemann's truly admirable "History of the +159th New York," he says: "July 26th we were camped near Major-General +Birney's headquarters, not far from Hatcher's house between batteries +'five' and 'six,' one of which enjoyed the euphonious title of +'Fort Slaughter.' . . . The works were built more strongly +and with more art than at Port Hudson, but were not nearly as strong +in reality, as Port Hudson was fortified naturally and the obstructions +were much harder to overcome." (P. 87.) I think this book a model +of everything that a regimental history ought to be; above all, +for the rare gifts of modesty and accuracy. + + +CHAPTER XXXI. +IN THE SHENANDOAH. + +The fourth year of the war was now well advanced, and the very name +of the Shenandoah valley had long since passed into a byword as +the Valley of Humiliation, so often had those fair and fertile +fields witnessed the rout of the national forces; so often had the +armies of the Union marched proudly up the white and dusty turnpike, +only to come flying back in disorder and disgrace. With the same +rough humor of the soldier, half in grim jest, half in sad earnest, +yet always with a grain of hard sense lying at the bottom, the +Union veterans had re-named as _Harper's Weekly_ the picturesque +landscape that appeared to them so regularly; and Lee's annual +invasion of the country beyond the Potomac had come to be known +among them as the Summer Excursion and Picnic into Maryland. + +To mete out the blame for this state of things; to apportion the +precise share of the mortifying result due to each one of several +contributing causes; to show how much should be ascribed to division +and subdivision of councils; how much to the unfitness of commanders, +too often disqualified alike by nature and training, for the +leadership of men in emergencies, or even for their temporary +profession, and in truth owing their commissions, in Halleck's +phrase, to "reasons other than military;" and how much finally to +a dense ignorance or a fine disregard of the very elements and +first principles of the art of war; all this lies outside the scope +of this history, curious, entertaining, and instructive though the +inquiry would be. Certain it is that at no period was the problem +at once comprehended and controlled until Grant took it in hand, +and equally so that the work was never done until he confided it +to Sheridan. To this, in fairness, must be added three considerations +of great moment. No commander had previously enjoyed the undivided +confidence of the government as Grant did at this period; the +relations between Grant and Sheridan were those of perfect trust +and harmony; and the Army of the Shenandoah was for the first time +made strong enough for its work. Moreover, though Early was a good +and useful general, and was soon to prove himself the master of +resources and resolution equal to the occasion, he was not Jackson; +and even had he been, no second Jackson could ever have fallen heir +to the prestige of the first. + +The parallel ranges of the Blue Ridge, extending from the +head-waters of the James to the Susquehanna in mid-course, presented +peculiar strategic conditions of which the Confederates were as +quick as the government of the United States was slow to take +advantage. Rising in the southwest, the twin forks of the Shenandoah, +wedged apart by the long and narrow range, or rather ranges, known +as the Massanutten, unite near Front Royal, where the valley begins +to widen to a plain, and pour their waters into the Potomac at +Harper's Ferry. Of the two valleys thus formed, the easternmost, +through which runs the South Fork, takes the name of Luray, or, in +local usage, Page, from its chief county, while the more western +and more important, in the lap of which lies the North Fork, +preserves the name of Shenandoah, as well for the river as the +county. Through this valley lies the course of the great macadamized +highway that before the days of steam formed the chief avenue of +communication between Pennsylvania and Virginia. Soon after the +valley begins to widen, beyond Strasburg and Front Royal, the +Opequon takes its rise in the western range, here known as Little +North Mountain, and, flowing northeast, falls into the Potomac +below Williamsport. The Cumberland valley continues the valley of +Virginia into Pennsylvania, the two being separated by the Potomac, +which in this part of its course is usually fordable at many points. +Topography was by no means Grant's strong suit, yet he was not long +in perceiving that the southwesterly trend of this great valley +led and must always lead an invading column at every step farther +away, not only from its base on the Potomac, but practically also +from its objective at Richmond. Wherefore this zone was useless +to the armies of the Union, while for the Confederates it had the +triple advantage of a granary, an easy and secure way into Maryland +and Pennsylvania, and on the flank toward Washington a mountain +wall, cut by numerous gaps, of equal convenience in advance or +retreat, besides being a constant menace to Washington as well as +to the Union army operating between the Blue Ridge and the Potomac. +Thus it was that the Confederate force was able to move speedily +and unobserved to the north bank of the Potomac at Williamsport, +and there, ninety miles north of Washington, equally distant from +Baltimore and from Washington, and actually nearer to the Susquehanna +than the capital is, held the whole country at its mercy until the +Army of the Potomac could be hurried to the rescue. + +Grant's first orders to Sheridan were twofold: he was to move +south by the valley, no matter where Early might be, or what he +might be doing, in full confidence that Early would surely be found +in his front; and he was to devastate the valley so far as to +destroy its future usefulness as a granary and a storehouse of the +Confederate army of Northern Virginia. + +Following the instructions turned over to him by Hunter, Sheridan +moved out from Halltown on the 10th of August, and marching through +Charlestown, took up a position threatening the crossing of the +Opequon and Early's communications at Winchester. Crook, on the +left, rested on Berryville, Emory held the centre, and Wright +prolonged the line to Clifton. Torbert covered the right flank at +Summit Point, which lies eleven miles east-northeast from Winchester, +and the left, with the main body of the cavalry, nine miles south +by east from Winchester, at White Post, where his presence strongly +emphasized the menace to Early's rear. The position thus held +presently became known as the Clifton-Berryville line. While +worthless for defence, it had the double advantage of covering the +short roads to Washington through Snicker's Gap and Ashby's Gap, +and of elbowing Early out of his favorite position at Bunker Hill, +at the same time that by throwing back the right flank toward +Clifton, Sheridan's road to Charlestown and Harper's Ferry was made +safe. Early quietly let go his hold on the Baltimore and Ohio +railway, and, just as Grant had anticipated, hastened to place +himself across Sheridan's path at Winchester. + +On the morning of the 11th of August, Sheridan took ground to the +left, meaning to seize and hold the fords of the Opequon, Wright +at the turnpike road between Berryville and Winchester, Emory +farther up the creek at the Senseny road, and Crook on Emory's +left, probably at the Millwood pike. The cavalry covered the right +of the Sixth Corps, and on both flanks threatened Winchester. +Early, who had moved on the previous day from Bunker Hill to a +position covering Winchester from the south, was in the act of +retiring on Strasburg when Torbert ran into his cavalry. Sharp +skirmishing resulted without bringing on a general engagement. At +night Early held and covered the valley turnpike between Newtown +and Middletown, while Sheridan, who before crossing the Opequon +had heard of Early's movement, and had simply continued his own +march up the right or east bank, rested between the Millwood crossing +of the Opequon and Stony Point on the road to Front Royal. + +The melancholy failure attending the explosion of the mine before +Petersburg and the continued reduction of Grant's forces, brought +about by Early's diversions, coming on top of the losses since +crossing the Rapidan, had brought affairs on the James to a dead-lock. +While Grant in this situation was willing to spare the Sixth corps +and the Nineteenth and even to strengthen them by two divisions +of cavalry from the Army of the Potomac, Lee on his part not only +gave up all present thought of recalling Early, as had been the +custom in former years, but even sent Anderson with Kershaw's +division of infantry, Fitzhugh Lee's division of cavalry, and +Cutshaw's battalion of artillery, to strengthen Early, so as to +enable him to hold his ground, and thus to cover the gathering of +the crops in the valley, and perhaps to encourage still further +detachments from the investing forces before Richmond and Petersburg. +The first week of August found Anderson on the march and he was +now moving down the valley. Therefore Early very properly drew +back through Strasburg to wait for Anderson, and on the night of +the 12th of August took up a strong position at Fisher's Hill. +Its natural advantages he proceeded to increase by entrenchments. + +Sheridan, following, encamped in the same order as before on the +left bank of Cedar Creek. On the 13th Wright crossed Cedar Creek +and occupied Hupp's Hill, and sending his skirmishers into Strasburg, +discovered Early in position as described; but at nightfall Sheridan, +who now had information that caused him to suspect Anderson's +movement, drew back and set the cavalry to guard the Front Royal +road. Then Early advanced his outposts to Hupp's Hill, and so for +the next three days both armies rested. + +On the 14th of August, Sheridan received from Grant authentic, +rather than exact, information of Anderson's movement, for this +was supposed to include two infantry divisions, instead of one. +Coupled with this was Grant's renewed order to be cautious. + +With his quick eye for country, Sheridan soon saw that he had but +one even tolerable position for defence, and that this was at +Halltown. The Confederate defence, on the other hand, rested on +Fisher's Hill, and between these two positions the wide plain lay +like a chess-board between the players. And now began a series of +moves, during which each side watched and waited for the adversary +to weaken himself, or to make a mistake, or for some chance encounter +to bring about an unlooked-for advantage. Finding his position at +Cedar Creek, to use his own words, "a very bad one," Sheridan was +about to retire to the extreme limit of the valley at the confluence +of the Potomac and the Shenandoah; and this was but to be the +beginning of a series of seesaw movements, in which, as often as +Sheridan went back to Halltown, Early would advance to Bunker Hill. +Early, having taken the offensive, was bound to keep it, or lose +his venture. Now, at this time, Early's objective was the Baltimore +and Ohio railway; but Sheridan's was Early. Thus, whenever he +found Early at Bunker Hill, wreaking his pleasure on the railway +and the canal, Sheridan had only to take a step forward to the +Clifton-Berryville line in order to force Early to hasten back to +Winchester, and to lay hold of the Opequon; and so this alternating +play might have continued as long as the war lasted, if other causes +and events had not intervened. + +At eleven o'clock on the night of the 15th of August, Sheridan's +retreat began, Emory moving to Winchester, where he went into +bivouac at six o'clock on the morning of the 16th. At eight o'clock +on the evening of the 16th, Wright and Crook followed, and on the +17th Early, who had now been joined by Anderson, marched in pursuit. +The same evening Sheridan took up the Clifton-Berryville position +in the old order; the cavalry, now strengthened by the arrival of +Wilson's division, covering the rear and flanks. At Berryville, +at midnight, Grover joined Emory, from Washington by Leesburg and +Snicker's Gap, with the remainder of the Nineteenth Corps from the +James (1); and since the receipt of these reinforcements formed +Sheridan's only reason for staying at Berryville, on the 18th he +fell back to Charlestown, holding the roads leading thence to +Berryville and to Bunker Hill. + +On the 19th and 20th of August, Sheridan stood still while Early +occupied Bunker Hill and Winchester; but, on the 21st, Early from +Bunker Hill and Anderson from Winchester moved together to the +attack. Rodes and Ramseur had a sharp fight with Wright, which +caused Sheridan to bring up Crook on the left and Emory on the +right; but neither came into action, because Merritt and Wilson +stood so stiffly that Anderson got no farther than Summit Point. +During the night Sheridan fell back to Halltown. + +In retreating from Cedar Creek Sheridan began to put in force +Grant's new policy of making the valley useless to the Confederate +armies by burning all the grain and carrying off all the animals +above Winchester. "I have destroyed everything eatable," are +Sheridan's words. + +On the 25th of August, after three days spent in skirmishing, Early +left Anderson to mask Halltown, and sent Fitzhugh Lee by Martinsburg +to Williamsport, marching himself to Shepherdstown. A rough fight +with Torbert's cavalry resulted near Kearneysville, in which Custer +narrowly avoided the loss of his brigade by a rapid flight across +the Potomac at Shepherdstown. Sheridan sent two divisions of +cavalry under Averell and Wilson over the Potomac to watch the +fords and to hold the gaps of the South Mountain. Thus when Fitzhugh +Lee got to the Potomac, he found Averell waiting for him, and +Anderson being pressed back by Crook on the 26th, Early fell back +behind the Opequon to Bunker Hill and Stephenson's Depot. On the +28th of August Sheridan advanced to Charlestown, and waiting there +five days while his cavalry was concentrating and feeling the enemy, +he again moved forward to the Clifton-Berryville line on the 3d of +September, and encamped in the usual order. + +Two marked features had now become regularly established: as often +as the troops halted, no matter for how short a time, of their own +accord they instantly set about protecting their front with the +spade and the axe; and, secondly, the depots of the army were fixed +behind the strong lines of Halltown with a sufficient force to +guard them, and thence, as needed, supplies were sent forward to +the troops in the field by strongly guarded trains, and these, as +soon as unloaded, were returned to Halltown, thus reducing to a +minimum the impedimenta of the army as well as the detachments +usually demanded for their care. For the Nineteenth Corps, Currie's +brigade of Dwight's division performed this service during the +campaign. + +The contingency for which Grant and Sheridan were waiting was now +close at hand. Anderson had been nearly a month away from Lee, +and meanwhile Grant had not only kept Lee on the watch on both +banks of the James, as well as for Richmond as for Petersburg, but +had taken a fast hold on the Weldon railway. Unable to shake off +Grant's clutch either on the James or on the Shenandoah, Lee greatly +needed Anderson back with him. Accordingly, on the very day when +Sheridan went back to Berryville, Anderson, seeking the shortest +way to Richmond, ran into Crook in the act of going into camp, and +darkness shortly put an end to a sharp fight that might otherwise +have proved a pitched battle. This brought Early in haste from +Stephenson's to Anderson's help, but when the next day Early saw +how strongly posted Sheridan was, he fell back across the Opequon +to cover Winchester, and finally, on the 14th of September, sent +off Anderson by Front Royal and Chester Gap, but this time without +Fitzhugh Lee. + +The interval was occupied in continual skirmishes and reconnoissances. +Meanwhile Crook changed over from the left flank to the right at +Summit Point, the cavalry covering the front and flanks from +Snicker's Gap by way of Smithfield and Martinsburg to the Potomac. +On the 16th of September, Grant, pressed by the government in behalf +of the business interests disturbed by the enemy's control of the +railway and the canal, went to Charlestown to confer with Sheridan. +In the breast-pocket of his coat Grant carried a complete plan of +the campaign he meant Sheridan to carry out; but when, having asked +Sheridan if he could be ready to move on Tuesday, Sheridan promptly +answered he should be ready whenever the General should say "Go +in"--at daylight on Monday, if necessary,--so delighted was Grant +that he said not a word about the plan, but contented himself with +echoing the words, "Go in!" + +(1) Grover's men made the hard march of 69 miles from Washington +in three days; the last 33 miles in 13-1/2 hours, actual time. See +Major Tiemann's "History of the 159th New York," pp. 91, 92. + + +CHAPTER XXXII. +THE OPEQUON.(1) + +Grant's approval of Sheridan's attack was founded on the withdrawal +of Kershaw; but on the 18th of September, just as Sheridan was +about to move on Newtown, meaning to offer Early the choice of +being turned out of Winchester, or being overwhelmed if he should +stay, news came from Averell that he had been driven out of +Martinsburg by two divisions of infantry. These were the divisions +of Rodes and Gordon, with which, enticed at last into a grave error +by the temptation of hearing that the railway was being repaired, +Early had marched on the 17th to Bunker Hill and Martinsburg. When +Sheridan heard of this, and perceived that Early's forces, already +diminished, were strung along all the way from Winchester to +Martinsburg, he stopped the execution of the orders he had already +issued for the movement at four o'clock in the afternoon of that +day, the 18th of September, and replaced them by fresh arrangements +which led to the battle of the Opequon on the 19th. Since last +moving to the Clifton-Berryville line, Sheridan had used his cavalry +to preserve in his front an open space fully six miles in depth, +extending to the banks of the Opequon, meaning not only to have +the first tidings of any offensive movement by the enemy, but also +that when himself ready to move he might be able to take the enemy +by surprise. + +On the evening of the 18th of September, part of Early's cavalry +was at Martinsburg, Gordon occupied Bunker Hill, Wharton was at +Stephenson's, with Rodes closing back on him, while Ramseur alone +covered Winchester in the path of Sheridan's advance. Sheridan +naturally supposed that in a quick movement he would have two +divisions to deal with after crossing the Opequon. + +At two o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 19th of September, on +the very day when Sheridan had told Grant he would be ready to +move, but just three hours earlier, Sheridan put his army in motion +toward the Opequon, covering his flank by directing Merritt and +Averell on Stephenson's. He sent Wilson rapidly ahead on the +Berryville road to carry the ford and to seize the long and deep +defile on the left or east bank through which the main column would +have to advance. Wright was to lead the infantry, closely followed +by Emory, who, in order to solidify the movement, was instructed +to take his orders from Wright after reaching the ford. Crook, +coming in from his more distant position, would naturally fall in +the rear of the others, and he was to mass his men in reserve, +covering the ford. Wright had to move partly across country, and +had farther to go than Emory. Although both started punctually at +the appointed hour, it happened that, about five o'clock, the head +of Wright's column ran into Emory's in march near the crest, whence +the road sweeps down to the Opequon. There Emory halted, by Wright's +orders, to let the Sixth Corps pass. Unfortunately, minute and +thorough as Sheridan's plans and instructions were, he appears to +have underrated the double difficulty of crossing the ford and +threading the long defile, for to this cause must be attributed +the presence of Wright's entire wagon-train in the rear of his +corps, as well as the excess of artillery for the work and the +field. The head of the column could move but slowly; thus the rear +was so long retarded, that, although the crossing began about six +o'clock, and the whole movement was urged on by Sheridan, Wright, +and Emory, and indeed by every one, it wanted but twenty minutes +of noon when the line of battle was finally formed on the rolling +ground overlooking the vale of the Opequon to the rear and Winchester +to the front. Even as it was, Sheridan's eagerness being great, +and the delay seeming interminable, Emory felt obliged to take upon +himself the responsibility of departing from the strict order of +march, and directed Dwight to move his men to the right of the road +and pass the train. Thus it had taken six hours to advance three +miles and to form in order of battle, and the immediate effect of +this delay was that Sheridan had now to deal, not only with Ramseur, +or with the two divisions counted on, but with the whole of Early's +army; for between five and six o'clock in the morning Gordon, Rodes, +and Wharton were all at Stephenson's, distant only five miles from +Winchester or from the field of battle, toward which they all moved +rapidly at the sound of the first firing, due to Wilson's advance. + +Opequon Creek flows at the foot of a broad and thickly wooded gorge, +with high and steep banks. The ravine through which the Berryville +road rises to the level of the rolling plain, in the middle of +whose western edge stands Winchester, is nearly three miles long. +Here and there the high ground is covered with large oaks, pines, +and undergrowth, and is intersected by many brooks, called runs. +Of these the largest is Red Bud Run, which forms a smaller parallel +ravine flanking the defile on the north, while a still larger +stream, called Abraham's Creek, after pursuing a nearly parallel +course on the south side of the defile, crosses the road not far +from the ford, and just below it falls into the Opequon. + +Wilson, after crossing the Opequon and completing his task of +covering the advance of the infantry through the defile, had turned +to the left on the high ground and taken post to cover the flank +on the Senseny road, which, after crossing the Opequon about a mile +and a quarter above the main ford, reaches the outskirts of Winchester +at a point little more than three hundred yards from the Berryville +road. The Sixth Corps formed across the Berryville road, Getty on +its left, Ricketts on its right. Getty rested his left on Abraham's +Creek. Behind him Russell stood in column in support. Emory +prolonged the line of battle to the Red Bud on the right by posting +Sharpe's and Birge's brigades of Grover, with Molineux and Shunk +in the second line, the 9th Connecticut deployed as skirmishers to +cover the right flank of Birge. Dwight's two brigades formed on +the right and rear of Grover in echelon of regiments on the right, +in order not only to support Grover's line, but to cover the flank +against any turning movement by the Confederates or an attack by +their reinforcements coming straight from Stephenson's. Beal's +brigade held the right of Dwight's line, and the brigade line from +right to left was formed in order of the 114th New York, 153d New +York, 116th New York, 29th Maine, and 30th Massachusetts. Beal +covered his right flank by a detail of skirmishers taken from all +his regiments and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Strain, of the +153d New York. McMillan, on the left and rear of Beal, formed in +order of the 47th Pennsylvania, 8th Vermont, 160th New York, and +12th Connecticut, with five companies of the 47th Pennsylvania +deployed to cover the whole right flank of his brigade and to move +forward with it by the flank left in front. Crook had by this time +crossed the ford and was massed on the left or west bank. + +In climbing the hill the Berryville road follows nearly a northwesterly +course, but soon after reaching the high ground bends rather sharply +toward the left, crosses the ravine called Ash Hollow forming the +head of Berryville Canyon, and runs for nearly a mile almost westerly. +Wright was following the road, but as Emory guided upon Wright, +the alignment was to be preserved by Sharpe's keeping his left in +touch with the right of Ricketts. While the ground in Wright's +front was for the most part open, Emory was chiefly in the dense +wood, where the heavy leafage and undergrowth prevented him from +seeing not only the enemy before him, but also the full extent of +his own line. It should be observed with care that Ricketts was +between Sharpe and the Berryville road, while the road was between +Getty and Ricketts, and formed the guide for both; for these facts, +of slight importance though they may seem, were destined presently +to exert an influence wellnigh fatal on the fortunes of the day. + +During the early hours of the morning Ramseur, on the Berryville +road, and the cavalry of Lomax on the Senseny road, had been the +only Confederate force between Sheridan and Winchester. But first +Gordon came up at nine o'clock, and placed himself opposite Emory's +right, his own left resting on the line of the Red Bud; then Rodes, +closely following Gordon, formed between him and Ramseur against +the right of Emory and the left of Wright. + +About a quarter before twelve o'clock, at the sound of Sheridan's +bugle, repeated from corps, division, and brigade headquarters, +the whole line moved forward with great spirit, and instantly became +engaged. Wilson pushed back Lomax, Wright drove in Ramseur, while +Emory, advancing his infantry rapidly through the wood, where he +was unable to use his artillery, attacked Gordon with great vigor. +Birge, charging with bayonets fixed, fell upon the brigade of Evans, +forming the extreme left of Gordon, and without a halt drove it in +confusion through the wood and across the open ground beyond to +the support of Braxton's artillery, posted by Gordon to secure his +flank on the Red Bud road. In this brilliant charge, led by Birge +in person, his lines naturally became disordered, and Grover, +foreseeing the effect of an advance so swift and tumultuous, ordered +Birge to halt and re-form in the wood. This order Birge tried to +execute; but whether the words of command were not heard or were +misunderstood, or in the wild excitement of the moment were wilfully +disregarded by the men, certain it is that their officers found it +impossible to restrain their ardor until they had followed on the +run the broken fragments of Evans quite through the wood and beyond +its farther skirt, where Braxton, using his guns with energy and +skill, brought them to a stand. + +Sharpe, advancing simultaneously on Birge's left, tried in vain to +keep the alignment with Ricketts and with Birge; for now the peculiar +feature of the long alignment across the swerving road began to +work, yet, by reason of the screen of timber, without the cause +being immediately observed by any one. At first the order of battle +formed a right angle with the road, but the bend once reached, in +the effort to keep closed upon it, at every step Ricketts was taking +ground more and more to the left, while the point of direction for +Birge, and equally for Sharpe, was the enemy in their front, standing +almost in the exact prolongation of the defile, from which line, +still plainly marked by Ash Hollow, the road, as we have seen, was +steadily diverging. In short, to continue the march parallel with +the road compelled a left half-wheel, while the battle was with +the enemy straight in front, so that even had it been possible for +Emory to execute his orders literally he must have offered his +wheeling flank fairly to Rodes and to Gordon. + +Sharpe, seeing that the gap between himself and Ricketts was growing +every moment wider, in vain tried to cover it by more than one +oblique movement to the left, and Keifer, whose brigade formed the +right of Ricketts, being also among the first to perceive the fault, +tried to make it good by deploying three of his regiments across +the interval. + +Birge's advance had borne him far to the right, and as Sharpe, in +the vain attempt to keep his alignment with Ricketts, was always +drifting to the left, there came a second and smaller gap between +the two leading brigades of Grover. Into this Molineux was quickly +thrust, and, deploying in parade order, under a heavy fire of cannon +and musketry, at once began firing in return with great effect on +the advancing columns of the enemy. But, shortly before this +happened, the interval between Ricketts and Sharpe had grown to be +nearly four hundred yards wide, and Birge's advance being stayed +at nearly the same instant, Early saw his opportunity and seized +it by throwing against the diverging flanks of Sharpe and Ricketts +the fresh brigade that Battle had that moment brought up from +Stephenson's. This new impulse once more carried forward the rest +of Rodes's division; Ramseur rallied; Early restored his formation; +and the whole Confederate line swept forward with renewed impetuosity, +broke in the whole right of Ricketts and the left of Sharpe, surged +around both flanks of Molineux, and swept back Birge. Sharpe's +line, thus taken fairly in flank, was quickly rolled up. By this, +the left regiment of Molineux, the gallant 22d Iowa, being in quite +open ground, was greatly exposed, so that it, too, was presently +swept back. The 159th New York and the 13th Connecticut, after +holding on stiffly for a time under the partial cover of a sort of +gully, were in like manner swept away, and on the right Birge's +men paid the penalty of their own impetuosity. The left of Ricketts, +less exposed to the shock, stood firm, and the right of Molineux, +isolated as it was, held its ground; but otherwise the whole front +of the battle, from the road to the Red Bud, was gone. As the +Confederates charged down upon a section of Bradbury's 1st Maine +Battery, posted about the centre of the division, Day, who under +many drawbacks had brought up his regiment, the 131st New York, to +a high standard of discipline and efficiency, took prompt and full +advantage of the slight cover afforded by the little wooded ravine +in which he happened to be. With equal coolness and readiness he +changed front forward on his tenth company, yet held his fire until +he could see the shoulders and almost the backs of the enemy; then, +pouring in a hot fire, and being immediately supported by the 11th +Indiana, part of the 3d Massachusetts, and the 176th New York, +which had quickly rallied from Sharpe's reverse, the attacking +force was driven back in disorder; but unfortunately, in retiring +it swept across the remains of Molineux's left centre, which had +been cut off in the gully, and took many prisoners, especially from +among the officers who had stood to their posts through everything. + +Just as when victory had seemed about to alight on the standard of +the Union, the very perch itself had been suddenly and rudely shaken +by the tread of Early's charging columns; so now, at the precise +moment when defeat--bitter, perhaps disastrous defeat--seemed +inevitable, the fortunes of the battle were once more reversed, +and the day was suddenly saved by the prompt and orderly advance +of Russell into the fatal gap. As he changed front from the wood +to the right and swept on in splendid array, it happened that the +charging line of Early, already disarranged by its own success, +offered its right flank to Russell's front. Russell himself, +bravely leading his division, fell, yet not until he had struck +the blow that gave the victory to the defenders of his country,--a +noble sacrifice in a noble cause. + +But on the right a danger almost equally serious menaced the flank +of Emory, for when Birge's men came streaming back, Shunk, who had +been supporting Birge without having men enough to cover the whole +ground, found his left uncovered to Gordon by the giving way of +Sharpe, while at the same time his line was nearly enfiladed from +the right by a section or battery of Fitzhugh Lee's horse artillery +on the north bank of the Red Bud. Seeing all this, Emory instantly +ordered his own old division to deploy at the top of its speed, +and to make good the broken line. "Have this thing stopped at +once," were the terse words of his command to Dwight. Once more, +as at the Sabine Cross-Roads, the 1st brigade was called upon the +yield up its leading regiment for a sacrifice, and again the lot +fell to New York, yet this time upon the 114th, and upon not one +of all the good veteran battalions that held the field on that +19th of September--if indeed upon any in all the armies of the +Union--could the choice have rested more securely. To the left and +front, far into the open field, through the wreck of Grover's right, +into the teeth of the pursuing lines of Gordon, Per Lee led his +regiment. No sooner had his men emerged from the cover of the wood +than they came under the fire of Gordon's infantry and artillery, +crossed with the fire of Fitzhugh Lee's guns beyond the Red Bud; yet +they were not able to fire a musket in return until their own defeated +comrades had passed to the rear. Cruel as the situation was, the +114th marched steadily forward nearly two hundred yards in front +of the forest; then, finding itself quite alone and unsupported, +confronted by the line of battle of the enemy at the skirt of the +timber opposite, Per Lee made his men lie down without other cover +than the high grass, and there, loading on their backs and at every +moment losing heavily, without yielding an inch, they held off the +enemy until support came. That this was longer than usual in coming +was no fault of their comrades, but a mere accident of the situation; +for Dwight's division being formed in echelon of battalions on the +right, just as it had in the first instance been necessary to bring +the 114th into action obliquely to the left, so now Beal was forced +to form the line of battle of his brigade by inversion, and this, +moreover, in the woods, with the steep bank of the Red Bud hampering +his right. Slow though it must have seemed to Per Lee, standing +out there alone, this difficult movement was in reality executed +by Beal with great promptness and rapidity and in admirable order. +As regiment after regiment, beginning with the 153d, came into the +new line at the double-quick by the shortest path, each advanced +with a shout to the rail fence on Per Lee's right and somewhat +toward his rear, and, throwing down the rails, opened a rapid fire. +This checked the enemy. Finding Beal unable to cover all the ground +he was now trying to hold, Emory made Dwight take the 160th New +York from McMillan's brigade and posted it on the right of Beal's. + +McMillan had been ordered to move forward at the same time as Beal, +and to form on his left. The five companies of the 47th Pennsylvania +that had been detached to form a skirmish line on Red Bud Run, to +cover McMillan's right flank, had somehow lost their way on the +broken ground among the thickets, and, not finding them in place, +McMillan had been obliged to send the remaining companies of the +regiment to do the same duty. This detail and the employment of +the 160th New York in Beal's line left McMillan but two of his +battalions, the 8th Vermont and the 12th Connecticut; but although +McMillan, holding the left of the formation in echelon, had farther +to go to reach his position, it was only necessary for him to move +straight to the front, and thus the 8th Vermont formed the right +of his line and the 12th Connecticut the left. Not a moment too +soon did Thomas and Peck bring their good regiments to the support +of Molineux's diminished and almost exhausted brigade, and thus +complete the restoration of Emory's line of battle. Almost at the +first fire Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, the brave, accomplished, and +spirited soldier who had led the 12th Connecticut in every action, +fell mortally wounded by the fragment of a shell. + +The shaken regiments of Grover quickly rallied and re-formed in +good order behind the lines of Dwight, and all pressing forward +once more, took part in the countercharge begun by Russell, by +which the whole Confederate line was driven back in confusion quite +beyond the positions from which they had advanced to the attack. +To this line, substantially, Wright and Emory followed, and, +correcting their position and alignment, waited for events or for +orders. By one o'clock the morning's fight was over. Fierce and +eventful as it had been, it had lasted barely an hour. + +The Confederates, greatly outnumbered from the first, were now, +after their losses and the rough handling they had received, no +longer in condition for the offensive, and from the defensive they +had, as things stood, little to hope. Sheridan, on his part, with +some reluctance, made up his mind that it would be better to give +up his original plan of putting in Crook to the left to cut off +Early's retreat by moving against the valley turnpike near Newtown, +and instead of this to use Crook and the cavalry on the Red Bud +line against Early's left. The time needed for this movement caused +a comparative lull in the battle of about two hours' duration. It +was not so much that the battle died away, for the fire of artillery +and even of musketry was still kept up, as that neither side moved +in force against the other. While waiting for Crook to come into +position on the right, Emory's restored line was formed by Beal on +the right, prolonged toward the left by Shunk, Birge supported by +Molineux, Day with the 131st New York, Allen with the battalion of +the 38th Massachusetts, the 8th Vermont, and the 12th Connecticut +of McMillan supported by the 160th New York, now withdrawn from +the right, and finally Neafie, leading Grover's 3d brigade in place +of Sharpe, who had been carried off the field severely wounded. + +From his position in reserve, covering the Opequon ford, Crook +moved up the right bank of the Red Bud to the rear of Dwight's +first position, and then, dividing his command, posted Thoburn on +the right of Dwight, and sent Duval across the Red Bud to his point +of attack. Then Thoburn, at Emory's request, relieved Beal's front +line of battle, while Emory drew out the 114th, the 116th, and the +153d New York and placed them under Davis to strengthen the centre. +Beal himself was looking to his flank, held by the 47th Pennsylvania +and the 30th Massachusetts. + +Meanwhile Wharton had gone back from the desperate task of covering +the flank at Stephenson's against Merritt's advance and had taken +position in the rear of Rodes. + +As soon as Crook was fairly across the Red Bud, his movement silenced +the battery on the left bank that had been enfilading Emory's line, +and this served to tell Emory that Crook was in place and at work. +Averell and Merritt could be plainly seen surging up the valley +road far in Gordon's left and rear, furiously driving before them +the main body of Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry. About four o'clock the +cheers of Duval's men beyond the Red Bud served as the signal for +Thoburn, and now as Crook moved forward, sweeping everything before +him, from right to left the whole army responded to the impulse. +To meet Thoburn, Breckinridge placed Wharton in position at right +angles with Gordon and with the valley road. Duval, having easily +driven before him everything on the left bank of the Red Bud, waded +through the marsh on his left, crossed the run, and united with +Thoburn. Then Crook, with a sudden and irregular but curiously +effective half-wheel to the left, fell vigorously upon Gordon, and +Torbert coming on with great impetuosity at the same instant, the +weight was heavier than the attenuated lines of Breckinridge and +Gordon could bear. Early saw his whole left wing give back in +disorder, and as Emory and Wright pressed hard, Rodes and Ramseur +gave way, and the battle was over. + +All that remained to Early was to make good his retreat, now +seriously compromised by the steady progress of Wilson toward and +at last upon the Millwood road. Early vainly endeavored to reunite +his shattered fragments behind the lines constructed in the former +campaigns for the defence of Winchester on the east. About five +o'clock Torbert and Crook, fairly at right angles to the first line +of battle, covered Winchester on the north from the rocky ledges +that lie to the eastward of the town nearly to the first position +of Braxton's guns. Thence Wright extended the line at right angles +with Crook and parallel with the valley road, while Sheridan drew +out Emory, who was naturally displaced by these converging movement, +and sent him to extend Wright's line toward the south. + +The disorderly retreat of Early's men once begun, there was no +staying it. Torbert pursued the fugitives to Kernstown, where +Ramseur faced about, but Sheridan, mindful that his men had been +on their feet since two o'clock in the morning, many of them since +one, and had in the meantime fought with varying success a long +and hard fight ending in a great victory, made no attempt to send +his infantry after the flying enemy. + +For what was probably the first time in their lives, his men had +seen every musket, every cannon, and every sabre put in use, and +to good use, by their young and vigorous commander. They had looked +upon a decisive victory ending with the rout of their enemy. +Sheridan himself openly rejoiced, and catching the enthusiasm of +their leader, his men went wild with excitement when, accompanied +by his corps commanders, Wright and Emory and Crook, Sheridan rode +down the front of his lines. Then went up a mighty cheer that gave +new life to the wounded and consoled the last moments of the dying, +for in every breast was firmly implanted the conviction that now +at last the end was in sight, and that deep-toned shout that shook +the hills and the heavens was not the brutal roar of a rude and +barbarous soldiery, coarsely exulting over the distress and slaughter +of the vanquished, but the glad voice of the American people (2) +rejoicing from the hill-top at the first sure glimpse of the final +victory that meant to them peace, home, and a nation saved. + +When the President heard the news his first act was to write with +his own hand a warm message of congratulation, and this he followed +up by making Sheridan a brigadier-general in the regular army, and +assigning him permanently to the high command he had been exercising +under temporary orders. + +The losses of the Army of the Shenandoah, according to the revised +statements compiled in the War Department were 5,018, including +697 killed, 3,983 wounded, 338 missing. Of the three infantry +corps, the Nineteenth, though in numbers smaller than the Sixth, +suffered the heaviest loss, the aggregate being 2,074, while the +total casualties of the Sixth Corps were 1,699, and those of the +West Virginia forces, 794. The total loss of the cavalry was 451. +The loss of the Nineteenth Corps was divided into 314 killed, +1,554 wounded, 206 missing. Of this, far the heaviest share fell +upon Grover's division, which reported 1,527 against 542 in Dwight's +division. Dwight reports 80 killed, 460 wounded, 2 missing; Grover, +234 killed, 1,089 wounded, 204 missing; but Grover had four brigades +in the action while Dwight had two, and this nearly represents the +relative strength of the two divisions. Of the brigades, Birge's +suffered the most, having 107 killed, 349 wounded, 69 missing--together, +525; while Molineux, who came next, had 58 killed, 362 wounded, 87 +missing--together, 507; yet in proportion Sharpe fared the worst, +for his brigade, though but half as strong as Birge's, lost 39 +killed, 222 wounded, 17 missing--together, 278. The 114th +New York heads the fatal record for the day with 44 killed and +mortally wounded, and 141 wounded--together, 185 out of about 270 +in action--nearly sixty-five per cent. + +Dwight's report having been sent back to him by Emory for correction, +and not again presented, no report is to be found from the First +division or any portion of it, except McMillan's brigade and the +12th Connecticut. The most useful detailed accounts of the part +taken by the division are to be found in the admirable histories +of the "First-Tenth-Twenty-Ninth Maine" by Major John M. Gould, +and of the 114th New York by Assistant-Surgeon Harris H. Beecher. + +Prominent among the slain of the Nineteenth Corps, besides +Lieutenant-Colonel Peck, already spoke of, were Colonel Alexander +Gardiner, 14th New Hampshire, Lieutenant-Colonel Willoughby Babcock, +75th New York, Major William Knowlton, 29th Maine and Major Eusebius +S. Clark, 26th Massachusetts. These were fine officers, and their +loss was deeply deplored. + +Early lost nearly 4,000 in all, including about 200 prisoners. +Rodes was killed, Fitzhugh Lee severely wounded. Early was forced +to leave his dead and most of his wounded to be cared for by the +victors, into whose hands also fell five guns and nine battle-flags. + +Severe military critics have sometimes been disposed to find fault +with Early, not merely for scattering his army--which, though +certainly a fault, was handsomely made good by the rapid concentration, +--but even for fighting his battle at Winchester at all. Weakened +by the loss of Kershaw, Early should, these critics think, have +fallen back to Fisher's Hill at the first sign of Sheridan's advance; +yet upon a broad view it is difficult to concede this. The odds +against Early were the same that the Confederates had necessarily +assumed from the beginning. They were desperate; they could not +possibly be otherwise than desperate; they called for desperate +campaigns, and these for desperate battles. Standing on the +defensive at Fisher's Hill, Early would not only have given up the +main object of his campaign and of his presence in the valley, but +would have exposed himself to the risk of being cut off by a turning +column gaining his rear by way of the Luray valley. Indeed, this +would have been more than a risk; sooner or later it would have +been a certainty. + +(1) Also spelled "Opequan." Pronounced O-peck'-an. + +(2) "Hear that! That's the voice of the American people!" Thomas +is said to have exclaimed on hearing the tremendous cheers of his +men for their decisive victory of Nashville. + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. +FISHER'S HILL. + +The frowning heights of Fisher's Hill had long been the bugbear of +the valley. The position was, in truth, a purely defensive one, +its chief value being that there was no other. Except for defence +it was worthless, because it was as hard to get out of as to get +at; and even for defence it was subject to the drawback that it +could be easily and secretly turned upon either flank. In a word, +its strength resided mainly in the fact that between the peaks of +Massanutten and the North Mountain the jaws of the valley were +contracted to a width of not more than four miles. The right flank +of the shortened front rests securely upon the north fork of the +Shenandoah, where it winds about the base of Three Top Mountain +before bending widely toward the east to join the south fork and +form the Shenandoah River. Across the front, among rocks, between +steep and broken cliffs, winds the brawling brook called Tumbling +Run, and above it, from its southern edge, rises the rugged crag +called Fisher's Hill. Here, behind his old entrenchments, Early +gathered the remnants of his army for another stand, and began to +strengthen himself by fresh works. The danger of a turning movement +through the twin valley of Luray was in his mind, and to guard +against it he sent his cavalry to Milford, while Sheridan, who was +thinking of the same thing, ordered Torbert to ride up the Luray +valley from Front Royal. + +On the morning of the 20th of September Sheridan set out to follow +Early, and in the afternoon took up a position before Strasburg, +the Sixth Corps on the right, Emory on the left, and Crook behind +Cedar Creek in support. The next morning, the 21st, Sheridan pushed +and followed Early's skirmishers over the high hill that stands +between Strasburg and Fisher's Hill, overlooking both, drove them +behind the defences of Fisher's Hill, and took up a position covering +the front from the banks of the North Fork on the left, where +Emory's left rested lightly, to the crown of the hill just mentioned, +which commanded the approach by what is called the back road, or +Cedar Creek grade, and was but slightly commanded by Fisher's Hill +itself. This strong vantage-ground Wright wrested from the enemy +after a struggle, and felling the trees for protection and for +range, planted his batteries there. The ground was very difficult, +broken and rocky, and to hold it the Sixth corps had to be drawn +toward the right, while Emory, following the movement, in the dark +hours of the early morning of the 22d of September, extended his +front so as to cover the ground thus given up by Wright. + +Sheridan now thought of nothing short of the capture of Early's +army. Torbert was to drive the Confederate cavalry through Luray, +and thence, crossing the Massanutten range, was to lay hold of the +valley pike at New Market, and plant himself firmly in Early's rear +on his only line of retreat. Crook, by a wide sweep to the right, +his march hidden by the hills and woods, was to gain the back road, +so as to come up secretly on Early's left flank and rear, and the +first sounds of battle that were certain to follow the discovery +of his unexpected approach in this quarter were to serve as a signal +for Wright and Emory to fall on with everything they had. + +During the forenoon of the 22d, Grover held the left of the position +of the Nineteenth Corps, his division formed in two lines in the +order of Macauley,(1) Birge; Shunk, Molineux. Dwight, in the order +of Beal, McMillan, held the right, and connected with Wheaton. In +taking ground towards the right, as already described, this line +had become too extended, and, as it was necessary that the left of +the skirmishers, at least, should rest upon the river, Grover +shortened his front by moving forward Foster with the 128th and +Lewis with the 176th New York to drive in the enemy's skirmishers +opposite, and to occupy the ground that they had been holding. +This was handsomely done under cover of a brisk shelling from Taft's +and Bradbury's guns. As on the rest of the line, the whole front +of the corps was covered as usual by hasty entrenchments. In the +afternoon Ricketts moved far to the right, and seized a wooded +knoll commanding Ramseur's position on Fisher's Hill. In preparation +for the attack Sheridan gave Emory the ground on the left of the +railway, and Wright that beyond it, and Molineux moved forward to +lead the advance of Grover. The sun was low when the noise of +battle was heard far away on the right. This was Crook, sweeping +everything before him as he charged suddenly out of the forest full +upon the left flank and rear of Lomax and Ramseur, taking the whole +Confederate line completely in reverse. The surprise was absolute. +Instantly Wright and Emory took up the movement, and, inspired by +the presence and the impetuous commands of Sheridan, descended +rapidly the steep and broken sides of the ravine, at the bottom of +which lies Tumbling Run, and then rather scrambling than charging +up the rocky and almost inaccessible sides of Fisher's Hill, swarmed +over the strong entrenchments, line after line, and planting their +colors upon the parapets, saw the whole army of Early in disorderly +flight. Foremost to mount the parapet was Entwistle with his +company of the 176th New York. To them the good fortune fell of +being the first to lay hands on four pieces of artillery in battery, +abandoned in the panic caused by the appearance of Crook, but almost +at the same instant Wilson, gallantly leading the 28th Iowa, planted +the colors of his regiment on the works. That nothing might be +wanting to the completeness of the victory, the Confederates, who, +until that moment had felt their position so secure that they had +even taken the ammunition boxes from the caissons, abandoned sixteen +pieces of artillery where they stood. Early was unable to arrest +the retreat of his army until he found himself near Edenburg, four +miles beyond Woodstock. + +Sheridan's loss in this battle was 52 killed, 457 wounded, 19 +missing, in all, 528. Of this the Sixth Corps suffered nearly +half, namely, 27 killed, 208 wounded, 3 missing, in all, 238. +Crook's loss was 8 killed, 152 wounded, 2 missing, total 162, and +Emory accounts for 15 killed, 86 wounded, 13 missing, together 114. +All the casualties of the cavalry numbered but 14. Early reports +his loss in the infantry and artillery alone as 30 killed, 210 +wounded, 995 missing, total 1,235; but Sheridan claims 1,100 +prisoners. + +Now came Torbert's opportunity, but unfortunately, after suffering +a check from the two brigades of Fitzhugh Lee under Wickham, Torbert +had on the 22d fallen back down the Luray valley toward his +starting-point, and when on the afternoon of the 23d word came to +him of what had happened at Fisher's Hill, although he again advanced, +he was then too late. Thus for once the cavalry column completely +failed. Sheridan, from the tenor of his despatches to Torbert, +must have felt that this result was probable, but he did not let +it disturb his own movements, and without a halt he pushed forward +his whole force in pursuit, with slight regard to organization, +each regiment or brigade nearly in the order in which it chanced +to file into the road. Devin's cavalry brigade trod closely on +the heels of what was left of Lomax, and Emory, whose line had +crossed the valley road, pushed up it as fast as the men could move +over the ground. Wright moved in close support of Emory and +personally directed the operations of both corps, the Nineteenth +as well as the Sixth. So fast did the infantry march that it was +ten o'clock at night before Devin, from his place in line on the +right of the Sixth Corps, was able to take the road abreast with +the Nineteenth, and broad daylight before his or any other horsemen +passed the hardy yet toil-worn soldiers of Molineux, who were left +all night to lead the swift pursuit. Molineux caused Day to deploy +the 131st New York as skirmishers on the right of the road, while +the 11th Indiana, led by Macauley, performed the same service on +the left. About half-past eight the head of the column first came +in contact with the rear-guard of the enemy, but this was soon +driven in, and no further resistance was offered until about an +hour later, at the crossing of a creek near Woodstock, a brisk fire +of musketry, aided by two guns in the road, was opened on Molineux's +front, but was quickly silenced. At dawn on the 23d of September +Sheridan went into bivouac covering Woodstock, and let the infantry +rest until early in the afternoon, when he again took up the pursuit +with Wright and Emory, leaving Crook to care for the dead and +wounded. Early fell back to Mount Jackson, and was preparing to +make a stand when Averell coming up, he and Devin made so vigorous +a demonstration with the cavalry alone that Early thought it best +to continue his retreat beyond the North Fork to Rude's Hill, which +stands between Mount Jackson and New Market. + +Sheridan advanced to Mount Jackson on the morning of the 24th of +September, and before nightfall had concentrated his whole army +there. He was moving his cavalry to envelop both of Early's flanks +and the infantry, Wright leading, to attack in front. However, +Early did not wait for this, but retreated rapidly in order of +battle, pursued by Sheridan in the same order, that is by the right +of regiments with an attempt at deploying intervals, through New +Market and six miles beyond to a point where a country road diverges +through Keezeltown and Cross Keys to Port Republic, at the head of +the South Fork. Here both armies halted face to face, Sheridan +for the night; but Early, as soon as it was fairly dark, fell back +about five miles on the Port Republic road, and again halted at a +point about fourteen miles short of that town. + +Early's object in quitting the main valley road, which would have +conducted him to Harrisonburg, covering Staunton, was to receive +once more the reinforcements that Lee, at the first tidings from +Winchester, had again hurried forward under Kershaw. On the 25th +of September, therefore, Early retreated through Port Republic +towards Brown's Gap, where Kershaw, marching from Culpeper through +Swift Run Gap, joined him on the 26th. Here also Early's cavalry +rejoined him, Wickham from the Luray valley, and Lomax, pressed by +Powell, from Harrisonburg. + +Sheridan, keeping to the main road, advanced to Harrisonburg with +Wright and Emory, leaving Crook to hold the fork of the roads where +Early had turned off. At Harrisonburg Torbert rejoined with Merritt +and Wilson. Then Sheridan sent Torbert with Wilson and Lowell by +Staunton to Waynesboro', where, before quitting the valley by +Rockfish Gap, the major road, as well as the railway to Charlottesville, +crossed the affluent of the Shenandoah known as the South River. +To divert attention from this raid Sheridan reinforced Devin, who, +in the absence of Torbert's main body, had been following and +observing Early near Port Republic without other cavalry support, +and thus Merritt presently ran into Kershaw marching to join Early +at Brown's Gap. Early, having gone as far as he wished, turned +upon Merritt and drove him across the South Fork, but just then +getting the first inkling of Torbert's movements, divined their +purpose, and, to check them, marched with all speed, in compact +order and with the greatest watchfulness in every direction, on +Rockfish Gap. But Torbert, having a good start, won the race, and +had accomplished his object when the advance of Early's column came +up, and caused him to draw off. + +Sheridan, on his part, had gone nearly as far as he intended, but +as he meant presently to begin with his cavalry above Staunton the +work of destroying the value of the whole valley to the Confederate +army, on the 29th he ordered Wright and Emory to Mount Crawford to +support Torbert in this work. + +Grant, who, ever since he reached the James, had cast longing eyes +upon the Virginia Central railway, as well as upon the great junction +at Gordonsville, now strongly desired Sheridan to go to Staunton +or Charlottesville, but Sheridan set himself firmly against the +plan on account of the daily increasing difficulty of supplying +his army and the great force that must be wasted in any attempt to +keep open a line of communication longer or more exposed than that +he already had to maintain. As an alternative, Sheridan, who seems +to have thought Early had quitted the valley for good, proposed to +bring the Valley campaign to an end with the destruction of the +crops, and then to move with his main force to join Grant on the +James. Grant, at once agreeing to this, directed Sheridan to keep +Crook in the valley and to transfer the rest of his force to the +armies before Richmond. + +On the morning of the 6th of October Sheridan faced about and began +moving down the valley, the infantry leading in the inverse order +of its advance, and the cavalry bringing up the rear in one long +line that reached from mountain to mountain, busied in burning as +it marched the mills, the barns, and everything edible by man or +beast. From the Blue Ridge to the Shenandoah Mountains, nothing +was spared that might be of use to the Confederates in prolonging +the war. + +When Early discovered this he followed on the morning of the 7th +of October, with his whole force, including Kershaw, as well as +the cavalry brigade of Rosser, sent by Lee from Petersburg. The +command of all the cavalry being given to Rosser, he at once began +treading on the heels of Torbert. On the 9th, at Tom's Brook, +Torbert, under the energetic orders of Sheridan to whip the +Confederate cavalry or get whipped himself, turned on Rosser, and, +after a sharp fight, completely overwhelmed him and hotly pursued +his flying columns more than twenty miles up the valley. Several +hundred prisoners, eleven guns with their caissons, and many +wagons --tersely described by Sheridan "as almost everything on +wheels"--fell into the hands of the captors. But more important +even than these trophies, confidence in Rosser's cavalry was +destroyed at a blow, and its early prestige wiped out forever. + +On the 10th of October Sheridan once more crossed Cedar Creek and +went into camp, Emory holding the right or west of the valley road, +Crook on the left or east of the road, and the cavalry covering +the flanks. Wright took up the line of march by Front Royal on +Washington. + +The first intention of the government was that he should take +advantage of the Manassas Gap railway, which was again being restored +under the protection of Augur's troops; but this work was not yet +completed, and while Wright waited at Front Royal, Grant once more +fell back on his first and favorite plan of a movement on +Charlottesville and Gordonsville. To effect this he wished Sheridan +to take up an advanced position toward the head of the valley, and +to this the government added its favorite notion of rebuilding the +railways in the rear. Halleck even went so far as to instruct +Sheridan to fortify and provision heavily the position Grant had +directed him to occupy. All these ideas Sheridan combated with +such earnestness that he was summoned to Washington for consultation. +Grant at the same time reduced his call on Sheridan for troops for +service on the James to the Sixth Corps, and Sheridan, having on +his own motion stopped the work on the Manassas Gap railway, ordered +Wright to march on Alexandria by Ashby's Gap. Wright set out on +the 12th. + +Sheridan having lost touch with the main body of the Confederates +in returning down the valley, he, in common with Grant and with +the government, now thought that Early had quitted the region for +good. Sheridan's information placed Early variously at Gordonsville, +Charlottesville, and in the neighborhood of Brown's Gap; but in +truth, though nothing had been seen of Early's troops for some +days, they had never gone out of the valley, but had slowly and at +a long and safe interval been following Sheridan's footsteps, so +that on the 13th, while Wright was well on his way towards Alexandria, +and Sheridan himself was getting ready to go to Washington, Early +once more took post at Fisher's Hill, and sent his advance guard +directly on to Hupp's Hill to look down into the Union camps on +the farther bank of Cedar Creek and see what was going on there. +The first news of Early's presence, within two miles of the Union +camp, at the very moment when he was thought to be sixty miles away +on the line of the Virginia Central railway, was brought by the +shells his artillery suddenly dropped among the tents of Crook. +Thoburn at once moved out to capture the battery whose missiles +had presented themselves as uninvited guests at his dinner-table, +but was met by Kershaw and driven back after a sharp fight. Custer, +who was covering the right flank of the army, was assailed at the +same time by the Confederate cavalry, but easily threw off the +attack. At the first sound Torbert sent Merritt from the left to +the support of Custer, and afterward Sheridan kept him there. + +When on the 12th of October Sheridan received Grant's definite +instructions for the movement on Gordonsville and Charlottesville, +he ceased to offer any further opposition, yet, realizing that he +would need his whole force, he withdrew the order for Wright's +movement to Alexandria and sent him word to come back to Cedar +Creek. The head of Wright's column was wading the Shenandoah when +these orders overtook it. Wright at once faced about, and on the +next day, the 14th of October, went into camp behind the lines of +Cedar Creek on the right and rear of Emory. No change was made in +the positions of the other troops, because, until Sheridan's return +from Washington, the policy and plan of the campaign must remain +unsettled, and Wright might at any moment be called upon to resume +his march. + +On the 15th of October Sheridan received formal instructions from +Grant, limiting the proposed movement on Charlottesville and +Gordonsville to a serious menace, instead of an occupation, and +again reducing the call for troops to a single division of cavalry. +Sheridan at once sent Merritt in motion toward Chester Gap, directing +Powell to follow, and he himself rode with Merritt to Front Royal, +meaning to pay his postponed visit to the Secretary of War at +Washington; but on the 16th, before quitting Front Royal, he was +overtaken by an officer from Wright bringing the words of the +strange message read off by our signal officers from the waving +flags of the Confederates in plain sight on the crest of Three Top +Mountain.(2) This message purported to have been sent by Longstreet +to Early. "Be ready," it said, "to move as soon as my forces join +you, and we will crush Sheridan." The true story of this despatch +has not until now been made public,(3) and many are the surmises, +clever or stupid, that have been wasted upon the mystery. In fact, +the message was, as both Sheridan and Wright naturally inferred, +a trick intended to deceive them; Early thought to induce them to +move back without waiting for the attack which, with his reduced +strength, he wished to avoid. The effect was to put the Union +commanders on their guard against what was actually about to happen. +Therefore Sheridan instantly turned back all the cavalry save one +regiment, which he kept for an escort, and rode on to Rectortown, +and so went by rail to Washington--first, however, taking the +precaution to warn Wright to strengthen his position, to close in +Powell from Front Royal, to look well to the ground, and to be +prepared. In his official report of the campaign, Sheridan, speaking +of the events now to be related, said: + +"This surprise was owing probably to not closing in Powell or that +the cavalry divisions of Merritt and Custer were placed at the +right of our line, where it had always occurred to me there was +but little danger of attack." + +But it is important to observe and remember that although Wright, +in sending Longstreet's message, had remarked-- + +"If the enemy should be strongly reinforced in cavalry he might, +by turning my right, give us a great deal of trouble. . . . I shall +only fear an attack on my right," + +yet Sheridan in his reply made no allusion to any difference of +opinion on his part as to the place of danger. His instructions +to close in Powell, Torbert, under Wright's direction, executed by +calling in Moore's brigade to cover Buckton's Ford, on the left +and rear of Crook. Powell, with the rest of his division, was left +at Front Royal to hold off Lomax. + +Sheridan went on to Washington. Arriving there on the morning of +the 17th, he at once asked for a special train to take him to +Martinsburg at noon, and having, between a late breakfast and an +early luncheon, transacted all his business at the War Office, +including the conversion of the government to his views, set out +to rejoin his command. With him went two engineer officers, +Alexander and Thom, with whom he was to consult as to the best +point, if any, in the lower valley to be fortified and held; for +this venerable error was not dead, merely sleeping. + +Torbert rejoined the army at Cedar Creek on the 16th, and Merritt +took up his old position on the right. On the same night Rosser +took one of his brigades with a brigade of infantry mounted behind +the horsemen, and, supported by the whole of Early's army, set out +to capture the outlying brigade of Custer's division, but found +instead a single troop on picket duty. This he took, but it was +a rather mortifying issue to his heavy preparations and great +expectations, and a long price to pay for putting Torbert on the +alert. + +For the next two days nothing was seen of Early, although the +cavalry and both of the infantry corps of the main line kept a good +watch toward the front. There was some probability that Early +would attack, especially if he should have heard of Wright's +departure and not of his return. That Early must either attack +soon or withdraw to the head of the valley was certain, for Sheridan +had stripped the country of the supplies on which the Confederates +had been accustomed to rely, and Early had now to feed his men and +animals by the long haul of seventy-five miles from Staunton. It +was thus that Wright viewed the situation, and in fact the same +things were passing through the mind of Early. On the 18th of +October, Crook, by Wright's orders, sent Harris with his brigade +of Thoburn's division, to find out where Early really was and what +he was doing. How far Harris went is not certainly known, but when +he returned at nightfall he reported that he had been to Early's +old camps and found them evacuated. In reality Early was at Fisher's +Hill with his whole force, engaged in his last preparations for +the surprise of the morrow, but the report brought back by Harris +soon spread as a camp rumor among the officers and men of Crook, +so that they may have slept that night without thought of danger +near, and even the vigilance of their picket line, as well as that +of the cavalry to whom they largely looked for protection against +a surprise, may or may not have been inopportunely relaxed. + +For Early, warned of the strength of Sheridan's right, by the +failure of Rosser's adventure, had since been studying the chances +of an attack on the opposite flank. To this indeed the very +difficulty of the approach invited, for in all wars enterprises +apparently impracticable have been carelessly guarded against and +positions apparently impregnable have been loosely watched and +lightly defended, so that it might not be too much to say that +every insurmountable difficulty has been surmounted and every +impregnable stronghold taken. Such apprehensions as the commander +of the Union army may be supposed to have entertained were directed +toward his right, where Torbert was, and where the back road to +Winchester gave easy access to his rear. + +While Early was engaged in considering this plan, he sent Gordon, +accompanied by Major Hotchkiss of the engineers, to the signal +station on the crest of Three Top Mountain to examine the position +of the Union army and to study the details of the proposed movement. +From this height these officers looked down upon the country about +Cedar Creek as upon an amphitheatre and saw the Union camps as in +a panorama. Every feature was in plain view; they counted the +tents; they noted the dispositions for attack; they made out the +exact situation of the various headquarters; and casting careful +glances into the shadowy depths of the Shenandoah, winding about +the foot of the mountain far below them, they perceived that the +flank of Three Top afforded a footing for the passage of the infantry +at least. Upon this information Early was not long in deciding +upon his course. Under cover of the night he would send the +divisions of Gordon, Ramseur, and Pegram,(4) all under the command +of Gordon, over the Shenandoah near Fisher's Hill, across the +ox-bow, to the foot of Three Top. Thence picking his way over the +foot of the mountain, Gordon in two columns was to cross the river +a second time at McInturff's Ford, just below the mouth of Cedar +Creek and at Bowman's Ford, several hundred yards below. There he +would find himself on the flank and in easy reach of the rear of +Crook, and indeed of the whole Union army, with nothing but a thin +line of pickets to hinder the rush. While Gordon was thus stealthily +creeping into position for his spring, Early meant to take Kershaw +and Wharton upon the valley road and quietly to gain a good position +for assailing Crook and Emory in front, as soon as the rifles of +Gordon should be heard toward the rear. Rosser was to drive in +the cavalry on the right of the Union army, while Lomax, from the +Luray, was expected to gain the valley road somewhere near Newtown, +so as to cut off the retreat. Everything that could jingle or +rattle was to be left behind, and the march was to be made in dead +silence, while, as the rumble of the guns would be sure to reveal +the movement, the whole of the artillery was massed at Strasburg, +all ready to gallop to the front as soon as the battle should begin. + +A closer study of the trail showed Gordon that it would be possible, +however difficult and risky, for dismounted troopers to lead their +horses over the path already marked out for his infantry. Accordingly +the cavalry brigade of Payne was added to Gordon's column, and +after surprising and making good the passage of the fords, the +first duty of these horsemen was to ride straight to Belle Grove +House and capture Sheridan. Early supposed Sheridan to be still +present in command. + +Bold as was Early's design of surprising and attacking the vastly +superior forces of Sheridan, under conditions that must inevitably +stake everything upon the hazard of complete success, it may well +be doubted whether in the whole history of war an instance can be +found of any similar plan so carefully and successfully arranged +and so completely carried out in every detail, up to the moment +that must be looked for in the execution of every operation of war, +when the shock of battle comes and puts even the wisest prevision +in suspense. + +(1) As the wounding of Sharpe left no officer present with his +brigade of higher rank than lieutenant-colonel, Emory took Colonel +Daniel Macauley, 11th Indiana, from the 4th brigade and placed him +in command of the 3d. + +(2) According to Sheridan, agreeing with the general recollection +of the survivors; but Wright and Early both say Round Top, which +is behind Fisher's Hill. Might not the message sent from Round +Top have been repeated from Three Top? + +(3) To the courtesy and kindness of General Early, the author is +greatly indebted for the key to the riddle. Under date of Lynchburg, +Virginia, November 6, 1890, he writes: "The signal message . . . +was altogether fictitious. As Sheridan's troops occupied the north +bank of Cedar Creek in such a strong position as to render it +impracticable for me to attack them in front, I went to the signal +station just in my rear for the purpose of examining the position, +and I found the officer in charge of the station reading some +signals that were being sent by the Federal signal agents. I then +asked him if the other side could read his signals and he told me +that they had discovered the key to the signals formerly used, but +that a change had been made. I then wrote the message purporting +to be from Longstreet and had it signalled in full view of the +Federal signal men whom we saw on the hill in front of my position, +so that it might be read by them. My object was to induce Sheridan +to move back his troops from the position they then occupied, and +I am inclined to think that if he had then been present with his +command he would have done so. However, the movement was not made, +and I then determined to make the attack which was made on the 19th +of October. The object of that attack was to prevent any troops +from being returned to Grant's army." + +(4) Observe that Ramseur was now commanding the division that had +been Rodes's; Pegram having succeeded to Ramseur's old division. + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. +CEDAR CREEK. + +The ground whereon the Army of the Shenandoah now found itself was +the same on which Sheridan had left it, the troops were the same, +and the formations were in all important particulars the same as +when he had been present in command, strengthened, however, by +additional entrenchments. Twice before the army had occupied the +same line, and on both occasions Sheridan had emphatically condemned +it as a very bad one. Briefly, the position was formed by the last +great outward bend of Cedar Creek before its waters mingle with +those of the Shenandoah, the left flank resting lightly on the +river, the centre strongly across the valley road, and the extreme +right on the creek near the end of the bow. + +Crook held a high and partly wooded height or range of heights on +the left or east (1) of the valley road, and nearly parallel with +it. Thoburn occupied the most advanced spur overlooking the mouth +of the creek, while on his left and rear Hayes and Kitching faced +toward the Shenandoah with their backs to the road. As the road +descended to cross Cedar Creek by the bridge (2) and ford, it +followed the course of a rivulet on its left, and three quarters +of a mile from Crook, on the opposite side of this ravine and of +the road, Emory was posted on a hill whose crest rose steeply a +hundred and fifty feet above the bed of the creek. Here Emory +planted nearly the whole of his artillery to command the bridge +and the neighboring ford and the approaches on the opposite bank, +but the slope and crest of this hill were completely and easily +commanded from the higher ground held by Thoburn and by Hayes. +From the valley road on the left, Emory's line stretched +crescent-wise, until its right rested upon a natural bastion formed +by the highest part of the hill, whence the descent is precipitous, +not only to the creek in front, but on the flank to the gorge of +Meadow Brook. This little stream rising some miles farther north near +Newtown, and flowing now between high banks and again through marshy +borders in a general direction nearly parallel to the road, empties +into Cedar Creek about three quarters of a mile above the bridge. +Just below the mouth of the brook Cedar Creek can be crossed by a +ford lying nearly in a direct prolongation of the line of the valley +road from the point where in descending it swerves to the east to +pass the bridge, and midway between the bridge and the Meadow Brook +ford is still another ford overlooked by Emory's right wing and +commanded by the guns of his artillery. Dwight's division formed +the right of Emory's line and Grover's the left. From right to +left the front line was composed of the brigades of Thomas, Molineux, +Birge, and Macauley, with Davis in reserve supporting Thomas, and +Shunk, likewise in reserve, supporting Macauley and Birge.(3) + +The fronts of Emory and Crook overlooking the creek were strongly +entrenched, and Crook was engaged in extending his line of works +toward the left and rear of Thoburn to cover the front of Hayes, +but this fresh line was as yet unoccupied. Wright's corps, commanded +by Ricketts during the absence of Sheridan, while Wright himself +commanded the army, was held in reserve on the high ground known +as Red Hill overlooking Meadow Brook from the eastward, the divisions +encamped for convenience in a sort of irregular echelon, with +Ricketts's, under Keifer, in front, Upton's, commanded by Wheaton, +on the right and rear in close support, and Getty's on the left +and rear of both, and thus nearer to the valley road than either. +Behind the Sixth Corps, opposite Middletown, on the high ground on +both sides of Marsh Run, was Merritt, and far away on his right, +watching the approaches and the crossing by the back road, stood +Custer. + +As the Sixth Corps held no part of the front, but formed a general +reserve, its position was not entrenched. Torbert, Emory, and +Crook each picketed and watched his own front, and there was not +a horseman between the infantry and the supposed position of the +enemy at or beyond Fisher's Hill. + +Emory had for some days been distrustful of the excessive tranquillity, +and on the previous evening his uneasiness had rather been augmented +by a report that came to him from Thomas of a little group of men +in citizens' dress that had been seen during the day moving about +on the edge of Hupp's Hill, as if engaged in noting with more +intentness than is usual among civilians the arrangement of the +Union camps. This incident Emory reported to Wright for what it +might be worth, and Wright, on his part, being already doubtful of +the exactness of the information brought in by Harris, ordered +Emory and Torbert each to send out a strong reconnoitring party in +the early morning, to move in parallel columns on the valley road +and on the back road, with the significant caution that they were +to go far enough to find out whether Early was still at Fisher's +Hill or not. + +After crossing the Shenandoah and reaching the foot of Three Top, +Gordon halted his men for a few hours' rest before the hard work +awaiting them. At one o'clock he silently took up the line of +march over the rugged trail toward McInturff's and Bowman's fords, +and at five o'clock seized both crossings, with the merest show of +resistance from Moore's outlying brigade, and pressed on to Cooley's +house, the white house he had noted from Three Top. This landmark, +as he knew, was barely thirteen hundred yards from the nearest +flank of his enemy. He passed nearly half that distance beyond +the house and, as pre-arranged, silently formed his three divisions +for the attack. Within five minutes he could be in Kitching's camp. + +At the last moment, hearing that Crook was strengthening his +entrenchments, Early so far changed his plan as to part company +with Wharton at Strasburg, and then, bearing off to the right, to +conduct Kershaw to the banks of Cedar Creek at the ford that now +bears the name of Roberts. This is about twelve hundred yards +above the mouth of the creek; and there, at half-past three in the +morning, in the long shadows of the full moon,(4) Early stood with +Kershaw at his back and the sleeping ranks of Thoburn directly in +his front, and waited only for the appointed hour. At half-past +four, Early again set Kershaw in motion. The crossing of Cedar +Creek was unobserved and unopposed. Once on the north bank, Kershaw +deployed to the right and left, and stood to arms listening for +Gordon. + +Wharton, who had already formed under cover of the tress, on the +edge of Hupp's Hill, crept down the slope to the front of the wood, +and there, likewise in shadow, hardly a thousand feet from the +bridge and the middle ford, he too watched for the signal. + +To crown all, as the dawn drew near a light fog descended upon the +river bottom and covered all objects as with a veil. + +Almost from the beginning it had been the custom of the Nineteenth +Army Corps, at all times when in the presence of the enemy, to +stand to arms at daybreak. Moreover as Molineux was to go out on +a reconnoissance by half-past five, his men had breakfasted and +were lying on their arms waiting for the order to march. Birge +and Macauley were to be ready to follow in support after a proper +interval, and Shunk was to cover the front of all three during +their absence. McMillan had also been notified to support the +movement of Grover's brigades. Emory himself was up and dressed, +the horses of his staff were saddled, and his own horses were being +saddled, when from the left a startling sound broke the stillness +of the morning air. + +This was the roar of the one tremendous volley by which Kershaw +made known his presence before the sleeping camp of Thoburn. In +an instant, before a single shot could be fired in return, before +the muskets could be taken from the stacks, before the cannoneers +could reach their pieces, Kershaw's men, with loud and continuous +yells, swarmed over the parapet in Thoburn's front, seized the +guns, and sent his half-clad soldiers flying to the rear. Thus +Kershaw, who a moment before had been without artillery, suddenly +found himself in possession of the seven guns that had been planted +to secure Thoburn's ground. Then upon Emory and upon Hayes, as +well as against the flying fugitives, he turned the cannon thus +snatched from their own comrades. + +At the first sound Molineux moved his men back into the rifle-pits +they had left an hour before, and Emory, ordering his corps to +stand to arms, rode at once to the left of his line at the valley +road to find out the meaning of this strange outbreak. Knowing +that Molineux was near and ready, Emory drew from him two regiments, +the 22d Iowa and the 3d Massachusetts, to support the artillery +planted on the left to command the bridge. Hardly had this been +done when the shells began to fall among the guns and to enfilade +the lines of the infantry. What could this mean but the thing that +had actually happened to Thoburn? Grover joined Emory, Crook came +from Belle Grove, and Wright from his camp beyond Meadow Brook. +The fugitives from Thoburn's unfortunate division went streaming by. + +Then suddenly from the left and rear came the startling rattle of +the rifles that told of Gordon's attack on the exposed flank of +Hayes and Kitching. While all eyes were directed toward Kershaw, +Gordon, still further favored by the fog, the outcry, and the noise +of the cannonade, was not perceived by the troops of Hayes and +Kitching until the instant when his solid lines of battle, unheralded +by a single skirmisher of his own, and unannounced by those set to +watch against him, fell upon the ranks of Crook. He tried in vain +to form on the road. Startled from their sleep by the surprise of +their comrades on their right, and naturally shaken by the disordered +rush of the fugitives through their ranks, his men, old soldiers +and good soldiers as they were, gave way at the first onset, before +the fire of Gordon had become heavy and almost without stopping to +return it. + +Then swiftly Gordon and Kershaw moved together against the uncovered +left and rear of Emory, while at the same time Early, who after +seeing Kershaw launched, had ridden back for Wharton and the +artillery, was bringing them into position for a front attack. +Besides the sounds that had aroused Emory and Crook, Wright, from +his more remote position, had listened to the rattle of Rosser's +carbines,(5) but after a moment of natural doubt had perceived that +the true attack was on the left, and accordingly he had ordered +Ricketts to advance with Getty and Keifer to the valley road toward +the sound of the battle. If this was to be of the least advantage, +the valley road must be somehow held by somebody until Ricketts +should come. Emory sent Thomas across the road into the ravine +and the wood beyond, and bade him stand fast at all hazards. But +the time was too short. Thomas, after a desperate resistance, was +forced back by the overwhelming masses of Kershaw, yet not until +this tried brigade had left a third of its number on the ground to +attest its valor. About the colors of the 8th Vermont the fight +was furious. Again and again the colors were down; three bearers +were slain; before the sun rose two men out of three had fallen, +that the precious emblems might be saved.(6) Thus were many +priceless minutes won. Then, as there was no longer anything to +hinder the advance of Kershaw on the left, and of Gordon on the +rear, while Wharton and the forty guns of Early's artillery were +beginning their work in front, from the left toward the right, +successively the brigades of the Nineteenth Corps began to give +way; yet as they drifted toward the right and rear, in that stress +the men held well to their colors, and although there may and must +have been many that fell out, not a brigade or a regiment lost its +organization for a moment. + +When the pressure reached Molineux and Davis on the reverse side +of the entrenchments, both brigades began moving off, under Emory's +orders, by the right flank to take position near Belle Grove on +the right of Ricketts's division of the Sixth Corps, which had come +up and was trying to extend its line diagonally to reach the valley +road. To cover this position and to hold off the onward rush of +Gordon, Emory had already posted the 114th and the 153d New York +on the commanding knoll five hundred yards to the southward +overlooking the road. When driven off these regiments rejoined +their brigade before Belle Grove. Thither also came the detached +regiments of Molineux, and there Neafie joined them with the 3d +brigade, after a strong stand at their breastworks, wherein Macauley +fell severely wounded, and the 156th and 176th had hard fighting +hand-to-hand to keep their colors, at the cost of the staves. +Birge retired along the line of works to the open ground beyond +Meadow Brook, where Shunk joined him. + +In quitting their posts at the breastworks Haley, having lost +forty-nine horses killed in harness, had to abandon three guns of +his 1st Maine battery, and Taft lost three pieces of his 5th New +York battery at the difficult crossing of Meadow Brook. There, too, +from the same cause, three guns of the 17th Indiana and two of the +Rhode Island battery were abandoned. The losses of the infantry +were to be counted in thousands. Grover was slightly wounded; +Macauley, as has been said, severely. Emory had lost both his +horses, and was for a time commanding the corps afoot. Birge rode +a mule. Thus the Nineteenth Corps lost eleven guns. Crook had +already lost seven, and the Sixth Corps was presently to lose six. + +With Gordon on his flank and rear, every moment drawing nearer to +the mastery of the valley road, Wright had to think, and to think +quickly, of the safety and the success of the army he commanded. +For it there was no longer a position south of Middletown. What +security was there that Custer and Powell would be able all day +long to hold off, as in the event they did, the flank and rear +attacks of Rosser and of Lomax? What if the Longstreet message +were true and yet a third surprise in store? Time, time was needed, +whether to bring up the troops or to change front, to march to the +rear past the faces of the advancing enemy, to hold him in check, +and to re-form. Whatever was to be done was to be done quickly; +and Wright, throwing prudence into the balance, made up his mind +for a retreat to a fresh position, where his line of communications +would be preserved and its flanks protected. Middletown and the +cavalry camp pointed out the ground. Accordingly he gave the word +to Getty, Ricketts being wounded, to retire on Middletown, guiding +on the valley road, and to Emory to form on Getty's right--that +is, on the left of the Sixth Corps in retreat. The battle had been +raging for nearly an hour when Wright gave this order to abandon +Belle Grove. The retreat threw upon Getty's division, now under +Grant, the severe task of covering the exposed right flank of the +army in retreat, while the left was gradually swinging into the +direction of the new line. Getty, having handsomely performed this +service, crossed Meadow Brook abreast with Middletown and took +position on the high and partly wooded ground that rises beyond +the brook to the west of the village and on a line with Merritt's +camp. Here, on the southern edge of the village cemetery and on +the crest behind it, Getty planted his artillery, posted Grant to +hold the immediate front, and somewhat in his rear, under the trees, +following the contour of the hill, as it rises toward the west, he +placed Wheaton and Keifer. + +To reach his position on the left of Getty in retreat, Emory had +to gain ground to the westward, to descend the hill from Belle +Grove, to cross Meadow Brook, and climbing the opposite slope to +face about and re-form his line in good order on the crest of Red +Hill. Here, before Dr. Shipley's house, nearly across the ground +where the men of Wheaton and of Getty had slept the night before, +for the best part of an hour Emory stood at bay. Kershaw followed +over the Belle Grove Hill, across Meadow Brook, up the slope of +Red Hill, and formed line facing north; but then, seeing the fighting +part of Emory's infantry before him and the formidable array of +Merritt's cavalry in close support, he refrained from renewing the +attack until Early could send Gordon to his aid. Thus the bold +stand at Red Hill gave the time the situation craved, and while +Kershaw waited, Emory, following his orders from Wright, crossed +over to the cemetery (7) and placed himself on the west of Getty. +Thomas rejoined McMillan. Torbert meanwhile had moved over with +Merritt to the left flank. Thus around the cemetery, about +half-past seven, the unshaken strength of the Army of the +Shenandoah was gathered, every eye looking once more toward the +south. + +While awaiting the general attack for which Early was plainly +preparing, Wright deployed his lines, according to the ground, from +the south wall of the cemetery overlooking Meadow Brook on the +left, in a rough echelon of divisions to Marsh Brook on the right, +in order of Grant, Keifer, Wheaton, Grover, McMillan. Between the +arms of Marsh Brook, in front and behind the Old Forge road, on +open ground nearly as high as Getty's, Emory formed his corps in +echelon of brigades. Here, not doubting that the decisive combat +of the day was to be fought, Emory began fortifying his front with +the help of loose rails and stones. + +To protect himself against the menacing movement of the cavalry on +his right in front of Middletown, Early posted Ramseur with two +batteries directly across the valley road, and when he saw Getty's +stand near the cemetery, he brought Wharton directly down the road +and sent him to the attack, but this Getty easily threw off and +drove back Wharton in such confusion that before renewing the +attempt Early waited to complete a new line of battle almost +perpendicular to his first and therefore to the road. From the +right at Middletown to the left at Red Hill the new line was formed +by Pegram, Ramseur, Kershaw, and Gordon, with Wharton behind Pegram. +On the right of this line also Early massed the forty guns of his +artillery augmented by some of the twenty-four pieces taken from +the Union army. + +And now the increasing heat of the sun dissolved the fog, and +revealed to the combatants the true situation of affairs. To Early +the position of the Union army, its salient, as it were, lying +directly before him where he stood, seemed so strong that he +hesitated to hazard another attack until the concentrated fire of +his artillery should have produced an impression, while to Wright, +not only was the menace of Early's artillery very obvious, but the +weakness of his own left flank, broken by Meadow Brook and adhering +lightly to the valley road, was still present. + +The force of Early's first onset was spent; his one chance of +seizing and holding the valley road in the rear of the Union army +had slipped away, while his cavalry had utterly failed to accomplish +any part of the task confided to it. Time and strength had both +been lost to the Confederates by the uncontrollable plunder of the +camps and the sutlers' stores. + +The Old Forge road is but a country lane that crosses the field +from the north end of Middletown. It afforded no position, its +chief value being as uniting the wings of the army, and Wright's +object in taking up this line was simply to gain time to develop +a better fighting line still farther to the rear. Now, seeing that +Getty had accomplished his purpose in holding on at the cemetery, +Wright ordered him to move slowly, in line of battle, toward the +north, guiding on the valley road, with Merritt's cavalry beyond +it following and covering the operation, while Emory, taking up +the movement in his turn, was to look to Wheaton for his guide. +Wright's order found Emory's men in the act of completing their +hasty defences, while Emory was moving about among them strongly +declaring his purpose not to go back another inch. + +Getty began by withdrawing Grant, and when Grant had passed for +some distance beyond the left of Keifer, his right in retreat, +Keifer followed, while on his left, in retreat, Wheaton, and on +Wheaton's left Emory marched, as nearly as may be, shoulder to +shoulder in a solid line. Thus Keifer formed the centre of the +retreating line of battle, with Ball on his right and Emerson on +his left. Having to pass over rough ground and among trees, the +line was broken to the reversed front by the right of regiments, +the head of each guiding on its right-hand neighbor. Thus it +happened (8) that in passing through a thick wood, Keifer's division +was split in two, his brigades losing sight of one another, so that +on coming once more into the open field, Ball found himself alone +with no other troops in sight on either hand; but soon hearing the +sound of Getty's guns over the right shoulder, he faced about and +marched back to a stone wall upon a lane, where he found Getty +already in position. Emerson, however, moving more quickly through +the wood, because the ground was easier, continued his march toward +the north, continually bearing to the right as he went, in order +to regain the lost touch with Ball, while on the left Wheaton and +Emory, knowing nothing of the break, naturally and gradually +conformed to the movement of Emerson. Finally, when the left of +the line once more entered the woods, Emerson, gradually changing +the direction toward the right, drifted Wheaton away from Emory, +and when this was perceived by the commanders, each began to look +for his neighbor. It is also probable that when the separation +took place the interval was gradually widened by Emory's movement +with his right resting on a road that, while apparently following +the true line of direction, really carried him every moment a little +farther toward the left. However that may be, when almost at the +same instant Wheaton and Emory halted and faced about, they found +themselves about eight hundred yards apart, a thousand yards behind +the line that Getty had just taken up, on the westward prolongation +of which Keifer had joined him with the brigade of Ball. + +The affair had now lasted five hours; the retreat was at an end; +a tactical accident had carried it half a mile farther than was +intended; as it was, from the extreme front of Emory at daybreak +to his extreme rear at eleven o'clock, the measured distance was +but four miles. Every step of the way had been traversed under +orders--under orders that had carried the Nineteenth Corps three +times across the field of battle, so that its march, from Belle +Grove to the Old Forge road, might be represented by the letter N. + +When Early saw the Union line retreating, he moved forward to the +cross-road beyond the cemetery, and posted his troops behind the +stone walls. Wharton extended the line on the east side of the +turnpike, with three batteries massed between him and the road. +Pegram covered the turnpike, his left resting on Meadow Brook, and +beyond it Ramseur, Kershaw, and Gordon carried the line to the east +bank of Middle Marsh Brook. Early had now two courses open to him: +one was to extricate his army from its position, with its enemy +directly in front and Cedar Creek in rear, before the Union commander +could take the initiative; the other was to attack vigorously with +all his force before the Union infantry should be able to complete +the new line of battle now plainly in the act of formation. In +either case, although he could easily see than on both flanks the +line of his infantry far overlapped that of his antagonist, Early +must have perceived that he had to reckon with the whole mass of +the Union cavalry, unshaken and as yet untouched. Moreover, his +men had already done a long and hard day's work after a short night. + +Depleted as were the ranks of the Union infantry by the heavy battle +losses of the early morning, and the still heavier losses by the +misconduct of the stragglers of all the corps except the cavalry, +it was not to be doubted that the men who stood by the colors on +the Old Forge road meant to abide to the end. As all old soldiers +know, the fighting line, granting that enough remain to make a +fighting line, is never so strong as the moment after the first +shock of battle has shaken out the men that always straggle on the +march and skulk on the field. When, therefore, the first compact +line faced about, it was with determination and with hope; yet +scarcely had the fires of resolution been relit and begun to kindle +to a glow than they were suddenly extinguished and all was plunged +in gloom by the unlooked-for order to retreat. Upon the whole army +a lethargy fell, and though every man expected and stood ready to +do his duty, it was with a certain listlessness amounting almost +to indifference that he waited for what was to come next. In the +sensations of most, hunger was perhaps uppermost, and while some +munched the bread and meat from their haversacks and other waited +to make coffee, many threw themselves upon the ground where they +stood and fell asleep. + +Far down the road from among the crowd of fugitives, where no man +on that field cared to look, came a murmur like the breaking of +the surf on a far-off shore. Nearer it drew, grew louder, and +swelled to a tumult. Cheers! The cheers of the stragglers. As +the men instinctively turned toward the sound, they were seized +with amazement to see the tide of stragglers setting strongly toward +the south. Then out from among them, into the field by the roadside, +cantered a little man on a black horse, and from the ranks of his +own cavalry arose a cry of "Sheridan!" Through all the ranks the +message flashed, and, as if it had been charged by the electric +spark, set every man on his feet and made his heart once more beat +high within him. + +This was Wednesday, and Sheridan, before finally setting out for +Washington, had told Wright to look for him on Tuesday. Rapidly +despatching, as has been seen, his business at the War Office, +Sheridan left Washington by the special train he had asked for at +noon on the 17th, accompanied by the engineers charged with the +duty of selecting the position that Halleck wished to fortify. +They slept that night at Martinsburg, and rode the next day, the +18th of October, to Winchester. There Sheridan learned that all +was well with his army and was also told of the reconnoissances +projected for the next morning. He determined to remain at Winchester +in order to go over the ground the next morning with the engineers. +Aroused about six o'clock by the report of heavy firing, he ascribed +it to the reconnoitring column, and thought but little of it until, +between half-past eight and nine, having finished his breakfast, +he became uneasy at the continued sound of the cannon. Then mounting +"Rienzi," accompanied by his staff and followed by his escort, he +rode out to join his army where he had left it, fourteen miles +away, on the banks of Cedar Creek. The fight of the morning had +come to an end an hour ago. Riding at an easy trot half a mile +out on the hill beyond Abraham's Creek,(9) he was shocked to see +the tattered and dishevelled head of the column of stragglers, +every man making the best of his way toward the Potomac, without +his arms, his equipments, or his knapsack, carrying, in short, +nothing but what he wore. Most of these must have been shaken out +of the ranks when Kershaw surprised the camp of Thoburn. If this +be so, they had travelled more than thirteen miles in little more +than three hours. + +This appalling sight brought to Sheridan's mind the Longstreet +message, "Be ready when I join you, and we will crush Sheridan." +Should he stop his routed army at Winchester and fight there? No, +he must go to his men, restore their broken ranks, or share their +fate. How he rode on has been made famous in song and story, yet +never so well told as in the modest narrative, stamped in every +line with the impress of the soldier's truthful frankness, than in +the entertaining volumes that were the last work of the great +leader's life.(10) + +Once arrived on the field, about half-past ten or perhaps eleven +o'clock, Sheridan lost no time in assuming personal command of the +army. Establishing his headquarters on the hill behind Getty, he +proceeded to complete the dispositions he found already in progress. +He saw at a glance that the line on which Wright had placed Getty +was well chosen; and though knowing nothing of the break that had +taken place during the accidental loss of direction by the left +wing of Getty's corps, and so wrongly inferring from what he saw +that Getty was a mere rear-guard, he yet adopted the position for +his fighting line, sent his staff officers with orders for the rest +of the troops to form on that line, and thus actually completed +the arrangements begun by Wright. It sufficed that Emerson, Wheaton, +and Emory should face about, as they were already about to do, and +should form on the prolongation of Getty's line. This they did +promptly and in perfect order. Wright resumed the command of the +Sixth Corps and Getty of his own division. Then feeling his left +quite strong enough under Merritt's care, Sheridan sent Custer, +for whom he had other designs, back to the right flank. + +It was past noon before all this was accomplished. Then Sheridan, +content with the position and appearance of his own army, and +perceiving that Early was getting ready to attack him, acted on +the suggestion of Major George Forsyth, his aide-de-camp, and rode +the length of the line of battle in order to show himself to his +men. A tumult of cheers greeted him and followed him as, hat in +hand, he passed in front of regiment after regiment, speaking a +few words of encouragement to each. Sheridan possessed in a degree +unequalled the power of raising in the hearts of his soldiers the +sort of enthusiasm that, transmuting itself into action, causes +men to attempt impossibilities, and to disregard and overcome +obstacles. Almost from the moment of entering the valley he had +gained the confidence of the infantry, to whom he had been a +stranger. By the cavalry he had long been idolized. The feeling +of an army for its general is a thing not to be reasoned with or +explained away; once aroused, it belongs to him as exclusively as +the expression of his face, the manner of his gait, or the form of +his signature, and is not to be transferred to his successor or +delegated even to the ablest of his lieutenants, whatever the skill, +the merit, or the reputation of either. The mere presence of +Sheridan in the ranks of the Army of the Shenandoah that day brought +with it the assurance of victory. + +Emory at first formed his corps in two lines, the First division +under Dwight, whom Sheridan had released from arrest, on the right, +and Grover on the left; but soon the whole corps was deployed in +one line in the order from right to left by brigades of McMillan, +Davis, Birge, Molineux, Neafie, Shunk. + +When the line of the Old Forge road was abandoned by Wright, Early +moved forward and occupied it. Between one and two o'clock he +advanced Gordon and Kershaw to attack Wheaton and Emory. Seeing +that the weight of the attack was about to fall on the right, +Sheridan sent Wheaton to the support of Emory. However, Gordon's +onset proved so light that no assistance was needed, for, after +three or four volleys had been exchanged, the attack was easily +and completely thrown off. Kershaw's movement was even more feeble. + +Several causes now delayed the counter attack of Sheridan. Crook +was endeavoring to re-form the stragglers on his colors behind +Merritt. Apprehension of the coming of Longstreet was only dissipated +by the information gained from prisoners during the afternoon, and +finally arose a false rumor of the appearance of a column of +Confederate cavalry in the rear toward Winchester; and this seemed +plausible enough until at last word came from Powell that he was +still holding off Lomax. Then Sheridan gave the signal for the +whole line to go forward against the enemy, beginning with Getty +on the left, as a pivot, while the whole right was to sweep onward, +and, driving the enemy before it, to swing toward the valley road +near the camps of the morning. + +About four Getty started, and the movement being taken up in +succession toward the right, in a few minutes the whole line was +advancing steadily. From that moment to the end the men hardly +stopped an instant for anything. The resistance of the Confederates, +though at first steady, and here and there even spirited, was of +short duration. For a few moments, indeed, the attack seemed to +hang on the extreme right as McMillan, rushing on even more rapidly +than the order of the combat demanded, found himself suddenly +enveloped by the right wheel of the brigade of Evans, forming the +extreme left of the division of Gordon and of the Confederate army. +But while McMillan was thus attacked and his leading troops were +called to meet the danger, this, as suddenly as it had come, was +swept away by the swift onset of Davis directly upon the front and +flank of Evans. To do this Davis had not only to act instantly, +but also to change front under a double fire; yet he and his brigade +were equal to the emergency, and McMillan joining in, together they +not only threw off the attack of Evans, but bursting through the +re-entrant angle of Gordon's line, quickly swept Evans off the +field. Knowing this to be the critical point of his line, because +the wheeling flank, Sheridan was there. "Stay where you are," was +his order, "till you see my boy Custer over there." + +Then upon the high ground appeared Custer at the head of his bold +troopers, making ready to swoop down upon the broken wing of Gordon. +Almost at the same instant, the whole right of the line rushed to +the charge, and while Custer rode down Gordon's left flank, Dwight, +with McMillan and Davis, began rolling up the whole Confederate +line. Meanwhile, on the left centre the Union attack likewise hung +for a moment, where Molineux, on the southerly slope of a wooded +hollow, saw himself confronted by Kershaw on the opposite crest, +only to be reached by climbing the steep bare side of the "dirt +hill." But the keen eye of Molineux easily saw through the +difficulties of the ground, and when he was ready his men and +Birge's, rising up and together charging boldly out of the hollow, +up the hill, across the open ground, and over the stone wall, in +the face of a fierce fire, settled the overthrow of Kershaw and +sent a panic running down the line of Ramseur. Wright attacking +with equal vigor, soon the disorder spread through every part of +Early's force, and in rout and ruin the exultant victors of the +morning were flying up the valley. + +"Back to your camps!" had been the watchword ever since Sheridan +showed himself on the field. Dwight's men were the first to stand +once more upon their own ground, but by that time Sheridan's army +had executed, though without much regard to order, a complete left +wheel. While the infantry took up its original positions, the +cavalry pursued the flying enemy with such vigor that an accidental +displacement of a single plank on a little bridge near Strasburg +caused the whole of Early's artillery that had not yet passed on, +to fall into the hands of Sheridan. Thus were taken 48 cannon, 52 +caissons, all the ambulances that had been lost in the morning, +many wagons, and seven battle flags; of the artillery 24 pieces +were the same that had been lost in the early morning. From every +part of the abandoned field great stacks of rifles were gathered. +The prisoners taken were about 1,200, according to the reports of +Sheridan's officers, or something over 1,000 by Early's account. +Early also gives his loss in killed and wounded, without distinguishing +between the two, as 1,860, and reports the capture of 1,429 prisoners +from the Union army in the early hours of the day. Of these he +had made sure by sending them promptly to the rear. Ramseur was +mortally wounded in the last stand made by his division, and died +a few days later in the hands and under the care of his former +comrades of Sheridan's army. + +Sheridan's loss was 644 killed, 3,430 wounded, and 1,591 captured +or missing; in all, 5,665. Of these the Sixth Corps had 298 killed, +1,628 wounded--together, 1,926; the Nineteenth Corps 257 killed, +1,336 wounded--together, 1,593. Crook lost 60 killed, 342 wounded +--together, 402; the cavalry 29 killed, 224 wounded--together, 253. +The missing were thus divided: Wright 194, Emory 776, Crook 548, +Torbert 43. The greatest proportionate loss of the day was suffered +by the 114th New York, which had 21 killed, 86 wounded, including +17 mortally, and 8 missing--in all, 115 out of 250 engaged. Its +fatal casualties reached 15.2, and the killed and wounded 42.8 per +cent. of the number engaged. These figures are from the corrected +reports of the War Department. The missing exceed the captured, +as set down in Early's report, by only 132. Among the killed and +mortally wounded were Bidwell, Thoburn, Kitching, and that superb +soldier and accomplished gentleman, General Charles Russell Lowell, +who, although severely wounded in the morning, at the head of his +brigade held fast to the stone wall until, in the last decisive +charge, his death-blow came. Grover received a second severe wound +early in the final charge that broke the Confederate left. Birge +then took his division. + +Without a halt and with scarcely a show of organized resistance, +Early retreated to Fisher's Hill. Merritt and Custer, uniting on +the south bank of Cedar Creek, kept up the pursuit until the night +was well advanced, but soon their captures became so heavy in men +and material, that help was needed to take care of them, so, barely +an hour after going into camp the jaded infantry of Dwight once +more turned out and marched with alacrity to Strasburg. + +Toward morning Early withdrew his infantry from the lines of Fisher's +Hill, and marched on New Market, leaving Rosser to cover the +movement. In the morning, upon Torbert's approach, Rosser retired, +closely pursued to Edenburg, sending Lomax to the Luray to guard +the right flank of the retreating Confederates. + +The strength of the contending forces in this remarkable battle +may always give ground for dispute. No official figures exist to +determine the question directly; therefore on either side the +numbers are a matter of opinion. The author's, formed after a +careful consideration of all the authorities, is that when the +battle began, Wright commanded an effective force of not more than +31,000 officers and men of all arms, made up of 9,000 in the Sixth +Corps, 9,500 in the Nineteenth Corps, 6,000 in Crook's command, +and 6,500 cavalry. The infantry probably numbered 23,000: Ricketts +8,500, Emory 9,000, Crook 5,500. Of these, therefore, the hard +fighting fell on 17,500. The losses in the Sixth and Nineteenth +Corps, nearly all incurred in the early morning, being about 4,500, +the two corps should have mustered 13,500 for the counter-attack +of the afternoon, yet the ground they then stood upon, from the +road to the brook, measures barely 7,400 feet. With all allowances, +therefore, Sheridan cannot have taken more than 8,000 of his infantry +into this attack. This leaves out Crook's men bodily, and calls +for 5,500 unrepentant stragglers from the ranks of Emory and Wright +--one man in three. After all is said, unhappily there is nothing +so extraordinary in this, but strange indeed would it have been if +many of these skulkers had come back into the fight, as Sheridan +considerately declares they did. + +As to Early's force, the difficulty of coming to a positive conclusion +is even greater. General Early himself says he went into the battle +with but 8,800 muskets. General Dawes, perhaps the most accomplished +statistician of the war, makes the total present for duty 22,000; +of these 15,000 would be infantry. The figures presented by the +unprejudiced statistician of the "Century War Book" (11) call for +15,000 of all arms. Of these 10,000 would be infantry. + +Early may be said to have accomplished the ultimate object of his +attack at Cedar Creek, yet at a fearful cost, for although all +thought of transferring any part of Sheridan's force to the James +was for the moment given up, on the other hand Early had completed +the destruction (12) of his prestige, had suffered an irreparable +diminution of numbers, and had seen his army almost shaken to +pieces. + +Grant once more returned to his favorite project of a movement in +force on Charlottesville and Gordonsville, but Sheridan continuing +to oppose the scheme tenaciously, it came to nothing. His own +plan, eventually carried out, was to hold the lower valley in +sufficient strength, and to move against the line of the Virginia +Central railway with all his cavalry. The rails of the Manassas +Gap line, so often relaid, were once more and for the last time +taken up from the Blue Ridge back to Augur's outposts at Bull Run, +and so this will-o'-the-wisp, that had danced before the eyes of +the government ever since 1861, was at last extinguished, while +from Winchester to the Potomac the railway, abandoned by Johnston +when he marched to Bull Run, was re-constructed to simplify the +question of supplies. + +(1) Strictly southeast, for the course of the turnpike toward +Winchester is about northeast. + +(2) The present bridge is a short distance above where the old one +was. + +(3) Dwight having been in arrest during the past fortnight by +Emory's orders under charges growing out of criticisms and statements +made in his report of the battle of the Opequon, McMillan commanded +the First division, leaving his brigade to Thomas. Beal had gone +home on leave of absence when the campaign seemed ended, and Davis +commanded his brigade. + +(4) Being actually three days past the full, the moon rose October +18-19, 1864 at 8.5 P.M., southed at 2.25 A.M., and set at 8.45 A.M. +Daylight on the 19th was at 5.40 A.M.; the sun rose at 6.14, set +at 5.16; twilight ended 5.50 P.M. + +(5) This was probably the first sound heard that morning. + +(6) According to the regimental history (p. 218) over 100 were lost +out of 159 engaged; of 16 officers 13 were killed or wounded. The +monument erected September 21, 1885, says 110 were killed and +wounded out of 164 engaged. The revised official figures are 17 +killed, 66 wounded--together 83 (including 12 officers); besides +these there were 23 missing; in all, 106. + +(7) The official map, accurate as it is in general, errs in some +important particulars; for one, in representing Emory as retreating +in a direct line toward the north from Red Hill to the Old Forge +line. This would actually have carried his force through the ranks +of the cavalry. + +(8) "The Battle of Cedar Creek," by Col. Moses M. Granger, 122d +Ohio, printed in the valuable collection of "Sketches of War +History," published by the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion, +vol. iii., pp. 122-125. The author is likewise indebted to General +Keifer for the opportunity to use in this manuscript his paper on +Cedar Creek, prepared for the same series. + +(9) Called Mill Creek in Sheridan's report and "Memoirs." There +is a mill on the north bank. + +(10) "Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan," vol. ii., pp. 75-83. +The distance from Winchester to Getty's position is ten and three +quarter miles. + +(11) Vol. iv., pp. 524, 532. And see appendix for the valuable +memorandum kindly prepared expressly for this work by General E. +C. Dawes. + +(12) Justly or unjustly; unjustly I think, being unable to see how +any one could have done better. + + +CHAPTER XXXV. +VICTORY AND HOME. + +On the 7th of November, on the battle-field of Cedar Creek, Emory +passed his corps in review before Sheridan. Sheridan spoke freely +and in the highest terms of the soldierly bearing and good conduct +of the officers and men. On the same day the President broke up +the organization of the remnant of the various detachments, still +known as the Nineteenth Corps, left under the command of Canby in +Louisiana and Mississippi, and appointed Emory to the permanent +command of the Nineteenth Army Corps in the field in Virginia. + +The corps staff, mainly composed of the same officers who with +lower rank had been serving at the headquarters of the Detachment, +so called, since quitting Louisiana, included Lieutenant-Colonel +Duncan S. Walker, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant-Colonel +John M. Sizer, Acting-Assistant Inspector-General; Captain O. O. +Potter, Chief Quartermaster; Captain H. R. Sibley, Chief Commissary +of Subsistence; Captain Robert F. Wilkinson, Judge Advocate; Surgeon +W. R. Brownell, Medical Director; Captain Henry C. Inwood, +Provost-Marshal; Major Peter French, Captain James C. Cooley, and +Captain James W. De Forest, aides-de-camp. + +On the 17th of November Emory adopted a corps badge and a new system +of headquarters flags. The badge was to be a fan-leaved cross with +an octagonal centre; for officers, of gold suspended from the left +breast by a ribbon, the color red, white, and blue for the corps +headquarters, red for the First division, blue for the Second. +Enlisted men were to wear on the hat or cap a similar badge of +cloth, two inches square, in colors like the ribbon. The flags +were to have a similar cross, of white on a blue swallowtail for +corps headquarters; for divisions, a white cross on a triangular +flag, the ground red for the First division, blue for the Second; +the brigade flags rectangular in various combinations of red, blue, +and white cross and ground, the ground divided horizontally for +the brigades of the First division, and perpendicularly for those +of the Second division. + +On the 9th of November Sheridan drew back to Kernstown, meaning to +go into winter quarters. Early eagerly followed as far as Middletown, +intent on discovering what this might mean; but when, on the 12th, +Torbert once more fell upon the unfortunate cavalry of Rosser, on +both flanks of the Confederate position, and completely routed it, +while Dudley, advancing with his brigade (1) in support of the +cavalry, showed that Sheridan was ready to give battle, the +Confederate commander became satisfied that Sheridan had sent no +troops to Petersburg. Sheridan made all his arrangements to attack +Early on the morning of the 13th, but Early did not wait for this, +and when the sun rose he was again far on the way to New Market. +It was during Dudley's movement that the Nineteenth Corps suffered +its last loss in battle, the 29th Maine having one man wounded, by +name Barton H. Ross. + +When the approach of winter made active operations in the valley +impossible, Lee, who had already detached Kershaw, called back to +the defence of Richmond and Petersburg the whole of Early's corps, +and at the same time, almost to the very day, Grant called on +Sheridan for the Sixth Corps. Thus in the second week of December +Wright rejoined the Army of the Potomac. Soon afterward Crook's +command was divided and detached to Petersburg and West Virginia, +leaving only Torbert and Emory with Sheridan in the valley. Early, +his force reduced to Wharton and Rosser, went into winter quarters +at Staunton, with his outposts at New Market and a signal party on +watch at the station on Massanutten. + +These reductions of force, together with the increasing severity +of the winter, made it desirable to occupy a line nearer the base +of supplies at Harper's Ferry, and, accordingly, on the 30th of +December, after living for six weeks in improvised huts or "shebangs," +as they were called, roughly put together of rails, stones, and +any other material to be found, the Nineteenth Corps broke up its +cantonment before Kernstown, called Camp Russell, and marching over +the frozen ground, took up a position to cover the railway and the +roads near Stephenson's. Here, at Camp Sheridan, it was intended +to build regular huts, but on the last day of the year, when the +men were as yet without shelter of any kind, a heavy snow storm +set in, during which they suffered severely. As soon as this was +over, the men fell to work in earnest, and with lumber from the +quartermaster's department and timber from the forest, soon had +the whole command comfortably housed. + +Meanwhile Currie's brigade, which had been so long detached, engaged +in the arduous and thankless duty of guarding the wagon-trains, +rejoined Dwight's division. Brigadier-General James D. Fessenden +having succeeded Currie in command the 5th of January, 1865, the +brigade was again detached to Winchester; McMillan was at Summit +Point; and Beal, as well as the headquarters of Dwight and Emory, +at Stephenson's. + +On the 6th of January Grover's division bade farewell to the +Nineteenth Corps, and, embarking upon the cars of the Baltimore +and Ohio railway, set out by way of Baltimore for some unknown +destination. This presently proved to be Savannah, whither Grover +was ordered to hold the ground seized by the armies under Sherman, +while Sherman went on his way through the Carolinas. On the 27th +of February, Sheridan broke up what remained of his Army of the +Shenandoah, and placing himself at the head of his superb column +of 10,000 troopers, marched to achieve Grant's longing for Lynchburg, +Charlottesville, and Gordonsville, and to rejoin the Army of the +Potomac. + +Hancock now took command of the Middle Military Division. Of the +Army of the Shenandoah there remained only the fragment of the +Nineteenth Corps. On the 14th of March the men of Emory's old +division passed for the last time before their favorite commander. +A week later was published to the command the order of the President, +dated March 20, 1865, by which the Nineteenth Army Corps was +dissolved. Then bidding them a tender and touching farewell, on +the 30th of March Emory quitted the cantonment at Stephenson's, +and went to Cumberland to take command of the Military Department +of that name. + +In the early days of April the tedium of winter quarters was relieved +by the good news of Grant's successes before Petersburg. It was +evident that Lee's army was breaking up, and to guard against the +possible escape of any fragment of it by the valley highway, on +the 4th of April Hancock sent Dwight's division back to Camp Russell, +but on the 7th the troops were drawn in to Winchester and encamped +on the bank of Abraham's Creek. Here, at midnight on the 9th of +April, the whole command turned out to hear the official announcement +of Lee's surrender. The next morning, in a drenching rain, Dwight +marched eighteen miles to Summit Point. On the 20th of April the +division moved by railway to Washington, where it arrived on the +morning of the 21st, and with colors shrouded in black for the +memory of Lincoln, marched past the President's house and encamped +at Tennallytown on the same ground the detachments of the corps +had occupied on the night of the 13th of July the year before. +Here the duty devolved upon the division of guarding all the ways +out of Washington toward the northwest, from Rock Creek to the +Potomac, in order to prevent the escape of such of the assassins +of the President as might still be lurking within the city. This +was but a part of the heavy and continuous line of sentries that +stretched for thirty-five miles around the capital. A week later +Dwight moved to the neighborhood of Bladensburg and encamped on +the line the division had been ordered to defend on the afternoon +of its arrival from New Orleans. In the first week of May heavy +details were furnished to guard the prison on the grounds of the +arsenal where the assassins were confined. + +The armies of Meade and Sherman were now concentrating on the hills +about Washington, preparatory to passing in review before President +Johnson; and Dwight being ordered to report to Willcox, then +commanding the Ninth Army Corps, and to follow that corps on the +occasion of the review. Willcox inspected the division on the 12th +of May on the parade ground of Fort Bunker Hill. + +Sheridan, although he had brought up his cavalry for the great +review, had been ordered to take command in the Southwest, and as +Grant deemed the matter urgent, because of French and Mexican +complications, Sheridan was destined to have no part in the +approaching ceremonies, yet he could not resist the chance of once +more looking at what was left of the infantry that had followed +him in triumph through the Shenandoah. When the men saw him riding +at the side of Willcox, mounted once more upon "Rienzi" and wearing +the same animated smile that had cheered and encouraged them in +the evil hour at Winchester, before the cliffs of Fisher's Hill, +and in the gloom of Cedar Creek, they were not to be restrained +from violating all the solemn proprieties of the occasion, but +broke out into a tumult of cheers. + +On the 22d of May, Dwight broke camp near Bladensburg, and, marching +to the plain east of the Capitol, near the Congressional Cemetery, +went into bivouac with the Ninth Corps. Here the men, after their +long and hard field service, gave way to open disgust at hearing +the order read on parade requiring them to appear in white gloves +at the great review. On Tuesday, the 23d of May, the review took +place. The men were up at three, and were inspected at half-past +seven, but it was half-past ten before Dwight took up the line of +march in the rear of the Ninth Corps, followed by the Fifth. + +On the 1st of June, 1865, the breaking up began. The 114th and +116th New York were taken from Beal's brigade, and the 133d from +Fessenden's, and ordered to be mustered out of the service of the +United States. The 8th Vermont had already gone to the Sixth Corps +to join the old Vermont brigade. The rest of Dwight's division +embarked on transport steamers, under orders for Savannah, where +they landed on the 4th of June. There they found many of their +comrades of Grover's division. + +To return to Grover. Embarking at Baltimore about the 11th of +January, after some detention, the advance of his division landed +at Savannah on the 19th of January. The rest of the division +gradually followed, and at Savannah the troops remained doing +garrison and police duty until about the 4th of March, when Grover +was ordered to take transports and join Schofield in North Carolina, +in order to open communication with Sherman's army, then advancing +once more toward the sea-coast. Wilmington had fallen on the 22d +of February. Then Schofield sent a force, under Cox, to open the +railway from Newbern to Goldsboro, on the south bank of the Neuse. +D. H. Hill met and fought him on the 8th, 9th, and 10th, on the +south side of the river; but, the Confederates retreating to +Goldsboro to oppose Sherman's march, Schofield occupied Kinston on +the 14th and Goldsboro on the 21st. In these movements the 3d +brigade, formerly Sharpe's, now commanded by Day, took part, while +Birge's brigade was posted at Morehead City, and Molineux's at +Wilmington. + +On the 1st of April, Schofield's force, composed of the Tenth Corps, +under Terry, and the Twenty-third Corps, under Cox, was reconstructed +by Sherman as the centre of his armies, and designated as the Army +of the Ohio. The next day the troops of Grover's division, then +in North Carolina, were attached to the Tenth Corps, reorganized +into three brigades, and designated as the First division; the +command being given to Birge, and the brigades being commanded by +the three senior colonels, Washburn, Graham, and Day. Some time +before this, Shunk's 4th brigade of Grover's division had been +broken up and its regiments distributed; the 8th and 18th Indiana +to Washburn, the 28th Iowa to Graham, and the 24th Iowa to Day. +The 22d Indiana battery formed the artillery of the division. All +active operations coming to an end with the final surrender of +Johnston on the 26th of April, about the 4th of May the division +went back to Savannah. On the 11th of May it marched to Augusta, +leaving Day with all his regiments except the 24th Iowa and the +128th New York to take care of Savannah. + +Meanwhile, orders being issued by the government for disbanding +the regiments whose time was to expire before the 1st of November, +and the re-enlisted veterans of Dwight's division beginning to +arrive in Savannah on the 5th of June, Birge's brigade came down +from Augusta on the 7th and Day marched on the 9th to replace it. + +From this time the work of disintegration went on rapidly, yet all +too slowly for the impatience of the soldiers, now thinking only +of home, and soon sickened by the weary routine of provost duty in +the first dull days of peace. What was left of the divisions of +Dwight and Grover continued to occupy Charleston, Savannah, and +Augusta, and the chief towns of Georgia and South Carolina. + +When at last the final separation came, and little by little the +old corps fell apart, every man, as with inexpressible yearning he +turned his face homeward, bore with him, as the richest heritage +of his children and his children's children, the proud consciousness +of duty done. + +(1) Beal's, of Dwight's division. Dudley, having rejoined November +2d, commanded it till November 14th, when Beal came back and relieved +him; again from November 18th to December 7th, when a dispute as +to relative and brevet rank was ended by Beal's receiving his +commission as a full brigadier-general. + + +APPENDIX. + + +ROSTERS. + +I. +DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF. +As of March 22, 1862. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. John W. Phelps +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +7th Vermont Col. George T. Roberts +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas +12th Connecticut Col. Henry C. Deming +13th Connecticut Col. Henry W. Birge +1st Vermont Battery Capt. George W. Duncan +2d Vermont Battery Capt. Pythagoras E. Holcomb +4th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Charles H. Manning (1) + Capt. George G. Trull +A 2d Battalion Massachusetts Cavalry Capt. S. Tyler Read + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha B. Farr +31st Massachusetts Col. Oliver P. Gooding +21st Indiana Col. James W. McMillan +6th Michigan Col. Charles Everett +4th Wisconsin Col. Halbert E. Paine +6th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Ormand F. Nims +2d Massachusetts Battery Capt. Henry A. Durivage (2) + Capt. Jonathan E. Cown + +Third Brigade: + Col. George F. Shepley +12th Maine Lt.-Col. W. K. Kimball +13th Maine Col. Neal Dow + Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +14th Maine Col. Frank S. Nickerson +15th Maine Col. John McClusky + Col. Isaac Dyer +30th Massachusetts Col. N. A. M. Dudley +1st Maine Battery Capt. E. W. Thompson +B 2d Battalion Massachusetts Cavalry Capt. James M. Magen + +(1) Resigned October 20, 1862. +(2) Drowned April 23, 1862. + +II. +TECHE AND PORT HUDSON. +As of April 30, 1863. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Maj.-Gen. Christopher C. Augur + +First Brigade: + Col. Edward P. Chapin +116th New York Lt.-Col. John Higgins +21st Maine (1) Col. Elijah D. Johnson +48th Massachusetts (1) Col. Eben F. Stone +49th Massachusetts (1) Col. William F. Bartlett + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas +75th New York Col. Robert B. Merritt +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight +12th Connecticut Col. Ledyard Colburn + Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +114th New York Col. Elisha B. Smith + +Third Brigade: + Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. William W. Bullock +2d Louisiana Col. Charles J. Paine +50th Massachusetts (1) Col. Carlos P. Messer +161st New York Col. Gabriel T. Harrowee +174th New York Col. Theodore W. Parmele + +Artillery: +1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury + Lt. John E. Morton +6th Massachusetts Capt. William W. Carruth + Lt. John F. Phelps +A 1st United States Capt. E. C. Bainbridge + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. T. W. Sherman. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Neal Dow +6th Michigan Col. Thomas S. Clark +128th New York Col. David S. Cowles +26th Connecticut (1) Col. Thomas G. Kingsley +15th New Hampshire (1) Col. John W. Kingman + +Second Brigade: + Col. Alpha B. Farr +26th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. Josiah A. Sawtell +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +47th Massachusetts (1) Col. Lucius B. Marsh +42d Massachusetts (1) Lt.-Col. Joseph Stedman +28th Maine (1) Col. Ephraim W. Woodman + +Third Brigade: + Col. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine Lt.-Col. Thomas W. Porter +177th New York (1) Col. Ira W. Ainsworth +165th New York Lt.-Col. Abel Smith, Jr. +24th Maine (1) Col. George M. Atwood + +Artillery: +18th New York Capt. Albert G. Mack +G 5th United States Lt. Jacob B. Rails +1st Vermont Capt. George T. Hebard + +THIRD DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. + +First Brigade: + Col. Timothy Ingraham, 38th Massachusetts +162d New York Col. Lewis Benedict +110th New York Col. Clinton H. Sage +16th New Hampshire (1) Col. James Pike +4th Massachusetts (1) Col. Henry Walker + +Second Brigade: + Col. Halbert E. Paine +4th Wisconsin Lt.-Col. Sidney A. Bean +133d New York Col. Leonard D. H. Currie +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + +Third Brigade: + Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts Lt.-Col. W. S. B. Hopkins +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. William L. Rodman +156th New York Col. Jacob Sharpe +175th New York Col. Michael K. Bryan +53d Massachusetts (1) Col. John W. Kimball + +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Capt. George G. Trull +F 1st United States Capt. Richard C. Duryea +2d Vermont Capt. Pythagoras E. Holcomb + +FOURTH DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +6th New York (2) Col. William Wilson +91st New York Col. Jacob Van Zandt +131st New York Lt.-Col. Nicholas W. Day +22d Maine (1) Col. Simon G. Jerrard +1st Louisiana Col. Richard E. Holcomb + +Second Brigade: + Col. William K. Kimball +12th Maine Lt.-Col. Edward Illsley +41st Massachusetts Col. Thomas E. Chickering +52d Massachusetts (1) Col. Halbert S. Greenleaf +24th Connecticut (1) Col. Samuel M. Mansfield + +Third Brigade: + Col. Henry W. Birge +25th Connecticut (1) Col. George P. Bissell +26th Maine (1) Col. Nathaniel H. Hubbard +159th New York Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Alexander Warner + +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Capt. Ormand F. Nims +L 1st United States Capt. Henry W. Closson +C 2d United States Lt. John L. Rodgers + +(1) Nine-month's men. +(2) Detached for muster out May 20, 1863. + +OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISIONS. + +1st Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. Spencer H. Stafford +2d Louisiana Native Guards (2) Col. Nathan W. Daniels +3d Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. John A. Nelson +4th Louisiana Native Guards (1) Col. Charles W. Drew +13th Maine (2) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +23d Connecticut (3, 7) Col. Charles E. L. Holmes +176th New York (3, 8) Col. Charles C. Nott +90th New York (4) Col. Joseph S. Morgan +47th Pennsylvania (4) Col. Tilghman H. Good +28th Connecticut (5, 7) Col. Samuel P. Ferris +15th Maine (5) Col. Isaac Dyer +7th Vermont (5) Col. William C. Holbrook + +Artillery: +H 2d United States (5) Capt. Frank H. Larned +K 2d United States (5) Capt. Harvey A. Allen +1st Indiana Heavy (1) Col. John A. Keith +12th Massachusetts (1) Lt. Edwin M. Chamberlin +B 1st Louisiana N. G. Heavy (2) Capt. Loren Rygaard +13th Massachusetts (2) Capt. Charles H. J. Hamlen +21st New York (2) Capt. James Barnes +25th New York (2) Capt. John A. Grow +26th New York (2) Capt. George W. Fox + +Cavalry: +1st Louisiana C and E (1) Capt. J. F. Godfrey +1st Louisiana A and B (6) Capt. Henry F. Williamson +2d Rhode Island Battalion (6) Lt.-Col. A. W. Corliss +2d Massachusetts Cavalry Battalion + A (2) Capt. S. Tyler Read + B (1) Capt. James M. Magen + C (2) Capt. Jonathan E. Cowan +14th New York Cavalry Col. Thaddeus P. Mott +1st Texas (2) Col. Edmund J. Davis + +(1) With Augur. +(2) Defences of New Orleans. +(3) La Fourche District. +(4) Key West. +(5) Pensacola. +(6) With Weitzel. +(7) Nine-months' men. +(8) Partly nine-months' men. + +III. +AFTER PORT HUDSON. +August, 1863. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel. (1) +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. (2) + +First Brigade: + Col. N. A. M. Dudley + Col. George M. Love +30th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. W. W. Bullock +2d Louisiana Col. Charles J. Paine +161st New York Lt.-Col. W. B. Kinsey +174th New York Col. Benjamin F. Gott +116th New York Col. George M. Love + +Second Brigade: + Col. Oliver P. Gooding + Col. Jacob Sharpe +31st Massachusetts Col. Oliver P. Gooding + Lt.-Col. W. S. B. Hopkins +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. Jas. P. Richardson +128th New York Col. James Smith +156th New York Col. Jacob Sharpe +175th New York Lt.-Col. John A. Foster + +Third Brigade: + Col. Robert B. Merritt +12th Connecticut Col. Ledyard Colburn + Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +75th New York Capt. Henry P. Fitch +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Artillery: + Capt. E. C. Bainbridge +1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury +18th New York Capt. Albert G. Mack +A 1st United States Capt. Edmund C. Bainbridge +6th Massachusetts (3) Capt. William W. Carruth + +(1) To December 9th. +(2) From December 9th. +(3) From Artillery Reserve, in December. + +SECOND DIVISION. +Broken up July 10th. + +THIRD DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine Col. Thomas W. Porter +110th New York Col. Clinton H. Sage +162d New York Col. Lewis Benedict +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr + Capt. Felix Agnus + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha D. Farr + Maj. Eusebius S. Clark +8th New Hampshire Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + Capt. James J. Ladd +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie + Capt. James K. Fuller +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck + +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Capt. George G. Trull + Lt. George W. Taylor +F 1st United States Capt. Richard G. Duryea + Lt. Hardman P. Norris +1st Vermont Capt. George T. Hepard + Lt. Edward Rice + +FOURTH DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover. +Col. Edward G. Beckwith. + +First Brigade: + Col. Henry W. Birge +13th Connecticut Capt. Apollos Comstock +90th New York Col. Joseph S. Morgan + Lt.-Col. Nelson Shaurman +131st New York Col. Nicholas W. Day +159th New York Col. Edward L. Molineux + +Second Brigade: + Col. Thomas W. Cahill +9th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Richard FitzGibbons +1st Louisiana Col. William O. Fiske +12th Maine Col. William K. Kimball +13th Maine (1) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine (1) Col. Isaac Dyer +97th Illinois (2) Col. Friend S. Rutherford + +Artillery: +25th New York Capt. John A. Grow +26th New York Capt. George W. Fox +C 2d United States Lt. Theodore Bradley +L 1st United States (3) Capt. Henry W. Closson + Lt. James A. Sanderson + +Cavalry: +3d Massachusetts (4) Col. T. E. Chickering + Lt.-Col. Lorenzo D. Sargent +1st Texas (5) Col. Edmund J. Davis +4th Wisconsin (6) Col. Frederick A. Boardman + Maj. George W. Moore + +Reserve Artillery (6): + Capt. Henry W. Closson +2d Massachusetts Capt. Ormand F. Nims +6th Massachusetts (7) Capt. William W. Carruth +L 1st United States (8) Capt. Henry W. Closson + Lt. Franck E. Taylor + +OUTSIDE OF THE DIVISIONS. +Headquarters Troops Companies A and B (9) Capt. Richard W. Francis + Troop C Capt. Frank Sayles + +DEFENCES OF NEW ORLEANS. +24th Connecticut (10) Col. Samuel M. Mansfield +31st Massachusetts Capt. Eliot Bridgman +170th New York Col. Charles C. Nott + Maj. Morgan Morgan, Jr. +1st Louisiana Cavalry Lt.-Col. Harai Robinson +A 3d Massachusetts Cavalry Lt. Henry D. Pope +14th New York Cavalry Lt.-Col. Abraham Bassford +12th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Jacob Miller +13th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Charles H. J. Hamlen +15th Massachusetts Battery Capt. Timothy Pearson +91st New York (11) Col. Jacob Van Zandt + +PORT HUDSON. + Brig.-Gen. George L. Andrews +1st Michigan Heavy Artillery Col. Thomas S. Clark +21st New York Battery Capt. James Barnes +Battery G 5th United States Lt. Jacob B. Rails +2d Vermont Battery Capt. P. E. Holcomb + +(1) In 3d Brigade, 2d Division, Thirteenth Corps, December 31st. +(2) December 31st, from 2d Brigade, 4th Division, Thirteenth Corps. +(3) From Artillery Reserve, in December. +(4) At Port Hudson. +(5) At New Orleans. +(6) At Baton Rouge. +(7) In First Division, December 31st. +(8) In Fourth Division, December 31st. +(9) Raised in Louisiana; re-enlisted nine-months' men. +(10) Nine-month's men. +(11) Heavy Artillery. + +IV. +RED RIVER. +As of March 13, 1864. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +29th Maine Col. George L. Beal +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee + Lt.-Col. Henry B. Morse +116th New York Col. George M. Love +153d New York Col. Edwin P. Davis +161st New York Lt.-Col. W. B. Kinsey +30th Massachusetts (1) Col. N. A. M. Dudley + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut (1) Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck +13th Maine Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine Col. Isaac Dyer +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +47th Pennsylvania Col. Tilghman H. Good +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Third Brigade: + Col. Lewis Benedict +30th Maine Col. Francis Fessenden +162d New York Lt.-Col. Justus W. Blanchard +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr +173d New York (2) Col. Lewis M. Peck + Capt. Howard C. Conrady + +Artillery: + Capt. George T. Howard +25th New York Capt. John A. Grow +L 1st United States Lt. Irving D. Southworth +1st Vermont (3) Lt. Edward Rice +1st Delaware (4) Benjamin Nields + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +9th Connecticut (1) Col. Thomas W. Cahill +12th Maine (1) Col. William K. Kimball +14th Maine (1) Col. Thomas W. Porter +26th Massachusetts (1) Col. Alpha B. Farr +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie +176th New York Col. Charles C. Nott + Maj. Charles Lewis + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge + Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut Col. Charles D. Blink +1st Louisiana Col. William O. Fiske +90th New York (5) Maj. John C. Smart +131st New York (6) Col. Nicholas W. Day + +Third Brigade: + Col. Jacob Sharpe +38th Massachusetts Lt.-Col. James P. Richardson +128th New York Col. James Smith +156th New York Capt. James J. Hoyt +175th New York Capt. Charles McCarthey + +Artillery: + Capt. George W. Fox +7th Massachusetts Capt. Newman W. Stores +26th New York Capt. George W. Fox +F 1st United States (7) Lt. Hardman P. Norris + Lt. William L. Haskin +C 2d United States Lt. John L. Rodgers + +Artillery Reserve: + Capt. Henry W. Closson +1st Delaware (8) Capt. Benjamin Nields +D 1st Indiana Heavy Capt. William S. Hinkle + +(1) On veteran furlough. +(2) The 174th consolidated with the 173d. +(3) In Reserve Artillery, April 30th. +(4) In Reserve Artillery, March 31st. +(5) Three companies. +(6) In district of La Fourche, Col. Day commanding the district. +(7) With the Cavalry, April 30th. +(8) In the 1st Division, April 30th. + +V. +SHENANDOAH. +From June 27, 1864. + +FIRST DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. William Dwight + +First Brigade: + Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine Col. George L. Beal +30th Massachusetts Col. N. A. M. Dudley +90th New York (1) Lt.-Col. Nelson Shaurman +114th New York Col. Samuel R. Per Lee +116th New York Col. George M. Love +153d New York Col. Edwin P. Davis + +Second Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck + Capt. Sidney E. Clarke + Lt.-Col. George N. Lewis +13th Maine (2) Col. Henry Rust, Jr. +15th Maine (2) Col. Isaac Dyer +160th New York Col. Charles C. Dwight + Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +47th Pennsylvania Col. Tilghman H. Good + Maj. J. P. Shindel Gobin +8th Vermont Col. Stephen Thomas + +Third Brigade: + Col. L. D. H. Currie +30th Maine Col. Thomas H. Hubbard +133d New York Col. L. D. H. Currie +162d New York Col. Justus W. Blanchard +165th New York Lt.-Col. Gouverneur Carr +173d New York Col. Lewis M. Peck + +Artillery: +5th New York Capt. Elijah D. Taft + +SECOND DIVISION. +Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover + +First Brigade: + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut Col. Thomas W. Cahill +12th Maine Col. William K. Kimball +14th Maine Col. Thomas W. Porter +26th Massachusetts Col. Alpha B. Farr +14th New Hampshire Col. Alexander Gardiner +75th New York Lt.-Col. Willoughby Babcock + +Second Brigade: + Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut (3) Col. Charles D. Blinn +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) Lt.-Col. Lorenzo D. Sargent +11th Indiana Col. Daniel Macauley +22d Iowa Col. Harvey Graham +131st New York Col. Nicholas W. Day +159th New York Lt.-Col. William Waltermire + +Third Brigade: + Col. Jacob Sharpe + Col. Daniel Macauley +38th Massachusetts Maj. Charles F. Allen +128th New York Lt.-Col. J. P. Foster +156th New York Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +175th New York Lt.-Col. John A. Foster +176th New York Col. Ambrose Stevens (4) + Maj. Charles Lewis + +Fourth Brigade: + Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana Lt.-Col. Alexander J. Kenney +18th Indiana Col. Henry D. Washburn +24th Iowa Col. John Q. Wilds +28th Iowa Col. John Connell + Lt.-Col. Bartholomew W. Wilson + +Artillery: +A 1st Maine Capt. Albert W. Bradbury + +Reserve Artillery: + Capt. Elijah D. Taft + Maj. Albert W. Bradbury +D 1st Rhode Island Lt. Frederick Chase +17th Indiana Capt. Milton L. Miner + +(1) On veteran furlough in August and September. +(2) On veteran furlough in August and September, at Martinsburg + afterward. +(3) On veteran furlough in August and early September. +(4) From November 19, 1864. + +DETACHMENTS LEFT IN LOUISIANA. +The following troops served under Canby in the siege of Mobile, + March 20 - April 12, 1865: +1st Indiana Heavy Artillery. +31st Massachusetts, as mounted infantry, from Pensacola, with + Steele. +2d Massachusetts Battery. Also engaged at Daniel's Plantation, + Alabama, April 11, 1865. +4th Massachusetts Battery. Afterward at Galveston. +7th Massachusetts Battery. " " " +15th Massachusetts Battery. " " " +4th Wisconsin Cavalry. Afterward on Rio Grande in Weitzel's corps. +1st Michigan Heavy Artillery. +161st New York, in Third brigade, First division, new XIIIth Corps, + Kinsey commanding the brigade. Loss: 2 killed, 1 wounded. + Afterward in Florida. +7th Vermont, in First brigade, Third division, new XIIIth Corps. + Loss: 18 wounded, 43 captured. Afterward on Rio Grande in Weitzel's + Corps of Observation. +18th New York Battery. +21st New York Battery. +26th New York Battery. +Battery G, 5th U. S. Artillery. + +8th New Hampshire, as mounted infantry, served at Natchez and at + Vidalia, opposite. +91st New York, after returning from veteran furlough, September, + 1864, went to Baltimore as part of Second separate brigade, VIIIth + Corps. March, 1865, joined First brigade, Third division, Vth + Corps, Army of the Potomac. Fought at White Oak Ridge, March + 29-31, and Five Forks, April, 1865. Loss: 61 killed and mortally + wounded, 152 wounded, 17 captured or missing; total, 230. +110th New York, at Key West, Florida, from February 9, 1864. + +3d Massachusetts Cavalry, detached to remount December 26, 1864; + with Chapman's brigade; in cavalry review May 23, 1865; afterward + in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. + + +LOSSES IN BATTLE. + +BATON ROUGE. +August 5, 1862. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +General Officers 1 1 +9th Connecticut 1 9 4 14 +21st Indiana 2 22 7 91 4 126 +14th Maine 36 7 64 12 119 +30th Massachusetts 1 2 3 12 18 +6th Michigan 15 4 40 1 5 65 +7th Vermont 1 9 5 15 +Troop B Massachusetts Cavalry 1 1 +2d Massachusetts Battery 4 1 5 +4th Massachusetts Battery 1 5 6 +6th Massachusetts Battery 3 1 8 1 15 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 4 80 23 243 1 32 383 + + +GEORGIA LANDING. +October 27, 1862. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +12th Connecticut 3 16 1 20 +13th Connecticut 1 5 1 7 +1st Louisiana Cavalry, A, B, and C 1 18 1 20 +8th New Hampshire 2 10 1 34 1 48 +75th New York 1 1 2 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 2 16 1 73 1 4 97 + + +BISLAND. +April 12-13, 1863. + Killed Wounded +COMMAND O E O E Aggregate +First Division, Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +8th Vermont 1 7 8 +75th New York 2 2 23 17 +160th New York 2 5 7 +114th New York 11 11 +12th Connecticut 2 1 12 15 + Total Weitzel's Brigade 7 3 48 58 +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory +Second Brigade: Col. Halbert E. Paine +4th Wisconsin 5 8 13 +133d New York 4 1 20 25 +173d New York 2 5 7 +8th New Hampshire 2 2 7 11 + Total Second Brigade 13 3 40 56 +Third Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts 1 5 6 +38th Massachusetts 1 5 1 28 35 +156th New York 1 3 18 22 +175th New York 1 6 7 +53d Massachusetts 1 2 9 12 + Total Third Brigade 3 12 1 66 82 + Total Third Division 3 25 4 106 138 +Artillery: +A 1st U. S. 4 5 9 +F 1st U. S. 5 5 +1st Maine Battery 1 1 2 +6th Massachusetts Battery 1 3 4 +18th New York Battery 2 2 +1st Indiana Heavy 3 3 + Total Artillery 5 1 19 25 +1st Louisiana Cavalry 3 3 + __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 3 37 8 176 224 + + +IRISH BEND. +April 14, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +6th New York +91st New York 2 1 10 13 +131st New York 3 3 +22d Maine 1 1 +1st Louisiana + Total First Brigade 2 1 14 17 +Third Brigade: Col. Henry W. Birge +25th Connecticut 2 7 5 72 10 96 +26th Maine 11 2 48 61 +159th New York 4 15 5 73 20 117 +13th Connecticut 7 4 43 54 + Total Third Brigade 6 40 16 236 30 328 +Artillery: +Battery C 2d U. S. 1 7 8 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 6 43 17 257 30 353 + + +PLAINS STORE. +May 21, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +2d Louisiana 2 11 1 14 +30th Massachusetts 1 3 4 +48th Massachusetts 2 7 11 20 +49th Massachusetts 1 4 1 6 +116th New York 11 1 43 1 56 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 15 3 68 14 100 + + +PORT HUDSON. +May 23 - July 8, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Maj.-Gen. Christopher C. Augur +First Brigade: Col. Edward P. Chapin (1) + Col. Charles J. Paine +2d Louisiana 32 5 103 4 144 +21st Maine 1 14 3 60 1 9 88 +48th Massachusetts 1 8 7 46 62 +49th Massachusetts 1 17 10 73 1 102 +116th New York 2 18 4 101 5 130 + Total First Brigade 5 89 29 383 1 19 526 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +Staff 1 1 +12th Connecticut 18 5 78 101 +75th New York 10 4 88 1 4 107 +114th New York 1 10 4 56 2 73 +160th New York 2 4 35 41 +8th Vermont 1 24 4 128 9 166 + Total Second Brigade 3 64 21 385 1 15 489 +Third Brigade: Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts 1 18 19 +50th Massachusetts 1 4 5 +161st New York 3 14 17 +174th New York 2 9 3 14 + Total Third Brigade 5 2 45 3 55 +Artillery: +1st Indiana Heavy 4 1 10 7 22 +1st Maine Battery 1 19 20 +6th Massachusetts Battery 1 1 +18th New York Battery 3 3 +Battery A 1st U. S. 3 1 12 3 19 +Battery G 5th U. S. 2 2 4 + Total Artillery 10 2 47 10 69 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division 8 168 54 860 2 47 1139 + +(1) Killed May 27th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Thomas W. Sherman (1) + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +Staff 2 2 +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Neal Dow (1) + Col. David S. Cowles (2) + Col. Thomas S. Clark +Staff 1 1 +26th Connecticut 1 14 9 151 1 176 +6th Michigan 1 19 5 124 149 +15th New Hampshire 17 3 55 2 77 +128th New York 2 21 3 97 1 5 129 +162d New York 1 5 3 47 3 59 + Total First Brigade 5 76 24 474 1 11 591 +Third Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Frank S. Nickerson +14th Maine 5 5 23 33 +24th Maine 13 13 +28th Maine 3 1 8 12 +165th New York 1 15 7 80 3 106 +175th New York 1 5 5 38 2 51 +177th New York 1 3 2 17 25 + Total Third Brigade 3 31 20 179 5 238 +Artillery: +1st Vermont Battery 1 6 7 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Second Division 8 108 46 659 1 16 838 + +(1) Wounded May 27th. +(2) Killed May 27th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. Halbert E. Paine (1) + Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. +First Brigade: Col. Samuel P. Ferris +28th Connecticut 2 5 1 43 1 10 62 +4th Massachusetts 1 7 3 57 68 +110th New York 1 4 2 21 9 37 + Total First Brigade 4 16 6 121 1 19 168 +Second Brigade: Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jr. + Maj. John H. Allcot +8th New Hampshire 4 26 7 191 2 28 258 +133d New York 1 22 5 85 2 115 +173d New York 2 11 6 72 1 92 +4th Wisconsin (2) 3 46 9 108 1 52 219 + Total Second Brigade 10 105 27 456 3 83 684 +Third Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +31st Massachusetts 13 2 47 62 +38th Massachusetts 2 13 5 85 3 108 +53d Massachusetts 2 15 7 92 5 121 +156th New York 3 2 25 30 + Total Third Brigade 4 44 16 249 8 321 +Artillery: +4th Massachusetts Battery 2 2 +Battery F 1st U. S. 1 2 3 +2d Vermont Battery 2 2 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ _____ + Total Third Division 18 166 50 830 4 112 1,180 + +(1) Wounded June 14th. +(2) Includes losses at Clinton, June 3d. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight + Col. Joseph S. Morgan +1st Louisiana 1 30 3 86 3 123 +22d Maine 4 2 17 1 5 29 +90th New York 7 1 42 50 +91st New York 2 19 8 112 8 149 +131st New York 1 20 2 86 2 8 119 + Total First Brigade 4 80 16 343 3 24 470 +Second Brigade: Col. William K. Kimball +24th Connecticut 14 6 46 66 +12th Maine 10 2 57 1 70 +52d Massachusetts 8 2 12 2 24 + Total Second Brigade 32 10 115 3 160 +Third Brigade: Col. Henry W. Birge +13th Connecticut 1 6 3 20 1 31 +25th Connecticut 5 4 35 2 46 +26th Maine 5 1 11 5 22 +159th New York 17 1 53 2 73 + Total Third Brigade 1 33 9 119 10 172 +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Battery 2 3 5 +Battery L 1st U. S. 2 2 +Battery C 2d U. S. 1 1 + Total Artillery 5 3 8 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Fourth Division 5 145 35 582 3 40 810 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 39 587 185 2,931 10 215 3,967 + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Cavalry: Col. Benjamin H. Grierson +6th Illinois 1 6 1 5 13 +7th Illinois 4 4 +1st Louisiana 5 16 19 40 +3d Massachusetts 1 1 5 2 9 +14th New York 2 6 20 28 + Total Cavalry 1 9 37 1 46 94 +Corps d'Afrique: +1st Louisiana Engineers 1 7 26 19 53 +1st Louisiana Native Guards 2 32 3 92 129 +3d Louisiana Native Guards 1 9 1 37 1 2 51 +6th Infantry 1 1 2 +7th Infantry 2 3 5 +8th Infantry 5 1 5 1 12 +9th Infantry 2 2 +10th Infantry 1 4 2 3 10 + Total Corps d'Afrique 5 62 5 166 1 25 264 +2d Rhode Island Cavalry 1 5 2 8 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Port Hudson 45 658 191 3,139 12 288 4,333 + + +COX'S PLANTATION, OR KOCH'S PLANTATION, BAYOU LA FOURCHE. +July 13, 1863. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. Godfrey Weitzel +First Brigade: Col. Charles J. Paine +2d Louisiana 7 21 9 37 +116th New York 1 5 18 20 44 + Total First Brigade 1 12 39 29 81 +Third Brigade: Col. N. A. M. Dudley +30th Massachusetts 8 2 37 1 48 +161st New York 7 1 38 7 53 +174th New York 1 17 1 28 7 54 + Total Third Brigade 1 32 4 103 15 155 +Artillery: +1st Maine 1 1 14 1 17 +6th Massachusetts 1 1 + Total Artillery 1 1 15 1 18 + Total First Division 2 45 5 157 45 254 +Fourth Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Col. Joseph S. Morgan +1st Louisiana 3 14 13 30 +90th New York 2 1 20 48 71 +131st New York 2 10 1 42 55 + Total Brigade and Division 7 1 44 1 103 156 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 2 52 6 201 1 148 410 + + +SABINE CROSS-ROADS, April 8 and PLEASANT HILL, April 9, 1864. +Compiled in the War Department from the nominal returns; impossible + to separate the losses for each day. + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Thirteenth Army Corps (Detachment): Brig.-Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom (1) + Brig.-Gen. Robert A. Cameron +Staff 2 2 +Third Division: Brig.-Gen. Robert A. Cameron + 1 4 1 6 +First Brigade: Lt.-Col. Aaron M. Flory (1) + 1 12 3 21 3 126 166 +Second Brigade: Col. William H. Raynor + 11 3 66 6 59 145 + Total Third Division 1 23 7 91 9 186 317 +Fourth Division: Col. William J. Landram +First Brigade: Col. Frank Emerson (2) + 1 18 4 79 28 398 528 +Second Brigade: Col. Joseph W. Vance (2) + 2 5 9 50 20 438 524 +Artillery: 1 1 1 5 2 23 33 + Total Fourth Division 4 24 14 134 50 859 1,085 + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ + Total Thirteenth Army Corps 5 47 23 225 59 1,045 1,404 + +(1) Wounded, April 8th. +(2) Wounded and captured April 8th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Nineteenth Army Corps: Maj.-Gen. William B. Franklin (1) +Staff 3 3 +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William H. Emory +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight, Jr. +29th Maine 1 26 27 +114th New York 3 3 10 4 20 +116th New York 2 2 27 3 34 +153d New York (1) 1 28 4 33 +161st New York 1 8 4 39 38 90 + Total First Brigade 1 15 9 130 49 204 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +13th Maine 5 1 29 20 55 +15th Maine 1 3 13 11 28 +160th New York 2 6 4 23 9 44 +47th Pennsylvania 1 6 34 41 + Total Second Brigade 3 18 8 99 40 168 +Third Brigade: Col. Lewis Benedict (2) + Col. Francis Fessenden +30th Maine 1 10 3 55 69 138 +162d New York 3 13 3 45 1 46 111 +165th New York 3 3 21 70 97 +173d New York 4 1 38 2 155 200 + Total Third Brigade 4 30 10 159 3 340 546 +Artillery +New York Light, 25th Battery 2 3 5 +1st United States Battery L 2 1 4 7 +Vermont Light, 1st Battery 1 1 + Total Artillery 4 1 8 13 + Total First Division 8 67 28 396 3 429 931 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 8 67 31 396 3 429 934 + +(1) Wounded, April 8th. +(2) Killed, April 9th. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Cavalry Division (1): Brig.-Gen. Albert L. Lee +First Brigade: Col. Thomas J. Lucas +16th Indiana (mounted infantry) 1 3 2 17 32 55 +2d Louisiana (mounted infantry) 1 11 19 31 +6th Missouri 1 5 10 3 19 +14th New York 4 1 18 2 17 42 + Total First Brigade 2 8 8 56 2 71 147 +Third Brigade (1): Col. Harai Robinson +87th Illinois (mounted infantry) 4 2 13 2 21 +1st Louisiana 4 4 27 1 13 49 + Total Third Brigade 8 6 40 1 15 70 +Fourth Brigade: Col. Nathan A. M. Dudley +2d Illinois 2 1 39 3 45 +3d Massachusetts 8 1 51 11 71 +31st Massachusetts (mounted infantry) 3 1 38 16 58 +8th New Hampshire (mounted infantry) 2 22 1 31 56 + Total Fourth Brigade 15 3 150 1 61 230 +Fifth Brigade: Col. Oliver P. Gooding +2d New York Veteran 1 5 6 +18th New York 1 1 1 9 2 14 +3d Rhode Island (detachment) 1 1 + Total Fifth Brigade 1 1 2 15 2 21 +Artillery: +2d Massachusetts Battery 1 2 16 1 20 +5th United States, Battery G 4 13 17 + Total Artillery 5 2 29 1 37 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Cavalry Division 3 37 21 290 4 150 505 + +(1) Losses at Wilson's Plantation, April 7th, also included. + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ + Grand total 16 151 76 911 66 1,624 2,843 + + +SPECIAL FIELD RETURN AFTER SABINE CROSS-ROADS. + Killed Wounded Missing Effective + strength + next day + +TROOPS O Men O Men O Men Total O Men Total +Nineteenth Army Corps: + First Division (infantry) 2 22 10 138 1 174 347 243 4,910 5,153 + 153d New York Volunteers (guarding train) 31 605 636 + First Division (artillery) 9 348 357 +Thirteenth Army Corps (detachment): + General and staff 1 1 2 + Third Division: + Infantry 1 23 6 78 9 198 315 77 1,475 1,552 + Artillery 2 173 175 + Fourth Division: + Commanding officer and escort 1 1 + Infantry 2 23 6 82 59 929 1,101 56 1,418 1,474 + Artillery 1 5 3 24 33 5 204 209 +Staff of the Major-General Commanding 3 3 + __ ___ __ ___ __ _____ _____ ___ _____ _____ + Aggregate 6 68 27 304 72 1,325 1,802 423 9,133 9,556 + + +SPECIAL FIELD RETURN AFTER PLEASANT HILL. +FIRST DIVISION, Killed Wounded Missing Effective +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS. strength + next day + + O Men O Men O Men Total O Men Total +Infantry 6 43 18 261 3 369 689 243 4,802 5,045 +Artillery 4 1 14 1 5 25 8 331 339 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ____ _____ ___ _____ _____ + Aggregate 6 47 19 275 4 374 714 251 5,133 5,384 + + +PARTIAL RETURN OF LOSSES AT CANE RIVER CROSSING. +April 23, 1864. +THIRD BRIGADE, 1st DIVISION: + Col. Francis Fessenden Killed Wounded Missing + Lt.-Col. J. W. Blanchard O Men O Men O Men Total +162d New York 1 3 1 26 1 32 +165th New York 3 1 4 +173d New York 3 2 25 1 31 +30th Maine 2 11 2 64 7 86 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total 3 17 5 118 10 159 + + +THE OPEQUON. +September 19, 1864. +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine 1 23 24 +30th Massachusetts 1 4 17 22 +114th New York 1 20 8 156 185 +116th New York 9 39 48 +153d New York 10 4 55 69 + Total First Brigade 2 43 13 290 348 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut 3 7 3 57 1 71 +160th New York (1) 2 13 3 58 1 77 +47th Pennsylvania 1 8 9 +8th Vermont 9 28 37 + Total Second Brigade 5 30 6 151 2 194 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (2) 7 73 19 441 2 542 + +(1) Non-veterans of 90th New York, attached. +(2) The Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut 1 1 +12th Maine 2 12 6 77 15 112 +14th Maine 1 6 6 46 3 62 +26th Massachusetts 38 11 69 2 19 139 +14th New Hampshire 4 27 9 79 19 138 +75th New York 17 4 41 1 10 73 + Total First Brigade 7 100 36 313 3 66 525 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 6 39 2 30 77 +11th Indiana 1 7 2 56 1 3 70 +22d Iowa 2 9 3 60 31 105 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 2 17 3 84 106 +131st New York 9 9 56 74 +159th New York 5 4 46 1 19 75 + Total Second Brigade 5 53 21 341 4 83 507 +Third Brigade: Col. Jacob Sharpe (1) + Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +38th Massachusetts 8 3 44 8 63 +128th New York 6 5 46 57 +156th New York 20 3 88 111 +176th New York 5 3 30 9 47 + Total Third Brigade 39 14 208 17 278 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 2 5 2 9 +18th Indiana 1 5 1 31 38 +24th Iowa 1 9 4 53 8 75 +28th Iowa 1 9 8 48 21 87 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 25 13 137 31 209 +Artillery: +1st Maine Battery 2 1 5 8 + __ ___ __ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Second Division 15 219 85 1,004 7 197 1,527 + +(1) Wounded. + +Reserve Artillery: Capt. Elijah D. Taft +17th Indiana Battery 1 1 +Battery D 1st Rhode Island 4 4 + Total Reserve Artillery 5 5 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 22 292 104 1,450 7 199 2,074 + + +FISHER'S HILL. +September 22, 1864.(1) +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +First Division: Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. George L. Beal +29th Maine 1 3 4 +30th Massachusetts 3 6 9 +114th New York +116th New York 1 9 10 +153d New York 3 3 + Total First Brigade 4 1 21 26 +Second Brigade: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut +160th New York (2) +47th Pennsylvania 2 2 +8th Vermont 1 3 4 + Total Second Brigade 1 5 6 +Artillery: +5th New York Battery 1 1 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (3) 4 2 27 33 + +(1) Including casualties incurred on the 21st. +(2) Non-veterans of 90th New York attached. +(3) Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +9th Connecticut 3 10 13 +12th Maine +14th Maine +26th Massachusetts +14th New Hampshire 1 1 2 +75th New York + Total First Brigade 3 11 1 15 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 2 2 +11th Indiana 2 8 10 +22d Iowa 4 4 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 2 1 3 +131st New York 1 1 +159th New York + Total Second Brigade 4 16 20 +Third Brigade: Col. Daniel Macaulay +38th Massachusetts 1 1 +128th New York 2 4 6 +156th New York 1 4 5 +175th New York (three companies) +176th New York 1 1 2 + Total Third Brigade 4 13 12 29 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 1 1 +18th Indiana 2 4 6 +24th Iowa 1 4 5 +28th Iowa 5 5 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 14 17 +Artillery: +Maine Light, 1st Battery (A) + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Second Division 11 3 54 13 81 + +Reserve Artillery: Capt. Elijah D. Taft +17th Indiana Battery +Battery D 1st Rhode Island + __ ___ ___ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 15 5 81 13 114 + + +CEDAR CREEK. +October 19, 1864. +NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS: Killed Wounded Captured or missing +Bvt. Maj.-Gen. William H. Emory O E O E O E Aggregate +Corps Staff 2 2 +First Division: Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan + Brig.-Gen. William Dwight +First Brigade: Col. Edwin P. Davis +29th Maine 1 17 4 105 127 +30th Massachusetts 1 11 5 91 108 +90th New York 2 3 3 43 22 73 +114th New York 1 20 6 80 1 7 115 +116th New York 7 4 39 9 59 +153d New York 8 7 56 10 81 + Total First Brigade 5 66 29 414 1 48 563 +Second Brigade: Col. Stephen Thomas + Brig.-Gen. James W. McMillan +12th Connecticut 2 20 5 52 93 172 +160th New York 9 3 31 23 66 +47th Pennsylvania 1 36 1 88 28 154 +8th Vermont 1 16 11 55 23 106 + Total Second Brigade 4 81 20 226 167 498 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ + Total First Division (1) 9 147 49 640 1 215 1,064 + +(1) Third Brigade guarding trains. + + Killed Wounded Captured or missing +COMMAND O E O E O E Aggregate +Second Division: Brig.-Gen. Cuvier Grover (1) + Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge +Staff 1 1 +First Brigade: Brig.-Gen. Henry W. Birge + Col. Thomas W. Porter +9th Connecticut (battalion) 2 2 13 1 7 25 +12th Maine 1 6 3 20 1 50 81 +14th Maine 1 4 34 1 42 82 +26th Massachusetts (battalion) 3 2 8 16 29 +14th New Hampshire 8 3 48 1 17 77 +75th New York 3 1 18 33 55 + Total First Brigade 2 26 11 141 4 165 349 +Second Brigade: Col. Edward L. Molineux +13th Connecticut 2 1 16 10 29 +11th Indiana 4 4 35 10 53 +22d Iowa 1 6 43 2 21 73 +3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) + 6 2 29 39 76 +131st New York 2 1 21 9 33 +159th New York 2 2 1 12 6 23 + Total Second Brigade 2 17 15 156 2 95 287 +Third Brigade: Col. Daniel Macaulay (1) + Lt.-Col. Alfred Neafie +Staff 1 1 +38th Massachusetts 1 18 35 54 +128th New York 5 14 2 74 95 +156th New York 1 7 5 31 48 92 +175th New York (batallion) 1 2 3 +176th New York 1 5 4 11 1 31 53 + Total Third Brigade 2 18 11 76 3 188 298 +Fourth Brigade: Col. David Shunk +8th Indiana 2 2 4 33 4 21 66 +18th Indiana 5 6 43 27 81 +24th Iowa 8 6 37 41 92 +28th Iowa 1 8 2 69 10 90 + Total Fourth Brigade 3 23 18 182 4 99 329 +Artillery: +1st Maine Battery 1 2 1 16 8 28 + __ ___ __ ___ __ ___ _____ + Total Second Division 10 86 57 571 13 555 1,290 +Reserve Artillery: Maj. Albert W. Bradbury +17th Indiana Battery 4 1 8 3 16 +Battery D 1st Rhode Island 1 8 3 12 + Total Reserve Artillery 5 1 16 6 28 + __ ___ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ + Total Nineteenth Army Corps 19 238 109 1,227 14 776 2,383 + +(1) Wounded. + + +OFFICERS KILLED OR MORTALLY WOUNDED. + +BATON ROUGE. +August 5, 1862. + +Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams +Lt. Matthew A. Latham 21st Indiana +Lt. Charles D. Seeley " " +Capt. Eugene Kelty 30th Massachusetts + +GEORGIA LANDING. +October 27, 1862. + +Capt. John Kelleher 8th New Hampshire +Capt. Q. A. Warren " " " + +BISLAND. +April 12-13, 1863. + +Capt. Samuel Gault 38th Massachusetts +Lt. George G. Nutting 53d Massachusetts +Lt. John T. Freer 156th New York + +IRISH BEND. +April 14, 1863. + +Capt. Samuel S. Hayden 25th Connecticut +Lt. Daniel P. Dewey " " +Lt.-Col. Gilbert A. Draper 159th New York +Lt. Robert D. Lathrop " " " +Lt. Byron F. Lockwood " " " +Lt. John W. Manley " " " + +PLAINS STORE. +May 21, 1863. + +Lt. Charles Borusky 116th New York + +PORT HUDSON. +May 23 - July 8, 1863. + +Capt. John B. Hubbard (1), Assistant Adjutant-General +Lt. Joseph Strickland (2) 13th Connecticut +Capt. Jedediah Randall (1) 26th Connecticut +Capt. John L. Stanton (1) " " +Lt. Harvey F. Jacobs (2) " " +Lt. Marvin R. Kenyon (1) " " +Capt. David D. Hoag (2) 28th Connecticut +Lt. Charles Durand (2) " " +Col. Richard E. Holcomb (2) " " +Lt. Martin V. B. Hill 1st Louisiana +Lt. James E. Coburn 2d Louisiana +Lt. J. B. Butler 1st Engineers, Corps d'Afrique +Capt. Andrew Cailloux (1) 1st Louisiana Native Guards +Lt. John H. Crowder (1) " " " " +Maj. Adam Haffeille 3d Louisiana Native Guards +Lt. John C. Fulton (1) 14th Maine +Lt. Charles I. Stevens " " +Lt. Aaron W. Wallace (1) 21st Maine +Capt. Henry Crosby 22d Maine +Lt. Solon A. Perkins (2) 3d Massachusetts Cavalry +Capt. William H. Bartlett (2) 4th Massachusetts +Lt.-Col. William L. Rodman (2) 38th Massachusetts +Lt. Frederick Holmes (2) " " +Lt.-Col. James O'Brien (1) 48th Massachusetts +Lt. James McGinnis " " +Lt. Burton D. Deming (1) 49th Massachusetts +Lt. Isaac E. Judd (1) " " +Capt. George S. Bliss (2) 52d Massachusetts +Capt. George H. Bailey (1) 53d Massachusetts +Capt. Jerome K. Taft (2) " " +Lt. Alfred R. Glover (2) " " +Lt. Josiah H. Vose " " +Lt. Frederick J. Clark (1) 6th Michigan +Lt.-Col. Oliver W. Lull (1) 8th New Hampshire +Lt. Luther T. Hosley (2) " " " +Lt. George W. Thompson (1) " " " +Lt. Joseph Wallis (2) " " " +Maj. George W. Stackhouse (1) 91st New York +Capt. Henry S. Hulbert (2) " " " +Lt. Sylvester B. Shepard " " " +Lt. Valorous Randall (2) 110th New York +Col. Elisha B. Smith (2) 114th New York +Capt. Charles E. Tucker (2) " " " +Col. Edward P. Chapin (1) 116th New York +Lt. David Jones " " " +Lt. Timothy J. Linahan (2) " " " +Col. David S. Cowles (1) 128th New York +Lt. Charles L. Van Slyck (1) " " " +Lt. Nathan O. Benjamin (2) 131st New York +Lt. Benjamin F. Denton (2) 133d New York +Lt.-Col. Thomas Fowler 156th New York +Maj. James H. Bogart (2) 162d New York +Lt. John Neville " " " +Lt. Stephen C. Oakley (1) " " " +Lt.-Col. Abel Smith, Jr. (1) 165th New York +Lt. Charles R. Carville (1) " " " +Maj. A. Power Gallway 173d New York +Capt. Henry Cocheu (2) " " " +Lt. Samuel H. Podger " " " +Lt. Morgan Shea (2) " " " +Col. Michael K. Bryan (2) 175th New York +Capt. Harmon N. Merriman (1) 177th New York +Lt. James Williamson (1) " " " +Lt. Stephen F. Spalding (2) 8th Vermont +Col. Sidney A. Bean 4th Wisconsin +Capt. Levi R. Blake (3) " " +Lt. Edward A. Clapp (1) " " +Lt. Daniel B. Maxson (3) " " +Lt. Gustavus Wintermeyer (2) " " +Lt. Benjamin Wadsworth 10th U. S. Volunteers, Corps d'Afrique + +(1) In the Assault of May 27th. +(2) In the Assault of June 14th. +(3) In the affair of Clinton, June 3d. + +COX'S (or KOCH'S) PLANTATION. +July 13, 1863. + +Capt. David W. Tuttle 116th New York +Lt. De Van Postley 174th New York + +THE RED RIVER CAMPAIGN. +March 10 - May 22, 1864. + +Lt. Louis Meissner 13th Connecticut +Lt. Charles C. Grow 30th Maine +Lt. Reuben Seavy " " +Lt. Sumner N. Stout " " +Capt. Julius N. Lathrop 38th Massachusetts +Capt. Charles R. Cotton 160th New York, April 9th +Capt. William J. Van Deusen " " " " " +Lt. Nicholas McDonough " " " " " +Lt. Lewis E. Fitch 161st New York, April 8th +Col. Lewis Benedict 162d New York, April 9th +Capt. Frank T. Johnson " " " " " +Lt. Madison K. Finley " " " " " +Lt. William C. Haws " " " " " +Lt. Theodore A. Scudder " " " " " +Lt.-Col. William N. Green, Jr. 173d Infantry +Capt. Henry R. Lee 173d New York +Lt. Alfred P. Swoyer 47th Pennsylvania, April 8th +Lt. James A. Sanderson 1st United States Artillery + +THE OPEQUON. +September 19, 1864. + +Lt.-Col. Frank H. Peck 12th Connecticut +Lt. William S. Bulkeley " " +Lt. George W. Steadman " " +Lt. William S. Mullen 11th Indiana +Capt. Silas A. Wadsworth 18th Indiana +Capt. David J. Davis 22d Iowa +Capt. Benjamin D. Parks " " +Lt. James A. Boarts " " +Capt. Joseph R. Gould 24th Iowa +Lt. Sylvester S. Dillman " " +Capt. John E. Palmer " " +Capt. Scott Houseworth " " +Capt. Daniel M. Phillips 12th Maine +Capt. Samuel F. Thompson " " +Lt. William Jackman 14th Maine +Lt. Ajalon Godwin " " +Maj. William Knowlton 29th Maine +Lt. Jasper F. Glidden 3d Massachusetts Cavalry +Lt. John F. Poole " " " +Maj. Eusebius S. Clark 26th Massachusetts +Capt. Enos W. Thayer " " +Lt. John P. Haley 30th Massachusetts +Col. Alexander Gardiner 14th New Hampshire +Capt. William H. Chaffin " " " +Capt. William A. Fosgate " " " +Lt. Artemus B. Colburn " " " +Lt. Jesse A. Fisk " " " +Lt. Henry S. Paul " " " +Lt. George H. Stone " " " +Lt. Moulton S. Webster " " " +Lt.-Col. Willoughby Babcock 75th New York +Lt. Edwin E. Breed 114th New York +Capt. Jacob C. Klock 153d New York +Lt. Herman Smith 159th New York +Capt. Sir N. Dexter 160th New York +Lt. B. Frank Maxson " " " + +CEDAR CREEK. +October 19, 1864. + +Capt. John P. Lowell 12th Connecticut +Lt. George M. Benton " " +Lt. Horace E. Phelps " " +Lt.-Col. Alexander J. Kenny 8th Indiana +Capt. William D. Watson " " +Lt. George W. Quay " " +Lt.-Col. William S. Charles 11th Indiana +Maj. Jonathan H. Williams 18th Indiana +Lt.-Col. John Q. Wilds 24th Iowa +Capt. John W. Riemenschneider 28th Iowa +Lt. John E. Morton 1st Maine Battery +Lt. Henry D. Watson 12th Maine +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore 14th Maine +Lt. John L. Hoyt 29th Maine +Lt. Lyman James 3d Massachusetts Cavalry (dismounted) +Lt. Albert L. Tilden 26th Massachusetts +Lt. George F. Whitcomb 30th Massachusetts +Lt. William F. Clark, Jr. " " +Maj. John C. Smart 90th New York +Lt. Thaddeus C. Ferris " " " +Capt. Daniel C. Knowlton 114th New York +Lt. Isaac Burch " " " +Lt. Norman M. Lewis " " " +Lt. William D. Thurber " " " +Lt. Christopher Larkin 156th New York +Lt. Johannes Lefever " " " +Maj. Robert McD. Hart 159th New York +Capt. Duncan Richmond " " " +Lt. Julius A. Jones 176th New York +Capt. Edwin G. Minnich 47th Pennsylvania +Capt. Edward Hall 8th Vermont +Lt. Nathan C. Cheney " " +Lt. Aaron K. Cooper " " + +Note.--Unfortunately, it has been found impossible to obtain a complete +list of officers who fell in skirmishes or minor affairs. + + +PORT HUDSON FORLORN HOPE. + +Officers and men who volunteered for the storming party under General +Orders No. 49, Headquarters Department of the Gulf, June 15, 1863 (1): + +Col. Henry W. Birge, 13th Connecticut, Commanding.(2) + +STAFF. +Capt. Duncan S. Walker, Assistant Adjutant-General.(3) +Acting-Master Edmond C. Weeks, U. S. Navy, A. D. C.(2) +Capt. Charles L. Norton, 25th Connecticut.(2) +Capt. John L. Swift, 3d Massachusetts Cavalry.(2) +1st Lt. E. H. Russell, 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, Acting Signal Officer. +Asst.-Surgeon George Clary, 13th Connecticut.(2) +Lt. Julius H. Tiemann, A. A. D. C., 159th New York.(2) + +FIRST BATTALION.(4) +Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petter, 160th New York. +Capt. Edward P. Hollister, 31st Massachusetts, Senior Major. +Capt. Samuel D. Hovey, 31st Massachusetts, Junior Major. +Capt. Isaac W. Case, 22d Maine, Quartermaster. +Capt. William Smith, 2d Louisiana, A. D. C. +Lt. G. A. Harmount, 12th Connecticut, Adjutant. +Surgeon David H. Armstrong, 160th New York. + +SECOND BATTALION.(1) +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore, 14th Maine. +Maj. Albion K. Bolan, 14th Maine, Major. +Lt. I. Frank Hobbs, 14th Maine, Adjutant. +Lt. Edward Marrenee, 174th New York, Quartermaster. + +12th CONNECTICUT. Company +Capt. Lester E. Braley G +Lt. A. Dwight McCall G +Lt. Stanton Allen (2) K +Lt. George A. Harmount (Adjutant) +Pvt. Charles J. Constantine A +Sgt. John Mullen B +Pvt. Charles Duboise B +Cpl. John Moore C +Pvt. George T. Dickson C +Pvt. Willoughby Hull C +Pvt. William Putnam C +Pvt. Christoher Spies C +Pvt. George W. Watkins (3) C +Pvt. John P. Woodward C +Sgt. Alexander Cohn D +Cpl. George Shaw (2) D +Cpl. James Robertson, Jr. (2) D +Pvt. L. P. Farrell (3) D +Pvt. George Kohler D +Pvt. Reuben Miles D +Pvt. Frederick C. Payne D +Pvt. William P. Smith (3) E +Pvt. Edward L. Millerick (2) E +Sgt. Charles E. McGlaflin G +Sgt. Andrew H. Davidson (3) G +Cpl. John T. Gordon G +Pvt. Oliver C. Andrews G +Pvt. J. E. Chase (2) G +Pvt. James Dunn G +Pvt. Patrick Fitzpatrick G +Pvt. Patrick Franey G +Pvt. William Tobin (2) G +Pvt. Joseph W. Weeks (2) G +Sgt. Solomon E. Whiting (2) H +Sgt. John W. Phelps H +Cpl. Joseph W. Carter H +Cpl. Charles E. Sherman (3) H +Pvt. Edwin Converse H +Pvt. Hugh Donnally (2) H +Pvt. Warren Gammons H +Pvt. Joseph Graham (2) H +Pvt. Miles P. Higley (2) H +Pvt. William Lenning H +Pvt. Thomas McCue (2) H +Pvt. Melvin Nichols H +Cpl. Daniel B. Loomis (2) K +Pvt. Francis Beaumont (2) K +Pvt. A. M. Perkins (2) K + +13th CONNECTICUT. Company +Capt. Apollos Comstock (commanding regiment) +Capt. Charles D. Blinn C +Capt. Homer B. Sprague H +Capt. Denison H. Finley G +Capt. Charles J. Fuller D +Lt. Perey Averill B +Lt. Frank Wells I +Lt. Charles E. Tibbets A +Lt. William F. Norman K +Lt. Charles Daniels K +Lt. Charles H. Beaton E +Lt. John C. Kinney A +Lt. Louis Meisner I +Lt. Newton W. Perkins C +Lt. Louis Beckwith (2) B +Cpl. Francis J. Wolf A +Cpl. Christopher Fagan A +Cpl. Andrew Black A +Pvt. William Bishop A +Pvt. Michael Cunningham (2) A +Pvt. Walter Eagan A +Pvt. John Fagan A +Pvt. Francis J. Gaffnay A +Pvt. James Gilbert (2) A +Pvt. Edward Lantey A +Pvt. John McGuire A +Pvt. Joseph Mack A +Pvt. John Martin (2) A +Pvt. Henry Morton A +Pvt. Loren D. Penfield A +Pvt. John O'Keefe (2) A +Pvt. John Quigley (2) A +Pvt. Thomas Reilly (2) A +Pvt. Charles R. Rowell (2) A +Pvt. John Smith (2) A +Pvt. Edward Stone (2) A +Sgt. George E. Fancher B +Sgt. George H. Pratt B +Sgt. Alonzo Wheeler B +Cpl. Francis E. Weed B +Cpl. Roswell Taylor B +Cpl. Isaac W. Bishop B +Pvt. George M. Balling B +Pvt. John J. Brown B +Pvt. William B. Casey B +Pvt. Balthasar Emmerick B +Pvt. Peter Gentien B +Pvt. Dennis Hegany B +Pvt. William W. Jones B +Pvt. John Klein B +Pvt. Benjamin L. Mead B +Pvt. John Mohren B +Pvt. Charles Nichols B +Pvt. Victor Pinsaid B +Pvt. George Prindle B +Pvt. Morany J. Robertson B +Pvt. Sidney B. Ruggles B +Pvt. Felix Schreger (2) B +Pvt. Louis Schmeidt B +Pvt. Frederick L. Sturgis B +Sgt. Everett S. Dunbar (2) C +Sgt. Charles H. Gaylord (2) C +Sgt. John N. Lyman C +Sgt. John Maddox C +Cpl. Lewis Hart (2) C +Cpl. Homer M. Welch (2) C +Pvt. Willis Barnes (2) C +Pvt. Seymour Buckley (2) C +Pvt. Chauncey Griffin C +Pvt. Charles Hotchkiss (2) C +Pvt. Charles Mitchell (2) C +Pvt. John O'Dell (2) C +Pvt. Frederick W. Pindar (2) C +Pvt. Joseph H. Pratt C +Pvt. George Roraback (2) C +Pvt. Mortimer H. Scott C +Pvt. Joseph Tayor C +Pvt. Daniel Thompson C +Sgt. John J. Squier (2) D +Sgt. Ezra M. Hull (2) D +Cpl. Edward Allen D +Cpl. William Fennimore (2) D +Cpl. Andrew Holford (2) D +Pvt. Thomas B. Andrus (2) D +Pvt. Antonio Astenhoffer (2) D +Pvt. Henry F. Bishop (2) D +Pvt. Charles Bliss (2) D +Pvt. John Crarey (2) D +Pvt. John Dillon D +Pvt. John Fee D +Pvt. Henry F. Fox (2) D +Pvt. Gotleib Falkling (2) D +Pvt. Thomas Fitzpatrick (2) D +Pvt. Joseph Gardner D +Pvt. Newton Gaylor (2) D +Pvt. Gaspar Heidsick (2) D +Pvt. Louis Hettinger (2) D +Pvt. Julius Kamp (2) D +Pvt. Henry Kuhlmaner (2) D +Pvt. Henry Long (2) D +Pvt. George Losaw (2) D +Pvt. Luke McCabe (2) D +Pvt. Henry E. Polley (2) D +Pvt. Frederick Poush (2) D +Pvt. Horace B. Stoddard (2) D +Pvt. William H. Tucker (2) D +Pvt. Martin Tyler (2) D +Pvt. Louis Walters (2) D +Pvt. Edward Welden D +Sgt. Nicholas Schue E +Sgt. Richard Croley E +Cpl. Robert C. Barry E +Cpl. Leonard L. Dugal E +Pvt. Jacob Brown E +Pvt. Adam Gerze (2) E +Pvt. Frederick Hanns E +Pvt. George W. Howland E +Pvt. Michael Murphy E +Pvt. Charles F. Oedekoven E +Pvt. Fritz Oedekoven (2) E +Pvt. F. F. F. Pfieffer E +Pvt. Andrew Regan E +Pvt. Frederick Schuh E +Pvt. Joseph Vogel (2) E +Pvt. August Wilson E +Sgt. Eugene S. Nash (2) F +Sgt. John T. Reynolds (2) F +Cpl. James Case (2) F +Pvt. James Barry (2) F +Pvt. George Bogue (2) F +Pvt. David H. Brown (2) F +Pvt. Henry Cousink (2) F +Pvt. James Cosgrove F +Pvt. Byron Crocker (2) F +Pvt. David D. Jaques (2) F +Pvt. Abel Johnson (2) F +Pvt. Patrick Leach F +Pvt. Patrick Martin (2) F +Pvt. Thomas R. McCormick (2) F +Pvt. James O'Neil (2) F +Pvt. Henry E. Phinney F +Pvt. Thomas Powers (2) F +Pvt. Orrin M. Price (2) F +Pvt. Theodore Secelle (2) F +Pvt. William L. Webb (2) F +Sgt. Samuel L. Cook (2) G +Sgt. Charles B. Hutchings G +Sgt. John W. Bradley G +Sgt. Francis Huxford G +Cpl. Moses Gay G +Cpl. Louis Frotish G +Cpl. Edmund Bogue G +Cpl. Timothy Allen G +Pvt. Frank Austin (2) G +Pvt. George I. Austin G +Pvt. John Brand G +Pvt. Octave Ceressolle G +Pvt. William B. Crawford (2) G +Pvt. Charles Culver G +Pvt. James Gay G +Pvt. Albert Hopkins G +Pvt. John Hoyt G +Pvt. Henry A. Hurlburt G +Pvt. Asahel Ingraham G +Pvt. Jeremy T. Jordan G +Pvt. Michael Kearney G +Pvt. Joseph Kemple G +Pvt. Albert Leleitner (2) G +Pvt. Walter McGrath (2) G +Pvt. John McKeon G +Pvt. William M. Maynard G +Pvt. Daniel Moore G +Pvt. Morris Newhouse (2) G +Pvt. Timothy O'Connell G +Pvt. William H. Reynolds (2) G +Pvt. Ellis D. Robinson (2) G +Pvt. Henry Robinson G +Pvt. John Ryan (2) G +Pvt. Anton Schlosser G +Pvt. Martin J. Shaden G +Pvt. Martin Sheer G +Pvt. Charles Sidders G +Pvt. Edward Skinner (2) G +Pvt. John Suarman G +Pvt. Anson F. Suber (2) G +Pvt. Sebree W. Tinker G +Sgt. William H. Huntley H +Sgt. Dennis Doyle H +Sgt. Herman W. Bailey H +Cpl. Thomas Harrison (2) H +Pvt. Philo Andrews H +Pvt. Niram Blackman H +Pvt. John Blake H +Pvt. Frank Patterson H +Pvt. George H. Twitchell H +Pvt. William H. Smith (2) H +Sgt. John Duress (2) I +Sgt. Abner N. Sterry I +Sgt. Samuel Taylor I +Sgt. Engelbert Sauter I +Cpl. Francis W. Preston (2) I +Cpl. Joseph Franz (2) I +Cpl. Garrett Herbert (2) I +Pvt. William Albrecht (2) I +Pvt. Fritz Bowman (2) I +Pvt. Ulrich Burgart (2) I +Pvt. Michael Burke I +Pvt. James Dillon I +Pvt. Patrick Hines (2) I +Pvt. Thomas McGee I +Pvt. Clifford C. Newberry (2) I +Pvt. Henry Reltrath (2) I +Pvt. Edward Smith (2) I +Pvt. Edward O. Thomas (2) I +Pvt. Henry Whiteman (2) I +Sgt. Miles J. Beecher K +Sgt. George H. Winslow K +Sgt. Charles E. Humphrey K +Cpl. Herman Saunders K +Cpl. Herbert C. Baldwin K +Cpl. John Nugent K +Cpl. Robert Hollinger K +Pvt. John Bennett K +Pvt. Benjamin E. Benson K +Pvt. Frank C. Bristol K +Pvt. William Call (2) K +Pvt. George Clancy K +Pvt. William J. Cojer K +Pvt. Thomas Duffy K +Pvt. Samuel Eaves (2) K +Pvt. Edward Ellison K +Pvt. John Gall (2) K +Pvt. Thomas Griffin K +Pvt. William Kraige (2, 5) K +Pvt. Patrick Mahoney K +Pvt. Thomas Morris K +Pvt. Richard O'Donnell K +Pvt. George C. Russell K +Pvt. Bernard Stanford K +Pvt. John Storey K +Pvt. Bartley Tiernon K + +25th CONNECTICUT. Company +Lt. Henry C. Ward (Adjutant) +Lt. Henry H. Goodell F +Sgt.-Maj. Charles F. Ulrich +Pvt. Eli Hull (2) B +Pvt. Samuel Schlesinger F +Pvt. John Williams (2) H + +1st LOUISIANA. Company +Capt. J. R. Parsons I +Lt. C. A. Tracey (3) I +Lt. J. T. Smith (2) I +Sgt. Michael H. Dunn I +Sgt. James York (3) I +Sgt. George McGraw I +Cpl. Henry Carle I +Cpl. John Emperor I +Cpl. Jos. A. Scovell I +Cpl. John Lower I +Pvt. Charles Baker I +Pvt. Richard Balshaw (3) I +Pvt. Patrick Brennan I +Pvt. Joseph Briggs I +Pvt. Leonard Demarquis I +Pvt. John Fahy I +Pvt. John Hunt I +Pvt. Henry Kathea I +Pvt. Alex. Kiah (3) I +Pvt. James Manahan I +Pvt. James McGuire (2) I +Pvt. John Reas I +Pvt. Joseph Reaman (3) I +Pvt. Jerry Rourke I +Pvt. James Smith I + +2d LOUISIANA. Company +Capt. William Smith (2) H +Pvt. Lewis Diemert A +Pvt. Henry Mayo A +Pvt. Frederick A. Murnson A +Sgt. Albert Sadusky B +Cpl. John Hoffman B +Pvt. James Clinton B +Pvt. Michael Dunn (2) B +Pvt. Barney McClosky B +Pvt. William Rocher B +Pvt. James Sullivan B +Sgt. B. E. Rowland (2) C +Sgt. Andrew Harrigon C +Pvt. Patrick Brown (2, 6) C +Pvt. James Donovan C +Pvt. John Fry (3) C +Pvt. William Hayes (2) C +Pvt. Adolph Joinfroid (2) C +Pvt. Daniel Theale C +Pvt. William Wilkie C +Pvt. Leon Paul D +Pvt. Joseph Dupuy F +Pvt. William Gallagher F +Pvt. George Tyler F +Pvt. Eugene Gallagher G +Sgt. Theodore Lederick H +Sgt. Benjamin C. Rollins (3) H +Cpl. Jacob Stall (3) H +Pvt. John Brennan H +Pvt. Patrick Devine (3) H +Pvt. John Eldridge (3) H +Pvt. Patrick Garrity (3) H +Pvt. Louis Harrell H +Pvt. John Hayes H +Pvt. Louis Icks (3) H +Pvt. John Luke H +Pvt. Thomas R. Blakely (3) I +Pvt. Louis L. Drey I +Pvt. James E. Mariner (3) I +Pvt. Francis McGahay (3) I +Pvt. Edwin Rice (3) I +Cpl. Otto Fouche (3) K +Pvt. Henry Gordon (3) K +Pvt. George Seymore (3) K +Pvt. Paul E. Trosclair (3) K + +1st LOUISIANA NATIVE GUARDS.(3) Company +Sgt. Joseph Frick C +Sgt. Charles Dugue C +Sgt. Ernest Legross C +Cpl. Arthur Meye C +Pvt. Valcour Brown C +Pvt. Camile Cazainier C +Pvt. Edmond Champanel C +Pvt. Eugene Degruy C +Pvt. Clement Galice C +Pvt. Louis Lacraie C +Pvt. Pierre Martiel C +Pvt. Joseph Moushaud C +Pvt. Armand Roche C +Pvt. Francois Severin C +Pvt. Henry Smith C +Pvt. J. Baptiste Smith C +Pvt. Martin White C +Pvt. Joseph Lewis G +Pvt. Robert Lotsum G +Cpl. Jules Frits H +Pvt. Jaques Auguste H +Pvt. Henry Bradford H +Pvt. Joseph Carter H +Pvt. Isidore Charles H +Pvt. Emile Chatard H +Pvt. Frederick Derinsbourg H +Pvt. Franics Fernandez H +Pvt. Arthur Guyot H +Pvt. Samuel Hall H +Pvt. John Howard H +Pvt. Joseph Jackson H +Pvt. Richard John H +Pvt. Joe Joseph H +Pvt. Auguste Lee H +Pvt. Henry Lee H +Pvt. Oscar Pointoiseau H +Pvt. Joseph Patterson, Sr. H +Pvt. Joseph Patterson, Jr. H +Pvt. Perry Randolph H +Pvt. James Richards H +Pvt. Benjamin String H +Pvt. Ralemy Walse H +Sgt. John J. Cage I +Sgt. John W. Berweeks I +Cpl. Thomas Alexander I +Pvt. Charles Branson I +Pvt. Alexander Jones I +Pvt. William McDowell I +Pvt. Collin Page I +Pvt. Thomas Redwood I +Pvt. William Wood I +Pvt. George Burke K +Pvt. Ed. Madison K +Pvt. Charles Smith K + +3d LOUISIANA NATIVE GUARDS.(3) Company +Pvt. Abram Frost A +Pvt. Henry Marshel A +Sgt. Wade Hambleton C +Cpl. Massalla Lofra C +Cpl. William Mack C +Cpl. E. Thominick C +Pvt. Daniel Anderson C +Pvt. ---- Bracton C +Pvt. William Dallis C +Pvt. Jack Dorson C +Pvt. William Finick C +Pvt. Solomon Fleming C +Pvt. William Green C +Pvt. George Joseph C +Pvt. Victor Lewis C +Pvt. ---- Sanders C +Pvt. ---- Taylor C +Pvt. ---- White C +Sgt. Thomas Jefferson E +Pvt. W. Henry E +Pvt. Benjamin Johnson E +Pvt. Joseph Miller E +Pvt. Thomas Simmons E +Pvt. J. W. Thomas E +Pvt. Edward Brown H +Pvt. Isaac Gillis H +Pvt. ---- Johnson H +Pvt. Silas Huff H +Pvt. Lewis Paulin H +Pvt. John Ross H +Pvt. J. Smith H +Pvt. Silas Dicton I +Pvt. Loudon McDaniel I +Pvt. John Taller I +Pvt. Isaac Twiggs I +Pvt. George Washington I +Pvt. ---- Williams I + +12th MAINE. Company +Capt. John F. Appleton (2) H +Lt. Daniel M. Phillips H +Lt. Marcellus L. Stearns E +Pvt. John Cooper A +Pvt. Isaac R. Douglass A +Pvt. Almon L. Gilpatrick A +Pvt. John Weller A +Sgt. Seymour A. Farrington E +Cpl. Henry S. Berry E +Pvt. Edgar G. Adams E +Pvt. Oliver D. Jewett E +Pvt. Nathan W. Kendall E +Pvt. James Powers E +Sgt. William M. Berry H +Sgt. James W. Smith I +Sgt. Henry Tyler (3) H +Pvt. Frank E. Anderson (2) H + +13th MAINE. +Lt. Joseph B. Carson (2) + +14th MAINE. Company +Lt.-Col. Charles S. Bickmore +Maj. Albion K. Bolan +Capt. George Blodgett K +Lt. John K. Laing F +Lt. I. Frank Hobbs G +Lt. Warren T. Crowell K +Lt. Merrill H. Adams B +Lt. William H. Gardiner G +Lt. Charles E. Blackwell (3) I +Sgt.-Maj. Charles W. Thing (2) +Sgt. Jos. F. Clement A +Sgt. George C. Hagerty A +Cpl. William C. Townsend A +Cpl. Otis G. Crockett A +Cpl. Alva Emerson A +Pvt. Peter Beauman A +Pvt. Wilson Bowden A +Pvt. Richard J. Colby A +Pvt. Seth P. Colby A +Pvt. Peter Misher (3) A +Pvt. Irvin Morse A +Pvt. Edwin Ordway A +Pvt. Albert Webster (3) A +Sgt. John Dougherty B +Sgt. James Shehan B +Cpl. Peter Emerich (2) B +Pvt. John Darby (2, 6) B +Pvt. Benjamin Douglass, Jr. B +Pvt. James Elders B +Pvt. George N. Larrabee B +Pvt. John Dailey C +Pvt. Simon Beattie E +Sgt. F. H. Blackman (2) F +Sgt. Jos. W. Grant F +Cpl. William M. Cobb (2) F +Cpl. William F. Jenkins F +Pvt. Edward Bethum F +Pvt. William E. Merrifield F +Pvt. Horace Sawyer F +Sgt. Archelaus Fuller G +Cpl. Edward Bradford G +Pvt. Samuel Connelly G +Pvt. Ezra A. Merrill G +Sgt. Calvin S. Gordon H +Cpl. Louis C. Gordon (3) H +Pvt. John Cunningham I +Sgt. C. Pembroke Carter I +Sgt. Samuel T. Logan I +Sgt. John S. Smith I +Sgt. William L. Busher (2) I +Cpl. John Hayes I +Pvt. William R. Hawkins (3) I +Pvt. Jos. Preble I +Pvt. Albert B. Meservy I +Pvt. Benjamin F. Roleson I +Sgt. William Muller K +Sgt. Alex. Wilson K +Sgt. Bazel Hogue K +Cpl. John Moore K +Cpl. William Darby K +Pvt. Daniel Connors K +Pvt. Benjamin Sandon (2) K +Pvt. George Waterhouse K +Pvt. Julius Wendlandt K +Pvt. Charles Wilkerson K +Pvt. Elliot Witham K + +21st MAINE. Company +Capt. James L. Hunt (3) C +Capt. Samuel W. Clarke H +Pvt. J. Mink (3) A +Pvt. Otis Sprague (3) A +Pvt. Sewell Sprague (3) A +Pvt. Joel Richardson (3) B +Pvt. Andrew P. Watson (3) B +Pvt. John H. Brown C +Pvt. John E. Heath C +Pvt. Charles T. Lord C +Pvt. George F. Stacey C +Pvt. William N. Tibbetts C +Cpl. Galen A. Chapman D +Cpl. Alonzo L. Farrow D +Pvt. David O. Priest (3) D +Pvt. David B. Cole (3) E +Pvt. Charles S. Crowell (3) E +Pvt. Melville Merrill (3) E +Pvt. William Douglass (3) F +Pvt. Gustavus Hiscock (3) F +Cpl. Minot D. Hewett G +Pvt. Leander Woodcock (2) G +Pvt. Frederic Goud (3) H +Pvt. Thomas Wyman (3) H +Pvt. John B. Morrill (3) I +Pvt. James S. Jewell (3) K +Pvt. Frank S. Wade (3) K + +22d MAINE. Company +Capt. Isaac W. Case H +Capt. Henry L. Wood E +Lt. George E. Brown A +Pvt. Van Buren Carll B +Pvt. Daniel McPhetres B +Cpl. D. S. Chadbourne (2) E +Sgt. Samuel S. Mason F +Pvt. Timothy N. Erwin G +Pvt. Amaziah W. Webb K + +24th MAINE. Company +Sgt. George E. Taylor H +Pvt. James Hughes H + +28th MAINE. +Pvt. James N. Morrow + +3d MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY. Company +Col. Thomas E. Chickering (3) +Capt. John L. Swift (2) C +Capt. Francis E. Boyd H +Lt. William T. Hodges C +Lt. Henry S. Adams (3) (Adjutant) +Lt. David P. Muzzey G +Lt. Charles W. C. Rhoads H +Sgt.-Maj. William S. Stevens +Pvt. Ferdinand Rolle A +Sgt. Nathan G. Smith C +Sgt. Horace P. Flint C +Cpl. George D. Cox (2) C +Pvt. Joseph Elliott C +Pvt. Edward Johnson C +Cpl. Patrick Dunlay G +Sgt. Jason Smith (2) G +Pvt. Simon Daly G +Pvt. Peter Donahuye G +Pvt. James Gallagher (2) G +Pvt. John Granville (2) G +Pvt. James McLaughlin (2) G +Sgt. Patrick S. Curry (2) G +Pvt. Solomon Hall (2) G +Sgt. William Wildman H +Sgt. John Kelley H +Sgt. George E. Long (2) H +Cpl. William S. Caldwell H +Cpl. Randall F. Hunnewell H +Cpl. William P. Pethie H +Cpl. Charles Miller H +Cpl. William R. Davis (3) H +Pvt. Edwin T. Ehrlacher H +Pvt. Gros Granadino H +Pvt. Eli Hawkins H +Pvt. Patrick J. Monks H +Pvt. John Veliscross H +Pvt. George Wilson H + +13th MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY. +Pvt. Cesar DuBois +Pvt. John V. Warner (2) + +26th MASSACHUSETTS. +Lt. Seth Bonner (2), Company F + +30th MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Capt. Edward A. Fiske D +Lt. Thomas B. Johnston H +Lt. Nathaniel K. Reed C +Lt. Ferdinand C. Poree (3) C +Sgt. W. H. H. Richards B +Cpl. George E. Coy B +Cpl. Thomas Courtney B +Pvt. James M. Brown B +Pvt. Andrew Cole B +Pvt. Martin Hassett B +Pvt. George Toowey B +Sgt. Luther H. Marshall C +Pvt. William McCutcheon C +Pvt. Charles B. Richardson C +Pvt. George Sutherland C +Sgt. George H. Moule D +Sgt. John E. Ring (3) D +Cpl. Charles D. Moore D +Pvt. James Boyce D +Pvt. William Kenny D +Pvt. Horace F. Davis E +Sgt. Murty Quinlan F +Sgt. Thomas A. Warren F +Cpl. Michael Mealey F +Pvt. J. Sullivan (2, 7) F +Sgt. John Leary G +Sgt. Willard A. Hussey H +Pvt. John Battles H +Pvt. John Higgins H +Pvt. Paul Jesemaughn H +Pvt. William F. Kavanagh H +Pvt. John Welch H +Pvt. John Wilson H +Sgt. Samuel Ryan I + +31st MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Capt. Edward P. Hollister A +Capt. Samuel D. Hovey K +Lt. Luther C. Howell (Adjutant) +Lt. James M. Stewart A +Pvt. Chester Bevins A +Pvt. Patrick Carnes A +Pvt. Frank Fitch A +Pvt. William Thorlington A +Pvt. Peter Valun A +Pvt. Ethan H. Cowles B +Pvt. William J. Coleman K +Pvt. Maurice Lee K + +38th MASSACHUSETTS. +Lt. Frank N. Scott, Company D + +48th MASSACHUSETTS. +Pvt. Michael Roach, Company G + +49th MASSACHUSETTS.(3) Company +Lt. Edson F. Dresser F +Pvt. James W. Bassett A +Pvt. William E. Clark A +Pvt. Willard L. Watkins A +Pvt. George Dowley B +Pvt. Henry E. Griffin B +Pvt. Conrad Hiens B +Cpl. Thomas H. Hughes D +Pvt. Peter Come D +Pvt. Edwin N. Hubbard D +Pvt. Franklin Allen H +Pvt. George Knickerbocker H +Cpl. John Kelley I +Pvt. Zera Barnum I +Pvt. Philadner B. Chadwick K +Pvt. Thomas Maloney K +Pvt. Albert F. Thompson K + +50th MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Cpl. E. S. Tubbs G +Pvt. James Miller G + +53d MASSACHUSETTS. Company +Pvt. Peter T. Downs G +Pvt. Peter Dyer H + +6th MICHIGAN. Company +Pvt. Robert Atwood A +Pvt. John R. Cowles A +Pvt. James E. Root A +Sgt. Lester Fox C +Sgt. Albert B. Chapman (3) C +Cpl. William A. Porter C +Pvt. Walter B. Hunter C +Pvt. Joseph W. Rolph C +Cpl. Charles St. John D +Pvt. Peter Dorr D +Pvt. Henry Plummer (2) D +Pvt. Tobias Porter (3) D +Sgt. Frederick Buck E +Sgt. William L. Leinrie E +Cpl. Harry S. Howard E +Cpl. William Kelly (3) E +Cpl. Henry Rhodes E +Pvt. John Austin E +Pvt. Daniel Fero E +Pvt. William Hogue (3) E +Pvt. James R. Johnson E +Pvt. Augustus Jones E +Pvt. William Rapsher E +Pvt. Jacob Urwiler E +Pvt. Alfred E. Day F +Pvt. George W. Sparling F +Sgt. George H. Harris G +Cpl. Peter A. Martin (3) G +Cpl. Francis M. Hurd G +Pvt. George W. Dailey (3) G +Pvt. Freeman Hadden (3) G +Pvt. John W. McBride (3) G +Pvt. Robert Payne (3) G +Pvt. Charles E. Plummer (3) G +Pvt. Enoch T. Simpson (3) G +Pvt. Osborn Sweeney (3) G +Pvt. Theodore Weed (3) G +Sgt. A. C. Whitcomb (3) H +Pvt. Henry B. Dow (3) H +Pvt. George A. Benet (3) I +Cpl. Levi A. Logan (3) K +Cpl. John H. Wisner (3) K +Pvt. Simon P. Boyce (3) K +Pvt. David H. Servis (3) K +Pvt. Francis E. Todd (3) K + +8th NEW HAMPSHIRE. Company +Capt. Jos. J. Ladd (3) D +Lt. Dana W. King A +Pvt. John Riney (3) B +Sgt. John Ferguson (2) I + +16th NEW HAMPSHIRE. Company +Capt. John L. Rice (3) H +Lt. Edgar E. Adams F +Lt. Edward J. O'Donnell C +Cpl. Daniel C. Dacey A +Pvt. Edward J. Wiley B +Cpl. Clinton Bohannon C +Pvt. Asa Burgess C +Cpl. William A. Rand K +Pvt. Rufus L. Jones K + +75th NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Edson V. R. Blakeman B +Pvt. Levi Coppernoll B +Pvt. Lenox Kent B +Pvt. Ethan Bennett (2) I +Pvt. Martin Norton I +Pvt. Jonas L. Palmer (2) I +Pvt. Charles Wright (2) I + +90th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Honore De La Paturelle E +Sgt. Henry M. Crydenwise A +Pvt. Nichoals Schmilan (2) A +Pvt. Albert Barnes (2) B +Pvt. George Robinson (2) B +Cpl. John Neil F +Pvt. John McCormick F +Pvt. Martin McNamara F +Pvt. James Proctor (3) F +Cpl. Willam Dally (2) G +Pvt. Timothy Quirk (2) G +Pvt. ---- Serriler (2) G +Pvt. Christopher Autenreith K +Pvt. John Heron K +Pvt. Amos Maker K +Pvt. Nelson Root K + +91st NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Samuel Webster A +Sgt. James A. Shattuck B +Pvt. James T. McCollum (3) B +Sgt. Edward R. Cone C +Cpl. Platt F. Vincent C +Pvt. Edwin De Frate C +Cpl. Charles E. Bowles E +Pvt. Jos. C. Wallace E +Cpl. Charles Kearney (2) K + +114th NEW YORK.(2) Company +Sgt. William H. Calkins I +Cpl. Nathan Sampson G +Cpl. C. L. Widger I +Pvt. Herbert Chislin G +Pvt. Warren H. Howard G +Pvt. William Potter G + +116th NEW YORK. Company +Cpl. Frank Bentley A +Pvt. Isaac Colvin A +Pvt. Andrew Cook A +Pvt. Daniel Covensparrow A +Pvt. Philip Linebits A +Pvt. Jacob Bergtold (3) B +Pvt. Sylvester Glass (3) B +Cpl. George W. Hammond (3) C +Pvt. Henry D. Daniel C +Pvt. Charles Fisher C +Pvt. Frederick Hilderbrand C +Pvt. Christain Grawi (3) D +Pvt. William W. McCumber (3) D +Pvt. Cornelius Fitzpatrick E +Pvt. James Gallagher E +Pvt. Theodore Hansell E +Pvt. Thomas Maloney E +Pvt. Henry C. Miller E +Pvt. Frederick Webber E +Cpl. Joshua D. Baker F +Pvt. Jacob Demerly F +Pvt. Frederick Jost G +Pvt. William Martin G +Pvt. Samuel Whitmore G +Pvt. Henry Trarer (2) H +Pvt. Jacob Tschole H +Pvt. Jacob Zumstein H +Pvt. Philip Mary I +Cpl. Albert D. Prescot K +Pvt. Nicholas Fedick K + +128th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Francis S. Keese C +Sgt. Theodore W. Krafft A +Sgt. Freeman Skinner A +Cpl. Milo P. Moore A +Pvt. Jos. M. Downing A +Pvt. John N. Hague A +Pvt. Jared Harrison (2) A +Pvt. Jos. C. Mosher A +Pvt. James Mosherman A +Pvt. Freeman Ostrander A +Sgt. Charles W. McKown C +Sgt. Henry A. Brundage C +Sgt. John H. Hagar C +Cpl. Clement R. Dean C +Cpl. David H. Haunaburgh C +Cpl. Elijah D. Morgan C +Cpl. George F. Simmons C +Pvt. Albert Cole C +Pvt. George Cronk C +Pvt. Edward Delamater C +Pvt. Peter Dyer (2) C +Pvt. Albert P. Felts C +Pvt. Charles Murch C +Pvt. Daniel Neenan C +Pvt. George A. Norcutt C +Pvt. John R. Schriver C +Pvt. John L. Delamater D +Pvt. William Platto D +Pvt. Charles P. Wilson D +Cpl. Charles Brower F +Sgt. C. M. Davidson (2) H +Pvt. John A. Wamsley (2) H +Pvt. Charles F. Appleby I +Pvt. Stephen H. Moore I +Cpl. Sylvester Brewer K +Pvt. Thomas Rice K +Pvt. William Van Bak (2) K + +131st NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Eugene H. Fales C +Lt. Eugene A. Hinchman H +Lt. James O'Connor F +Lt. Louis F. Ellis I +Lt. James E. McBeth K +Pvt. William Burris B +Pvt. Charles Cameron (2) B +Pvt. Nicholas Hansler (2) B +Pvt. George E. Stanford B +Sgt. Robert W. Reid C +Cpl. Jonas Cheshire C +Cpl. Edward Northup C +Cpl. Isaac Ogden C +Pvt. Henry Ayres C +Pvt. Richard M. Edwards C +Pvt. Theodore Kellet C +Pvt. Charles W. Weeks C +Pvt. Jacob Hohn I +Pvt. Ferdinand Nesch I + +133d NEW YORK. Company +Capt. James K. Fuller (3) C +Lt. Richard W. Buttle D +Lt. Henry O'Connor I +Pvt. Nicolas Pitt B +Pvt. Nelson Beane C +Pvt. Patrick Boyne C +Pvt. Joseph Finn C +Pvt. Peter Hudson C +Pvt. James G. Kelly C +Cpl. John Eisemann D +Pvt. John Newman (2) D +Pvt. John A. Shepard (2) D +Pvt. Patrick Callanan E +Pvt. Cyrus Tooker F +Sgt. George Giehl G +Pvt. Joseph J. Burke G +Pvt. George Schleifer G +Pvt. James Brenna I +Pvt. John H. Dawson I +Pvt. John H. Gale I +Sgt. George Hamel K +Cpl. William Stratton (3) K +Pvt. Patrick Costello K +Pvt. Henry Hodinger K +Pvt. Philip Ready K + +156th NEW YORK. Company +Pvt. Innus A. Graves (2) B +Pvt. Thomas Horton (2) B +Pvt. Henry Jones (2) B +Pvt. Philip Lewis B +Pvt. Benjamin Roberson (2) B +Pvt. Simon Washburn (2) B +Sgt. C. G. Earle (2) C +Sgt. Daniel B. Degs (2) C +Sgt. Clement Y. Carle (2) C +Cpl. J. B. Barlison (2) C +Pvt. Stephen R. Acker (2) C +Pvt. Mathew Diets (2) C +Pvt. Stephen Ernhout (2) C +Pvt. John Herringer (2) C +Pvt. A. Jarvis Hater (2) C +Pvt. Abraham Keyser (2) C +Pvt. Alexander Lown (2) C +Pvt. F. L. Scampmouse (2) C +Pvt. A. C. Schriver (2) C +Pvt. W. Shadduck (2) C +Pvt. A. G. Slater (2) C +Pvt. J. R. Slater (2) C +Pvt. John Strivinger (2) C +Pvt. William Thadduck (2) C +Cpl. Richard Ellmandorph (2) D +Cpl. Archibald Terwilliger (2) E +Sgt. John D. Fink F +Sgt. Hiram S. Barrows (2) F +Cpl. George Bradshaw (2) F +Pvt. James R. Lane (2) F +Pvt. Edward Liter (2) F +Pvt. Michael McGorm (2) F +Pvt. Charles L. Meguire (2) F +Lt. Edward Olbenshaw (2) H +Pvt. John Marvell (2) H +Capt. Orville D. Jewett (2) I +Lt. James J. Randall (2) I +Lt. Charles W. Kennedy (2) I +Sgt. Edward Steers (2) I +Sgt. William S. Costilyou (2) I +Sgt. Thomas F. Donnelly (2) I +Sgt. Thomas Saunders (2) I +Pvt. James Brougham (2) I +Pvt. Welkin Moorehouse (2) I +Pvt. John Provost (2) I +Pvt. James Watson (2) I +Sgt. Charles B. Weston K +Sgt. Henry Abbott (3) K +Cpl. Ivan Netterberg K +Cpl. Isaac W. Fullager K +Pvt. Simeon Fritter (2) K +Pvt. Charles Gay K +Pvt. August Leonard K +Pvt. Neil Neilson K +Pvt. Samuel Outerkirk K +Pvt. Chalres Podrick (2) K +Pvt. Sven Svenson (2) K +Pvt. Charles Stump K +Pvt. Augustus Swenson (2) K +Pvt. Joseph von Matt K +Pvt. Thoeodore Webster (2) K +Pvt. Alexander Wehl (2) K + +159th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Robert McD. Hart F +Lt. Alfred Greenleaf, Jr. B +Lt. Duncan Richmond H +Pvt. Amos Hark B +Pvt. George W. Hatfield B +Pvt. Hugh McKenny B +Pvt. John Taylor B +Sgt. Michael Hogan C +Pvt. Christain Schnack C +Sgt. James T. Perkins E +Pvt. John Thorp E +Sgt. Gilbert S. Gullen F +Pvt. Bartholomey Toser F +Cpl. E. Hollenback (2) H +Pvt. H. McIlravy (2) H +Pvt. D. C. McNeil (2) H +Pvt. James Braizer, 2d. I +Pvt. George W. Schofield I +Sgt. Thomas Bergen (2) K + +160th NEW YORK. Company +Lt.-Col. John B. Van Petten +Asst. Surgon David H. Armstrong +Lt. William J. Van Deusen A +Lt. Robert R. Seeley I +Pvt. Oscar Curtis (3) B +Pvt. A. A. Hammer C +Pvt. Joseph S. Insley (3) C +Pvt. Henry F. McIntyre C +Pvt. George Matthies C +Sgt. J. Sahvey (2) E +Pvt. Michael Hill E +Pvt. John Long E +Pvt. John O'Lahey (3) E +Sgt. B. F. Maxson G +Sgt. Elon Spink G +Sgt. Samuel Kriegelstein G +Sgt. Jacob McDowell K +Sgt. Michael Hewitt (2) K +Pvt. Arthur Clarkson K +Pvt. Lewis Kraher K +Pvt. John Raince K + +161st NEW YORK. Company +Maj. Charles Strawn (3) +Lt. William B. Kinsey (Adjutant) +Capt. Benjamin T. Van Tuyl A +Sgt. George E. Rosenkrans (2) A +Cpl. Clark Evans A +Pvt. William Jolley A +Pvt. Cornelius Osterhout A +Pvt. James Anderson B +Sgt. Lewis E. Fitch C +Cpl. Mahlon M. Murcur C +Pvt. Edgar L. Dewitt C +Pvt. Henry W. Mead C +Pvt. George Oliver C +Pvt. Charles Spaulding C +Sgt. Dennis Lacy D +Sgt. Bradford Sanford D +Pvt. James E. Borden D +Pvt. Luman Philley D +Pvt. Thomas A. Sawyer D +Pvt. John Van Dousen D +Pvt. Madison M. Collier E +Sgt. Baskin Freeman F +Pvt. Charles Robinson F +Sgt. De Witt C. Amey H +Cpl. Samuel Robinson H +Pvt. John F. Young H +Pvt. John Reas (2) I +Sgt. Silas E. Warren K +Pvt. Charles A. Herrick K + +162d NEW YORK. Company +Capt. William P. Huxford C +Lt. John H. Van Wyck G +Lt. William Kennedy E +Lt. R. W. Leonard (Adjutant) +Sgt. John McCormick A +Sgt. Thomas Barry (2) A +Sgt. John E. Burke B +Sgt. Henry Landy C +Sgt. Frederick Shellhass C +Pvt. Anton Bleistein C +Pvt. William F. Eisele C +Pvt. John Engel C +Pvt. Alex. Herrman C +Pvt. Leo Kalt C +Pvt. Conrad Siegle C +Sgt. Theodore Churchill D +Sgt. William Kelley (2) D +Cpl. Thomas McConnell D +Sgt. James Stack E +Sgt. George W. Keiley E +Cpl. John McLaughlin E +Cpl. George W. Waite E +Cpl. James Ball E +Cpl. Lorenzo Sully (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Clarey E +Pvt. Peter Corbett E +Pvt. Thomas Duff E +Pvt. Daniel W. Dunn E +Pvt. Patrick Ginett E +Pvt. Daniel Gray E +Pvt. Hawrence Halley E +Pvt. George Larmore E +Pvt. James McCall E +Pvt. Mathew Mullen (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Perry (2) E +Pvt. Patrick Sweeny E +Cpl. Gustave Normann F +Pvt. John G. Thalmann F +Sgt. George W. Gibson G +Sgt. Edmund Nourse G +Pvt. William Ferguson G +Pvt. William Ketaing G +Cpl. Edward Murphy I +Cpl. Joseph Martines I +Cpl. Maxamillian Miller I +Cpl. David Hart (2) I +Cpl. George Welch (2) I +Pvt. James Brady K +Pvt. Peter Cherry K +Pvt. Eugene Detrich K +Pvt. John Frazer K +Pvt. Jos. Gitey K +Pvt. Fleming Knipe K +Pvt. Dominick McConnell (2) K +Pvt. John McDonald K +Pvt. Lewis Young K + +165th NEW YORK. Company +Capt. Felix Angus A +Capt. Henry C. Inwood E +Lt. Gustavus F. Linguist C +Sgt. Walter T. Hall A +Sgt. William T. Sinclair A +Sgt. John Fleming A +Sgt. John W. Dicins A +Cpl. Richard Baker A +Cpl. Josiah C. Dixon A +Cpl. George E. Armstrong A +Pvt. James E. Barker A +Pvt. Peter Beaucamp A +Pvt. Samuel Davis A +Pvt. Gustav Druckhammer A +Pvt. Thomas Kerney (2) A +Pvt. David Lewis A +Pvt. George McKinney A +Pvt. George A. Metzel A +Pvt. Elias H. Tucker A +Pvt. John H. Vale A +Pvt. Edward Vass A +Drummer Michael Donohue (2) A +Pvt. Elisha E. Dennison (2) B +Pvt. Patrick H. Matthews B +Pvt. John Cassidy C +Pvt. Robert Hobbey C +Pvt. Laurentz Lange C +Pvt. John Laughtman C +Cpl. James F. Campbell D +Pvt. Eugene Deflandre (2) D +Pvt. Henry Edward (2) D +Pvt. Henry R. Loomis (2) D +Pvt. Thomas Belcher E +Pvt. John Feighery E +Pvt. Stephen Gilles E +Pvt. Edwin A. Shaw E +Pvt. William Vero E + +173d NEW YORK. +Pvt. Alexander Hendrickson, Company C + +174th NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Edward Marrenee I +Lt. Latham A. Fish E +Lt. Eugene E. Ennson C +Lt. Charles Emerson (3) I +Sgt. Samuel Wilson (2) A +Sgt. Morris Lancaster A +Cpl. Louis Hageman A +Pvt. William Coopere A +Pvt. John Cullen A +Pvt. John Maloney A +Cpl. George Anderson B +Sgt. John Gray C +Pvt. John Kuhfuss C +Pvt. Gustavus Heller (2) C +Pvt. George W. Jones (2) C +Pvt. William McElroy (2) C +Pvt. Ernst Schmidt C +Sgt. John Kenney E +Cpl. Joseph H. Murphy E +Pvt. Thomas Williams E +Pvt. Thomas Fletcher G +Pvt. Henry D. Lasher G +Pvt. Charles N. Thompson G +Sgt. Charles Gardner H +Pvt. Thomas Carroll H +Pvt. William Johnson H +Pvt. Henry Jones H +Pvt. Cornelius Mohoney H +Pvt. Joseph Messmer I +Pvt. Henry Pooler I +Pvt. Richard Schottler I +Sgt. Charles Draner K +Pvt. Frederick Bandka K +Pvt. William Heinrichs K +Pvt. Edward Kuhlman K +Pvt. Julius Ladiges K +Pvt. Frederick Nilsen K + +175th NEW YORK. Company +Lt. Seigmund Sternberg I +Sgt.-Maj. Abraham Loes +Pvt. Frank Markham A +Cpl. Timothy Allen B +Pvt. Otto Dornback C +Pvt. Richard O'Gorham C +Pvt. Patrick Manering D +Sgt. William O'Callaghan E +Sgt. James Hillis (3) E +Sgt. James H. Callor (2) E +Pvt. John O'Conner E +Cpl. Philip Daub (3) K + +177th NEW YORK. Company +Sgt. John D. Brooks A +Cpl. Percy B. S. Cole A +Pvt. Seymour D. Carpenter A +Pvt. John J. Gallup A +Pvt. Thomas J. Garvey A +Pvt. William Hemstreet A +Pvt. John Housen A +Pvt. Barney Lavary A +Pvt. Richard C. Main A +Pvt. Adam Milliman A +Pvt. Henry von Lehman A +Pvt. Willard Loundsbery (2) A +Cpl. George A. McCormick B +Pvt. Eben Halley B +Pvt. David N, Kirk B +Pvt. Charles M. Smith B +Pvt. Samuel H. Stevens, Jr. B +Pvt. John Gorman C +Pvt. Moses De Coster D +Pvt. Charles W. Lape E +Cpl. Alonzo G. Luddes G +Pvt. S. W. Meisden (3) G +Pvt. Elias Nashold G +Pvt. Jeddiah Tompkins G +Pvt. Russell W. Cooneys H +Pvt. George Merinus I + +8th VERMONT. Company +Capt. John L. Barstow (2, 3), Acting Assitant Adjutant-General +Pvt. John Adams (2) C +Pvt. James K. Bennett C +Pvt. Francis C. Cushman (2) C +Pvt. T. E. Harriman (2) C +Pvt. Frank Lamarsh (2) C +Pvt. Jovite Pinard (2) C +Sgt. George G. Hutchins (2) E +Cpl. N. H. Hibbard (2) E +Cpl. Benjamin F. Bowman (2) E +Pvt. Thomas F. Ferrin (2) E +Pvt. Thomas Holland (2) E +Sgt. Byron J. Hurlburt F +Cpl. Edward Saltus (3) F +Pvt. George N. Faneuf F +Pvt. David Larock, Jr. F +Pvt. Abner Niles F +Cpl. Abner N. Flint G +Pvt. Seymour N. Coles G +Pvt. Lyman P. Luck G +Pvt. Andrew B. Morgan H +Pvt. Patrick Bloan I +Pvt. D. Martin (2) I + +2d U. S. ARTILLERY. +Pvt. J. D. Hickley (2), Company C + +4th WISCONSIN. Company +Lt. Isaac N. Earl C +Cpl. L. C. Bartlett C +Pvt. Patrick Pigeon (2) A + +Note.--On the 28th of June, 1863, Birge reported to Headquarters, 2 +battalions of stormers, of 8 companies each, present for duty--67 +officers, 826 men, total 893. His duplicate roll, evidently of later +date than June 28th and not later than July 7th, accounts for 10 +companies with 71 officers and 865 men, total 936. The list here +printed gives 1,230 names, probably representing 1,228 persons. + +(1) The original roll of the storming party was made up in duplicate. +After the siege, one copy was retained by General Birge, the other being +turned in to the Adjutant-General's Office, Department of the Gulf, by +Captain, afterward Brevet Brigadier-General Duncan S. Walker, Assistant +Adjutant-General. The latter copy has not been found among the documents +turned over to the War Department in 1865. All Birge's papers and +records were captured by the Confederates and among them his copy of +the roll was lost. In 1886, from one of his officers he obtained a +book containing a third copy of the roll, described by him as "complete +and perfect," and placed it in the hands of Captain Charles L. Norton, +25th Connecticut (Colonel 29th Connecticut), himself one of the stomers, +by whom the volume was delivered to Colonel D. P. Mussey, President, +and Captain C. W. C. Rhoades, Secretary, of the Forlorn Hope Association. +The list here printed is made up by collating with this roll the detached +and obviously incomplete memoranda gathered into the XXVIth volume of +the "Official Records." So many mistakes in names have been found in +the certified copy of Birge's list as furnished by the author, that +others are likely to exist among the names marked (2), that could not be +compared with the records. For example, it is found that Privates +F. L. Scampmouse and Levi Scapmouse, Company C, 156th New York, are +the same man and, Seven Soepson, same regiment, is Sven Svenson. + +(2) Not on the roll as printed in the Official Records, vol. xxvi., +part I., pp. 57-68. + +(3) Not on Birge's duplicate roll. + +(4) The names of the Battalion Field and Staff Officers appear again +under their proper regiments. + +(5) Probably Krug, or Kramer. + +(6) Not on muster roll. + +(7) Jeremiah, Co. B, James, I., or Michael, F.? + + +ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION (1) + +Proposed between the commissioners on the part of the garrison of +Port Hudson, La., and the forces of the United States before said +place, July 8, 1863. + +Article I. Maj.-Gen. F. Gardner surrenders to the United States +forces under Major-General Banks the place of Port Hudson and its +dependencies, with its garrison, armament, munitions, public funds, +and material of war, in the condition, as nearly as may be, in +which they were at the hour of cessation of hostilities, viz., 6 +A.M., July 8, 1863. + +Art. II. The surrender stipulated in Article I. is qualified by +no condition, save that the officers and enlisted men comprising +the garrison shall receive the treatment due to prisoners of war, +according to the usages of civilized warfare. + +Art. III. All private property of officers and enlisted men shall +be respected and left to their respective owners. + +Art. IV. The position of Port Hudson shall be occupied to-morrow +at 7 A.M. by the forces of the United States, and its garrison +received as prisoners of war by such general officer of the United +States service as may be designated by Major-General Banks, with +the ordinary formalities of rendition. The Confederate troops will +be drawn up in line, officers in their positions, the right of the +line resting on the edge of the prairie south of the railroad dept, +the left extending in the direction of the village of Port Hudson. +The arms and colors will be piled conveniently, and will be received +by the officers of the United States. + +Art. V. The sick and wounded of the garrison will be cared for by +the authorities of the United States, assisted, if desired by either +party, by the medical officers of the garrison. + +(1) See _ante_ p. 231 and Official Records, vol. xxvi., part I., pp. +52-54. + + +NOTE ON EARLY'S STRENGTH. +By Brevet Brigadier-General E. C. Dawes, U.S.V. + +The return of the Army of Northern Virginia for October 31, 1864, +gives the "present for duty" in the Second Army Corps commanded by +General Early, in the infantry divisions of Ramseur (Early's old +division), Rodes, Gordon, Wharton, Kershaw, and the artillery as + . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,516 + +The cavalry division of General Lomax, by its return of September +10th, numbered for duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,605 + +The cavalry brigade of General Rosser (1) about . . . 1,300 + +The cavalry division of General Fitz Lee (2) . . . . . 1,600 + +The casualties of the army at Cedar Creek were . . . . 3,100 + +Total force engaged at the battle of Cedar Creek . . . 22,121 + +Lomax's division probably lost 500 men in the different actions +prior to Cedar Creek after its return of September 10th. To offset +this no account is made of the "Valley Reserves" (men over and boys +under conscript age) and "detailed men" (those subject to conscription +who were permitted to remain at home to do necessary work), who +joined the army after its defeat at Fisher's Hill. General Lee +wrote General Early 27th September: "All the reserves in the Valley +have been ordered to you." That the order was obeyed appears from +the following extracts, from the diary of Mr. J. A. Waddell of +Staunton, Virginia, printed in the "Annals of Augusta County, Va.," +page 325 _et seq._ + +"Saturday, September 24 [1864]: A dispatch from General Early this +morning assured the people of Staunton that they were in no danger, +that his army was safe and receiving reinforcements. He however +ordered the detailed men to be called out. . . . October 15: +Nothing talked of except the recent order calling into service the +detailed men. . . . The recent order takes millers from their +grinding, but men sent from the army undertake in some cases to +run the machinery. Farmers are ordered from their fields and barns +and soldiers are detailed to thresh the wheat. All men engaged in +making horseshoes are ordered off so that our cavalry and artillery +horses will have to go barefooted." + +The return of the Army of Northern Virginia for 30th November, +1864, confirms the figures given above. It shows "present for +duty" in the infantry divisions of Ramseur, Rodes, Gordon, Wharton, +and Kershaw, and the Second Corps artillery . . . . . 15,070 + +In the cavalry divisions of Fitz Lee and Lomax (2 brigades, Payne's +and Rosser's, not reporting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,625 + +Add for Rosser's and Payne's brigades . . . . . . . . 2,000 + +Total of Gen. Early's army, November 30th . . . . . . 20,695 + +Kershaw had returned to Richmond, but the above figures include +the organizations present at Cedar Creek. + +Cincinnati, August 24, 1890. + +(1) Rosser's brigade belonged to Hampton's old division. This +division, with Rosser's brigade, numbered for duty September 10, +1864, 2,942. On October 31st, without Rosser's brigade, 1.547. +It is fair to assume the difference as Rosser's strength. + +(2) Fitz Lee's division on return of August 31st numbered for duty +1,683; on 30th November, 1,524. + + +INDEX. +[omitted] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH ARMY +CORPS*** + + +******* This file should be named 24606.txt or 24606.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/0/24606 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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