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Southern Historical Society Papers.
Fortification and Siege of Port Hudson--Compiled by the Association of Defenders Vol. XIV. Pg. 305-325 Richmond, Va., January-December. 1886. of Port Hudson; M. J. Smith, President; James Freret, Secretar The village of Port Hudson is situated on a north and south bluff on the east, or left bank of the Mississippi river, about eighty feet above low water, and about thirty miles above Baton Rouge. About two miles above, the river, from a southward course, turns about due east, directly against the village and against the bluff, by which it is suddenly turned south again for about five miles. It then curves again towards the east, dividing into two branches, which form Prophet's Island. The village was built just at the angle formed by the sudden turn of the river above noted. The bluff extended a few hundred yards above the angle, and then went down to a ravine, beyond which was a steep, narrow ridge, cut vertically on the west. A short distance beyond is Sandy creek, crossed by a bridge, from which a road lead under the knoll and bluff to the angle of the river. Westward from this road, and north of the river, was a marsh, extending to the southward branch of the river first above noted. Thomson's creek flowed through this marsh to the river. About a mile and a half below the village, the bluff was cut by a ravine about three hundred yards wide, which came down in a southwesterly direction, with ramifications towards the village in the rear. Eastwardly from the village, the plateau extended into extensive fields, from which roads ran to Jackson, Clinton, Bayou Sara and Baton Rouge. To the north, the ground became suddenly very much broken, densely wooded, and almost impassable, for a few hundred yards, to Sandy creek, a branch of Thomson's creek. A railroad, in very bad working order, ran from Port Hudson to Clinton, thirty-three miles northeast. The following account is compiled from- 1st. Official report of Colonel Steedman, First Alabama regiment, commanding left wing of defences. 2d. Official report of General Miles, Miles's Legion, commanding right wing. 3d. Two official reports of Colonel Marshall J. Smith, commanding heavy artillery. 4th. Narration of the Siege, published by Lieutenant Wright in the New Orleans Weekly True Della, September 5, 1863. 5th. Narration of James Francis Fitts in The Galaxy for September, 1866--"A June Day at Port Hudson." (Federal.) 6th. Orville J. Victor's History of the War. (Federal.) 7th. Report (official) of Fred. Y. Dabney, First Lieutenant-Engineer Confederate States Navy, Chief Engineer at Port Hudson.
THE POSITION AND OCCUPATION.
The occupation of Port Hudson had been determined on in July, 1862, and the
attack by General Breckenridge on Baton Rouge, early in the succeeding month,
was a preliminary step. Brigadier-General Ruggles was left to commence the
work of fortifying the ground. The Essex, an iron-clad gun-boat, being in
the river above, heavy guns could not be brought down by boats. The plan
of detached works was the one decided upon, and the first lunette was thrown
up on the Baton Rouge road, four miles below Port Hudson.This line would have been eight miles in length, and, according to military rule, would have required for its defence a force of 28,000 men, with a reserve of 7,000, making a garrison of 35,000 strong, with at least seventy pieces of artillery. It is not surprising, therefore, that this system was soon abandoned as impracticable.
NEW SYSTEM OF DEFENCE.
A change of commanders placed Brigadier-General H. N. R. Beal in charge of
Port Hudson. A different system of defence was decided upon, and the work
commenced. This was a continuous indented or angular line of parapet and
ditch, on a more contracted scope. A line was surveyed, commencing about
two miles and a half below Port Hudson, describing a slight curve to a point
on Sandy creek, a mile back of the town. For about three-quarters of a mile
from the river the line crossed a broken series of ridges, plateaus and ravines,
taking advantage of high ground in some places and in others extending down
a deep declivity; for the next mile and a quarter it traversed Gibbon's and
Slaughter's fields, where a wide, level plain seemed formed on purpose for
a battlefield; another quarter of a mile carried it through deep and irregular
gullies, and for three quarters of a mile more it led through fields and
on hills to a deep gorge, in the bottom of which lay Sandy creek. Thence
to the river was about a mile and a half.This was a line four miles and a half long, which, according to all military writers, required fifteen thousand men to hold, with a reserve of from three to five thousand. Work was commenced and lingered on through the summer and fall; the breastworks thrown up were the smallest and weakest allowed in engineering, made in the roughest manner, and reveted with fence rails. A small force of negroes was kept at work on the line in a desultory manner for several months, and then the soldiers were called to help. When General Banks threatened an attack, about the 10th of March, the work was still unfinished. Some little activity now became manifest, so that when the siege really commenced, in May, the line had reached the broken ground to the north, at the Clinton road. THE ESSEX. Soon after the occupation of Port Hudson the gloomy looking Essex floated down opposite to us, and went up the river again. The water batteries were then in process of excavation. The Essex next got ready to go down, and taking the Anglo-American on her starboard side, ran past at four o'clock in the morning. Besides a few field pieces, we opened on her with two 42-pounders and a 20-pounder Parrott which had just arrived, though without expectation of injuring the ironclad. She replied to our fire, killing one of our horses, and our guns ceased firing as she passed out of their respective range. THE RIVER BATTERIES. During the fall and winter, heavy guns for the river defence occasionally arrived, and they were severally placed in position. A three pit battery was constructed at the water's edge, and two other batteries dug at a height of from fifty to sixty feet, being below the top of the bluff. General Gardner took command on the 27th of December, and immediately ordered changes, particularly as regarded subjects of engineering skill. The whole system of the river defence was altered so as to cluster the heaviest guns together, and bring them all within a more contracted scope, which enabled them to deliver a more concentrated fire, as well as to support each other with more effect. Evidences of awakened energy were seen on every side, and the spirit of the troops never was at a higher pitch. A week before General Gardner came to Port Hudson, Banks's army had landed at Baton Rouge, re-occupying and fortifying the city. GENERAL BANKS'S ADVANCE. During the months of January and February troops arrived in considerable number. Three brigades were formed; one given to General Beall, composed principally of troops from his own State (Arkansas), and the other commands were assumed by Brigadier-Generals S. B. Maxey and John Gregg, of Texas. In March another brigade arrived commanded by Brigadier-General Rust. The enemy finally exhibited signs of activity, and about the 10th of March it became known that General Banks would make a demonstration of some kind. He did move out of Baton Rouge on the 12th and approached us with his whole force. It was confidently expected that he would attack us with some vigor, and our dispositions were according made on the 13th. General Gregg held the right of our line of intrenchments, General Maxey the centre and General Beall the left. General Rust's brigade was in advance. On the afternoon and during the night of the 14th, Rust's brigade, in the woods before our lines, felt the enemy's advance and tried, but in vain, to draw him on. General Rust sent in requesting permission to make his way around Banks's right flank and rear, while the balance of the troops sallied forth and attacked in front. This permission was refused; in the hope of drawing the enemy into an assault. Meanwhile the fleet moved up as follows: LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MARSHALL J. SMITH'S REPORT OF THE BATTLE AT PORT HUDSON ON THE NIGHT OF MARCH 14TH, 1863. PORT HUDSON, LOUISIANA, March 15th, 1863. To Major-General FRANK GARDNER: GENERAL,--Yesterday morning the Federal fleet consisting of the Steamship Hartford, 26 9-inch and 1 10-inch guns. Gunboat Kineo, 1 11-inch and 4 32-pounders. Steamship Richmond, 23 9-inch guns. Gunboat Gennessee, with battery of 11-inch and 9-inch guns, number not known. <shv14_309> Gun-boat Monongahela, 1 200-lb, rifled; 1 11-inch, and several 9 inch guns. Steamship Mississippi, 20 8-inch and 1 11-inch pivot, with a 20-lb. Parrott, and several 12 and 24-pounder howitzers in tops. The Essex, ironclad, gunboat Sachem, and six mortar boats, each carrying 1 13-inch mortar, arranged around and across the point below Troth's landing. About 2 P.M. the line of mortar boats behind the point opened fire, and continued to increase their range, until they threw their shells inside the breastworks, and as far up as General Gregg's headquarters. They continued to shell until 6 o'clock P.M., when they ceased. About 11 o'clock P.M. the mortar boats again opened a heavy fire. Signals to notify us of the approach of the enemy were made from Troth's landing and the opposite bank, and the men and officers went gallantly to their guns. About half-past 11 Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. de Gournay, commanding left wing, opened upon the advancing enemy. The six vessels first named, closing up in single file, opened their heavy broadside fires as they approached our batteries. The engagement now became general; the enemy's guns numbered between ninety and one hundred, all of the largest calibre. * * * * * Instructions given to light fires on the opposite side of the river were not carried out. * * * * * The fleet now closed up on the flag-ship and came within easy range of our batteries, taking the channel close under the bank, our plunging shot telling with deadly effect. * * * * * The flag-ship, with a gunboat on her port side, came so near to our battery that a pistol shot would have taken effect on her deck at this moment. Owing to the want of reliable friction tubes, we were compelled to use the priming horn and port fires, which, at best, are unreliable in a dark night from imperfect priming; besides, port fires give evidence of our position to the enemy. The Hartford and gunboat passed up under a heavy fire. As soon as the Richmond turned our point, and had received several shots, I perceived that she was crippled, and had commenced drifting down the river. A most terrific fire was directed upon her with telling effect. Another vessel was crippled in the same manner, and, as she fell past our batteries, cried out not to fire, that they were in a sinking condition, but did not acknowledge a surrender, and we continued to fire. The Mississippi, the last of the line, had her rudder shot away and became unmanageable and fell astern, grounded on the opposite side; and so deadly was the effect of our shot, she was deserted by her crew (three hundred in number), who landed on the other side of the river, forty-five of whom have since been taken prisoners. * * We soon discovered flames issuing from the Mississippi that lighted up the river, and, as she drifted down, her heated guns and shells exploding caused a terrific noise. About half-past four in the morning her magazine exploded, and she sunk to the bottom (some miles below). A few minutes past two (A.M.) the engagement ended. I cannot close this already long report without expressing my high appreciation of the promptness, coolness, and gallantry of Colonel J. G. W. Steedman and Lieutenant-Colonel P. F. de Gournay, commanding the right and left wings of the heavy artillery, and also to their officers and men. I beg leave also to recommend to your favorable consideration Captain James A. Fisher, First Tennessee battalion art'f.; Lieutenant-Colonel E. S. M. Lebuton, volunteer aid, and Captain Ls. Girard, of the Ordance Department, who acted aids and assistants to me during the engagement. Their services were invaluable to me, and they conducted themselves in a manner worthy of the cause for which they fought. Mr. H. B. McGruder, of the Signal Corps, lit the only fire on the opposite side, which he must have done under a heavy fire, and for which he deserves your notice. In concluding, General, I must congratulate you upon commanding such gallant men as man your heavy batteries; with them you will never know defeat. I am, General, respectfully, Your most obedient servant, [Signed] MARSHALL J. SMITH, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Heavy Artillery. The mortar fleet kept up a continuous rain of bomb-shells upon our batteries, which, in the absorbing duties and interest of the fight with the ships in front of us, were totally unheeded; not one of them entered a battery nor injured a man. We had one lieutenant slightly wounded in the arm and a private wounded in the foot, both of them by pieces of exploding shells from the fleet. These were our entire casualties. Not a gun was struck or injured in any way. After this, General Banks returned to Baton Rouge and commenced his campaign against General Taylor. The necessity of obtaining a store of provisions now became more apparent; forage, particularly, becoming scarce. But little could be had from the opposite side of the river on account of Banks's invasion, and, to increase the difficulty in that quarter, some of General Dudley's cavalry came up the Pointe Coupée shore and burned a small steamboat we had on False river.
THE GRIERSON RAID.
We were collecting a large lot of corn in Mississippi, but transportation
was scarcely to be had, and when we were ready to commence bringing it down
the Grierson raid was announced, and orders were sent to let it, the corn,
remain where it was, lest it might be discovered on its way and destroyed.Nearly all the cavalry at Port Hudson was sent up through Woodville to Liberty, with orders to attack wherever they could find the enemy. Grierson made a movement toward Liberty, and our: cavalry formed their line of battle and waited for his attack. This violation of General Gardner's orders enabled Grierson to get a long start on a new track, heading for Greensburg, on the Baton Rouge and Tangipahoa road. When it was learned at Port Hudson that Grierson had escaped our cavalry, two regiments of infantry and a section of artillery were dispatched to occupy the Tangipahoa and Baton Rouge road and intercept him, should he try to get in that way. At night they halted and bivouacked within eight miles of the bridge they were ordered to seize and hold. At Greensburg, Grierson's column was ambuscaded by a company of Wingfield's cavalry, and he lost a lieutenant-colonel, major and some others. News of this affair, and of the route they were taking, reached General Gardner late in the evening, and he at once dispatched a courier to our infantry, with orders, in case they had reached their destination that night, to proceed without loss of time. This dispatch failed to reach its destination, and Grierson's whole column crossed the bridge at daylight, within a few miles of our approaching infantry, and got safely into Baton Rouge.
PORT HUDSON ORDERED TO BE EVACUATED.
Events now began to thicken in the department. The enemy, having successfully
passed a fleet by the Vicksburg batteries, were enabled to cross over an
army from the opposite bank and threaten Vicksburg from the lower side, its
most vulnerable part. General Joseph E. Johnston had come to Jackson to look
after affairs in our quarter, and the order came to evacuate
Port Hudson and send its garrison to the assistance of Jackson and Vicksburg.
Rust's and Buford's brigades were sent off on the 4th of May, Gregg's followed
on the 5th, and Maxey's brigade took up its line of march on the 8th. Miles's
Legion was the next to follow.The only troops remaining were Beall's brigade and the heavy artillery. These movements were not made without information quickly reaching the enemy, and, in the hope of capturing our rear-guard, or at least of preventing the destruction of our works and heavy guns, a rapid advance on the place was commenced. General Gardner had not got beyond Clinton, Louisiana, when he learned that General Augur had left Baton Rouge with his division to attack Port Hudson, and that General Banks, instantly abandoning his Louisiana campaign, was approaching the Mississippi river at Bayou Sara by forced marches, dispatched to Colonel Miles to return at once with his Legion; and preparations were made to withstand a siege. Some provisions were obtained from the opposite side of the river, and, in presence of the fleet above and below us, three hundred head of beef, four hundred head of sheep, and four hundred bushels of corn crossed the river to Port Hudson up to the night of the 21st May, when the place was finally closed on all sides. The Eleventh Arkansas regiment, Colonel J. L. Logan, were mounted to act as cavalry, and serve outside in harassing the rear of an investing force.
THE MORTAR BOATS OPEN FIRE.
On the morning of the 8th May their mortar boats were brought up to a position
on the left bank, about four and a half miles below the town of Port Hudson,
and at 2 o'clock in the afternoon they opened fire for the purpose of getting
the range of the river batteries, so as to bombard them during the night.
These batteries were eleven in all, numbered from right to left. The shells
fell principally around Batteries 10 and 11, which were Lieutenant McDowell's
battery of one 32-pounder and Lieutenant Kearney's Parrott gun. The longest
range mortars threw some shells up to Lieutenant Rodriguez's battery (9)
of one 8-inch howitzer, and a few fell as high up as Captain Coffin's battery
(8) of two rifled 24-pounders.During the two hours' practice of the mortar boats no damage was done to us. At eleven o'clock that night the mortar fleet commenced the bombardment, which it kept up until the 18th of June.
AN ATTACK ON THE FLEET.
On the 9th, Colonel de Gournay sent to Troth's landing one 24-pounder, one
;20-pounder Parrott, one 12-pounder and one 6-pounder rifle pieces to fire
on the gun-boats, Thirty rounds of ammunition were allowed for the larger
guns and fifty for the smaller--Captain L. J. Girard having command of one
section. All but the two outer mortar boats were concealed by a neck of woods,
but the Essex was lying close up, and the Richmond and a gun-boat were at
a short distance. At four o'clock in the morning, by the dim light of a half
moon, the fight commenced. At the end of two hours and a half we had fired
away all our ammunition, and ceased fire; the enemy followed suit.Our loss was one killed and no one wounded. None of our guns were injured. Our weight of metal was not heavy enough to attack such vessels as the Richmond and Essex, and we could not get a position where we could reach the mortar boats with any effect. On the same night occurred the first loss of life from the bombshells. A soldier, standing on the parapet of Battery No. 9, was struck about the neck by a descending shell, carrying him head foremost through the wooden floor of the battery into the ground beneath, leaving only his feet sticking out. On the afternoon of the 17th of May, a bomb-shell entered near the crest of a parapet, at the lower part of the fortification, burying itself in the ground underneath a spot where four men of Colonel de Gournay's command were sitting. The shell exploding, threw them into the air, killing three and wounding the fourth. Two other soldiers lost legs by being struck with pieces of bursting shells, and this is the entire chapter of casualties caused by forty-three days' bombardment THE FIGHT AT PLAINS'S STORE. On the 20th of May, the approach of General Augur's division was announced by some slight brushes with our cavalry pickets, and the same night General Banks commenced crossing the river with his army at Bayou Sara. On the 21st Colonel Powers, with a body of our cavalry, a few companies of infantry and Abbey's Mississippi battery of light artillery, were skirmishing pretty heavily all the morning near Plains's store with Augur's advance--General Dudley's brigade. To relieve Colonel Powers's cavalry, and enable them to get safely away and join Logan, General Gardner sent an order at noon to Colonel W. R. Miles to take four hundred men with a light battery and reconnoitre the enemy. The infantry marched out, supported by Boone's Louisiana battery. Colonel Miles threw out two companies on the right, under Major James T. Coleman, and three companies on the left, under Lieutenant-Colonel F. B. Brand. Major Coleman, with his two companies, commanded respectively by Captains Dejean and J. B. Turner, made a considerable detour through the wood, almost unobserved by the enemy. There were two pieces of light artillery playing upon us from an open field. Coming out from an apple orchard upon the flank of this section, Major Coleman took the guns, although it was to be done in the face of the whole Federal line, but was immediately driven back by heavier forces, after suffering heavy loss. For about an hour the fight raged with much spirit. Finding that he was outflanked on both sides and likely to be surrounded, Colonel Miles sent Lieutenant Harmanson with a section to outflank the enemy's left. This order was so well obeyed as to break the movement which was about to encircle our small force, and after having picked up and sent from the field all of the wounded he had ambulances for, Colonel Miles fell back in good order, meeting on his return General Beall, who had gone out to his support in case he should be hard pressed. Without further exchange of shots our troops all retired within their intrenchments. On that day Colonel Miles reported a loss of eighty-nine in killed, wounded, and missing. Captain J. B. Turner and Lieutenant Crawford, of St. Tammany, and Lieutenant J. B. Wilson, of New Orleans, were killed. Lieutenant Pearson and four men of Abbay's battery were killed. The gallantry of Major Coleman received deserved praise, as did also the skill and tried courage of Colonel Miles, and the fight was looked upon with extreme satisfaction by all the troops in garrison. GENERAL GROVER'S APPROACH. On the next day Colonel Wingfield's cavalry commenced skirmishing with the advance of Banks's army, which had been rapidly crossing the river, and were moving down upon us from Bayou Sara, only thirteen miles distant. It had generally been supposed that no attack in force would ever be attempted through the swamp above Port Hudson, nor through the heavy timber back of the town, through which ran Sandy Creek. Fortifications had not been erected there, nor were they considered necessary. But it having become apparent that the enemy preferred to overcome the natural obstacles of the woods rather than the artificial ones in the shape of fortifications, General Gardner had sent a good part of his forces to meet him, giving the command, from the left of our breastworks to the river above, to Colonel J. G. W. Steedman, of the First Alabama regiment, an officer who proved himself fully equal to the responsibility. The troops under his command were the Fifteenth Arkansas, Colonel B. W. Johnson; the Tenth Arkansas, Lieutenant-Colonel Vaughn; First Alabama, Lieutenant-Colonel M. B. Locke and Major S. L. Knox; Eighteenth Arkansas, Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Parish; Thirty-ninth Mississippi, Colonel W. B. Shelby, and one company of Wingfield's cavalry, dismounted, under command of Lieutenant O. N. Daliet. The left wing had also Herrod's battery, and a section apiece from Bradford's and the Watson battery. Colonel Steedman, to make his position secure, had rifle-pits hastily thrown up on the ridges and spurs of high ground, but the valleys and gorges had no such protection. They were principally choked, however, with fallen timber. OFFICIAL REPORT OF COLONEL J. G.W. STEEDMAN, FIRST REGIMENT ALABAMA VOLUNTEERS. Captain T. FRIEND WILSON, A. A. G.: SIR,--On Friday, the twenty-second of May, I was ordered with my regiment (First regiment Alabama volunteers), to take position a half mile in advance of the main works of Port Hudson, on the road leading by the commissary depot, grist mill, &c., in the direction of Aberger's field. At this point, Wingfield's battalion of cavalry and one section of the Watson battery was ordered to report to me. The same day I received an order from the Major-General commanding, placing me in command of the left wing of the defences of Port Hudson, including the advanced work in command of Colonel Johnson (Fifteenth Arkansas), on the right, and extending to the river on the extreme left. My orders were to observe the enemy and to oppose his advance upon our works, but without risking a serious engagement. Through the energy of Lieutenant-Colonel Wingfield, commanding cavalry, I soon learned that the enemy had completed the investment of Port Hudson, and was reconnoitering every possible approach to our defences. I at once threw forward a line of skirmishers, consisting of four companies of the First Alabama, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Locke. For two days there were frequent skirmishes with the enemy's advance guard along my whole front. On Sunday afternoon, the 24th May, I was ordered by the Major-General commanding to determine the enemy's strength, if possible, and drive him from my front. After receiving reinforcements, consisting of a battalion each from the First Mississippi and Fifteenth Arkansas regiments, commanded respectively by Major Johnson and Lieutenant Colonel Lee; also the battalion of the Provost guard, commanded by Captain J. R. Wilson, this force was pushed forward until dark, but only encountered a few of the enemy's pickets or skirmishers. At the first fire these parties fell back upon the main body, and I did not think it prudent to advance further that night, but after placing pickets upon this advanced line withdrew my command to its original position. This line of pickets was not disturbed until about Monday noon, when the enemy advanced in heavy force from the direction of Aberger's fields. I advanced my whole line about five hundred yards to a favorable position and formed line of battle; the section of the Watson battery, Lieutenant Toledano, commanding the road, the infantry ambuscaded to the right and left under cover of the crest of a hill and logs and brush thrown up temporarily for the purpose. In front of this line of battle was an open space of about ten acres, but thickly studded with heavy timber, the undergrowth having been cut down for camping purposes. My force at this time numbered about six hundred. Two companies from each flank having been thrown forward as skirmishers, soon encountered the enemy; heavy skirmishing at once began; the enemy pushed forward boldly, our line slowly retreating until they reached the open space fronting my line of battle, when, in obedience to previous orders, they flanked right and left and took position in line of battle. Lieutenant-Colonel Locke (First Alabama), commanding right wing, and Major Johnson, First Mississippi, commanding left wing, were ordered to keep their men under cover and concealed until orders to fire were received from me. The enemy yelling and shouting rushed forward into the open space selected for the battle-ground. This advance, consisting of a heavy line of skirmishers, soon discovered our artillery, and at once took cover behind the numerous trees and began sharpshooting the artillery horses and cannoneers. Hoping the main body of the enemy would advance I reserved our fire, but soon found that the artillery was suffering too severely. I ordered the >line to fire---at the first volley the enemy retreated through the woods in great confusion. My line of skirmishers was immediately thrown forward, but did not come in contact with the enemy for a half mile. In about two hours the enemy again advanced in heavy force, drove in our skirmishers, came in range of the main line, and engaged it heavily, while two heavy bodies of infantry attempted to flank us on both flanks. All the troops on the flanks, not absolutely needed to repel the attack in front, were deployed to the right or left to defeat this move of the enemy. The battle now raged on the whole line. I received urgent and repeated calls from both flanks for help. I ordered Colonel Johnson, who was commanding the reserve, to send two companies to the right, and two companies to the left, which order was promptly obeyed. The enemy continued to mass his forces at those points, and to press us hard at the same time in the centre. At this time I received reinforcements of two hundred men (five companies) of the Thirty-ninth Mississippi regiment, under command of Captain Collum. One hundred of this battalion I ordered to support the extreme right, the other hundred to the extreme left. Thus reinforced the right repelled every attack; but in consequence of my inability, from want of troops, to extend our line to Sandy Creek, the enemy marched a body of troops around the extreme left and seriously threatened our rear. At the same time that I received this report from my left, Lieutenant Toledano, commanding section of artillery, informed me that one of his guns was spiked from a detective friction primer, and that the ammunition for both guns was exhausted. I ordered the artillery to the rear to receive supplies of ammunition and to take position on my original line of battle, a half mile in advance of the mill. I gave with great reluctance the order for the infantry to retire. They were troops (excepting my own regiment)which I had never seen under fire, and the battalions were not under command of their habitual commanders, but junior commanders--in several instances captains. I feared the enemy would press us at the moment of retreat, and convert it into a rout, but I was agreeably surprised. The whole line fell back in perfect order, and was reformed promptly on our original line. The artillery, replenished with ammunition, took position in the centre commanding the road. The enemy showing no disposition to advance upon our new line, our skirmishers were sent forward and met the enemy in force, and the skirmish was renewed. Night being near at hand I determined to hold the position until dark. To do this I was compelled to advance nearly my whole line. The fight became very severe, both parties being under cover of the heavy timber, brush, ravines, &c. Darkness terminated the contest. After establishing a line of pickets I withdrew the main body to the rear and within the line of fortifications. The enemy's demonstrations on this day convinced me beyond a doubt that he had determined to attack our lines in the vicinity of our commissary depot, arsenal, &c. Up to Monday night, the 25th of May, no works of any description had been thrown up to defend this position, extending from Colonel Johnson's advanced work, on the right of my command, to a point within five hundred yards of the river on the left, including a space of three-fourths of a mile. There was not a rifle-pit dug nor a gun mounted on Monday night. I reported my convictions to the Major-General commanding. The evidence was satisfactory to him, and he ordered all the available tools, negroes, &c, to be placed at the disposal of the chief engineer. The work was promptly laid out by Lieutenant Dabney, and ere the dawn of day of Tuesday, considerable progress had been made. A battery of four pieces had been mounted during the night on the hill in the immediate vicinity of the commissary depot, which, since that, has been called Commissary Hill. The emergency being great, this work was pressed with energy all day Tuesday and Tuesday night, so that, by Wednesday morning, an imperfect line of rifle-pits had been thrown up to protect the most exposed points on the left wing. Two pieces of siege artillery were removed during Tuesday night from the heavy batteries on the river and mounted on this line--one rifled 24 pounder, under command of Lieutenant Sandford, Company A, First regiment Alabama volunteers, on the Commissary Hill, and another rifled 24-pounder, under Lieutenant Harman, Company A First regiment Alabama volunteers, at Bennett's house. For three or four days previous to this time (Wednesday, May 27th), the enemy had been making active demonstrations against Colonel Johnson's position. Sharpshooters had become so annoying as to seriously interfere with the construction of the heavy earthworks necessary for the defence of this most exposed position. On the extreme left, commanded by Colonel Shelby, the enemy had not been idle while making his approaches in the direction of the mill. On Monday, the 25th of May, he advanced in heavy force through the plantations of Captain Chambers, Mr. Flowers, and Mrs. Houston, halting at Sandy creek, where they began the construction of a pontoon bridge. By Tuesday night, the 26th, it was completed, and everything ready for an advance in that direction. We had, at that time, learned that the enemy's extreme right was composed of negro troops. The total casualties on the left wing, up to this time, amounted to about forty killed, wounded and missing. The left slept on their arms on Tuesday night, the 26th of May. During Tuesday the enemy made no advance, but our advanced pickets could hear them cutting timber, moving artillery, &c., during the day and night. My orders being to act on the defensive, the enemy's operations were not molested, but matters remained quiet all day. Anticipating an attack on Wednesday morning, I reinforced the line of skirmishers holding the advanced line, by sending a battalion of four companies from the First Alabama regiment, under command of Captain D. W. Ramsay, Company B, to report to Lieutenant-Colonel M. B. Locke, First regiment Alabama volunteers, whom I had placed in command of all the troops of the left wing in advance of the line of fortifications. I was, at the same time, ordered by the Major-General commanding to relieve the battalion of Miles's Legion, commanded by Major Coleman, and to direct him to report at once to Colonel Miles. This left Lieutenant-Colonel Locke's command in the same condition and strength as before. His line of battle was about a half a mile in advance of the Commissary Hill and the main line of works, and consisted of the following troops from right to left: A battalion of the Fifteenth Arkansas regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Lee commanding; Tenth regiment Arkansas volunteers, Colonel Witt; a battalion of the First regiment Alabama volunteers, Captain D. W. Ramsay, commanding; a battalion of the First Mississippi regiment, Major Johnson commanding--making a total of about five hundred men, with no artillery. At about half past five o'clock in the morning of the 27th May, a heavy artillery fire was opened by the enemy upon the centre and right wing of the defences of Port Hudson. This firing continued for an hour with great severity. During all the firing there was a perfect calm on the left wing. The silence was ominous. At half-past seven or eight o'clock, and without any warning, a heavy body of the enemy, in column of regiments, advanced boldly upon Colonel Locke's line. In a few moments the fight became very severe, and raged with great fury. It resulted in considerable loss to ourselves, and a frightful loss to the enemy in consequence of the dense column exposed to our fire, while our men were under cover of logs, trees, ravines, &c. When the enemy deployed his overwhelming force, Lieutenant-Colonel Locke, in obedience to his previous instructions, withdrew his command as promptly as possible to the main works. Having taking position in the battery of four guns on the Commissary Hill, as soon as I discovered with my glass that our own troops had left the top of the hill and the enemy was occupying it, I ordered this battery to open fire on them. Colonel Johnson opened about the same time with two guns from his works. Thus began the general engagement and assault upon the left wing. The troops under Lieutenant-Colonel Locke had scarcely reached their position in the trenches when the enemy's column appeared upon the hill they had just left, pushing boldly forward in columns of regiments. The four guns upon the Commissary Hill, and the two in Colonel Johnson's camp, soon obtained their ranges. After bursting many shells amongst them, they succeeded in breaking their ranks and creating great confusion in the head of the column, but the artillery fire did not stop the advance. Their lines, though in confusion, were pushed boldly forward under cover of the fallen timber and ravines, and until within good range of our infantry in the rifle-pits. The battle now was general on my line and terrific, and was continued for two hours with great fury. The enemy's sharpshooters crept up near our batteries and killed and wounded many of our cannoneers, the fallen timber giving complete protection. After the enemy found us prepared in front, he flanked a portion of his troops to the right and came up fronting our lines, which ran through the field known as "Bull Pen." Fearing a movement of this kind, I had called upon the Major General for a regiment to reinforce that point. Colonel O. P. Lyle, of the Twenty-third Arkansas, with his command was sent, and reached his position in time to arrest the enemy's further progress in this direction. Colonel Johnson's position on my extreme right (known since as Fort Desperate) was vigorously attacked simultaneously with the assault upon the other portion of my line; his whole force was less than three hundred (300) men. He was assailed by an overwhelming force, but through the determined resistance and admirable marksmanship displayed by his men, he succeeded in driving the masses back, and compelling them to seek shelter among the fallen timber and ravines surrounding two sides of this work; there they kept up an incessant sharpshooting, as on every other portion of my line where the nature of the ground would permit. At about 7 o'clock A.M., and simultaneously with the general attack upon the right of the left wing, Colonel Shelby, commanding extreme left of left wing, also sustained a heavy attack. There occurred one of the most important engagements, not only of the siege of Port Hudson but of this war. It was a battle between white and negro troops, and, so far as I am aware, the first engagement of this war, of any magnitude, between the white man and negro. In order that the facts may be distinctly recorded, I quote the language used by Colonel W. B. Shelby, Thirty-ninth Mississippi regiment, in his official report of the engagement: "Company B, of my regiment, under command of Lieutenant S. D. Rhodes, with fifteen men from Wingfield's battalion--total, sixty men and officers--was ordered to occupy and hold at all hazards a ridge extending from the residence of Mrs. Miller and running parallel with the road above mentioned to within two hundred yards of the bridge over Sandy creek. "This ridge was a strong position and easily held. It was about four hundred yards in length, and on the side next the road it was abrupt and inaccessible. It was deemed of the first importance to hold this position, for the reason above mentioned, and for the further reason that it commanded the line of rifle-pits occupied by my forces, and from which the enemy could easily enfilade nearly my whole line; and, as it ran parallel with the road along which the enemy was compelled to advance to attack the works, it enabled a small force deployed as skirmishers along the length of the ridge to give the enemy advancing along the road a front, rear and enfilading fire. Early on the morning of the 27th of May I was advised by Lieutenant Rhodes, commanding on the ridge above mentioned, that the enemy was crossing Sandy creek, over the bridge, in large force--cavalry, infantry and artillery. Believing, from all the indications, that it was the purpose of the enemy to concentrate his forces, and to attack only the extreme left of my position, I immediately repaired to that point and assumed command in person. Immediately after reaching there, I discovered the artillery of the enemy crossing the bridge. I ordered Lieutenant Sorrel, commanding the gun at the sally-port, to load with solid shot and open at once upon the enemy's artillery. He opened upon them just as they were unlimbering, and so rapid and effective was his fire that the enemy's artillery, after firing one gun, limbered up and retreated across the creek. I immediately sent my Sergeant-Major, F. Watkins, to the batteries of Captains Whitfield and Seawell, commanding 30-pound Parrott and 8 and 10-inch Columbiad, with request to open on the enemy, which was promptly done. The infantry, after crossing the bridge, filed to the right, and, under cover of the willows, formed in line of battle and commenced advancing. Lieutenant Rhodes, commanding on the ridge already spoken of, having deployed his men at intervals, so as to occupy the whole ridge, commenced firing on the enemy, both front and rear, doing terrible execution and throwing them into confusion and disorder. They still continued to advance until they reached to within about two hundred yards of the extreme left, when the artillery opened on them with cannister, and at the same time the infantry (in their anxiety to fire--firing without orders) opened on them, driving them back in confusion and disorder, with terrible slaughter. Several efforts were made to rally them, but all were unsuccessful, and no effort was afterward made to charge the works during the entire day. Before falling back in confusion and disorder, as above stated, the enemy fired only one volley, and not one single man was killed or wounded of my command. "After the engagement was over I ascertained that the enemy's forces consisted of the First and Second Louisiana Native Guards (negroes), and two regiments of white troops, These troops were repulsed by six companies of my regiment and the artillery already mentioned, without the loss or wounding of a single man." The following extracts of this assault are from Victor's History Southern Rebellion, page 85, Vol. IV, Banks's reports of negro troops. On the extreme right of our line, I posted the First and Second regiments of negro troops. The First regiment of Louisiana infantry, composed exclusively of colored men, excepting the officers, was engaged in the operations of the day. Banks's report of casualties: On 27th May was killed 293; wounded, 1,549; missing, 300. The losses between 23d and 27th May was fully 2,500. Page 84, Vol. IV, says: The investment was not made complete until the 26th of May, when General Weitzel arrived, when the line, as formed, was, first, Weitzel on the north, resting on the river and crossing Sandy creek; then Grover; then Augur; while General Thomas W. Sherman's command constituted the extreme Federal left reaching the river. The troops or commands engaged on May 27 were Weitzel's brigade (division?), Grover's division. Emory's under Colonel Payne, and the divisions under Major-General Augur and Brigadier-General Sherman. The battle on the left wing on the morning of the 27th was an assault or series of assaults for the first two hours; at the end of that time the enemy had been signally repulsed at every point, and he had withdrawn a short distance and concealed his men under cover of the trees, logs, ravines, &c., and from this hour, about 11 o'clock, until five o'clock, the firing relaxed and could only be called sharp-shooting. The enemy used three or more batteries of artillery against the left wing during this battle; one against the extreme left, supported by the negroes; one on the hill, opposite the old commissary depot, mill, &c., and one or more against Colonel Johnson's work (Fort Desperate). The latter were (subsequently) exceedingly destructive, disabling or dismounting most of our artillery by night, and annoying, killing, and wounding numbers of our men. But the enemy's artillery did not escape injury, two of their guns being dismounted in quick succession by a rifled 24-pounder, manned by a detachment from Company A, First Alabama regiment. The heat of the sun on this day was intense. The fight continued until about 5 (2 ?) o'clock, when suddenly firing ceased everywhere, and word passed up and down the lines that a white flag was up. Upon inquiry I found that it had been presented by the major of some New York regiment, and in the immediate front of the First regiment of Alabama volunteers, and was received by Major S. L. Knox, First regiment Alabama volunteers. The officer presenting the white flag made a verbal statement that General Banks desired a cessation of hostilities for the purpose of burying his dead. Major Knox detained the officer until he communicated the verbal statement to the Major-General commanding. He at once rejected it as informal, and an unwarranted use of the white flag, and ordered that hostilities be resumed in half an hour. The enemy was informed of this reply, and both parties retired to their lines and cover. But hundreds of the enemy, who had advanced very near to our lines during the day, and were concealed among logs, ravines, &c., availed themselves of this short truce, and retired to positions of safety. I have since understood the same thing was done also in front of our centre and right wing, and I have now no doubt but that the flag was presented for the unlawful and cowardly purpose of withdrawing the troops from the dangerous position in which they found themselves. Had not this thing been done many must have been killed, as there was no possibility of escape until night came on. About 2 o'clock P.M. the enemy were discovered to be forming in line of battle in the woods to the right and left, and in rear of Slaughter's field in front of General Beall's right, and about the same time that a similar movement was going on in front of his centre in the vicinity of the Plains's store road. The former position of his line had been much weakened to support Steedman on the left. Colonel Miles was immediately called upon for assistance from the right, which was promptly responded to, his Legion reaching there just in time to meet the assault. The enemy came up in gallant style, their right wing resting on Slaughter's road, and thence stretching across the field with four regimental colors flying, and a pioneer corps in advance, bearing plank to cross our ditches with. A heavy fire of artillery was opened upon them from every position of our line which commanded the ground, causing considerable confusion, but failing to arrest them. When about two hundred yards of our lines we opened upon them a deadly fire of musketry and double charges of canister, which caused them to waver, and soon they broke in every direction. Again and again were they rallied, but were each time repulsed with heavy loss. While the battle was raging on this part of the line, a New York regiment of zouaves came dashing out of the swamp on the extreme right of the field, making, with their red breeches and caps, a magnificent spectacle. To meet this new danger our troops were thrown rapidly to the right and opened a hot fire upon the advancing zouaves, who, nevertheless, came dashing on, deploying from column into line, with the precision of veterans, as they neared our works, we mowing them down by scores, when they were ordered by their colonel to lie down, who, himself walked back and forward with as much apparent coolness, as if he were giving orders on parade. In a moment more he fell, and his men broke and fled for the woods, leaving a great many killed and wounded behind them. The color bearer is said to have planted his flag fifty yards in advance of his regiment, and was forced to leave it there temporarily, but afterwards regained it under a hot fire. The enemy must have lost on this portion of the line, in killed and wounded, from one thousand to fifteen hundred, while ours corresponding did not exceed twenty five or thirty. Simultaneous with the assault upon his right was another upon Beall's centre along the Plains's store road, until the head of the column had emerged from the woods, when they were deployed into line to the right and left, through the abattis formed in front of our works. Their right extended to the Jackson road and left almost to the deep ravines, flanking Slaughter's field, their centre being on the Clinton road. With a whoop and a yell, they came charging across the felled timber, stumps, logs, briers and vines in front of our works, until close range, where the storm of bullets, cannister and grape with which they met proving irresistible, they were driven back, leaving large numbers of killed and wounded on the field. At four different portions of our lines had the enemy thus attempted to carry our works, and signally failed at each. Except upon Steedman's right, our loss among the infantry amounted to almost nothing. In proportion to their numbers, our artillery suffered much more severely, particularly the officers, scarcely one of whom escaped unhurt. Many of our guns had been dismounted, and in some instances total wrecks were made of them. Nearly all the pieces stationed upon the Commissary Hill, to guard the approaches to the mill between the left wing and centre, were dismounted or otherwise disabled. Against this point the enemy had established two batteries of 20 and 30-pounder Parrott guns, and their concentrated fire, together with the sharpshooters, who had gradually worked themselves forward through the felled timber, told fearfully upon our light guns. Here Captains Bradford and Sparkman, commanding light batteries, were both wounded, the latter mortally. At ten o'clock next morning, a flag of truce came in from General Banks, asking for an armistice till 2 P.M. to bury his dead. This was acceded to by General Gardner, and the time was subsequently extended to 7 P.M. On Thursday morning, the 28th of May, a formal flag having been presented by General Banks and accepted by General Gardner, a cessation of hostilities was agreed upon until 7 o'clock, beginning at 12 M. During this time the Infirmary Corps of each army was permitted to remove their dead or wounded from the field. Part 2 |