The Portland daily press., 1862-08-21
REPORT OF LIEUT.. wEITZEL.
HEADQUARTERS, BATON ROUGE,
Aup 9Th 1850 {

REPORT OF LIEUT.. wEITZEL.
HEADQUARTERS, BATON ROUGE,
Aug. It'll, 1862.
General: have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your favor of yesterday.
Your troops at this place have won glori-
Gus victory. do not consider that there is
the least danger of an attack for the present,
because one of the several accommodating par
ties sent out this morning, and which has re-
turned, reports five abandoned caissons on the
Greenwich Springs road. We have sent out to
bring them in. This indicates a hasty retreat
on the part of the enemy. Our forces could
not pursue. One-haf of the men who left the
hospitals to fight, could not march a mile
The conduct of these men was magnifcently
glorious. The attack was undoubtedly made
upon representations of rebels within our
lines, that our troops were nearly all sick and
demoralized, and Gen. Breckenridge undoubt-
eddy expected, in conjunction with the ram
Arkansas, to make successful dash. 1t was
a complete failure. The ram is blown up
Their troops were repulsed.
Gen. Williams disposed his forces as follows,
viz: The 4th Wisconsin on the extreme left,
on the right bank of Bayou Gross, with two
pieces of Manning's Battery in the Arsenal
grounds on the left bank of Bayou Gross, to
sweep the grounds on the left of the Wiscon-
sin 4th. The 9th Connecticut was posted on
the right of the 4th Wisconsin, with two pieces
in rear Of centre and two pieces in rear of
the right All these pieces were of Manning's
Battery, and were posted on either side of the
knoll in the Government cemetary.
Next came the Fourteenth Maine, posted in
rear OF the Bayou Sara, and to the left of
Greenwell Springs road.
Next came the Twenty-first Indiana, posted
in the woods in rear of Magnolia Cemetery,
with four pieces OF Everett's battery under
the command Of Lieut.. Carruth,) on their left
on the Greenwich Springs road. The Indiana
battery OF two pieces came up to the support
of these pieces after the battle commenced
Next came the Sixth Michigan, posted across
the country road on right of the Magnolia
Cemetery and across the Clay Cut road their
left supporting two pieces of Everett's battery
posted on the road on the right of the Magno-
liza Cemetery.
The Seventh Vermont was posted in the
rear of the Twenty-iirst Indiana and Sixth
Michigan, on the right of the Catholic Gene
terry. The Thirtieth Massachusetts came next,
forming the right, and posted about one-half
mile IN rear OF the State House, supporting
Minis battery.
This disposition of the forces was made with
the supposition that the enemy would attack
our left flank, under the cover of the ram Ar
kansas The right flank depended upon gun
boat support The only fault of disposition
perhaps rendered unavoidable by the forma-
the Fourteenth Maine and Twenty-first Indi-
ana We're pitched in front of their position, in
line OF battle, and consequently came into the
possession of the enemy for short time
The enemy formed line of battle on the open
grounds. bordering on the Greenwich Springs
road, and attempted to draw our forces out
Failing in this, they advanced rapidly on the
ground between the Clinton and Clay Cut
roads. The whole brunt of the attack conse-
quently, fell upon the Fourteenth Maine, TWEEN
ty-first Indiana, and Sixth Michigan As soon
as 1t became apparent that this was the real
point of attack. Gen. Williams ordered up the
Ninth Connecticut, Fourth Wisconsin. and one
section of Manning's battery, to support the
left, and the Thirtieih Massachusetts and two
sections of Minis battery to support the right.
You VIII, therefore, see that the disposition
with the slight exception limited att and the
man9uvering were faultless.
The conduct of our troops was excellent
The twenty-first Indiana particularly distin-
guished itself. Isaw number of the dead of
the enemy to-day in front Of the ground they
occupied; but not content with the check they
gave the enemy, this regiment pursued him
quite distance, strewing the ground with his
dead.
The brave Gen. Williams fell in front of the
Sixth Michigan, toward the end of the conflict,
while giving his men noble example of reck-
less aud daring bravery. He was killed by
rife ball in the chest.
The enemys force consisted of two Louisi-
ana Regiments 1.-THE Fourth and Thrteth), two
Mississippi, the Third, Fourth, Fifth, SIKH,
Seventh and Eighth Kentucky, two Tennessee,
one Alabama regiment, and thirteen guns and
a large guerilla force. Their attacking force
numbered fully 5000 men. Our actual force
engaged was not over two thousand. Three
companies of the Sixth Michigan covered
themselves with glory in recovering from
large force two guns posted on the right OF the
Magnolia Cemetery, which temporarily were
left by our forces. These same three compan-
les captured the colors of the Fourth Louisi-
ana, but only after they had shot down four
successive color bearers. The exact loss on
our side is not yet reported. But certain it is
that it is much less than that of the enemy.
l am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.
(Sgned) G.. WE1TZEL.