, 1863-07-01
THE SIEGE OF PDEsT NUD-
son..


TIE BATTLE AND REpuLsE OF THE 14TH INST.
The Htrald's Port Hudson correspondent,
under date Of the 18th, Gays:
Last Saturday evening the order Of attack
Was determined upon at headquarters and
communicated to the Generals who we're to
command the assaulting COLUMNS. Most Of
The point Of attack was the extreme north
easterly angle OF the e1emy's ibreastworks.
Five or Elk days previous to the assault, sey-
eral pieces Of the cnemy's artillery which
had been in position behind the foEtlacatlons
Immediately in our front, we're dismonnted
position were rendered useless to the rebels
By our eharpshooters. g.: ,-
TIE PLAN OF ASSAULT.
The plan of nssalit WAS briefly rs follows:
The 18th New York, under command OF Capt.
Gray. and the 18th Connecticut, led by Lieut..
Colonel Peck, were detailed Us skiTmishers,
forming separate command under Ltent.'
Col Babcock, Of the 18th New York. The
91st New York, Col. Van 2andt commanding
each soldier carrying n~fiTe pound hand
grenade, with his muskct thrown over his
shoulder-fouoTed next in order. The .skir-
mishers we're to creep up and Lie on the exte-
,rlor slope Of the enemy's breastworks, while
the regiment carrying the grenades were to
come up to the same position and throW over
view sIe to e rout them hem md drive them fiom BE-
hind their works. The 9th Connecticut,
Col. Mansfield, with their arms in like MAN.
per to the grenade regiment, folio wed, carry
ing sand bags filed with cotton, which were
to be used 10 I'LL up the ditch IN front Of the.
.enemy's breastworks, to enable the assa9ltns
party the more easily to scale them and charge
+: Following these different regiments, came,
properly speaking, the balance Of General
.Weftzel's whole brigadc, under command OF
Col. Smith, Of the Hath New York. This
command consisted Of the Sta q Vermont, lient.
Morse, and the 116th New. York, Lieut.. Col.
Van Petten. Next came Col. Kimble's and
Col. Morgan's brigndes, the last Of which,
with another brigade WIS under tho general
command of Col. Birge. This force was held
to support the nssaulting column, which was
under The Immediate command of Gen. Welt
Eel, who made the attack on the right. Gen.
Emory's old division moved IN conjunction
with Gen. Weltzel on the left, forming q sep
.nrate column. Thetwo diVi6ions-Gen. Weit-
zel's and Gen. Paine's-wero under commend
:ofGen. Grover, who, Us has been been before
stated, planned the whole assault after Gen.
Banks order to advance was received By him.
Gen. Weitzels division Tns expected to make
a Judgement inside Of the enemy's works, and
in that manner prepare the WY for General
Paine'6 division. After the inside Of the cne-
-my's Notifications had been reached, skir-
mishc1s were tc push forward and clear the
way while both columns were to be deployed
in the line Of battle and move toward the
town Of Port Hudson, where grand citadel,
which forms the last means Of rebel defence,
TIE MOVEMENT.
About daylight the 10th New York, which
had been slowly advancing, approached the
enem.y's works sufficiently near to see his drc::
1r1c1t- In MI oF&1 1n 1.v~
Gen. Growers command vera formed in the
woods sktrting the enmy's bseastworks. The
18th Connecticut, during the night had lost
Its way In the woods, anu the y1st New York
was ordered BY Gen. Weltzel to take the COM
maud that had been assigned to 1t, aud fol-
18th New York. After the advance Of
the 18th and Dist regiments, General
Wcitzel'e entire command commenced mo-
wing forward. Several days previous our ar.
my engineers had been preparing covered
way, which extended from the woods where
our troops lay up to within about $50 yards
of the enemy 8 position. Through this coy'
to the point where the first line Of battle Was
formed.
CAREFULLY DEVISED INSTRUCTIONS.
After the adyunce had arrived at the end ol
the covered way they began slowly to push
over the innumerable barriers that had been
planted by the rebels to obstruct their march.
The deep gulles, covered over BY brush and
creeping Vines. were completely obscured
from sight, md were only known to exist
after our soldiers Ind plunged into them.
Part Of our skiImishers deployed to the right,
while suffering severely from the enemy 8
fire, and portion Of the advance took up q
position on the left OF the point to.bc at.
lacked. They we're Immediately followed by
Gen. Weitzel's column. Gen. Pa1ao in the
meantime advancing towards tho enemy'a
works with his command further on the left. !
4 MunDRHoUS FIRE.
It should be stated that our troops, as soon
as they had left the cover Of the woods, which
we're scarcely three hundred yards from the
cnemy's breastworks, wero subject to the
constant 1rc Of tho rebel infantry. A portion
Of our artillery, which was planted some dis
up continuous fire at the rebel works. Cnpt.
Terry. Of the Richmond, With his battery Of
ejght-inch Dahlg1cn guns, and Capt McLaf-
lin, with his battery, portion Of the 21st IN
diana artillery, did good execution. These
batteries served yery much to protect our
AftcT our ekirmisher6 had picked their way
up to within about thirty yards Of the enc
my'6 works, they sprapg into the ditch, e1-
pectiug TO be ablc to shelter themselves under
the cover Of the rebel Notifications, aud keep
the enemy down while the regiment, with the
their part Of the work, in driving the rebels
from their potition.
l. TIE 10TH n. r.v. .
The portion Of the 18th which succeeded In
reaching the ditch we're Immediately repulscd,
and nearly nil Of them were either killed OF
wounded. The ditch Wss SO ent1laded that II
was Impossible for men to live long under the
murderous fire Of the enemy.
TIE PLANS FAIL.
In consequence Of the repnlsc Of the por'
tion Of the 18th regiment that succeeded In
reaching the ditch, tho hand grenadcrs could
accomplish bnt little. In fact, although they
be Of EelvIce, they rather damaged than bcne
fitted our prospects Of SUCCESS; for as they
threw their grenades oycr the rebel breast
works the rebels actually caught them ant
hurled them back among ns. In the mean
time, while the tklrmishers. :were nobly en-
dcavorinE to sustain themselves In their POSI-
ton, Gen. Weitzels column moved uphs rap
idly as possible, and made series OF desper
ate assaults on the enemy's works, which fol
brayery and daring, the history Of tho mar cal
hardly fu,uish parallel. 49,.
+ s.. TIE FIGHT GENERAL.
At this time, the sun having firly risen
the fight became general. 4 fog, which hat
fitted and revealed !,eir..respective positions
they lined every part Of their fortiacatlon'
with heavy bodies Of infantry. The battle hat
begun In earnest, and Gen. Paine's column
as we'll as Gen. Weitzels were actively en-
gagged. -
Il Before proceeding turther with the detail.
+ Of the fight Of Gen. Growers command 1t vii
| be neceaea1y to mention a fact that havt
| previously omitted-namly, that under tht
| general plan Of attack, as directed by Genera
Banks, Generals Anger and Dwight were tt
| make tefnts on the extreme left Of; Gen. Gro
enemy from the main assault Accordingly
before tho engagement became general be
tween Gen. Growers command and the enemy
| Generals Anger and Dwight had attacked tht
enemy, % befure indicated, on Gen. Growers
extreme left. It was not the intention thai
the rebel works, but hold the enemy In chccf
| while Gen. Grover was performing his part o
| the work according to the original plan
I which, had he been successful, would have
| opened the way for the advance Of our entire
army on Port Hudson proper, which is sur
rounded, rs 1t is understood, BY series o
Notifications more impregnable than any Fl
hare Jet assaulted, .;
AsEvERE FIGHT on TIE LEFT.
The fight on the part Of General Dwight
+ command Was exceedingly severe, aud scarce
/ II less oTith Gen. Growers. Gen. Dwight'E
lots in killed and wounded will probably ex
ceed 900. Gen. Augur's loss will full con
side1ably short OF tint number. Under Gen
Growers command probably the most desper
ate fighting was done by Gen. Weitzers OLE
brigade. Colonel Smith, leading these xeter
Grams, the heroes Of many lights, fell early il
the action, MORALLY wounded. 4 ball pier
ced Lis epine and passed round to the Iigh
side. The Colonel still lngcr5; but his dealt
Is hourly expected. The charge made upo1
the rebel works By our brave soldiers Bho77ei
determination to carry them at all hazards