Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-07-03

udtt % new trltah-. June II. eiN"- an ac-
count or the second unsuccessful attack on III,
rebel works at Port Hudson on the llth int
from which we take the f'llowing
Since the first assault On the 18th May.
cur forces have held the position gainel by them.
our infantry, in many places, being very near
the enemy's works, 20 that easy conversation can
be carried on by the belligerents
The country about Port Hudson i very un-
even, cut by deep ravInes, especially ON the
4 north and east, 80 that in these ravines one can
/ aPpIoleh very close to the enemy unseen. Our
army has been very strongly posted in these
place, scooping out sleeping places in the sides
ct the banks, and making breastworks on
TOP. Here they rested Is DAYS In the
meantime our artillery had been pouring an al
most unccasing shower of shot and she'll into
the devoted city. Each day had added "a siege
gun or mortar, till on the lith everything was
m position. when for n few hours the very earth
shook from their rapid discharges
Having given them many tons of iron, the
firing ceased. and Gen. Banks sent bv flag Of
truce, an order to surrender, which in his persist
encc, Gen. Gardner reused 10 do. saying ne
should hold out a long as he had "a man LETT
The firing was then resumed aul kept mp till
half-past the next morning. when the assault
h"r ~ AhNf lFtN iNt.iN. ne Il-ll WIZ. ffiil-
manded ny Brig Gen. Grover, and composed Of
Emcry's Oh division. under Gen. PANE ard
Growers old division aud Weitzol's brigade, nm
der ethel, started promptly.
These two divisions were 10 make two separate
assaults. In front of Gen. Paine, two hundred
yarls, were thrown out as skimishcrs the eth
y. II. and 4th Wis. Regiments. both then very
much reduced and almost without officers from
the affair Of the 9th These were followed by
the ith Mas. bearing hand grenados. which
were to have been thrown over the works as soon
as they got near enough then the 53l Mas.
each man carrying "a sack stuffed with cotton
with which 10 i'll the molt, that the main holy
might pass easily over.
Then came the column. company front. until
they could deploy on the open space before the
works-this would have been "a dlugerou, c1-
pertinent If it had not previously been ascertain
Ell thatthe enemy had no artillery bearing on this
point. At the head Of the column was Col.
Curric with the l53d y. Y. Rec't s~ fine body
Of soldiers are in the department. Scarcely hal
the brave fellows of the two regiments little
more than companies, deployed. when the mus
ket balls and buckshot Of the enemy commenced
10 whistle their rcquiems about their heads
Twas but short distance across the space they
had 10 60. an oh cotton field. selected because 10
was more easily passed over. hut when they ar
rived At the enemy> works. "a, % le sheltered
by them. they found that they had leit two-thiri,
of their numbers on the fell either hillel or
wounded
The hand creuaics hal not come nap, with tls
exception Of a dozen or So the cotton bag were
not in sight and the column which should have
been but two hundred yarls behind was not VIZ
sible. except Colonel Currie with a part Of hi>
regiment in good order. Then Lieut.. JeVett. Of
the 4th Wisconsin one of the hravcst ofthe brave.
drew his sword, and calling upon his men 90 fol-
low him. leaped into the ditch, followed by about
80 men. climbed the work and iumpel down ou
on the inside.
Then if there had been five huuIrel men 90
have followed the work could have heen carried
hut for some cause, unaccountahlc. except ON the
hypothesis Of the want Of pluck Of some Of our re
gimeuts. there was nobody 10 % In, and tins
brave band Of heroes were murdered that
when Col Curric came mp in few minutes the
work was hristing again with hayonet- ami
helching lead like hail. Tie tell laily wounded
in each arm, and his men took position uuicr
slight hill and waited for assistance.
Preyiou, to this time. Gen Paine, at tine heal
of his column. and while cheering 900 hi, men by
work and action. had been wounded by ha.l.
which broke both hone- Of his leg just below tle
knee. lie fcll ou the field, and ms column
witherod before the shower of balls II they hti
followed suuucr the lue Nf ~hlruiI -utf-- iIrf
would have suffered le--, for tire enemy took hI-
vantage of our delay TO mass their forces 90 re-
ceive Us The column became broken. part
went uo further. and part f.rccl ifs vay nu
till IL was around by the BIN spoken nL
But the bag Of cotton were gone, SEQ there N,-
no easy WAY Of crossing theditch, and the enemy
now could send from their safe place am irre-.--
tihle storm Of bullets Thus cnl,d Geu. Paine
charge If he had mot been wounded 50 s."n
think bc would have forced his way through
In the meantime G,u. Wcitz,- 9kirmlsheTs
had advanced tothe very ditch, but for some uu-
accountable cause the cotton lag- had been cl-
trusted 10 those who clrel uo' to ri-l their lives
fortune
WeuzeI's oli brigade. then commanded ly
Col smith of the lth New YORK. WIS at th,
head of his column, but Col smith beng NOR
tally WOUNDED very early. IT had fllleu into cou-
fusion. aui although fighting brigade, IL he-
came uowcrless. vet 70 was badly cut up. Gen.
Weifzel-s assault was to have been made iu The
woods. 50 the 18th y :. ani 18th Conn. hs
skirnisbers. were not So badly cut mp rs Plirc'-.
though thev Lost nearly one half of Their men.
Weitlel. finding it impossible 20 carry the works