The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-06-24
orrRArroNs Ar porr TunsoN.
The Battle Of the 9Th Of May
Graphic Details


slant roar OF artillery, muskotry and
bursting shells - sometimes rumbling
away in the distance, right and Left
sometimes crush ng through the trees in
immediate proximity, and often kept up
during the greater portion Of the night
mentioned in my last that on the
28th had the pleasure of riding along
our lines with Generals Banks and
Arnold. It was irying day and night
for the commanding General, for il was
the eve of the day OF the commencfme
Of that grand attack, or series Of attacks,
on PORT Hudson.
saw him pacing the floor Of the
piazza at midnight, and going out alone
on horseback at IL A. NJ, to see the per-
fiction Of some part of his arrange
ments. Those Of Us who expected hat
we were going to see brisk work IN the
morning, were not deceived, for the mex
day--Weduesday, the 27th--iho hN
was opened in earnest
To give the reader q clesr idea vt
what we are engaged 10, it is necessary
to have recourse to the map II viii
there be seen that Port Hudson stands
opposite sudden bend in the Mississippi
river. The river above snd below lhe
fortress il in possession Of our gun.
boats, the rebels having Hothicg ghtt-
ever ahoat in those waters. They had
two boats two days previously, aud,
doubtless, for the purpose Of making
good their escape, If too sortl u pressed
kept them snugly hidden in the Big San
dy Greek, which runs into The Mississip-
II l..
But General Banks had heard Of this
had sent the indcmitable Col Prince to
take them, with portion of the 9Th L.
linois Cavalry and that gallant officer
had sent the gratifying intelligence to
headquarters, on the evening Of the Goth
that the Starlight and Red Chief were in
his possession.
Thus deprived Of all possible means Of
| escape by water tie noXt thing was TO
! determine hu9 { encircle them by land.
! This has been done by one Of the most
mastery plans that cou d have been pos
! sibly arranged. Commencing at the ex-
| IRENE north ives ern end OF Port Hud-
son, and stretching round IL IN a south
| easterly direction, General Banks has
succeeded in surrounding them by a
! complete semi Hircle of troops; Briga-
| dier General GrOver--With the commands
OF Brigadier Generals ID dwight Paine,
Dudley, and Weitzel-oceupied the right,
while NJ ,jor General Augur occupied the
center, and Brigadier General Sherman
the left wing; the entire line extending
over a space of several miles.
1t having been surmised that the p Ian
/ s =,
from oil pOints, and-after four or five
hours--to make Simultaneous rush at
the forts from every direction, all eyes
were anxiously strained at dawn in the
direction of the forts, to catch the first
notes of the impending struggle.
Sure enough they came. From carly
dawn cannonading was heard in every
direction; and about O'clock il grew
into one loud and continuous roar,
THE BLACK REGIMENT.
Hoaring the firing, apparently more
fierce and continuous TO the right than
any where else, l hurried in that direc-
ton past the sugar house Of Col. Cham
bers, where had before slept, and adj
vauced to near the pontOOn bridge across
the Big Sandy Bayou, which the negro
regiment had erected, and where they
were fighting most desperately. had
sepn these brave aud hitherto despised
fllIws the day before, as rode along
the line, aud | had seen General Banks
acknowledge their respectful salute as b.
would have done that of any white
troops; bat still the question was--With
TOO many--"Will they fghtF The
black race was, on this eyentful day, "a
be put to the test aud the question TO be
settled-now and forever-Whether OF
not they are entitled 20 assert their right
TO manhood.
Nobly, indeed, have they acquitted
themselves, aud proudly may every col
ored man hereafter hold up his head
aud point to the record Of those who fel
on that bloody field.
General Dwight, at least. must hav,
had the idea not only that they were
men, but something more than men, from
the terrific test 20 Will b he put thei
valor. Before any impression had beer
made upon the earth works Of the enem,
and in full face of batteries belchinl
forth their 62-pounders, these devoted
people were rushed forward TO encounte
grape canister, she'll and musketry, will
no artillery but two small howitzers
that appeared mere pop-guns to thei
adversaries, aud no reserve whatever.
Their force consisted of the lat L9ui
siana Native Guards, with colored fell
officers under Lieutenant Colonel Bas
sett, and the Sd Louisisna Nativ
+ Guards, Colonel Nelson, with white GelC
ofllcers) the whole under the charge O
the latter officer.
Ga goiag into action they were los
strong, and formed into four liues, Lieu
tenant Colonel Basselt, Let Louisiana
forming the 6rst line, aud Lieutenan
Colonel Henry F'innigas the second
When ordered TO charge up TO the works
they did so with the skill and nerve O
old veterans, (bIaok people, be il re
membered, who had never been in actor
before but the Ere from the rebel gun
was 10 terrible upon the unprotected
masses, that the first few shots move,
them down like grass, and 80 continued
Col. Basset being driven back, Col
Finnigas took his place, and his mel
being Similarly cut to pieces, Colone
Bassett reformed and recommended AM
thus these brave people went on, iron
morning until halt past three P, NJ, un
der the most hieduus carnage that me
ever had to Withstand, aud that very few
white ones would have had nerve enough
10 encounter, even if ordered 10. Durinl
this time, they rallied, and were ordere,
to make six distinct charges, losing 8
killed, and had 1916 wounded and III
missing-the majority, ifnot sll, of thes
heinr In ali nrnhnhilitY. now Wing drat