The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-06-18
TUE SIEGE OF PORT HUDSON.
onoIaI Reporl OF General Danks.
IIgADQ'Rs ARKY OF THE CUR,
BEFORE PoRF HUDSON, May 80. !

BEvoRE PoRT HUDsoS, May 3o.j
Major. Gynrai II. W. HaHeck, Generpl,
IN Cy'ef WdshinStoa:' '.a.
GENERAL: Leaving sommerspoh on
the Atch afalaya. where my command
was Ut the dale of my last dispatch. !
landed at Bayou Sara at two o'clock on
the morning OF the 9lst,
a portion ofthe infantry were trans
ported in steamers, and the balance Of
bthe iufanuy, artillery, cavalry, and wag.
on train moving down on the bank oil
the river. and from this Bayou Sara, y
On the 23d a junction was effected
with the advance Of Major. General Au.
CUR and Brigadier General Sherman,
our line occupying the Bayou Sara road
at a distance five miles from Port Hud'
son.
Major General Ausur had an encoun
ter with portion Of the enemy on the
Bayou Sara road in the direction OF Ba.
ton Rouge, which resulted in the re.
pulse Of The enemy with heavy loss,
On the 25th the enemy was COMPEL.
ed TO abandon his first line Of works.
! Gen. Weitzeps brigade, which had
covered our rear in the march from AL.
exandria, joined US on the Goth, and on
the morning Of the eth, a general as
sault was made upon the Notifications
The artillery opened FIRE between 5
and 6 o'clock, which was continued
with animation during the day. Atglo
o'clock Weitzel's brigade, with the d..
vision of Con. Grover, reduced to about
two brigades. and the division Of Gene
IOl Emory, temporarily reduced by de,
tachments TO about brigade, under
command Of Col. Paine, with Two regi-
ments Of colored troops, made an assault
upon the right Of the enemy's works,
crossing Sandy creek, and driving them
through the woods to their Notifications
The fight lasted on this line until 4
o'clock. and was very severely contested
On the lelttheinfantry did not come up
until later in the day; hut at 2 o'clock
an assault was opened on the center and
left Of the center by this divisions un.
der Maj. Gen. Ausdr' and Brig. Gen.
! Sherman. .lrHt ,f7 a He
The enemy was driven into his works,
and our troops movcdup to the fortti-
cations, holding the opposite sides Of the
parapet, with tile enemy on The right
0urtroops still boll.their position on
the right. After dark, the main body,
being exposed to flank fire, Withdrew
TO beiteof woods, the skirmishers re :,
naming close up 10 the lortifcations.
In the assault on the eth, the beha
f'vior of the officers and men was most
/ gallant, and left nothing TO be desired.
| 0urlimited acquaintance Of the ground
and the character Of the works which
were almost hidden from our observa.
ton until the moment Of approach, alone
prevented the capture ofthe post.
r. On the extreme rightof our line |
posted the frs, and 81 Regiment OF ne.
gro troops. The LIST Regiment of Louis
lana Engineers, composed exclusively of
colored men, excepting the officers,
was also engaged in the operations OF
the day. The position occupied by
these troops was one ofimportance, and
called for the utmost steadiness in
those 10 whom it was entrusted.
Ii gives me pleasure to report that
they answered every expectation. In
many espects their conduct was hero.
ic, no troops could be more determined
or more daring. They made during
the day three charges upon the batteries
of the enemy, suffering very heavy los.
scs, and holding their position al night
fall withthe other troops on the right
of our lines. The highest commenda-
ton is bestowed upon them by oil the
officers in command on the right.
Whatever doubt may have existed
heretofore as 10 the efficiency of organi-
cations Of this character, the history Of
this day proves conclusively to those
who we're in condition to observe the
conduct of these regiments, that the
Government will find in this class oI
troops effective supporters and defend,
ers. The severe Test to which they W re
subjected and the determined man ner in
which they encountered the enemy,
leaves upon my mind no doubt of their
ultimate success. They require only
good officers, commands Of limited
aumbars, aud careful discipline 20 make
them excellent soldiers. s.ar
Ourloss from the esd 10 this date, n
killed, wounded and missing, are near.
I ly one thousand, including, / deeply re-.
greet to say, some Of the ableSt officers Of
the corps. l am unable yet to report
them in detail. .rEe Ii'@ ,f.aa-"'
4 | have the honor to be, sUau uH
Iri With much respect, 20 or'|
Your obedient servant, 81
N. p. BANKS, Msj..Gen, Com.