The New York herald., 1863-06-29
oPERA1IeIs AGAINST PORT HUDSON.
The Projected Attack ON Banks
Rear.
MYSTERIOUS SILENCE OF GIN. JOHNSTON

"
SUSPICION OF HIS COMING MOVEMENTS,
As., As.. ks.
The stssmer George Cromwell, Captain Post, with
Ssl 900 on freight arrived from New Orleans yesterday
She brings highly interesting from New Orleans and
Port Hudson.
Important Ordor OF General Banks.
GENERAL ORDERs--N0. 40.
HEADQUARTERS DErAsrxKsI THE GuIF,)
rs NINETEENTH ARMY C0RPs,
BEPoRE PORT HUDSON, June 10, 1868.
The Commanding General congratulates the troops be-
foe Port Hudson upon the steady advance made upon the
enemys works. and s confident Of an immediate and tr
umphant OF the contest We are at all points upon
the threshold Of his fortincaons. One more advance
and they are For the last duty that victory I'm
poses the Commanding General summons the bold men
OF the corps the organization OF stoming column OF
thousand men, vlndicate the 0ag OF the Union and
the memory Of Its defenders have fallen Let them
come forward. officers whe lead the column Of victory
in this assault may be assured @ just recognition Of
their services by prmotion and every oer and soldier
who shares its pers and its glory shall receive medal
At to commemorate the nrst grand success Of the cam
paign OF 1868 for the freedom Of the Mississippi Ills
be placed IN general orders upon the Roll Of
Honor. Division commanders will at once report tho
names the officers and who volunteer for this
servce in order that the organization Of the column may
be completed without delay.
BY command Of Major General BANKS
RICHARD p. IRwtx, Assistant Adjutant General
Our Port Hudson Correspondence.
PoRr HuDscy June 20, 1863.
Ose,atiors ia Froat Of The Enemys Works Progress of
Union Payallels- Heavy kebe Orssanee-The Iron Clad
Essen PicrceS-An9lhr AssauK to b xads-Statemass
ofDeserers, &C., de- ''essszs1s-r r:ar =.
Since my last communication there has been 20 mate
rial change the position OF affairs at this place. The
different camp concerning assaults by volunteer
forces and general attacks have all proved without foun
daton We are steadily advancing our 0rst parallel,
which completely sncirces the outer line Of rebel breast
works. and skrmishers are now posted behind rife
pits within distance Of loss than twenty yards Of he
rebel intrenchments and nightly VIC have skirmsnes
with the enemy, but thus far without any de-
finite result Probably the most important feature Of
our steady progress since last Sundays nght is tho
erection Of battery No. upon which to bo mounted
twelve thirty.two pound riHed guns. which will COM
pletely command the entire pe Of the enenys river
batteries. Battery No. & within The lines Of Gene
raj Dwights command, and may be considered erect
cd the extreme left Of our position. Although
nearer the river We have strong infantry force 4led
lection Of this battery from the heavy Of the rebels
which ere mounted on citadel inside Of their rife
pits. When We shall have completed this battery we
will for the t time be able to bring TO bear heavy guns
upon the rebel ortncations. Upon the citadel
ferred to tho rebels have mounted the heaviest ord
have yet suffered from during the siege OF
Port Hudson. They had on this work . one hun
dred and twenty FOUNDER rined gun, which old
the only damage 10 the ironclad Essex she he's yet
received One shot fred from this piece pierced the
heavy plating Of the E1ssx and determined the danger
would experience in endeavorng TO promscuous
ly up and down tho river as nrst thought she
could do between the two wings Of army. As FIRST
there fault in the construction Of battery No.
and unable 10 guns with effect upon the
enemys water batteries. While change in the smbra
being made htytwo pounder rined pieces
taken from the work and planted slight rise
Of ground, and afer few shots succeeded In dsmoant
ing the large rebel piece that had been annoying
TO u.s. The citadel referred TO will be, whom
arrsngemsnts are completed, within immediate
range OF guns, and expect 70 be able
ducs formidable rebel fortihcatop. Although
have. not yet gained position from which We
exactly determine the strength Of this boassd rebel
stronghold STILL from Information have received from
what consider 10 b. reliable sources tho enemy
their last desperate stand at this point The
citadel although frequently spoken Of has been
accurately described from the simple fact that have
no correct information concerning say, from my
observations that II ia q large rectangular work,
built in the nature Of fort, upon which mounted
number OF pivot guns which command every possible ap
proach 70 IT,
think there s no Improperly in saying that the for
mation Of volunteer storming parties has been
encouraged AZ headquarters. II Is rum,red, and
Generally believed that assault 10 70 be made tonight
Or A furthest tomorrow night, which 70 DO led BY
General Grierson Of Grersons cavalry and Colonel Van
Petten OF the One Hundred sad sxeth New York both
Of these oces having asked and been granted he prv
ege Of undertaking 10 carry portion Of the rsbci works
bystorm. Tho assaultng party s W be supported by
General Wetzes old brigade and that Of Colonel pudeys
Recently we captured rebel Of dispatches and
on hs person found documents from (as stated
The rebel General Johnston, whe promises 70 reinforce
Port Hudson and capture General Banks enliro army
that place viii hold os, until Tuesday next. The
capture Of this despatch bearer may be . russ
on the part OF the enemy 10 induce General Banks
10 m ks an Immediate assault, that he may be
again rcpusec or determine hts strength - carry
the place, and not wait tho slow process Of
sarya.on, which now perfectly evident siares the
rebels In the face. This last remark e fully confirmed
by our nightly cap.urs of the enemys picksts, who are
never found with than two ears Of corn aud very
small piece OF besf in their haversacN.
Two or tbree days since very intelligent rebel
esans, who deserted from their ines by swimming the
river reached our camp and gave como valcabe In
formation concerning Affairs In Port Hudson. Imme
diassly after sundays Hghs tho sergeant reports
sutation u rebel officers, which resulted In unanimous
dscson on their part request General Gardner to
rsndcr the place. They waited upon the General made
known their wishes, and informed In reply that
large rsnforcements would undoubtedly reach
Port Hudson In less than . week; that IL they
would only hold out fcw days longer the
siege would result favorably TO them. Tho Unaffected
rebel officers returned TO their camps and informed their
men Of Gardner had sad assuring thcm ths, II the
General did not in one week surrender the pscs they
vouldtakc matters into their hands and compel him
70 do 30.
The extreme right aud left wings of our army are now
30 near together distance Of two and half