The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-09-08

to. There was not a regiment or com pany which did not understand exactly what would be expected of it under all circumstances.
 The point selected for the attack was an angle nearest the federal lines. The approach to il was sheltered to a point within about Soo yards, and the plan was for a sudden dash across the open ground. When the time came for this the ground was found to be broken and rocky, full of holes and ravines, and much of the surface covered with creep ing blackberry vines. The plan called for an assault to the right and left of the angle as we'll, but success was expected only in the center. Acting under the be- lief that the ditches could be gained without trouble, regiment was detailed to carry bags of cotton to fill then up and make a way over. Another was supplied with hand-grenades, to be thrown over the parapet, and two or three others were to act as sharp-shooters and prevent the confederate artillerists from working their guns.
 "We were called up about o'clock in the morning to make ready for the ex- pected attack" explained a confederate officer. "We knew the point aimed at, and long enough before move was made we were ready for it.
 The federals found this 10 be the case when they broke cover in the gray of morn and rushed to the assault. A deso- lating fire was opened as soon as the frs, man appeared in sight, and this action resulted in more or less confusion. More than half the skirmishers were wiped out as they went forward a, run, and when the columns came up it was rendered plain in a moment that success was out of the question. The ditches were deeper than anticipated, and not more than two- thirds of the hand-grenades were brought up. Of those thrown not one in ten ex- ploded as desired. The confederate off cer quoted above said of the rush:
 They were brave men to come on as they did. They must have realized that it was death to rush at the angle, pre- pared as we were, and yet they pressed forward without urging. Such of the hand-grenades as came into our works were picked up and tossed back. and l believe they created as much destruction as OUT bullets. The federals seemed to have reasoned that once in the ditches they would be safe, bu, we had prepared them with view of an enflading lire and 1t was slaughter pen for such as took up the position.
 There was desperate fighting before the federals would give back. The attacks to right and left met with the same ob- stinate resistance, and at length the fight ended in the repulse of the assailants. The federal lines had been advanced, but that advantage was offset by the slaughter of nearly thousand men.
 On the right and right center the ground was open, and after the fight any wounded man who raised hand was sure to receive bullet. Indeed. many of them were killed where they lay, and some were almost riddled. Those lying in the old cotton field were forced to re- main on their backs in the broiling hot sun for seven or eight hours, the bullets blowing the earth around them and their sufferings so great that numbers of them, rendered frantic. rose to their feet and were shot down. Every wounded man who lay there was hy-tlown. and when darkness came there was no attempt to remove any but those neares, the federal lines. During the first nigh, the conted crates could not sleep for the walls and sroans of the badly-wounded still lying there. A, the end of the third day the dead still covering the ground. General Gardner asked Banks 10 remove them. Banks passed the matter over to Augur. and Augur carried away nearly 500 half putrid bodies At other points the bodies of federal soldiers remained where they fell. and were buried only after the sur render. Attempts have been made to ex- euse this horrible neglect on the grounds that the confederates maintained a ma licious fire across the fields where the dead and wounded lay, but it will be re- membered that it was General Gardner who sent the first flag of truce and the frs, request that the victims should be taken care of.
 The third assault was the las. made. Banks was now satisfied that Port Hud- son would yield only to siege, and he erected new batteries and began steady pounding away which had its expected results. He put his miners and sappers at work as we'll. turned a part of his army into sharpshoosers. and long enough be- fore July was ushered in General Gard ner's situation was worse than pember- tons.
 In the last days of June rations became scarce, and mule meat and rat-soup were luxuries. The fire of the fleet had dis mounted gun after gun. and the supply of ammunition for all arms had run so low that one could figure to a certainty when the last round would be fired. By the first of July the federal works were not above twenty feet away at some points, and lighted shells were tossed from either side by hand. Mining and countermin- ing were going on. and sorties by small bands of desperate men were of frequent occurrence.
 Gardner, like pemberton, vas holding out in hopes of some movement by John- ston or Taylor, but it was a vain hope. On the night of the seventh news was re ceiycd of the surrender of N'ieksburg. This was the death blow to Gardner's hopes, and on the ninth full surrender was made. and Port Hudson occupied by