The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-04-12

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shaking the earth and making
mighty excavation in the river.
Che fire had rearched the magazine
If the sloop and what only few
hours before one of the grahdest
ships in the American navy was de-
stroyed. During all this time the
mortsrs were still pouring their
cast iron monsters
among US. We were awfully sha-
ken up all the time for they were
out of range of our guns and we
could not return the fire. II you
want to demorallze soldier, place
him under fire where be cannot re-
turn it and the bravest Will become
tremblingly uneasy. The infantry
at Port Hudson were in this unen-
viable condition during the entire
engagement. The scenic effect OF
this battle was grand in the extreme.
Our hat-shos batteries in particular
we're splendid, both in appearances
and effect. The roar of artillery,
the bursting of the shells and the
rapid fight of the fire balls through
the air formed panorama never to
be forgotten by those who witness
ed it. Farragut had his ship well
protected by chains and other OBJ
sstructions which saved him from
utter destruction. Our casualties
were trifling and our men had shown
a, splendid spirit, yet the enemy
had succeeded in passing our bate
ries, which ought to have learned
our authorities lesson. While our
position could not be captured by
assault, yet it was rendered useless
BY the enemy passing US, tor the
Eonly motive in holding the place
was to keep the upper and lower
feet from uniting. Yet the lesson
was lost and the imbeciIe attempt
was kept up trying to hold the
Mississippi without any fleet. This
foolishuess was kept up during the
war in many places, and while the
heroic armies of Virginia and the
west were struggling against thrib-
| bic their numbers, large garrisons
were at Mobile, Charleston, Savan-
rah, Wilmington and other places
dong nothing, which if Lee or
johnson had had they could have
crushed the enemy in their front
which would have produced splen-
did results. The biggest fool thing
any commander ever did was to
scatter his army over large tracts
of territory with Insignificant means
of concentration, leaving his adver.
sary at liberty to crush the detach-
ments one at a time, yet our au
thorities at Richmond never gave
up the idea that they could hole
the Mississippi river and all impor
tant southern ports, and at thu
same time keep sufficient inland ar
mics to defeat our enemies. Twas
the splendid morale and nnfinch-
+ ing spirit of the private soldier ant
the field commanders that won GU
many splendid and glorious victo
ries, and not the superior militar,
sagacity at Richmond. After TIL
battle of Port Hudson we began t
look up our damages. We had bu
few men killed and wounded an
our Notifications were but little in
, jured, but as before said, the conf
dence of the garrison was lowered
as it had been illustrated we coul
, not prevent the enemy from passin
our batteries. The mortar shellins
while it was very demoralizing, oil
! very little real damage. The shell
had the happy knack of failing in
side our lines and in most instan
ces fell on the bare earth wher
, they dug great holes, almost larg
enough for cisterns. One shell burs
: near a very valuable mare belong
ing to Capt. Jno. S. Wilkes of th
3rd and totally annihilated her. Tn
, whole of the next few days after tn
battle was taken up by the boy
telling their experience of the nigh
of the battle and many of them wer
. highly interesting. No one of tn
nfantry denied being demoralizet
F yet if the land forces had attacke
Us we would have forgotten tn
yankee feet and with that historl
, southern yell we would have wei
coined the assault and have laugh
. them once more that bitches de
Tended by confederate infantry wer
not to be taken by assault. Their
was no other fighting of any conse
, quence at Port Hudson while GU
brigade remained there. In tn
meantime Farragut had carried tn
Hartford below our batteries AM
occasionally would steam up il
range and exchange shots wit
Capt. Bledsoe who had two Blakel
steel rifed cannons at the loves
battery. / remember one eyenin
, one of the gunboats came aroun
/ the point and threw two shells u
} the river aimed at little steam
boat at the landing. Capt. Bledso
answered with his two guns ant
, the sides of the gunboat locke
{ like
Z STREAK OF LIGHTNING
had struck her. She fioated dow