The National tribune., 1888-05-03

and no support being in sight we dropped on
the ground and commenced sharpshooting.
While lying here VIC saw the New York ZOu-
ayes pushing forward toward the sallyport. but
they melted away fast rs we could see by the
red spots on the ground as the line passed on.
Meanwhile Gen. Paine's Brigade, of Emory's
Division. had advanced over the field some
three fourths of mile to our right, where the
Clinton & Port Hudson Railroad led outward
in a northeast direction, as well as wagon road
in the same direction. rush of large part
OF the
CONFEDERATE FORCE N OUR FRONT
TO help resist the onset OF Paine's Brigade gave
ms fresh hope, and the men were mostly with
drawn, less than 400 out OF 600 two hours before,
10 reform and charge again. 1t was in vain.
Our supporting force could not be kept In the
field in the face OF such devastating fire, and
their shots from a distance, though fired with
good intention, were only adding TO our troubles
bv falling among rs. and made il worse than
useless to attempt a breach where We could not
hold ii. The remainder of daylight was spent
ia sharpshoOting and relieving our suffering
comrades. 4 great many Of our men found
cover I'D the ravine spoken Of before, and did
good service in keeping down the enelny's fire
On our extreme right where the blud sioped
down into ravines toward ThompsOn'S Creek,
Gen. Growers command reached up to the inner
line OF the Confederate works, but were ordered
10 halt there =" The right ought 10 have ad-
vanced into and could have compelled the sur
render Of Port Hudson. Prisoners surrendered
with the place when it passed into our hands
united in this that IL would have been an easy
capture had the commanders on the Federal
right employed their victory TO advantage.
There never was any question on the part of
the officers and soldiers of Paines Emory's1
Division, that the holding back of the victOri-
Gus right
PREVENTED THE CAPTURE
OF Port Hudson on May 27.'
Late in the day, Just before night, battery
was brought up near The site Of the Schater
house, but except the show and noise. produced
no good effect. and darkness was welcomed
gladly The night was spent In caring for the
wounded aud avoiding the large shells thrown
by the mortar fleet some OF them flying clear of
the encmv's works and falling amongst rs. The
horrors Of way surely surrounded Us all night,
without the TecOmpeDse which victory might
give Comrades who marched beside rs a few
hours before in fall life and hope were still for
ever or terribly manged, with one chance out
OF many of living. and then TO remain cripples.
The next morning. under flag OF truce.
We were permitted 10 collect our dead and
wounded close up to the Notifications. The
enemy came over in q social way 10 talk and
exchange little favors. such rs tobacco and hard
bread The 27gh o. May. 1863, viii always re-
main . sad memory 10 those living who partici-
pated in it.
OF our losses have no Official figures TO give,
but they were always estimated by ourselves to
be 0ne-thiTa. the proportion Of wounded being
very large, but SO crippled that but few ever
returned to u.s. Gen. Dwight was now placed
IN command of the division, and issued his first
order CONCENTRATING the men for their brave
but unsuccessful assault Of the 9th Of May.
Another order was soon after made public 70
the eject that All men struggling from their
commands or found in the rear would be shot"
A PRoT0sT-AIARsHAL WAS APPOINTED
to see to the execution Of this order. The Gen
eral seemed TO think very little OF Us, or We
were in too dangerous place, for We never saw
him but twice before the surrender, and then il
was very much 10 his discredit, for he was so
drunk that his tongue refused TO enunciate
words correctly. We felt ashamed of him.
and were glad that he felt that his duties
required his presence in the rear. After the
9th Of May we were continually coming IN
contact with some General or field officer who
was SO Enthusiastically under the influence Of
liquor tilat il could not be disguised; it would
show itself ia some braYad0 speech or equally
fo0iish action. it was q standing remark that
the eonmissary could not keep whisky enough
for the higher officers; the line officers and
privates had 10 90 without.
On the 3lst of May we were withdrawn, and
with the 14th Ne. sent 10 the extreme left
bordering the bank OF the Mississippi River,
the 18th \. y. taking our place. We took a
circuit around 10 avoid as much as possible the
drawing OF
THE ESEAfY's FIRE
Until Re nfarlE ceIapseted our march, when it
was necessarE- 10 cross. al open field about a
mile from the fortifeations, and IL plain view.
Before we had crossed half the distance the
whizzing Of the rifcd shell reached our ears.
but no damage was caused except the breaking
Of a commissaFy mules leg. We were halted
about a mile from the fortifcations in piece
OF timber bordering a raviae. The whole
country east OF the Mississippi River from Just
below Baton Rouge was what are known as
biuG lands and cut up By numerous rayines
near the river, and which, unless they were
recently washed ont were filed with timber
aud thiek underground. There was a strip
Of bottom land close to the river bank at the
foot Of the bluffs sufficient in width for a
wagon-road from Port Hudson down to
Prophets Island and below. AT the lower end
Of the Confederate works the bluffs came out
abruptly 10 the river bank, some 80 or 80 feet
IN perpendicular hight on the river face. The
roadway coming up 81 this blaff turned to the
right into semicircular basin, and then 10 the
left. gradually rising up 10 level Of the ridge
about 200 yards from the lower bluff The
bluffs continued in almost a straight line for z
mile and half or two miles TO the upper end
Of The Notifications and Of the same hight
About two thirds Of the distance up, the great
river made an abrupt bend. nearly or quite
right angle 50 that the water for a distance o.
Six or eight miles was thrown with all Its vol
ume against the bluffs, gradually wearing then
away and forming by deposit like amount OF
the opposite side. On this point, directly op
p0site, lay the remains Of the steam sloop siis
sssippi, which had grounded and been burn
when FarragGt ran by.
To our delight and comfort we found severn
Tills OF springs Of water coming out Of tn
banks Of the ravines. some Of which were al
ready fitted up BY having barrels or boxes SUM
IN tie ground, while Others that were cool ant
refreshing we fitted up with bard-bread boxes
For some days
WE MADE no ADVANCE,
but every night some Of the companies spen
hours ia exploring the lay Of the ground BE-
tween orr position and that Of the enemy W
very often drew the FIRE Of the enemy b
stumbling over their abatis, which filed th
TaYines. We also bad some disagreeable expo
Tlence with the mortar shells, which were nol
thrown directly over our heads into the Cor
1edoTaie lines. The shells We're usually throw
81 night and often premature explosion woul
scatter scores Of pieces Of iron in the air ovel
head. cutting Of limbs Of trees aud keeping 4
uneasy All night. A great many sudde
changes were made 10 avoid the flying pieces
which went humming IN all directions. Ate
Ca