The National tribune., 1889-11-21

As once all roads let to Rome so then all
roads and all rivers led TO New Orleans. We
had but a small troop and few guuboats,
| yet New Orleans was more secure than Wash
| ington. No voyage of discovery had yet found
a General equal to command the Army of the
| Potomac, and Richmond was about the safest
| place in America.
Sept 30. 1862, Gen. Pemberton was assigned
to the command of a district known as the
Department of Mississippi and Louisiana, east
| of the River. President Davis had now
nothing 10 fear, apparently, but the encroach-
ments upon their territory in the Southeast and
! Southwest. The instructions to Pemberton
were TO make Jackson, Miss, headquarters, and
| TO hold Vicksburg aud Port Hudson against
| anything and at all hazards. After personal
inspection of Port Hudson he placed Gen.
| Franklin Gardner in command about January,
| 1863. Both Pemberton aud Gardner were able
men, Of Northern birth, and West Point gradu-
ates. Richard Taylor was placed over the dis
| trict west of the river and south Of Arkansas.
| Taylor was, apparently, a very reckless man. as
] well as very witty, and somewhat OF wag, but
in fact, as the sequel showed, shrewd, daring,
and skillful opponent. He did nearly as much
/ TO divert territory from the old flag as his
! father did TO add to our area. Much rugged
comment has been expended on both sides of
| the limo as TO the management and misman-
agement of the Department of the Gulf and
Texas, so-called.
BANKS DID As WELL As MANY,
and better than some, under tho circumstances.
The hero of the year, and as il now seems, of
all time, was destined to be developed at the
Vicksburg end and not with us. Weitzel was
doubtless the best posted military man for that
section, both by former experience and by an
aptitude for strategy amounting to genius.
he was one engineer who possessed also bold
ness in the field. His proposition was land he
knew the topography well TO take Port Hud-
son without the loss of a man, or by q regular
siege, and, from the subsequent admission of
Gardner, not more than weeks time would
have been lost in that process. Another scheme
of his was not to touch it at all after Farra-
gut passed above, but to flank it by way of the
Atchataiaya; that is, 10 move by rail to Berwick
Bay, and thence by boat up Atchafalaya Bayou
to the Mississippi above Port Hudson SO miles
or more.
That would give Grant base Of supplies below
Nicksburg as well as above and after that
place fell Port Hudson would collapse anyway
1t would seem that the latter alternative was
contemplated till about May /, 1863 Banks
had only about 25, 900 effective mon TO spare for
the work. He wanted Grant 10 send him 10000,
and first reduce Port Hudson, and then he
would join forces to operate against Nicksburg.
Grant wished Banks to send him his % 600
men, and let him out first; but about this time
learned that Gardner had sent away TO Penn
berton about one-halfo OF his command. and had
less than 10000 within the fort. or course the
temptation was natural for Banks to earn
little fame in his field, and therefore we were
sent down the river from the mouth of Red
River instead of above il, and landed near
Bayou Sara at midnight of May 81 This place
is on the same side as the fort and 20 miles up
the river. Thence We passed in rear of the
works, converging by the old Jackson turnpike,
May -. Gen. Banks was up TO this time with our
division tthe Second, which was commanded by
Gen. Grover, and the portions of the Nineteenth
Corps engaging the works were arranged as
follows: Beginning on the right, which rested
on the river at Thompson's Creek was Weitzel
on his left Dwight; next Grover aud on our
left I. w. Sherman, with Augurs command
touching the river below near Springfield
Landing. This earthwork was a perfect pro-
lection 20 their infantry, and so thick that no
guns were equal to making a breach il was
well equipped with heavy pieces, and held five
full batteries OF light artillery. Their practice
was beyond criticism, and the range of salient
points IN every approach was accurately di-
rected. Their sharpshooters were worthy de-
scendants Of
THE TENNESSEE ANCESTRY
whose sons made up several regiments. No
soldier Of the old Nineteenth Corps will ever
ADANtS Na4c tHNuu7Aa1u1 WHICH lElpStieN us on
the 9th Of May, when the GIEt close work was
met. Only for one-half hour did it appear TO
me that we might possibly crowd the gunners
from their pieces, cross the breastworks, aud at
one dash open up the river. That WAS from
70 3:30 p. m, or just prior 10 tie hour when the
white flag appeared in Weitzeis front 1t was
the same old story. II was not the blaze of
fire. grape, shell. canister nor mimic ball that
deferred the advance. but the abatis, the fallen
timber, the rugged ground. broken by ravInes
and bitches, natural or artificial, which was
fatal 20 all formation Of line or order.
The supports were delayed till tho struggle
bad exhausted the foremost. aud by nightfaIl
1000 of our best fellows lay on the ground or
in the hospital. Nothing was won except
little experience and position which We never
were able 70 advance but short distance there
after. Gen. 7. w. Sherman was badly wound
ed, Dow slightly, and of Weitzel's staff three
were killed-one OF our best engineers, Wrot-
nowski. the gallant Pole; the Adiutant- Gem
eral, and one Aid. The result although a
disappointment TO most Of Us, did not impair
discipline, because IL was regarded quite neccs-
ssry as prelude. The assault, which we all
mourned, occurred not far from tive weeks later
or on Sunday, the l4th Of June. No day escap-
ed meanwhile that did not have is heroic in
cident, Its sensational rumor and fair supply
Of practical jokes. A regular siege now began,
and approaches were planned but not much
systematic Work done, when this unfortunate
affair WAS precipitated. Jack Nelson. who com
manded the Corps DAfrique. used TO exchange
topics OF news aud gossip with his friends, the
enemy, daily. The rebel Colonel in charge of
that portion Of the works opposite him alluded
10 " mule steak" and an impaired digestion.
Nelson commiserated him, and announced that
we were having rural picnic ia the oak forests
about US, regrettiug that supplies were getting
short within the defense as we hoped 20 pass
Sur nFra1 In ffg l.. 4
with copy OF bill OF fare on which was in
scribed watermelon. ices, and French coffee.
which he declared was issued daily to every
private, together
WITH CHAMPAGNE SUPPER
to the whole regiment when a birthday occur.
ed 70 any member. The solemn fact was nn-
fortunately. otherwise. We were never sensi.
tive about the anvils plantation sboyeIs and
sugar-milI machinry which they fired amongst
Us. We always desired 10 become perfect in
the art Of rifle practice, and put in the time, 30
far as picket and skirmish duty went amicably
enough. But man Is ever destined 10 an evil
Karma here below. There was little species
OF insect life which became q curse to us, more
grave than the House Of AgamemnOn ever
knew. This little parasite will be recognize
by ali our boys when state that it has been
vulgarly called, in pure verse, the grayback.
During the reign Of the last Rameses. Moses
was accustomed TO use the word lice as descrip-
tive Of the ancestral grayback OF course TO a
naturalist like Humboldt or Huxley they may
be fascinating, especially when fairly landed In