Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-11


looked on from distance at this brisk
fight in the brake the combatants
themselves, enmeshed in the impene-
trable tangle, could not see each other
when only a few yards apart. The fight
ended in the repulse of the New York
ers, and the day being at an end
Banks waited for news of Growers at
tack at Irish Bend before pressing the
charge home. Next morning at day.
break the Federal skirmishers rushed
forward and found Fort Bisland de-
serted. Emory marched after the re-
reating enemy, which led him toward
Irish Bend.
Fighting was opened at Irish Bend
at daybreak on the 18th by the gun
boat feet accompanying Banks. The
boats were the vessels which fought in
the same waters under Commander
Buchanan a few weeks before, with
the exception of the captured Diana
namely, the Clifton, Calhoun, Estrella
and Arizona. Under Commander Cooke
the Calhoun, Arizona and Estrella lay
watching Growers landing place while
the Clifton went up the Teche in chase
of the fleeing Diana. 1t was known
that the doughty steam ram Queen Of
the West, which had been captured
from Colonel Ellet in January, was
afloat with Confederate crew on
board and would be heard from in
connection with Banks attack. Sight
ing her at daylight stealing down the
bayou, Cooke formed his line in cres-
cent shape and dashed for the ram,
opening a rapid fire as he sailed 1t
was quick work, for the Queen soon
burst into flames from the Federal
shells and exploded her ma gazine, end
ing a most exciting career under two
flags.
Taylor's precipitate fight from Fort
Bisland on the night Of the 18th had
been caused by startling news which
reached him during the fight with EN-
DRY. Grover had landed at Irish Bend
and was marching to cut off his re-
treat from Fort Bisland Sending his
wagon train, covered by rear guard,
toward Franklin, farther up the bayou,
he led two brigades against Grover,
hoping by desperate fighting to give
his outlying detachments time to get
in behind the screen of bayonets he
would oppose to the new enemy Gro
yer began his march early and soon
ran upon Taylor's new line, with four
guns in position.
Not a moment was lost in pressing
the action. Grover sent the One Hun
dred and Fifty-ninth New York into
the thicket to charge the battery
Throwing off their blankets and over
coats, the New Workers dashed in,
their commander, Colonel Edward L.
Molineux, falling with painful wound
at the first volley just as he shouted
the command, "Forward!' At the
same time Taylor ordered the Twenty
eighth Louisiana to charge Growers
flank. The Louisianians struck the
rear Of the New Workers just as Moli-
neux went down, pouring in a singing
volley, which compelled the regiment
to retreat Simultaneously the whole
of Taylor's left bore down upon Gro
ver's right, forcing it back to the Fed
eral guns, which checked the intrepid
charge by showers Of case shot and
canister. Meanwhile Growers left
flank, led by the Thirteenth Connecti-
cut, had charged simultaneously with
Molineux and hurled the Confederate
right back upon their guns. Grover
quickly reorganized his line and, NOV
ing forward through the woods, found
the enemy massed upon knoll beyond
with four guns bearing upon the ap-
proaches. At the same time the gun
boat Diana, which had patched up the
holes made by Emory's shells the day
before, opened on the line with thirty
FOUNDER Parrot shots.
Early in the fight Grover had taken
some prisoners, and from their state
ments he was led to believe that Tay-
lor had brought up all his troops from
Fort Bisland and was about to attack
with his whole force. He therefore de-
cided to move with caution. But Tay-
lor had given over the command in
front to his subordinate, General Mou-
ton, and gone himself to direct the re-
treat Of his army on Franklin.
Mouton soon found himself in trap.
Growers force outnumbered his own
in front, and scouts brought word of
another Federal column marching up
on his rear. This was Emory's column
from Bisland, which had fastened
after the retreating Confederates and
been led to Irish Bend. Mouton hur-
ried away across country and escaped
over the blazing timbers of a bridge
which one Of his colleagues had set on
fire to prevent the enemy from using
it to get into Mouton's rear.
Finding that Taylor did not press
the attack, Grover pushed his line for
ward, but in place of meeting Tay-
lor's line of battle saw Emory's col
umn moving up the bayou. Before re-
firing the Confederates blew up the
Diana, thus disposing of second cap
tive gunboat.
The chance battle at Irish Bend was
more bloody than the attack upon Bis
land. The Confederates lost one colo.
mel and two brigadier generals wound.