Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-31
copyright, 1903, by G. L. Kilmer.]
a T the beginning of 1863 the Mis-
. sissippi river was still closed
u to the Federal army and navy

to the Federal army and navy
in spite of Farragut's gallant
deeds at New Orleans and the running
Of the upper batteries by his ships dur
Ing 1862. General N. 2. Banks had
succeeded Butler in command at New
Orleans, and the president had put him
there for the express purpose of "open-
ing up the Mississippi" The Confeder-
ates blocked the river with their land
batteries at Port Hudson and Vicks-
burg and had all the approaches by
land and water to these river strong
holds we'll guarded by troops on land
and a numerous flotilla of little light
draft gunboats
Banks decided to attack Port EIud-
son, but instead Of going at it direct I'D
the river he chose to turn it by march
ing his army in through Louisiana
from the west. The Confedcrates kept
strong force on the Teche, with the
gunboat Cotton at hand to defend the
waters. Banks stationed Wcitzel's bri-
gade on the shores of Berwick bay to
watch the enemy on the Teche and
placed ut Weitzel's command four little
light draft gunboats to aid in holding
the position.
AS often happens. the opposing lead
ers, Taylor Of the Confcdcrates and
Weitzcl. got into fighting humor ut the
same time. Taylor made ready to fall
upon Wcitzcl on Berwick bay, and
Weitzel took the notion Of wiping out
the gunboat Cotton, which he learned
had been newly fitted up with guns and
stationed in the Teche to guard the
channel. The Cotton had been convert
ed from large Mississippi steamer in
to formidable floating fort. protected
with cotton bales and a casing of rail
road iron. She was heavily armed and
commanded by rcsolute men. Having
been driven out Of Berwick bay some
weeks before, she had backed up the
Teche, which was too narrow to admit
Of her turning, and stood at bay in
front of two lines of earthworks ex-
tending from either shore at right an
giles with the channel. These works
were manned by 1900 men and armed
with ten "a pound guns In front of the
batteries line of rifle pits covered
force of sharpshooters who had open
range down the channel. To further
battle an attacking force the Confeder-
ates had planted a nest Of torpedoes
and other channel distractions below
the COtton's anchorage
Weitzeps column bivouacked the night
Of Jan. 13 three miles from the gunboat
Cotton. Early OH the 14th two detach-
ments deployed on either side of the
bayou and marched forward simulta-
neously, while the little gunboat fleet
assembled the channel The channel be-
ing narrow, the fleet, composed of the
flagship Calhoun. Z. Mexican Buchan-
an, the Estrella, Diana and Kinsman,
steamed in line, the Calhoun leading.
Buchanan had been in the same wa
feet, and, although warned by negroes
that the bayou was planted with tor
pedocs below the Confederate position,
he moved fearlessly ahead until STOP
ped by distractions planted in the chan
mel. His ships We're all inferior to the
Cotton and had been hastily built to
cope with the enemy's boats on the in
land waters of Louisiana.
Weitzel's land column contained
three batteries, and these, with the
guns of the navy, opened fire upon the
Cotton and the Confederate breast
works. Although the little fleet stopped
before the instructions in the channel,
the first line of troops rushed ahead
on both sides of the bayou. This line
consisted of 12O picked men, sixty
from the Eighth Vermont led by Cap
tain Dutton and the same number
from the Seventy-ffth New York un-
der Lieutenant Whiteside. The men
were the crack shots of the brigade
and under cover of the fire from the
batteries made their way to within
easy range Of the Cotton.
Opening brisk fire upon the Cotton,
the sharpshooters killed her pilots and
several Of the crew. A bullet also dis
abled the arm of Captain Fuller.
Meanwhile the Confederates in the
first line of pits took for their target
the flagship Calhoun, which was
aground or fouled by the distractions.
Commander Buchanan took his station
on deck regardless of danger to direct
the fire of the bow guns. He was in
stantly killed and his gunners driven
from their places by the pitless fire
rained upon them from shore.
Word of the death of Buchanan, the
plight Of his ship and the attack on the
Cotton caused Weitzel to push for
ward his land column independent of
support from the navy. The Seventy
fifth New York and Eighth Vermont
formed for the charge under cover of
buildings and advanced upon the rear
of the rifle pits nearest the Calhoun,
The men in the pits were Lou1sianians,
jealous in the defense of their homes
and SO intent upon destroying the Fed
eral flagship that they paid no atten-
ton to the Federal troops until the
Vermonters were close upon the pits.
Firing volley at short range, they
abandoned the field, all except an off,
Ger and forty men captured In the pits
by the Eighth Vermont. 49, ID
BY the retreat of the Louisianians
f,.nyV1 tho T7xo ,,nn l3,,n ~,;%c kI,S1