The National tribune., 1906-01-25

THE ARNIY'S DARKEST HOUR.
Beginning Of the Regular SieEe-Re0r-
EanixatiOn - Terrific BOmbar rdm mt.
Summons to Surrender-A BLUR that
Failed-AnOther Gallant Assault and
Sanguinary Repulse.
At o'clock on the morning follow
ing the doleful May % Gen. Banks sent
q flag of truce to Gen. Gardner, re-
questing suspension of hostilities un-
til o'clock, to enable the dead and
wounded to be brought off the field.
Cen Gardner replied that he would
grant it, on condition that Banks with
draw all his men to a distance of 500
yards and that the vessels in the river
cease firing and return to their original
positions.
Banks declined to do this, but re-
newed his request, and promised to send
only unarmed parties to carry off the
dead and wounded. Some II letters
were exchanged on the subject, con-
suming three-fourths of the day. Gard
ner complained that men were working
on batteries and skirmishers were push
ing forward, and Banks replied that he
had sent orders for the work to cease
and the skirmishers to halt Finally a
truce Of four hours was agreed upon,
to run from o'clock
Farragut sent a note to Banks Sug-
gesting that he attack along the river
bank, beyond the flank of the rebel
lines, where the fleet could assist him
with its fire, but somehow this plan did
not commend itself to Banks.
While the dead and wounded We're
being brought in Banks's men were
making good use of the time in care
fully studying the positions i'm front and
laying their plans for esta blishing bat
teries and lines of investment
On the morning of May % the real
work Of the siege began, with the troops
taking up substantially the positions
they had gained during the assault of
May 27- The Engineers went busily to
work designating positions for batteries,
tracing lines for breastWorks and sur
Vey1ng roads through the woods and
across the rayines, to bring all parts of
the army into ready communication
The shortened line enabled the divisions
to be closed up on one another and the
investment completed.
Brig.-Gen. Richard Arnold the Chief
OF Artillery, was ordered TO bring up the
siege artillery, which was manned by
the LIST Ind. III. A., and 1T was rapidly
emplaced, with the field guns behind
suitable cover. Altogether, Col. Irwin
says, there were 40 heavy pieces, of
which six We're eight-inch seacoast
howitzers, eight 24-pounders, seven 30
Founders. four six-inch rifles, four nine
inch Dahlgrens, four eight-inch mortars.
three 1O-inch mortars and four 13-inch
mortars. Beside these were so field
pieces, ranging from six to 20-pounders
The nine-inch Dahlgrens were lent by
the fleet, and were mounted in battery
and worked throughout the siege by
three guns crews Isl men) from the
richmond and one crew I'll mem
from the Essex. They were under COM
mand Of Lieut.-Commander Edward
Terry, of the Richmond, and did splen-
did service. The battery was first es-
tablished 74s yards from the enemy's
works. but later advanced to $40 yards
Banks ReorganIxes.
Gen. Banks reorganized his army, in
preparation for the new phase of opera
tions. Despairing of getting any rein
forcements from Gen. Grant he stripped
the Teche country of the slender garri-
sons he had left to guard the roads to
New Orleans and gained eight regi-
ments, which he distributed around to
make good to the various divisions the
losses sustained in the assault
Gen. Geo. l. Andrews returned to his
position as Chief of Staff, and Gen.
Dwight was assigned to the command
OF Sherman's Division, and ii and
Augur's Division were made the Left
Wing, under command of Gen Augur
The Right Wing. composed of Growers
and WeitzePs Divisions. was placed un-
der the command of Grover Halbert
T.. Paine's Division was brought to the
center, to cover the Jackson road the
heavy artillery and assist Grierson's
Cavalry in standing off Logan's Cavalry.
very strong body of horsemen, who
were cutting off communications with
the country outside and besieging the
besiegers.
The 41st Mass. had been mounted
during the Teche Campaign, and was
now called the Sd Mass. Cav, and as
signed to Grierson.
The siege batteries, which were num-
bered from 1 TO "a, were established
In the best locations that could be se-
cured, at a distance of from 600 to
LOO yards from the enemy's works.
ana made rough semicircle about