The National tribune., 1906-02-22
CHAPTER XLVI.
AFTER THE SURRENDER.

IOr-Mfserable Mfsmanagement at
Cox's PlantatiOn-Dick Taylor Escapes
With His Piunder Across the Teche-
Grant, Banks and Farrasut Urge n
Campaign Against Mobile-.The Faith
er of Waters Flows Unvexed to the
Sea-"
Gen. Banks's report of his captures
seems to have been too modest. Col.
Irwin says that with the post there fell
into our hands 6,340 prisoners, 90
heavy guns, 81 field pieces and about
$500 muskets, and two river steamers.
Many of the cannon We're ruined, some
had been struck over and over again,
and the commissary and ordnance
magazines were empty. The garrison
had lost about 500 prisoners and de-
serters before the surrender. while the
killed and wounded numbered about
700. Thus the fighting strength of the
garrison at the beginning had been at
least $500.
The Union loss was 7O7 killed, 1886
wounded, and 319 missing; total,
1862.
Banks retained the officers as pris-
oners and sent them to New Orleans,
where under his lenient instructions
their Imprisonment became little m ,rs
than nominal. They were provided with
good quarters and rations and allowed
to mingle freely with their friends in
the city, and the sight of Confederate
uniforms was rather more common
than that of the loyal blue.
More Miscarried Plans.
After Green's bloody and decisive re-
pulse by the little garrison of conva-
lescents at Donaldsenville, Dick Taylor
gave up all thought Of capturing the
place and confined himself to establish
ing batteries al various places along the
river behind the natural forts formed
by the levees. Col. Major established
himself 10 miles below Donaldsonyille
with six rifle guns, others were placed
on Gaudeg's Plantation. College Point
and Fifty-five Mile Point These dis
abled the steamer Iberville, q trans
port, and killed Commander Abner
Read. of the warship Tennessee, and
two of her crew, and wounded Capt.
Jenkins and four sailors. The st.
Mary's. a fine seagoing steamer, was
struck five times and severely injured
Taylor occupied the whole of the La
Fourche country and began rapidly
carrying off the supplies he found
there. He pushed forward his forces
10 Boutte Station, 20 miles from New
Orleans, and sent a party across the
river TO cut the telegraph between Ba-
ton Rouge and New Orleans
Immediately upon the capitulation
being signed Banks started a fine plan
to cut off Taylor and bag him, which
could be easily done by reoccupying
Brashear City. Farragut was TO dis
patch gunboats to occupy the bay and
prevent Taylor's retreat, while WeitZel
was to move directly across the coun-
try and force Taylor into the pocket
formed by the bayous. Gen Augur,
who had been very Ill for sometime, but
unwilling to leave the front until the
siege was ended, now asked for relief,
and went North on Surgeons certif-
cate, turning his division over to Gen
Weitzel. Gen. Weitzel only halted at
Port Hudson long enough to witness
the final act of surrender, embarked
his troops on steamboats, at the land
Ing, and arrived at Donaldsonville the
next morning, that of July 10. Col.
Joseph ;. Morgan, Goth y. Y, in COM
mand OF the First Brigade, Fourth Di-
vision, followed Weitzel and Grover
himself with the other two brigades of
his division followed Morgan on
July IL.
The night Of that day Grover found
himself with his division before Don
aldsonyille with the troops Of his and
WeitZefs Divisions on both banks of
Bayou La Fourche. In front of him
was Green with two brigades and the
batteries which had been firing on the
transports Green was as yet unaware
OF the fall of Port Hudson, and
imagined the troops that he saw COM
Ing down the river We're simply a de-
tachment sent to attack him. He drew
back his whole force and posted Col
Major with fonr regiments and four
guns on the east bank OF the BAYOU.
and took position himself on the west
bank with his own brigade of three
regiments and two guns. His pickets
were within two miles of Donaldson
Vile. AS Grover developed in order to
gain more room Green drew his men
back somewhat toward Paincourtville
Grover pushed him little in order to
gain more room for deployment and
pasture for his animals, which had suf-
fered much from their CONSTRUCTED
range around Port Hudson. AS Grover
understood the plan of the campaign
would be that Ire should hold the enemy
In front of him until the gunboats could
go around by sea and reach Berwick
Bay, he had no intention Of bringing
on more Of q fight than desultory af-
fairs between the pickets. He wrote
Banks on the 18th: The enemy is evil
IDENTIFY making preparation to escape
IL pursued by strong force or 10 re-
sist small one. Our gunboats can
hardly be expected at Brashear City
for some days, and il Is evidently in
Judicious to press them until their re-
treat is cut off"
Battle Precipitated.
Col. y. A. NJ. Dudley. 30th Mass.
commanding WeitZels Third Brigade
marched out along the right bank of
the bayou supported by Col. Charles ].
Paine and Haley's Battery. Col. Nor
gan, under orders of Birge, temporarily
commanding Growers Division, moved
in line with Dudley on the opposite
bank, and the advance went forward
slowly for about six miles until they
came upon a plantation known in the
reports as Cox's. BY this time Green
eaw that there was not much aggres-
;siveness in the movement, and he de-
Etermined to strike a blow which would
ParalyZe the advance. He WAS perfect
~ familiar with the country, and TAX