The National tribune., 1906-01-18

Railway and advanced across the ravine
Of Sandy Creek, occupying a magnolia
| woods on the crest Of a steep hill. Gen.
Augur extended Growers line through
the magnolia forest, and under it's COW
| er, but in sight Of the Confederate in
Itrenchments. Gen. Sherman came up
the Baton Rouge road, and formed his
| line In skirt of forest at the edge of
| open fields. The 1st and Sd La. Native
Guards came up from Baton Rouge,
and were sent beyond the sugarhouse
near Fosters Creek, making the ex-
treme right of the Union line.
| In his hasty arrangements for the
| attack Gen. Banks formed his right
wing, from which he expected much.
Of two divisions, under WeitZel. Welt
| zePs Brigade, under Thomas, and
Dwights Brigade, under Van Zandt.
were made into temporary division, to
be commanded by Dwight. There re-
manned six regiments in Paine's Divi-
sion beside the two colored regiments.
May 25 WeitZel moved forward I'm an
ticipation of the attack, and gained,
after sharp resistance by the 9Th La,
a wooded slope, which seemed TO offer
a good basis from which to attack the
Confederate left.
/ Capt. Richard Arnold, Banks's Chief
OF Artillery. was placed in immediate
command OF the reserve artillery, with
| instructions to open fire at 6 o'clock,
when all Of the rest of the guns were
TO follow.
Gen Sherman was to open the at
tack on the extreme left, and be sup
ported, il need be, by Grover and Au-
CUR. Under the cover OF this distrac-
/ ton Weitzei was TO force his way into
| the works in his front.
i Grover with his five regiments was
to act as circumstances should indicate
reinforcing either the right or the left
and COVERING the reserve artillery.
/ Gen. Augur was to hold the center
with Dudiey's Brigade forming his right
and Chapin's his left. He was TO ad-
vance during the artillery fire and push
out his skirmiShers to pick off the
enemy's cannOniers and silence their
guns.
/ Each division commander was to pro-
vide his own means for passing the
ditch. and each formed volunteer pio-
neer detachments, to carry bags of cot.
ton, fascfnes and planks
The battle order issued on the 26tf
ended with the emphatic declaration
Port Hudson must be taken to-mor-
row.
The woods that weitzel occupied
reached to within $50 yards Of the Con.
federatc works. Those where Grover
, was stationed were 450 yards away, 50(
yards on Augur's front and 1.200 yard.
: away on Sherman's front. The cleared
land before Sherman and Augur wa.
: broken up by heavy fences and stront
hedges Beside this, the ground il
5 front Of Augur was covered with grea
;; trees felled SO as their tops lay toward
E the assailants. The ground in front O
WeitZel had not been fortified until re
. Gently. as Ii was supposed to be to,
difficult for any thought OF attack, blu
r when WeitZel came down the Bayo,
Sara road and went into position tn,
Confederates began cutting down tn,
: great magnolias and making breast
works of their huge trunks. These wer
: arranged along a crest SO as to maxi
I an admirable cover for the defenders
az well as give great vantage in firin,
upon the assaiIants. who had to strug
gle through the deep ravines, whicl
had. in addition to their ordinary i'm
pediments, the brush from the tree
. thrown in.
ii WeltxePs Attack.
- Gen. Weitzel assumed that the attacl
: OH the left had begun with the artilIer
] fire. and after waiting one hour for it I,
get well under way he started his owl
!. attack, sending his pioneers forward /,
S cut out roads. These men worked will
8 furious energy. and soon had way
: opened by which the batteries OF Dur
! yea, Bainbridge, Minis. Haley and Car