The National tribune., 1906-02-08

sap-roller, or some equivalent for it,
could never be given up until the ditch
was gained.
The Naval Battery.
"From the extreme left. after the
northern slope of Mount Pleasant had
been gained, a main approach was ex-
tended from the. flank of Roy's Battery
of 20-pounder PARROTS, No. 20. almost
directly toward the river, until the
trench cut the edge of the bluff. form
ing meanwhile a covered way that con-
nected all the batteries looking north
from the left flank. OF these No. "A
was the 17-gun battery, including two
9-inch Dahlgrens removed from the
naval battery of the right wing, and
commanded by Ensign Swami. On the
I'd of July, Lieut.-Commander Terry
took command of the Richmond and
turned over the command of the right
naval battery TO Ensign Shepard.
These 'bluejacket' batteries, with their
trim and alert gun crews, were always
bright spots in the somber line. From
the river bank the sap ran with five
stretches of so Or 60 yards. forming
four sharp elbows, to the foot and we'll
up the slope of the steep hill on the
opposite side of the ravine, where the
Confederates had constructed the strong
work known to both combatants as the
Citadel. From the head of the sap to
the nearest point of the Confederate
works the distance was about 50 yards.
From the ravine in front of the
mortar battery of the left wing, No. 1S,
a secondary approach was carried to a
parallel facing the advanced lunette.
No. XVII, and distant from 1t 375
yards. The object of this approach was
partly to amuse the enemy, partly to
prevent his breaking through the line.
now drawn out very thin, and partly
also to serve as a foothold for column
of attack in case of need.
From the ravine near Slaughter's
house ZigZag, constructed by the men
of the 21st Me-, under the immediate
direction of Col. Johnson, led to the
position Of Battery No. Is, where were
posted the 10 guns of Rawles and Bains
The distance from this battery to the
defenses was 400 yards.
Banl<s's ConKrntulatory Order.
"On the 18th of June on the heels
of the bloody repulse of the previous
day, Banks issued general order con-
graduating his troops upon the steady
advance made upon the enemy's works
and expressed his confidence in an i'm
mediate and triumphant issue of the
contest:
"'We are at all points on the thresh-
old of his Notifications, the order con-
tinues. Only one more advance, and
they are ours.
7 Ut tIc idSl uuty Victory lIn-
poses, the Commanding General sum-
mons the bold men of the corps to the
organization of a storming column OF
thousand men, to vindicate the flag
Of the Union, and the memory of its
defenders who have fallen! Let them
come forward!
Officers who lead the column of
victory in this last assault may be as
sured Of the just recognition of their
services by promotion; and every Off
Ger and soldier who shares it's perils and
its glory shall receive a medal to COM
memorate the first grand success Of the
campaign of 1863 for the freedom OF
the Mississippi. His name will be placed
in General Orders upon the Roll of
Honor
The FOrlOrn Hope.
"Col. Henry w. Birge, of the 18th
Conn, at once volunteered to lead the
stormers, and although the whole prof.
est was disapproved by many of the
best officers and men in the CORPS part
ly as unnecessary and partly because
they conceived that it implied some re-
fectfon upon the conduct of the brave
men that had fought and suffered and
failed on the 9th and the 14th, yet so
general was the feeling of confidence in
Birge that within few days the ranks
of the stormers were more than filled.