The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-01
WAR OF THE REBELLION,
Continued from page IL

men but lately come from their homes
and In the primest condition for SER
vice. Green made his attack at 2 a. m
OF June %, and the first storming party
was promptly beaten back after severe
fighting. He renewed the assault sew
eral times during the day, but every
time with the same disastrous results
The history of the 18th N. H gives the
following description Of the battle:
The Demand for Surrender.
ION the afternoon Of June q. under
flag OF truce, Gen. Green demanded
an unconditional and immediate sur
render of the fort
Maj. Bullen' thereupon called to-
gether the" garrison. and while they
were standing about the flagstaff ask
cd whether the flag should be pulled
the boys Of the 16th,' says Comrade
Heath, who, speaking for the rest, said
Never pull 1t down; let it hang!" The
Major then replied: 1T shall hang there
as long as there is man Of you left
to defend it,
p" fortunately at that juncture a trans
port steamer from New Orleans having
on board few officers and men who
were returning to their regiments at
Port Hudson, called at Donaldsonyille.
They were Informed of the situation.
and Maj. Bullen asked If there were
any commissioned officers on board who
could be spared to assist in the defense
OF the garrison against the expected at
tack. Two Lieutenants volunteered, and
the steamer departed.
"A few moments later Gen. Green
was informed of the decision OF the
garrison. He sent back word to re-
move the nOn-combatants Immediately,
and added No prisoners will be taken
Five hundred Of his men meanwhile
volunteered hv
storming it. They made the attack a
little past 1 O'Clock on the morning of
the 2Sth Of June.
1.-THE first assault was on the stock
ade at our left. and though we were ex-
posed to the raking fire from the en-
emy's sharpshooters who were posted
on the opposite side of the bayou. still
the stockades at that point were gal
lantly and courageously defended by
our men, the larger number of whom
were from the 10th N II.
1.-The second attack, 80 minutes later,
was on our right. That assault was de-
termined and fierce, but the position
was heroically defended, the larger
number of the defenders at that point
being from the State of Maine.
1T was in that attack that one of
the Licutenants who on the way up the
river the day before had volunteered to
stop over was killed by a bullet through
his neck, and the other one "a little later
was. MORALLY wounded by q large shot
that passed through his face, nearly
severing his tongue: he was removed to
New Orleans that afternoon.
I'm the fight Serg't Cotton was hit by
a bullet just over his heart. but his roll
book deadened the force. The Sergeant
carried for some time the mark of the
shot where the bullet struck; the bullet,
together with his roll book as evidence
Of his narrow escape. We're frequently
shown to his comrades and friends.
while the second attack was in
progress, some of our 10th men who
We're almost too sick to keep their feet.
showed, nevertheless, their fighting
qualities, for without orders they crawl
ed along the enkbankment to the posi-
ton held bpdhe men from Maine. and
helped to defend that point from the
enemy, who &ere doing their utmost to
carry 1t. The firing continued until day
light. when IL, Stacked for the most part.
and the main2body of the enemy APP
parently Withdrew.
During the fighting that night. as
afterwards, It, was aScertained some OF
the 10th mem had used from 20 to so
rounds Of Ammunition.
NAL BalIen's Report,
1.-The ill-fatedl Maj. Bullen before his
death made the following report of that
first days fighting
AT half-pastf l q. m, June %, our
pickets were, fred on by those. of the
enemy. andtsduring their retreat the
guns OF the fort ana those of the gun
beat Princess Royal, under command of
Capt. Woolsey, opened on the ap
preaching enemy. But their forces
moved steadily forward. and in a short
time Capt. e. B.. Mel. to whom 1 had
entrusted the defense Of the left en-
trance to the fort. received terrible
fire from the enemy, who came up on
/ 6Q II % II
Fourche to q point where they could
fire on his flank. which was wholly un-
protected; but the gallant Captain and
his command endured the fire without
wavering. and replied with vigor which.
with the assistance of one Of the guns
Of the fort, drove them back I'm disorder.
Almost simultaneously with the attack
on our left the enemy made vigorous
assault In front of both entrances Of
the fort with a large force. On the left