The National tribune., 1906-01-04

cess, it was not at all what it should
have been.
Gen. Banks marched forward-it
would be a misuse of the word to say
he pushed on-in pursuit of Taylor,
who, knowing the country thoroughly,
was able to embarrass him at every
step, and with a comparatively small
force take advantage of the difficult
crossings and the narrow causeways
through the swamps. TaylOrs army
was. however, rapidly going to pieces,
as Banks must have known from the
he did not act with the energy that
these facts should have inspired.
He has been much criticised for CIV
ing the advance to Gen. Grover instead
of Gen. Weitzel. Gen. Weitzel was
thoroughly acquainted with the coun-
Grover at that time much outranked
WeitZel, having been Captain of some
years standing in the Regular Army
at the outbreak of the war, where
WeitZel had been only recently pro-
NOTED to First Lieutenancy. and hav-
ing been commissioned Brigadier-
General. April IA, 1862, where Weitzel
did not get similar commission until
Aug. 20, 1862. There was no Drawer
soldier in the army than Cuvier Grow
er, none more Jealous or more alert,
but he was by nature cautious and con-
ScEtdt1Sc, Will d 1lSh TcSpecI IOF the
| exact letter Of his orders. These
qualities naturally made him the re-
verse of enterprising and aggressive.
Grover was born in Maine, and gradu-
ated with high rank In the class of
1850. He had some years of exper-
ience in Indian fighting in the West,
and became Captain of the 10th u.
S., Sept. II, 1858. He was commits
stoned a Brigadier- General OF Volua-
teers and gained a brevet Of Lieuten-
ant-Colonel for gallant work at Will
liamsburg and of Colonel for Fair
Oaks He was later to do splendid SER
vice with his division at Winchester,
Fishers Hill and Cedar Creek. He
died June 6, 1885.
Occupation Of New iberia.
On the afternoon of April 16 the
| roads parted. the right-hand one lead
ing to st. Martinsville, following the
windings of the Teche, while the left
hand one led directly to Opelousas by
| the way of Vermillionville. While not
large place, New Iberia was and re-
| mains very important point in west
ern Louisiana. 1t is the capital OF
Iberia Parish, and is about 100 miles
| In a direct line west Of New Orleans
and the center of a rich and productive
district. 1t is the end of the low
swampy region and the beginning OF
1
ries where the rich grasses, fiourishina
i'm the light soil, feed immense herds
of small but fat beeves and equall,
/, small but strong horses. There the
| bayOus become small rivers and the
gently undulating ground rises toward
the north. Near the right bank of the
Teche runs a narrow ribbon of bluffs
which form the western margin OF the
great swamps Of the Atchafalaya. The
streams are bordered with magnificent
groves Of live-oaks, magnOlias and pc.
cans. Everywhere the gin-houses were
found full of cotton Of previous crops
but the plowed fields We're given over
to the raising of corn for the armies
/ and people, to supplement the limitIess
stock of cattle Therefore the import.
ance OF the country to the Confeder.
acy.
On Petite Anse Island, about 1:
miles to the southwest, were the fam.
Gus Avery Salt Works, working q won.
d"rfnllv rich deposit Of rock salt and