The National tribune., 1908-10-29

all in a dflap1dated and rickety condi-
ton. Gen. Bailey, of Red River Dam
fame, however, was sent down to the
bay. and in few hours after he ar
rived he iinprovfsed two landings out
of pontoons, and the next day COM
pleted two wharves and landed one
days rations for the whole army. From
that time the army had full rations
The landing of supplies at Howard and
Belle Rose was one of the most diIi;-
cult jobs Of the campaign, and reflects
great credit on Gen. Bailey. The gum
boats Nashville and Huntsville. which
had Immediately taken position so as
to enfilade our entire line from righ,
to left, Every half hour, day ana nrgffr.
rnese boats gave us reminder in the
shape of a 124-pounder.
Despite all obstacles, the most dr.ad-
led of which were the torpedoes all along
the roads and in front Of the forts. and
the inceSsant and vigorous shelling of
our lines by the enemy's forts and fleet.
on the morning of April our whole
line, from the extreme right of the
works at Blakely to the extreme left
OF Spanish Fort, was 400 yards from
the enemy's guns.
Formation Of the Line.
The disposition of the army was as
follows: On the extreme right was Haw-
kins's Division of Steele's command:
next to the left of Hawkins was An
drews's Division of the Thirteenth
Corps; next. Veatch's Division of the
Thirteenth, and On the extreme right
of the Blakely works was Garrard's Di-
vision of the Sixteenth Corps: Gen.
Carr's Division of the Sixteenth Corps
| (Which was our division, composed as
| follows: Third Diyision-First. Brigade.
Col. Jonathan B. More. commanding
| 72d Ill, 95th ILL.,, 44th Mo. and 33d
u IL AH
Ward, commanding 18th Wis, 40th Mo.
and 49th Mo-: Third Brigade. Col Jas.
| Geddes, commanding S1st Ill, 10sth
| ILL.,, 124th Ill. and Sth Iowa, was on
| the extreme right of Spanish Fort.
Gen. MacArthur's Division of the same
corps was in the center. and Benton's
Division of the Thirteenth Corps was
on the extreme left, with about 1000
cavalry in the rear.
| An Assault Decided Upon.
| Thru the whole day our artillery was
being advanced, while our skirmishers
in many places were within 200 yards
and 900 yards of the forts. Up to this
| time our loss Tin front of Spanish Fort)
during the IA days siege was about 750
killed and wounded.
upon Spanish Fort should be made by
our entire artillery at a little before
dark upon the 8th inst. 1t was gener-
ally believed that an opportunity for
an attack by the infantry would offer
/ itself.
Gems Carr, Macarthur and Benton
commanding the three divisions in the
immediate front of the work, made a
Reconnaissance in person, from right to
left, to get a view of any weak place
which might be brought to light For
lsome days it had been strongly sus-
pected that weak place upon the left
of the fort existed, altho 20 any observer
with an unmilitary eye this position
would seem to have been their strong
est, as high bluff runs parallel with
the eastern arm of the Alabama River
and between the base of this elevation
and the river is a low strip of ground
covered thickly with young pines and
water beeches and OF an exceedingly
swampy nature.
The Red Fort.
The left OF Red Fort, a neighborine
work. containing four guns, projected
to within half mile of this point
land in front of IL were three lines OF
palisades and other distractions. Tn.
!, only space at all was an immense ra.
vine. which had been left uncovered
Intentionally. From the fact that guns
on the left OF Spanish Fort commanded
8 the position, which was easily enfiIad-
, ed by one of the enemys gunboats, 4
! was believed by Gen. Carr that IL ht
could ge enough guns in position II
, drive away the gunboats this fort might
/ be easily carried by assault.
Accordingly eight heavy PARROTS were
placed in position on the right Of the
14th Wis, not only to bear upon the
: gunboats. but to participate in the as
sault upon Spanish Fort.
3 Col. Geddes, commanding a brigade
} in Carr's Division, went around to thu
, extreme right, with the exception o.
, one regiment. which was kept in sup
porting distance Of the 1st Ind. h. A.
/ above mentioned
A wooden gunboat, with q powerful
armament, had for several days beer
! gradually working its way ups and upor
the evening Of the 8th was within hal