Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 4 August 1888 — Page 7

Dow

Gen. Banks Sailed from New York December, 1862.

8 E I O S E E I I O N

Banks Tnkos Command or the part in out of tlio Guir.

Luchother

Dc-

Greet You, 01 ('omrndex, And Say F»rowfllV—Th«- TlirilllnK SI017 of Farr*pnt'ft I'limiagA by the Port IIuiIiod Ruttcrlci—Uiink*' Trant-MNtdiiilppI Catnpaipi—Winding Like a Serpent Around Port Hiidaou—The Fort Surrendered July O, 1803, a Quarter of a Century

A(ik

"General, we want to know whether to take tbick or thin clothing/' said ono of Gen. N. 2*. Baltics' staff to him in 1862. "Take both/ was the reply, "and you will be sure to hit."

No expedition of tho war cxcltod bo curiosity or stimulated tho nowspaper men to such activity as tho Banks tlotilia and in no other caso was tbo secret 90 thoroughly kept. As the first great success of tbo Union cause bad been gained in the eumtner of 1801 by a sudden dash on tho coast of North Carolina as Burnsido's brilliant success at Roanoko in February, ISG2, had been gained by similar strategy, and as It was kuown that President Lincoln warmly favored the plan of an advance-into North 'Carolina from tho const, tho public mind final]v settled down to tho belief that this "Whs the work designed for tho Bunks expedition. but tho newspaper men were chagrined nt their failure to penetrate tho secret At Sougtb ono of them, who enjoyed tbo personal friendship of Mr. Lincoln, determined to "worm it out of him" and made his approaches with tho subtfoty of a diplomat, binding tho president in a most gracious liumor, ho ventured to say that as a patriot he would really like t-o know where tho Bunks expedition was going. "U ell," unswennl Mr. Lincoln with all tho soberness his lnng face could express, "it. is a state secret. hut for tho sake of old tunes 1 will venture to tell you. Tho Banks exjwilition ik, really and truly, goingsouth 1"

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BANKS OI'KKATIONS WEST OF TI1K Mississippi. An expedition of 15,000 men was fitting out, notiody knew for what point. They left the port of New York in armed vessels and steamer Their leuder. Gen. N. Banks, bore a letter from GetL nalleck. Dec. 15 tho mysterious fleet anchored off New Orleans, Halleck's letter directed Gen. Banks forthwith to take command of that department, superseding Gen. Benjamin Butler. Tho latter issued to his soldiers a stin »rg farewell address, in which ho said: •41 greet yon, my bravo comrades, and say farewell! "You have deserved well of your country. "By your practical philanthropy you have won the confidence of tho oppressed race. Hailing you deliverers, they are ready to &id you as willing servants, faithful laborers, or to tight with you in the field. *41 commend you to your commander. You arc worthy of his love. Farewell, my comrades, again farewell."

Dec. 10 Gen. Banks took charge of the department, having under his command over 80,000 men.

Nathaniel P. Banks was boru in Masacbusetts in 1810, and entered political life early, feerving' first in tho Massachusetts legislature, and next In congress, where ho was speaker one term. Ho was gov- (Jen. banks. ernor of his state threo terms, and major general of volunteers during the war, and congressman after it

Tho new commanders instructions developed a triple plan. Ho was to guard the gulf ports, to co-operate with Grant in opening tho Mississippi, clear the country south of lied river and west of the Mississippi from Confederates and take possession of tbo Eta to of Louisiana. The Confederate commander, Gen. Richard Taylor, was in full control of most of tho region across tho Mississippi from Vicksburg.

To fulfill the first part of his commission Gen. Banks dispatched Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover up the Mississippi immediately on his arrival at Now Orleans. Tho plnces above New Orleans which the government desired to capture were Baton Rouge, 130 miles above New Orleans Port Hudson, 35 miles abovo Baton Rouge, and Vicksburg, nearly 250 miles above Port Hudson and 400 miles above New Orleans.

Boon after Gen. Banks' arrival ho sentn regiment to Galveston, Tex. This port had beeu captured from tho Confederacy in October. Banks' regiment reached Galveston tho last of December. Tho place w:is immediately attacked by a Confcderato forco under Goil Mngruder and captured. They held it to tho end of tho war.

Gen. Banks* first important move was to send two expeditions wost from tho Mississippi. His army was called tho Nineteenth army corps. It was in four divisions, under Maj. Gen. Augur and Brig. Gens. T. W. Sherman, Grover and Emory.

Gen. Richard Taylor, a son of Zachary, was popularly callod "Dick," and was famous both for dash and strategy. Tho Confederate garrisons at Vicksburg and Port Hudson wore supplied with provisions from the west, and its capture was therefore of tho first importance.

On the map tho reader will note tho course of Bayou Tocbe and the Atchafalaya. The latter name is commonly pronounced Chaf-a-iyNu Along that were Gen. Taylor*s fortification*, from Alexandria, on Red river, to Brashear City. Near the mouth of Bayou Tscbe was a work called Fort Bleland, On the Atchafalaya, twenty miles north of Grand film, was another. At a point oalted Butte a la Roe*» few miles bebwAka&drla, ftar. tn Portde

riussey, thought to be strong enough to pr#* ciu the pusHuge of Fedoral gunboats. Bank* determined to work his way through tho

swamps

by way of

woodB

through the air for

distance of over three miles, and burst al»ove the Confederate batteries Admiral Farragut bad hoped that the tire from the land and the bombardment of the mortars would distract attention from is fleet to a great ex tent. Not so, however Hardly had

loading along

Bayou Techo and tho Atchafalaya to tho Rod 1 river country Ho sent Gen. Godfrey Woitzol, late in January, ISM, up Bayou Techo with 4,000 mon.

Gen. Emory, with tho other expedition, was to start from Plaquemino and advance to the Atchafalaya and meet Weitftel. who was to move eastward from tho Techo. Tho two were to co-ojernto and attack and capture Butte a la Hose. But Emory could not follow out the route laid down on account of tho swamps, and tho expedition came to uothlug. Kinorv ivturned to New Orleans, louv I ing Wei until ou tho Tec he.

RUNNING THE BATTERIES.

Fob. 2 tho Federal rain Queen of the West, CoL Charles R. Eliot, commander, had run post the Vicksburg batteries from the Federal fleet abovu, with tho trans{Krt De Soto. It was customury for a gunboat to attempt to ruti just batteries with a transport lashed to her on tho side away from tho batteries.

The Queen of tho Wost made her way triumphantly down the MisnUsiitpi and up Red river, capturing Confederate supplies and spreading something like panio through the rich regions thereabout^. But ero long she grounded and was captured, and the De Soto was destroyed. When he heard of tho capture, Admiral Farragut determined to take a portion of his fleet up iast Port Hudson to patrol tho river and co-opera to with tho fleet abova

Ho asked Banks to go up tho river to Port Hudson with his land forces, ami mako an attack against it whilo ho should t»o steaming up past tho river front with hifi gunboat*.

Bonks moved throe divisions, Augur's, Emory's, and rover's, up to Baton Rouge, and thence, March 13, both proceeded up 1 tho river, Banks by land, building I bridges as ho went, On tho night of .March 1-1 Farragut started with a jKrtion of his fleet of gunlwwits. mortar schooners and sloojs o* war to

pass the batteries. IJis Uag.-hip was tho Hartford. Capt. J. S. Palmer, commander. Other vessels were the Richmond, Commander J. AUlen. Monongehula, Capt- J. McICjustry. Mis*j.v^ppi, (.'apt. Melancthon Smith. Albatro.is. Lieut. Com. J. Iv Hart. Genesee. Commander W 1L Macomb. Hineo, Lieut- Com. John Waters.

Tho Mississippi was asidewheel steamer the others were screw propellers. The vessels left Prophets Island, a tew miles below Port Hudson, nt 10 o'clock at night, March 14, and steamed quiet Iv up the river. Urn flagship leading. Every vessel except the Mississippi towed another, lushed to her side opposite tho bat tones, thus dimliushing the penis of tbo expedition. Five mortar boats were tied up to shore at Prophet's Island 1 hey were I not to run the batteries, but wen* to bombard them from shore. Thoy opensl flro on the afternoon of March 14. The mortars were ot largo size, 13 inch, and tho rour they jhey ^ire g^od made wus terrifla They were Gred at an They ang!oof45 degs., the shells went whistling

doty. 1 would give my other leg if weoould pass those batteries.n A few duys later he died, as brave a man as ever foil hi discharge of duty.

Tho Richmond and tho Genesoo passed down tho river till they were out of range and wore moored.

The Monongahela. with her consort, the Kineo, came next. She grounded in the darkness on the west shore. Tho Cineo broko loose from her and attempted to pass ahead. But hor rudder was gone and sho grounded sjccdily She floated presently, however, ami backed down to tho Monongahela and succeeded in dragging her free.

Agnm the Kineoand Monougahcla started ahea«i. IosIkhI togeLlier Fate wits against them, lu a few lutnute* the Monougahela's eugines stop|w*J dead A heatvi bearing wade it imfKMsiblo for tier to procetxL Nothing could be done but to wait until it cooled, which was Impossible, and these boats, too drifted down tho river defeated.

The Mississippi wan now tbe only one left. Sbo was a mdewheel steamer, and hence towed nootberveaset She, too, grounded on the west bank, and, in nautical |nrlance, I

ADKIKA1. FAHRAGUT.

The shoro batteries extended along tho bank a distance of four miles. Ono after another tbev opened 011 the fleet.

Tho Confederate guns wero concealed by tho trees, at this time in full foliage, so the fleet could take 110 aocurato ain^ but it replied to tho Confederates with broadside after broadside. Tho blackness *vas lit by blinding flashes as round after round was flred A roar from tho shoro was replied to by a broadside from the fleet.

It wa9 one of the most exciting episodes of the war. The Hartford was a vessel of twenty-eight pins. Immediately behind her camo tho Richmond, twenty-fivo guns, in tho midst

The officers of tbo Richmond saw a flash which tbey believed camo from a Confederate guiL They wero on the point of pouring a full broadside into tho supposed battery when suddenly a lieutenant exclaimed: "Hold ou, you aro firing into tho Hartford."

It was true, but the terriblo mistake was prevented The Hartford, with tho Albatross lashed to her port side, succeeded in clearing the batteries soon uftcr midnight, uninjured but that wus tho only one. Tho Richmond was immediately behind the

blockaded tho mouth of Red river complete I No more Confederate supplies came from that direction.

the boats started when

signal lights flashed from point to point in the Confederate fortifications, and soou tho whole shore was ablaze. The land force meantime had been delayed so that it only approached near enough to exchango picket shots.

The land movement aguiust Port Hudson had been

Hartford, with tho Genesee lashed to hor. Just in tho bend of the river shot struck tho Richmond's safety v:Uve, destroying it and lotting the steam escapo so tho two vessels wero fcrced buck down past the bat

GKN. W. II. EMORY.

teries, to receive a doublo share of the terriblo fire. A shell fragment struck tho boatswain's mate, tearing off both his legs, and an arm at tho elbow. Ho lived only a few moments, murmuring with his last breath.

,4Don*t

give

up tho ship, lads." Tbo terriblo bend in tho river mado tho Confederate flro doubly deadly. At its center the boats wero commanded by batteries from each end On tho bridge of the Richmond stood her commander, Capt. Alden, and her first officer, Lieut Corn. Cummings. Cummlngs had his speakiug trumpet in his hand, giving orders to the men. There was a blinding sheet of flame, followed by a roar, and tbo two men fell upon the

cept by tbe concussion, bat Cnmmlng* kt* fee ws8 (hot away st th« kneei As tbaf railed him from Uw«Uok b* Midi "Put a toamfajiMt an my lef and ami my httan to my

TbU

bar I Ml doing oqr

"koelod over streaks to port. Of the seven ve^ »els, all reached tbo fatal bend, but only tho Hartford and Altxitross.with Admiral Farragut on board,succeeded in prissi

It was 12:b0 o'clock when the Mississippi groundoi Blie lay thei-e helpless for thirtyfivo minutes, drawing all tho fire of tho shore batteries, her engines meautime backing with all their forco, but in vain.

Her commander, CapL Melancthon Smith, determined to set lire to and abandon hor. Her wounded wore put upon shore, tho fires wero lit, and tho captain and some of the crow took to o)en boats and floated down the river past the batteries in the darkness. Tho gunloat Essex, Capt. C. il. U. Caldwell, picked them up below

Some of tho Mississippi's crew of :t00 men mot with a tragic fate The (ires in one part 1 Hudson of tho vessel were lit sooner than was in-

The Mississippi, lighted by throwing over toard the small guns and by the absence of MOO men Irom her decks, floated again. Sho drifted down straain **a floating mountain of limn At Prophet's Island there wus a tremendous explosion. The flames had reached the |owder maguxino. Then the brave old Mississippi sank out of sight. lu this attempt the Onion forces lost 113 men. The Confed-

erate toss was prao 11 nothing. Onlv two I »ats succeeded in passing Port Hudson, yet

hey

GKN CUV1KK GROVEH.

merelv

demonstration

and came to nothing. As soon as Banks learned that Farragut had passed tbo batteries March 15, he returned to New Orleans.

G".n. Augur's division was left at Baton Rouge.

BRASHEAR CITY TO ALEXANDRIA.

Eighty milos west of New Orleans is Brashear City, nt the southern end of Grand lake. Tho Atchafalaya flows through Gaand lake and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The Atchafaiaya river rises near the mouth of Red river, so Dear that in high water the Red discharges a portion ef its waters into tho Atchafalaya. BayOu Techo, or Teche river, empties into the Atchafalaya near Brashear City

By commencing operations at Brashear City, Banks expected to bo able to work up the Teche and Atchafalaya to Red river, capturing and conquering as he went,

Of Banks' four divisious, Weitzel's was at Brashear City early in April. Grover'sand Emory's joined him thoro by April 10. There wero now 17,000 troops ready for action. April 8 Banks reached Brashear City. April 11 the movement began up the Teche. Gen. 1 Weitzel's attempt on tho same stream a short time before bad been unsuccessful, the ConI federate Gen. Mouton driving him back down to Brashear.

of tho heavy firing, smoke added to tho darkness, and soon a steamer could not be distinguished from ashore battery or the pilots see their way.

But now. with tho three Federal divisions united, the advance told a different story. Gen. Taylors first considerable work was Fort Bisland, a short distance up tho Techo river. April 13 the advancing army met tho Confederates at Pattersonville, near Fort Bislond Thero was a sharp, brief fight, and the Confederates retreated inside tho fort.

During tho night tbey retreated up tho river. Grovcr's division had been 6ent up Grand lako in boats to land at Franklin and meet this very contingency of the Confederate retreat. But simultaneous military movements are very rarely successful, and rover's was no exception. Grover was unable to land with his main body until April 14, after tho Confederates had mado good their cscuic. They wero commanded by Geu. "Dick" Taylor in person.

With Grover was a small Jleet of gunboats I tinder command of Liuut. Com. Augustus P. Cooke. Thoy wero ho Estrella, Arlp.onn, Clifton and

Calhoun. Tho ram Queen of tho West, which had been captured from Admiral Porter's fleet some time before, I bad been run down tho Atchafalaya from Red (nto Grand April 13, during tho fight at Fort Rislaud, Lieut.

LIEUT. COM. A. P. COO EE.

Com. Cooke's fleet attacked the Queen of the West, now flying Confederate colors, and destroyed her.

When Gen. Taylor retreated ho destroyed a gunboat, the Diana, and some other boats be still had left at Franklin. Gen. Banks' army hastened in pursuit

Now Alberia, on the Teche, was the next objective point in Taylor's hurried flight

Vtr_r."t r- itrwLTT He only paused there, however, to d^troy fi»»bo«tiMd»ofproriiion*andammunltloa.

April 17, Bonki oocupiad New Alberia, and dfUojed what Taylor had laft,amocyothtr thing* acaanoa foundry and a talk mlna Up to this time he bad captured 1,800 prtaoanand many atom nytorJuataoaAto

no rest for him. however, in this sharp chaaa. From there he was forced on northward to Alexandria, on Ked riter

April Ai, Banks took possession of Opelou&a& Lieut Coul C^oke with his gun loats snppleaiented on tho Atchafalaya the work of Gen. Banks up tbo Teche, capturing tho Fort Butte a la How April l?0 Tho only ono now left of Taylor's important fortifications was Fort Do Kussy, on Red river, just below Alexandria.

Banks remained at Opelousas from April 20 till May 1'he first week in May Taylor rotreated nnee more, going to his last stronghold in lx)uisiana,

Bhreveport, 011 the Rcd.uear theTexifs torder. He dared not risk a battle, having only 4,000 men.

May 0 Gen. Banks ux)k possession of Alexandria. A da I Farragut sent three gunboats up Red river to cooperate with him.

OK.V OODKHKT WKITZKL.

WCre

the Al-

batross. tliat had

two run the Port Hudson batteries, and the Kstrella and Anrona, that had come up through the Atchafalaya They were under command of Lieut Com. John fcl. Hart, Then

Admiral Farragut returned to New Orleans, turning over tho Red river fleet to Admiral Porter

Tho gun boats reached Fort Do Russy, below Alexandria. Indore tho Confederates had left on the Sd «f May Tho Union gunboats attacked with great vigor, but the Confederate f-teamers escaped to Khreveport with their guns, giving up Alexuudrtu.

In the month Irum April 8 to May 9, 18G3, Banks bad advanced from Brashear City to Alexandria—from tho Gulf to tho interior Reel river reglou. Ho had captured 2,000 prisoners, destroyed three Confederate gunboat* and taken twenty*two large guns.

Ho bad cleared well nigh all of lxmisiana of Confederate rule. There was no danger longer ot molcstaiion to the Union troops on the Mississippi irom tho west. He now turned his attention seriously toward Port

tended A panic ensued and many jumped into tho nver Some were divwutyi. others swam to or were landed on the west tunk. Seven'V sUirted a loot down the ^e-t baiui to rejoin h" licet. They ^uirered preat hardships. wading bayous, enduring hunger aud 1 sequeutly the comssponden1" desiging the Confederates, (iually reaching I wotikin^ on nisow the |oint ojjpositxi the thvt safety The Mss»?x took off tho wounded from the west Ufcnk.

Part of hifc instructions bad been rule witn Grunt in o[*»ning t.h«» Mis

to co-nj

sissippi. Considerable corres Kniienco as to re-enforwrnenis fmrn one to the oth«?r passeti between the two generals But it seems never to have been quite convenient for either one to re-enforce the other. Collided by each

I account. Grant at a Banks at Port Hud:. 601L Since each cunxl a vieto y, tliis policy was jus

tilled by the result. Gen. I nvlor remained quiet a Shreve port till June. 1 ho Con federnt" general E. Kirby Smith then/^^ ordered him to ac- "r

company Gen

/''''&/'(•/y//////'/•

MAJ

tavloil

G. Walker'* division of 4.000 men in an expedition against Milhken's Bend. The attempt was to bo made to throw supplier into Vicksburg. The attack was made Juno?, but it camo to nothing. Taylor returned to the vicinity of Alexandria, and busied himself with other schemea.

PORT HUDSON.

May 24, Banks' force crossed the Mississippi and besieged Port Hudson on the north. The same day Gen. Augur marched from Batou Rouge with 3,500 men and invested the place on the south. May 25, the Confederate troops insido the garrison made an attack on Gen. Augur, but were repulsed

The general conformation of the river shore is the same as at Vicksburg. A great bluff rises af$hiptly from tho water to a height of eigbty feet, and extends for a mile along shore. Behind this clilT is a semicircle of hills, the ravines of which were tho buildings, not more than a dozen, all told

But Port Hudson was oue of the most admirable points for defense on the Mississippi, a fact tho Confederates were not slow to recognize. In the summer of 1802 Admiral Porter called the attention of tho Washington authonties to the Port, telling them serious trouble would arise unless they should occupy it This was not done, and by 1803 Port Hudson was a frowning fortress whoso capture oould only be compassed ut a cost of many lives and many weeks of waiting. The Union assaults on Port Hudson. tueUe**tual ones at that, form a bloody chapter fa the war's history

HUDS

Off

PORT HUDSON.

Banks' force thero numbered nearly 20,000 men. Among them wero several colored regimeuts. Augur's division increased tho number to over 30,000.

From the top of tho Port Hudson parapet to the bottom of tho ditch below was a distance of fifteen feet, and tho parapet was twenty feet thick. Twenty siege guns wero mounted along tho front bluff. Tho works had been constructed late in lSfi2, largely by slave labor. On the landward side ho heavy parapet extended continuously around Port Hudson in a semicircle for a distanco of somo four mila Tho parapet mounted thirty guns.

In December, 1S03, tho Confederate Maj. Gen. Frank Gardner, a West Point groduriver ate, took command at Port Hudson. His lake, forco was 7,000 men.

May 1W, Gen. Joo Johnston, in chief command of Mississippi, sent an order to Gen. Gardner to evacuate Port Hudson und march with bis troops to Jackson, whero Grant was making inroads. But before the order could be obeyed Banks had closed in on Port Hudson. "Winding itself liko a great serpent closely about the rebel lines, our army entered upon tbe labors of tho siege*" writes Capt J. F. Fitta.

Alter the first skirmish, May £5, tbe Union army prepared for an assault Tbe attack was made May 27, both by land and water. On the river front, Admiral Farragut, with Are guns, madea bmwj bombardment,which was portly soooessfoL Tbe fleet oaptcrad tbe lower battery aad disabled several ot the aboreguns.

On the land aide tbe traps were ranf«d ia shown by feeM^iratai a» *i

right. Gen. T. W. Sherman on tho left. The order of the day was a heavy artillery bombardment early lu the morning, followed by. an assault. At 10 o'clock It wam begun by Weit/ei on tho right* Grover and Paine continued it toward tbo loft.

The orders fur a simultaneous attack were, however, as usual, not carried out. Tho left, tinder Gen. W Sherman, with Gen. Augur an his right, did not attack till th? afternoon. W eitzel's attack was continued till 4 in the afternoon. His extreme right, was held by two regiments of negro troops. It wus the

f,rsttime

they bad been called on to

hght, and many eyes were watching to see how they would hchuve During that blood) day they mode thr«e charge® on the Confederate*, driving tn.-ui into their fortifications Weit'/Ml. «m Uie right, was able to advance bis hue an 1 hold IL

F01 the fight the Confederates had choeen a strong |K»sition ou tho plain outside of their principal defenses. Ou tho Union left the attack, after it did begin, wus

des|oratet

bnxnly and (erslstent. The troops oven reached the ditch around the parapet, but could not mount the breastwork itself.

They lay there untildarknoss enabled thom to cross in safety the bloody road by which they came, and then returned to camp. When they did return, their leader, Gen. T. W Sherman, had lost a leg on that hotly fought field

The land assault was unsuccessful, except as tt caused

GEN. it a dow, the Confederates to withdraw more closely within their lines, and enabled the Ouion forces to advance proportionally. Banks lost in tins assault 1,900 incn Among the wounded was Gen. Neal Dow, of Maina. He wus also taken prisoner during the siege of Port Hudson. Ho is a native of Maine, born In 1603, an uncompromising tcui}cranco reformer, and author of the famous Dow prohibition law passed in 1B5L

A strange Incident happened during this assault that nearly resulted 111 the surrender of Port Hudson. At one moment a white flag sbow»xl above a rampart in tho fort. A regiment of men in butternut gray filed out at an owning and stacked arms. "What does that meant" asked tho Uniou troops nearest them.

W up os a re re re plied the men in butternut gray if any Union otlicer of sulliciently high rank bad been present to order the Union troops to enter the

fort, the Port Hudso have then und there ended. Hut there was no such officer near enough to the si:'mush line. There was an interval of silence and waiting on the part of both ar mies. Then a Confederate officer, gen. kra.sk gakdker. a id to Gardner himself, rode out of tho opening and ordered tho surrendering regiment back within their lntrencbmonts.

An incident both ludicrous and tragic 1 eminence caused the display of this white flug. A New to it York colonel had been leading the advance

the woods to the entr&noe of the road in the bilL "Fix bayonets,n shouted the commander, this order telng foliowmI the next moment by tho ringing words: "Forward, double quick, marchP

Bravoiy the order was obeyed lu the beginning. Bravely the soldiers double qulcked along tho road. A deafening roar met tneai as tbey advanced their wuy filled with smoke. Tbey moved more slowly, tben there was a dead stop, a frightful pause. "For God sake, go onP shouted those in the rear. "Wo can'ti the fighting in front has choked up the roud* wus tho thrilling answer

Tho column moved on at length, but now slowly and jviinfully The wounded and dy« mg began to t»o carried (iast them tbe rear, tho blood from their awful Hurt* dripping aloug tbo uarrow roud "Heavy work for you up thoro, boy*," sold a white faced officer who crept painfully dowu tbo hill with bnlf tiis left arm gone, and tho torn stump all ghastly and bleedlug.

The gpooe was to narrow thnt tbe a*, umlteni at that point booanio packed Into an inoxtncable muss. And till ail around the Infernal roar and flajtu, «tUl the shouts of combatants, tho cries of tbe wounded. (sou. Dwtght was on the Union left In thfe attacking columns. Glover aud Weltzal on the right, and Brig. Geu. Halbert IC Paine in tho center GOIL Paine leo his command gallantly across tho field to the assault But early in tho day a Mime ball 6truck him, shutter lug a leg He fell to the ground, and his men fussed on None could come to his aid or could carry him from the hold To do so would have been certain death. A dozen brave MIows to in water and carry him to place of safetv. but all lost their lives or were wounded in the attempt.

column. Carried away by his enthusiasm, he had approached nearer and nearer the Confederate works till, turning suddenly, he found himself, single handed, up to their very lines. Either to advance or retreat would have been certain death. At this emergency be tied his handkerchief to a stick iu token of hi9 personal surrender. A Confederate colonel some distance away saw the handkerchief abovo tho Confederate lines, fancied it was displayed by the southern side, and at once got out his handkerchief and "waved it, believing that the proper thing to do. The New York colonel sueoeeded in getting away, but the Confederate colonel was court innrtialed

TAY'-OR ON BAYOU TECHE.

We left tho indefatigable Confederate genral "Dick" Taylor at Alexandria, after accompanying Walker's unsuccessful expedition against Millikeai's Bend At Alexandria bo recruited and organized a forco of more than 3,000 infantry, unuer command of Gens. Mouton nnd Thomas Green, and tbo cavalry under Col. Major, and prepared to reoapture Louisiana whilo Banks was engagod at Port Hudson. The infantry moved down tho Teche river to tbo front of Brashear City. The cavalry njoveO down from Opelousas, capturing Plaquemino on tho way, attacked Brashear City tn The reir. place was captured by Taylor's troops Juno 22, 1S0I1 He carriod away muuy supplies and prisoners. With a larger force he could easily have taken New Orleans Itself. His pickets approached within twenty-live miles of tbe city

From Brashear City Gens. JGreon and distributed among tho troops.

Major inarched to Donaldsouvillo and at tacked it furiously, June 547, but wero driven oflf after four hours' fighting by tbe combined efforts of tho Uuion troops and three gunboatft. The naval part of the aflair was managed with great skill by Commander Woolsey, of tbo gunboat Princess KoyaL

Tho Confederates moved down tho Mississippi river twelve miles below Doualdsonvillo and erected batteries which occasioned

SECOND ASSAULT, JUNE 13.

June 13 Gen. Ranks summoned tho garrison to surreuder. Gen. Gardner refused. Then Dauks ordered another assault The at tack this time was mado first ou the northeast corner of the fortifications. Weitzel's division led tho assault, and Weitzelf himself announced to a friend that ho cxpeeted to attend church in Port Hudson that day.

A narrow, sheltered road, enabling four abreast to march along it, had been cut in tho hillside to tho assaulting point Along this road tho column was to rush into the fray. At 5 o'clock in tho morning a 6inglo musket shot echoed through tho gray mist that filled the air. It was followed by another, tben another, tben by a roar of arttt* lery from the Confederate guns

Bbotandshell flenr from "the Unldb ranks and tbe witnglad report, mada

one, muni *. Mm

"nelMWrillah noiaa aa are 00I7 beard in tha fateoal regioaa or la battle.* na ••anttliw ooli

GKN. THOMAS QREELS.

For more than twelve hours Gen. Paine lay there in agonv The hot sun fell ui»on his blistering fare, aud ho did not dare turn it for fear of drawing tho Oontederute fire. The spot was so near the fort that its defenders could see mm move. While he lay quite still, he could easily be mistaken for dead Swurmsof flies set tied upon mm, ridding bo his torture- In agony not to be pictured in words Geu. Paine lay there till durkntM* telL *1 hen comrades came and bore mm gently to 11 place ot help and safety. His Jeg was ornpututed

Gen. Paine was in command of the Third division ot Banks'army when he was wounded. He recovered, returned tc bis home Wisconsin after the war. and renresen tod Milwaukee in congress during several

tenus. Ho win 11 native of Ohio, und by profession a lawyer. I These assaults on Port Hudson were mostly made by men new to camp and field

But the assault was unsuccessful, except that tho Union lines wero advanced several hundred feet Tbo ground tbus gained w&n held permanently.

Tho attack of Dwight's division, on the left, was dire?ted against a largo fortiflcation called "tho CitudeL" They gained an that brought them very cloee

SIEGE AND SURRENDER.

Tho Union army settled down to tho work of starving out Port Hudson, as Grant was starving out Vlcka-

burg. Covered a and approaches were con* struct**! that daily came nearer and ear to tbe doomed fortress.

July ?, news reached Banks at Port Hudson that Vricksburg had (alien on Indepeudence day be

spread among the Union oop &. Cheer on cheer rent

lt com. ahnkh itKEii L|j0 ulr national songs added to tbe rejoicing, so that the sounds penetrated Gardner's lines. "What's that fuss aboutr* Confederate pickets asliod thoso ou tho Union side. "Vicksburg has gone up,** shouted the Unioo pickets in reply

Gardner bad replied to Banks' demand for surreuder in June that as long as Vicksburg and 1 tuM out, be felt it his duty to bold Port The Hudsou. When, therefore, tbe new* reached him be scut a messenger asking for otildal assurance thnt the news was true. For answer. Banks sent him a copy of Grant*! letter announcing the fact

Gardner sent back word thnt be would cur* render. Mule meat had for somo ame been They bad

even eaten tbo flesh of rats. Garduer Informed Banks that ho bud provision* tc bold out threo days longer, but he was willing to capitulate at once.

July 0 tho formal surrender was mode. The number of men taken and paroled was nearly 0,000. in tho siege Gardner nnd lost about S00.

Many remarkable incidents occurred during this 6icgo, us tbo Uniou batteries, uavtng

serious annoyance till tbo fall of Port Hud- E1*1130' very recent make, nece^suriiy tried son. lu passing these batteries earl}' tn July, Commander Abuer Reed, of tho gunboat Mo nongahela, a gallant officer, was killed Ho was greatly lamented by Admiral Farragut

many experiments in guunery lu a few tnstances immense shells burst but a little way from the muzzles of the guns from which they were fired and in other cases shells "hung fire." as the phrase Is, erplodiug some time after striking. But the most astonishing occurrence wus tho killing of a Uuion soldier somo distance hi the rear of the Twenty-first Indiana volunteers (acting as 1 First heavy artilleryi by a shell flred in tho other direction. Sergt Rufn* Dooley, who was sighting the gun and noting the effect of tho shots, says: "The immense shell—more like a big iron nail keg than a shot—wcnt6traicht to tho mark aimed at, and exploded Just as ft struck tho hard packed face of the ret»ei work.

I11 fact, it' timed tho explosion so well that tho reaction was all one way: it hardly *fazed* tho work, and all tho piece*

flew

back

to us. One big piece sailed high nboveour heads and struck in a hollow t*mnd us. I only watched It till 1 saw it clear of us and went on with my business, thinking, though, that wo wero a little too near tne mark for comfort Soon after we learned that tbe big piece bad struck a man who was down In tha hollow aud crushed bis skull."

With the fall of Port Hudson almost the last shadow of Confederate power on tha Mississippi vanished In three months tha armies under Gena Grant and and the fleets oo^operadng with them, bad opened the Mississippi, deprived tha Confederates of lOOLOOO sonars miles ot tsrritory. rtefaePsrl and broken in plecca three opposing artnlse and captured WXX) m*, wttb all tbelr soaS anaaand400oanxm» pot^imsBooapami campaign in Italy had that* been eoabrepfc^ brflliani and 1