AEMY OPERATIONS. 



37 



force sent out under Col. "Wright to cut the 

 Shreveport railroad on the west side of the 

 Mississippi opposite Vicksburg. 



The situation of the forces at this time was as 

 follows : Gen. Morgan was in position on the 

 south side of the Chiftkasaw ; near its angle, at 

 the base of the bluffs, and on his immediate 

 right, was Gen. Blair's brigade ; Gen. M. L. 

 Smith's division, under Gen. Stuart, was on the 

 right centre, and Gen. A. J. Smith was moving 

 up to the extreme right. Gen. Steele was 

 coming up on the left to act as a reserve to 

 Gen. Morgan. 



At daylight on the 29th, the Confederate 

 batteries began to fire upon Gen. Morgan's po- 

 sition, and continued it for an hour, although 

 with little eifect. With several cessations the 

 cannonade was kept up during the forenoon. 

 Occasionally engagements of infantry, as the op- 

 posing regiments came in reach of each other, 

 took place. Several detachments were throw- 

 ing bridges across the bayou, for the purpose of 

 making an assault on the bluifs. The brigade 

 of Gen. Blair had crossed the bayou before it 

 turned along the bluffs, and was in position at 

 the front of the hill, with a small abatis and a 

 deep ditch between it and the point it designed 

 to assail. On his right, at the point where the 

 bayou makes its angle, was Gen. Morgan. Next 

 to him was Gen. Stuart, and on the extreme 

 right was Gen. A. J. Smith, preparing to throw 

 a bridge across. 



No order had been issued by Gen. Sherman 

 appointing an hour for the assault. But by or- 

 der of Gen. Morgan, Gen. Blair advanced, and 

 Gen. Thayer, of Gen. Steele's brigade, came up 

 for his support. The difficulties of crossing the 

 ditch, and passing the abatis, were such, that 

 the line of Gen. Blair was thrown into some 

 disorder, which, however, it soon recovered, 

 and moved forward upon the Confederate 

 works. The first movement was over a slop- 

 ing plateau, raked by a direct and enfilading 

 fire from heavy artillery, and swept by a storm 



of bullets from the rifle pits. Undauntedly the 

 brigade passed on, and in a few moments drove 

 the enemy from their first range of rifle pits, 

 and took full possession of them. Halting for a 

 moment, the brigade pushed forward and took 

 possession of the second line of rifle pits about 

 two hundred yards distant. The batteries were 

 above this line, and their fire still continued. A 

 prompt and powerful support was necessary to 

 make the attempt to capture them. 



Simultaneously with the advance of Gen. 

 Blair, an order was given to Gen. Thayer, of Gen. 

 Steele's division, to go forward with his brig- 

 ade. He crossed the bayou by the same bridge 

 as Gen. Blair, and, entered the abatis at the 

 same point, and deflecting to the right, came 

 out upon the sloping plateau, about two hun- 

 dred yards to the right of Gen. Blair, and at the 

 same time. As he reached the rifle pits, with a 

 heavy loss, he perceived that only one regi- 

 ment, the Fourth Iowa, Col. "Williamson, had 

 followed him. After his movement commenced, 

 the second regiment of his brigade had been sent 

 to the right of Gen. Morgan as a support. The 

 other regiments had followed this one. Notice 

 of this change of the march of the second regi- 

 ment, although sent, had failed to reach Gen. 

 Thayer. With little hope of success, he bravely 

 pushed forward into the second line of rifle 

 pits of the enemy on the right of Gen. Blair. 

 Here, leaving the regiment to hold the position, 

 he hurried back for reinforcements. Meanwhile, 

 Gen. Blair, vainly waiting for support, descend- 

 ed in person to persuade the advance of more 

 troops. He, and Gen. Thayer, both failed in 

 their efforts, and were obliged to order their 

 commands to retire. 



While Gen. Blair was urging the advance 

 of more troops, his brigade fought with des- 

 peration to win the way to the top of the crest. 

 Some fifty yards above the second line of rifle 

 pits was a cluster of small willows. Thither 

 many of the enemy, driven from the rifle pits, 

 had fled. They were promptly pursued by the 

 Thirteenth Illinois, and driven out by a hand- 

 to-hand contest. They were supported at once 

 by the other regiments of the brigade, but the 

 position was exposed to a hot fire of the en- 

 emy's batteries. Meantime, a Confederate in- 

 fantry force was concentrated to attack them, 

 and after a sharp struggle the latter were forced 

 back to the second line of rifje pits, when Gen. 

 Blair's order to retire was received. The divi- 

 sion of Gen. Morgan was not brought over the 

 bayou in time to engage in the assault. The 

 division of Gen. Stuart encountered so much 

 difficulty in constructing their bridges over the 

 bayou, under a hot fire of the enemy, that 

 only one regiment finally crossed over. The 

 bridge was then commanded by a flanking fire 

 of the enemy, which prevented others from 

 crossing. The regiment which had crossed re- 

 turned after dark. A notice of the intended 

 movement on the left had not been given to the 

 division commanders on' the right of Gen. Mor- 

 gan. The division of Gen. Smith was so near 



