ARMY OPERATIONS. 



and left of centre, by the divisions under Maj.- 

 Gen. Augur and Brig.-Gen. Sherman. The 

 enemy was driven into his works, and the Fed- 

 eral troops moved up to the fortifications, 

 holding the opposite sides of the parapet with 

 the enemy. On the right, the troops continued 

 to hold their position ; but on the left, after 

 dark, the main body, being exposed to a flank 

 fire, withdrew to a belt of woods. The skir- 

 mishers remained close upon the fortifications. 

 On the extreme right, the first and third regi- 

 ments of negro troops were posted. Of their 

 behavior in action, Gen. Banks thus reports : 

 "The position occupied by these troops was 

 one of importance, and called for the utmost 

 steadiness and bravery in those to whom it 

 was confided. It gives me pleasure to report 

 that they answered every expectation. In 

 many respects their conduct was heroic. No 

 troops could be more determined or more dar- 

 ing. They made during the day three charges 

 upon the batteries of the enemy, suffering very 

 heavy losses, and holding their position at 

 nightfall with the other troops om the right of 

 our line. The highest commendation is be- 

 stowed upon them by all the officers in com- 

 mand on the right. "Whatever doubt may 

 have existed heretofore as to the efficiency of 

 organizations of this character, the history of 

 this day proves conclusively to those who were 

 in condition to observe the conduct of these 

 regiments, that the Government will find in 

 this class of troops effective supporters and 

 defenders. The severe test to which they 

 were subjected, and the determined manner in 

 which they encountered the enemy, leaves 

 upon my mind no doubt of their ultimate suc- 

 cess. They require only good officers, com- 

 mands of limited numbers, and careful disci- 

 pline, to make them excellent soldiers." The 

 entire loss in killed, wounded, and missing, since 

 landing at Bayou Sara to this time, was nearly 

 a thousand, including some of the ablest officers 

 of the corps, among whom was Gen. Sherman. 



A bombardment of the position had been 

 made by the fleet under Admiral Farragut, for 

 a week previous to this assault. Reconuoissan- 

 ces had discovered that the defences were very 

 strong, consisting of several lines of intrench- 

 ments and rifle pits, with abatis of heavy trees 

 felled in every direction. The upper batteries 

 on the river were attacked by the Hartford 

 and Albatross, which had run the blockade, 

 and the lower by the Monongahela, Richmond, 

 Genesee, and Essex. 



On the 14th of June, after a bombardment 

 of several days, another assault on Port Hud- 

 son was made. The position of Gen. Banks's 

 forces at this time was somewhat changed, 

 forming only a right and left without a centre, 

 and, joined together, making a right angle. 

 The division of Gen. Grover, on the upper side 

 of Port Hudson, extended a distance of nearly 

 four miles from the river toward the interior, 

 within supporting distance of Gen. Augur's 

 division. This was on the west side of the 



enemy's fortifications, and extended a distance 

 of three miles to the river, and within hailing 

 of the fleet. At this time, looking from the 

 extreme northeasterly range of the enemy's 

 rifle pits toward the river, on the upper side 

 of Port Hudson, a long line of earthworks 

 could be seen, glistening with bayonets, and 

 protected by a deep ditch nearly twelve feet in 

 width. Within short range, enfilading breast- 

 works commanded every approach to the posi- 

 tion of the enemy. The defences of the ene- 

 my formed nearly a right angle, both lines of 

 which extended to the river, and enclosed a 

 sharp bend. The point of attack was the ex- 

 treme northeasterly angle of the enemy's po- 

 sition. For some days previous, several pieces 

 of their artillery had been dismounted by the 

 Federal fire and abandoned, while those in po- 

 sition were rendered useless by the fire of the 

 sharpshooters. Two regiments were detailed 

 as sharpshooters, who were to creep up and 

 lie on the exterior slope of the enemy's breast- 

 works, while another regiment each soldier 

 having a hand grenade besides his musket 

 followed. These grenades were to be thrown 

 over into the enemy's position. Another regi- 

 ment followed with bags filled with cotton, 

 which were to be used to fill up the ditch in 

 front of the breastworks. After these regi- 

 ments came the others of Gen. "Weitzel's brig- 

 ade. Following these as a support were the 

 brigades of Col. Kimball and Col. Morgan. 

 These forces under Gen. Weitzel were designed 

 for the attack on the right. In conjunction, 

 on the left, moved the old division of Gen. 

 Emory under Gen. Paine, forming a separate 

 column. Both divisions were under the com- 

 mand of Gen. Grover, who planned the attack. 

 It was expected that Gen. Weitzel's command 

 would make a lodgment inside of the enemy's 

 works, and thus prepare the way for Gen. 

 Paine's division. The advance was made 

 about daylight, through a covered way, to with- 

 in three hundred yards of the enemy's position ; 

 then the field consisted of deep gullies covered 

 by brush and creeping*vmes. The fire of the 

 enemy was incessant, but a part of the skir- 

 mishers succeeded in reaching the ditch, where 

 they were immediately repulsed by an enfilad- 

 ing fire. But little was therefore accomplish- 

 ed with the hand grenades, as they were at 

 once caught up by the enemy, and hurled back. 

 Meanwhile the assaulting column moved for- 

 ward as rapidly as possible, and made a series 

 of desperate assaults on the works, but the ene- 

 my were fully prepared, and lined every part of 

 their fortifications with heavy bodies of infantry. 

 It was a part of the general plan of attack 

 that a feint should be made on the extreme left 

 by Gens. Augur and Dwight. This assault was 

 made, and the fighting was extremely desperate 

 on the part of the forces under Gen. Dwight. 

 At length all the assaulting columns were com- 

 pelled to fall back under the deadly fire of the 

 enemy, and the fighting finally ceased about 

 11 o'clock in the morning. The loss of Gen. 



