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through them, used his artillery until the last, then sent the mass of it by the same cross road, and the cavalry kept up the fight until their army was safe, and then galloped off. In the afternoon General Banks joined General Grover, and in the evening, after building his bridge and recrossing the river, Colonel Gooding rejoined General Emory, and all encamped at Franklin."

While the land force had thus marched to Franklin, driving the enemy before them, the gun-boats which had moved up the Bayou Teche and the Atchafalaya River were co-operating with effect. The Queen of the West, whose capture by the enemy has been already recorded, was overtaken in the Atchafalaya by the ram Arizona, and after a broadside set on fire. Burning to her magazine, she finally exploded. An attempt to recapture the Diana was foiled by the enemy, who blew her up; they also burned a powerful iron-clad ram known as the Hart, to prevent her being taken. A large number of other vessels were destroyed by the fleet, in its course up Bayou Teche. The capture of Fort Butte La Rose, on the Grand, a branch of the Atchafalaya, which yielded after a slight resistance, was a naval success of no little importance. General Banks speaking of this capture said:

position and in good order, a large quantity of ammunition, and the key of the Atchafalaya."

The enemy being evidently unable to make a serious resistance, General Banks determined to press on with vigor. General Grover, after forcing the enemy to evacuate their position at Irish Bend, on the 14th of April, had now succeeded in forming a junction with Banks. General Grover had been dispatched with a force of troops and gun-boats from Brashear City up the Atchafalaya River, with the view of getting into the rear of the enemy and cutting off their retreat. Though not succeeding fully in his purpose, his co-operation was not ineffective, and he was enabled to aid in the general pursuit of the retreating enemy.

Banks running forward rapidly, reached New Iberia on the 16th of April. The enemy had evacuated the place so precipitately that they had found no time to provide for the safety of their transports, which they had destroyed in their haste, with all their stores and ammunition. A foundry used for the casting of shot and shell, and the saltworks, about seven miles from New Iberia, were taken possession of, and thus two sources of most important supplies were wrested from the enemy.

General Banks, continuing his onward progress, was able, on reaching St.

"This was handsomely done, without serious loss, on the morning of the 26th of April, by Lieutenant-Commander | Martinsville, April 17th, thus to sum up Cooke, U. S. Navy, with his gun-boat and four companies of infantry. We captured here the garrison of sixty men and its commander, two heavy guns in

the results of his campaign: a march of over three hundred miles, three victories over the enemy, two on land and one on Grand Lake, destruction of their

navy, dispersion of their army, capture of their foundries at Franklin and New Iberia, and of the salt-works near the latter place-capture of the enemy's camp equipage, a number of cannon, and between 1,000 and 2,000 prisoners. His own loss was only about 700 men.

With his way thus successfully opened, General Banks moved rapidly on, easily overcoming the feeble opposition of a retreating and demoralized enemy.

General Banks thus briefly reports his progress to Opelousas:

"On the evening of the 17th of April, General Grover, who had marched from New Iberia by a shorter road, and thus gained the advance, met the enemy at Bayou Vermilion. The enemy's force consisted of a considerable number of cavalry, 1,000 infantry, and six pieces of artillery, masked in a strong position on the opposite bank, with which we were unacquainted. The enemy was driven from his position, but not until he had succeeded in destroying the bridge over the bayou by fire. Everything had been previously arranged for this purpose.

"The enemy's flight was precipitous. The night of the 17th and the whole of the next day were occupied in pushing with vigor the reconstruction of this bridge.

"On the 19th the march was resumed, and continued to the vicinity of Grand Coteau, and on the following day our main force occupied Opelousas. The cavalry, supported by one regiment of infantry and a section of artillery, being thrown forward to Washington, on the Courtableau, a distance of six miles.

"The command rested on the 21st. On the 22d, I sent out Brigadier-General Dwight with his brigade of Grover's division, and detachments of artillery and cavalry, to push forward through Washington toward Alexandria. He found the bridges over bayous Cocodue and Bocuff destroyed, and occupied the evening and night in replacing them by a single bridge at the junction of the two bayous. The people say that the enemy threw large quantities of ammunition and some small-arms into Bayou Cocodue, and that the Texans declared they were going to Texas. Here the steamer Wave was burnt by the enemy, and the principal portion of her cargo, which had been transferred to a flat, captured by us. A dispatch was found by General Dwight, in which Governor Moore tells General Taylor to retreat slowly to Alexandria, and, if pressed, to retire to Texas. General Dwight will push well forward to-day, and probably halt to-morrow, to continue his march, or return, according to circumstances.

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General Banks crosses the Mississippi at Bayou Sara.-Description of Port Hudson.-Its Defences.-Its Commander.— “A Gibraltar.”—-Banks invests Port Hudson.-A Spirited but Unsuccessful Assault.-Union Account.--Enemy's Account-Co-operation of the Fleet. The good conduct of the Negro Soldiers. -A Regular Siege.-A Surrender demanded and refused.—Another Unsuccessful Assault.-Another Assault proposed.—A ready Response.-Volunteers. -The Enemy's Division in the Teche and Attakapas regions.-Surprise and Capture of Brashear City.-Navigation on the Mississippi obstructed.-Unsuccessful Attempt upon Donaldsonville.-Fears for New Orleans.-Banks persists in his Siege Operations. The surprise of Springfield Lunding.-Negro Soldiers praised.-White Officers censured. Surrender of Port Hudson.-Gallantry of its Defenders.-Their Hardships. —The "Last Mule."

1863.

GENERAL BANKS having, by his suc- | ed of, and with the application of art, cessful campaign in the Teche and the place had been rendered very strong. Attakapas regions, wrested from It is described as situated at a point the enemy a country so essential to where a bend forms almost a right-angle, the support of their army, now cross- and thus gives it command of the river, ed to the eastern side of the Missis- up and down. On the north, from a sippi, at Bayou Sara, and prepared distance of eight miles, it is protected to invest their stronghold of Port Hud- by an impassable swamp, which is bounded on the side nearest Port Hudson by Thompson's Creek, the higher bank of which is a precipitous bluff, crowned by an intrenched abattis. This abattis extends from the river eastward, till it joins a series of intrenchments nine or

son.

Port Hudson is about twenty-five miles above Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, on the eastern side of the Mississippi. Its great natural advantages of defence had been skilfully avail

PORT HUDSON AND ITS DEFENCES

CONSTRUCTED AND ENGRAVED TO ILLUSTRATE "THE WAR WITH THE SOUTH"

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Brand asscrding a not of Congress 1868 by Wee, Y. roten & in the series offive the court of the states for southern NY

A kopographical Map of Bart Hudson and its vienty shewing Earthworks &c. that were in existence at the time of its tall

Charles: Sholl.
Top! Engineer

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