side of the town; about a mile and a half a road cuts these two roads at
right angles, while extending from road to road is a large cemetery,
facing towards the city and looking directly into the camps of the
Indiana, Massachusetts, and Connecticut regiments. The front of this
cemetery is fenced with paling, while the cemetery is thickly strewn
with large tombs and overgrown with high rank weeds. This was the
position of the rebel center. Our center was composed of the Indiana
21st, the Massachusetts and Connecticut, drawn up on the opposite side
of the roads, and not more than forty-five rods distant. The rebel right
approached through corn-fields and over a rolling country, attacked with
great impetuosity the 14th Maine's camp and drove them out, burning and
pillaging the camp in a few minutes. The 14th Maine rallied, and,
supported by the Massachusetts and Nims' Battery, returned to the attack
and drove the enemy back with great slaughter.
"The fiercest part of the conflict, at this tide of the battle, occurred
before and within a house which the rebels obstinately determined to get
possession of. The most conspicuous of the rebels at this place was a
huge negro, armed and equipped with musket, knapsack and uniform; he led
the rebels, and met his death at the hands of one of our men. Pressed
back by our left, and our ground regained, the battle raged in front
with desperate fierceness. So silently did the rebels approach, and so
well were they concealed, that they were in the cemetery and drawn up in
battle array without our knowing it. With a yell they rushed up to the
fence, dashed through it and across the road, bearing everything before
them. At one time the opposing forces were hand to hand, and our handful
of men were driven out of their camps and back into the town; but,
rallied on every hand by their officers, and the cool daring of General
Williams, assisted by the gunboats that began to fire shell on each bank
with perfect accuracy and deadly effect, our troops bravely rushed to
the front and drove the entire rebel center, back across the road, into
and beyond the cemetery, from which they were not again able to emerge."
From a description of the battle given by a soldier who was in the
fight, we extract the following:
"The 14th Maine, 21st Indiana and 6th Wisconsin were the first regiments
engaged. They held in check about eight thousand Confederates for about
one hour, when they were forced back a quarter of a mile, the
Confederates occupying their camps, which they destroyed. On account of
a heavy fog, the 7th Vermont, 9th Connecticut and 4th Wisconsin were not
able to ascertain the exact position of the enemy, and were of but very
little service until the new line was formed. Captain Nims[5], Captain
Everett, and the battery on the right, and two pieces of the 4th
Massachusetts on the extreme left, opened a murderous fire from their
batteries, which was returned with spirit by the Confederates. The
battle raged without a moment's intermission, and with great severity
for two hours. During this time nothing but a continual roar of
artillery, the rattle of musketry, the shouts of the combatants and the
groans of the wounded and dying was to be heard. Captain Nims' Battery
was compelled to fall back, his guns being so hot it was impossible to
use them.
Footnote 5:
This is evidently incorrect as Captain Nims was in the hospital and
Lieutenant Trull in charge.
"He took his position on the left of the 21st Indiana, and ordered water
to be brought to cool his guns. While thus engaged, three regiments of
the Confederates charged the 21st Indiana, and one regiment charged the
battery. General Williams, perceiving the perilous position of the
regiment, and knowing the consequences of having the center broken, took
his position at the head of the regiment, and gave the command to
prepare to charge. The regiment fired three volleys (the battalion
having breech-loading rifles), and allowed the Confederates to approach
within a few rods. General Williams then gave the command: 'Forward!
double quick!' and with a deafening cheer they rushed to the charge. The
shock of two such masses advancing shook the entire field.
"The struggle was fierce and the slaughter heavy. Four times the rebels
made desperate efforts to come from among the tombs and cross the road,
but were driven back each time, and finally they retreated in full
panic.
"On our right, in the meantime, the rebels, under General Clarke, made a
desperate effort to flank us and get in our rear. It was here that the
admirable generalship of Williams displayed itself. Anticipating this
very movement, he had placed Manning's battery of six pieces, supported
by the Wisconsin and Vermont regiments, while the Michigan Regiment was
strongly posted at the crossing of the roads and commanding the entire
approach of the enemy's left. Here the battle raged fiercely; and after
the rebels' flank movement was repulsed and driven back, not to return,
here it was that the gallant general fell, at the head of the Indiana
and Michigan regiments, but not before victory had lighted up that fine
manly face with its glow of triumph.
"This was the signal for a general onset on both sides. Captain Nims
lost two of his guns, but charged with his sabres and revolvers and
retook them. The 21st Regiment repulsed three times their own numbers,
and drove them back in confusion. I was at this time detached with the
first platoon of our company (4th Regiment Wisconsin), to skirmish on
the extreme left of the line, to prevent a surprise on our flank. I took
a position one mile outside the old picket lines, in true Yankee style,
behind stumps and trees. The rebels did not think it safe to honor us
with a shot. We were fired at, however, by some of our pickets, who were
driven in from the front, they mistaking us for rebels. They also
reported us to the gunboat _Essex_ as rebels, and she commenced shelling
our lines. The rebels were forced back a mile and a half."[6]
Footnote 6:
Putnam's Record of the Rebellion, Vol. 5, p. 307.
In General Butler's General Orders we find the following eulogy of
General Williams: "A gallant general, an accomplished officer, a pure
patriot and victorious hero and a devoted Christian. In choosing his
position for the battle he gave up the vantage of the cover of the
houses of the city, forming his lines in the open field lest the women
and children of his enemies suffer in the fight."
In another report[7] honorable mention is made of Sergeant Cheever,
Privates Tyler and Clogston for the skill and bravery with which they
worked one of the guns when almost in the hands of the enemy, they
having left sick beds in order to do their duty.
Footnote 7:
Off. Rec., Vol. 15, p. 46.
The courage and steadfastness of the Union troops is all the more
remarkable when we remember that as Weitzel says: "None of our men had
been in battle and few had been under fire. The entire Union loss in
this battle was reported as 77 killed and 240 wounded. Of this number
the battery lost four wounded, one detailed from the 9th Connecticut
receiving a mortal wound, and one man was captured."
When the conflict was over, General Butler said: "Nims' Battery saved
the day," and Breckenridge himself was heard to remark: "If it had not
been for that Light Artillery in front, I would have taken the place, I
charged it three times, but was knocked back every time." Boston
_Journal_.
Breckenridge had made a speech to his men early that morning promising
them to have his band playing in the state house by nine o'clock.
It was expected that another attempt might be made to regain Baton
Rouge, as a few days after the battle a flag of truce came in from the
Confederates ordering General Paine, the Union leader, to withdraw his
forces. Preparations were immediately made for the defense of the city;
all public buildings were burned and trees cut down that might interfere
with the range of the guns. The men of the battery lay by their guns all
night, but the next morning it was found that the enemy had retreated,
burning their bridges behind them. A few days later Breckenridge marched
his troops to Port Hudson, thirty miles above and began there the
construction of heavy batteries.
Soon after the Union forces left Baton Rouge, and on August 21 the
entire command left for New Orleans. The battery first camped at
Carrollton but changed the next day to Materia Ridge where it joined the
brigade under Colonel Dudley consisting of 30th Massachusetts, 4th
Wisconsin, 21st Indiana, 6th Michigan, 7th Vermont, 14th Maine, 9th
Connecticut, 2d, 4th and 6th Massachusetts batteries and 21st Indiana
Battery.
The location did not prove healthful, however, and a week later camp was
once more changed to Tivoli Circle, New Orleans.
On August 22 Privates Lombard and Barnes died at St. James Hospital.
Indeed, sickness followed the battery and in every record we read: "Have
been in hospital two weeks." "Came to hospital to-day." "Two more men on
the sick list." In the month of October eleven members, some of whom had
been in the hospital for weeks were discharged and came home. During the
stay in New Orleans, however, the men began to regain their health.
The time from August to December was spent largely in drilling, a parade
and some form of drill constituting a part of each day's duty.
Inspection of men and quarters was common and some will doubtless
remember an acting inspector general who ordered Corporal ------ to get
his hair cut, much to the amusement of the boys as said corporal wore a
wig. On Thanksgiving Day some of the men fought off the pangs of
homesickness by preparing a grand dinner. "The best I've eaten since I
left home," while others in the evening gave a grand ball where the
music consisted of three violins, a cornet and a banjo.
About this time Lieutenant Trull left to take command of the 4th
Massachusetts Battery, Second Lieutenant Marland was advanced to First,
and First Sergeant Edw. K. Russell of Chelsea was commissioned to fill
the vacant second lieutenancy. On September 8 the death of J. K. Harvey
was reported.
General Banks having succeeded General Butler on December 16 in command
of the Department of the Gulf, the troops in Louisiana were organized as
the 19th Army Corps composed of four divisions and Nims' Battery was
assigned to the fourth division commanded by Gen. Cuvier Grover and
ordered to report at Baton Rouge. Here it remained until March 13,
spending much time in drill--drilling on pieces, as cavalry and with
flying movements, and occasionally doing picket duty.
"At this time, while some of our men were acting as pickets several
miles outside the town, an incident occurred that, had it taken place in
the North would have been called 'a Yankee trick,' but as it is we
disclaim it, and let our Southern brother have all the honor (?). Some
of our men were acting as mounted pickets, and as they sat upon their
horses looking up the road, and listening for the footfall of horse or
man, a sharp sound of a bell came from the thick timber land on their
side and quickly their ears were open and with eager eyes they sought to
fathom the cause of the sounds, when tinkle-tinkle-tinkle came the
sounds again and as it fell upon the ears of our men it took them back
to their boyhood days when sent for the cows. They listened for the
welcome sound of tinkle-tinkle-tinkle. Oh it is only an old cow in the
brush: but they soon learned from the bullets' whiz that they had better
be moving, and they did." _Captain Russell._
On another occasion Sergeant Lincoln and Privates Carter and Wilkins
were on picket duty on the Port Hudson Road. Lincoln and Carter were
fired on, their horses killed and Carter badly wounded. He dragged
himself through the woods to a house where he was put into a wagon and
brought to camp. Lincoln was stripped of his equipments and let go.
The records during this period show that a soldier's life meant good
hard work--even if fighting was not going on. Battery drill, gun drill,
marching drill--all these filled the days and brought the battery to the
highest degree of efficiency. One drill consisted of flying movements,
dismounting and mounting guns and carriages, slinging guns under the
limber, etc., and was nicknamed by the boys "break-neck drill."
Accidents were rare, however. Captain Nims invented new signals for the
use of his men so that the enemy might not know what orders were being
given. Washington's Birthday was observed by a grand artillery review by
Captain Closson, chief of artillery, and by raising a large flag across
the camp ground.
The most important duty entrusted to General Banks at this time was an
advance up the Mississippi against Port Hudson, coöperating with Grant
in his movement against Vicksburg. Bank's force, however, was not strong
enough to carry the works and he therefore turned his attention to
reducing the fortification by other means.
Port Hudson drew its supplies mainly from Western Louisiana and Texas by
way of the Red River.[8] If this river could be reached and held, these
supplies could be cut off and communication could be opened with Grant
near Vicksburg. The Confederates held Alexandria as their chief point of
defense but they extended their outposts as far as the railroad from New
Orleans to Brashear City. Another earthwork known as Fort Bisland was on
the Bayou Teche and reached to the swamps south of the bayou. All this
territory for 50 miles west of the Mississippi is an impassable network
of swamps and lakes, but there is a road from Brashear City to
Alexandria and along this road lay the line of advance to Red River.
Early in January expeditions had been organized for the purpose of
moving up Red River but it had been found impossible to make a way
through the swamps and bayous, and it was thought necessary to abandon
the project. About this time information was received that the
Confederates had captured on Red River the ram _Queen of the West_, and
the gunboat _De Soto_ which had run past the batteries at Vicksburg and
descended the river.
Footnote 8:
See The Mississippi; F. V. Greene.
Farragut determined at once to patrol the river above Port Hudson with
his vessels and requested Banks to make a demonstration against the
fortification while he ran past the batteries.
Banks having assembled his forces at Baton Rouge, on March 13 the whole
force broke camp and marched toward Port Hudson, the right and center
sections with the divisions of Generals Grover and Emery on the Port
Hudson Road and the left with General Auger's division on the Clinton
Road. The next day Farragut with his fleet started up the river. The
land forces did not get near enough to the works to use their artillery
very effectively, though one section of the 2d Massachusetts was sent
within shelling distance of the Confederate works and fired 50 round of
shell into them.
We quote the following from an article in the Boston _Journal_ written
by C. B. Maxwell.
"The army having halted and camped for the night the sergeants of the
first and third detachments came to our quarters and quietly told the
drivers and cannoneers not to 'turn in.' 'You will be wanted before
midnight,' they said. 'We are going out on the road and we may have some
fun.' So about 10 P. M. we were told in whispers to 'hitch up.' When all
was ready, the section moved out giving the rest of the battery the
'grand sneak' as it were. Lieutenant Marland was in command I think.
Well, we arrived at a certain point on the road and having passed
through the woods were ordered to halt, unlimber and go into battery.
Said the lieutenant to the guide: 'Where is Port Hudson?' 'Right ober
dar,' was the reply. 'Which way is that?' 'Right ober dat away.' 'How
far is it?' 'Oh right smart aways. I done walk plumb down to de ribber
from break o'day to sun-up.'
"The gunners elevated the pieces and each fired a few shots, after which
all was still and dark as before. The only loud words spoken were the
lieutenant's when he shouted: 'How do you like that.' Echo answered,
'Where are we at?' Then we limbered up, thinking of our tents and stole
away back to camp and turned in. In the morning orders to hitch up were
received and the column was soon on the march to Baton Rouge. So we
claim that Nims' Battery fired the first shot at Port Hudson."
Meanwhile Farragut advanced with his fleet amid a perfect deluge of shot
and shell. Two of his ships, the _Hartford_ and the _Albatross_ were
able to pass the batteries, but all the others were sunk or disabled.
Although so many met with disaster, Farragut's purpose was fully
accomplished, for the Red River route was hence forward completely
blockaded--a most important object at that time.
As the object of Banks' land expedition had been solely for the purpose
of making a demonstration while the fleet was en route he immediately
returned with his forces to Baton Rouge. He himself went on to New
Orleans, leaving orders that another attempt be made to resume the
movement to Brashear City.
[Illustration: Landing of Federal Troops from Transport Laurel Hill.]
Accordingly, on the 27th of March the command was taken by transport
_Laurel Hill_ to Donaldsonville, whence it marched over-land to Brashear
City, the trip beginning the 31st and ending the 9th of April. On this
march the battery formed a part of the 2d Brigade, Colonel Kimball, in
General Grover's division. Here it united with the rest of the Army of
the Gulf for operations against the enemy who were threatening New
Orleans from the rear, the whole numbering about 17,000 men.
On the morning of the 11th of April the battery with General Grover's
division started from Brashear City and proceeded up the Atchafalaya
River.[9] The intention of this expedition was to get in the rear of the
enemy and either attack them there or cut off their retreat. The
grounding of one of the transports at the entrance of Grand Lake delayed
the troops for twenty-four hours but on the 13th a landing was made
opposite Madame Porter's plantation thirty miles from Brashear City.
While effecting a landing about 250 Confederates with two pieces of
artillery opened fire and a sharp skirmish ensued in which the Union men
took quite a number of prisoners.
Footnote 9:
See Off. Record, Vol. 15, Report General Grover.
The next day, shortly after daylight, the division again advanced and
early in the morning met a strong force of the enemy at Irish Bend, a
sharp bend in the Teche. Here a battle took place and after two hours'
fighting the enemy was obliged to retreat leaving many dead on the field
and about 100 prisoners. For the next few days an advance was made,
constant skirmishing going on all the while until on April 17 we find
the battery at New Iberia. Here the left section under Lieutenant Snow,
together with three regiments marched twelve miles farther to Avery's
Island, destroyed the famous salt works there and captured a large
number of horses. The destruction of these salt works was a very
important measure, as from them the Confederates had been able to obtain
thousands of pounds of salt, thus making them independent of the United
States or England.
The next morning the march was renewed, Generals Emery and Weitzel on
the Bayou Road, General Grover on the other. At Vermillion Bayou the
enemy, who was only a short distance in advance, massed in a strong
position on the opposite bank, fired on the Union troops from the woods,
opening with artillery. Nims' Battery and Battery L of the regulars
joined in the artillery duel, forcing the enemy to retire, but not until
they had burned the bridge over the bayou. The next day the bridge was
rebuilt and the advance continued until on April 20 Opelousas was
reached.
While here orders were read from General Banks giving the troops much
credit for capturing over 2000 prisoners, 10 guns, assisting in the
destruction of two gunboats and two transports, the salt works and one
fort and also in seizing a large quantity of arms and equipments, sugar,
cotton, molasses, mules, horses, etc.
At this time, too, one section of the battery under Lieutenant Snow was
detached from the main body and for about a month served under Colonel
Chickering in connection with the 5th Massachusetts, 41st Massachusetts,
4th Maine, and a New York regiment. The work done is summarized as
follows: "There was collected and sent to New Orleans via Brashear
upward of 6000 bales of cotton, large quantities of sugar, molasses, and
other products and at least 10,000 contrabands, men, women, and children
to work in the government plantations in LaFourche Co." Irwin says: "The
column covered in the march the long train that stretched out for eight
miles over the prairies with a motley band of negroes, horses, and
beeves for a cumbrous accompaniment. With the possible exception of the
horde that set out to follow Sherman's march to the sea, this was the
most curious column ever put in motion since that which defiled after
Noah into the ark."[10]
Footnote 10:
Nineteenth Army Corps, p. 136.
On April 22 the right and left sections with the First Brigade, General
Dwight, pushed forward through Washington to the Tableau River where
they rebuilt a bridge which had been burned. During the day there was a
slight skirmish with the cavalry. In C. B. Maxwell's diary we read: "Our
battery with General Dwight's Brigade. Joe Knowlton and I crossed river
to plantation owned by a widow and obtained some milk and two dozen
eggs. Just then the enemy's force fired on our cavalry pickets, killing
one and wounding several. Joe and I started on double quick each with
one dozen eggs in a handkerchief. Reached camp without losing or
breaking one!"
On the 4th of May the whole army started for Alexandria. "Captain Dwight
of General Banks' staff rode past the brigade with orders and when just
in front of the battery he was fired on from across the bayou and
killed. A company of cavalry was sent out in pursuit and succeeded in
capturing the man who committed the deed. Three days later he was
brought before the brigade and shot."
May 12 Alexandria was reached and after a few days' rest a start was
made for Port Hudson by way of Simsport and Bayou Sara.
Port Hudson was situated on a high bluff on the east side of the
Mississippi at a sharp bend. Its fortifications were arranged for
defense, the parapets averaging a thickness of 20 feet and the depth of
the ditch below the parapet being not less than 15 feet. Below the
landing known as Hickey's were the first batteries, on a bluff about 40
feet above high-water mark. Three series of batteries extended along the
river for a continuous line of three miles. Above the creek was an
impassable marsh. From the lower battery ran a line of land
fortifications semi-circular in form and about ten miles in extent.[11]
Footnote 11:
See Lossing's History of Civil War.
The Confederate forces numbered probably about 7000, the Union forces
something over 30,000. General Banks' troops were commanded by Generals
Weitzel, Auger, Grover, and T. W. Sherman, while the Confederate
garrison was under Gen. Frank T. Gardner.
The following extracts will show how the battery was engaged for the
next few weeks.
May 24. Arrived at Bayou Sara at 3 A. M. Marched 13 miles toward Port
Hudson. General Grover's division took first line of rifle pits. Army
then formed around Port Hudson with Generals Weitzel and Paine on right,
General Grover and Colonel Dudley in center and Generals Auger and T. W.
Sherman on the left. The artillery brigade under command of General
Arnold.
May 25. Battery ordered to relieve Battery L at the front.
May 26. At noon both sections fell back a half mile and went into camp
to rest the horses, they having been in harness four days and four
nights.