From the Fourth Wisconsin
Campaign on the Red River
The Assault on Port Hudson
Correspondence of the Sheboygan Times
Port Hudson, La. May 25, 1863
My last communication was from Opelousas, since which time, we
have eaten, drank, and slept in the saddle. We have performed some wonderful
equestrian feats, some matchless tumbling, and kept in a perfect whirl of
excitement night and day. We have roamed the extensive prairies, forded bayous,
lassooed horses, chased Rebs., and other acts too numerous to mention. While at
Opelousas we were transferred into Dwight’s brigade, Grovers division, went
down to Washington and had a running fight of six miles with the enemy, then
commenced our march to Alexandria on River river eighty miles distant; our
advance was in sight of the rear of the enemy nearly all the time. On this
march Gen. Dwights’ brother was shot by a guerilla; the assassin was caught,
tried and shot. We made a grand cavalry dash into Alexandria, coming in on the
dead run, hooting and yelling like so many savages, and what a notable figure
we did cut; rough, ragged and dirty are feeble words to express our conditions;
we found that Commodore Davis had beaten us, having reached there, the night
before, took possession of the town and hoisted the stars and stripes, in the
center of the town; we stopped and gave three rousing cheers for the flag,
three for the navy, three for Commodore Davis and cheered for everybody and
with a will too, such as the 4th Wis. had not evinced since the first three or
four months in the service. - We had been on a long march and endured much
hardship and we fancied that we were going to have a season of rest, but in
this we were deceived.
We started the
next day in pursuit of the enemy, and overtook him at Cane river, 45 miles from
Alexandria, completely surprising him, taking about forty five prisoners and
scattering the rest; we captured about 1,000 horses and mules. Co. C was
detailed to guard the baggage train back to Alexandria, since which time we
have been detached from the Regt. Immediately upon reaching Alexandria, the
company was detailed to guard Gen. Bank’s headquarters baggage train; we
proceeded to Simmsport, 80 miles distant on the Atchafalaya, twelve miles from
the month of Red river, crossed as expeditiously as possible, on a flat boat,
rowed by six negroes; you may guess how fast that was, over a river a mile wide
and very rapid. Gen. Grover’s division arrived while we were crossing; next
morning Co. C, 4th Wisconsin, and Co. F, 1st La. cavalry, started on a reconnoitering
expedition; we were joined by three companies of New York cavalry, all under
the command of Major ---. We proceeded down the Red river to its mouth, where
we saw the steamship Hatfield, watching for rebel prey. We then descended the
Mississippi, going through the towns of Williamsport, St. Coupee and a couple
of other little places sporting no name, and stopped opposite Port Hudson,
while the chief engineer on Gen. Grover’s staff made observations and gained
the desired information. We had a splendid view of the fortifications, and the
examination was highly satisfactory. We took a prisoner who informed us there
was a rebel force on that side the river on the point opposite Port Hudson,
which point was separated from us by a small bayou. Of the strength of the
force we knew nothing, but it was determined that we should find out something
about them; so we proceeded about three miles down the bayou, and we crossed a
little neck of land connecting with the point, we then proceeded up the point,
thinking to bag them. Co. F being the only ones that were fully armed, we sent
out as skirmishers. Co. C had no sabres, nothing but our long muskets which
were useless on a horse; the New York boys had no carbines, nothing but sabres
and revolvers, good enough on a charge, but worthless as skirmishers, so we
only had eighteen men fully armed; we had not proceeded far, when the
skirmishers were attacked by the enemy in the edge of a piece of woods, they
held their ground bravely, returning the fire with surprising rapidity.
Co. C, under
Lieut. Brooks, immediately dashed forward to their support, but the N.Y.
cavalry hung back; Lieut. Mack of Co. F rode back urging them to come forward
and make a charge and we could take them prisoners; but they refused. He came
back swearing horribly, and addressing us said: “Come on Wisconsin, we can do
it alone, such cavalry as that ought to be in h-ll.” We joined his company, Co.
C, numbering 37 and Co. F numbering 18. The enemy retired farther into the
woods, we followed and deployed. Co. F, with the first platoon of Co. C, under
Lieut. Mack, deployed to the right of the road, while the 2nd platoon of Co. C,
15 men, under Lieut. Brooks, deployed to the left extending from the road to
the Bayou. Thus forty-five men began a fight with an unknown force of the enemy
right under the guns of Port Hudson, that famous stronghold of the Southwest,
frowning down upon us, the garrison viewing the contest, and we being 57 miles
from reinforcements.
The attempt was
hazardous in the extreme; the major in command was five miles behind, drunk!
[bully for the Major!] Abandoned by our comrades, each Lieutenant had to fight
on his own hook; but we had found the enemy and was bound to fight him. Lieut.
Brooks advanced through the woods about forty rods, when he struck the levee
road, and the advance of the rebels being in sight, we commenced firing
briskly, the enemy again retreating, we chased them about forty rods further to
a turn in the road and levee, Lieut. Brooks and Serg’t O’Conner taking the
lead. The Lieutenant becoming convinced that the enemy were endeavoring to draw
us into an ambuscade, gave orders to halt. We were now in rather a nice
position. Our horses were untrained and would become unmanageable, if we went
to firing guns about their ears, and having only fifteen men we could not
afford to dismount and let a part hold horses while the rest fought. - Several
of the boys dismounted and holding their own horses fired whenever they saw a
reb. The enemy waited some time in silence, hoping that we would advance into
their snare, but Lieut. Brooks was not to be caught in that way. Sergeant
O’Conner went over the levee and advanced alone into the woods to within ten
rods of the ambuscade, and finding that they were discovered, they opened a
tremendous fire of musketry upon us, to which we replied with some effect, for
we saw some fall; but the overwhelming numbers of the enemy convinced us that
we could do nothing there, with no force to fall back to, so be were ordered to
retreat. About this time, Wm. Sager, of Lima, was shot through the hand. He had
just charged cartridge and was drawing rammer, when the shot took him in the
right hand, but he succeeded in loading his piece and fired. By this time we
had returned some distance; he then mounted his horse and fled, the bullets
coming after him like hailstones, but he was true blue. He went a short
distance to the rear, where one of the boys tied up his hand the best he could,
and he rejoined the company and remained through the action.
A bullet went
through the stock of E. Estry’s gun, between the barrel and rammer, the
splinters skinning his knuckles. We retreated about forty rods and halted, when
Sergeant O’Conner came trotting up leading his horse, which was so badly
frightened he could not mount him. The rebels then sent up a yell of exultation
which made us feel wolfish, but could not resent it, so we fell back into the
clearing behind the levee, so if they came out in sight we could pepper them.
Sergeant O’Conner was dispatched to inform Lieut. Mack that we had retired, so
that the enemy should not flank him and cut him off, but the Sergeant could not
find him. Meantime Lieut. Mack with his men had advanced rapidly, not meeting
any opposition, and the New Yorkers were advancing along the road at a
respectful distance behind. Upon hearing that loud firing upon his left, he
ordered his men to about face and come to the support of Lieut. Brooks. Before
he could get his men together in the road and get back, however, the firing
ceased, and he supposing that we were all prisoners ordered a retreat, the New
Yorkers, being behind, now became the advance, next Co. F, then the first
platoon of Co. C. The rebels had stationed themselves in the woods by the
roadside, and now poured in a terrible fire upon them as they passed by. Here
occurred a striking instance of the heroic daring that characterized our boys
and made them conspicuous. One of the New York cavalry was killed, and his
comrades rode on and left him, not a man paying any regard to it. When Co. C
came strong, Wm. S. Buzzell stopped and ordered two negroes, that rode in the
rear, to dismount and lift the body on his horse. They did so, and he took that
dead body across the neck of his horse and carried it five miles, when it
seemed like certain death to stop. It won for him the encomiums of the whole
party, and too much cannot be said in his praise. It was a noble act, prompted
only by the determination that the enemy should not obtain it as a trophy.
Wisconson should be proud of such a noble son.
We learned next
morning from the citizens that the enemy had two regiments of infantry, two
companies of cavalry, and a section of artillery on that point, and had we
advanced fifteen rods further we should have been annihilated.
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