ATTACK ON PORT HUDSON.

461

Reconnoissances were then made in the direction of Port Hudson, along the road to the Bayou Sara, and toward Ross and Springfield landings. Several skirmishes took place between detachments of hostile troops in that vicinity. One of these occurred between the one hundred and sixtysecond New York and a body of Rebel cavalry who were concealed in the woods, and made a sudden attack on them. The latter were soon compelled to fall back in confusion, with the loss of five killed and twelve wounded. Another skirmish took place between the Rebels and a company of the second Rhode Island cavalry, commanded by Captain Stevens, who were sent out on the Springfield road to reconnoiter the position and strength of the enemy. They reached a point where a bridge had been destroyed, and the way rendered impassable. While wheeling around in order to return, they were assailed by a discharge of musketry from the concealed foe. Captain Stevens was wounded and taken prisoner. Three or four privates were afterward missing. The movements of the troops under General Banks being intended merely as a diversion, to attract the attention of the enemy while the fleet of Admiral Farragut was passing or assailing the works at Port Hudson, General Banks ordered his men to return to Baton Rouge on the 16th. He presumed that, by that time, the purpose of the admiral had been successfully accomplished, and inferred that his services would no longer be needed in connection with that particular enterprise.

It was at nine o'clock at night of Saturday, the 14th of March, that Admiral Farragut signaled to his fleet to commence their advance. They were then at anchor at the upper end of Prophet's island, five miles below Port Hudson. The moon and stars shone brightly in the heavens. The formidable batteries of Port Hudson were visible in the distance. The principal vessels of the fleet were the flag-ship Hartford, Monongahela, Richmond, Kineo, Mississippi, Essex, Albatross, and Switzerland. These were accompanied by six mortar boats. As this fleet approached Port Hudson, five Rebel gunboats were seen nearing the batteries from above, from which a body of troops were landed to strengthen the defenders of the fortifications. At half-past one o'clock, at a signal from the sloop of war Hartford, the mortar boats commenced to fire upon the Rebel batteries, for the purpose of ascertaining the range of their guns. It was discovered that they were too distant to injure the works of the enemy. At this period, signal lights were seen flashing along the intrenchments, which were answered by Rebel forces stationed on the opposite shore, and by the gunboats of the Confederates on the river above. It was now evident that the foe was on the alert, and prepared to give the Federal fleet a fierce and desperate resistance.

As the Federals slowly approached the immense works of the Confederates, the latter employed a novel stratagem, which essentially aided their purposes. They kindled an immense bonfire immediately in front