HOSPITAL BOAT AND ITS ARRIVAL AT BATON ROUGE. 35

"on the morning of the 24th, and I ordered the officers of "the boat to proceed with the utmost speed consistent with safety. About eleven o'clock P. M. I retired, but was soon "aroused by the scraping of the keel and the stoppage of "the ship. On reaching the deck I found both the "Morn"ing Light" and our convoy were fast aground. This was "about one o'clock A. M. We worked all night trying to

get afloat, but without success. In the meantime two of "our men died, and we dug a trench on the shore, burying "them in their blankets. About ten o'clock in the forenoon we were overtaken by the advance vessels of the fleet, "and with their assistance were dragged out of the mud and "proceeded on our journey. Dr. Blanchard was on board, "but was not able to do much for the sick, as he had no "medicines. We reached Baton Rouge that evening, and "took possession of a hotel as a temporary hospital, and began at once to remove the men. We succeeded in get

46

6.

ting them ashore during the night, but six died in the re"moval. As to the boat running aground there was but one way of accounting for it, and that was that we had a rebel " for a pilot."

Dr. Blanchard, whose attention to the sick had been unremitting, was finally obliged to succumb to the malarial trouble from which, for some time, he had been suffering, and which was greatly aggravated by the anxiety and responsibility which had devolved upon him. Fortunately, under the judicious and careful treatment which he received he was soon restored to duty, and afterwards rendered most excellent and efficient service in the line of his profession.

The main body of the expedition left Vicksburg on the evening of the 24th, our regiment forming the rear guard. We reached Baton Rouge without important incidents on the 26th of July, and thus ended, after the sacrifice of many valuable lives, an expedition which, had the advice of military men of experience been followed, would never have been undertaken.

CHAPTER III.

CONDITION OF THE REGIMENT-DEATH

OF LIEUT. CULL

BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE-DEATH OF COL. ROBERTS

RETURN TO CARROLTON--CHANGES AND PROMOTIONS.

1862.

N our return to Baton Rouge the regiment was in a deplorable condition. Just thirty-six days before we had set forth from that rendezvous nearly eight hundred strong, buoyant with hope and eager for active service. In that short space of time, disease and death had so reduced our ranks as to leave us with less than one hundred enlisted men fit for duty. At a review which occurred a few days before the battle, two or three companies of our regiment were not represented, their services being required to bury the dead. Among those who fell a victim to disease, occasioned by our terrible exposure, was Lieut. Richard T. Cull of Company E, a most faithful officer. He died at Baton Rouge, and was buried there with military honors. Some days before the engagement we were joined by Capt. Porter with his company, and the men of D Company who had been left to garrison Fort Pike, numbering, in all, about one hundred men.

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BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE-PRELIMINARIES.

The battle of Baton Rouge was fought on the 5th of August. On the morning of the 4th I was detailed as field officer of the day. I was not relieved from duty until the evening of the 5th, and therefore was not with the regiment during the fight, and saw it but once during the progress of the action. Hence, in narrating the part which the regiment took in this battle, I am obliged to base my statements upon reports of those who participated in, and who were eye witnesses of, its movements during the day, and from such other materials and data as I gathered at the time and afterwards verified.

As the action was opened under my own observation I desire for the purpose of illustration briefly to refer to my personal experience prior to, and during the early part of the engagement.

On reporting to Gen. Williams on the morning of the 4th, I was instructed to carefully inspect the picket line and outposts as he was in receipt of information which led him to expect an attack from Gen. Breckenridge's army, which for several days had been hovering in our immediate front. Our picket line was a good deal extended, and formed almost a semi-circle, and in executimg my orders I was engaged the better part of the day.

About dusk on the evening of the 4th I was apprised, by Gen. Williams, that his scouts had brought him intelligence which strongly indicated that the long looked for attack would take place either that night or in the early morning, and I was charged to direct our outposts and pickets to be especially vigilant, and to take every possible precaution

BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE-COMMENCEMENT.

39

against a surprise. I accordingly started at once to make a second tour of inspection, accompanied by Lieut. Charles Clark of our regiment and a mounted orderly. The night was intensely black, and the fog so dense as to greatly impede our progress. It was nearly two o'clock A. M. before we completed the rounds. Everything at that time being quiet, Lieut. Clark returned to his quarters. I had dismounted and was engaged in getting some refreshments, preparatory to making another tour, when a few straggling shots were fired from a direction immediately in front of our regiment. I hurried to the spot with my orderly, but in the darkness and fog rode through and beyond our line until I encountered the rebel skirmishers, who, after sharply calling a halt, fired a volley, by means of which I discovered my mistake and at once retraced my steps; but on approaching our line, being mistaken for the enemy, our men opened fire, and for a short time we were exposed to the bullets of both friend and foe. Fortunately the fog was so thick that our exact position could not be distinguished, and we thereby escaped any serious consequences.

I had scarcely time to deploy my skirmishers before a furious onset was made upon our position on the Greenwell Spring road, and about the same time another assault followed on the Clinton road some distance to the left. Our men fought well, but we were outnumbered, and gradually driven from one stand to another, until at last we were obliged to fall back upon the main body when the action became general. In the meantime Gen. Williams, to whom I had previously communicated the situation of affairs, rode up with a portion.