Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/585

104 every point where it was possible to reach the road." On the morning of the 28th, the enemy again attacked the woods held the previous day by Colonel Withers, but now by Col. Allen Thomas’ Louisiana regiment. Thomas held his ground against at least a brigade and a battery of six guns until noon, when he retired, rapidly followed by the enemy, who was checked by a volley from Colonel Hall’s Louisiana regiment in rifle-pits at the lake. The enemy also attacked Colonel Morrison at the mound in heavy force, and placed several batteries opposite to him which kept up a continuous fire.

The advance of Steele on the levee had given General Lee much uneasiness, and he had increased his force there on the night of the 27th, placing Colonel Withers, First Mississippi artillery, in charge, with the Forty-sixth Mississippi, Seventeenth Louisiana and Bowman’s battery. The main fighting on the 28th was done at that point, Steele appearing in force on the levee with artillery, "but was handsomely held in check and driven back by Colonel Withers’ command, the Forty-sixth Mississippi and two Napoleon guns under Lieutenant Johnston doing admirable work." On the same day a small infantry force which had been landed at Snyder's Mill was withdrawn, only the gunboats remaining to amuse themselves with fire at long range.

Sherman now determined to make his attack in force at the bayou where Thomas had been pushed back. He withdrew Steele from the other side of the bayou and put him in with Morgan. By this arrangement he chose to attack at the apex of a triangle while Lee held the base and two sides, as the latter officer has pointed out.

Early on the morning of the 29th, Lee withdrew Hall from the rifle-pits beyond the lake, leaving open to Sherman the approach which he had selected, through the abatis, the mucky shallow at the head of the bayou and the tangled marsh, to the dry ground on which Lee awaited him. Morgan advanced cautiously and took possession