Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/323

 Fortification and Siege of Port Hudson. 317

line to fire — at the first volley the enemy retreated through the woods in great confijsion.

My line of skirmishers was immediately thrown forward, but v did not come in contact with the enemy for a half mile. In about two hours the enemy again advanced in heavy force, drove in our skir- mishers, came in range of the main line, and engaged it heavily, while two heavy bodies of infantry attempted to flank us on both flanks. All the troops on the flanks, not absolutely needed to repel the attack in front, were deployed to the right or left to defeat this move of the enemy. The battle now raged on the whole line. I received urgent and repeated calls from both flanks for help. I ordered Colonel Johnson, who was commanding the reserve, to send two companies to the right, and two companies to the left, which order was promptly obeyed. The enemy continued to mass his forces at those points, and to press us hard at the same time in the centre. At this time I received reinforcements of two hundred men (five companies) of the Thirty-ninth Mississippi regiment, under command of Captain Collum. One hundred of this battalion I ordered to support the extreme right, the other hundred to the extreme left. Thus reinforced the right repelled every attack ; but in consequence of my inability, from want of troops, to extend our line to Sandy Creek, the enemy marched a body of troops around the extreme left and seriously threatened our rear.

At the same time that I received this report from my left, Lieu- tenant Toledano, commanding section of artillery, informed me that one of his guns was spiked from a defective friction primer, and that the ammunition for both guns was exhausted. I ordered the artil- lery to the rear to receive supplies of ammunition and to take po- sition on my original line of battle, a half mile in advance of the mil). I gave with great reluctance the order for the infantry to retire. They were troops (excepting my own regiment ) which I had never seen under fire, and the battalions were not under command of their habitual commanders, but junior commanders — m several instances captains. I feared the enemy would press us at the moment of re- treat, and convert it into a* rout, but I was agreeably surprised. The whole line fell back in perfect order, and was reformed promptly on our original line.

The artillery, replenished with ammunition, took position in the centre commanding the road. The enemy showing no disposition to advance upon our new line, our skirmishers were sent forward and met the enemy in force, and the skirmish was renewed. Night being