Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/340

 334 Southern Historical Society Papers.

left of our line of fortifications, defended by the First Mississippi regiment, and a projecting" work extending far out on the river bluff below the town, on the right of our fortifications, called by us Bat- tery No. II, and by the enemy the " Citadel." A rifle-pit was con- structed by the enemy along the crest of the bluff opposite to Battery No. ii, running down to the river bank, which was in ad- vance of their marine battery, the most formidable fortification op- posed to us, and from which we anticipated considerable annoyance. About the same time they commenced their approaches, with zig- zag ditches, in front of Fort Desperate and the position held by the First Mississippi. Lieutenant Dabney and our engineers imme- diately perceived these operations, and commenced to meet them with counter operations, and oppose engineering against engineering. Colonel Johnson had galleries dug under his breastworks, through which his men could crawl into the outer ditch and sharpshoot from that, while he also built an upper work on the top of his parapet to give a commanding position to his marksmen, enabling them to shoot down into the enemy' ditches so soon as they should approach near enough. Captain L. J. Girard, of the ordnance, prepared some 13- inch shells to plant outside of these threatened points, and he him- self placed some of them in the night, buried a short distance beneath the surface of the ground, having friction primers in the vent holes with wires attached, leading within our fortifications, so that they could be exploded under the feet of an advancing column.

On the i8th June the mortar boats brought their bombardment to a close. After the 24th of May they had adopted a slow and regular system of throwing shells, each boat firing in its turn, except on cer- tain occasions of extra exertion, but now thej'^ gave it up altogether.

An informal kind of truce was arranged between the men of both sides on our extreme right on the i6th, which lasted about a week, during which both sides stopped sharpshooting ; in some cases sol- diers would meet each other half way between the hostile lines and make exchanges, in which the Federals showed much liberality, making presents of tobacco, coffee, and newspapers, at times getting small quantities of sugar and molasses in return As soon as this came to the knowledge of our superior officers it was stopped, although the informal armistice was not interfered with for awhile on account of shortness of ammunition. During this time we strength- ened our work on the point (Battery 11) considerably, our men working during the day in full view of the enemy, who were also busily engaged in constructing their marine battery opposite. The