The Black Phalanx Part 60

"14th.--All quiet in camp.

"15th.--Fell back to Bayou Monticino.

"16th.--Commenced to build a second bridge at Monticino Bayou.

"17th.--Company G, Lieutenant Dame, and Company E, Lieutenant John Keefe, went on a scout under command of Lieutenant Quinn, captured one horse, cattle, and had a skirmish with rebel pickets.

"18th.--Company G on picket ordered to block the road with felled trees, connecting the Clinton and Bayou Sara roads, to prevent the rebel cavalry and artillery getting in the rear of Dudley's brigade, who were camped near Plains Store.

"19th.--Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant Quinn rode to Dudley's headquarters. The regiment marched two miles nearer to Port Hudson in the evening; were ordered back and bivouacked that night.

"20th.--At 10 P. M. again for Port Hudson. After hours of hard marching in heavy order in a hot sun on dusty roads and very little water to drink, the regiment camped at dark in the left of the Union line on the road leading to Springfield landing.

"21st.--Battle of Plains Store. During the morning there were rumors of a fight, as the rebels were determined to prevent a junction of the force under Augur and Grover, of Banks' army, who were moving down from St. Francis. This brought on the above-named battle, in which the negro regiment held the extreme left, and thus prevented the rebels getting in the rear of the Union troops.

"22d.--Companies A and G drove back some rebel pickets, capturing one man, horse, equipments, and two rifles. The man was thrown by his horse and was badly hurt, his head striking against a tree.

"23d.--We formed a junction to-day with Banks, and Port Hudson is invested.

"24th.--Companies E and G, under Captain Blake, on a scout.

"25th.--To-day the regiment marched from the extreme left to the extreme right of the Union line, a hard long tramp again in heavy order. At night we encamped near Sandy Creek, close to the Mississippi. Each man had to carry his own baggage. This regiment was never given any wagons.

"26th.--At Sandy Creek protecting men laying the pontoon bridge.

Skirmis.h.i.+ng all day with the rebels. The boys are getting used to fighting.

"27th.--Storming the batteries. The negro soldiers prove the bravest of the brave. To-day was fought one of the most desperate battles on record. Our brigade, six companies of the 1st, and nine companies of 3rd Regiment Louisiana Native Guards, commenced fighting at quarter of an hour before 6 A. M. The 1st, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ba.s.sett, advanced in skirmish line up through the wood and soon drew the enemy's fire. The 3rd under Lieutenant-Colonel Finnega.s.s, were in line of battle about fifty yards in rear of the first, the whole command under Colonel John A. Nelson, of the 3rd Regiment. The rebels opened with infantry fire and sh.e.l.ls at short range, and their fire was very effective and for a short time the first, which was in danger of utter destruction, wavered, when Colonel Ba.s.sett and his colored officers moved among the men encouraging them by their own fearless examples. At this crisis, Colonel Finnega.s.s sent forward his four left companies, under Captain John E. Quinn, to support the 1st. Captain Quinn moved up in good order, placing his left company under Lieutenant John O'Keefe so as to face the bridge on his left, held by the rebels in rifle-pits, Finnega.s.s keeping the other five companies well in hand, to use them when most needed. When within pistol shot of the fortifications, to their dismay they were stopped--not by the rebels, but by a back flow of the river. The water was not more than forty feet across, but over eight feet deep. To cross this without boat or bridge was impossible, particularly under such a terrible fire as the rebels poured upon them in front and on both flanks. On the left the rebels were actually in their rear so far had the gallant fellows advanced. The slaughter was now becoming fearful. Colonel Finnega.s.s at this juncture asked Captain Quinn if he could cross the water; Quinn called on volunteers to follow him. The whole that was left of his own company, G, and Lieutenant O'Keefe with Company E, responded to his call, and in they plunged, the men holding their rifles and cartridge boxes above their heads. In the mean time Ba.s.sett and Finnega.s.s (whose men were lying down) kept a continual fire on the rebel gunners and drove them from their guns, but the water was too much for the men, and only 35 or 40--with Quinn and O'Keefe and Lieutenants Burnham and Dame--succeeded in crossing. This handful actually followed their reckless leader up to the very cannon's mouth, and for 15 or 20 minutes held the whole rebel battery in their hands. Colonel Finnega.s.s seeing that in a few minutes more his brave men would be destroyed, rushed into the water and ordered Quinn to fall back, as a regiment of rebels were clambering over the works to get in their rear. The brave fellows fell back, but alas, few of them ever answered roll-call again. Out of the band but six re-crossed alive, and of these, Lieutenants O'Keefe, Burnham and Sergeants Vincent and Taylor, who were wounded; Quinn and Dame were the only ones unhurt. The whole regiment now fell back about 600 yards, in the shelter of the woods. Six times we advanced, hoping to find some spot where the men could cross, but in vain. We entered this fight with 1080 men, and lost 371 killed and 150 wounded; total loss, 421. The rebels sh.e.l.led us with their heavy guns. On our front were artillery and infantry; on our left a wooded ridge full of riflemen. We had two six-pounders; one of them was dismounted early in the fight, and the other the gunners ran out of range, it being of no use.

"Now, why were the colored troops left unsupported? Why were they sent on such hopeless missions? Why were the officers informed by General Dwight that there were clear grounds beyond Sandy Creek? There were white troops who could have been sent to their support; the officers expected to fight the rebels but met the river. Colonel Nelson played General to perfection; during the whole battle he remained on the safe side of Sandy Creek, and had his corps of orderlies to attend him; in plain words he kept his men under fire from quarter before six A. M., till seven P. M. During the day he never saw a rebel's face or back.

* * * The heroes of the day were the men; not one of them showed the "white feather." Colonel Ba.s.sett and his colored officers of the 1st were as brave as any men who ever drew a sword, and so were Finnega.s.s, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 3rd, and Captains Smith, Daly, Masterson and others. Lieutenants O'Keefe, Burnham, Wiley, Griggs, Emory, Westervelt and Dame of the 3rd, and Captain Quinn, who commanded the left wing and led the storming column of the 3rd. Lieutenant-Colonel Ba.s.sett was formerly of the 4th Mississippi Regiment; Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant-Colonel Finnega.s.s, were both of Irish parentage; Captain Daily and Lieutenant Emory, of the 31st Ma.s.sachusetts, Lieutenant O'Keefe of the 9th and Burnham, of the 13th Connecticut, Masterson and Wiley, of the 26th Ma.s.sachusetts, Company A, of the 3rd, were on detached service. Captain John E. Quinn is a native of Lowell, Ma.s.s.; born April 22nd, 1837 came from the 30th Ma.s.sachusetts, in which he was orderly of Company B."

A correspondent of the New York _Tribune_ writing, says:

"The more I see of our colored regiments, and the more I converse with our soldiers, the more convinced I am that upon them we must ultimately rely as the principle source of our strength in these lat.i.tudes. It is perfect nonsense for any one to attempt to talk away the broad fact, evident as the sun at noonday, that these men are capable not only of making good soldiers, but the very best of soldiers. The Third Louisiana Native Guard, Colonel Nelson, are encamped here, and a more orderly, disciplined, robust, and effective set of men I defy any one to produce.

"An old European officer, one who has followed the profession of arms from his very boyhood, said to me to-day: 'In one essential respect, sir, I believe that in a short time these colored soldiers will surpa.s.s any we have in our army--I mean in subordination--without which no army can be effective. We are in the habit of carrying our citizens.h.i.+p with us into the field, and that begets an amount of undue familiarity between officers and men that is often destructive of obedience. Toward the black man we feel none of these delicate sentiments of equality, and he, on his part, has always been accustomed to be commanded. Beside this he is acclimated, knows the country thoroughly, and if called upon to fight will fight in earnest, for he knows that if taken prisoner he will meet no mercy.'

"Colonel Nelson, anxious to have an opportunity of exhibiting to the world what his command is capable of, and thus put their manhood beyond all question, has implored General Banks to put him in the foremost point of danger in the coming struggle, and says that his men are as ready as himself to stake their lives upon the result; but the general--doubtless acting upon explicit orders--says they must, at present at least, be confined to manning the fortifications here.

"I am happy to say that the feeling toward these colored regiments throughout the army is undergoing the most rapid and extraordinary changes. Soldiers that only a few months, nay, weeks ago, would have flown into a furious pa.s.sion at the bare idea of a black man carrying a musket like themselves, now say, 'O, if you are going to give them white officers that is another affair altogether.'"

The following letter gives some interesting recollections of the military events of the Department of the Gulf:

"NEW ORLEANS, January 18th, 1883.

"_To Colonel J. T. Wilson, Norfolk, Va._:

"FRIEND: Your two circulars issued from Cailloux Post No. 2 on the 13th inst. are received. It is quite a compliment to Louisiana to have named your Post after the hero of Port Hudson, who immortalized himself in those celebrated charges in May, 1863.

"It is over twenty years ago that I took a commission in the 3d Louisiana Native Guard as a senior lieutenant of Company H. I was quite intimate with Captain Andre Cailloux.

"Grave doubts had been expressed by Banks, the nominal commander, and his officers regarding the fitness of colored men as soldiers. The perplexing question was, 'Will they stand their christening under such a hail storm as will come from those bristling Port Hudson heights?' In fact those three colored regiments--the 1st, 2d, and 3d Louisiana Native Guards, organized in 1862, and afterward incorporated in the Ullman Brigade as the 73d, 74th, and 75th--had become more a subject of test than of real dependence at the critical juncture of trial.

"General Osterhaus solved the mystery by taking command of a division, including the 1st and 3d Native Guards. Those magnificent series of charges were made by these two regiments. The first charge was made on a Sunday, the 27th day of May, 1863, supported on the right by the celebrated Duryea's Zouaves, of New York, which were mowed down like gra.s.s before a scythe. It was then and there that Captain Cailloux gloriously died in advance of his company while cheering his men. It was also on that day that the immortal color-bearer, Anselino, was killed, and fell within the folds of his regimental flag, which was besmeared with his blood, with the broken flag-staff in his hand. Other strong arms came to the rescue of the flag only to meet death until the honor of the flag alone cost the lives of sixteen men or more. The gallant Lieutenant Crowder was killed on the field of honor at the flower of his age. Captain Sauer was wounded in the foot while charging. The 3d Native Guards also sustained its reputation, and many deeds of valor were performed by its officers and men. But when after those engagements the roll-call was made we had many friends to mourn. You are aware, I suppose, of an historical fact.

Jefferson Davis had issued a proclamation that any colored officer captured at the head of black troops would not be exchanged, but immediately hung. It was thus that Lieutenant Oscar Orillion, when captured at Jackson, La., was hung and shot to pieces.

"Port Hudson was surrendered by General Pemberton the 8th of July, 1863. General Osterhaus became very proud of his colored regiments after what he had seen at Port Hudson.

"Had these two regiments failed, or destiny betrayed their courage, the colored troops would have been universally condemned, and would not have been employed as soldiers, but used as servants, drivers, and laborers, on fortifications, bridges, and ditches. To the 2d Louisiana Native Guards belongs the honor of having had the first colored major in the army, and it is Major Ernest Dumas, now living and actually in New Orleans.

"The most terrible engagement (1st and 2d) was at Spanish Fort in Mobile Bay, Ala., shortly after Fort Pillow's ma.s.sacre. General Osterhaus told the colored troops the night previous to the attack that at break of day they had to charge and take Spanish Fort. It was customary with the general to tell the troops by what regiments they would be sustained. The men did not seem to be very enthusiastic, but when they were told how the rebels had murdered men of their own color and their white fellow-soldiers without mercy, they sprang to their guns and called unanimously for 'revenge.' Great G.o.d! they had their revenge, sure enough!

The charge was made, the fort taken, and nearly every rebel slaughtered amid the deafening yells of the colored and white troops of 'Remember Fort Pillow.' The 1st and the 3d regiments cleared Alabama up to Selina.

"As it is impossible for me to devote my time any longer, and to turn over the leaves of the past in my clouded memory, which is quite impaired lately on account of my declining years, besides the metacarpal bone of my right hand, which was broken by a musket in the army, is always painful when I write too much, I will refer you to Sergeant Calice Dupie, of Company H, 1st Louisiana Native Guards, Captain Sauer, who is employed in the custom house. I am told that Captain R. H. Isabell, of the 2d Louisiana Native Guards, has taken a memorandum of all the historical incidents of those three regiments. They are all Louisianians, and reside in New Orleans. As for the officers of my regiment (the 3d Native Guards) they are all dead nearly, which makes me think that my time soon will be on hand.

"Though my information is limited, I have strictly confined myself to facts which I am sure will be corroborated by others, I court investigation upon my statements, and will always be glad to furnish witnesses to sustain them.

"Fraternally yours, E. LONGPIE,

"_Ex-1st Lt. Co. H 3d L. N. G., Ex-officer of Anselino Post No. 6 G. A. R._"