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brought together, the line of march was taken for Port Hudson.
A section of Arnold's Battery was put upon the road leading directly from the Store into Port Hudson; and the Forty-eighth was ordered to support it. It had hardly taken its position when the enemy opened upon it with shot and shell from covered guns.
This was the first time the regiment was under fire; it lost two killed, seven wounded, eleven prisoners.
In the general assault, on May 27th, a call was made in General Auger's division for volunteers to a storming party of two hundred men. From the Forty-eighth, ninety-two men volunteered; among whom were Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien, five captains, eleven lieutenants, fourteen non-commissioned officers, and sixty-three privates.
In this battle, the regiment lost seven killed and forty-one wounded. Among the killed was Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien.
He fell early in the engagement, pierced by a rifle-shot, as he turned to cheer forward the storming party he was leading.
He was a brave soldier, a generous companion and friend, and a true-hearted patriot.
June 5.—The regiment was sent to the Plains Store for rearguard duty.
On the 14th, having reported to General Dwight, it formed a part of the assaulting column under command of Colonel Benedict.
In that engagement it lost two killed and eleven wounded. The next day, it was ordered back to its brigade, and shared all the exposure and hardships of the siege of Port Hudson.
In the engagement at Donaldsville on the 13th July, the Third Brigade, under command of Colonel Dudley, suffered considerably.
The loss in the Forty-eighth was three killed, seven wounded, twenty-three taken prisoners.
On Aug. 1, the regiment returned to its camp at Baton Rouge, having left it seventy-four days previous, in light marching order.
Aug. 9.—The Forty-eighth started for Boston via Cairo, where it arrived Aug. 23, and was mustered out of service Sept. 3, at ‘Camp Lander.’
The Forty-ninth Regiment was in the Department of the Gulf.
It left New York Jan. 24, 1863, by transport for New Orleans, where it arrived about Feb. 3.
From thence it was
1868. E. P. DUtton and Co. Boston,.
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