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prompt capture of Butte-à--la-Rose.
The high water, flooding the land and swelling the bayous, rendered this expedition impossible.
It was reserved for the fleet, on April 20th, in conjunction with companies of infantry, to take the Butte.
Again the fleet had, under a strong leader, shown the army how to take a fortified work.
For both fleet and army, the capture of the Butte was an inviting object.
Banks had ordered Grover, commanding at Baton Rouge and already waiting for the order, to proceed by water to Donaldsonville and thence to Thibodeaux.
Behind an open Atchafalaya, he could see the Red river country free to his troops.
These two expeditions, therefore, were an advance in force of a powerful army.
Dick Taylor was on the Teche awaiting him with 4,000 men all told.
For the Confederate leader, the larger the enemy's column, the more he enjoyed the shock of battle.
Banks had been building up rainbows during March, 1863.
Every expedition sent out by him was, directly or indirectly, connected with the expedition up Red river.
Weitzel had previously been despatched to move up the Teche, and having heard of the arrival of the Confederate vessels Queen of the West and Webb at Butte-à--la-Rose, he naturally wanted some gunboats for himself.
Without a superior force of these at Berwick bay he could not longer hold his position on the Atchafalaya.
On April 8th, Banks left New Orleans on a new expedition.
He reached Brashear City, where Weitzel's brigade was stationed, and immediately ordered Weitzel to cross the bay, followed closely by Emory.
Grover, from Bayou Boeuf, reached him about 1 p. m. On April 10th, Banks' general plan was to move upon Bayou Teche, with a probable attack upon our force at Pattersonville.
After this he purposed proceeding to New Iberia to destroy the salt works near that town.
Banks was crossing on the 9th, 10th and 11th.
The transportation of his large army was necessarily slow.
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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