was experienced by Capt. Best, chief of artillery, in finding for them suitable positions.
Ten batteries were in his command, but only thirty guns could be placed in position.
Our infantry was in two divisions--Gen. Williams on the right, and Gen. Augur on the left of Williams's division.
Crawford's division was on the right and Gordon's on the left.
Henry, Prince, and Green, were the Generals commanding the brigades of Gen. Augur's division.
The morning was occupied in arranging the foGen. Augur's division.
The morning was occupied in arranging the forces and plan of battle, neither party showing an inclination to hasten the commencement of hostilities.
At half-past 2 o'clock the cannonading commenced, and continued with increased rapidity and severity for an hour and a half.
Having kept up a most constant and rapid fire for an hour and a half, without having discovered the position of the enemy, General Banks gave orders to Crawford to advance upon the enemy, and ascertain his force and position, and endeavor to draw him into action.
irected by Gen. Roberts, of Gen. Pope's staff, to take position on the extreme right, which I occupied with my command of three regiments and two batteries.
Until 4 P. M. only a few discharges from the enemy's guns announced his presence.
At this hour a severe cannonading began, extending from the left of our line across the road upon which our centre rested.
Our batteries, served with great vigor, responded manfully, and with such success that the whole of our left, consisting of General Augur's division, advanced considerably from our first position, not withstanding the enemy occupied a height which gave him advantages of a plunging fire.
Until 5½ P. M., this artillery practice continued with unabating severity.
At this hour I heard quite a rapid musketry firing in my front, behind a range of timber, distant about one-third of a mile from my position.
I was ordered by you, sir, to move at once with my brigade and support Gen. Crawford, who was engaging the enemy's left.
Clellan was being conveyed to Washington, rushed into the presence of the General, and, showing the tattered banner, said:
"General, I have carried that flag under you throughout the whole war, and now I want to shake hands with you."
At this the Sergeant burst into tears, when McClellan replied, taking him by the hand, "Never let it go, will you?"
All who witnessed it were deeply affected by the scene.
Most of the time on board the train was spent in conversation with Gen. Augur.
At Manassas Junction Gen. Sickles came on board and held a brief interview with him, when the train proceeded to Washington.
The removal of M'Clellan's staff officers
The New York Herald, of the 15th, has an editorial evidently trying to stir up some symptom of manliness and resistance in the people of the North.
It is founded on the arrest of two of McClellan's staff officers, and the following is an extract from it:
Hitherto the arbitrary arrests made by the Administra
Banks Repulsed at Port Hudson.
The accounts from New Orleans leave no room to doubt that Banks's repulse at Port Hudson was severe and disheartening.
The divisions which did the fighting were Sherman's and Augur's. The Northern papers claim that the rebels were driven into their entrenchments after nine hours fighting.--The steamer Natchez arrived at Mobile last Monday from New Orleans with 230 paroled prisoners.
By this arrival the Mobile papers have received some information from reliable sources which the New Orleans papers are not allowed to publish.
The Federal loss was 3,000.
Among the wounded were Gen. Stafford shot through both legs; Gens. Sherman, Neal Dow, (of Maine Liquor law fame,) and Chapin, and Nickerson.
The negro regiments, to use the language of a message sent to New Orleans by Gen. Sherman, were "massacred." Sherman has since arrived in that city.
The fight was under his direction, Banks not having arrived with the main body.
This is the second prematur
ksburg will be speedily raised.
The latest news from Vicksburg shows that the investment is quite complete.
The lines of the enemy occupy a convex position.
A want of water of necessity compels this.
There is said to be a large spring four miles west of the Big Black bridge, to which the Federals have fallen back.
Its supply of water is represented as being good.
From below our news is uncertain and confused.
That Banks has landed at Bayon Sara there can be no no doubt.
He and Augur have moved to and are investing Port Hudson. --But little or no fear is entertained for its safety.
The Chaplain of the 12th Louisiana, just from Western Louisiana, states that Smith's forces pushed those of Banks so hard at Vermillion bridge as to capture his wagon train, consisting of 900 wagons and teams.
Banks came to Bayon Sara on transports from Alexandria.
Yesterday the city was full of rumors, all of a good nature; but believing them to be sensational I did not telegraph them.
leans, 23d May, and published in the New York Herald of June 3d, we extract the following paragraph, which shows that the attack on Port Hudson was made by all the Yankee forces that could be spared from lower Louisiana:
Since my last all the available force in this department has been concentrated near Baton Rouge, in order to assist in the grand attack upon Port Hudson.
The main body of the army is to-day doubtless between Bayon Sara and the enemy's works, while the divisions of Generals Augur and Sherman are operating to the south and cost of the great rebel stronghold.
I have no doubt in my own mind that before this letter is laid before the Herold's readers Port Hudson will be occupied by our forces.
Our attack will be admirably arranged, and the force brought to bear will be fully adequate to make it in all respects successful.
The Generals commanding are all experienced men and soldiers, and they will so push matters that defeat will be impossible.
As you may suppose,
d provost guard houses.
These are believed to be the last reinforcements that can be sent to Grant, unless a portion of the forces operating in North Georgia and against Richmond from below are recalled.
It is not improbable that the arrival of Augur's division, and intelligence of the defeat of Butler by Beauregard, may have influenced Grant to order the attack.
Augur's troops, like Burnside's "black spirits and white," will be worth but little in the hour of trial.
The number of woundAugur's troops, like Burnside's "black spirits and white," will be worth but little in the hour of trial.
The number of wounded men left by the enemy in the two field hospitals, which he abandoned a few days ago was not 2,400, as I was informed at the time by a staff officer high in position, but 900.
We still hold the battle field of the Wilderness and our badly wounded who were left there.
When will Congress act upon the question of rations for officers?
It members intend to afford relief, the sooner they do it the better, not only for officers, but for the service itself.
And let them act liberally, giving
nemy were massing their columns against.
Fort Stevens, with the knowledge of our weakest point of defence — which was the most alarming fracture of the whole affair — the terror of the citizens amounted almost to paralysis.
At the disposal of Gen. Augur were a few hundred days men, unused as yet to the sound of heavy artillery, five thousand of veteran reserves, men thoroughly capable of fighting, but utterly incapable of marching at the double quick from one threatened point to another.
.
The arming of all civilians attached to the Quartermaster's Department attest the belief of the military authorities here.
Their force in the condition of things was a terrible threat against the city, and but for the timely preparations of Gen. Augur, and the admirable generalship of McCook, it would have been far worse.
We wish the lesson of this brief episode had been as farm to the rebels as it is instructive to us. An insane chuckle has been going the rounds of the press that Washi
an down stairs in a very brutal manner.
He was passed down the back stairs, receiving cuffs and kicks from one of the vice-presidents of the meeting as he crossed the platform on the way. This is the Democratic idea of free speech.
The raid on the Rapid Ann.
The raid by the Federal cavalry on the Rapid Ann, in which the railroad bridge over that stream was destroyed, was performed by four hundred cavalry, under command of Colonel Luzelle, Sixteenth New York cavalry, sent out by General Augur.
The movement was ordered in reference to the impending battle between Sheridan and Early's forces.--The expedition was successful in the destruction of the railroad bridge, and also the Liberty Mills, about six miles above the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and four thousand barrels of flour, with considerable other property.
About four hundred mules were captured, but on the return of the party they encountered a greatly superior force of Early's cavalry, with whom they had a sm
rers may be inferred from the following paragraph in the Washington Star:
Forty-seven employees of the Quartermaster's Department were imprisoned yesterday for refusing to assist in clearing the Manassas Gap railroad of timber and buildings made use of by the guerrillas, the recent operations of the rebels along the road rendering it extremely dangerous to venture out unless provided with a formidable escort.
The Alexandria (Virginia) Journal says:
It is understood that General Augur, commanding the defences south of the Potomac, in view of the outrageous conduct of the guerrillas in tearing up the rails on the Manassas Gap railroad, by which the loss of life occurred a few days ago, will probably order a register of all the disloyal people of Fairfax and Alexandria counties for the purpose of having a daily detail to accompany the trains to the stations on prominent parts of the engines and cars.
Some similar measures taken by General Washburne in the Southwest pro
