View of the Ouachita River from Fort Beauregard - Catahoula News Booster, 1976 |
Official Report of Colonel George William Logan, on the Engagement Between the Federal Gunboats and Fort Beauregard, on the 10th and 11th of May, 1863.
Headquarters, Fort Beauregard,
Harrisonburg, La., May 18, 1863
To Captain S. B. Davis,
A. A. General, Sub District North La.
Captain:
At 7 o’clock on the evening of the 9th
instant, my picket boat, from Trinity, brought me a communication from Mr. R.
G. Smith, one of my scouts, at Major Beard’s, on Black River, bearing date 3pm
that day, informing me that two Federal gunboats were near that place,
proceeding up the river.
At 10 o’clock P. M., the same day, I received a
communication from Lieutenant Stone, of Captain Purvis’s company, to the effect
that our scouts opposite Alexandria had obtained information that four gunboats
had left that place for the avowed purpose of capturing Fort Beauregard.
At 4 o’clock A. M., on the 10th instant, G.
Spencer Mayo, whom I had appointed, by your orders, Provost Marshall, at
Trinity, and Superintendent of Scouts on Black River, brought me further
information that four gunboats had laid up the night previous four miles above
Major Beard’s. The officers of the
gunboats stated, at Major Beard’s, that they were to cooperate with a large land
force for the capture of Fort Beauregard.
Major Harrison having just reported here for duty with
his battalion of cavalry, and he himself being absent, Captain Purvis, senior
Captain of the battalion, was ordered to dispose of his forces in such a manner
as to check the advance of land forces, and to bring intelligence of their
approach. I had previously built a line
of bonfires along the banks of the river, which were to be ignited by Captain
Purvis’s pickets in case the boats attempted to pass at night. I also called upon Captain Purvis for an
additional guard for the fort, to serve as infantry.
To Captain Thomas O. Benton, commanding Bell’s battery, I
assigned the command of all the artillery on the fort, and to Captain William
B. Spencer, Company F, Eleventh Louisiana battalion, I assigned the command of
all the infantry. Lieutenant A. R.
Abercrombie, Superintendent of Heavy Artillery Drill, personally inspected the
management of the heavy artillery during the action, and Lieutenant J. D.
Girtman, the light artillery, the fire of which was very effective.
All the heavy artillery were manned by Captain Spencer’s
company of infantry, which had been drilling for some time in heavy artillery,
commanded by Lieutenants C. C. Duke, D. Castleberry and A. D. Parker.
This disposition of the troops having been made, and all
being in readiness, on the receipt of the first intelligence the long roll was
beaten, and the troops, with spirit and enthusiasm, awaited the attack of the
enemy.
All the government stores were moved to the large
commissary in the fort, and the few remaining citizens notified to leave the
town. Officers and men laid on their
arms all Saturday night, a vigilant guard being kept.
At daylight, Sunday, 10th instant, the smoke from the
gunboats was in sight, but the boats themselves did not appear before 1 o’clock
that day. They were the iron-clad
Pittsburg, the Arizona, General Price and ram Switzerland. They rounded the bend two miles distant, and
proceeded up the reach in line of battle to a point a mile and a half from the
fort.
Not wishing to throw away a single shot, I took position
in the lower casemate and issued orders that fire should not be opened until
the lower gun was fired as a signal.
Just when we expected the boats to open fire, a yawl bearing a flag of
truce was observed approaching the fort.
Anticipating that its object was to demand the surrender of the fort, I
deputized Captain Benton and my Adjutant, Lieutenant James G. Blanchard, to
meet the yawl, with instructions, in case of such a demand, to respond that “we
would hold the fort forever.”
The deputation proceeded to a point a mile below the
fort, where it met the yawl. Lieutenant
Faulks, bearing the flag of truce, stated that Commodore Woodworth, commanding
the fleet, demanded the unconditional surrender of the fort; and, in case the
demand was not acceded to, we would be allowed one hour to move the women and
children out of town. The deputation
replied as they had been instructed, and stated that the women and children had
already been removed. The yawl then
returned to the gunboats, and within a half hour their fire was opened on the
fort. When this fire had continued about
a half hour, the boats gradually approaching the fort, I sighted and fired the
signal gun, as I then considered them within range. All our rifle pieces and heavy guns
immediately opened fire, striking the boats several times, evidently with such
effect that they dropped down some distance, when I immediately ordered a
cessation of our fire. After keeping up
their fire for some time, whilst out of our range, the boats began approaching
the fort again. When within our range we
re-opened our fire, and a close combat raged until 6 1/2 o’clock P. M., when
the enemy retreated down the river, evidently crippled. They laid up during the night some four miles
down the river. Our officers and men
remained at their guns during the night, expecting that the boats would attempt
to pass under cover of darkness; but they did not make their appearance until
11 o’clock next morning, when they renewed their attack more vigorously than
the day previous, with only the iron-clad and two other gunboats, however. They approached nearer the fort, fired more
briskly and accurately (striking the lower casemate alone six times), and
exploded most of their shells in the fort.
Our fire was most effective, striking the boats repeatedly and exploding
rifled shells in their midst.
Captain Purvis, about this time, with a body of
sharpshooters, proceeded down the river in the rear of an Indian mound near the
boats, and, at the time when the decks were most crowded, opened fire upon them
from ambush, and continued firing until they retreated, annoying them to such
an extent that they shifted their guns and opened fire with grape and canister.
At about 2 o’clock the same day they retired, evidently
much damaged, from the fact that quantities of broken timber from the wooden
boats were found floating down the river.
I also learned that eight men were buried from off the boats, at a point
just above Trinity, and from their own statements there were some thirty or
forty wounded on board.
I ordered Captain Purvis to direct Lieutenant Gillespie,
of his company, to follow the boats down the river, and from him we learned
that the boats passed out of Black River on the 12th instant.
On their way up they committed no depredations at Trinity
except to take eighteen bales of cotton to strengthen their boats. As they retreated down the river they landed
a force at Trinity, seized the merchandise and stores of the loyal citizens, appropriated
such as they wanted, destroyed and threw into the river some one hundred
barrels of salt and provisions, divided the goods among the poorer classes,
with a view, no doubt, of ingratiating themselves in the friendship of the
latter, and notified the citizens that upon their return they would burn the
entire town if seventy-eight bales of cotton accumulated there, were
removed. I proceeded down to Trinity on
our picket boat, on the morning of the 12th instant, seized the
cotton and brought it to the fort to strengthen our fortifications.
One of the boats was observed passing Trinity with one
wheel disabled, and the general hammering on all the boats indicated
considerable damage.
I would respectfully report, as the certain result of the
fight, that the enemy were defeated in their attempt to take the fort—that they
were repulsed, and returned down the river with a loss of eight killed and
thirty or forty wounded.
Under the storm of shell rained upon us, damaging our
parapets in many places, and exploding within the fort, my command behaved with
great gallantry. To Captains Purvis,
Benton and Spencer; to my Adjutant, Lieutenant Blanchard, and also to
Lieutenants Abercrombie and Girtman, I am under obligations for their coolness
and gallantry, and their untiring energy and activity throughout the two days’
bombardment. Lieutenants Parker, Duke,
Castleberry and Carter, have my thanks for their exertions at the guns, and the
precision of their fire.
I regret to report that Lieutenant Carter was mortally
wounded by a large fragment of shell while gallantly discharging his
duties. Private Ford, of Spencer’s
company, was severely wounded in the arm, and two others slightly wounded. These were the only casualties on our
side. G. Spencer Mayo and George H.
Wells, of the Engineer Department, volunteered for duty, and did good service.
Great praise is due Lieutenant Buhlow, for having planned
and executed this almost impregnable work.
The nine and ten-inch rifled shells and heavy shot thrown at us failed
in almost every instance to penetrate the parapets and casemates, those
entering and bursting on the terrplaine having generally passed over the
parapets.
Many houses in Harrisonburg have been sadly torn and
damaged by the enemy’s shells.
I have the honor to remain, Captain,
Very respectfully, your ob’t servant,
GEO WM. LOGAN
Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding
Source Citation: Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 11
One of my ancesters, William Deanes was at the fort and was killed in unknown circumstances. He was Sheriff of Union Parish and was in charges of slaves working on the fortifications. Have you seen any mention of him or how he died? Thank you.
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