Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

[321] known; one vessel was severely damaged, but not a man was killed. Doubtless, the share in the bombardment, taken by the fleet, served materially to distract and annoy the garrison, but the distance of the lower works from the river, and their elevation, were too great for any permanent effect to be accomplished by the gunboat fire. McArthur, however, was preparing to take advantage of the temporary silence of the rebel works in this quarter, when he received other orders.

Thus, all along the line, the assault, though made by heroes, had completely failed. Each corps had advanced, had met the shock, and then recoiled. The rebel position was too strong, both naturally and artificially, to be taken by storm. At every point assaulted, and at all of them at the same time, the enemy was able to show all the force his works could cover; while, the difficulties of the ground rendered an attack in column, or indeed almost any tactical movement by the national troops, utterly impossible. Each corps had many more men than could possibly be used, on such ground as intervened between it and the enemy. Grant's loss had been great, both in killed and wounded. The hillsides were covered with the slain, and with unfortunates who lay panting in the hot sun, crying for water which none could bring them, and writhing in pain that might not be relieved; while the rebels, ensconced behind their lofty parapets, had suffered but little in comparison. The national troops had everywhere shown the greatest individual bravery. Regiments, in all three corps, had planted their flags on the enemy's works, where they still waved, the rebels unable or afraid to remove them; national detachments, after ineffectual