e Webb,
now lying at Alexandria, and the Cotton. This last, a large river
steamer, was in the lower Teche in charge of Captain Fuller, a western
steamboat man, and one of the bravest of a bold, daring class. He
desired to convert the Cotton into a gunboat, and was assisted to the
extent of his means by Major Brent, who furnished two twenty-fours and a
field piece for armament. An attempt was made to protect the boilers
and machinery with cotton bales and railway iron, of which we had a
small quantity, and a volunteer crew was put on board, Fuller in
command.

Midway between Berwick's Bay and Franklin, or some thirteen miles from
each, near the Bisland estate, the high ground from Grand Lake on the
east to Vermilion Bay on the west is reduced to a narrow strip of some
two thousand yards, divided by the Teche. Here was the best position in
this quarter for a small force; and Mouton, who had now ten guns and
about thirteen hundred men, was directed to hold it, with scouts and
pickets toward Berwick's. A floating bridge, of the kind described, was
just above the position, and two others farther up stream afforded ready
communication across the bayou. A light earthwork was thrown up from
Grand Lake Marsh to the Teche, and continued west to the embankment of
the uncompleted Opelousas Railway, which skirted the edge of Vermilion
Marsh. The objection to this position was the facility of turning it by
a force embarking at Berwick's, entering Grand Lake immediately above,
and landing at Hutchin's, not far from Franklin, through which last
passed the only line of retreat from Bisland. This danger was obvious,
but the people were so depressed by our retreat from Lafourche that it
was necessary to fight even with this risk.

Weitzel had followed slowly after Mouton, and now, in connection with
gunboats, made little attacks on our pickets below Bisland; but I knew
his force to be too small to attempt anything serious. In these affairs
Fuller was always forward with the Cotton, though her boilers were
inadequately protected, and she was too large and unwieldy to be handled
in the narrow Teche. Meanwhile, I was much occupied in placing guns on
the rivers at the points mentioned, getting out recruits for the two
skeleton infantry regiments, consolidating independent companies, and
other work of administration.

In the first days of January, 1863, Weitzel's force was increased to
forty-five hundred men (see "Report on the Conduct of t