lved to attack, and having made every preparation,
only waited for the word from the commanding general.

The day was waning; it was already past four o'clock; and Banks
was still somewhat anxiously weighing the approach of night and
the cost of the assault against the chance of news from Grover,
when suddenly, straight up the bayou, and high above the heads of
Banks and his men, a 9-inch shell came hurtling, and as it was seen
to burst over the lines of Bisland, from far in the rear broke the
deep roar of the _Clifton_'s bow-gun. Soon from below the obstructions
that barred her progress came a messenger bearing the long-expected
tidings of Grover. At last he was on land and in march toward his
position. With a sense of relief Banks recalled the orders for
the assault and drew his front line back out of fire of the
Confederate musketry so that the men might rest. To relieve the
exhausted skirmish line, the 4th Massachusetts and the 162d New
York of Ingraham's brigade were sent forward from the reserve,
leaving him only the 110th New York.

By dawn the next morning, at all events, Banks calculated, the
turning column would be in place; accordingly during the night he
gave orders to assault along the whole front as soon as it should
be light enough to see.

However, shortly after midnight, sounds were heard on the picket
line, indicating some unusual movement behind the Confederate works.
When, at daybreak, the various skirmishers moved forward in eager
rivalry, they found the Confederates gone. Captain Allaire, leading
his company of the 133d New York, was the first to enter the works;
the regiment itself and the 8th New Hampshire followed closely,
and the colors of the 8th were the first to mount the parapet,
where they were planted by Paine. On the left bank, this honor
fell to the 53d Massachusetts. But in truth the surge was so nearly
simultaneous that the whole line of entrenchments on both sides of
the bayou, from right to left, was crossed almost at the same
instant.

It was nine o'clock on Monday night when Taylor learned of Grover's
movements and position, as narrated in the next chapter. Taylor
at once began to move out of the lines of Bisland and to direct
his attention to Grover in order to secure a retreat. Just before
daylight Green, to whom, with his 5th Texas, Waller's battalion,
and West's section of Semmes's battery, Taylor had given the more
than usually delicate task of covering the rea