rear of the town, which commanded all the other
defensive works as well as the town itself. They then began pushing
masses of troops down the hill, while their sharpshooters were picking
off the artillerists in the main fort, called Fort Curtis. Guns had
also been placed in commanding positions near the river, both above
and below the town, and opened fire upon the line of defensive works
across the river bottom, there about a thousand yards in width.
Lieutenant-Commander Pritchett, of the Tyler, seeing how the assault
was about to be made, placed his vessel in front of the town, so that
her broadside played upon the enemy descending the hills, while their
artillery above and below were exposed to her bow and stern guns. From
this advantageous position the Tyler opened fire, and to her powerful
battery and the judgment with which it was used must be mainly
attributed the success of the day; for though the garrison fought with
great gallantry and tenacity, they were outnumbered two to one. The
enemy were driven back with great slaughter. General Prentiss,
commanding the post, took occasion to acknowledge, in the fullest and
most generous manner, Pritchett's care in previously acquainting
himself with the character of the ground, as well as the assistance
afterward rendered by him in the fight. Four hundred of the enemy were
buried on the field and 1,100 were made prisoners.

While Grant was occupied at Vicksburg and Banks at Port Hudson,
General Taylor, commanding the Confederate forces in West Louisiana,
had concentrated, on the morning of the 6th of June, a force of three
brigades at Richmond, about ten miles from Milliken's Bend and twenty
from Young's Point. At Milliken's there was a brigade of negro troops,
with a few companies of the Twenty-third Iowa white regiment, in all
1,100 men; and at Young's a few scattered detachments, numbering 500
or 600. Taylor determined to try a surprise of both points, having
also a vague hope of communicating with Vicksburg, or causing some
diversion in its favor. At sundown of the 6th one brigade was moved
toward Milliken's, and one toward Young's Point, the third taking a
position in reserve six miles from Richmond. The force directed
against Young's Point blundered on its way, got there in broad
daylight, and, finding a gunboat present, retired without making any
serious attempt. The other brigade, commanded by McCulloch, reached
its destination about 3 A.M. of the 7th, drove in