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disposed to the right and left along the river. The levee was about a hundred and
fifty yards in the rear, and beyond that were the open fields of Carter's plantation.
Thus disposed, the Confederates awaited the enemy's approach, beguiling the time
by picking the luscious blackberries found here in great profusion.

They had not long to wait, as the Federal vessels soon appeared. The Crescent
City, a side-wheeler which had formerly plied between New Orleans and Memphis,
led the van. She was now employed as a transport, and was loaded down with
troops, the whole vessel being blue with them. They covered the entire hurricane
deck and crowded the water deck below, packed and jammed in a way that only
pleasure-seekers can tolerate and enjoy. Behind the Crescent City, at a distance
of about half a mile, was a gunboat, and following that at regular intervals four
more transports. The number of troops aboard the five vessels was estimated at
about four thousand infantry and cavalry. As the first transport — its decks a
scene of jollity and animation — drew near the Confederate battery, the latter
opened on her with a rapid fire of shell and cannister, the effect of which on the
Yankees was, of course, startling. They jumped and rushed with pain and fright
to the opposite side of the boat, thus careening it fearfully and exposing its hull
to the artillerists on shore. The latter proceeded at once to fire shell into it, till the
Yankee officers got the men back and righted the boat again.

The infantry aboard returned the fire and wounded three Confederates. As
soon as the gunboat came within easy cannister range, the artillery withdrew
behind the levee in the rear. While this was going on below, the transports above
came to the shore, threw out their stages, and speedily landed a force of three
thousand cavalry and infantry to capture the pestilent Confederates. The latter
withdrew their artillery at once across the open fields in the direction of Greenville,
while Major Bridges, with the sharpshooters, remained at the levee to cover their
retreat. To cover his own he ordered Lieutenant Ritter to halt his section of
artillery at a bridge across a bayou half a mile in the rear, and await further orders.
He himself withdrew by another road over a bridge half a mile farther up the
bayou, while the enemy, in line of battle, advanced along both roads. As there
was no force to hold the upper bridge, the way was open to Lieutenant Ritter's
rear; and yet no " further orders " came. The enemy had actually crossed the
upper bridge and were nearing their line of retreat, when the Third Maryland
limbered up and passed down the road at a gallop. At the same moment, seeing
Lieutenant Ritter's peril, Major Bridges ordered a countercharge of his cavalry,
on the other road, and thus held the enemy in check until the section was out of
danger of capture.

Passing through a strip of woods into an adjacent plantation, the Confederates
drew up in line to await the enemy. They not appearing, the retreat was continued
by the artillery. The latter had not proceeded far, however, before a hurried order