Bisland, and by the
nature of the ground the front became narrowed at the same time
that in following the change of direction of the bayou the line
was brought to a wheel, Weitzel took ground to the left in two
lines, while Emory advanced Paine's brigade into the front line on
Weitzel's right, placed Ingraham in his second line, and made a
third line with Godfrey.

Then finding the enemy beyond the Teche too strong for the cavalry
to manage single-handed, Banks called on Emory to reinforce the
right bank. Emory sent Bryan across with the 175th New York and
a section of the 1st Maine battery, commanded by Lieutenant Eben
D. Haley. They were to push the enemy back, and to conform to the
advance of the main line.

The day was hot, the air close, and the march over the fields of
young cane, across or aslant the heavy furrows and into and over
the deep ditches, was trying to the men, as yet but little accustomed
to marches. Fortunately, however, there was no need of pressing
the advance until Grover's guns should be heard. About half-past
five in the afternoon a brisk artillery fire began, and was kept
up until night fell; then Emory moved the 4th Wisconsin forward to
hold a grove in front of a sugar-house, near the bayou, well in
advance of his right, in order to prevent the Confederates from
occupying it, to the annoyance of the whole line.

After dark all the pickets were thrown well forward in touch with
those of the enemy, but the main lines were drawn back out of range,
for the sake of a good night's sleep before a hard day's work.

CHAPTER X.
BISLAND.

The works behind which the Confederates now stood to battle were
named Camp Bisland or Fort Bisland, in honor of the planter whose
fields were thus given over to war. The defences consisted of
little more than a line of simple breastworks, of rather low relief,
thrown completely across the neck of dry land on either bank of
the Teche, the flanks resting securely on the swamps that border
Grand Lake on the left and on the right extend to the Gulf. The
position was well chosen, for five miles below Centreville, where
the plantation of Mrs. Meade adjoins the Bethel Place, the neck is
at its narrowest. The Teche, passing a little to the left of the
centre of the works, enabled the guns of the _Diana_, moving freely
around the bends, to contribute to the defence, while the obstructions
placed below the works hindered the ascent of the bayou by the
Union gu