Grant was before Vicksburg, Banks before
Hudson; each had delivered his first assault and entered upon the
siege. The censure was withdrawn as soon as, in the light of full
explanations, the circumstances came to be understood.

(1) Professor Charles Sprague Sargent, of Harvard University,
Director of the Arnold Arboretum, the distinguished author of the
great book on Forest Trees of North America. At this time he was
serving zealously as a volunteer aide-de-camp without pay.

(2) Under orders from Kirby Smith to Taylor, dated April 22d: "The
General is of the opinion that if a portion of the force pursuing
you should move against Fort De Russy by the road from Hauffpaur,
it would be impossible to hold it." See also Smith to Cooper,
April 23d: "The people at Fort De Russy cannot stand a land attack.
The advance of the enemy's column to the Hauffpaur . . . will ensure
its speedy fall, with loss of guns and garrison. Under these
circumstances, General Taylor has ordered the removal of the
32-pounder rifle and 11-inch columbiads to a position higher up the
Red River."

CHAPTER XV.
BACK TO PORT HUDSON.

On the 7th of May Porter relived Farragut in the guardianship of
the Mississippi and its tributaries above the mouth of the Red
River. This left Farragut free to withdraw his fleet so long
blockading and blockaded above Port Hudson. Accordingly he gave
discretionary orders to Palmer to choose his time for once more
running the gauntlet, and Palmer was only watching his opportunity
when he yielded to the earnest entreaty of Banks, and agreed to
remain and co-operate if the General meant to go against Port
Hudson.

Grover began the movement on the 14th of May; Paine followed early
on the morning of the 15th, while Weitzel, still retaining Dwight,
was ordered to hold Alexandria until the 17th, and then to retire
to Murdock's plantation, where the east and west road along the
Bayou Hauffpaur crosses the road from Alexandria to Opelousas, and
there await further orders.

Besides the ordinary duty of a rear-guard, the object of this
disposition of Weitzel's force was to cover the withdrawal toward
Brashear of the long train of surplus wagons for which there was
now no immediate need, and which would only have encumbered the
proposed movement of the Corps by water. All the troops took the
road by Cheneyville instead of that by Marksville, in order to
conceal from the Confederates as long as possible the true d