rt Hudson, I leave its garrison, some 6,000 or 7,000 men, the
force under Mouton and Sibley, now threatening Brashear City and
the Army of Mobile, large or small, to threaten or attack New
Orleans. If I detach from my command in the field a sufficient
force to defend that city, which ought not to be less than 8,000
or 10,000, my assistance to General Grant is unimportant, and I
leave an equal or larger number of the enemy to reinforce Johnston.
If I defend New Orleans and its adjacent territory, the enemy will
go against Grant. If I go with a force sufficient to aid him, my
rear will be seriously threatened. My force is not large enough
to do both. Under these circumstances, my only course seems to be
to carry this post as soon as possible, and then to join General
Grant. If I abandon it I cannot materially aid him."

Taylor's incursion caused Banks some anxiety and appreciable
inconvenience, without, however, exercising a material influence
on the fortunes of the siege; accordingly, it will be better to
reserve for another chapter the story of this adventure.

About the same time, Logan again became troublesome. At first he
seems to have thought of retiring on Jackson, Mississippi; but this
Johnston forbade, telling him to stay where he was, to observe and
annoy the besiegers, and if pressed by too strong a force, to fall
back only so far as necessary, hindering and retarding the advance
of his assailants. By daylight, on the morning of the 15th of
June, Logan dashed down the Clinton road, surprised the camp of
the 14th New York cavalry, who made little resistance, and the
guard of the hospital at the Carter House, who made none. In this
raid Logan took nearly one hundred disabled prisoners, including
six officers, and carried off a number of wagons. However, finding
Grierson instantly on his heels, Logan promptly "fell back as far
as necessary." On the evening of the 30th of June, while hovering
in the rear of Dwight, Logan captured and carried off Brigadier-General
Dow, who, while waiting for his wound to heal, had taken up his
headquarters in a house some distance behind the lines. At daylight,
on the morning of the 2d of July, Logan surprised the depot at
Springfield Landing, guarded by the 162d New York, Lieutenant-Colonel
Blanchard, and a small detachment of the 16th New Hampshire,
under Captain Henry. Careless picket duty was the cause, and a
great stampede the consequence, but Logan hardly stayed