Meanwhile Farragut advanced with his fleet amid a perfect deluge of shot and shell. Two of his ships, the _Hartford_ and the _Albatross_ were able to pass the batteries, but all the others were sunk or disabled. Although so many met with disaster, Farragut's purpose was fully accomplished, for the Red River route was hence forward completely blockaded--a most important object at that time.
As the object of Banks' land expedition had been solely for the purpose of making a demonstration while the fleet was en route he immediately returned with his forces to Baton Rouge. He himself went on to New Orleans, leaving orders that another attempt be made to resume the movement to Brashear City.
[Illustration: Landing of Federal Troops from Transport Laurel Hill.]
Accordingly, on the 27th of March the command was taken by transport _Laurel Hill_ to Donaldsonville, whence it marched over-land to Brashear City, the trip beginning the 31st and ending the 9th of April. On this march the battery formed a part of the 2d Brigade, Colonel Kimball, in General Grover's division. Here it united with the rest of the Army of the Gulf for operations against the enemy who were threatening New Orleans from the rear, the whole numbering about 17,000 men.
On the morning of the 11th of April the battery with General Grover's division started from Brashear City and proceeded up the Atchafalaya River.[9] The intention of this expedition was to get in the rear of the enemy and either attack them there or cut off their retreat. The grounding of one of the transports at the entrance of Grand Lake delayed the troops for twenty-four hours but on the 13th a landing was made opposite Madame Porter's plantation thirty miles from Brashear City. While effecting a landing about 250 Confederates with two pieces of artillery opened fire and a sharp skirmish ensued in which the Union men took quite a number of prisoners.
See Off. Record, Vol. 15, Report General Grover.
The next day, shortly after daylight, the division again advanced and early in the morning met a strong force of the enemy at Irish Bend, a sharp bend in the Teche. Here a battle took place and after two hours' fighting the enemy was obliged to retreat leaving many dead on the field and about 100 prisoners. For the next few days an advance was made, constant skirmishing going on all the while until on April 17 we find the battery at New Iberia. Here the left section under Lieutenant Snow, together with three regiments marched twelve miles farther to Avery's Island, destroyed the famous salt works there and captured a large number of horses. The destruction of these salt works was a very important measure, as from them the Confederates had been able to obtain thousands of pounds of salt, thus making them independent of the United States or England.