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.
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.
The next morning the march was renewed, Generals Emery and Weitzel on the Bayou Road, General Grover on the other. At Vermillion Bayou the enemy, who was only a short distance in advance, massed in a strong position on the opposite bank, fired on the Union troops from the woods, opening with artillery. Nims' Battery and Battery L of the regulars joined in the artillery duel, forcing the enemy to retire, but not until they had burned the bridge over the bayou. The next day the bridge was rebuilt and the advance continued until on April 20 Opelousas was reached.
While here orders were read from General Banks giving the troops much credit for capturing over 2000 prisoners, 10 guns, assisting in the destruction of two gunboats and two transports, the salt works and one fort and also in seizing a large quantity of arms and equipments, sugar, cotton, molasses, mules, horses, etc.
At this time, too, one section of the battery under Lieutenant Snow was detached from the main body and for about a month served under Colonel Chickering in connection with the 5th Massachusetts, 41st Massachusetts, 4th Maine, and a New York regiment. The work done is summarized as follows: "There was collected and sent to New Orleans via Brashear upward of 6000 bales of cotton, large quantities of sugar, molasses, and other products and at least 10,000 contrabands, men, women, and children to work in the government plantations in LaFourche Co." Irwin says: "The column covered in the march the long train that stretched out for eight miles over the prairies with a motley band of negroes, horses, and beeves for a cumbrous accompaniment. With the possible exception of the horde that set out to follow Sherman's march to the sea, this was the most curious column ever put in motion since that which defiled after Noah into the ark."[[10]]
On April 22 the right and left sections with the First Brigade, General Dwight, pushed forward through Washington to the Tableau River where they rebuilt a bridge which had been burned. During the day there was a slight skirmish with the cavalry. In C. B. Maxwell's diary we read: "Our battery with General Dwight's Brigade. Joe Knowlton and I crossed river to plantation owned by a widow and obtained some milk and two dozen eggs. Just then the enemy's force fired on our cavalry pickets, killing one and wounding several. Joe and I started on double quick each with one dozen eggs in a handkerchief. Reached camp without losing or breaking one!"
On the 4th of May the whole army started for Alexandria. "Captain Dwight of General Banks' staff rode past the brigade with orders and when just in front of the battery he was fired on from across the bayou and killed. A company of cavalry was sent out in pursuit and succeeded in capturing the man who committed the deed. Three days later he was brought before the brigade and shot."
May 12 Alexandria was reached and after a few days' rest a start was made for Port Hudson by way of Simsport and Bayou Sara.
Port Hudson was situated on a high bluff on the east side of the Mississippi at a sharp bend. Its fortifications were arranged for defense, the parapets averaging a thickness of 20 feet and the depth of the ditch below the parapet being not less than 15 feet. Below the landing known as Hickey's were the first batteries, on a bluff about 40 feet above high-water mark. Three series of batteries extended along the river for a continuous line of three miles. Above the creek was an impassable marsh. From the lower battery ran a line of land fortifications semi-circular in form and about ten miles in extent.[[11]]