"19th.—Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant Quinn rode to Dudley's headquarters. The regiment marched two miles nearer to Port Hudson in the evening; were ordered back and bivouacked that night.
"20th.—At 10 p. m. again for Port Hudson. After hours of hard marching in heavy order in a hot sun on dusty roads and very little water to drink, the regiment camped at dark in the left of the Union line on the road leading to Springfield landing.
"21st.—Battle of Plains Store. During the morning there were rumors of a fight, as the rebels were determined to prevent a junction of the force under Augur and Grover, of Banks' army, who were moving down from St. Francis. This brought on the above-named battle, in which the negro regiment held the extreme left, and thus prevented the rebels getting in the rear of the Union troops.
"22d.—Companies A and G drove back some rebel pickets, capturing one man, horse, equipments, and two rifles. The man was thrown by his horse and was badly hurt, his head striking against a tree.
"23d.—We formed a junction to-day with Banks, and Port Hudson is invested.
"24th.—Companies E and G, under Captain Blake, on a scout.
"25th.—To-day the regiment marched from the extreme left to the extreme right of the Union line, a hard long tramp again in heavy order. At night we encamped near Sandy Creek, close to the Mississippi. Each man had to carry his own baggage. This regiment was never given any wagons.
"26th.—At Sandy Creek protecting men laying the pontoon bridge. Skirmishing all day with the rebels. The boys are getting used to fighting.
"27th.—Storming the batteries. The negro soldiers prove the bravest of the brave. To-day was fought one of the most desperate battles on record. Our brigade, six companies of the 1st, and nine companies of 3rd Regiment Louisiana Native Guards, commenced fighting at quarter of an hour before 6 a. m. The 1st, under Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, advanced in skirmish line up through the wood and soon drew the enemy's fire. The 3rd under Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegass, were in line of battle about fifty yards in rear of the first, the whole command under Colonel John A. Nelson, of the 3rd Regiment. The rebels opened with infantry fire and shells at short range, and their fire was very effective and for a short time the first, which was in danger of utter destruction, wavered, when Colonel Bassett and his colored officers moved among the men encouraging them by their own fearless examples. At this crisis, Colonel Finnegass sent forward his four left companies, under Captain John E. Quinn, to support the 1st. Captain Quinn moved up in good order, placing his left company under Lieutenant John O'Keefe so as to face the bridge on his left, held by the rebels in rifle-pits, Finnegass keeping the other five companies well in hand, to use them when most needed. When within pistol shot of the fortifications, to their dismay they were stopped—not by the rebels, but by a back flow of the river. The water was not more than forty feet across, but over eight feet deep. To cross this without boat or bridge was impossible, particularly under such a terrible fire as the rebels poured upon them in front and on both flanks. On the left the rebels were actually in their rear so far had the gallant fellows advanced. The slaughter was now becoming fearful. Colonel Finnegass at this juncture asked Captain Quinn if he could cross the water; Quinn called on volunteers to follow him. The whole that was left of his own company, G, and Lieutenant O'Keefe with Company E, responded to his call, and in they plunged, the men holding their rifles and cartridge boxes above their heads. In the mean time Bassett and Finnegass (whose men were lying down) kept a continual fire on the rebel gunners and drove them from their guns, but the water was too much for the men, and only 35 or 40—with Quinn and O'Keefe and Lieutenants Burnham and Dame—succeeded in crossing. This handful actually followed their reckless leader up to the very cannon's mouth, and for 15 or 20 minutes held the whole rebel battery in their hands. Colonel Finnegass seeing that in a few minutes more his brave men would be destroyed, rushed into the water and ordered Quinn to fall back, as a regiment of rebels were clambering over the works to get in their rear. The brave fellows fell back, but alas, few of them ever answered roll-call again. Out of the band but six re-crossed alive, and of these, Lieutenants O'Keefe, Burnham and Sergeants Vincent and Taylor, who were wounded; Quinn and Dame were the only ones unhurt. The whole regiment now fell back about 600 yards, in the shelter of the woods. Six times we advanced, hoping to find some spot where the men could cross, but in vain. We entered this fight with 1080 men, and lost 371 killed and 150 wounded; total loss, 421. The rebels shelled us with their heavy guns. On our front were artillery and infantry; on our left a wooded ridge full of riflemen. We had two six-pounders; one of them was dismounted early in the fight, and the other the gunners ran out of range, it being of no use.
"Now, why were the colored troops left unsupported? Why were they sent on such hopeless missions? Why were the officers informed by General Dwight that there were clear grounds beyond Sandy Creek? There were white troops who could have been sent to their support; the officers expected to fight the rebels but met the river. Colonel Nelson played General to perfection; during the whole battle he remained on the safe side of Sandy Creek, and had his corps of orderlies to attend him; in plain words he kept his men under fire from quarter before six a. m., till seven p. m. During the day he never saw a rebel's face or back. * * * The heroes of the day were the men; not one of them showed the "white feather." Colonel Bassett and his colored officers of the 1st were as brave as any men who ever drew a sword, and so were Finnegass, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 3rd, and Captains Smith, Daly, Masterson and others. Lieutenants O'Keefe, Burnham, Wiley, Griggs, Emory, Westervelt and Dame of the 3rd, and Captain Quinn, who commanded the left wing and led the storming column of the 3rd. Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett was formerly of the 4th Mississippi Regiment; Colonel Nelson and Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegass, were both of Irish parentage; Captain Daily and Lieutenant Emory, of the 31st Massachusetts, Lieutenant O'Keefe of the 9th and Burnham, of the 13th Connecticut, Masterson and Wiley, of the 26th Massachusetts, Company A, of the 3rd, were on detached service. Captain John E. Quinn is a native of Lowell, Mass.; born April 22nd, 1837 came from the 30th Massachusetts, in which he was orderly of Company B."