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the Yazoo at Haines Bluffs are fortified with rifle pits all along the lines. And at the distance of about three hundred yards a fort is built in the shape of a horse shoe, open at the rear, with another smaller fort back commanding the entrance, so in case we get into the front fort we can be raked from the other. If you can understand my description you will see that to charge these fortifications, where that at least twenty guns can be brought to bear on any point, to belch forth grape and canister beside the rifle pits being filled with infantry is no slight undertaking. Such is the condition in which our troops did charge the forts, and did get one fort, and hold it for several hours, but were finally overpowered and driven back or captured. For some cause I do not understand, how the 97th