I went in person about a mile to the right rear of Morgan’s position, at a place convenient to receive reports from all other parts of the line; and about noon of December 29th gave the orders and signal for the main attack.  A heavy artillery-fire opened along our whole line, and was replied to by the rebel batteries, and soon the infantry-fire opened heavily, especially on A. J. Smith’s front, and in front of General George W. Morgan.  One brigade (DeCourcey’s) of Morgan’s troops crossed the bayou safely, but took to cover behind the bank, and could not be moved forward.  Frank Blairs brigade, of Steele’s division, in support, also crossed the bayou, passed over the space of level ground to the foot of the hills; but, being unsupported by Morgan, and meeting a very severe cross-fire of artillery, was staggered and gradually fell back, leaving about five hundred men behind, wounded and prisoners; among them Colonel Thomas Fletcher, afterward Governor of Missouri.  Part of Thayer’s brigade took a wrong direction, and did not cross the bayou at all; nor did General Morgan cross in person.  This attack failed; and I have always felt that it was due to the failure of General G. W. Morgan to obey his orders, or to fulfill his promise made in person.  Had he used with skill and boldness one of his brigades, in addition to that of Blair’s, he could have made a lodgment on the bluff, which would have opened the door for our whole force to follow.  Meantime the Sixth Missouri Infantry, at heavy loss, had also crossed the bayou at the narrow passage lower down, but could not ascend the steep bank; right over their heads was a rebel battery, whose fire was in a measure kept down by our sharp-shooters (Thirteenth United States Infantry) posted behind logs, stumps, and trees, on our side of the bayou.

The men of the Sixth Missouri actually scooped out with their hands caves in the bank, which sheltered them against the fire of the enemy, who, right over their heads, held their muskets outside the parapet vertically, and fired down So critical was the position, that we could not recall the men till after dark, and then one at a time.  Our loss had been pretty heavy, and we had accomplished nothing, and had inflicted little loss on our enemy.  At first I intended to renew the assault, but soon became satisfied that, the enemy’s attention having been drawn to the only two practicable points, it would prove too costly, and accordingly resolved to look elsewhere for a point below Haines’s Bluff, or Blake’s plantation.  That night I conferred with Admiral Porter, who undertook to cover the landing; and the next day (December 30th) the boats were all selected, but so alarmed were the captains and pilots, that we had to place sentinels with loaded muskets to insure their remaining at their posts.  Under cover of night, Steele’s division, and one brigade of Stuart’s, were drawn out of line, and quietly embarked on steamboats in the Yazoo River.  The night of December 30th was appointed for this force, under the command of General Fred Steele, to proceed up the Yazoo just below Haines’s Bluff, there to disembark about daylight, and make a dash for the hills.  Meantime we had strengthened our positions near Chickasaw Bayou, had all our guns in good position with parapets, and had every thing ready to renew our attack as soon as we heard the sound of battle above.