Th^y  were  at  last  too  far  in  to  get  out,  and  suffering  greatly  too — so
Mouton  told  the  tale  to  Taylor.  Half  glad,  half  mad,  and  thor-
oughly desperate,  General  Taylor  turned  like  adion,  and  dashed  his
whole  army  upon  Banks,  routing  half  his  forces,  taking  thirty  or
forty  pieces  of  artillery,  thousands  of  prisoners,  and  great  quanti-
ties of  military  stores  and  many  wagons.  Banks,  terrified  and  de-
moralized, fled  hastily  back  upon  his  rear  corps  and  waited  there  for
another  day.  His  army  was  tAvice  as  large  as  Taylor's  now,  and  he
must  have  more  cotton  or  more  blood.  Smith,  convinced  that  Tay-
lor's intentions  were  well  meant,  supported  the  movement  and  hur-
ried forward  to  the  front  his  reserves  durino;  the  nioi;ht  of  the  8th.
