Good point, and one already illustrated by the fact that the Yanks swept around the hill to the northwest and approached it from behind. Have never seen any documentation on it, but I assume Mower had a local who served as a guide that night. No doubt that John Mower was an excellent commander, as he later demonstrated at Yellow Bayou besting Taylor, but I have to assume he had some help in applying his tactics that night.

I was on Henderson Hill again this Saturday. The road that went northwest, up to Beasley Station is still there and has a swampy area between it and Cotile Creek. The union troops that passed that way that night knew exactly where they were going. It's also obvious, as neat and clean the whole "affair" was, that it was a well-planned attack.

Point is, even being vigilant Colonel Vincent's command was done for that night, but more of the men would have escaped capture had the pickets not been huddled around their fires.

That's also the reason Taylor wanted Bee to fall back to McNutt's Hill after Monette's, as defending Henderson against an attack from the north is even more difficult. If you can't hold it facing south, you sure can't hold it defending the other way.

As it was, Bee did neither, further irritating Taylor.