broken character which distinguishes the region further east, and
spreads out into a broad and fertile plain. There are no commanding
hills, but there are numerous patches of forest, under the cover and
from the edge of which the enemy could easily enfilade the open fields
by the roadside. There was such a one a mile east of the rebel
intrenchments where the main picket guard was stationed. Here determined
resistance was first made.
General Carr’s division had the extreme advance of the column, and
opened and ended the engagement. Hastily deploying a heavy line of
skirmishers to the right of the road, backed up by the two brigades of
Carr’s division in line of battle behind it, with General Osterhaus’
division on the left of the road similarly disposed, General McClernand
gave the order to advance. Soon in the depths of the thick forest the
skirmishers of both armies were hotly engaged, while batteries of
artillery planted on the right and left of the road poured shot and
shell into the fort most furiously. The guns in the intrenchments
replied with vigor and spirit. Almost the first shot dropped in the
caisson belonging to Foster’s Wisconsin battery, and exploded its
contents, slightly wounding General Osterhaus and Captain Foster, of the
battery, and very seriously injuring two gunners. General Osterhaus
being thus disabled, the command of his division was temporarily given
to Brigadier-General A. L. Lee.
After skirmishing had continued for an hour, during which the enemy gave
way and sought the cover of his intrenchments, the order was given to
the several brigade commanders on the right to advance and charge the
enemy’s works. The order was received with cheers and shouts, and the
Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty-third Iowa and Eleventh Wisconsin,
General Lawler’s brigade, were the first to announce themselves in
readiness. The order “forward” was given, and steadily and splendidly
the brave patriots moved up to the assault. The enemy crouched down
behind the breastworks. A portion of them, stationed in a curtain on the
right of the fort, whence they were able to get a cross-fire upon the
column, reserved their volley until the Federals were within easy range
of the intrenchments, when they swept the advancing line with their
terrible fire.
The brave soldiers lost in that fearful volley one hundred and fifty
men; yet they faltered not nor turned their steps backwards. They waded
the bayou, delivering their fire as they reached the other bank, and
rushed upon the enemy with fixed bayonets. So quickly was all this
accomplished, that the rebels had not time to reload their guns, and
were forced to surrender.
The battle was ended, and the fort, with three thousand prisoners,
eighteen pieces of artillery, several thousand stand of arms, and a
large supply of corn and commissary stores, fell into the hands of the
Federals.
The enemy had, earlier in the day, out of the hulls of three steamboats,
constructed a bridge, over which he had passed the main body of his
army. As the charge was made, and it became evident that the Unionists
would capture the position, the rebels burned this bridge, and also the
railroad bridge across the river just above.
In the afternoon several attempts were made to cross the river, but the
rebel sharpshooters lined the bluffs beyond, and entirely prevented it.
Later, the main body of sharpshooters were dispersed by the Federal
artillery. It was not, however, safe to stand upon the bank, or cross
the open field east of the bridge until after dark, when the enemy
withdrew altogether.
By this time, General Sherman had reached Bridgeport on the Black river,
just above. The only pontoon train was with him. By the morning of the
18th he had crossed the river and was ready to march on Vicksburg.
Generals McClernand and McPherson caused floating bridges to be
constructed during the night, and were ready to cross their troops by
eight o’clock on the next morning.
General Sherman commenced his march by the Bridgeport and Vicksburg road
on the 18th, and, when within three and a half miles of Vicksburg, he
turned to the right to get possession of Walnut Hills and the Yazoo
river. This was successfully accomplished before night. General
McPherson crossed the Black river above the road to Jackson, and came
into the same road with General Sherman, but in his rear. His advance
arrived after nightfall at the point where General Sherman turned to the
right. General McClernand moved by the Jackson and Vicksburg road to
Mount Albans, in the rear of Vicksburg, and there turned to the left to
get into the Baldwin’s Ferry road. By this disposition the three army
corps covered all the ground their strength would admit of, and by the
morning of the 19th the investment of Vicksburg was made as complete as
could be by the forces under the command of General Grant.
Communication was now opened with the fleet above Vicksburg, and General
Grant’s supplies were thenceforth received from the Yazoo, instead of
from Grand Gulf.
CAPTURE OF HAINES’S BLUFF.
MAY 18, 1863.
The operations of Rear-Admiral Porter, which had an important bearing on
the movements of General Grant’s army at that time, are thus detailed in
the reports of that officer, and of Lieutenant Walker.
FLAG SHIP BLACK HAWK, }
HAINES’S BLUFF, YAZOO RIVER, _May 20th_. }
To Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy:
On the morning of the 16th I came over to the Yazoo to be ready to
cooperate with General Grant, leaving two of the iron-clads at Red
river, one at Grand Gulf, one at Carthage, three at Warrenton, and two
in the Yazoo, which left me a small force. Still I disposed of them to
the best advantage. On the 18th, at meridian, firing was heard in the
rear of Vicksburg, which assured me that General Grant was approaching
the city. The cannonading was kept up furiously for some time, when,
by the aid of glasses, I discovered a company of artillery advancing,
taking position, and driving the rebels before them. I immediately saw
that General Sherman’s division had come on to the left of Snyder’s
Bluff, and that the rebels at that place had been cut off from joining
the forces in the city.
I dispatched the DeKalb, Lieutenant-Commander Walker, the Choctaw,
Lieutenant-Commander Ramsay, the Borneo, and Forest Rose, all under
command of Lieutenant-Commander Breese, up the Yazoo, to open
communication in that way with Generals Grant and Sherman. This I
succeeded in doing, and in three hours received letters from Generals
Grant, Sherman, and Steele, informing me of this vast success, and
asking me to send up provisions, which was at once done. In the mean
time, Lieutenant-Commander Walker in the DeKalb pushed on to Haines’s
Bluff, which the enemy had commenced evacuating the day before, and a
party remained behind in the hopes of destroying or taking away a
large amount of ammunition on hand. When they saw the gunboats they
ran away and left everything in good order, guns, forts, tents, and
equipage of all kinds, which fell into our hands.
As soon as the capture of Haines’s Bluff and the fourteen forts was
reported to me, I shoved up the gunboats from below to fire on the
hill batteries, which fire was kept up for two or three hours. At
midnight they moved up to the town and opened on it for about an hour,
and continued at intervals during the night to annoy the garrison. On
the 19th I placed six mortars in position, with orders to fire night
and day as rapidly as they could.
The works at Haines’s Bluff are very formidable. There are fourteen of
the heaviest kind of mounted eight and ten inch and seven and a half
inch rifle guns, with ammunition enough to last a long siege. As the
gun carriages might again fall into the hands of the enemy, I had them
burned, blew up the magazine, and destroyed the works generally. I
also burned up the encampments, which were permanently and remarkably
well constructed, looking as though the rebels intended to stay some
time. Their works and encampments covered many acres of ground, and
the fortifications and rifle pits proper of Haines’s Bluff extend
about a mile and a quarter. Such a network of forts I never saw.
As soon as I got through with the destruction of the magazines and
other works, I started Lieutenant-Commander Walker up the Yazoo river
with sufficient force to destroy all the enemy’s property in that
direction, with orders to return with all dispatch, and only to
proceed as far as Yazoo City, where the rebels have a navy yard and
storehouses.
In the mean time General Grant has closely invested Vicksburg, and has
possession of the best commanding points. In a very short time a
general assault will take place, when I hope to announce that
Vicksburg has fallen, after a series of the most brilliant successes
that ever attended an army.
There never has been a case during the war where the rebels have been
so successfully beaten at all points, and the patience and endurance
shown by our army and navy for so many months is about being rewarded.
It is a mere question of a few hours, and then, with the exception of
Port Hudson, which will follow Vicksburg, the Mississippi will be open
its entire length.
[Signed] D. D. PORTER,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
* * * * *
U. S. STEAMER BARON DEKALB, }
MOUTH YAZOO RIVER, May 23d. }
SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your order, I
started from Snyder’s Bluff on the 20th, with the DeKalb, Choctaw,
Forest Rose, Linden, and Petrel, on an expedition to Yazoo City.
Arriving at Haines’s Bluff, I landed a force and spiked an 8-inch gun
on the fort there, and burned the carriage. I also burned some forty
tents left standing, and a steam sawmill.
Arriving at Yazoo City at one P. M., 20th, I was met by a committee of
citizens, who informed me that the place had been evacuated by the
military authorities, and asking protection. The navy yard and vessels
had been fired by the enemy. I sent a working party to insure the
destruction of everything valuable to the rebels. The vessels burned
were the Mobile, a screw vessel, ready for plating; the Republic,
which was being fitted out for a ram; and a vessel on the stocks—a
monster, three hundred and ten feet long, seventy-five feet beam. The
navy yard contained five saw and planing mills, an extensive machine
shop, carpenter and blacksmith shops, and all necessary fixtures for a
large building and repairing yard, which, with a very large quantity
of lumber, were burned. I also burned a large sawmill above the town.
Most of the public stores had been removed; such as I found in town
were taken on board the vessels or destroyed. Enclosed I send a list
of articles removed or destroyed by Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Brown,
the officer detailed for that purpose. In the hospital I found and
paroled one thousand five hundred prisoners, a list of whom I enclose.
Returning, I left Yazoo City this morning, arriving here at four P. M.
At Liverpool Landing, in a sharp bend in the river, we were attacked
by some field guns, and about two hundred riflemen concealed in the
bushes, and for a few minutes the firing was very sharp. The enemy
retreated as soon as the vessels got into position to use their guns
with effect. The Petrel, Linden, and Choctaw were struck with shot,
but received no particular injury. Sergeant Stockinger, of this
vessel, was killed by a rifle shot. The Linden had five wounded, the
Petrel two, and the Choctaw one. Most of the wounds are slight.
BOMBARDMENT AND ASSAULT OF VICKSBURG.
MAY 19–23, 1863.
After encompassing Vicksburg as closely as the nature of the locality
and the numerical force under his command would permit, General Grant
lost no time in preparing for a direct assault on the place, in
combination with a grand naval attack by the fleet. During the 19th,
there was a continued skirmishing, and General Grant was not without
hope of carrying the works.
After the storming of the rebel position on the Big Black river, and the
enemy had been driven within the fortifications of Vicksburg, their army
was reorganized, and placed as follows: General Smith’s division on the
extreme left, Major-General Forney in the centre, and Major-General
Stephenson on the right. Brigadier-General Bowen’s division or
Missourians held the reserve.
General Grant ordered an assault at an earlier day than was desirable,
as there was danger of General Pemberton being reinforced by an army
under General Johnson, which was then gathering strength, and advancing
in the rear. A general assault was made at two o’clock on the 19th. This
was made by the Fifteenth army corps, which arrived in time before the
works on the previous day to get a good position. The Thirteenth and
Seventeenth corps succeeded in gaining an advanced position covered from
the fire of the enemy. A Confederate report of the action is as follows:
“On Tuesday morning, before daylight, they opened fire from their
batteries, our guns responding immediately, and at ten o’clock, advanced
to the assault in a rather ridiculous manner. They advanced their flags
close to the works, their negro troops in front, and lay down. Bowen’s
gallant Missourians never fired a shot. The other regiments then marched
up, and the whole assaulting column, forlorn hope and all, marched
within easy musket range.
“At the word ‘forward—charge!’ they received our fire, shattering their
ranks frightfully. They rallied, closed up and stood to it for thirty
minutes, when they broke and fled. They were rallied to the charge four
successive times and met with the same storm of iron hail and leaden
rain. The whole field was literally covered for one mile with their dead
and wounded, where they were still lying on Thursday night, unburied and
without attention.” Another Confederate writes:
“The days intervening from the 19th to the 22d were spent in one
continued bombarding and sharpshooting during the day; in the night they
generally ceased firing. On the morning of the 22d, the enemy opened a
terrific fire with their Parrot guns, and continued it till about eleven
o’clock, when the bombardment ceased, and heavy columns of the enemy
could be seen forming in line of battle. Our forces were all ready for
them, and eager for their advance. At about a quarter to twelve, the
column of the Federal army advanced all along the lines in splendid
order, and with a loud cheer dashed up to the works. They were gallantly
responded to by our brave boys, and the first charge repulsed. On the
extreme right of our lines, the nature of the ground prevented the enemy
from making any heavy attack, but on the right of the centre, the
centre, and the left of the centre, the assault was desperately made and
gallantly met. But once did our lines break, and that was in Lee’s
brigade. The enemy gained a temporary footing on the rifle-pits, but Lee
quickly rallied his men, and, after a desperate hand-to-hand fight,
drove them out and reoccupied the lines. The engagement at this point,
and at the right of the line, held by Brigadier-General L. Herbert, was
of a terrible nature, the Federals having thrown their best troops on
these works. Five times did they charge, and each time were repulsed.
The last charge on the right of Brigadier-General Herbert’s lines was
made by an Irish regiment (the Seventeenth Wisconsin), carrying the
green flag of Erin. They came at a double-quick up the hill, each man in
the front ranks furnished with a ladder to reach the works. Three times
they essayed to plant their ladders, but were prevented by the obstinate
resistance offered by the consolidated Twenty-first and Twenty-third
Louisiana regiments. At the third charge they came within ten yards of
the line, but two volleys of buckshot from the shotguns of our forces
compelled them to make a precipitate retreat from the front of our
works. At about two o’clock they made their last charge, and were again
repulsed, when they retired, and did not attempt any further
demonstration that day. The loss of the enemy on that day is estimated
by competent parties at not less than from eight to ten thousand, while
our loss was between eight hundred and one thousand in killed and
wounded.”
The following dispatch of Rear-Admiral Porter to the Secretary of the
Navy, describes the part taken in this conflict by the naval force:
MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, FLAGSHIP BLACK HAWK, }
May 23, 1863. }
SIR—On the morning of the 21st I received a communication from General
Grant, informing me that he intended to attack the whole of the rebel
works at ten A. M. the next day, and asking me to shell the batteries
from half-past nine until half-past ten, and to annoy the garrison. I
kept six mortars playing rapidly on the works and town all night, and
sent the Benton, Mound City and Carondolet up to shell the water
batteries and other places where troops might be resting during the
night. At seven o’clock in the morning, the Mound City proceeded
across the river, and made an attack on the hill batteries opposite
the canal. At eight o’clock I found her in company with the Benton,
Tuscumbia, and Carondolet. All these vessels opened on the hill
batteries, and finally silenced them, though the main work on the
battery containing the heavy rifled gun was done by the Mound City,
Lieutenant Commanding Byron Wilson. I then pushed the Benton, Mound
City and Carondolet up to the water batteries, leaving the Tuscumbia,
which is still out of repair, to keep the hill batteries from firing
on our vessels after they had passed by. The three gunboats passed up
slowly, owing to the strong current, the Mound City leading, the
Benton following, and the Carondolet astern. The water batteries
opened furiously, supported by a hill battery on the starboard beam of
the vessels. The vessels advanced to within four hundred and forty
yards (by our marks) and returned the fire for two hours without
cessation, the enemy’s fire being very accurate and incessant.
Finding that the hill batteries behind us were silenced, I ordered up
the Tuscumbia to within eight hundred yards of the batteries; but the
turret was soon made untenable, not standing the enemy’s shot, and I
made her drop down. I had been engaged with the forts an hour longer
than General Grant asked. The vessels had all received severe shots
under water which we could not stop while in motion, and not knowing
what might have delayed the movement of the army, I ordered the
vessels to drop out of fire, which they did in a cool, handsome
manner.
This was the hottest fire the gunboats had ever been under; but, owing
to the water batteries being more on a level with them than usual, the
gunboats threw in their shell so fast that the aim of the enemy was
not very good. The enemy hit our vessels a number of times, but
fighting bow on, they did but little damage.
Not a man was killed, and only a few wounded. I had only enough
ammunition for a few moments longer, and set all hands to work to fill
up from our depot below.
After dropping back I found that the enemy had taken possession again
of one of the lower hill batteries and was endeavoring to mount his
guns, and had mounted a 12-pounder field piece to fire at General
McArthur’s troops, which had landed a short time before at Warrenton.
I sent the Mound City and Carondolet to drive him off, which they did
in a few moments.
I beg leave to enclose a letter from General McArthur, explaining why
he did not (to use his own expression), take advantage of the results
gained by the gunboats. I have since learned through General Grant
that the army did assault at the right time vigorously. In the noise
and smoke we could not see or hear it. The gunboats were, therefore,
still fighting when the assault had proved unsuccessful.
The army have terrible work before them, and are fighting as well as
soldiers ever fought before. But the works are stronger than any of us
dreamed of. General Grant and his soldiers are confident that the
brave and energetic generals in the army will soon overcome all
obstacles and carry the works.
DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear-Admiral,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron
Having been repulsed with severe loss in several attempts to storm the
rebel works, General Grant now determined to approach the fortifications
by regular siege lines. It had been demonstrated that it was impossible
to approach any point of attack, with a force equal in numbers to that
with which the enemy would be prepared to resist him.
General Pemberton deemed it prudent at that time, to forbid all
unnecessary waste of ammunition, and thus General Grant was able to
commence throwing up works and erecting forts within a short distance of
the opposing line of breastworks. The firing upon the town was made only
during the day, until the 26th of May, after which it was continued day
and night. The mortars on the peninsula opposite Vicksburg opened fire
on the 25th, and continued it until the surrender. It was estimated at
Vicksburg that as many as six thousand mortar shells were thrown into
the town every twenty-four hours, and on the line in the rear of the
city, as many as four thousand in the same time. During about five days
after the siege commenced, the troops in the city were allowed full
rations. At the expiration of that time, they were gradually reduced to
four ounces of flour, four ounces of bacon, one and a half ounces of
rice, two ounces of peas, not eatable, and three ounces of sugar. The
extent of the works, and the limited number of the Confederate troops,
required every man to defend the lines, and no time was allowed to rest.
Whole companies laid back of their breastworks for three weeks without
leaving the line for a moment.
Meantime every effort was made to strengthen the force under the command
of General Grant. He had already ordered a division under General
Lanman, and four regiments at Memphis to join him. He now brought
forward the divisions of Generals Smith and Kimball, of the Sixteenth
army corps, and placed them under the command of Major-General C. C.
Washburn. On the 11th of June, Major-General F. J. Herron’s division,
from the department of Missouri, arrived, and on the 14th, two divisions
of the Ninth army corps, Major-General J. G. Parke commanding, reached
Vicksburg. These two divisions were a part of the forces of General
Burnside, commanding in the Department of Ohio. This increase of the
forces of General Grant enabled him to make the investment of Vicksburg
more complete, and at the same time left him a large reserve with which
to watch the movements of General Johnston.
These reinforcements were arranged by placing General Herron’s division
on the extreme left, south of the city. General Lanman’s division was
placed between Generals Herron and McClernand. General Smith’s and
General Kimball’s divisions, and the force under General Parke, were
sent to Haines’s Bluff. This place was now fortified on the land side,
and every preparation made to resist a heavy force. About the 25th of
June, General Johnston crossed the Big Black river with a portion of his
force, and everything indicated that he would make an attack.
About this time Rear-Admiral Porter reported to Secretary Welles, under
date of May 27, the loss of one of the finest gunboats in his fleet, in
the following dispatch:
SIR:—Amidst our successes I regret to report any losses; but we cannot
expect to conquer a place like this without some loss.
At the urgent request of Generals Grant and Sherman, I sent the
Cincinnati to enfilade some rifle pits which barred the progress of
the left wing of our army.
General Sherman supposed that the enemy had removed his heavy guns to
the rear of the city. On the contrary, he seemed to have placed more
on the water side than usual.
The Cincinnati was sunk in shoal water, with her flag flying. The
enemy still continued to fire upon her, but the flag was not hauled
down. Twenty-five were killed and wounded, and fifteen are missing.
The latter are supposed to be drowned. The vessel can be raised. The
pilot was killed early in the action.
DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear-Admiral,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
A successful naval expedition to Yazoo city, is thus described in the
report of Rear Admiral Porter, under date of May 24: