THE FINAL VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN--SITUATION AT AND AROUND VICKSBURG--
MEMPHIS--LAKE PROVIDENCE--DIGGING CANAL--CUTTING LEVEE--RUNNING
BATTERIES--MARCH THROUGH SWAMPS--GRAND-GULF--FEINT BY SHERMAN--
BATTLE OF PORT GIBSON--DEATH OF MCCORCLE--BATTLES OF RAYMOND AND
JACKSON--CHAMPION HILL--CASLER AND HIS "BASE OF SUPPLIES"--BATTLE
OF BLACK RIVER BRIDGE--INVESTMENT OF VICKSBURG--GRANT--THE SILENT
--THE INVINCIBLE.
"Count me o'er earth's chosen heroes
They were men that stood alone."
The capture of the forts upon the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers,
together with the Corinth campaign, were merely preliminary to the
opening of the Mississippi by the capture of Vicksburg, its chief
stronghold. But it was necessary for our forces to get in the rear of
that place in order to attack it. To proceed southwardly from Corinth
necessitated the holding of long lines of railway and the scattering of
our men to such an extent as to render such a campaign hazardous,
prolonged and uncertain with the forces then available. The first
Vicksburg campaign which, among other things, included an attempt by
General Sherman to reach the coveted position by way of the Yazoo
River, was, therefore, abandoned with a view of using the Mississippi
itself as a means by which to pass below and approach it from the rear.
The latter plan possessed important advantages but was a hazardous
undertaking and because of the apparently insuperable difficulties
involved, seemed almost chimerical. Vicksburg stood upon a high bluff,
the base of which was washed by the river. A frontal attack was not to
be contemplated. The problem then was, either to find or make a channel
for gunboats and transports through the lakes, bayous and swamps west
of Vicksburg to some point below where a successful landing could be
made and maintained or to run the batteries directly with the gunboats
and transports, so as to have both below for the use of the army when a
feasible way could be found for moving the latter.
[Illustration: PETER SHEAFF]
There were fourteen miles of batteries in front of Vicksburg. No
landing place existed upon the east side of the river between it and
Grand Gulf, twenty-five miles below. The latter place was upon a high
bluff and strongly fortified. Hence it was necessary to pass both of
these places. It is not surprising therefore, that General Grant deemed
it wise to carefully test the practicability of each expedient offered
before finally acting upon any. Moreover, it was winter and the active
prosecution of an elaborate campaign was not to be thought of.
Nevertheless, the press, politicians and people of the North insisted
that "something should be done." The scheme of cutting a canal across
the peninsula formed by the great bend in the river opposite Vicksburg
was a novel one, sounded well to everybody, was approved by Lincoln and
Halleck and served to fill in the time. Aside from diverting attention,
it had advantages so important that its attempt, after once having been
suggested, was unavoidable. It would keep the men busy while waiting
for spring and should it succeed, it would prove a happy solution of
the problem in a way that would be clear gain. On the other hand, a
failure in an effort to run the batteries without first trying it,
would have been deemed suicidal; and the authorities might not have
been able to have withstood the increasing force of clamor already
raised for General Grant's removal. So the project of digging the canal
was started while elaborate explorations were also being prosecuted
through the bayous and swamps for some other feasible channel or road
in case it should fail. While these things were being accomplished, the
waiting, as well as the experiences associated with it, were tedious
and trying.
We were comfortably housed at Memphis pending the preparations for a
general move. In due time General Logan and staff, with our company and
other troops of the 17th Corps, took passage upon the steamer Maria
Deering and were transported to Lake Providence. All of the 17th Corps,
under command of General McPherson, was moved to that place, where a
temporary base of supplies was established upon the Commissary boat N.
W. Thomas. The operations upon the canal were commenced about the time
of our arrival. At the beginning of February, in the hope of
facilitating this work by washing out a channel, General Grant caused
the levee at Lake Providence to be cut. The water flowed in at a
terrific rate and compelled us to move our camp from the south side of
the lake. It was difficult to find camping space and the levees were
used for that purpose. The rush of waters did not increase the canal
channel as expected. There were other difficulties which rendered the
canal impracticable; and, during the latter part of April, the project
was abandoned. In the meantime, no feasible channel was found
elsewhere, so the pioneer corps was set to work to build a corduroy
road across the swamps towards Lake St. Joseph southwest of Vicksburg,
over which to move the troops. The previous cutting of the levee
greatly increased the difficulty of the work by causing a complete
inundation of the low lands and swamps to the west for a distance of
from fifty to seventy-five miles. This apparent disadvantage was,
however, largely compensated for by its advantage in another respect.
It formed an impassable barrier at the west and south, insured us
against an attack in those directions and relieved us from much picket
duty.
At last the time came for making the perilous movement of running the
batteries. Transports, veneered with railroad iron and protected upon
the outer edges with bales of hay and cotton, were loaded with supplies
and started upon their way preceded by a flotilla of gunboats. The risk
was considered so grave that all but two boat captains and one crew
refused to attempt it. Volunteers were called for. Logan's command was
composed of many river men and when the call was made, five times the
requisite number volunteered. Many of our company asked to go but Logan
said "No, I want you to navigate the horses." So, pending the success
of the river movement, we remained at Lake Providence.
It was unnecessary to inform us when the running of the batteries
commenced. The roar of the guns, eighty miles away, was distinctly
heard by us. It was an anxious time but we soon knew that the movement
had been a success. McClernard's Division had previously been started
by the improvised road and was at Hard Times, above and nearly opposite
Grand Gulf, from whence it was to be transported to a landing upon the
east bank of the Mississippi to aid in the capture of the latter place
should the gunboats succeed in silencing the guns of the fort.
On the 29th of April Admiral Porter commenced the bombardment and
continued it during the day and far into the night without any apparent
effect; whereupon the troops were debarked and under cover of night,
marched down the levee upon the west side of the river to a safe point
below the fort and while the gunboats continued the bombardment, the
transports ran the batteries. Nearly all of the boats were more or less
disabled. One transport was sunk nearly opposite Grand Gulf, and two
were pulled up upon the west bank. Many of the artillery horses were
wounded. Major Stalbrand lost a fine horse valued at one thousand
dollars.
In the meantime we had marched through the swamps over the corduroy
road to Lake St. Joseph and thence to a camp nearly opposite Grand Gulf
where it was arranged that we should embark for Bruinsville. A
satisfactory landing had been found at the latter place which connected
with a road leading to Port Gibson.
The forces landed below Grand Gulf, including the 17th Corps, numbered
about twenty thousand. The Confederates forces at Vicksburg, Haines
Bluff, Jackson, Port Gibson and Grand Gulf, aggregated about sixty
thousand. We were in an enemy's country, practically cut off from
retreat as well as from our base of supplies. The only alternative,
therefore, was to act quickly and attack the detached forces of the
enemy in detail before they could concentrate or be defeated ourselves.
Two days' rations were distributed and our forces advanced at once
towards Port Gibson. In the meantime, a portion of the Grand Gulf
garrison amounting to about eight thousand, had moved in a
northeasterly direction in the hope of being re-enforced from Vicksburg
so as to successfully dispute our passage. In anticipation of this,
Grant had ordered Sherman to make an attack upon Haines Bluff with a
view of deceiving Pemberton and holding his forces at Vicksburg. The
ruse was successful. Sherman immediately withdrew and rapidly marched
his division by the course we had taken to join us. Upon his arrival we
had an available force of about thirty-three thousand to strike the
forces east of Vicksburg before it would be possible for Pemberton to
join them.
The greater portion of the 17th Corps had been transported across the
river during the night preceding the movement of our company. Ten of
the latter, including our orderly sergeant, James McCorkle and myself,
were detailed to cross the river with General Logan. Upon arriving at
the landing the Division Surgeon called for an orderly. McCorkle sent
me back to camp for another man to fill my place and detailed me to act
as orderly for the surgeon. We were unable to obtain transportation and
so were compelled to remain there until morning. McCorkle and I slept
together. He was in an unusually serious mood, said but little and
seemed to want to have me near him. We embarked upon the first boat in
the morning and landed about ten miles below Grand Gulf, from whence we
rode together to Thompson's Hill where the battle of Port Gibson was in
progress. It had been raging for some time and was still being hotly
contested. Governor Yates and some of his staff, together with E. B.
Washburn, then a member of Congress from the Galena District, were with
General Logan. Washburn was instrumental in organizing the 45th
Illinois Infantry, known as "The Lead Mine Regiment," which was a part
of Logan's Division. A charge was made by the regiment and Washburn
took special pride in the prowess of the men. Forgetting the danger of
the situation and everything but the enthusiasm of the moment, he rode
behind them cheering and swinging his hat like a boy chasing a
fire-engine. Yates, on the other hand, tempered his valor with
discretion. From morning until late in the afternoon, he found an
attractive resting place under the protecting brow of a hill near the
general hospital where his presence attracted the attention of the
surgeons.
Shortly after one o'clock, James Padgett rode by and said: "Sam, Jim.
McCorkle is killed and is lying between our lines and the Rebels."
About three o'clock one of Logan's orderlies called out in passing:
"Second your Orderly Sergeant is mortally wounded and lies just in the
rear of the 45th Illinois." I at once asked permission to go and take
him from the field. The main road which I was obliged to follow, was so
jammed that it was difficult to proceed except at the slowest pace. The
delay was torture. I did not find him until nearly dusk. His body was
partially covered with a blanket but his cavalry boots were exposed and
I knew from them that it was he. As I drew the blanket from his face he
looked at me with a wild, vacant stare. Then an expression of
intelligence and tenderness followed and he said: "Sam, you have come
at last." He was removed to the hospital and lived until about six
o'clock the following evening, retaining consciousness most of the
time. After the battle he asked to see his comrades. I notified all
that I could find, including Captain Hotaling, and General Logan and
staff, to all of whom he bade an affectionate good-bye. He asked how
the battle terminated and seemed satisfied when told that we had won.
During the battle McCorkle was acting as orderly for Captain Hotaling.
While crossing from one brigade to another, he was struck by the bullet
of a sharpshooter stationed in a tree. The bullet, which was large,
entered the body at the right of the saber-clasp and, striking the
spinal column, was flattened until it was as thin as a sheet of tin and
about three inches in diameter.
McCorkle was a general favorite of the company, as just and fair as he
was generous and brave, and we all mourned his loss as we would have
mourned that of a brother.
The battle lasted from early morning until ten o'clock at night when
the rebels retreated, leaving their dead and wounded upon the field.
The following day was spent in burying the dead, waiting for the
rear-guard and provision-train to come up and in reorganizing for an
advance. Any battle of importance necessarily results in confusion and
this proved to be no exception to the rule.
Aside from the loss of McCorkle, Clark Pond was fatally, and Jack Elder
slightly wounded.
The evacuation of Grand Gulf occurred on the day of the battle and on
the following day our company remained at the general hospital and on
the next moved to Port Gibson where it encamped about two hours when
orders came for an advance. We marched nearly all night in a
northeasterly direction and encamped near the Big Black River,
remaining there two days. Then another move was made to a point about
five miles from Raymond where we encamped for a day. Company A formed
the advance guard of Logan's Division in its movement towards Jackson.
After having advanced about two miles towards Raymond there began to be
signs of trouble. The enemy's videttes appeared. Our men were deployed
as skirmishers. The country was more or less wooded and the thick brush
served to screen the Confederates whose main body, numbering about five
thousand, was not far distant. We were met by volleys from small
detachments at every turn in the road. This was continued for about
three miles when the enemy came to a final stand. The battle which
followed was severe and lasted about five hours. During the skirmishing
which preceded it, I had an interesting experience. Our men had
dismounted near a group of trees and were endeavoring to locate a
detachment of the enemy. Asa Gillette was nearest to me. We were
standing behind trees which were close together. Gillette, seeing a man
in a fence corner, was endeavoring to point him out to me, and as he
did so, our heads nearly touched. At that instant a ball passed between
us, punctured my hat-rim in two places and cut away a lock of hair. It
was the 12th of May and my twentieth birthday. I have had many since
but none has brought me a birthday present so unwelcome as the one then
offered.
Our company was assigned to a position upon the right wing of the line
of battle which was near to a creek, the banks of which were about ten
feet in height and closely fringed with underbrush. A battery and a
brigade of infantry were stationed upon our left, both actively
engaged. After we had been there about two hours, our horses became
very restless when we mounted and moved up the creek. We had advanced
but a short distance when balls began to whistle over our heads. We
soon discovered that an entire brigade, protected by the wooded banks
of the creek had crawled down it and succeeded in almost surrounding
us. They were lower than we however, and as they fired, their volleys
went above us. We scattered like a flock of quail, retreated about
forty rods, rallied and came to a halt. As we did so, we met General
Logan with Leggett's Brigade advancing upon the double quick. Logan
called out: "Boys, what is the matter?" "A hornet's nest," was the
reply. Instantly came the command: "Go in boys and lift them out of
that with the cold steel." They did.
After half an hour of severe musketry fire the Confederate line began
to waver and then broke into full retreat towards Raymond where they
were followed by our men.
The entire battle of Raymond was fought by Logan's Division with that
of Carr's looking on ready to help but it was not called upon to do so.
On the night following the battle, we bivouacked near Raymond and early
the next morning, at the head of the Division, resumed our march
towards Jackson.
While at Raymond, General Grant's son Fred, a small, pale boy about
twelve years of age, rode into town upon a black Shetland pony. His
father states that he had left him asleep upon a gunboat below Grand
Gulf, but the little fellow, hearing the sound of the guns at the
battle of Port Gibson and, anxious to see what was being done, had,
upon his own initiative, followed the direction of the sound and
overtook the army. Where he found the pony can only be surmised. He
had, before reaching Raymond, been seen, mounted upon a very large, old
and decrepit beast, equipped with a primitive saddle and bridle, which
make-shift answered his purpose for the time. The boy displayed the
characteristics of his father, in that he was entirely independent,
accepted all conditions as he found them, endured hardships and
vicissitudes of camp life without a murmur, caused no trouble to
anybody, and in this way is said to have gone through the entire
campaign and a portion of the Vicksburg siege.
During our march that day we saw nothing of the enemy and at night we
bivouacked about six miles from Jackson. There was a deluge of rain
during the night and the roads were submerged when we started in the
morning. We realized then, if not before, what General Logan meant when
he said at Lake Providence, that he "wanted us to navigate the horses."
At a point about three miles from Jackson, our company was ordered upon
the right flank. It was necessary to cross a stream and after marching
about a mile we were blocked by cross-gullies filled with water. They
were impassable and we were forced to return and recross the creek to
the main road.
In the meantime, the division had encountered the enemy and was hotly
engaged. A short but decisive battle occurred. The Confederates gave
way and our men marched into Jackson. Seeing this, we put spurs to our
horses and galloped in to find them in full possession of the place and
engaged in helping themselves to provisions, tobacco and other
desirable things. Tobacco was the one luxury which we could carry and
would keep and we secured a supply which lasted us until after the fall
of Vicksburg. To many, the tobacco habit may be regarded as
inexcusable; but to the soldier upon the march, there are few more
consoling things.
We bivouacked a short distance from Jackson and on the morning of the
fifteenth started for Vicksburg. On the sixteenth the battle of
Champion Hill was fought. Pemberton had marched out from Vicksburg with
an army of about twenty-five thousand men to dispute our passage. The
battle was bloody but brief and the Confederate loss was great. The
engagement commenced about eleven o'clock and in the afternoon was very
severe. Our company was assigned to a position upon the extreme right
wing near to some heavy timber about twenty rods from where the 124th
Illinois made its famous charge. In their pathway was a ditch where the
enemy had taken a stand. This was filled with dead and dying
Confederates. When our men returned from the charge, each had a
prisoner. By night, the enemy was in full retreat and our company
bivouacked where it had been stationed during the day.
We had started from Port Gibson with three days' rations in our
haversacks and had been fighting and undergoing forced marches over
almost impassable roads for sixteen days. Under these conditions, it
was necessary to live upon the country. Every planter had corn and a
grinding mill driven by mule-power, and these little mills were kept
busy by our men. Aside from these, there were cattle, hogs, sheep and
poultry, but none of these things could be gotten to be distributed
regularly.
On the day of the battle, Orlando Casler, otherwise known as "Lon," who
was one of the characters of the company, and nine others, including Ed
Baker, had been sent out upon the right flank to forage, while the
remainder of the company moved on with the command. We were very hungry
and as the evening advanced with nothing edible in sight, had about
concluded that it would be necessary to take another hitch in our belts
as a substitute for supper, when Lon and his party appeared in a
procession as surprising and unique as it was welcome. Casler, who was
nothing if not dramatic, was appareled in a full broadcloth dress-suit
and silk hat and sat upon the boot of a large family carriage. He had
apparently appropriated the dress-suit of some aristocratic giant.
Casler was a large man but his clothes were of such colossal
proportions that he was compelled to put a wisp of straw under the
sweat-band of his hat and a pillow in the front of his trowsers in
order to locate his own anatomy. The carriage was drawn by two mules
engineered by a colored driver and was filled to the limit of its
capacity with smoked hams, shoulders, chickens, turkeys and jars of
preserved fruit. Following the carriage was a wagon drawn by a
four-mule team and loaded with hams, bacon, about sixty gallons of
strained honey and a barrel of coffee. The necessity for these things
and the joyousness of their welcome were both manifested by the
astonishing rate at which they disappeared.
In the morning we saw the men of Logan's Division who had fought so
hard the day before, dig up a ten-acre field of sweet potatoes but
recently planted and devour them like ravenous animals. Afterwards, as
they marched by us, we stationed a number of men at "Casler's base of
supplies," who tossed hams and bacon at them and filled their cups with
coffee. We enjoyed it immensely, for it was our opportunity to pay a
debt in kind to the 45th Illinois by whom we had been previously
remembered in a similar manner. But little was reserved for ourselves
and our supply that night was in inverse ratio to our satisfaction.
Then followed the fight at Black River Bridge which was burned by the
enemy to prevent our passage. This delayed us one day and prevented the
possible capture or dispersion of Pemberton's army. Three temporary
bridges were hurriedly built and on the 18th, we resumed our march. On
the 19th, we had the satisfaction of taking a place in the semicircle
which invested Vicksburg.
At last the long sought goal had been reached. The position for which
the Northern army had manouvered for more than a year had been gained.
For three weeks we had endured forced marches over nearly impassable
roads, had engaged in almost constant skirmishing when not fighting in
important battles and had bivouacked in mud and rain without tents or
cooking utensils, and this on five days' rations issued at the start.
Hungry and worn, we stood between two armies whose combined numbers
exceeded ours. Our problem was to capture the one, nearly as large as
our own, protected behind seven miles of fortifications, while guarding
ourselves against one in our rear that was being rapidly re-enforced.
In securing our position, we had ended a great and successful campaign
to begin a siege which, in view of all the adverse conditions, had in
it the possibilities of utter defeat. We needed supplies and above all,
re-enforcements to complete and strengthen a line twenty-one miles long
and to ward off the enemy in the rear. Aside from our hope of immediate
re-enforcements, our only assured reliance was in our determination and
the ability of our imperial Commander. We _knew_ that we should win.
[Illustration: OSBORN SHANNON]