Chapter III: Part 3

JUNE 25. Thursday. We hear the forces in our rear have had a slight engagement. Our forces fell back until they had their position and then repulsed the Rebs and drove them back in confusion. The cheering and acceptable rumor of the capture of Port Hudson has reached us. It is said to be official. The latest news from the east is that the Rebel raid is rapidly progressing and they are within forty-seven miles of Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. Lee and his generals are surely adopting Napoleon’s tactics. It yet remains to be seen whether they have the genius to carry out the bold and fearless plans. It is now 2 o’clock. The artillery is getting busy, and it is rumored that we shall have work before night. The brigade was formed in rifle pits at the brow of the hill. Gen. J. Leggett’s brigade was formed in the rear of the fort. We lay here an hour before the explosion took place. It was followed by four others that we could see, and a general opening of artillery along the whole line, and also the mortars and gunboats and fleet. As soon as it occurred, regiments filed up parallel with the fort and poured a close and deadly fire into the enemy’s face. Hand grenades were freely used on both sides. We lost severely and did not accomplish our object. The fault must have been the engineers’. The fort was not destroyed, the concussion was not near what we expected it would be. We lay there all night. The throwing of hand grenades was kept up. At dusk I went and drew a new gun.

JUNE 26. Friday. We were ordered out on picket early this morning. The Rebs on our front were very shy. I only caught an occasional glimpse of them, but fired fifty rounds, mostly at their port holes and works. A good many shells and pieces came among us, but no one was hurt. Our boys at the fort had warmer work and finally fell back.

JUNE 27. Saturday. There were a number wounded this morning and ambulances continually passed through camp. The day is hot and sultry. At dusk Doty and I went within a few feet of the Rebels’ fort. We have sunk another shaft and are again undermining their works. We climbed the observatory and took a good look at Vicksburg, the river, and its surrounding works.

JUNE 28. Sunday. Hot and sultry. Went after blackberries alone this morning and picked four quarts. Had a good wash and returned to camp. Johnston gradually closing up.

JUNE 29. Monday. Hot and sultry, and very dusty. Rebels unusually quiet. News from the east very meager. Hooker has ordered a seal to be put on the press, but from what we can hear a terrible battle is imminent. May the great Ruler of the Universe grant us success.

JUNE 30. Tuesday. Hot and sultry. Our regiment was paid this morning. I received twenty-three dollars. A stoppage of three dollars for the premium which Phelps paid me at Memphis was detached. Co. L, 2nd Ill. Vol. Artillery came in this evening with rifles and James guns, direct from Memphis. It is the same battery which was sunk in the river this side of Grand Gulf while crossing over. They had occasion to stop below Lake Providence and shell a squad of Rebs. Our regiment is not in as good health as a week ago. This evening we were ordered out for picket.

JULY 1. Wednesday. Regiment out on picket, but I worked at pay rolls. The brigade was formed and preparations were made to blow up the fort. I went over the hill and up the hollow to watch for the explosion. I waited a moment before the shock of the explosion was felt, and it looked as if the whole inside of the fort was torn out. It threw out several people, one Negro was thrown a hundred and fifty feet, lighting on his head and shoulders, scarcely hurting him. He attempted to run back, but a half dozen leveled muskets brought him back. He and others were digging on the inside to weaken the blast, which it did to a considerable extent. No charge was attempted and all resumed the old quiet again. The regiment returned from picket after dusk.

JULY 2. Thursday. Mail came in late last evening. Got a letter from Father, Mother and Rosalie. I went after blackberries and picked a gallon. I had a good wash. Nothing of interest, but a good many shells which the Rebs threw over.

JULY 3. Friday. There was a brisk skirmish on our left last night. The Rebs came out of their works and attempted to drive in our picket, but were driven back with a loss of nearly one hundred men whom they left on the field. At 10 o’clock a flag of truce came out and the bearer was escorted to Gen. Grant’s headquarters. As to the object, every one has his own opinion. I hope to Heaven it is to propose terms of surrender. Most of the boys think it is to bury the killed of last night. Neut. Davis and I took advantage of the cessation of hostilities and crossed the hill to the old fort. We slipped the guard and reached the far end of the works within a few yards of those of the Rebels, who lined their parapets as far as the eye could see. We stood face to face with them, almost near enough to shake hands, yet not a word was spoken on either side until their officers ordered us down as we were inspecting their works too closely. Gen. Leggitt ordered us to go outside the guard and their officers drew off their men. Hostilities were suspended until 2:30, when a few shells came over and burst, banishing for a while our fond illusions. But at 3 o’clock! Hail Columbia, Happy Land! Vicksburg is ours! General rejoicing along the line. Gen. Grant and his cavalry are to go in and capitulation commences. Thus ends one of the most brilliant campaigns the world has known since the days of Austerlitz. No one but Napoleon has equalled it. It has resulted in the complete destruction of the Rebel army at Vicksburg. They have lost without doubt about forty thousand men. The boys are beginning to think Grant is a Napoleon. He has completely wiped out his Shiloh affair. Papers of the 29th in camp show very discouraging news from the East. The Rebs are throwing heavy columns into Pennsylvania, and are threatening Pittsburg, Harrisburg and Baltimore. Northern papers give no account of the army movements. Hooker has been superseded by Gen. Meade of the 5th Army Corps.

JULY 4. Saturday. The sun rose bright and clear to usher in this most eventful day to the American people, but a sad accident happened early in the morning, which served to mar in no slight degree our rejoicing. A shell which had been lying around the quarters for two weeks with the cap taken off and most of the powder knocked out, and some of the time filled with water, was put in a post fire with the intention of scaring a certain shaky individual, and had been forgotten. Dreggs of Co. E lit it and watched the post fire burn for a while and then he picked it up and carried it and threw it over into the quarters. It no sooner touched the ground than it burst, and as good luck would have it, only one man was hurt. Brown, of Co. E, a fine fellow and a good soldier, was hit in the side, it going through and tearing off part of the lung. He lived but a short time. At 10 o’clock terms were concluded. The Rebs are to be paroled and the officers are to retain their side arms and personal property. Between 10 and 11 o’clock the Rebs marched outside and stacked their arms, after which they returned to camp. At 2 o’clock the troops on the left began marching in. At 3 we formed, and after marching a while in the broiling sun and suffocating dust, our division moved in and up to the courthouse. We passed a large number of Confeds. They are as good a looking set of Reb. troops as we have seen. Most of them are glad they have surrendered. Only a few look sober and sullen. They had holes dug into the side hill to protect them from our shells. They look as if it were a sorry 4th of July for them. Their burial grounds in the different hollows testify to the number they have had killed. The ground back of their camps is badly torn up by our mortars, the trees are all marked up, and the limbs cut off by our shot and shell. Minnie balls, whole shells and pieces, and solid shot cover the ground. They have defended the place bravely and I say “All honor to them.” We marched around the courthouse, stacked arms, and lay there about three hours. Citizens had nice little caves dug into the banks where they took their families and lived during the siege. The mortars have nearly destroyed the town. Large buildings were torn to pieces, each by a single shell. Some went straight through, and some exploded inside and tore them. A few citizens were killed. Citizens are moving back to their ruined dwellings. They look down-hearted and sad, I suppose that in their hearts they wish that the ordinance of secession had never been passed. Two shells struck the courthouse. One took a pillar from the observatory and just nicked the roof as it descended. The other passed down the roof, burst, and killed eighteen. Some of the boys, together with several Confeds, broke into a store and stole a large quantity of tobacco and some other things before the guard came around. A number of gaily dressed Confed officers passed us, among them being Col. Montgomery, chief of Pemberton’s staff. The Confeds and our boys mingle together like old friends and have apparently forgotten that but a short time ago they were engaged in deadly strife. About 6 o’clock we were formed and marched back and camped inside the works, close behind where their old mortar had been fired. Also where their big siege gun had been planted and was afterward dismounted. The ground around the two pieces is all torn up by our shot and shell. I went up to the right and saw a beautiful English gun which our boys used to call “Whistling Dick.” It is a Whitworth and some of the Confeds told us it was the gun they had at Fort Pemberton, that sunk the Chillicothe. The works are full of artillery, most of which they never fired. I saw between the Whitworth and the fort, a distance of three-quarters of a mile, twenty-eight guns. Just at dark I was detailed to go over to camp and help fetch the supper. The Rebs have been living on one-fifth rations and are nearly starved. They mingled with us freely and we have divided our rations with them. They tell us they hope we may never know want while life lasts. Some of their regiments actually had mule meat issued to them on the morning of the 3rd, and it was in market at fifty cents a pound. We saw a shoulder of it dressed. Details are at work picking up small arms and accoutrements, of which they had a large number. Each man had two guns, one new Enfield (drawn since coming here) for long range and sharpshooting, and the other loaded with cartridges of their own make and fifteen buckshot, of which each man had forty rounds. If we had charged we should have lost heavily. We found glass bottles filled with powder and balls, with fuses in the ends, which were used as hand grenades. Grant dispatched Sherman’s and part of Ord’s corps to the rear this evening.

JULY 5. Sunday. Buck and I took a stroll over the works to the fort that was blown up this morning, returning about noon. While we were gone the regiment moved camp down to the hollows. We walked around the works with the Rebs. They told us where their best shots were fired, also where the most annoying ones came from. They are very friendly and our boys treat them well. I believe they will hate to fight us again. They are very anxious to get home. Frank and I went out and got a fly to put over our cook shed this afternoon. The boys are gathering tents, flies and cooking utensils from the different camps. Our tents and dishes came up from the river this afternoon, and the evening was spent once more in arranging a camp and digging a well.

JULY 6. Monday. I wrote home this morning. At 9 o’clock our regiment was ordered out on picket. We have a strong picket guard around the works to keep the Rebs in. Our company was out at the big fort which was blown up. My post was on the parapet beside it. This fort commands a view of the works on either side as far as the eye can reach. In the afternoon Boggs and I went over to our old camp and took a good wash. Nothing of importance happened until about 5 o’clock, when a thunderstorm passed over. It was preceded by an awful wind which nearly blew me off the parapet. Rebs drew rations.

JULY 7. Tuesday. We were relieved about 9 o’clock and returned to camp. The day was very hot and sultry. The Rebs are very anxiously awaiting their parole so they can go home. We had news of a skirmish in our rear; there were about two hundred prisoners brought in. I saw the Reb today who fired the grape and canister at us when we were behind the log on the 22nd. He is a fine fellow and gave our boys credit for making some good shots. He was anxious to know if he had hurt any of us. He said we had actually dismounted some of their pieces with our musketry. It weakened the spokes so that they would not stand the reaction when fired. The pieces are all dented up by Minnie balls. The top of his gun had been knocked off. He is from Tennessee. He gave me the name and rank of each of the generals we had captured at this place. They are: Gen. Pemberton, Tenn.; Maj. Gen. Smith, Va.; Forney, Ala.; Brigadier Generals Hober, La., Lee, Va., Green, Mo. (killed), Reynolds, Ga., Taylor, Ky., More, Ky., Wauld, La., Bowen, Mo., Vann, Tenn., Barton, Ala.

JULY 8. We had quite a rainstorm last night and today it is cool and pleasant. The Rebs are around trading the company sugar for coffee and preparing to leave. Just after tattoo, orders came around to be ready at 4 o’clock tomorrow morning, armed and equipped.

JULY 9. We were up and stacked arms early this morning and awaited orders but none came. News came into camp this evening of a fight in Helena. Gen. Price attacked the place with sixteen thousand troops and came very near taking it, but with the assistance of the old wooden gunboats the Rebs saved the day and drove him back, taking over a thousand prisoners. Price left his killed and wounded on the field. The Negro troops are said to have fought like tigers. The news from the East is fair. Meade met the enemy at Gettysburg on the 3rd and they are still fighting. It is reported that he repulsed two of the grand army corps under Longstreet and Hill. Rosencrans has advanced and occupies Tallahoma, Bragg’s stronghold.

JULY 10. Friday. We had another rain last night, and the water ran into our tent. Doty and I ran the blockades this morning and went over to see our blackberry patch. I stopped at our old camp on the way back and took a wash. We had our berries baked into pies. Capt. Wheeler bought a keg of beer this afternoon for the boys to celebrate the victory. Nearly all of Co. K are drunk. Columbus Patterson started home on his furlough today.

JULY 11. Saturday. We were aroused from our slumbers at an early hour this morning, (between 3 and 4 o’clock) with orders to be ready to move at 5 o’clock. Breakfast was over and we had our canteens filled and accoutrements on at the required time. The brigade moved up the road to the main entrance and deployed in line. The Rebs were formed in their different camps and marched between our lines, were halted, brought to a front, and ordered to unstring their knapsacks. Our commissioned officers, except one to a company, were set to work examining paroles to see if they were genuine, and the baggage to see that it contained nothing contraband. A number, when they saw this, slipped out from the ranks and threw away packages of powder. Our company picked out of the ravine a dozen packages or more. Our company was on guard along the line. We had a guard to stop Negroes. It was a touching sight to see some of them part from their masters--they loved them sincerely. Very few besides the officers had them. A few women passed out. The officers carried their swords and revolvers slung by their sides. I saw Gen. Pemberton, Maj. Gen. Bowen, Brig.-Gen. Hebay, of the C. S. A. pass out. We passed out some four or five thousand on this road. The weather is hot and sultry. A sick surgeon came out and while they were examining the regiment he became worse. I brought him some fresh water and he asked me to call on him, as he was carried back to a small tent on the hill in plain sight. I did so after we were relieved, and took his Nig to camp with me and sent him back with warm cakes and tea. About 3 o’clock I was on a detail which was sent up the road to relieve a guard who had been out since morning. We had been on post but a few moments when we were relieved, and I returned to my protegee. He had been in all the eastern engagements, from the battle of Winchester to that of Antietam, he having been with Stonewall Jackson. He was perfectly familiar with all the country around Winchester, Bunker Hill, Martinsburg, Williamsport, and Harper’s Ferry. He was an assistant surgeon in Gen. Ewell’s division hospital, and helped amputate Gen. Ewell’s leg above the knee, at the second battle of Bull Run. He complimented our eastern troops quite highly, and also Gen. McClellan. He said he heard Jackson and Lee say that McClellan was the man they feared most. He was speaking of what a cruel thing this war was and remarked that most of his friends and relatives were in the North, his mother was in Warsaw, Ind. There I halted him, as a matter of course, and let him know our Indiana company was raised in that identical place. He made a good many anxious inquiries, but I was not enough acquainted in that city to give him any satisfactory information. He afterwards spoke of Havana, Ill., and said he had practiced medicine in that town. He was greatly surprised when I told him our company was from Havana, Mason County, Ill., and he was acquainted with a good many of the boys as I named them over. I bolted off for the company and sent up Boggs, who was much surprised to hear that his father’s old partner was a prisoner in our hands. Papers of the 7th came in this evening, bringing enthusiastic accounts of a great battle and victory of Gen. Meade’s army over the Rebs under their gallant General at Gettysburg. Gen. Meade’s dispatches proclaim a great victory and the utter rout of the Rebs, with heavy losses of prisoners and colors. A boat came up from Port Hudson this evening, bringing news of the surrender of the place and garrison. Hurrah for Banks!

JULY 12. Sunday. After dinner, roll call. I mounted a mule which the boys had caught and saddled, and started for town. The place is very quiet. At the wharf you can see transports as far as the eye can reach in either direction. The river is quite low. I came around the Rebel works and in coming back was surprised to see so little artillery commanding the river. Only four guns and one mortar, and a one hundred and twenty-eight pounder, manufactured in Richmond, Va. In the land defenses from the river to the English Whitworth gun there are twenty-six pieces, making in all from Fort Hill around to town fifty-nine guns. Most of the troops have gone to the rear and there is less than an army corps here at the present.

JULY 13. Monday. Our forces in the rear are gradually closing up and skirmishing near Jackson.

JULY 14. Tuesday. The paymaster is here, working on the pay rolls and quarterly returns.

JULY 15. Wednesday. A heavy detail from our regiment was dispatched to work on Fort Hill today. They are gradually changing the looks of that once important fort, from a rude, unshapely mass of dirt to large neat and substantial works. This afternoon our boys, in filling up the hole made by the blast, dug out a number of bodies. They had been crowded into the hole and covered up. Heavy details are at work repairing the old line of Reb works, also in filling up and destroying our old ones. The famous covered way from the White House to Fort Hill is nearly destroyed. It seems too bad to destroy the works that we spent weeks of hard labor and exposure to construct. It seems to us that they should stand as monuments for future generations to look upon, but still we have implicit confidence in the good judgment of Gen. Grant.

JULY 16. Thursday. I am on duty again today. The duty is very heavy now as all the troops excepting two divisions have gone to the war. I helped unload ammunition today without any relief and was tired out when night came. They are running a large supply of ammunition back to the rear as rapidly as possible.

JULY 17. Friday. Early this morning we moved our camp over about one mile nearer town. We tore down some houses to get boards for our table and to fire up our mess quarters. About 1 or 2 o’clock we were paid again. I received forty-five dollars and fifty-five cents. Frank and I expressed home fifty dollars each. Stafford was around and gave me a Secesh song written in the ditches.

JULY 18. Saturday. On duty at Fort Hill carrying gabion baskets. Our old covered way is nearly destroyed. I got some peaches and apples today and we had some pies. I also had an ear of corn, but it was too hard to be good. Couriers came in today with the news that Joe Johnston had cut through our lines and was retreating. We get no late news from the East, and are on the tiptoe of anxiety. I wish Grant was on the Virginia side of that river for a short campaign. Papers on the 11th are here but no news only that Meade is concentrating.

JULY 19. Sunday. Hot and sultry. Had inspection at 10 o’clock. The order has come for granting furloughs, two go from our company--G. Ross and A. J. Van Auken. Got a Free Press but no letters from home. Dress parade this evening. A funny incident took place. One of the poor, half-starved horses that overrun the camp, preceded the band as it led the regiment, just in good kicking distance. We got the New Orleans Sun the evening of the 15th. It has the particulars of the surrender and occupation of Port Hudson with five or six thousand prisoners.

JULY 20. Monday. Very hot and sultry. On fatigue, digging a well for headquarters. Got a number of papers which I culled from a cartload of them. Two months ago today the siege of Vicksburg began and was continued through forty-seven long, dreary days, and ended that glorious old day, the 4th of July.

JULY 21. Tuesday. Boats came in last night and brought Northern papers of the 14th. No particular news from the East, only Meade concentrating at Hayes. John Morgan is making a raid into Indiana. I hope he will succeed in arousing the people and then get himself captured. No news today from the rear. Jim Chesher came in this morning.

JULY 22. Wednesday. The furloughs have come this evening, approved. I send this north to be mailed by D. D. Ross. Our regiment registered two hundred and ninety men at the beginning of the siege. The day of the charge and other days while skirmishing and sharpshooting, our loss, killed and dead from wounds, was fourteen, forty wounded, making an aggregate of fifty-four, over seventeen per cent.

The order of the different divisions of Grant’s army besieging Vicksburg from the right to the left, June 28, 1863.

Under the command of Gen. Ord--Herron’s, Lammaris’, Hovey’s, Osterhaus’ (gone to the rear) Carris’, A. J. Smith’s.

Gen. McPherson’s Corps--J. E. Smith’s, Logan’s, one brigade of McArthur’s.

Gen. W. T. Sherman’s Corps--Blair’s, Tuttle’s, Steele’s.

Rear--Herron, Lammaris, Hovey, Osterhaus, Covy, A. J. Smith, J. E. Smith, Logan, McArthur, Blair, Tuttle and Steele.

JULY 7. The Generals captured are: Lieut.-Gen. Pemberton, Maj.-Gen. Stevenson, Tenn.; Smith, Va.; Forney, Ala., and Bowen, Mo. Brig.-Gen. Hebert, La.; Lee, Va.; Green, Mo.; (killed inside works), Reynolds, Ga.; Taylor, Ky.; More, Ky.; Wauld, La.; Vann, Tenn.; Barton, Ala.

Different army corps and commanders:

1st--Maj.-Gen. Reynolds.
3rd--Maj.-Gen. D. Sickles.
5th--Maj.-Gen. Meade.
6th--Maj.-Gen. Sedgwick.
9th--Maj.-Gen. Burnside.
11th--Maj.-Gen. Howard (formerly Siegel).
12th--Gen. Stoneman (cavalry).
13th--Maj.-Gen. O. E. Ord.
14th--Maj.-Gen. G. H. Thomas.
15th--Maj.-Gen. Sherman.
16th--Maj.-Gen. Hurlburt.
17th--Maj.-Gen. McPherson.
20th--Maj.-Gen. McDowell McCook.
21st--Maj.-Gen. Thos. Crittenden.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.