The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-06-11
souri,, commanding the I'd Brigade of
this division, was killed on the field.

souri,, commanding the I'd Brigade OF
this division, was killed on the field.
THE ASSAULT ON THE LEFT.
On the left, Gen. McClernand com.
menced the assault earlier than any
other commander. The first advance
was made. by Netherlands centre
den. A. ). Smiths division, of tive
brigades, commanded by Col. Land
rum and Gen. Burbridge. As early a.
ii O'Clock, Landrum's men took a fort
and were In actual possession of IL
: Gen. Osterhaus, OH their left, made 8
breach on the south side of the wo, K
with his artillery. There were two
companies of rebel soldiers in it at The
time-one of them ran away, and the
other actually burrowed their wa,
through the earth to our men in front
and surrendered as prisoners. Land
rum, on obtaining possession Of the
fort, put pioneer force at work t.
throw up earth works in the rear, so a.
to bring the guns of the fort to bear
upon the rebels. In constructing the
Notifications, the rebels left the rear o.
all the forts open, to give them an OPP
portuDity- to assail our men, in the
event of our success in driving them
out. The flags Of the 4sth Ohio. 18th
Illinois, and 10Th Kentucky, foated
from the inner slope of the parapet,
from half-past eleven o'clock A. M. till
four p. nj. AT the latter hour, the
rebels were seen preparing for a
charge to retake the fort An entire
brigade was about to be pitted against
few companies. Our men did not
receive the support which had been
promised them, and were compelled to
fall back, leaving the enemy again in
possession of the fort. The 4sth Ohio
acquitted itself very credilabIy in the
affair. The conduct of its officers and
men is highly spoken Of Between
twelve and one o'clock the 18th Indi
ana, after desperate charge, succeed
ed in capturing fort to the right of
the one in possession of Col. Landrum.
They held it gallantly against deter
mined assault, until relieved by the
46th Indiana, from whom il was taken
10y surprise force of the enemy
The fl lighting on the left was done by
the divisions of Gems. Carr, Osterhaus
and Smith, and was OF more desper-
ate character, and of .longer duration.
than that upon the right or centre.
McClernand and his men performed
their part with energy and determine
ton, but were unable to dislodge the
enemy from his works, save Temporal
rlly In the instances | have mentioned.
During the afternoon Gen. Grant re-
oelved dispatch FROM McClernand, to
the effect that he had taken three forts,
and would be in possession of the city
soon, if Immediately reinforced. Me
Arthur's division of McPherson's corps
was sent to his assistance. and, if
mistake not, two brigades of another
division. But McCleruand did not
take Vicksburg.
ON THE RIGHT.
The assault on the right was com.
menced soon after ten O'clock by Gen.
Thayer's brigade of Sieele's division,
consisting OF the 9th, 4th, 26th and
30th Iowa regiments. The men of
this command marched forward hero
really. under the leadership of Thayer.
The assault was made by them at
terrible cost but the promised succor
did not arrive, and the prize had to be
abandoned, when it could have been
saved, had an equal spirits of courage
and bravery been displayed by those
from whom support was expected.
Gen. Blair, on the left of the right
wing, moved his men forward for the
bloody work soon after its commence.
ment by Steele. A volunteer storming
party of one hundred and fifty men
ten from each regiment in the division
went up to the enemy's works,
crossed the ditch, and climbed the
parapet. The rebels were, for time,
afraid to show their heads above the
rife-pits long enough at time to fire
at this little band of valiant soldiers.
The storming party looked in vain
for the support which had been prom
ised it. The brigade, which had been
ordered to follow it, hesilated.. Final
y, all but one of the hundred and fifty
got discouraged, and sought the shell
ter of deep ravine. William frog
den, private of Company B, 9th Mis-
souri,, refused to retrace a single step.
lie was colOr-bearer of the storming
party. When his comrades left him.
he dug hole in the ground with his
bayonet, planted his flag staff in it,
within twenty yards of the enemy's
rifle pits, and sat down by the side of
his banner, where he remained all day.
Blair's men finally made charge, but
were repulsed with terrible loss.
Gen. Tuttle's division Joined in the
assault OF the right, but shared the
fate which befsll the others-was re
pulsed.
THE RESULT. 7li f
have attempted no heightened
description of the carnage near Vicks-
burg on the 22d, for the reason that
nothing occurred during the dav. a
description of which would be more in.
teresting because more detailed. 1t
was nothing more than single rharp.
on the enemy's works, which should
| have baao Gin, ,,lt ou..,,. L..