The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-11-26

in the advance most Of the time while
marching upon Vicksburg. We rested
a few days at Perkins Plantation,
when our regiment and the 48th In
diana were sent to open military
road round Lake st. Jose. to strike the
river again a little above Grand Gulf
In four days we marched about TWEEN
ty-siX miles; built four pontoon
bridges each about seventy feet long;
had two little skirmishcs with Harris
cavalry; one on Chocktaw Bayou, and
the other on Lake Bruin, and reached
Grand Gulf in time to witness the
bombardment on the 29th Of April.
On the Both we crossed the river be-
low Grand Gulf and aboutj o'clock,
PM, took up our line Of march for
Port Gibson, or wherever we found any
rebels, according to Grants orders
This was one Of the most deep laid
plans Of the war. It showed what a
master mind was at the head Of this
campaign. 1t was Grant in every
sense Of the word, and it was one Of
the many vaIorous acts that will make
his name immortal.
We met the enemy on Thompson 5
or Magnolia Hills, about four miles
from Port Gibson, where we had
brisk little fight ON the 1st Of May.
The battle continued without much
apparent advantage on either side,
until it was evident that the rebels
We're giving us weak point on the
left Of our lines. SO General Oster-
haus ordered the 49th Indiana and orr
regiment to charge upon a battery.
We did 50, and it was but few mo-
mcntS until the hills were covered
with gray backs seeking more com
Portable quarters. As usual, our flying
Dutchman was with us, Gas General
O. was sometimes called from his ca
pacity 10 be almost every place in q
very shortspace Of time) lie gave us
quite Il compliment, when we put the
rebels to fight, saying, i am only a
Dutchman, but if they give me such
boys as you, will whip them so bad
every time as they won't know any.
thing"
Mack, ofthc Cincinnati Commercial
would have the public believe that il
was Smiths Brigade of Logan's Di
, vision that made the charge | an
:, happy to say that l can inform tha
] gentleman from personal experience
that this was not the case. saw
: nothing of Smiths men until we wer
! half mile beyond the rebels startin!
. place. five had been in some othc
q corps ! have no doubt we would hav
, had more credit for what we did; bu
- by some means or other, there was no
:. the best feeling between the comman
: der Of the department and the com
o mandcr Of our corps; and Gene
McClernand is one of those men VIII
i don t buy newspaper correspondents
He was too honorable man for tha
! lie paid more attention to those VIII
9 were to do the fighting than to thos
g who followed up the army to nal;
% Misrepresentation. And of cours
Il this being his disposition he did nc
.. receive one half Of that which was du
him. The 18th Army Corps had til
Ia most implicit confidence in Gcncr;
a, McClernand.
rs But I must hasten on. After fgh
ID ing all day, we laid on our arms in I'll
Is advance Of our army, all night, will
s. out pillow but mother earth, an
A. naught for a covering save the canop
It. of heaven. Our blankets were lie
ID about two miles in the rear. I'll
next morning we went back and Q,
IS our knapsacks and started for Po
NJ Gibson. | fear it would startle son
of of your fair readers if we were able
@. give true account of the battlefield
to the day after the battle. After worI
is. ing hard all night in burying the dea
C. and removing the wounded, the me-
morning portions of the ground WI
1t, strcwed with dead men and horse
e. and occasionally man too bad
d, wounded to be moved, o. in the Ia
in agonics of death. But such is wa
he and soldiers become so accustomed
w it that it becomes an ordinary matt
rs with them-or in other words ma
re ter of necessity. If it were not
to there would be less brave men tn;
d. there are l can't stop to give "
he details of any of the battles in whit
oy weparticipaccd.
On the 10Th of May we were at Il
u battle of Champion Hills or Baker
ne Creek, as some call it. Here we h