Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-06-17

Correspondence of the State Journal.
In THE FIELD, SCAR VIcKsBURG, I
May 20, 1868.
MEssRs. EDITORS: You would have
heard from US before this late date, II Gen.
Grant had permitted mails to go up the
river. | believe he has allowed them to
send letters. and we are to have daily
mail from headquarters.
The 18th is on the side of hill, five
hundred yards from the rebel works, and
protected from their rifle balls by some
| earthworks thrown up on the crest of the
| hill. The 26th Ohio and 1st Mo. batteries
on our flank are throwing shell into the
| rebel works. For the past ten days We
| have been at work IN tie front, digging
| rifle pits at night and acting as sharp
shooters during the day. The men have
| made shelters from the sun and rain, with
| their rubber blankets, and have their
meals cooked and sent TO them.
We were sent to a place seven miles
| from Jackson, where we Camped the night
| that Gen. Graut occupied the Capital
The next day (May l5th) We were ordered
| back to Raymond, where We learned that
| The enemy had & large force near Ed
wards Station. We started early Friday
morning aud marched to where Osterhaps'
| Division had halted and sent out skirmsh
| eIs through the woods. We remained in
the open field, our Division being held as
a reserve, and listened to the heavy fire Oh
| nusketry until late in the afternoon when
the rebels were driver from their strong
position, and the battle of Champion Hills
was decided. Gen. Hovey's Division had
done some good work, and the 29th Wis,
| which is in his Division, was among the
| bravest. Gen. Carr's Division was sent
after the retreating rebels, driving them
beyond Edwards Station. The rebels
| LETT several car loads OF corn meal and ba-
con. which furnished Us our supper and
| breakfast, and at four o'clock the next
| morning our skirmishers had come up
with the enemy's pickets at the railroad
| bridge. After we had ascertained their
position the artillery opened upon them,
and our Brigade moved down to the right.
| The 11th Wis. in the advance, Co. A was
| skirmishing, when the enemy fred from
their rifle pits upon them, wounding Capt.
Hough, Lieut.. Freeman, and Others.
The order was given for our Brigade to
charge, and we started with a yell that
was more effective than mUsketry, if one
might Judge from the way the frightened
rebels ran. Our regiment had the pleas
ure of securing over thousand prisoners
! "
had captured seventeen pieces of artillery
on the LETT. The rebels retreated, burn
! ing the railroad bridge across the Big
| Black. Their works extended from the
river to bayou on the south side, and
were considered good defense for the
the bridge. Our Brigade was left to
gather arms on Monday, and on Tuesday
we were marched to this place.
| Thursday, the 2lst, we were acting as
| sharpshooter5 to prevent the rebels from
using their guns IN the forts, and to keep
their men from shooting from their rife
pits. Our men beat them at artillery and
rifle practice, as they acknowledge.
Friday morning We were moved down,
and told that general charge would be
| made upon the enemy's works. Ouf
brigade was to be supported by some of
! O5terhaus's men. Col. Harris had sent
| some of our men through the ravines TO
! the enemy's works the night before, and
| he knew the difficulties that we had to
overcome as no other officer did. We
/ started over the hill at ten O'Clock, when
| the enemy opened murderous fire from
| their rifle pits, aud threw grape and can
| ister from the fort. We crossed to the
| side of bill and sought the best shelter
we could find, as it was impossible to sd-
vance or retreat under cross-fre from
the enemy's works, and our supports had
turned back. Ten men were killed and
| ninety-two wounded. The regiment was
Withdrawn at night.
Capt. John A. Peaslee, of Co. G, was
| mortally wounded and died the same
night. He was among the first to enlist
10 Co. b, of the First regiment, and after
its return be went into this regiment. He
was blave and true, and none know how
he will be missed except those who have
been situated as We are, and have learned
the worth of such man. | will enclose
list of our killed and wounded at Black
river bridge and Ficksburg, which was
furnished oy DR.. Strong, medical director
of our division.
Gen. Lawler was assigned to the COM
mand OF our brigade after we came to
Port Gibson. Col. Harris is now in COM
mand of the regiment. Lieut.. Col. Wood
is Inspector anu chief of staff, and Capt.
Whittlesey is quartermaster on Gen.
Carr's staff.
The plckets commenced firing early
this morning, and We were called out to
see if the rebs were trying to break out.
At six o'clock all of our artillery opened
upon them, and fired for twenty minutes
the mortar boats at The same time throw
ing shell into the city. 1t is very fine
sight in the night. We have no doubt
about the result. Vicksburg will be ours,