The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-20
The Victory at Baldwin's Hills
Port Gibson.
BRAVERY OF DUB TROOPS.

Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribunel
PoRT GIBsos, Miss, May 2.
THE FIGHT AT BALDwISs HILLS (poRr
GIBsos).
After series of spirited engagements,
and after eontesting every foot of the
ground between the Mississippi and this
pleasant village, the Fsieral army has
at last undisturbed possession of Port
Gibson.
When my last was written we were at
Brimsburg, on the Mississippi. We ar
rived and went into bivouac there at two
O'Clock on the morning of Friday, the
lst inst. 1t had been our intention to
make leisurely march to Port Gibson.
a little after sunrise, but we were still
buried in slumber in the early gray of
the morning when the quick and sharp
report of artillery heard in the distance
showed that Gen. McClernand was meet
ing with spirited opposition. z
THE ADVANCE. - s8rc1
gaifoplng down the fevee, and we were
ordered to advance. There were three
brigades of u.s. We marched out from
general headquarters 70 the music Of
national anthems, and wound up the
steep activities over which the road to
Port Gibson is laid. The scene was
most picturesque and exhilerating. In
the distance we could hear the booming
of cannon and the rattle of muskeHy.
Our boys were eager to join in the fray
and pushed on gallantly. Under these
circumstances you may be sure that, not
withstanding tie hilly country and steep
pathways over which we were compelled
to pass, We were not many hours in
reaching the vicinity of the battle
ground.
TOPOGRAPHY
The place where the battle was being
fought was at "Baldwin's Kills." a
range Of elevations fifty to one hundred
feet above the river, with deep ravines
between them, and bottom lands filed
with dense canebrakes and impossible
thickets of vines and briars. The en-
trance to the plantation was from deep
ravine, through which ran deep stream
of water AS we approached this stream,
orderlies and aids were galloping up and 4
down the road driving in stragglers.
Just beyond the river the route lay over
steep hill hundred feet high, and was
order
BATTLE SIGHTS.
By the roadside was a carroll of pris-
oners, hundred or more, which Nc
Clernand had earlier captured, and
battery of field pieces, which the Sth and
18th Indiana had charged at the point Of
the bayonet, and captured before eight
o'clock in the morning. 1t was on the
hither side of this ravine alluded to that
the enemy had stationed this battery,
--:AL -l-;-L &L-y r---:-t---ly -l-.i-1
the advance of Gen. Carr. A little fur
ther up were rough arbors of bushes and
capacious tents, already filed with the
dead and dying Here lay a man in his
last agony, his brain protruding from a
frightful fracture in his skull Another
had an arm shot away; the leg of an
other was hanging by a small tendon.
Sad as these sights were, they were moth
ing to those seen on the top of the hill,
where the general hospitals of the 18th
and 18th army corps were located.
THE FIGHT.
Of the incidents which transpired be-
fore reached the battlefield, and the
connection Herewith of the different reg
iments, cannot speak from observation,
andlest do injustice, prefer to speak.
generally or say nothing. -
When the advance reached the rsvine,
at eleven o'clock Thursday night, they
were greeted by heavy FIRE of artillery
from battery on the opposite hill At
that hour, and in the darkness, they
could do nothing to capture il, and so
waited patiently until daylight The
fire was kept up all night long without:
eliciting reply. When the first tings OF
sunshine began to tip the eastern mus
they first verified the strength OF tnat POI
sition, of which they could only guess 81
midnight Thers4.was diminishing oe.
lasting from daylight until sigh, .SsaSss SslSss
when the 9th and 18th !nSags s p. ensssss saas -
Fths hayonet, took possession
snd e % turned them upon the fleeing enemy.
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