The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-09-04
p EIE1
XXXIII.

great obstacle OF the ditch 10 front Of the
enemy's works. the charge vas gallsntly
, and successfully made. and in few min
utes the entire garrison with % pieces o
artillery were the trophies Of this brilliant
and daring movement. The enemy on th.
west bank OF the river Immediately set fir,
to the railroad bridge and re;reated, thu
j cutting off all chance for escape for an,
portion Of his forces remainin2 on the cas-
bark.
\ Sherman. by this time, bad reache.
Bridgeport, on Black river above. Tht
lonly pontoon train with the expedition VA
with him. By the morning OF the 1s;h be
had crossed the river. and was ready t.
march on Walnut Hills. McClernand and
McPherson built floating bridges during the
might, aud had them ready for crossing
their commands by 8 A. NJ. OF the 1Sth.
The march wss commenced by Sherman
at an carly hour by the Bridgepoet apd
| lVickshurg road. turning 70 the FiG
within three and half mileas ~
to get possession Of Walnut HN
Yasoo rixer.r This was sdccsG66A
lcompiished before the night Of the 18th
Mcpherson crossed Black river above tho
Jackson road, and came into the same road
with Sherman. but to his rear He arrived
after nightfsll with his advance TO where
Sherman turned TO the right. McClernand
moved by the Jackson aud Vicksburg road
to Mount Albany. and there turned TO the
left to get into Baldwin's Ferry road. BY
this disposition the three army corps cover
ed all the ground their strength would al
NIT of, and by the morning Of the 10Th tho
iL Lvestment Of Vicksburg v as made As COM
ple,s as could be by the forces at my com
mand.
THE ASSAULT ON vICKsDURG.
During the day there was continuous
skirmishipg, and was not without hope Of
carrying the enemy's works. Relying up
on the decentralization Of the enemy in con-
sequence OF repeated defeats outside Of
Vicksburg, ordered general assault at 2
p. NJ. on this day.
rived in trout Of the enemy's works in time
on the 18th TO get good position. were en-
abled to make vigorous assault. The 18th
aud 18th Corps succeeded 10 further than
to gain advanced positions covered from the
wers perfecting communications with our
supplies. Most Of the troops had been
marching and fighting battles for 20 days
on an average Of about 5 lays ra,ions.
drawn from The coinmissary's department.
though they bad not suffered from shor. ra
tious up to this time, the want OF bread to
accompany the other rations was beginning
10 be much felt. On the 2ist my arrange
meuts for drawing supplies Of every des.
cyiption being complete, l determined to
make another effort TO carry Vicksburg by
assault. There were many reasons TO d.
.----;--. $50 .Sa..ssl tlsis s......>--a
ed an assault from the position gained by
this time could be made successfully. 1t
wAs known that Johnston was at Canton
with the force taken by him from jackson.
reinforced by other troops from the east, and
that more were daily reaching him. With
the forcs had, short time must have en-
abIed him to attack me in the rear, and pos
sibly succeed in raising the siege. Posses
Sion Of Vicksburg at that time would have
enabled me to have turned upon Johnston
and driven him from the State, and possess
myself of all the railroads aud practicable
military highways. thus etfectualiy securing
to ourselves all territory west Of the Tom
bigbee, and this before the season was too
far advanced for campaigning in this latitude.
1t would have saved government sending
large reinforcements, much needed else
where; and finally, the troops themselves
were impatien. to possess Vicksburg. and
would not have worked in the trenches with
the same zeal. believing it unnecessary. that
they did after their failure to carry the ene-
my's works. Accordingly on the 2lst or
ders were issued for . general assault on
the whole line. to commence at 10 A. NJ. on
the 2ed. All the corps commanders set
their time by mine. thst there should be no
difference between them 10 the moment of
assault. Promptly at the hour designated.
the three army corps then iu front of the
enemy's works commenced the assault. l
had taken commanding position near Nc
Pherson's front, from which l could see all
the advancing columns from corps. and q
part Of each of Sherman's and McCler-
nands. A portion of the commands OF
zach succeeded In planting their flags on
the outer slopes OF the enemy's bastions,
and maintained them there until night
Each corps had many more men than could
possibly be used in the assault, over such
ground as intervened between them aud the
enemy. More men could anly avail in case
Of breaking through the enemy's line or in
repelling q sortie. The assault was gallant
in the extreme on the part of all the troops,
but the enemy's position WAS too strong,
both naturally and artihcialiy TO be taken
in that way. At every poiut assaulted,
and at all Of them at the same time. the
enemy was able to show all the force his
works could cover. Tie assault, failed,
regret to say, with much loss on our side in
killed and wounded /; but without weakening
the confidence Of the troops in their ability
10 ultimately succeed.
No troops succeeded in entering any OF
the enemy's works with the exception Of
Sergeant Griffi b, of the 2lst regiment Iowa
Volunteers, and some eleven privates of the
same regiment. OF these none returned
excep, the Sergeant and possibly one man.
The work entered by him. from its position,
could give US no practical advantage unless
others to the right and left Of it were carried
and held at the same time.
Abou, IAN. received dispatch from
McClernand that he was hard pressed At
several points. in reply to which directed
him to reinforce the points hard pressed
from such troops as he had that We're not
engaged. then rode round to Sherman,
and bad just reached there, when received
second dispatch from McClernsnd stating
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