Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-05-28

abont p. NJ. of the goth.
Grant has pro badly captured nearly all.
S.A. HURLpUT Major General.
OfficiaI Details of the Battle of Bla ok
River.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, May %, ll.30 A. NJ.
Hon. Edlein II Stanton, Secretary Of Var:
The following dispatch has been received
at these headquarters, and is forwarded as re-
quested:
S.A. HuRLBUT, Major General
REAR OF VIcKsBURG, May 20 A. NJ.
Hon. Edlcin IT. Stanton, Secretary Of Var:
Gen. Grant won a great and mumentou5
victory over the Rebels under Pemberton on
the jackson and Vicksburg road, at Bakers
Creek on the 10th inst. Pemberton had most
formidable position on the crest ola woodland
hill over which the road passes ongitudinallv.
He had about $4,000 men. The battle began
at IL A. NJ. and was gained at 4 ?. ". Its
hrunt was borne by IIovev's Division and Nc
Clernanp's Borps and by Logan's and Cronll-
ers of McPherson's. llovey attacked the hill
and held the greater part of it till o'clock P.
NJ. when, having lost sixteen hundred men, he
was succeeded by Boomers and Holiness Bri-
AIDES, of Crocker's Division, by which the con.
fict was ended in that part Of the field. Boom
er lost five hundred men.
Logan operated on the right and cut off the
enemv's direct retreat, so that he was compel
led to escape Ey the right flank through the
woods. Logan lost four hundred killed and
wounded. We took two thousand prisoners.
On the 18th, advancing to the Big Black, we
fought Pemberton again at the bridge there,
aud captured three thousand more prisoners.
lie fought in ritle-plts, protected by difficult
bayou full Of ubattis Lawles' brigade, o.
McCernand's Corps, charged the rife pits
magnifcently, and took more prisoners than
thrir own numbers. Fcmberton burned his
bridge, and returned TO Vickshurg with only
three common out of sixty that he had taken
out. building four bridges over The Big
Black, General Grant arrived before q town
on the evening Of the 18th, and now holds il
closely invested. lie had opened n line Of sup
plies vim Chickasaw bayou, having cat the
Town off from laines'5 Bluff, which i than-
doued by the enemy, and which G neral
Grant will occupy. There was sharp hting
though the day Yesterday. Steele woa and
holds the upper bluffs and water hatteri 5 and
Gets water from the Mississippi Shc.man's
.ps lost yesterday five hundred killed and
wounded,
Mcpherson, W no holds the centre, lost little,
rs did McClernand, who holds the left Tho
gunboats kept the enemy alert during th
hight, and probably the town will lie carrie!
to-day. There are from fifteen 10 twenl
thousand men in it.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-The following IL"
rGrtant dispatches were received at the Nav:
Depa tment this morning:
CAIRO, Illinois, May 25, 1868
lion. Gideon Helles, Secretary Of tie Nary:
The following despatch has just been re-
ceved here: a. PENNocK,
Fleet Captain.
MISSISSIPPI SQUADRoN, FLAG SHIP,
BLACK HAWK, HAISEs' BLUFF, I
On the morning Of 18th came over to the
Yuzoo river to be ready TO cooperate vi h
Gen. Grant
Leaving two OF the ron-cads al Red river,
one at Grand Gull, one at Carthage, and three
at Wnrrenton and two in the Yaz0o, left only
small force. Still disposed of them to the
best advantage. On the 18th, at mel idiun,
firing was heard in the rear Of Nicksburg,
winch assured the that General Grant was a p
proaching the city.
The cnnnonadiug WAS kept up furiously for
some Time when, by the aid of glasses, dis
covered a company of cur artillery advancing,
taking position and driving the lie els be-
fore them.
Immediately saw thu. General Sherman 5
Division had come in lU the left of Snyder's
Bluff, and that the Rebels at that place had
been cut oil from joining the iorces in the city
discharged the DeKulk, Lieut.. Command
ing Walker; Chester, Lieut. Commanding Ram
say Romeo, Petral, Forrest and Rose, all un-
der command OF Lieut. Commanding Breeze up
the YuzJo to opcu communication in that way
with Generals Grant and sherman.
This | succeeded in doing, and in three
hours received letters from Generals Grant,
Sherman and Steel informing me OF their vast
success, and asking me 10 send up Proviso ms,
which was at once done.
In the meantime Lieutenant Commander
Walker On the DcKalh pushed on TO Hane S
Bluff, which the enemy had CONNER ced evac-
uating the day before. A party remained
behind, in the hope of taking away or destroy
ing the large amount OF ammunition on hand
When they saw the gnnboats, however, they
ran and left everything in good order guns,
forts, tents and equipments Of all kinds. which
fell into our hands.
AS soon as the capture of Aaines' Bluff and
fourteen toiis was reported to me | showed up
the gunboats from below Vcksburg TO fire at
the hill batteries, which fire was kept up for
two or three hours.
At midnight TREY moved up to the town and
opened on it for about an hour, and continued
at intervals during the night TO annoy the gar
rson.
On the 10th placed six mortars in position
with orders TO fire night and day as rapidly
as they could. The works at Haines' Bluff are
very formidable. There are fourteen OF the
heaviest kind, mounted with eight, ten-inch,
and seven and half-inch riled guns, with am
munition enough TO last long siege.
As the gun carriages might again fall int
the hands of the enemy, had them burnt
blew up the magazine, and destroyed the works
generally.
| also blew up the encampments, which
were permanently and remarkably well con-
structed, looking as il the Rebels intended TO
stay for some time. These works aud encamp-
men,s covered many acres OF ground, and the
Notifications and the rihe-pis proper of
laines' Bluff extended about a mile and n
quarter. Such network of defences never
saw.
The Rebels were n year constructing them
aud all were rendered useless in au hour.
sAs soon as got through with the destruc-
ton of the magazines and other works. ! start
ed Lieutenant Commander Walker up the Va
zoo river with sufficient force TO destroy all
the enemy's property in tnat direction, with
orders to return with all despatch, and only 10
proceed as tar as Yazoo City, where the Rebels
have navy yard and store-houses.
In the meantime General Grant has closely
invested Vicksburg and has possession OF the
best commanding points. In a very short
time general assault will take place when
hope TO announce that Nicksburg has fallen
after q series of the most brilliant successes
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