The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-06-10

now hard it is to see brave men. fighting in
sacred cause, fall like cattle, with no sun.
port' no rescue, by the hand of foe they can.
not reach! They cling desperately to the
sue Oh the breastworks; who are living, who
aredead, no one knows. Some burroW with
hand and foot into the embankment. Some
are stark and motionless. Along the hither
side OF the ravine, and partially screened from
musketry, our soldiers are crouching and "
ing, and returning the fire from the rifle pits as
best they can. An officer can be seen by the
ald OF the field-glass moving, backward and
forward among the men with drawn sword.
vailny attempting to get them up the fort to
the support of their comrades. Here and
there they rush forward across the exposed
surface, one or two at a time. But the danger
Is too appalling to be faced even by the brave
fellows that stormed the works at Black River.
Atiast regimental flag and the stars and
stripes are advanced and placed upon the
edge OF the parapet. The dear old flag burns
iar In the van, like beacon of distress. We
endeavor to cheer, but heart sickness comes
over us and chokes the utterance. What we
want now are strong reinforcements ON that
one point. A division of men thrown for
ward upon the corner Of yonder bastion might
insure us Vicksburg. After a few moments
Which seem an age, Landrum's brigade, or a
portion OF it, comes forward to position
equidistant from the redoubt with that occu-
pied by the main portion of Lawler's brigade.
and can be got no further.
While Landrum is moving up it is plain that
the enemy is massing his forces against us
Men can be seen rushing along behind the ri
NE pits toward the main works, both above
and below. 1t is evident that an attack must
be made elsewhere by way of diversion. Ac-
cordingy Gen. McClernand orders Benton
and Burbridge to push forward and engage the
enemy at once on the right. The constant
enquiry is now what news from the ripbtp
What news from Sherman and NcPhersonp
Every orderly and horseman of any descrip-
tlon is catechised. But the information was
indefinite and unsatisfactory. McPherson's
corps was close to the enemy's work Our
flag was planted on the Rebel parapets at va
rious places. But no forts were taken. Ru-
mors came to that effect but proved to be
without foundation. 1t was evident that the
attack was everywhere being made, not with
heavy columns but with forlorn hopes. The
nre OF the enemy was too concentrated and
murderous, the bitches too deep and the moles
too high to be overcome.
Thus the day wore along; day of gallant
fighting against hopeless natural Obstacles.
Soon after the attack of LAWYERS brigade.
those OF Benton and Burbridge on the right
pushed forward, and met with equal success.
Ihey reached the moat. Some of the bravest
planted our ensign on the parapet. A few
stationed themselves on its edge, and fired at
the enemy within when he showed himself.
while Others loaded their guns below. While
the soldiers were e2sconcng themselves in the
ditch, the Rebels began to play at shuttlecock
with shells of lighter caliber, tossing them
over the embankment like hand-grenades.
This compelled our troops to retire from the
range OF these MISSILES. BY way of returning
the compliment, they tried to toss our bomb
shells over the top of the fort among the Reb-
els, but found this mode of replying i,npracti-
cable. So one of the pieces Of the Mercantile
battery was advanced to within fifty feet of
The works, under the charge of Lieut.. Adams.
OF the 33d Illinois, and opened fire with can
ster point-black over the embankment. Such
audacity under any other circumstances would
have been simply amusing.
Such is briefly the history of Friday the 22d
of May. Everywhere almost victory. Ev-
almost without exception, gallantrv
deserving Of the highest praise. The country i
las no reason for discouragement.
There has been no retreat, no loss of priso-
lers or artillery, no shattering or demoraliza-
ion Of the army. Vicksburg is hemmed in
N every side, and Is surely ours, whether ta-
rom Hurlbut's corps is at Haines's Bluff and
am told in possession of fourteen pieces of
artillery. Banks is reported as at hand with
5000 men. The enemy is shattered and de-
by successive disasters, and has no
alternative but starvation or surrender. The
lay when the Mississippi shall be disenthrall-
ed, and the great western stronghold of the
South, with its arms and ensigns," captured,
a. "A a if "a