Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-06-12
|. scenc NJ YIcksburE--.t.rnphIc Account

Scene Mt VicksburE--,,,& - Ssfu 4 pnlS i, NJ
OF StOrming n Rebel fOrt-
And now reader, come with me, and you |
shall witness one Of those sights rarely
seen. and the story Of which will thrill the |
hearts of posterity with mingled wonder, |
admiration and sorrow forever atterWsrd. |
Imagine yourself on the crest OF saarP |
hill, crowned with fresh earthworks. Four |
huge Parrot guns stand on the summit
Green up to the top and peep over-eau-
tiously, for MINES are slipping through
the air with that half-audible, deadly sound
which the soldier knows so well. Just IN
front, and apparently, not stones throw
of. although in fact distant seven hun
dred yards is the bare, reddish outline OF
the fort we are to storm.
How steep how ominously silent ana
desolate it looksl One would fancy that
nothing Of verdure or life could abide
there. Between it and US is a valley or
ravine that makes the approach to the op-
posite works almost precipitous. At either
extremity of the bastion is long, low line
of riAe-piis, connecting with similar works
to the right and left, as far as the eye can
reach, forming an unbroken necklace OF
rihe-pits, and Notifications. To the south
of the fort, Immediately in front the rife
pits make bend this way, 80 as to sweep
with an enfilading fire storming force
When you look at yonder steep HILL at
that Gordon of breastWorks, eontrived with
consummate ingenuity and labor, the heart
sinks within you, To the left with its
blood-red bars just visible above the rihe-
pits, now tapping defantly in the breeze,
now dropping to the flagstaff and almost
lost from view, Is the ensign Of treason.
Beyond the western hills, pointing peace
fully heavenward, in strange contrast with
these warlikc preparations, are the spires
of Vicksburg. saHI Hg. ..I,t
| THE ASSAULT.
But harkl A faint cheer rises on the air.
| They are charging Lswler's brigade Is
advancingl There is a general rush to the
summit Of the hill, regardless of sharp
shooters and shells. There they 60 with
/ trailed muskets, half-crouching, with swift
but stealthy tread, streaming toward the
| fortress. For amoment not shot is fired.
They are screened from the raking shots Of
the enemy by the side of the ravine. But
Just as they emerge from the open space
| before the fort, the rihe-pits and bastion
to the left, the works in front, and the
sharpshooters from the right, all open upon
them with deadly storm of bullets.
Lately so deserted, the redOubts are all
alive with heads and muskets and jets Of
smoke. The air is crazy with the sharp
rattle Of musketry and the crash of can
non. For a moment the advancing eolImn
staggers under this terrible ordeal. Then
few brave fellows rush forward, right up
to the breastworks; hesitate q moment on
the edge of a moat, leap in and disappear,
emerge on theother side, and struggle with
great difficulty up the steep sides of the
parapet. Some of them reach the top, and
stand for moment the target Ofthousands
of bullets on that proud, but awful summit,
gaze down at something within, then
spring forward and disappear.
Is it a victory? Is the stronghold won
Or do they enter there as those who cross
the Bridge of Sighs, never TO return
Now, others scale the works to be met by
shots from within, and sink to the earth
or reel backwards into the trenches. Mer-
oiful God How hard it is to see brave men
fighting in a sacred cause, fall like cattle
with no support, no rescue, by the hand o.
foe they cannot reach.
| The result ofthe attack is already known
The edge of the fort is gained, but its inte
rior is swept By line of riAe-pits in the
rear and a partition breastwork, so that
our soldiers. even when within the fort
were almost as far from victory as before
EarthwOrks and sbarpshooters we're every
where. The charging column crossed the
open space before the works under mur
derous fire from foemen in front and OF
either flank. A handfulof men scaled the
redoubt only to be caught in uuother col
of death.
Even in the ditch they were not safe
Some of them actually burrowed in the
earth along the sides of the parapet tC
gain shelter from this terrific storm. 81
this forlorn hope, the heroes of Black River
hardly believing that they could be re-
pulsed, clung to the steep sides Of thai
bastion as the drowning man holds to 6
straw, through that long day Of agony
until the friendly night brought them re-
lief.