Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-06-13
TslE vICu&SBuRG BATTLE OF
MAY 22D.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
THE BATTLE On TUE 22p.

wcaricd rs all. and disappointed most of us.
No army was ever more confident of acliev-
ing u glorious success than was ours of en-
tcrng Nicksburg on the 10Th. So fully as
surcd were we of victory, that we postponed
it from day to day.
Ii became known on the morning of the 2lst
that at ten o'clock next morning the whole
line of the cncmy's works would he assault
ed, and | did not hear of II single doubt
being expressed as to the result "TD storm
the works is to take Nicksburg," was the
universal opinion among officers and men.
THE ENEMY's STRONGEST roISr
General Grant was of opinion that the key
to NIcksburg was in front of Gen. Mcphcr-
sons Corps, the centre of the rebel lincs.-
There are number of forts there. the two
principal ones commanding the road TO
Jackson, and directly in the rear of Nicks-
burg Court House. TO silence the guns
here several of our best batteries were order
eel into position. among three Parrott guns.
manned and otiiccrcd 10y the First Regulars.
Between our sharp-shootcrs and our nrti-
lery we slcnccd the guns in the forts. but.
as we afterwards learned. that damaged the
Rebels only II little. Our shells set fire to
IL number of cotton bales inside of the
forts.
Before two o'clock on the morning Of the
22d our artillery had fired and destroyed
three service magazines in Rebel forts. one
on the centre and two on the left. They
were small affairs, Judging from the cXpo-
sionS which occurred.
Amid Il terrific storm Of bullets and grape
shot, the Third Brigade held its ground
until recalled by orders from the proper
source. They advanced, holding their fire
to pour into the ritlc.pit>. their ascent of the
parapct. The enemy gave them volley after
vollcy as they approached, sending terrible
devastation among their ranks. Colonel
Doliins. of the Eighty!tir>t Illinois. was shot
through the head while gallantly leading his
regiment. lie expired in II few moments.
while cXhorting his men to push forward in
the charge. The loss in Stcvcnsons Brigade
will reach nearly three hundred. The Thir-
ty-sccond Ohio, one of his regiments, lost
ten wounded and nine killed.
To the left of Logan. in the centre. Gen.
Quimhy's Division joined in the assault
Like their brave comrades under Stevenson
and Smith. their vaor and courage was
great :. but could not accomplish the work
assigned them. Colonel Boomer of the
Twcnty-sixth Missouri. commanding the
Second Brigade of this division, was killed
on the field.
THE ASSAULT oN THE CENTRE.
The assault was Ia have been made all
along the lines MT ten o'clock \. NJ The
order was not ohcycd. think, hya single
division of the army. At the appointed
time, our lines occupied exactly the position
assigned them on the previous day. and up
to eleven o'clock. the skirmshcr> had not
advanced, save those of one or two divisions
On thc centre. the First and Third BrigadcS
of General Logans divisions. commanded by
Generals John +. Smith and John ID. steven
son. advanced about halfpaSt eleven o'clock.
Two regiments of Stcycnson's Brigade were
provided with scaling ladders, forty feet
lon" but had no opportunity to Use them.
hmg driven back before reaching the rifle
pits. Logans men went forward bravclv.
but were met 10y overwhelming numbers of
the intrcnchcd foe Hundreds OF them Jump
ed into the ditchcs. but the number who
reached the parapct was small. Nearly two
companies rushed into the fort and were
captured. The flag of the Seventh Missouri
was planted on the parapct, after seven
color bearers had been shot down.
THE ASSAULT ON TIE LEFT.
On the left General McClcrnand com
mcnCcd earlier than any other commander
The 0rst advance was made hy Mcclcrnand's
centre. Gen. \. }. smiths division. of two
brigades. commanded by Col I.andrum and
General Burbndgc. As early ~ eleven
o'clock Landrums men took Il fort, and
were in actual possession of it. General
Ostcrhaus, on their left. made IL breach in
the south side of the work, with his artil-
lcry. There were two companies of Rebel
soldiers in mt the time one of them ran
away, and the other actually burrowcd their
way through the earth to our men in front.
and surrendered rs prisoners. l.andrum. ON
obtaining possession of the fort, put IL
pioneer force at work to throw up earth
works IN the rear, 81 as To bring the gums of
the fort To bear upon the Rebels In CON
>tructing The inrtiiications the Rebels left
the rear ot all the forts open, to give them
AN opportunity to asSail our men in the
event of our success in driving them out.
The flags of the Forty-e"hth Ohio. Seven.
ty- seventh Illinois and Nineteenth Kcntuc-
ky, iloatod from the inner slope of the
parapet, from half-pa>t eleven o'clock \. W.
till four i. VI. At the latter hour the rebels
were seen preparing for Il charge Ia rctake
the fort. An entire brigade was about to
be pittcd against few companies. Our
men did not receive the support which had
been promised them, and they were com
PEELED to fall back, leaving the enemy again
in possession ut the fort. The Forty.cighth
Ohio acquitted itself very crcdituhly IN the
affair The conduct of its officers and men
is highly spoken uf ! enclose list nf the
caSualtIc, of the regiment. Between twelve
and one O'Clock the Sixteenth Indiana, after
Il desperate charge, succeeded in capturing
fort to the right of the one in pos>r,,nn
at Col. l.andrum. The hcld il gnlmntly
against determined assault, until relieved
10y the Fouy-cighth Indiana, from whom
it Was taken lay surprise force of. the enc
my.
The lighting on the left, was done by the
divisions of Generals Carr, O,tcrlmus and
Smith, aud wa, of more desperate chau,c.
ter aud of longer duration than that upon
the righ, or centre. McCkraud and his
men performed their part with energy and
determination, but were unable 10 dislodge
the enemy from his works, save temporarily
la the instances have mentioned, During
the afternoon Gen. Grant received despatch
from Met Clernand Ia the effect that lac had
taken three forts, and would bc in posses
sion of the city soon, ii Immediately rein
forced McArlhur's division of Mcphrr,on's :
Carps was sent a. his assistance and, ii !
mistake not, two brigades of another diyi-
sion. Hut Mctlernand did not take Nicks-
burg,