Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-06-06
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BURG.
Around tho ascoel works.


NEAR yrcKsBuRe. May %, 1s68.--This is
the fourth day the army OF General Grant
has laid around the intrenchmcnts OF Nlcks-
burg, Within that time there have been
daily battles and continual cannonade. AT
least two thousand of our soldiers have been
placed hors de combat, killed and wounded
in the several charges ordered against the
earthworks.
1t was rumored yesterday tina this morn
ing Gen. Grant would order charge slmul-
taneously along the entire line of works.
late in the evening the commanders of the
different corps, divisions and brigades re-
ceived their orders and prepared to execute
them. The order contemplated fierce
cannonade from daylight until ten O'Clock,
but for some some unexplained reason it was
not opened until after eight.
During the night, however, the gun-boats
and mortars lying in front of Nicksburg kept
up continual fire, and dropped their fiery
messengers right and left without oistinc-
| ton.
| During this bombardment several build
ings were set on fire by the exploding shells
| and lighted up the darkness, revealing
strange shapes and wonderful outlines stand
| ing out in relief against the dark sky, which
added wonderful interest to the lombard
ment as witnessed by the distant observer.
1t is impossible to estimate the damage oc-
casioned by thus dropping into Vicksburg
| these / / and t3.inch shells. Imagination
falls far short of its reality.
Before we approached the city the Gene
raj Commanding ordered all the women ano
children for miles around Nicksburg to CONT
within the intrenchments, assuring then
that in that way they would escape all dan
ger. The consequence is that there are
large number of non-combatants in Nicks
burg, exposed to all the dangers of siege anc
bombardment.
At eight o'clock this morning. according
to programme the cannonading began, ant
continued with scarcely moments inter
, mission, along the entire line, until tel
o'clock. From every hill top in front of th
enemy's works cannon were placed, and tn
,, fierce tempest ragged fearfully. Guns wer
dismounted. cmbrasurcs torn up, parapet
destroyed, and caissons exploded 1t was
fearful demonstration. The enemy wcr
, powerless to reply; for our line of skirmisl
works, and unerringly picked off the gun
, ners wherever they attempted to work tn
, guns.
For two long hours did this cannonad
. continue, when on the left, in Smith Carr
and Osterhaus' division, charge was made
Winding through the valleys, clamberin
- over the hills, everywhere subjected to
I murderous, entilading and cross fire. the
, pressed up close to the Rebel works to Tin
= that deep ditch, protected 10y sharp stake
: along the outer ,cdge, lay between thel
6 and the lntrenchments. They planted the
. flag directly before the tiolt and croucl
! ed down behind the embankment out
l. range of the Rebel fire, as calmly as possibl
r to await developments. The soldiers witt
- in the fort could not raise above the parap
', to fire at them, for if they did II hundrc
! bullets came whizzing through the air, an
- the adventures died.
They adopted another plan. Taking
shell, they cut the fuse close Off lighted
and rolled it over the outer slope Of the en-
bankment.
Subsequently, with picks and shovels,
way WAS dug into one fort, and through Il
r breach the boys walked nrayely in. III
= first fort, on the left of the railroad, WI
% stormed by portion Of Gen. Carr's Divisit
% and galanty taken. Colonel Stone, Cf Ii
: Twenty-second Iowa, led the charge and W
9 wounded
On the centre the fire vas persistent AZ
terrible. Many brave officers were killC
and many wounded. Col. Dolins, of Il
y Eigty-tirst Illinois, fell dead while leadir
- his men to the charge.
% Later in the afternoon, Gen Ransom's 81
y gade charged the works opposite his po'
~ ton with heavy loss. Colon
y Wright, of the Seventy Illinois, W
= wounded, and Colonel Neyins, of the Ele
u u enth Illinois, and Colonel Humphrey, Of t
~ Ninety fifth, were killed
~ Steele and Tutte, on the right We're hca
II ily engaged and the former is reDOrtcd
" have lost nearly thousand men.