Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-08-04
Communicated
Letter from Vioksburg.
HEADoUAarEks 33D REG'T. Wis. Vol
Camn 1T Vi .aLl,r.c ME- LILY IL iGn

FRIEND HERALD 1T has been long
time since we have seen your welcome face,
and | take the pleasure Of telling you we
would gladly see you oftener, your m any
friends IN this regiment would be glad if
you would tell our friend at home of our
health, our welfare and our actions in this
great National struggle which has been
impending for weeks past, but which we
have settled, and we hope satisfactorily to
their views. For forty seven DAYS, preyi
GUS to the fourth Of July, we had been in
constant communication with our enemies.
in the way of leaden missiyes, and forty
seven days of ditcling within range of can
non. We now walk in comparative safety,
where few days ago, it would have been
self-sacriice to have stood momant. But
to give our movements alittle more expIic-
it, will return to an earlier date. The
SD, of which four companies boast their
origin in Old Grant, left Memphis with our
brigade and turned our faces on Vicksturg
and pushed onward, and we never lost
sight Of it until the white fag took the
place of the stars and bars. On our way
down we Landed and run guerilla band
of artillery beyond the confines of knowl-
edge, they fired into, and wounded thirteen
Of the Sd Iowa on board the Crescent City.
We came in sight of Vieksburg and heard
the roaring Of cannon, that continued for
AZ or IS days.
We passed up the Yazoo 10 Haines
Bluff, where we remained few days, and
then took up our line Of march towards the
front and on the left Of Gen. Grants irwin
chile army, where we commenced our grad
ual advances by pushing the rebels back
with lead or steel. How well we have acted
our, part the Generals can say and the
people must Judge. While acting our part
on this fiery stage. VIC have lost in killed
and wounded, some Is or 20; other reg
iments have suffered similar in loss also
Parts of our regiment has made four diff
ferent bayonet charges on our enemy
strong posted on hills and in rifle pits, but
we never hurt one of the yellow pets yet
with bayonet for the very reason that
when we got where they should have been
we found them invariably vamoused, and
generally we could see butternut pants dis
playing wonderful accomplishments of
speed, and coat tails protruding so hori-
zontally as to remind us of frightened cats
scampering for dear life.
How well we have done our work, over
this deeply cut, and water washed country,
on these dark nights. we leave for others
to say; if had right to Judge | should
say every man done his duty nobly and
well, and some more than their duty.
Conspieuousy among all was our brave
Captain who would make the hills echo
and re-echo the words "chargel charge y
''rout 'em boys" from which he has re-
ceiyed from the other regiments, the appel
lation of 'the roaring captain of the SD"
when in camp he seems to gather strength
from silence, to be vented upon the rebels
on the battle field Col. Moore has not
been behind in his duty when he said
take the place it was taken, when he said
to hold it, it was held.
We kept steadily drawing our coils
tighter and tighter, until we were almost
III lCftIu vi buGlI SEuDldouiCos w nSu AhO1
run up the white flag we were IN 40 PAGES
of their breast works. When an enemy
will let an other intrench themselves in 40
or so PAGES of their cannon, | care not how
dark it may be, it shows lack Of courage.
totally unworthy of even rebels themselves;
so completely had we then conquered that
it was rarely they got shot at us, and
they said to expose a hand was sure way
Of getting it shot off. presume it was
the same all around lines, but | speak from
only what | know.
After ~ days Of hard fighting they were
compelled 10 pull down the stars and bars,
and hoist the white flag in its stead. On
Friday the Sd of July white flag came
out, and an armistice was in force while it
was through our lues. The rebels swarmed
upon their breastworks, and we upon ours;
in the afternoon the fireing was resumed.
That night tie SD was on picket in the
position / hoye spoken of. As soon as the
white flag Y as displayed there Immediately
arose the loudest, longest, strongest and
most enthusiastic yells, screams, hurrahs
that ever arose from the breasts Of an
American army. Here, then, we had been
guarding more than 10000 prisoners for
AZ days and they boarding themselves, and
the last Is days, they tell US their rations
consisted of plantation peas, and mule beef,
and at the same time keeping in good or
der more than 100 pieces of cannon and
small arms without number, ready for our
disposition, whenever we saw tit to Come
in and take them.
should not exagcrate, if should say
that we saluted the glorious cd forth, and
the fall of Vicksburg with more than 2o,-
900 CANNON, such fourth Of cannonad-
ing would astonish Old Grant; and shake
her from end to end. Such a fourth we
would not haze exchanged for the good
dinners and pretty girls Of Grant, such a
fourth was never spent so satisfactorily
a fourth that will ever remain a bright
spot on the zenith of our country's histo-
ry; fourth that will be remembered with
rrafitude and anfhusiasm l,v the 1ud-