, 1863-05-29

NY undcrt0O to 1eel Gcn. McClcrnand'a Fo- |
siiion and ascertain his force. He was prompt
IN met and driven back. Gen. Carr came up
to Ray mond Friday evening, and WAS moved
out mile and balf on the Edwards Station
road, and within supporting distance OF oster-
llaus. Thus or forces we're conveFglng upon
the advancing columns Of the enemy.
MOVEMENTS OK THE 16TH.
At daylight on the 10th, our movements
towards Edwards Station began. HoVey,s
division, followed by Mcpherson on the right,
and advancing on the road from Bolton 10
Edwards Station; Gen. Osterhaus' diviston
followed BY Gen. Carr On the centre, and Gen.
on the left. by the first road from Raymond TO
Edwards Station
ATTEMPT TO TURN QUE FLANK. |
The first movement Of the enemy WAS an
attempt to turn our lett. Gen. Smith massed
his forces where this attempt Was most per-
sistent, and gallantly resisted it.
TUE ENGAGEMENT OK THE LEFT.
The firing Of artillery commenced about
o'clock in the morning, bqt soon ceased, the
enemy finding that be could not well advance
by TINT road: Smith and OsteEhaus then
rapidly advanced, supported respectively by
Blair and Carr. Ransom's brigade, which had
occupied Raymond, now marched down to
the field, and took position, as reserve, behind
Ca1r.
m EARNEST.
The battle now began to rage in deadly
earnest all along the line, the strategy OF the
! enemy being to mass his forces against
Hoyey, occupying the right centre, and Nc
Pherson occupying the extreme right. There
| the carnage was most bitter and most persis-
| tent, bus when Gen. Mcpherson advanced
upon our right, md swung around so as to
turn the enemys left, the victory was won.
Then cur left rapidly advanced, driving the
rebels before us steadily and effectively, and
making large captures Of guns and prisoners.
- +f1t
the line, and nothing remained hut to pursue
the enemy as etfectnally as possible oger re the l
hil1y and broken country before us. The left
reached Edwards Station at sunset, to IND
eyerywh the most palpable PROOF o. -
complete defeat and utter demoEa11zaaon OF
the enemy. .
! GEN. STEVENSON Taxes kEHEL BATTERY
forgot to mention, in It's proper order, that
at the beginning of the fight, the enemy eta-
toned a battery on the Vicksourg road which
annoyed us by its persistent and determined
capture It, Permission was granted. Rapidly
% enem1's TorIs,H through the fields, over
fences, in the midst Of dense forests he work
ed his way until he reached the crest Of the
bill. when he ordered his men to fire and then
charge bayonets, The order was promptly
and Effectively executed, and he had the salts
faction Of killing almost every man of the
command and bringing offthe tield in triumph
tho rebel guns, seven In numbef, now doing
woman service in the reduction Of the rabel
) fortiGcatlons In the rear OF Vicksburg.
. ! ADVANCE UPON THE RAILROAD BRIDGE ACROSS
BIG BLACK
Sunday morning, the 18th inst, before day;
light, re we're moving upon tho railroad
bridge across Big Black River. Gen Carr had
, the advance, followed By Osterhans, with
i Smith as reserve. It was reasonable to sup
= pose the enemy were disposed to dispute the
: passage Of Big Black and We expected q
battle,
. TOPOGRAPHY AGAIN.
The country beyond Edward's Station loses
j. fts mountainous and broken character, and
!; spreads out into a broad plain, which in peri
= DDS Of high water would be submerged, were
G upon the banks Of the river. Through thi:
plain the Vicksburg and jackson Railroad
passes, and also the turnpike to Vicksburg
: Our route lay plong the latter:
). sKnMIsHEs.
S Gen. Carr advanced in line Of battle, with E
i heavy line Of skirmishers in advance. At ey
q cry thicket, and FROM behind every turn il
g STATED frequent delays, and il was, therefore
u nearly 10 O'Clock before VIC reached the bell
l. of timber Intervening the main column ant
l. rebel breastworks. At this point We received
J another yolley from 9 line Of rebel sharpshoot
!. ers posted a quarter Of . mile in advance 0
l: the.fortiiications.
y DISPOSITION OF THE TROOPS
4 Gen. McClernand quickly comprehendcd th
n situation, and ordered Gen. Carr to the rish
). Of the road, Gen. LAWYERS brigade on III
T. right Of the line, his right resting on til
q river, aud Gen. Bentou's brigade ou the left
L. his left resting on the 5ailFoad. On the let
in line uf battle. just behind the line c
skjrmislers was posted a battery, which, a
the Ekirmishers advanced, threw shot an
n shell with great rapidity.
~ REPLY.
+. The mnsket fire, inaugurated by the rebel;
al was replied to with great. yigor by our 60
ii diers, as was also the artillery hre, commence
By onrsclTes. The first shot from the CT
trtnchments struck the caisson Of the 1st Wi
consin battery, exploding its contents an
~ slightly wouDdiDg Gen. Osterhaus and Cap
"a Foster, aud mortaly wounding two gunner
Ks u ord was brought to Gen. McClcrnand tn'
ed Gen. Osterllaus was wounded, and he imm
on diatcly assigned Brig, Gen. A: L. Lee to Il
ed Temporary Command Of the 9th division.
m m An INCIDENT.
Gen. McClernand was riding behind the be
ot timber in which our skirulishers were Z
gagged, with his staff and escort, entirely u
bis Suspicious Of danger, when all at once the
ere c:sune booming over the tree-tops, and burr
at, in:, il the air over our heads, solid shot al
'rd shell, scattering their comminuted fragmen
Ide all about US. That there was fleeing iu h
1Ai | QasIC, YOU ul:l} Will luaSl0t. 1 a4A 1Esc
md colfess that was frightened, ANA only thoug
led how l should nlakc my escape in safety.
md this condition was not alone. I do not me-
or to say that Generals of approved coura
md could not stand fire, but they ran. In I
;ral hasty exit from these umbrageous forests,
the tolid shot struck horse which one Of the {
As derlieB rode, and killed him.
hln THE ENEMY IN HIS KNTREScuAESTs.
ons After short ekirmisliug, the enemy +
'pa- fell back within his entertainments, SO mans
vering in this instance, as in every other
stance We have attacked him, as to have
nd, open field between lis cover and our points
ms approach. Meantime, . heavy artillery 1
ing was given and received. Whatever this Ill
oad hare done to the enemy, 1t caused us no p
Inn ticular damage. The bombardment lasted
vas hour. Gen. McClernand ordered the works
lint be stormcd, and Gen. Carr prepared to excel
Sta the order.
GALLANT CHARGE.
The point selected for the charge VII. up
sec the extreme left, where. protected By
Il1el banke Of the river, Gen. Lawler concealed
ody PORTION Of his brigade. have been ut so
i ii pains to ascertain the regiments engaged
om- this brilliant affair, for It WAS the turn
INV point In the fight, and it is proper they sho1
tie 20 down in history. They are the 2lst,
lied and Esd Iowa, and 11th Wisconsin. At
n in word Of command, this brigade, with that
Gen. Benton on the left, unslung their kn
sacks, threw their blankets on the grou
and moved upon the entrenchments. 4
the charge was made In gallant style, the b.
ID Il wading up to their armpits across bayou
rest terven1ng between the line and the brc:
rere works. They were received with MURDER
ex- fire, but they needed 1t not. Onward Il
ight pressed over the entertainments, prescn
fer their muekets, and demanded lis surrent
ming They presented too many pointed ar:5ume
hell, against resistance, aud the enemy were for
1urE ~ surrender.
TIED FRC1I5 OF VICTORY.
,et ieH' The enemy had left behind him when
'o'' constructed bridge OF the three steam
the preceding night, two brigades to det
AIDES the works, willie the balance Of tho force
was 6ed over and rested on the northern banI
!. the Big Black. He deemed the position imp
lere- naD1e, and had not counted upon its capt.
mall OF he would not have left behind him eight
Oxen field pieces, not one Of which had he time
for spike, SO furious and energetic was the att:
with Besides the guns there was large amour
our | cOmmiEsary stores, most welcome to the bs
who had been On quarter rations Tor sey
Cen days. Every man in the intrcnchments
ON. captured except couple Of regiments
E took to the edge Of the river, and renal
;nci. concealed there until our scouts walked Il
hssc up and brought them in. The numbe,
- ac- captured will largely exceed three thous
q the LOSS.
liter The loss was small today compared
ana the important results attained. In the
neal, liant charge upon the works Gen. Carr
addle in Killed and wounded In both brigade
g. hundred and forty men. The rebels, hgh
behind entertainments, escaped with