Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-01-16
The Fight at VIcksburg. .
We condense the following account Of the
bsttlS etE yis@SeTg from the COrrssp9nds9ce
OF the Chicago Times: .
The Battle on Monday

| oil the chicago Times:
The Battle on Monday. u
AS the operations Of the next day form one
Of the most interesting chapters in the history
OF the war, and may be placed among the.
most brilliant achievements, we have been
particular 20 arrive at the facts as nearly as
possible. Having been an eye witness OF the
fighting, we are prepared to speak with know
ledge Of its intensity and desperation. ot
n The work assigned to this army was to as
sault strong fortification, to storm the hight
upon which the works we're placed, and to do
this in the presence Of vigilant and anscrup1-
lous toe. We had thus far accomplished little
further than to descry the enemy's position,
and contemplate the formidable nature Of his
preparations. All the fighting OF the previ
GUS day wasi mere interlnde to that which
was to follow Could we gain the summit OF
the hills after an awful slaughter, it was not
at all certain that furious effort would not
be made to drive us out egain-in other words,
u pitched battle might have to be fought after
the enemy was driven from his stronghold on
the hillside
The Storm Of Artillery.
On Monday morning, therefore, dark till
seven, at daylight the cannons opened falter-
ling uncertain and htful ut first, mere
i CONTEST utlNttu UAttTltS III fITOllJg Dklttfl
after battery was wheeled forward with us,
and battery aAer battery wheeled down by
the euemy The "ball, as it usually does
in siege, opened with artillery only. At the
bend in tNe OhickasawG Creek, where it be-
come mere bayou at the foot of the bluffs,
we had four thirty-pound Parrots Aronhd
it, and on either wing, were howitzers, riaed
brass pieces, steel guns-sixty cannons in all,
The enemy had been opening fire from one
spot then another from ravine, and ledge,
and abutmenh from earthwork and crest,
until they had greater number in action
Two sixty y-four-pounders at the top of the
ravinel began to send their shells bowling
through the air, The rapid, iucessant, spite.
full FIRE of the guns began to assume per.
sonality OF vehemence Shot and shell
whistled sbrilly and furiously across the Sc
parating spaoe-a thousand yards in all -
For three, hours the contest was furious, the
bursting Of shells being mingled in the con-
fused roar Of cannons. uf..rrHs n
'-''- ' - An mpressite Scene. p"
The spectacle at this time was something
too grand and fearful to depict Our bate
res in the woods were firing as rapidly as
was possible; the shells were screeching in
all directions, and stunning the ear with
their report The air was heavy and sutry;
the cloud of blush vapor rose like broad
pillar among the tall forest trees The hill
side at FIRST dotted with lines and Jets Of
smoke, became overcast The fog dragged
over the batteries iikeapal The two clouds,
enlarged, spread over the entire field. From
the forest nothing could be seen but the curl
ing volume of thick mist The hill was lost
to view The clouds near each other-they
touch-they are one; the cannon laundering
4. a :. 4 /
their exertions. All was envelOped from the
sight, but the ear was stung by the sharp
wicked and intensified crack of the pieces
, Parrots seemed like Rfteen,inch Lincolns in
, the smoke Stationing ones self in the bed
of the bayou, at the foot of the bluff, we
hear the thunders, and bethink US Of Mount
, Sinai A little before twelve a light breeze
. gently rolls away the thick vail and discloses
! the vivid lightning fash. The men are run
! piug and .gelloping hither and thither on the
hiflsides We strain our eyes for an army,
but can see naught but the dark, moving
! specks above the long lines OF new-turned
eaFthni sf sHad tisr4Er 4hls'a 4s4FF 81.
+ 'a"'"" fRe Grand 1ssaagG' T"
!, 1t was about two o clock as the firing
I slackened During the terrific cannonading
A troops had been summoned to the front Gen.
, Steele, as second in command, had stationed
I himself near the CENTER with the brigade oi
General Hovey as the reserve. Gen. Blair {
5 brigade, with the exception of two regiments
/. had been sent to the left across the Chicksaw
: bayou the previous night Col DeCourcey
e WINS assigned the left of the center, with Gen
I, Thsyer behind him as support Col Land
rum again on bis right, General d. Stuart fur
a ther to the'right, and away 10 the extreme
b right, fronting another spur of hills, was
Smith Tho line unOvad formard Tbara oyos