Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-30
Correspondence Of the st. Louis Republican
The Situation at Vicksburg.
THREE Mills IN REAR OF vlcKsBuRo,1 J
Mav 0nth 1862 Z

On the 18th, our army crossed the Big Black
and marched on Vicksburg, Sherman coming in
and taking possession Of Haines's Bluff, INC.
Pherson arriving on the jackson road, and Mo.
CleEnand advancing toward the close of bis
march on the road to Baldwin's Ferry.
Yesterday morning General Grant began to
"move upon the enemy's Works''-a line OF
redoubts, extending from the rear OF Haines's
Bluff TO the Watrenton road, distance of eight
or ten mIlee. The attack was made with Sher.
man on the right, McPherson extended from
his left TO the railroad and McClernand from
the railroad to the extreme left. At daylight
our troops moved up, Dut the action did not be.
gin till about noon, save Az occasional shot
from our artillery, as it came mp 10 range
On the left, Gen. Osterhaus, having recover
ed from his confusion, took command again Of
his division, Gen. Lee being assigned to the
command OF the first brigade After q slow
! fire from our artillery had failed TO elicit any
reply from the rebel works, our lines slowly ad-
vanced until at every point they were in front
hardly one thousands yards from the redoubts.
The ground over which we crossed In this move
ment was singularly rough, series Of hills
and hollows, not high, but steep AS we near.
ed the hostile redoubts,We found that they COM
manded every crest and swept every ravine -
Yet at 2 O'Clock general charge was ordered.
l was on the extreme left at the time, and had
an opportunity to observe the movements OF
Lees Lrigade In the advance at that point.
Addressing few words of cheer to bis men
he placed himself In front of the center OF his
brigade, and led instead OF following them
Arriving on the Great of the hill, he was greet
cd by perfect tempest Of shot and shell, and
waile thus gallsntly leading bis men, be was
struck in lbs face BY bullet and tell, serlous-
ly, but, l am glad to say, not dangerously
wounded. His brigade dropped behind the
crest they had attained, and held their ground
there.
About the same success-or want of SUCCESS
attended The charge along the whole line. We
have, up 10 this time, advanced so closely to
the enemy's works that be cannot safely use his
guns, and our heavier artillery is being pushed
up and planted In such way that trust to.
morrow will see some good results. Communi-
cation 10 opened 20 the Yazoo by the way Of
Hsines's Bluff and fupplies now come to US
from the uppeFrivsr. A
Az wrile, the slow and sullen booming of
the gunbosts, both above and below, shows that
they too are joining In she great Aeht. The
situation grows dramstic ana solemn, and the
end is at hand.
In REAR OF VIcKsBURo, May ~, 1868.
The stronghold Of the rebel power on the
Mississippi, 10 now completely invested by the
army Of Gen. Grant.
The fragments Of the insurgent forces which
escaped from the victories OF Port Gibson, OF
Jackson, OF Champion or Midway Hills, and Of
Big Black, have resired within the strong bat
email circle OF defenses which surround the city
st distance OF about two miles from its heart.
There stubborn resistance 10 nov being made,
the redoubts and rife pits giving the rebels an
advantage in the way Of safety, but none, /
think, in the way Of moral strength Pre-.
sumpiively the advantage 10 with the attacking
party, and especially 10 this case, where our ar
my, since its bold move from Youngb Poins,