Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-31

ga Connected Account Of she AtfEel en-
Vfckabura-'
The Philadelphia JaqRfrsr gives IN its edito-
rial columns, the article below which it calls 70
connected account Of the attack on Wcksbug y
That paper says:
til only when the details Of such colossal
engagement IS that of VichshuEg ore received,
that we are able 70 form a connected idee Of it.
We have published, from day 30 day, Che tel5-
graphic accounts from tho army and The daets
but we may ROW review the operations 10 full
with adequate lights and true ssatistics. a
glance at the map viii show us chat, just before
reaching YicksbnTg, the Mississippi river flows
eastward, then makes a turn At night angles to
the north for four or FIVE miles, and then SUD
denly bends southwark just q little south Of
this second sudden turn lies Rieksburg. Above
the bend, about ten miles from Vicksburg, the
Yazgo river, flowing southwark, empties into
the Mississippi
From the Yszoo, a. Haines' bluff about lwelye
miles to the north, high bluffs, one hundred feet
above the water, Tecede graduslly from it to the
eastern part of TIE great bend UDon these
YicksbuTg stands. Tins tic Yaz0o river from
Haines' Bluff, the bluffs and the Mississippi,
form the somewhat irregular sides Of a great
triangle in which the movement was TO be made.
La this triangle are three principal bayous,
Chickasaw ard Makes, flowing westward into
the 4az00, and a third, IntsTsectilg these, run
ming from the bluff nearly south ward into the
great bend Of the Mississippi; al forming OBJ
struetions IN front eli tho enslny's stronghold
Our gunboais and transports STAINED up the
Yazoo, aud the troops were dissmlarked under
cover Of the gunboats, but properTeoonaoissances
had not been made, for II was found that the
entire limo OF the bluffs from Hznes' BluG to
YicksbuTg hal been lined with fehel batteries,
some Of one gun, and others Of guns strongly
-.---nI Tha .~r-e L,--n. o. -.---. I'll
along the road at their foot, were lie pits, well
filed with sharpshootsTs. Between lie third
mentioned bayou and the bluff uafe ridges and
valleys, end small plains, filled with abafis.
Thus, for twelve miles, north Of VicksbuTg, the
rebel deienses were strong and continuous.
South Of the city, al along the Great Bend,
were strong batteries, not destined to play part
in this attack. Our troops having been landed,
were now to be got in position fer e direct attack
in front on this formidable line. The three
bayous were crossed on pontoon bridges, under
en- annoying fire Of the enemy, and cur whole
lins deployed, just out of range ol the enc.
my's guns. Morgan, with Steele, crossed
the Chickassw bayou, and took position on eur
left. N. J. Smith commanded tho center be.
tween Chickasaw and Blshe's bayous, and A
J. Smith commanded the right, reaehing along
the line from Blake's bayou 70 the great bend,
Thus affairs stood on the night Of Sunday, The
18th of December. Everything was IN Tsad5
ness for an early msYement in thu morning
On the 29th a general advance vas ordered
cur irOn-ciads opaEed upon the little town Of
Mildale, near Henes' bluff. Our gunboats fred
st long range upon the bluffs, wherever they
could gaia tee direction. Our field b~stierie:
were brought inbo play against their works on
the nights. At length Inc center, under General
d. L. Smith, advanced T. the chaLye eg2iasI
the bluff in his front and this Nigh. have beer
successful had not the general, while CALAMITY
leading on his talten0g troops, fallon, severely
wounded, VIXEN his command fell back. Thi.
brought Gen. A.. B. Smith TO the command Of th.
center, leaving Burridgs to take command OF
the right.
Meantime General Steele, on our left center
led his command against the opposite bluff. and
succeeded in capturing and bearing away nins
guns; but he also fell back Morgan, on tbe
extreme left, with characteristic esllantry, led q
forloTn hope against these terrible bluffs, and
fell with q mortal wound; his 6ivision also re.
tired after this.
On the right such were The Instructions tha!
the combat opened with an artillery fight; the
rebel batteries sweeping the road across She
bayou, and rendering an advsnce very difficult
The pontoon bridge was, however, thr0E n across
the bayou, SEINE little distance below the road,
and a portion Of our troops crossed. Then be-
gan one of the most furious contests Of the war;
the 54th Ohio charges across the pontoons, and
soon found themselves ia tns midst Of the rihe
pits aud aBatis above referred 70.
They held their own until they TeTe charged
By bugade, and tdsn, curious to reiat4
o IS opened upon the advancing rebels,
Iour own tro0ps, and drove the enemy
baeh great loss. With tho rapidity a
thought our broken troops were then reinforced
and eEa nHwnnfuma- rna~raA Rn& f-~-E1 -c -
trap, i9&ad Of crossing the whole division,
these ts5bs were then Withdrawn. So stood
affairs or the night Of the t~Weuty-ninth. We
had tried tie enemy's position indeed, end had
lost some prisoners, but had gained nothing but
the guns captured by Steele. Had we at any
point been able TO pierce the rebel lines 10 force,
We could have easily penetrated to the Vicks-
burg and Jackson Railroad, and have thus cut
off their supplies ard reinforeements and taken
all their principal works in tho rear. But we
did net. There are, Of course, details Of the
fighting which do not come WitEin orr present
scope. There wers instances of great gallant
", deserving all praise, but the plan was irama-
ture, and there were no decided efforts to retrieve
the first greas disasters.
There is but little more to tell, except the bu-
initiating details Of withdrawal, and the aban-
dOnmeDt Of the project. upon which we % not
care to dwell We have Witnessed hers one Of
the greatest failures of the war. Banks and
Fsrragut who might, could, or should have been
permitted TO cooperate from the south, (the
very thing they went there fsr,) were not there;
it was Hamlet with Tho part Of " Hamletn let
out. Our army Was inadequate. We were L.
norsQt Of the rebel strength and defenses. Penn
beTton and Price had escaped from under the
eye Of Grant, and were tbero in force, while
Grant was falling back for fear Of having ahis
tail cut off" Aud at length the retreat was or
dered, without a single consoling circumstance
We can take very little pride On Vicksburg.
But whatever betides. lst Us ty again. Clear
the Mississippi" says the stfategist; clear the
Mississippi cries the great Northwest, with
stentoTian voice. And when, in addition 10
that, we have advanced Upon Richmond, Of
which there are rumors, eight as air again, we
shall see tie great moral barometer slowly vesr-
ing from storm tO.cloudy, and from doubtful to
clear, even permanent eunsbine.