The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-02-05
Letter from Major Carpenter.
On BOARD STEAMER "JoHS J. RoE,

| 20 miles above yicksburg Miss. JAN 4. 't3.
Dear Fataer:-Amid grea. confusion
on board crowded boat, having two re-
gimen,s, viz: the 4th and 9th Iowa H.
fantry,' elbowing their way to every part
Of it. l attempt to pen few lines to you.
We form par. Of the great army sent
against Vicksburg. We are repulsed
after three days of almost constant fight
ing. We met the enemy on the Yazoo
fiat or bottom q few miles above the
mouth and on the side southeast towards
the nights, that, running from the north
east touching the Yazoo some fifteen
miles from its mouth, bluffs abruptly out
on the Mississippi river mile or two
above Nicksburs, and on which the city
is built. At this point the bluffs arc
called walnut Hills and are very
high. They preserve, however, very
abrupt character the whole or nearly the
whole of the distance to the fortified ter.
ssda sope aon his TsD are dDSa S'S
such are fortified by trenches crossing
the base and TERED Very many of these
We found masked, in our different and
repeated assaults.
We discmbarked some six or seven
miles from the mouth of the river, and
landed on the plantation and former
homestead of Gen. A. Sidney johnson, 6
large and finely improved tract, extend
ing in fields for miles along the river an Z
from one-half to three fourths Of mil,
: back towards the bluffs, which are OBJ
scured from view by timber, cxceptin!
at a point two or three miles further up
to which place. and beyond, the improve
ments extend, with the exception of
few strips Of timber consisting mostly 0
:, cypress profusely festooncd with Spanish
: moss, hanging, for many feet, from tn
!, limbs. AT the point from which thu
bluffs are barely visible the improvement.
T.. extend nearly to the bluffs two and hall
= miles back. This range of high bluffs is
= stripped, in great part, of the timber
y along the sides, and for few hundred
= yards, in places, from the foot or mere
= gradual slope of the base, until a bayou is
!, reached which extends, as near as |
- could learn, the entire length of the
range, and at about the same distance
from the Grregular) base. From this
bayou there were numerous other bayous
. running, some of them direct, others
less direct, to the Yazoo river.
. Between the mouths of two of these
most important ones our brigade, com
handed by Brig. Gen. Thaycr, was land
ed on the evening of the 2Sth of Dec
. and marched to within three fourths o.
mile of the narrow neck described
, We here bivouaced in silence and with
out fires, and here we we're held through
out the entire day following. The enc
my had complete command of the narrow
barren neck, by batteries, in strong and
. well arranged earth works just across the
water to the left and Immediately in front,
on elevated land. 1t was several times
almost determined to force PASSAGE, but
!. the certain fate that all met who yentur.
> ed forward warned us too strongly not to
make the attempt. We afterwards found
that trenches, masking any amount of
rebel infantry, were cut SO as to fully
support these batteries. After dark.
that evening, We retired to the river.
and embarking upon our transports we
passed down and again landed below tho
mouth OF the large bayou that had been
on our right. We marched in stiffness
forward and took our position on grounds
that had been the scene of great strife
the day before, but from which the enc.
my mad been driven to take their strong
er, because entren ched, positions nearer
the base of the nights and just across the
principal bayou, the opposite margin of
which was eotrenched and lined by fall
len trees that had fringed the bank, and
now served we'll as cover for infantry.-
During the entire day of the goth the
firing had been almost incessant ON onr
; night and to the point we now occupied,