Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-06-19

gsu"Aaas sss7sss-snsgesa .rv.q-.9
s11ER sToRMIN0 en- vrcKsBURc.
The vicksburg correspondent Of the Gin.
cinnaN gazette gives the following dcscrip.
ton Of the situation Of Vicksbure in the rear,
and the unsuccessful attempt to carry the
works by storm on the 22d ult.
The exterior Of the city is perhaps familiar
to every reader, and It certainly is the best
index to the interior, but lest this should
seem like avoiding the duty Of showing thu
other side ofthe picture, which is even more
dark than that on which the eyes of the ma.
ton have been bent with anxiety and sus.
pense for over twelve months, shall endeav.
or to describe the scene. As presented to my
view. The front Of Vicksburg, viewed from
the river, presents to the eye series Of hills
abruptly rising out Of dark valleys thickly
studded with trees, and an almost impene.
trable underground, The city is embower-
ID on the side rof one Of these hills, but Is so
completely shut IN that it cannot be seen ex.
cept from the immediate front or from the
apex of some Of ita sister hills, which, imme-
diately surrounding it, are now held by rebel
cannon. The rebel line Of fortifcations forms
= semi.cifcle, around which we have drawn
our line, in some instances occupying their
works, which, at the commencement were
intended for q much larger interior, say ten
miles, but now not more than six, perhaps,
for such is the character Of the country, the
unevenncss ofthe surface and the meande1ing
nature Of the roads, that it is impossible eth.
er to sec any considerable portion Of our
line or tell of its exact extent.
One. who has seen the movement Of q
snake through the grass, especially if the
reptile attempts to turn his course from right
to left, can form pretty good ide Of the reb-
el line. On each curve or s Of the snake
shaped line place a battery, and draw the
head and tail of the reptile in toward each
other, and you have the shape of the rebel
line and the position of its defenses. I'm
nnediately under all their batteries they have
lines Of riaepits, completely commanding the
face Of the hill under them, and these pits
are in turn enfiladed by masked batteries.
On Friday morning, the 22d inst, the ar
my had been around the city three days and
four nights, had lost blood, but not vestige
of the buoyant hope and strengthening con.
fdence in which it set forth month ago.
81 The lesson of Tuesday was not needed by
their commanding General-he determined
to make another assault. Is it possible that
ne really fears the camp rumor that there is
a large force in his rear? Or is he DESTROYS
to cap the climax of his splendid achievement
by carrying the city by assault? WHY'S he
not contented with the powerful grasp he al
ready holds upon the throat Of his foe?-
Why is he not satisfied to wait the inevitable
result of his achievement-the surrender Of
the city? 1t is impossible to determine, but
the result is the sam,, an assault will be
made. ~ IL - z"
At ten o'clock the army viii move upon
the works Of the enemy. No change has
been made in the disposition of troops. Nc
Clernand is still on the left, Mcpherson in the
centre, and Sherman on the right, but not
even, the eye of the commanding General can
take in the situation Of the divisions in these
three army corps They are distributed on
hill sides, in valleys, in, gorges, in the thick
woods, and in the abandoned works Of the
enemy. Their extent is ten miles, aad be-
fore intelligence can reach from one end Of
the line to the other whole division may be
cut TO pieces or put to route, for that is not
the least impossible thing in the progress of
a battle, even with the prestige on the de-
teated side.
A heavy cannonade is opened by our entire
line, and the converging fire blazes from
every hill top and hold for three hours. High
above the tops Of the trees the smoke of the
thousand guns is seen. Shell is bursting
over the city, in the streets, over the rebel
batteries, over their rifepits, and the thunder
and din are appalling. The farthest part Of
our lines is sought out by the rebels shot
lnd shell All they know to dot where to
throw them, and no place seems safe fol- the
civilian or iooker-on. ..-..a- .
Part of McArthur's division at Warrenton,
and. all of Qunby's are sent to the left re-
sponsye to McCle-nand, and Mcpherson and
might and main, for the rebels may concen.
trate on their right and crush out our left.
The hugles sound the charge precisely at
ten % clock, and as If by the touch of magic
the hitherto concealed forms Of tens Of thou.
sands of brave, determined men appear before
the astonishcd gaze Of the entrenched foe,
and rush forward with impetous speed-a
terribly splendid sight. hos saE
A Gordon of fire blazed from countless
muskets around the rebel lines, forest of
bristling bayopets swayed'and flashed in the
sunshine, and hedged in the foe like an mex
ocablc fate. Shout after shout went up as
our columns pressed on with such apparent
success: but alas! our Joy was brief. The
enemy, well calculating his strength and
skillful in his use of it, awaited the first vol
ley before he replied.
The rebels arose from their pits and en-.
trepchments in thousands, and poured q
steady and deliberate fire into the breasts OF
our advancing columns. They hurled hand
grenades by the score into our ranks, and
poured grape, canister, and shrapnel upon
US from batteries hitherto concealed from
sight by the tremendous brush and under.
growth, which cntangled the feet of our
brave lads, and caused many of them to fall
an easy prey to the deadly sharpshooter.-
In many instances regiments were within
fifty yards Of the rebel works, but the ground
was SO deep that it required longer to climb
up than, to double quick" ten times the
distance. Such regiments as, for instance,
the 9th and 30th Iowa, on the right of our
center, that had but short distance to
charge, were cut to pieces. The former re.
ports sixty men and four non. commissioned
officers fit for duty now; but this is very
extreme case as the regiment only numbered
. little oveL 800 men. McPhersons corps
suffered most, his loss bearing proportion
of nearly one half of the whole. Sherman
loss was next heavy. ~ -
During the progress of the struggle, which