The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-06-13
1unr 5}loitcrs.
The Siege of Vicksbssrg.

gives an interesting narrative of tn
battles preliminary to the siege. In the
following, which is part of the story O
the Black river battle, he describes
One Of the Most Brilliant Charges i,
History.
The rebels held posi- ion between u.
and the bridge, naturally strong, bu
rendered a hundred times stronger bS
the skiIful planning of ten guns on the
elevation separated from US by one O
those everlasting bayous peculiar 10 tn,
country. The fate of the bridge hung
on the possession of this clcya ion
The bayou must be crossed. There i.
no way to circumvent it; no way tc
cross the river but at This poin.. Law
icr's brigade--al honor to it's
ordered to carry the point. They must
cross au open field in front of the bayou
they must swim or wade through it, and
storm the work on the opposite side
They appeared on the field the ter
guns opened their murderous fire many
noble fellows fell, but the ranks closed
in again, and the column pressed on
1t reached the bayou and plunged in
solid mass into the green and stagna ed
wa'cr. Then followed double strug-
gle with death in horrid shape but
God was on the side of the brave patri-
OTIS who thus mperiled their lives for
their country's sake, and nin"-tenths OF
the oncmy's shot fell harmessly into the
dark and sullcn wa;ers OF the deep bayou.
The noble brigade reformed, still under
heavy fire, on the other side of the bayou
and dashed upon the rebel work. The
| trench was leapcd the face Of ;ho work
was covered thick with clambering forms,
each with hands uplif.el, carrying the
deadly bayonet. The cmbrasures of the
work were filled with fire and smoke
Grape, canister, and shrapncl Kissed
like bail orm around the heads and
forms Of these dcvoed men. \ terrific
struggle for life and mastery. A hun
drel rebels sm ten to the blood stained
earth Il hideous yell for mercy from
the throats of a whole brigade Of rebels,
and the terribly-contested place is ours.
Meantime, the Main body of the rebel
force had left the brigade to is fate,
crossed the bridge, and left it in flames.
The prisoners and guns, together with
an ammunition train, supplies, and arms,
were collected, guarded aud sent 10 the
rear, and that column Of our victorious
army TO which belonged LAWYERS brig
AIDE pressed on to keep pace with the
progress of the others III their advance
upon Vicksburg.
F'cksb"rg and lis Defenses.
The front of Vicksburg, viewed from
the river, presents to the eye Il series of
hills abruptly rising out Of dark valleys
| thIckly studded with trees, and an al
mos, impenetrable underground. The
| city is uncovered on the side of one of
these hills, but it is so completely shut
IN that it cannot be seen except from the
immediate front or from the apex Of some
of its sister hills which, immediately
surrounding it, are now held By rebel
common. The rebel line of Notifications
forms selni-circle, around which we
have drawn our line, in some instances
occupying their works, which, at the
commencement, we're intended to include
much larger exterior, say ten miles,
but now not more than six, perhaps, for
such is the charac er of the country, the
uneveness of the surface, and the mean
dering nature of the roads, that it is
impossible to see any considerable por-
ton of our line or tell is exact extent.
uh ~ hoe oc
snake through the grass, especially if The
reptile attempts to turn his course from
right to lef, can form pretty correct
idea of the rebels line. On each curve
or $ 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 2f its defenses. immediately
under all their batteries they have lines
of rife-pits, completely commanding the
face of the hill under them, and these
pits are in turn enfladed by masked bat
teries.
Terrible Splendor of Siege and assault.
A heavy cannonade is opened by our
entire line, and the converging fire bla-
yes 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,
its streets, over the rebel batteries, over
their rihe-pits, and the thunder and din
are appalling. The fartherost part oil
our line is sought out by the rebels shot
aud shell. All. they know to dot
where to throw them, and no place seems
safe for the civilian or looker-on.
The bugles sound the charge precisely
at 10 o'clock, and, as if by the touch Of
magic, the hitherto concealed forms Of
tens of thousands of brave, determined
men appear before the as onishel gaze Of
the entrenched foe, and rush forward
with impetuos speed-a terribly splend-
id sight.
A Gordon Of fire blazed from coun less
muskets around the rebel lines, a forest
of bristling bayonets swayed and flashed
in the sunshine, and hedged in the foe
like an memorable fate. Shout af,el
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 skilfu
IN the use of it, awaited the first volley
before he replied. Then, for the frs
time, we became fully aware Of the ter
rible resistance of the rebels.