Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-06-03
SEVERE FIGHTING AT yIcKsBuRG.
Desperate Assaults and Repulses.

A special correspondent of the New Ycrh
Times furnishes some turther interesting de-
tails of the fighting at Vicksburg up TO and IN
cluding the 2ith uit We copy the following :
THE sToRsrING OF THE WORKS.
About half past one on Thursday. the 10Th,
BlaiT's division was all in line, screened by
the west OF the first range of hills behind the
rebel works. At pre- csely two O'clock the
various regiments rose to their feet and, with
tremendous cheer, started at donble-quick
over the hill.
Passing over the crest of the first hill, behind
which they lay, the charging column saw in
front of them another hill about 500 yards dis
tant. To reach this 1t was necessary TO de-
scend q slope for about $50 yards, the surface
OF which was broken with deep gullies, and
covered with fallen timber. Down this our
men rushed at double quick, took "A moments
rest at the bottom, and then commenced the
steep ascent beyond This slope is covered
with an abatts Of heavy timber, beyond which
is high rail-tcnce, then ditch ten feet in
Gertb, then nearly perpendicular as cent some
twelve feet in height, and then the rebel para
pet and rife pits, protected by a strong stock
aGe len feet in height.
The bitches around the works were command
ed by an enfilading fire from guns mounted on
trayerses, while to the right and left were works
and buildings and other objects, behind which
II bel sharpshcoters conld find protection, and
pour q destructive fire upon an enemy, after as
well as before they had gained the interior OF
their main works.
The 18th Infantry, 18th Virginia. 18th Ohio.
I27th Illinois, 9th and sth Missouri, and posi-
bly, one or two other regiments aimed the ditch.
The conflict was "short and dec sive." In twen-
ty minutes the brigades had assembled the hill,
and return, minus some 500 men. The rebels
moved our gallant fellows down with grape,
canister and mGsketry; they were protected:
we had nothing TO shield US from the deadly
storm.
The 18th Infantry lost 83 men killed and
wounded out OF 204, among whom was its GAL
liant commander, Capt. Washington, wounded
and taken prisoner; Captains Yates and Ewing,
Lieuts. How, Little. Bates, and other officers
severely wounded. Every brigade in the charge
had from three to five color bearers shot down
while ad dvancing upon the rebel works. Three
men of the 18th regulars were killed while car
rying the colors. Capt. Yates then seized them,
and was In the act OF planting them in the
ditch, when he was shot in four places. He
handed them TO sergeant, who was struck
down by n cannon shot, when they were taken
by Capt. Ewing, who, although wounded in
the act, carried them safely from the field
The brigade under G eneral Thayer advan ced,
and fell back after suffering some slight loss.
Had .McClernand advanced, as was intended,
the capture of Ficksburg would undoubtedly
have taken place at the time of the first assault.
The next two days, Wednesday and Thurs
day, were in the main quiet, except in the case
OF the batteries: . NOT II less & tnan nity guns, OF
mounted in the rear of the city, at short dis
tances from the eneny's works, and these from
dark till daylight, kept up a ceaseless "poun-
derng'' against the rebel defenses. On the
river side the gun and mortar boats were also
busy. thHs fairly encircling the rebels wit
thunder and fire. but they seemed to care very
little for it, rarely replying to our fire, and
seemingly paying us no other attention than
keeping yigiiant watch upon the movement
OF our infantry.
Wednesday and Thursday were given up
the artillery, and to getting our men ready for
another attack. which took place at p. n. Of
Friday.
II is needless to give particulars-it was in
the main like the other, only on larger scale.
and it net with a repulse as decided as did that
OF Tuesday. The usual character OF assaults
prevailed in this-Some gallant heroes went mn
the hill into the very bitches; others failed
when halfway up; others never started, but
sought safety from the deadly storm behind
logs and trees: many started and went forward
hravely. but never returned. Steele was re-
NJ Elernand, everybody-we gained nothing of
GROUND, we lost in killed and wounded, in less
Than half an honr, twenty-five hundred men.
TWAS everywhere the same. Down broken
hill under showers of grape, canister, frag-
ments of shells and musket balls; up a long as.
cent covered with almost impenetrable abattis
broken into hollcws, nearly inaccessible to
pedestrian in the most peaceful times, an
searched in every corner by the deadly messen.
gers from the crest. Once up there wide ditch
the opposite side rising nearly perpendicnlarly
twelve feet, then high stockade, from whose
double loop. holes death was flashing forth un-
ceasipgly; upon heights beyond a fort mounted
with guns, upon the right and left works with
cannon pouring murderous enfilading fire
along the very ultcE INTO W1lcQ our ddV80C0
were crowding, yainly looking for some place
front OF them accessible. 1t was in vain-they
could not get over If there was no enemy be-
yond, unless they should first I'LL upthe ditch,
batter down the stoskades, or mount them with
long ladders. And so the gallant men who had
gained the direct line, regained the hill beyond,
and the second assault is ended. 4s
Gen. Carr is reported mortally wounded.
Col. Dollings is killed. Col Stone, Of lowe, has
an arm shot Off Lieutenant coloneIs, captains,
and lieutenants without number have gone
down, killed or wetnded> in this charge, which
Gen Sherman pronounces more deadly than
tn at which took Sebastopol.
We have now sent for spades, and hereafter
the work OF reducing Vicksburg viii be done
more by digging than charging To-day (Sun-
davlf d ouiet everywhere, the main work going
on beinsSthe transfer of our wounded to hos-
pital boats on the river.