Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-06-17

Its Part in the Campaign against
Vlcksburg
prespon dence OF tn. state Journal.
DAMP OF rHH 23p Bee. WIS. Vol. l
In Pat vine he hind Vics sburv Miss. Nav

OAAP OF THB Zop bAo. " As w. A.h'
In Ravine behind Vicksburg, Miss, May 2e.
MEssRs EDITORS Having a few leisure
moments, will occupy them by endeav-
oring to give your readers slight history
OF this regiment for the past five or SIX
weeks. We LIT our camp at Milliken's
Bend, La, April 14th, and marched thro'
Richmond to Holmes Plantation, which
place we reached on the 18th, having
marched 20 miles over miserable roads.
| On the oath we marched miles to
| Smiths plantation, where we left ell our
| baggage and on the Goth embarked on a
| transport and steamed slowly through :
barrow bayou, scraping the branches from
the trees on each side, and decidedly using
| up such light wood work of the boat as
| escaped the Vicksburg batteries, until we
reached the Mississippi, which we pro-
ceeded down few miles and landed at
| Perkins Plantation, La.
| On the 18th we again embarked, and
| towed by the guntoat Price went down
within sight of Grand Cult and landed
| for the night at Hard Times, on the Loui-
| siapa shore.
On the 29th we again embarked, and,
still towed by the Price, dropped just out
OF range of the batteries and witnessed
| the fight between the gunboats and the
| celebrated Grand Gulf bat cries. Had
the gunboats been successful in sllencing
| the batteries, our regiment, in company
with three Others, was TO be the first to
| land and take the place. The gunboats
were not successful, however, SO we land
| ed and marched across the point to the
river below Grand Gulf. Our transports
ran by n the nigbt, and on the 30th every
| gunboat and transport was crowded with
troops. which they conveyed to Bruins
boro, Miss.
At midnight we started for Port Glib
son, and after marching all night arrived
on the battle ground about a. w., and
| Immediately took our position as support
| for Col Sheldon's brigade OF Gen. Gster-
| haus' division. In the afternoon we sup
ported battery on the extreme right tor
an hour or two and then took the advance.
We skirmished through the cane breaks
until nearly dark, taking some twenty
prisoners, when the battle ended for the
day, and we bivouacked on the field
| Before daylight on the "a, we were
again in the advance, and after q short
| time spens in searching the woods, found
that The enemy had fled from the field,
and we then marched into Port Gibson,
being the irst regiment to enter the place
| We acted as provost guard until night
| when we were relieved by the 18th WIS.
In the light on the 1st, Edward Pelzer, of
| Go. d, wounded in the leg, was the only
person injured in our regiment.
| On the morning of the Sd, apprehendiEg
| a flank attack, our Brigade was ordered
| back a couple of miles 10 meet it, but
alter thorough search no signs of the
enemy were found, and we marched thro'
Port Gibson to Willow Springs. At this
| place the rebels had attempted to burn a
long suspension bridge across Bayou Pierre
| r It our cavalry were too quick for them
| and saved the bridge.
On the 18th we marched to Rocky Spring,
and on the 9th and 10Th to Oayuga.
On the 18th we marched to Fourteen
Mile Greek, near the Big Black, and on
| the 18th marched to within twelve miles
of Ray mond, which place Mcpherson took
on the 18th after a hight, in which, as a
matter OF course, the rebels were badly
| whipped.
On the 18th we marched to Raymond
| We had received rumors, said to be au.
| theptic, that Richmond was taken, but
| believing the news to good to be true, we
did not take much stock in it, and sure
enough, roa0niug Raymond we go
Jackson papers of the 18th, containing
| Richmond dispatches of the 18th, aoDounc
| ing the burial OF Stonewall Jackson.
On the 10Th, we marched to Midway
Hills or Bakers Greek, and had fighr
| which lasted until dark. II. Z. Barnes
of Go. E, was wounded in the leg August
Huyle, of Co. a, slightly in foot. We
drove the rebels all day, cutting Gen. Lor
ing's Division completely off from then
main army, killing Gen. Tighlman, anC
taking some 1900 prisoners and s piece:
OF artillery.
On the 18th, we marched through Ed
| wards Station, on the Y. and j. L. R.
to the Black River Bridge, where we
arrived in time to take prisoners the
whole Goth Tenn. Reg. with their colors
The rebels had strongly fortified posi-
ton at this place, but Osterhaus and Carr
persuaded them to abandon it and leave
| their cannon. Such of them as could, re
treated across Black River, burning the
bridge behind them. The 18th Wis. was
the first regiment inside the breastw orks
at this place. Their brigade charged with
| fixed oayonets, and the rebels, not liking
the looks of things, fired volley and fed.
Hen. Herbert Birt, drummer of 90. D,
slightly wounded, was the extent of the
casualties in our regiment. We took, on
| the 10th and 18th, 70 pieces OF artillery,
with small arms and ammunition in large
quantities, and many thousand prisoners.
On the 18th and 10Th, we marched for
Vicksburg, and early on the morning OF
the 10Th, came ia sight of the celebrated
Notifications of the rebel stronghold.
On the Goth, while skirmishing, Ernst
Shultz, OF Co. E, and Robert E. Ford, OF
Go. |, were killed, and the following were
wounded Corp. John Dunlap, William
Bertenshaw (since died), George Widige,
and Oscar Hill (since died), of Co. B ;
Serg't Clinton Hoyt, of Co. @; Henry
Holconb, of Co. D; j. G. Jones and Pc.
ter Harger, Co. G; Corp. John f. Stahl
| (since died), Thomas Townsend, Vincent
! Weber and Seth b. Tannehill, 90. II; 1t.
a. J. MoFarlane, Go. K, and 1t. John a.
Bull, o.. E.
On the 22d, after brisk cannonade
| from daylight until ten a. NJ, charge
was ordered on the forts. Our brigade
was to support Gen. Benton's brigade OF
| Carr's division. Senton's brigade charg-
| ed bravely up to the ditch at the foot OF
| the walls OF the fort, and into the ditch,
! but for a man to climb the almost perpen-
lE