Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-06-23

CAMP PAROLE, near Vicksburg,
Mississippi. April l6.
LII. GEORGE w. SHELDON,
Adj't 7th Vermont Vet Vols.
Sir-I have the honor to report that in
obedience to instructions from Regimental
and Brigade Headquarters, | relieved Capt.
Parker on the skirmish line. in front Of my
command, on the evening Of the 30th ult.-
Nothing of interest trsnspired during the
night the enemy fred at our position sever
al times, which was returned by my men,
Soon after daylight on the 3lst the enerny
opened upon me with shell from a gun, on
one Of the inland faces of the Fort, on our
extreme left, and | soon found that they had
got our range admirably. / had during the
night constructed rude bomb proofs and dur
ing the shellirg ordered my men into them.
The shelling soon stopped and all was quiet
on the line until about 2 M, when the same
gun again opened fire. The shelling was
now so terrific that determined to fall back
a short distance as soon as it became dark,
aud dispatched Corp. Brothers to Regimentsl
Headquarters for instructions. l sentword
by him that expected to be assaulted be-
fore dark and requested that the gun which
was annoying me be silenced, or that the
enemy's lines in my front be shelled and I
would fall back under the FIRE. At about 2
o'clock p. m. the enemy fred the slash OF
trees, ETC., covering the ground on tho right
Of me and gave the order to my men to fall
back singly, as | foresaw that we should be
smoked OF burnt out for there we're several
trees felled close to my position. As soon as
the first man left countermanded the order
for hundreds of bullets were sent after him
! think, however, that he was uDinjured.--
During the shelling many Of my men and
others on the left had left their rifle pits and
fallen back-in doing this one of my men
was wounded (private Storrs.) just before
sunset the FIRE had extended around my rear
and on my left making SO dense smoke that
our lines could not be seen at this time
The shelling was resumed and in less than
ten minutes fifteen shell were exploded inside
and directly over the pit in which myself and
ten men we're stationed had my men COW
er themselves as best they could and ordered
bayonets to be fixed in anticipation of a
charge being made. At sunset the shelling
suddenly ceased, and the charge was made in
which myself and twenty Of my men were
captured. The assaulting party was COM
posed of Capt. Wilcox Of Gen. Gibson's staff,
a lieutenant and thirty men, fifteen of which
were picked from the entire garrison, the re-
mainder were volunteers. The charge was
so sudden and vigorous that we could offer
but little resistance. gave the command to
fire which was obeyed by the majority Of my
men, but the next instant every man had at
least one musket at his head with a summons
to surrender. found two muskets and re-
volver pointing at me with request to come
out Of the pit. l accepted the alternative
thus offered and in a short time found myself
before Gen. Gibson, c. S. A., who paid a
very high tribute to the men Of my command
He said he had never seen troops stand
shelling as we had that day. From him
learned the plan which resulted in my cap
ture, which is as / have described it. The
FIRE was kindled that the smoke might cover
the assault.ng party from our batteries. Gen.
Gibson informed me that no other part of the
line would be molested; that mine was par
ticularly obnoxious to them, as that a. m. we
had killed his Chief Of Artillery. Col Garnet,
and wounded several others. | was taken to
Mobile the lst, to Meridian, Miss, the Sd,
where | have been confined in q stockade un-
til three days since. came to Jackson and
from there to this place--arrived here last
evening. Appended is list of the men cap.
tured.
don't know how many got away,--think
some must have been killed.
Respectfully your obt servant,
(Signed) X. b. STEARSs,
Capt. 7th VT. Vet. Vols.