The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-01-18
From Harrsr's AontLly, for January, 1863.
sEIGR OF vICKsBURO.

| The city Of Vicksburg, about four hur
dred miles above New Orleans, il situa
cd on a bluff On the east bank OF the Mi
sissippi, whlchtcommands the stream 70
many miles above and below. The nj
ture of the location renders it nearly in
j pregnable against any attack by water
The peculiarili.s OF the surroundia
country rendar it exceedingly ditficul
OF military approach by land.
Early in January, 1861, the rebels com
mtnced throwing up batteries ut thi
post and afterihe fall of Ialand No. ~
their Notifications were greatly enlarge,
and strengthened. In Jane, 1862, SOM
abortive attempts were made toward tn,
reduct on OF the place by Admiral Far
lragut, who assembled the river with 1
fleet from New Orleans. After severa
weeks OF bombsrdment 1t became exi
dent that the place hld not be taken
without the co operation Of a land force
and the fleet withdrew. At this time
Vieksburg was the.only fortified place on
the Mississippi held by the rebels. Dur
ing this summer, however, they took
possession OF Port Hudson, nearly three
hundred miles below. which they strong
ly fortified that ships might be prevent.
ed from ascending from New Orleans to
90 operate in the reduction Of Vicks.
burg. They were so far successful in this
movem,n mt that il became necessary to
assail Vicksburg from above by the army
ofGeneral Grant.
Immediately after the battle of Cor.
iuth arrangements were made for this
enterprise. On the Goth OF september,
1862, an expedition set sail from Mem
phis under General Sherman. IL con.
sisted OF fleet OF one hundred trans.
ports, several gun-boats, and a force Of
about fifteen thousand men. They ar
rived ut the mouth OF the Yazoo, just
above Ylcksburg, on Saturday morning.
September, 20. A line D, high bluffs
heie fringe The eastern shores OF both
the Yaxoo and the Mississippi This
b utf on the Yaxoo is at short distanc.
from hs river, and the intervening
space oon sits OF low end marshy bot
tom, often oveihnwed by the evenings
OF The stream, nd at all other times Ia
tersected by sluggish bayous. Thi, chain
of bluffs frowned with batteries on the
sumirit and sides. and with riile-piis
near the base. The plan OF attack was
for General Sherman 10 assail these
works in front. while General Grant, ad-
by the way OF jackson, was to
charge them in the rear. But tv the in
imbecility ofa subordinate
At Holly Springs, = raiding party Of leb.
els had iallen upon our magazines OF
supplies there, and had destroyed two
millions worth in a few hours. General
Grant was thus delayed. General Sher
man heroically, perhaps imprudently,
resolved to make the attempt alone.
On the very day OF the discnibarking
Of the troops General Sherman, eneoun-
tAring but slight opposition, pushed his
army scross the marshy river bottom to
near the edge OF the bluff. The next
the engagement was opened,
first with an impetuous fire Of artillery,
and then with an infantry charge upon
he first line rebel rihe-pits. The heroic
enterprise was crowned with SUGGEST, and
as the patriots swarmed into the captur
ed works the rebels fled to their second
line of defense. In the meantime the
.ebels had conce certrated a great force
within their ramparts, while but one
lalf OF the patriot army designed for the
enterprise aS in the field. Sunday and
part OF Monday were spent by both ar
nies in preparation for the decisive con-
let, while endeavored to annoy the
,ther by occasionly artillery fireing. Gen.
sherman, having ihre wn several bridges
cross the bayous, ordered general as
ault at two o'clock Monday afternoon.
7 At the appointed hour the storm burst
"a. Nc hill hnl.Ln1
lame and smoke, with tremblings OF the
aPth under the cannon's roar, as though
hundred volcanoes were in violent
ruption. The soldiers, in the charge,
rere compelled to wade the bsyous and
truggle through the swamps. General
,lar's horse became hopelessly mired,
nd he slid from him and led bis brigade,
Thich was first in the charge, on foot. |
)e Courcey's brigade was next; but his
lsn pressed forward 20 vehemently in /
he daring onset that it was soon difficult |
0 tell which brigade was in the advance.
Inward they swept through fame, and |
lood. leaving the dying and the dead
ohind them, climbing, crawling; fight
lg their way up the slope, with the des
Grafton Of men resolved to conquer or
) die.
Their thinned ranks, breAthleSs and
leeding. reached the centre OF the enc
ly's works Hero they we're as.a.led by
D awful fire from outnumbering foes
early surrounding them. Bravely they
ad won their position but it was found
npossible 70 hold il. Ohe-third OF
lair's division, in this terrible charge,
ad been placed hors da combst. They
ad taken both the first and second line
the rebel intrenchments, and yet they
,und butdefeat in their victory. Such
destructive storm Of shot and she'll was
CURED in upon them that they were
precipitately to retire. With
Iddened hearts they yielded to the
-uel necessity. General Blair, who was
ne of The first 10 ascend, was the last 10
ave the hill.
Such was the battle Of Chickasaw
luffs. II was brave but desperate
,nAict. The patriots accomplished all
,at mortal valor could achieve. But
ie experiment proved that 10 was impos
bic TO carry those ir~wning heigtbs. by
harging them in tie face of all their
atlefies with but half OF the army com
iission. d for the enterprise.
Any further attempt to carry Vicks
ufg from this direction, and with the
nee then at General Shermans dispo-
j, would be maniIe'tly fruitle .. Pre-
araiions were accordingly made 10 with |
raw from the scene Of the disaster and
slurn to Memphis. Nearly four months
arsed while more formidable prePaIA-
ons were being made ior the renewed Of
,e assault upon VicksbufF. On the 9Th
Janusry, 1865. General Grant. decend
n the Mississippi with gunl'oats and
-ansfori. landed a'portion Of his army .
W miles above Vicksbure, on the west
N shore At MillikeB's Bend Anothsg
Ortion be ianded q httls hrfbsr apUS1