Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-02
The Siege of vicksburg.

VICKsBURG, May 2l, lS66.-Dear Her
aid Having been participant in the
siege of this city, and having witnessed
the great charge, of which tomorrow
will be the third anniversary, / will try
to give you an account of the operations
of the contending armies las far AS |
could observe) during the first five days,
including the well remembered 22d day
of May, 1863.
On the 18th of May, 1863, the works
in the rear of Vicksburg had but one
brigade in position to hold them. This
was Gen. Louis Heberts brigade Of
Louisianians and Mississippians, (among
them the celebrated Sd Louisiana, which
was, twice afterwards, mined and blown
up) who occupied the works on either
side Of the jackson road, upon which
Grant was rapidly advancing.
AS the day further advanced, General
Martin L. Smith marched his division
into the very incomplete and insufficient
intrenchments, forming the Northeastern
corner of the works, while the worn out
troops whichha fought on the 10th at
Bakers Creek, Tor " Champion Hill }
and on the 18th at Big Black, were being
slowly posted along the lines to the right
of Herbert, extending to the Gibbs
Lower Battery" the extreme right Of the
infantry line, and left of the river
batteries.
Smith column reached the breastwork
Just at pm, and at once threw out
skirmishers along the Bryan Willis
Road" while he formed his line. Nor
was he moment too sooni for in twenty
minutes after his arrival, ms skirmishers
were fired on, and in an incredibly short
time found themselves attacked by both
infantry and artillery. This was criti-
cal time Had those brave men, now for
the first time under fire, given way,
Vicksburg would, in all probability, have
at this time been lost. But they held
their ground.
While posting his artillery, the gallant
Mai. Ander on, of Smiths staff, fell,
the first victim of the siege of Vicks-
burg"
The next day (l9th) was spent by both
armies in the disposition of troops, until
about pm, when an artillery fire was
opened on the left, and kept up until just
after o clock, when n charge was made
upon part of Smith's division and the
9th Missouri of Bowen's brigade, by a
large force Of the enemy. And what a
charge it was None but the best OF sol
diers could have stood ii.
The redoubt forming the northeast an
gle of the Confederate works, command
ed for a considerable distance, the road
by which Gen. Grants advance force had
come. Up this road, on the 18th, came
the Federal lines-four of them-and
we're met by deadly fire from the two
guns in the redoubt Men were falling
in numbers; shot and shell crashing
through their ranks, but on they came at
a quick but steady pace.
At length they were so close, that grape
and canister were substituted for shell in
the Confederate guns; and thicker and
faster fell the enemy. AT last came the
command to the infantry: Fire, boys
-steady-fre low and fire most ter
rible in its intensity, was opened on them.
Still on they came.
Too close, at last, for artillery TO aid
them--too close under the guns of the
besieged to fear them-with flags planted
on the very face of the Confederate
works-the hour looked dark indeed for
the repellanis; but the Federals stopped
to FIRE volIey. BY that action they lost
the day. The fire, which had slaclsened
while the Confederates were fixing
bayonets,' was renewed with iourlold
fury. Thus stood the fight Cor few
minutes, when the terrible Southern
war-whoop" announced that the assail-
ants were retiring Though defeated,
the Federals made a retreat worthy OF
the splendid charge that had preceded i,
earning the admiration Of their oppo-
nents by the manner in which it was
done, but leaving the ground strewn with
their dead and wounded.
Thus ended the fighting of the 18th Of
May Owing to the insufiiciency-and
in some places total want Of works the
Confederate loss was proportionately
greater on that day than on any subse
quent one.
The Goth and 2lst Of May we're spent
by the Federals in completing the en-
closure Of the extreme southern portion
of the lines, in building the first line Of