Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-05-23
From the Republic.
CHAMPION HILL.
BY o. ]. D.

No one who helped swell the cen
verging columns of Grant on the
10th of May, '63, as he tightened hi;
long but deadly coil around the
doomed city of Vicksburg, will for
get the battle Of Champion Hill, or,
as it is sometimes called, Bakers
Creek. Certainly no member of the
Sd (Hovey's) Division of the 18th
(McClernand's corps will be likely
to soon forget it. and it is Of this
Division that wish new particularly
to speak. 1t was composed of the
11th, Oath, 34th, 46th and Ash Indi-
ana, the Oath and 28th Iowa, the 29th
Wisconsin, and the 56th Ohio regi-
ments, and as Ihad the honor of be,
ing a member of the latter command,
shall speak of it az sour Divis-
| ion"
We held the advance on the road
leading from Clinton to Edwards
Station, and were followed success
lively by the Divisions of Quinby
and Logan. We came upon the ene-
my about 10 o'clock, posted on
heavily -timbered ridge, along the
side of which the road ran for half
a mile, and by an abrupt turn to the
right, ascended. To approach this
we were obliged to pass over an open
field about 2, 500 yards wide and COM
manded by the enemy's artillery
planted on the ridge. We met the
enemy's skirmishers in the woods
and forced them back upon their ad-
vance line posted at the edge of the
field. This line, with battery sta
toned on the road opened fire. Our
skirmishers fell back, and our boys,
with cheer, rushed upon the bat
terry, capturing three guns and caus-
ing the rebels to timber up the re-
mainder and get them to the rear
with more haste than good order
The rebel line gave way in disorder,
and in a few moments we had cleared
the fieid, and. flushed and exultaRt,
were preparing to storm the ridge,
little dreaming the reception was in
waiting for US. At this juncture the
retreating line of rebels unmasked
their artillery, with which the ridge
was lined, and it opened upon us at
point blank range. At the same mo-
ment the woods directly in front
seemed ablaze with the fire of their
infantry. Our lines wavered and
stopped. Flesh and blood could not
breast such an avalanche of mis- siles.
Seeing their advantage, the rebel
leaders ordered charge. Out Of the
woods, within $50 yards of US, came
the overwhelming hordes Of rebels,
yelling and hoeting like devils, and
delivering their murdereus volleys
as they came. Broken and deci
mated by their withering fire and re.
duced to little better than heavy
skirmish line, our boys could not
bear up under the charge, as in heav
lily massed lines; one succeeding the
other they swept down upon US, and
the order was reluctantly given to
fall back. Yet there was no panic
nor thought Of surrender. l think
it would not be too much to say of
the Sd Division on that day that eve
ry man was a hero. If they fell
back it was only to save themselves
from being run over and captured
en- masse by the ponderous masses of
rebels which their own inertia forced
at times almost upon our bayonets.
Five times on that open field were
our brave boys forced back, and as
often did they rally and hurl their
volleys into the living mass before
them. At times it was almost q
hand to hand encounter, but this we
we're too weak to risk. meyer wit
messed more marked instances of per
sonal heroism than were exhibited
under this trying ordeal. Many of
the men begged of their officers to
allow them to charge the compact
mass which bore down upon us. l
noticed in particular one brave fel-
low who, begrimmed with sweat and
powder, and with tears coursing
down his cheeks, begged piteously
with his companions, loading and
firing with energy all the time
Come en-, boys" said he, ''let US
charge them; l know very well we
can whip them" But personal
bravery could net overcome the
overwhelming numbers of our oppo-
aents, and in half an hour we were
forced back across the field to the
edge Of the woods, where we made
our fifth and last stand. Reinforce
ments were all that could save US
These had been sent for when the
danger first threatened, and the gal
lant Logan and Quinby were vieing
with each other as to who should be
the first to succor US. AS We form
ed our line at the edge of the woods,
two of Quinby's regiments came up
On the double-quick and threw them
selves in front of the advancing reb-
els, and at the same moment we
heard the cheers of the Division of
Osterhaus on our left, who was driv-
ipp the rehels nelI-mell before him.