Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-07-03
TWENTY YIA1s AGO.

4"60Vx 14AA8 Ag8Os
There are yet many in our midst in the
prime Of manhood whose Fourth of July
thoughts will turn to the stirring events
OF twenty year1 ago and who will
remember with kindling pride the glories
OF that national birthday in 1868 when
the flag Of our country was lifted from
the dust Of defeat and its shimuering
folds were proudly kissed by breezes
from fields Of victory, bought by blood,
BY toll, byIprivstion, in the thickening
throng Of dangers with which the two
preceding years had been filed. It was
the day in our national history when
the turning point in long and sanguin-
ary contest was reached and the fortune
Of war turned to the side of the union
arms. Gettysburg in the east and vicks-
burg in the west had been fought and
won. The rebel hosts had been hurled
backward from their invasion Of northern
soil and the last stronghold Of the enemy
upon the Mississippi river had
fallen into our possession. During
the two preceding years of the war
reverses and failures and defeats had met
the cause of loyalty at every turn, but
with the achievement Of these two i'm.
portant victories the way seemed clear
to lasting peace, under the triumphant
folds of the banner of one people, of one
country. There was therefore reason for
unstinted rejoicing on that Fourth of
July, 1868, and upon this twentieth ami
versary of the dual event it is appro-
pirate to revert to the occasion and touch
briefly upon the operations which
brought the glorious result.
vICKsBURa.
TWAS in the early spring of 1868, that
General Grants army, rendezvoused at
Memphis, boarded fleet of transports
and steamed down the Mississippi in the
direction of Vicksburg, its summers
task being the reduction and capture of
that formidable stronghold. The army
consisted of three corps-the thirteenth,
under General McC Clernand; the ffteeth
under General Sherman; the eseventsenth,
under General cPherson. 1t was the
fortune of the writer to be attached to
the command Of the latter, in
the humble capacity Of private soldier.
and this brief sketch is drawn from men,
ories of twenty years ago. OF the pre-.
liminary operations in the sloughs and
bayous of Louisiana and through the
tortuous windings of tho Yazoo pass, the
Coldwater and the Tallahatchie rivers it
il net necessary to say anything in de-
tail, as they cut no figure in the final
result. It was during the last days Of
April and the first Of May that the forces
under General Grant crossed the
Mississippi below Vicksburg on trans-
ports which had run by the
rebel batteries. They were in light
marching order and after effecting q
lodgmsnt on the Mississippi side they
moved rapidly into the interior to gain q
position in the rear Of vicksburg. The
battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jack
son. Champion Hills and Black River
Bridge were fought and won, making q
series Of speedy and brilliant victories
which had much to do with after sue
oesses in the effect they produced among
the rank and file of the army.
The rebels retired to their entrench.
ments about vicksburg and on the
afternoon Of the eighteenth of May
the union forces had come to halt with
their work before them. During that
night their lines were formed and on the
10th. the works of the enemy were a.
saulted and the attacking party was re.
pulaed. During two succeeding days
Grant was busy entrenching his position
constructing approaches and preparing
for the general charge all along the linel
which was ordered for the 22nd. Th,
world knows the result of that charge. II
was like the flow of the tide against wal
OF solid masonry. Line after line wen
forward over the rugged hills ant
through the yawning ravines, il
the face of a merciless fire from con
cealed and well protected foe. The rebe
works were reached but could not b,
carried, and as the day waned the uniol
forces fell back to their entrenched lin,
leaving their dead upon the bloody field
The effort to carry the works b,
assault having failed, the slower process
of regular siege was inaugurated. Th
lines were drawn more closely about tn
beleauured clty. with Sherman nm th