The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-09
IN FRONT OF VICKsBURG.
The Last Days of the Seige-The Scene On
the Day of the Surrender.

The Last Days of the seige-The Scene On
the Day of the Surrender.
The American Civil War, by the Count of Paris.
An almost continuous line of half bas-
tions interpreted with redoubts for the
field artillery from Haines's Bluff to Big
Black river, was completed by the 22d of
June. This enormous work of circumvalla-
ton, which had development equal to that
OF the lines of countervallation, enabled
Sherman to hold in check all the forces that
Johnston could bring against him, by allow
repulsing an attack, whatever might be the
point menaced
This epoch, from the 22d to the 25th of June,
much the termination of the first period of
the seige The situation of the two adver-
saries may be summed up in a few words
Grants army. which on May % only num-
bered 10000 combatants, has now reached
$4,000. 1t has erected around Vicksburg
from twelve to thirteen miles of fortfica-
tons and constructed eighty nine batteries
in which, few days later, 220 pieces of ar
tillery were placed in position. Eight APP
proaches have been directed against the
place by Woods, futile, Blair, Logan. A. j.
Smith, Carr, Lanman and Heron. At some
points the foremost saps are within only ten
or fifteen yards of the enemy's works Final
| ly, a corps of observation is located between
the Yazoo and the Big Black; it keeps watch
over long line of decentralization extending
from river to river and resting its left upon
the intrenched camp of Hainess Bluff
Meanwhile Johnston has gradually formed
an army of 26 900 men; he has gathered the
material and the means of transportation
and is preparing to take the field. In Vicks-
burg the scarcity of provisions is beginning to
be felt; the ammunition is used sparingly
and the health of the able-bodied men,
whose numbers are daily reduced by sick
ness, is attended to. The artillery fire has
ceased completely and the combatantS are so
near each other that they are obliged to fight
at short range. The Confederates are throw
ing grenades into the trenches of the be-
siegers which cause much damage. They
try to undermine their works, and the FEEDER
ais reply by resorting to the same means. This
kind of warfare soon gives rise to fresh Incl
dents. Logans soldiers succeed in mining
the great redan situated on the Jackson road,
which was guarded by a portion of Forneys'
division. On the 25th of June, at half past 3
o'clock in the afternoon, violent ex plosion
was heard, and the air was filled with the
fragments of the salient angle of this work,
leaving vast crater in its place; the whole
interior was laid in ruins few sappers en-
gagged in digging countermine were crush
ed; nearly all the soldiers-few in number,
however-who guarded the redan were kill
ed, and it is even asserted that some among
them were thrown alive into the Federal
lines, where they found themselves pris-
oners as a result of this strange mode of
climbs over the debris which the
explosion has piled up in heaps,
but the enemy is not taken unawares; he has
erected a second line at the entrance of the
work The Sixth Missouri rushes forward
in its turn to dispute the redan with the
U2ionlsts being repulsed in this attack, it
nevertheless succeeds in main tanning its po-
stin behind The new obstacle and pours a
perfect torrent of grenades and packages of
lighted cartridges upon the assailants, who
are crowded within the crater. Cockerell's
brigade comes to its assistance, and the COM
bat is thus continued the whole night. In
the morning the interior of the redan is aban-
doned by both parties, and the Federas
plant themselves upon the remnants of the
exterior parapet They had lost about thirty
men and had only gained few feet of
ground, but they had weakened the enemy s
line of defence.
In order to add to his discontinue new
mine was begun under another redan, stu
ated on the left of the Jackson road, and on
July its explosion entirely destroyed this
work, killing and wounding large number
of ConfederateS some of them were buried
under the debris but disinterred safe and
sound several hours after. In consequence
of the position of this mine the greater por-
ton of the earth was thrown to the side of
the besiegers who quickly took possession of
this kind of parapet and planted themselves
on it, but did not try to carry the second
line of the defenses. Thenceforth the shovel
and the p;ckax were no longer sufficient; it
was necessary to prepare for the assault
which was to give the final blow to the gar
rison. The parallels were enlarged and the
drilling-grounds widened all the necessary
Observation-Disclosures, panks, fascines ga
bions-were got together near the points of
attack and the batteries so arranged as to
concentrate their fire at given signal. The
solemn hour was approaching.
On the morning of the 4th of July-a day
when the whole of America celebrates the
anniversary of the declaration of its indie
pendence-the white flags reappeared on the
Confederate works. They made known to
been accepted by Pemberton after consulta-
ton with all his generals At 10 o'clock pre-
cisely the Federals beheld long columns of
men, dressed in brown or in gray, emerging
| from those works which until then they had
not been able to approach except at the peril
of their lives Some deile by way of the
postern gates, Others jump over the parapets,
which are theneeforth useless; they stack
their muskets, and silently planting their
colors upon that soil which has been watered
by the blood of their comrades, range them
selves in front of their lines These troops
number 81, 600 men, of whom 9 1873 are Off
GERS and 10 are generals; the artillery consist
ed OF ~ guns, more than half OF which were
field pieces.
The Office Boy.