The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-08-07


been gained. Preparations were made for
push forward to drive the enemy through the
woods and across the first bayou TO the siashed
swamp and open fields beyond. At 9 o'clock
the AID Ohio, which had remained at the rear
in support of Fosters battery, was sent to the
front Two sections of the PARROT guns were
dragged out of the earthworks and sent for
ward by hand, without caissons. 1t was too
hot place TO take horses into. De Courcy's
brigade was quickly deployed-the 22d KY. on
the right, then the 54th Ind, 42d Ohio and the
l64th Ohio on the left The line moved
promptly forward and a sharp fight ensued at
short range both sides taking advantage of the
heavy timber aud uneven ground to keep as
well as possible under cover. The swampy
valley was cut and scanned with dry bitches
and watercourses, which offered numerous
lines of defense. From this point to the close
Of that days fighting the part borne by De
Courcy's brigade is so well described in a letter
written by Capt 0lds, of Co. A, AID regiment,
that his spirited account is here inserted in his
own words:
AT % minutes past 9 forward movement
ordered. The AID charges down into
the dry bed of bayou leading directly
toward the eneniy's batteries. We rush forward
SO PAGES and halt to examine the ground. We dare
not go further, for will be raked from front TO
rear. The brigade lies down A sharp fire con-
tinues along the whole line Balls come zip-zip
into the trees and ground around u.s. occasionally,
thud, bullet takes poor fellow, and lie Is
carried to the rear. Two of Lamphcres guns have
crossed and taken position Col. DE Courcy comes
and inquiries the position of the rebel bate
ries. An order Is sent back, and of Fosters %
Founders is brought up and takes position to COM
mand them. Col De Courcy shouts the command,
! The brigade Will advance Col Pardee instructs
me to form division IA front of two companies-A
and ID as the nature of the ground will
permit and call out AID Ohio, forward We tern
\ TO the right out of the bayou and Just as we rise
over the bank four of my men fall together under
the fire OF two regiments of the enemy IL Is crit
/ mOInent-fle
firm; their batteries open upon us. j call out,
Forward boys they are shooting over US; now IS
the time; huTrahi they are breaking We raised
such shout that were heard by the divisions
far OF on our right infusing courage in the men
/ behind, and adding speed to the now wavering
and retreaiing enemy. Closely we pursued them,
unsnitdiul OF the Of canister and shell that
Tainea thickly over and around us Many rebels
4 threw down their guns and gave themselves up
! ordered them to the rear, but was asionished on
turning around to point to them the way to find no
one following The rest of the brigade had lain
down To escape the terrible fire pouring upon it.
Fortunately for US, we conid separate ard shelter
| ourselves behind trees. The 54th Ind broke, and
the wonder is that did not, fearful was the
1 fire which we were required TO face The rebels,
seeing few OF endeavored TO rally their men.
Some turned at bay right, but the boys
4 brought them down, and pushed on. We now came
10 the edge Of the wood and piece of fallen TIM
Der within 800 yards of their first line of works.
| Here we Thought best 10 make stand till the rest
of the brigade could come up, sheltersng ourselves
as best we could and blazing away at every rebel
: that offered a mark. Col. DE Courcy came
forward cOnlpiimencd the fOr their galiantry,
examined the Position and ordered up LampheTe s
battery. The gunneTs took position just in OF
/ Co AS skirmish line and for an hour worked as
coolly though shooting at target, firing 50
rounds from each gun It would be vain 10 attempt
any descrip ion of the noise and confusion of that
hourcf bursting shell and shriekins grape of fly
ing splinicrs and Crushing trees Three times did
| shells strike trees behind which stood, covering
me with splinters. One burst not more than yard
in front of Lieut. Chas. +. Henry with nothing in the
| world TO shelter him. The fragments passed just
over my head, and turned, expecting 20 see him
blown 10 atoms, but when the smoke cleared away
! be stood with a smile his face If nothing had
happened He mis- 1t have been a little biackened
but his complexion sill dark. Gradually the
firing on both sides ceased, except an occasional
/ shot along tine piel1ct-ifaes We spent the night
| where were without fires, contenting ourselves
with gnawinz a little hard bread and cold boiled
meat. The rebels made no effort TO conceal their
numbers, and canlp-hres cleaned along theil
whole line. All night could hear the whistline
Of locomotives in the direction OF VicksbuTs, and
We knew that heavy re-enforcements were con.
tinually arriving from Jackson"
Thus ended the second days fighting al
Clickasaw. On our part of the line the enemy
had been driven back through the weeds and
across the first bayou, which was deep and i'm.
passable, except at one or two points, swept al
short range by their batteries and defended BIS
intrenched infantry. The work before US was
now to provide means for crossing the bayou, "a
over, founder through the waste of fallen timber
beyond, cross the open field at the foot Of the
bluff, and attack the nights. A serious task il
proved, as the record of the next day will show
During the night the pontoon train came up
a small, shabby affair, and, as was soon dis
covered, quite inadequate to the needs Of that
position-the boats were heavy, clumsy, and
/ ill-proyided. One sank as soon as it was launched
Another was struck By shell and rendered
useless, and when the only bridge that could
be made by our pontoon train was laid it wa
so short and imperfect that it was next Il
impossible 70 march the troops across by the
flank without breaking the formation of com
panies and divisions. With only these I'M
perfect means of crossing, Morgan, on the 29th
began preparations for the attack. The ground
over which the advance was TO be made wa.
that in front Of the two left brigades OF Nor
gan's division, commanded respectively by Gen
Frank p. Blair and Col. John Z. De Courey
and it was to these two brigades that the as
sault was entrusted. Along the rest of the lin,
q show of attack was 70 be kept up and at on,
point in front of A. ]. Smiths position rea
effort was 10 be made to push across the bayol
and seize fortified knoll which commanded
the direct road from Johnson's Plantation alonl
the foot Of the bluff to Vicksburg
THE THIRD DAY.
During the night of the 2Sth and the morn
ing of She 29th skirnishers had crept out ans
st some cost had examined the ground owe
which Blair and DE Courcy were to advance
Just in front, and Immediately at the edge o
I INC hDDAs WAS u Dh9Du 4ll1u WIFI WdIcT To-
deep TO be forded and fanked by steep banks
Along this bayou the artillery was ranged t
cover with its fire the advance of the stormin;
columns. Immediately beyond the first bayol
lay q tract of rough, swampy ground, perhap
80 rods across, piled and strewn with falleI
timber, cut down to impede approach and Civ,
range TO the enemy's guns. Beyond the slashes
timber and parallel with the first bayou, Law
second and more difficult one. 1t was in fact
long pool and quagmire of varying width ans
unknown depth. The road by which ID
Ccurcy's brigade was to advance was a mer
path through the woods, entirely obliterated b,
the fallen trees. Where this path struck th,
further bayou it turned abruptly to the left
followed the edge of the water about twelv,
rods, then turning sharply to the front
crossed the bayou on rough log bridge o
causeway about ten feet in width. TO the soil,
ground, which sloped upward and forward t
the base of the bluffs. The whole distance from
the starting point of the storming columns {.
the first trenches Of the enemy was perhap
three-ffths of mile
A. careful examination Of the ground con
WINGED Gen. Morgan that any assault at that poin
must end in disastrous failure. The only chanc.
of success had been lost by orr three or four DAYS
delay since reaching the mouth of the Yazoo
during which time the enemy had been re-en
forced until we were outnumbered. Ali thi
Gen. Morgan and his brigade commanders saw
and early in the day he sent Lieut.. Dent
staff officer, with request that Gen. Sherman
should come to the field. Together the tw
Generals rode up and down in front OF. the line
= a..