The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-16
The Beginning Of the Siege Of yicks'
hurg.


We had no siege guns, except six 90
Founders, and there were none ut the
West to draw from. Admiral Porter.
however, supplied us with a battery of
navy guns of large cal Der. and with
these, and the field artillery used N
the campaign. the siege began. The
first thing to do was to get the artil-
lcry in batteries where they would oc-
cupy commanding positions; then, to
establish the camps under cover from
the fire of the enemy, but as near up
as possible; and then to construct rifle
pits and covered ways, to connect the
entire command by the shortest route
The enemy did not harrass us much
while we were constructing our bat
teries. Probably their artillery am
munition was short, and their infantry
was kept down by our sharpshooters.
who were always on the alert and
ready to fire at a head whenever it
showed itself above the rebel works.
In no place we're curl mes more than
600 yards from the enemy 1t was
necessary, therefore. to cover our men
by something more than the ordinary
parapet. To give additional protec-
ton. sand-bags, bullet proof, were
placed along the the tops of the para
pets, far enough apart to make loop
holes for musketry. On top of these.
legs were put. By these means the
men We're enabled to walk about erect
when off duty, without fear of annoy
ance from sharpshooters. The enemy
used in their defense explosive mnsket
balls, thinking, no doubt. that, burst,
ing over III men in the trenches, they
would do some execution. l do not re
rember Il single case where q ma was
injured by u piece of one of these
shells. When they were hit. and the
ball exploded, the wound was terrible.
In these cases a sol d ball would have
hit rs well. The r use is barbarous,
because they produce increased suffer
ing without any corresponding adyant-
age to those using them.
The enemy could not resort to II
methcd to protect their men, because
we had an inexhaustible supply of am
mun:t.on to draw upon, and used it
freely. Splinters from the timber
would have made havoc among the
men behind.
There were no mortars with the be-
siegers, except those hat the navy had
in front of the city; but wooden ones
We're made by taking logs of the
toughest wood that could be found.
boring them out for six or twelve.
FOUNDER shells. and binding them with
strong ron bands. These answered
as coehorns. and shells were success
fully thrown from them into the
trenches of the enemy.
The labor OF building the batteries
and of i%ntrcnching was largely done
by the p oneers, assisted BY negroes
who came with IL our lines and who
were paid for the work. but deta Is
from the line had often to be made.
The work was pu he'd forward as rap
idly as possible. and when an advanced
post on was secured and covered from
the fire of the enemyth the batter es were
advanced. By June 3Uth there were
22O guns in pos t on, mostly ! ght field
pieces, hes des a battery of heavy guns
belonging to and manned and com
manded by the navy. We were now
rs strong for defense against the gar
rison Of .icksburg as they were against
us; but l knew that Johnston was in
our rear, and was rcceiv NO constant
re- endorsements from the East. Heh had
at tbs t me a larger force than I had
at any time prior to the battle OF
CHAMPIONS H II.