The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-09-26
The a,sge eg vicksburx.

FOllowing is from General Grants paner in the September Cemfswys We had no siege guns except six thlaty-tw0 ponndess, and there were none At the west to draw from, Admiral Porter. however. supplied us with battery of navy guns ot large cah6ar. and with these. and the feld artillery used in the campaign, the siege began. The 6rst thing to do was to get the artillery in batteries where they would occupy com manding positions then, 10 establish the camps, under cover from the tire ot the enemy, but AS near up as possible and then to construct riAe-plts aud covered WAVE, tS. connect the entire caxmand hy the shortest route. The enemy did not harass us much while we were construct ing our batteries. Probably their artillery ammunition was short, and theiv infantry was kept do~a hy our sharp-shooters. who were always on the alert and ready to fro at a head whenever 1t showed itssh above the rebel wotks.
 Ia no place were our lines moro than six hundred yards from the enemy. lt was necessary, therefore, to cover our men by something more than the ardi- nary pafapct, To E,Ve additional pro. tec,ion. saaa, bags. bullet preos weie placed along Inc Iopi ot tho parapets, far enough apart so make loop' oles for masketiy. 0a top oi these, logs were put ny these means tho men were sn- ahled to walk about erect whea of dasy. without fear of anuoyautes t,um sharp Shoo eS. The enemy used in their dee tense explosive ;na.ke! halls, thinking, no doubt, that, bursting over our men tn the trenches, they would do some sxeeu. ton, do not remember single case where man was injured by q piece of one ot these shells When they were h,t, and the ball exploded, the wound was terrible. tn thcse eases solid bah would have hit as we'll. rheir use is bar baroas, because they produce increased sutfcring without any corresponding Gd- vantage to those using them,
 The enemy could not resort to our method to pfo,ee, their men, because we had an inexhads,lble supply ot ammunl- ton ts draw upon, and used II freely. Splintess from the timber would have made havoc among the men behind.
 There were no mor,atu with tho besieg- CTS, exocp, those that the navy had in front ot the city; but wooden ones were made by taking logs of ths .oug asst sood that could be kand, boring them out for six or twelve pounder shells, aud binding them with strong iron bands. These answered as coehorns, and shells we're successfully thrown from them into ,hr trenches ot the enemy.
 The labor Of building the batteries and of tn.renching was largely done by the pioneers. assisted hy negroes who came within our lines and who were paid iot their work but details from the lins had often to be made. The work was pushed iorsard as rapidly as poss,bIe, and when an advanced position was secured and covered from the h,c of the enemy, the batteries were advanced. Ky the 3oth Of June there were two hundred and twenty guns in position, moatly ligat heid. pieces, besides battery of heavy guns belong. ing to, and manned and commanded by the navy. We were now as strong for defence against the garrison of vlcksburg as they were against uA but knew that Johnson was in our rear. and was receiv- ing constant re-eniorccments from the east. He had a, ths tune a larger force than ! had had at any time prior to the battie of Champions Hill.