The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-02-12


plunged upon the rebel line. There
was a frenzied moment of battle, a
scarcely measurable instant OF wild de
lirium, when the rebels cried for quar-
ter, and a score of extempOrized white
flags waved in the air. A few OF the
rebels succeeded in escaping across the
river by steamboat which had oeen leIt
upon the eastern bank. The bridges
were Immediately blown up. Fifteen
hundred prisoners, eighteen cannuns,
besides large amount of small arms
and ammunition, rewarded the con-
querers. This brilliant victory was
gained by General McClernand's Corps,
and chiefly by the commands of Gen
erals LawIer and Osterhaus. The en-
tire Union loss was 3T3 killed, wounded
and missing.
General McClernand had now. the en-
tire command of the eastern shore of
the river. Under the protection of his
bridge, by which his troops crossed on
the 18th. On the same day, General
Sherman effected the passage of the
river few miles above. This most in
trepid, yet sagacious commander, turn
ing to the right, marched for the YaZoo
River. and thus came in upon the rear
of those rebel works which, five months
before, he had attempted IN vain to
carry by an assault in front. Admiral
Potter, with his feet, had already been
waiting several days in the YaZoo, to
cooperate with him in opening new
line of communication with the Union
army. The hitherto impregnable works
of the enemy on the YaZoo were no
longer tenable or useful. The rebels
were compelled precipitately to aban-
don them. Thus a new and admirable
base of supplies was provided for the
army which General Grant by restless
steps, was bringing up for the invest
ment of Vicksburg.
General McClernand, having crosse !
the YER, pushed on, the Toe retreating
before them, towards the doomed city.
Turning to the left, he approached
| Vicksburg on its southern side. Cen
| gap in the centre. Thus on Tuesday
morning, May 10 h. the city was nearly
invested. the Union lines extended
III long circuit of nearly twenty miles,
from the YsZoo above the river, to
| Warrenton. below. AS yet the line was
not sufficiently compact to prevent a
sortie, oy massIna of the rebel troops
upon almost any one point. Indeed,
III the extreme sou the investment
consisted OF but little more than line
Of pickets. Reinforcements FROM the
North soon supplied these deficiencies.
The rebel army was cooped up in its
fortress, without a possibility of es-
cape Not Ole moment of time was
wasted. Skirmishers were thrown Tor
ward to engage those of the rebels, and
from every commanding position an
artillery fire was ope' ed upon the
enemv's works. About half past ten
O'Clock of this first day of the invest
ment, Tuesday May 30ih. an order was
sent from General Grant to all the corps
commanders, to advance as close "a
possible to the enemy's works, until ,
o'clock pm They We're then simultane
ously to fire three volIeys from all their
pieces, as signal for general charge
upon the whole line. The advance
positions were gained and the charge
was made. which proved unsuccessful.
On the two succeeding days there was
constant skirmishing, while General
Grant was bringing forward supplies
and preparing for another assault.
On the evening of Thursday, the 2lst
all the corps commanders were ordered
to have everything in readiness for
general assault, along the whole line,
the next morning at Gen o'clock. That
there might be perfect accuracy, all the
commanders set their chronometers by
that of General Grant.
Though aware that the result of an
attack upon works so strong was doubt
full, there were very many reasons why
the experiment should be made. Joe
Johnston was collecting force at Can
ton to tack General Grant in the rear.
Gould General Grant succeed in this
sudden assault in taking Vicksburg, he
could then easily disperse the forces of
Johnston, and take possession of nearly
the whole StYte. thus saving the govern
ment the expense of sending large REIN
forcements, which were much needed
elsewhere Moreover the troops we're
impatient for the assault, and would not
cht eIfully WORK with The spade in the
trenches uness they we're convinced
of Its necessity. Five minutes Def IRE
ten o'clock, the bugies n1ed the
charge.
General McClernaud, with the Thir-
tenth Corps. was on the left; General
Mcpherson, with tn. Seventeenth. oc-
cupied the centre; General Sherman.
with the Fifteenth. held the right
General Grant occupied a commanding
elevation IN front of his centre, from
which be could watch all the advancing
columns of the Seventeenth Corps. and
part of those on the right and left.
With unfaltering step, the patriots
advanced upon the parapets crowded
with armed rebels. and bristling with
artillery charged almost the muzzle
with grape and canister. When within
forty yards of the intrenchments, there
was a sudden fash and roar. and count
less cannon and thousands of musketry
hurled mutilation and death nto the
advancing ranks. Without exception,
the men behaved with the utmost gal
Iantry, and accomplished all that NOR
tai vaior could achieve. The Thirteeath
Corps, under General McClernand,
were the most successful, where all
were equally resolute and brave.
Within fifteen minutes from the time
in which ths signals were given, Gener-
ais LAWYERS and Landrum's brlgades
carried the ditch slope and the bastions
of one of the rebel forts. AS the
rebels fed to another line of defence
in the rear, several of the patriots
rushed into the redoubt, where all