The Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1876-1890, 1890-05-30


ports put the Federal loss at /
men killed and wounded, and tn
Confederate loss at Is wounded an
3 killed, among the latter being tn
gallant Col VIM. Wade, Bowen
chief Of artillery. That night POI
ter re-opened the cannonade, unde
cover Of which his transports slip
ped below unharmsd.
BRUINsBURG AND ITS ROADS.
Baffled in his plan Of getting
foothold at Grand Gulf, Grant dc
cided TO cross at Bruinsburg, at tn
mouth and on the south bank O
Bayou Pierre 10 miles lower down
This spot was n lonely plantation
landing, forming part Of the Evans
estate of 1000 acres. 1t derived III
name from Peter Bryan Bruin,
Virginia Irishman who had been {
major in the American army during
the revolutionary war. After the
war he came to the southwest, set
Ting at this spot about a century
ago. A tiny village grew up con.
tanning several stores, a tavern, &C.,
and the place became a lively trad.
ing point for the interior country.
But the little hamlet soon went 70
decay, having relapsed into a semi
wilderness long before the civil war.
The direct road to Port Gibson,
which is III miles east, lay along
the south bank Of Bayou Pierre
but that route was closed by Wild
ows creek, which stream, then un
fordable by reason of deep back
water, intersected the road four
miles from Bruinsburg. There is
another road gsiRg first to Bethel
church, 3 miles southeast, and then
turning to the left into the main
road to PortGibson, the town being 10
miles to the northeast. From Beth
ell church the route follows a toler-
ably level ridge until, AZ miles
from Port Gibson, il reaches Wild
Ows creek, which at that place is
an insignificant brook. There the
road suddenly descends a long, steep
and dangerous hill, crosses the creek
(the valley of which is about 200
yards wide), and on the other side
climbs another mountainous hill.
The road is deeply sunken into the
hillside, forming a narrow defile
enclosed by high walls of fearth. 1t
is a position of such military
strength that a small force on the
crest Of the hill might hold in check
tenfOld its own numbers.
Two miles further the road crosses
Senter's creek at another rugged
gorge, which for defensive purposes
IS almost as strong as the one just
described. From this point the road
is less uneven, and at the end of
two miles more it winds down the
last Of these great hills and enters
the lovely valley where lies the
town OF Port Gibson. The entire
western portion of Claiborne coun-
ty is a remarkably rugged country,
presenting an interminable success
sion of hills with deep, thicket-
grown hollows between. This ex-
traordinary roughness ofsurface was
remarked on BY many Of the Union
officers in their reports. Gen. Grant
said: at is the most broken coun-
try / ever saw. The whole country
isa series ofirregular ridges, divid-
ed by impossible ravines grown up
with heavy timber, underground
and cane.'
THE ADVANCE FROM BRUNsBURG.
Early on Thursday, the 3Oth day
of April, the transports began the
work Of bringing the Federal forces over
and putting them ashore at Bruinsburg.
There seem to have been no Confeder-
ate troops here, not even an outpost,
and the landing was made without op-
position. The 10th Indiana (McGin-
MIS- brigade landed first, Lieut.. 7. A.
HoWes being the first man to step
ashore. BY dawn next day the entire
army was on terra frmd. The official
reports are silent regarding the numer-
cal strength Of this force, but it is esti-
mated by Confederate authorities at
about $1,000 men. The Return OIL
Casualties tR the Union forces at tie
battle Of Port Gibson names 50 regi-
ments Of infantry as engaged in the
action, besides ii batteries Of artillery,
2l cavalry companies and a few other
Of light troops.
About three o'clock in the afternoon
began the march towards Port Gibson
by way Of Bethel church, the brigade
commanded by Col. VIM. Stone Cars
division) being in the advance. The
order Of march by divisions was, 14thI
division (Gen. f. A. Carr, 9th division
Gen. p. j. Osterhaus), 18th division
(Gen. A. P. Hovey), 10th division Gen.
A. r. Smith. The 2lst Iowa Col
Samuel Merrill) Of Stones brigade was
the leading column. The rest Of the
army Was formed and sent forward ms
brigade after brigade continued to land
from the boats, and during the whole Of
that night the Federal hosts pressed
steadily onward. The weather was
clear, and brilliant starlight sh0ne down
ON the blue columns moving cautiously
through that rugged region. About /
d. m. May lst), the vanguard reached
Widows creek, crossed, and climbed the
bill on the other side, being no doubt
surprised to find this precipitous bluff
without defenders. Gaining the sum-
nit MerTilpe regiment (which was utsll