The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-16

On the goth Col. STACKS brigade, OF dOVey s
Division, was brought up from Champions
Hill and supported Gen. Osterhaus on the left
Gen. Carr supporting Gen. Smith on the right.
Brisk skrmshing was kept up during the Goth
and 2lst, and OH the evening of the 21st Gen.
McClernand received an order from Gen. Grant
directing a simultaneous attack by all the
corps at 10 a. m. on the following day. On the
same day Gen. Carr's Division relieved Gen.
Smiths and formed the advance on the right,
supported by the latter.
On the morning of the 22d an artillery fire
was opened and continued until 10 o'clock,
preaching tho enemy's works at various points
and silencing his guns. At 10 o'clock the col
umns of attack moved forward, and within ID
minutes LAWYERS and Landram's Brigades had
carried the ditch, slope. and bastion of q fort.
Some of the men rushed into the fort and were
all shot down, except one Sergeant, Joseph T..
Griffith of the 22d Iowa, who seized his mus
ket and captured and brought away Ii rebels.
Within is minutes later Benton's and Bur-
bridges Brigades rushed forward, carried the
ditch and slope of another heavy earthwork,
and planted their colors upon the latter. In
emulation of the daring Of Serg't Griffith,
Capt. White, of the Chicago Mercantile Bat
terry, moved forward one of his pieces by hand
to the ditch and fired into an embrasure, dis
ablinr gun and scattering death among the
rebel cannoneers An impetuous struggle ragged
for more than eight hours, under a blazing sun
and a deadly fire of tho enemy yet the Union
troops firmly held their ground.
From high point on the Jackson road Gen.
Grant had observed the assaults, had witnessed
the flags planted on the parapets and had seen
the men halt at the bitches. He soon became
convinced that the assault could not succeed,
aud was just starting over to confer with Sher.
man. who was within mile OIL his right, when
he received note from McClernand, dated 11:15
a. M, stating that he was holly engaged with
the enemy, then massing on his right and left,
and that vigorous blow by Mcpherson would
create diversion in his favor. In answer to
this Gen. Grant, Mt 1l:50 a. M, directed him to
draw from his reserve other parts Of his line
for the purpose of strengthening his advance.
Gen. Grant then rode over, to Sherman and
as he arrived there he was handed a sec
ond dispatch from McClernand, dated at
II M, in these words: = We are holly
engaged with the enemy. We have part
possession of two forts, and the Stars and
Stripes are floating over them vigorous push
ought to be made all along the line" Gen.
Grant replied: Macarthur advanced from
Warrenton last night; he is On your left Con-
centrate with him and use his forces to the best
advantage" He then showed the dispatch to
Sherman, who ordered a renewal of the attack,
and Grant then started to see Mcpherson and
order him to make the diversion suggested by
Gen. McClernand. While en- route he met a
messenger bearing a third dispatch from Nc.
CIernand, saying: I'VE have gained the enemy's
intrenchments at several points, but are brought
to stand. | have sent word to Macarthur to
reinforce me if he can. Wonld it not be best
to concentrate the whole or part of his COM
mand at this point? p. 81 have received
your dispatch. My troops are all engaged, and
j cannot withdraw any to reinforce them"
Grants observation from his position on the
Jackson road had caused MIN some doubt as to
the extent of Netherlands successes, and
having no time to consult with him, he ordered
Quinby's Division, of the Seventeenth Corps,
to move Immediately to McClernand's support
and. showing the dispatches to Mcpherson, he
ordered him to renew the assault.
The following table gives the loss of the
Thirteenth Corps in the assault on Vicksburg
of May 22. 1863