The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-09

GEN. GEO. w. MORGAN.
Thirteenth Division-Brig. Gen. Leonard F.
Ross. First Brgade-Brig. Gen. Frederick
Salomon-43d Ind, 35th Mo. and 2sth Wis.
Second Brigade-Brig. Gen. Clinton b. Fisk
29th, sd and 36th Iowa, 33d Mo. Artillery
Sd Iowa battery.
Second Cavalry Division-Col. Cyrus Bnssey.
First Brigade-Lieut.- Col. Beujamin l.. Wiley
9th Ill. and 1st Ind. Second Brigade-Col.
Powell Clayton-2d Ark. -four companies), Sd
Iowa Cos. Z, f, g. II, l. and NJ J, and 5th Kan
The strength of the corps, as shown by the
returns for April 30, 1863. was as follows: Pres
ent for duty, 279 officers and 21,4I1 enlisted
men: aggregate present. 26,419; aggregate
present and absent, 36037. with six pieces of
heavy artillery and 48 fieId-pieces. The Ninth
Division (Os;erhaus) was stationed near Grand
Gulf, and the Thirteenth Division ROSS at
Helena, Ark. General Headquarters and the
remainder of the corps we're in the field"
Gen. John A. McCernand, the first com,
mander of the corps was born in Breckenridge
County, KY. May 80, 1872. After the death
OF his father, in 1916 his mother moved TO
Shawneetown. ILL.,, where, in addition to
farming, he found time to study law, being
admitted to the bar in 1882. He served as n
private in the Black Hawk war, and upon his
return resumed his profession. In 1885 he
started the Democrat; was elected to the Leg
islatiIre in 1886, and again in 1910 and 1912,
and to the United States Congress from 1343 to
1851 In 1851 he removed to Jacksonville, and
in 1859 was sent to Congress from that district.
He resigned on the outbreak of the civil war
and returning home became actively engaged
in raising the brigade which he commanded at
Belmont and which bore his name. He was
appointed Brigadier- General of Volunteers
May II, 1861, commanding at Fort Donelson
the right of the Union lines. Promoted to be
~ IL H. lnl
a division in the battle of Shiloh, and relieved
Gen. Sherman in January, 1863, in command
of the expedition for the capture Of Vicksburg.
In the Nicksburg campaign, including the as
saiiit on that place, he was in command of the
Thirteenth Corps until June Is, 1863, when
relieved. He again ASST gned to the COM
mand Of the corps Feb. 90. 1864, and remained
in command until June 8, 1864, when he was
granted leave of absence. He resigned
Nov. 30, 1864, and is at present residing in
Springfield, Ill.
Brig. Gen. George w. Morgan, who tempo
rarly commanded the corps in the operations
against Arkansas Post. Ark, in january.
1853, WAS born at Washington, Pa, Sept. 20,
1920. He left college in 1896. and went to
Texas. and enlisted in her service, reaching
the rank of Captain. He returned to the
United States studied law, and was admitted
to the bar, and commenced practice at Mount
Vernon, o., in 1913. He served as Colonel Of
the ga Ohio during the Mexican during
its term Of service, and as Colonel of the 18th
u. S. Inf, under Gen. Scott, from april g. 1S47,
until he close Of the war. He was brevetted
Brigadier General, U. S. Army, Aug. 90, 1877
for gallant and meritorious conduct at the bat
Ties Of Contreras and Churubusco, Mexico, and
honorably discharged the service Aug. z, 1e45
He re.entered the. military service Of the
United States Nov. I2, 1861, as Brigadier- Gen.
eral of Volunteers and OH March %, 1862, was
assigned to command of the Seventh Division,
Army of the Ohio and ordered to operate
against Cumberland Gap Tenn. On June IS,
1862, after several severe actions and Skin
mislles. his command occupied Cumberland
Gap. but he was compelled to evacuate in Sep
TENDER following. and successfully marched his
command to Greenupsburg, KY. He was
shortly afterward assigned to the Third Divis-
ion, right wing, Thirteenth Corps, and COM
manded that division during Sherman's opera
tons against Vicksburg in December, 1862 and,
as before stated, commanded the First Corps of
the Army of the Mississippi in the operations
against Arkansas Post in January, 1863. He
was compelled by reason of ill-health to re-
sign his commission in the army on the 9Th of
june 1863 and is at present resident of Mount
Vernon, o.
Gen. Grant left Memphis and arrived at
Vcksburg on the goth of January and as
sumed immediate command of the troops of
the expedition against that place. He first
gave his attention to the opening of the
canal, commenced by Gen. Williams the year
before, across the Peninsula, and while his
working parties were diligently employed on
this work various frnitless attempts were made
to penetrate the State of Mississippi above
Vicksburg and turn the rear of that city.
Ross's Division of the Thirteenth Corps, par
ticipated in the Yazoo Pass expedition. The
canal also proving impracticabe, Gen. Grant
dat mis- cd ~ hU "a nd
the west bank of the Mississippi, while trans
ports should run past the batteries to enable
him TO cross his troops to the east side of the
river, and thus gain position on the tanks
of Vicksburg and carry on his proposed opera
tics in the rear of that city.
The Thirteenth Corps was in favorable con-
dition for an enterprise of this kind and on
detachment of infantry, artillery. and cavalry
TO surprise and capture Richmond, the Capital
of Madison Parish, La.
On the morning of the 31st the troops took
up the line of march in execution of this order,
and by g M. after n march of IL miles over a
muddy road, reached the Roundaway Bayou,
opposite Richmond An artillery and infantry
fire was opened on the small! force garrisonng
the town, and Immediately dislodged it. A
portion of the cavalry then dismounted and
crossed the bayou in boats, which they padded
with the butts of their carbines. Another por-
ton of the cavalry holly pursued the fleeing
enemy, in which pursuit they swan their
horses across the bayou. On the Sd of April
the remainder of Osterhaus's Division was
moved forward by means of bridge made of
logs taken from houses and thrown across
Roundaway Bayou ut Richmond. On the 9th
a small party with two mountain howtzers
were embarked on fat-boat which had been
taken from the enemy and moved forward to
dslodse the enemy at Carthage. When the
boat had reached the range of her arma-
mont the enemy quickly evacuated Carthage |
and took refuge among number of buildings
on Jamess plantation, but were soon again
dislodged. These advantages were pressed by
Gen. Osterhaus, who, on the 18th, sent forward
artillery, which shelled the woods across Bayou
Vidal, near Dunbar's plantation and dislodged |
the enemy's sharpshooters. On the 9Th the |
enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to regain
James's plantation, and again fell back
On the 10th the enemy, who had been rein
forced by troops from Grand Gulf, on the east |
bank Of the Mississippi River. sought to rein |
state his line between Perkins's and Dunbar's |
plantations, and for this purpose divided his |
force, sending ono portion across Mill Bayou |
against the rear of the Union forces in the |
neighborhOod of Dunbar's and the remainder
against those at James's.
Upon the approach of the enemy the pickets |
near Dunbar's fell back upon their reserves,
who, being reinforced, attacked and forced the