The National tribune., 1893-05-04
AT VICKSBURG.
another Account of the s7ti, HIS Charge
on May %, 1853.


FN Picket Shots Of yoar issue OF March Is.
Lieut. i. {. JoEes SAYS: Let give
you - Ii tie histnry of the 77th H." lie
stops ioHg enough, before doing So 10 tell
how bis regiment carried Vicksburg ut the
Point of the bayonet. after making most of It's
de endcTs bite the dust. Then he returns to
the history al the 11tn Ill. as follnws: Finally.
after too nIEch delay. the 18th Ill sent 20
our aid, but never CINE any nearer than he
rayine. where formed 10 make fe charge"
Now who told Liett. Jones nil this stuff? The
first thing that oc"nrs TO my mind l.. " zero
was Jones. the historian. when the charge was
made? lie Is su'ely not trying 10 write fInm
personal recnllec, ion af events If he bad
hcsH as thai lag that be says was planted
Oh the fort as the 77ih III. was. he wpald have
known who l,iaBtt.i il there. And if he hasi
been as near that flag for the next iae honrs
after it was planted all the 18th III. and
Hfany of tie inetnlrrs af his ew.H regiment
were, he would c sure 10 have read the big
gilt irtters and figures '-f7tl, III Volunteers
printed on our banner; Tor Ia. regiH;eutal ban
ner stood beside the Te2i,heHta Dag IN top
of that fart or 10 o'rlock in the nrornine
until Z o'clock III iae evening. VIXEN Is WAS
pulled down = our men In the litci, outside of
the fort, while tLo faz pulled down by the
rebels who had re entered the fort
The nth Ill. Was never mnriI Of regiment
10 blow. We have kept sill for - years AMI
continued TO read how the 21i Iowa took Yicks-
burg May %. 1863: hew they made the only
breach in the encfny's line: now they planted
the only flag on Tho enemy's fort on Mag q.
etc We never objected 10 NIL .bis bnt when
it comes to Lieut.. Jones volunteering 10 write
- cold facts " isinrr of he 77,h H.. anil put
ting in such cold fact nonsense as his letter
comiains. We kick. il is very unki ind of Lieut.
joaes To giye away ihr'ra2h the old Ma
rI">AL 1KIBUSE, where all The old boys will
see IL.
Lieut. George H. Mekinney's letter in yours
of recent date ,ivcs clear and truthful az
Count ef the part taken bT the 18th III. IN the
| general a-sant on Y.rksbGrg May %. 1863 We
/ formed in he same favifr with the 22i Iowa
at the hoHr. ahoet 8 q. IN. We charged
! tie same fort that they charged at tho same
] time. aud over the sIme ground. Resimenjal
aud comp any nTgaBiz1tioas were broken mp by
deep raviD~s. tangled brush and fallen ifnber.
! bot the two regiments mixed togei her and
went after The fort like stampede al Texas
cattle. When the hest men had arrived at tho
ditch surrounding the fort. and tie balance
were there as tteir legs 2nd nd would
carry them over such ground. Cox d. Z. GrIer
gave the command to halt and form line behind
/ a slight protection in the hiiI-face, just 90
yards from the fort.
When this command was given Col. Grier
! explained that his orders were TO take posi-
ton to the fort as possible, and await
! orders. Those in the advance did not hear
III order, and many others found it safer to
] rush forward into the ditch than 90 back TO the
: line
During the next nine hours part of our men
were in the fort. part Of them were shooting
over the walls Of the fort. part in the ditch
| outside of the fort and the balance were in
line 20 yards below. Onr flag and regmental
4 banner foated from the wall OF the fort during
Z the entire day. There were no rebels in the
n
/ next fort on our left, from which we were rskpd
/ by very constant. whitening Gre. Why 1e
were held in this position rather than en- ter the
empty bitches and empty fort in our front, will
always remain one of those little military
mysteries TO those not behind the scenes.
About or O'Clock in the evening, the
rebels heavy force of men into the fori
in orr front, and into the ditch to our left
aud captured one of cur flags and what men we
had inside. They came over the walls Of the
fort with fixed bayonets. but could not face
the elose-rahge fire they met from our line on
the hillside. They then threw hand grenades
and loaded shells over the wall, some of which
were thrown back by cur men in the dtcl
before they exploded. Oar men crawled out
Of The ditch under cover of the darkness
leaving from line Ia % OF the company either
killed wouuded. Capt. Wayne UDonald
OF niy company. was shot through the face
while in the ditch John Kinds, of my com
/ pafS, was kiiica anu MS bO0Y lc.i IN ne ultCn
/ John Mathews, OF my company, fell not Sill
yards from the fort; and yet this cold facts
historical Jones says that the nth Ill. neve
came nearer the fort than the raviue wler
they formed in the morning. Where wa
Jones when the bullets were flying?
] cannot close without saying that | cal
write TO words that will fully express m,
admiration OF the splendid valor displayed b.
the 22d Iowa in this fght but think SOM
of them have been just a little windy SINCE
THos. C. MATHEWS. First Lieutenant. Co.
nth ILL.,, Hamlin, Kan.