The National tribune., 1894-04-26

in the rear Of Vicksburg played on the
rebel Notifications, the guns, boats, and
mortar batteries hurled their huge
shells into the doomed city with increas-
ing vigor, resulting in a few days In the
surrender of the place, and the world
knows of the
| MAGNIFICENT VICTORY
The next day after the surrender,
July 5, large force (including our regi-
ment and division) was sent under COM
mand of Gen. Ord in pursuit of the
rebel army under j. E. Johnston, who
began his retreat toward jackson, Miss;
and, Notwithstanding the excessive heat
and very dusty roads, we marched Is
miles and camped near place called
Woodlawn, where we remained until
the morning of the 7th, when we again
started on another hard days march, not
reaching camping place until II
o'clock at night, at which time heavy
rain storm came down on us; yet, wet
as we were, we enjoyed comparatively
comfortable rest and sleep, in our tired
condition, until morning, when we awoke
to find ourselves in the region of Cham
pions Hill.
Our next days march brought us to
the town Of Clinton, where rebel hos
pital full of sick soldiers was located.
Resuming our march from Clinton next
morning, July 10, we arrived at noon in
the region of Jackson, where Johnston's
army had strongly intrenched itself to
give us battle, and skirmishing began
with his outlying forces, which steadily
fell back toward the city, and by the
evening of the 1th their main force was
within their intrenchments and prepara-
tions for the investment of the city were
begun.
Early in the morning of the 18th a
general advance of our forces was begun.
Gen. Lauman was ordered to advance a
brigade consisting of the SD, 41st, and
28th ILL.,, the Sd Iowa and 33d Wis. in
line-of-battle at point nearly south of
the city and the rebel Notifications, the
latter being obscured from view by a
dense growth of young timber, brush
and vines Ga mere stri p of woods, impos-
sible to see through and difficult of pass
age), bordering on an open field.
Gen Lauman desired to throw for
ward skirmish-line to develop the posi-
ton and strength of whatever force of
the enemy there might be in his front
before advancing his battle-line, but
PEREMPToRY ORDER
from Gen. Ord for him to advance
Immediately" left no alternative with
Lauman but to obey.
Emerging from this dense under
growth, the brigade was halted only a
few moments to reform its line; then
advancing up slight ascent on this
open ground a short distance, they came
upon an almost level plain Gan old
cottonfeld), over which they were stead
lily advancing, when suddenly, without a
moments warning, from rifie-pits con-
cealed by bushes, the rebels poured into
their ranks, at short range, volley after
volley of musketry, to which our troops
promptly replied, when suddenly down
60 bushes, unmasking batteries to the
right and left Of the rebel line, which
belched forth a perfect storm of grape
and canister into our unprotected ranks,
sweeping down hundreds of men of the
Sd Iowa, 41st, SD and 2Sth ILL.,, before
they could fall back to only partial pro-
lection of the sloping ground.
The 33d Wis, being farther to the right
and protected by sloping ground, sus-
tanned comparatively small loss. Nearly
every commissioned officer in most of
the four regiments was either wounded
or killed outright. Among the killed
was Maj. S. c. Earl, formerly Captain
of Co. T, who was first shot down, and
while being carried to the rear was again
shot through the body, resulting in
speedy death.
A greater disaster, nor so great, ever
befell our troops while in the service.
Time and space will not admit of de-
tailed statement of our fearful loss, which
has already been officially and otherwise
repeatedly published.
Gen. Lauman was most uniustly
blamed for this fearful disaster by Gen.
Ord, who (more vindictively than other
wise)
RELIEVED LAUMAy
of his command, and the feeling was
shared in generally at the time among
the froons and officers that had Con