The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-10
WITH THE OLD 45th ILL.

"Reminiscences of the Struggles at Champion
Hills and Vicksburg.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE In recent
issue / saw letter from Jacob Bucher, of my
old regiment the 45th i'll. l am glad to
know that he is alive, and hope he does not
suffer from our army life as much as l do
Our Colonel John E. Smith, commanded
the brigade at Champion Hills, of which
Comrade Bucher wrote Logan commanded
the division. AS Jake said. we went from
rear-guard to the front and led the division
into the battle. Hovey had become engaged
with the enemy on the main road to Vicks-
burg, and we made detOur to the right to
take the Johnnies on the flank. They were
posted on high ground in heavy timber, and
we had to advance through cornfield.
When we got under fire as we advanced up
the hill, Logan was in line with our regiment
and to the left of U.s. and McAllister's battery
deployed between. The rebel fire was so hot
that the battery had to run their guns up by
hand; but Logan rode along On his white
horse, fair mark for the rebels, as uncon-
cerned as any man there.
Bucher speaks of his Captain stopping his
firing | remember Capt Fisk well. He was
as brave man as ever drew sword. He was
shot dead in the crater at Vicksburg.
Oi 81 uliC 10 VIC
commenced the siege In marching in along
the Jackson road when we got even with the
white house near Fort HILL we filed right
until the left of regiment uncovered, when We
fronted into position with the right resting
even and just to the rear of the house and the
left resting on the road. / am thus particular
TO explain future operations.
When the general charge was ordered on
the morning of the 22d, our regiment, instead
of countermarching and leading with the
right flank, left faced and filed right up
the road toward the fort, and as Maj. Cowan
was second in command, he had the lead in
making the charge This charge was made
by the flank
This accounts for the Major being one of
the first ones killed. He was dead before we
got to him. The whole of the regiment was
in the charge, and as we left our partial
cover and rushed for the fort, they gave us
terrible volley at short range.
This staggered us for few seconds but
we went ahead and the whole of the regi-
ment found a lodgment in some old road
gulles near the corner of the fort.
As soon as we got settled to business, n few
went back and got shovels and picks and
threw up good line of rifle-pits the length
of the regiment and then dug trench back
to the head of a rayine near by, so as 20 get
out when the orders to fall back came
About shutdown we sent to camp and got
something to eat. and then settled down for
an all night of it, throwing out pickets after
dark between us and the fort, although only
Il stone s-throw from them. We stayed there
until or 10 O'Clock the next morning, when
we were ordered out.
Our men had brought up every available
piece of artillery. and taken possession Of
every position where they could bring guns
to bear on this angle of the fort.
The rebels had during the night filled bags
of dirt and built the walls OF the fort several
feet higher, so as to overlook Us in the morn
ing, and in bu ling up brick-wall fashion
had left the bags far enough apart to shoot
through.
AS it commenced to break day, having them