El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-07
BLOODY DAYS
OF the Siege OF
Vicksburg. Mississippi. BY a
Confederate Officer Who Par
tiCipated In the Terrible Fight =
inc Before the City Fell Into the
Hands Of the Federa1S.

ndnOS vi luc ECuCi oIS'
Contributed
This is q o picked up news, gathered
from hearsay, but facts, for the writer
was there in person.
The scenes, long endurance, con-
tin Lal bloodshed and general waste
of the confederate army by short
rations, cao never leave my MIND
while my senses re rational.
General j. G. Pemberton, whose
headquarters were then in the city of
Vicksburg, called in all the available
forces and on the night OF May L.,
1868, we marched in and took posi-
tion in the trenches. At that time tn e
confederate forces numbered, all
told, including those within hospitals,
Is, 900 men, while the federal army,
General U. S. Grant, amounted to
zoe, 600.
The federals passed down the river
in tugs under cover of night and
throug h a canal formed by a cut off.
opened by the enemy across a bend in
the river, west of the city, on the Ar
kansas shore, and by noon, on the 18th
day of May, 1868, they had completely
surrounded US: that is, formed lin e
of battle in our front. The confeder-
ate entrenchments formed q partial
crescent.
Now, gentle reader, at about z
O'Clock p. NJ, May Is, the ball opened
in earnest.
The enemy then and there made
every possible effort to carry our
works by storm, but were brsvely
repulsed by the determined confeder-
ates.
This struggle lasted about two
hours. That was on Tuesday: Again
on the evening of Friday following
another brave charge was made by
the enemy with no greater success
Then again on the next Tuesday,
the annals of this world, was made
to force our works. Yet it was not
successful.
Our force now was reduced by
death, and sickness and other causes
to about $4,000 men who were subsisting
upon one pound of flour and one pound
of bacon to five men as q days rations
and 1 have often wondered since then
how it was possible for them to repulse
such odds. Yet they did it to my GER
tain knowledge.
Now, kind reader, here is more to
think over. On Wednesday, May 26.
1868, the stencil from the federal
slain had become so great that the
enemy asked that an srmistice of
two hours he recognized, for the pur-
pose of burying their dead, and
that the confederates assist in so doing,
which was promptly done; our men,
taking such tools as were at hand
picks, spades and hoss-and leaping
over the breastworks, went quietly to
assist their foes to hide their dead
from the heating rays of the sun.
1, feeling an interest in what was
going on, walked out on the battle
field, and, in passing by where the
work was going on by both parties,
together, [ stopped to look on
, moment.
They would silently excavate tenn
porary grave. reach over the body, and
turn it in, each one repeating these
sacred words, "God bless you" Their
b I passed down q ravine came to one
If our commanding officers. Taking
ny hat off to speak q few words with
aim, while standing there in that posi-
ion up walked a number of federal
officers, who removed their hats and,
taking my hand, warmly said, ''Howdy |
Reb, Howdy Reb.'
Now, in a few minutes the enemy's |
harp shooters Obegan to open fire, not
or the purpose of Staying our men, but |
10 reminder that time. was up, that |
emporary friendship had ceased and |
hat we must scurry like rats to their
lole. More anon
A CITIZEN.