The National tribune., 1899-08-03
BESIEGING VICKSBURG.
Padger State Veteran Relates Lively Incidents Of the
Fighting.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: You
recently published my story of the siege of
VickSbug, and after its publication 1 re-
ceived a letter of inquiry from a comIade
in Illinois, asking for man in our COM
pany. Ianswered by letter; and find that
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE is a good paper
in which old soldiers may find out about
their comrades
During the struggle for Vicksburg,
and after the events | related, we made an
advance about a quarter of n mile towards
the rebel stronghold. We dug or built oui
life pits across the road, as we did before,
and while we were throwing up the earth
works the rebel sharpshooters made it
pretty hot work for us, and some of the
sharpshooters climbed up in the trees that
Were along by the breastworks. l told the
boys to concentrate their firing at some
trees on the rebel breastworks, and by so
doing we soon fetched the Johnnies down.
AT this place came very near losing my
life. The rebel battery was not over a half
mile from us. The Corporal and l were
standing in the road, and that time the
rebels had plenty of ammunition, so they
over cur heads, and later we found that
the shell was filled with bullets. 1t passed
about six feet aboue our heads and six feet
ahead OF us it bmst;a second sooner it would
have tom us all to pieces; as it happened,
it was going with such force that it was
carried ahead-all but one ball-which
hit the Corporal on the shoulder. l saw
the ball when it struck him. 1t fell on the
ground, so picked it up.
just before the surrender of Vicisburg
was ordered to go ont with two squads of
men to dig two more rifle pits nearer the
fort, about half way between our lines and
the rebels. This we were obliged to do at
night, and OuI boys dug like badgers to
get hole big enough to crawl into before
daylight. We threw up the dirt in front Of
us to help make the breastwork.
That night some of our troops fetched up
siege gun from the rivera 32-poundel.
1t was right in our rear and we didn't know
it. just at sunrise they fired it right over
om heads at the fort, and when it struck
the fort the shell burst. The conclusion
was so great that it almost knocked us
down. AT first we thought twas the rebels
who had opened their folt on us. just as
soon as ouI boys could load they fired
once more, and then ceased. After the SUI
render of VickSbuIg we found out the dam
age that gun had done to the fort and ones
who were in it. One of the shells burst,
struck the embrasure and killed the Cap
tain of the gun and wounded some others.
We we've not relieved that day until near
night. This was on July 2, if my memory
serves me rightly. About noon there came
an oder around the line to cease firing
stating that Pemberton had sent Grant
white flag to know on what condition he
could surrender. In the meanwhile our
boys and the rebels ceased firing and stood
up on their breastworks. We were about
half way between the two armies, so we
could see them on both sides plainly.
1t was in the time of blackberries, and
they were very plentiful, so the boys on
both sides stepped off their works and went
to picking blackberries. They picked
down the hill, and, mixing up amongst
each other. the boys in blue and the boys
in gray iohed and laughed. Finally the
order came around the line fol every one
to get in the works again, for they had not
as yet come to any condition of surrender,
and they yelled across the lines: Keep
down yout heads or we'll shoot you"
/ have been to the tree where Grant and
Pemberton met to talk of the surrender,
and found the tree dug up by the roots and
all carried away as relics or souvenirs. If
the rebels had not surrendered we We're
preparing to open fire on Vicksburg in the
way of celebrating the Fourth of July, only
using ball and shell instead of firecrackers.
They did surrender, and the 18th had the
privilege of marching into the city; but
Grant would not let Us stay there, because
he had other business for us to perform.
We went out to our old camping ground,
but the next day started for Jackson
SERG'T +. j. GROAT Co. d, 18th Wis,
IIonton, Wis.