The National tribune., 1902-06-26

cd the breastworks, and glanced off high
| III the air. No sooner had it passed than
| the rebels again rose from their hiding
places, many of them in their eagerness
for a shot exposing half their bodies. AT
this moment a shell from the other gun
dropped in their very midst. / saw the
flame of the explosion shoot out among
them. They disappeared in a cloud of
smoke and dust, and not another shot was
fired from that point during the rest of the
| forenoon. From this time the firing grad
ually diminished around the whole line.
The Captain and passed through near
| ly all the trenches of our brigade. We
| fired several shots at the enemy. We fr ld
several points not properly prot. I'd;
these we noted, and detail of 80 n.en
will be sent out in few hours to fix them.
We discovered a place where the enemy
pass from their fort to the trench in front
of it. We directed the attention of the ar
tillerymen to this, and it is likely that they
will find it a rather dangerous passway
| hereafter.
About noon we retired from the inner
to the outer trenches. and here with a
glass we had a good view Of the works to
our left. We saw rebel flags flying in the
city, but felt that they must soon give
place to the Stars and Stripes, for we
had the satisfaction Of seeing our own
digging into its perpendicular walls. At
last we returned to camp, safe and sound,
although we saw the blood of those who
had fallen, and dirt was thrown ON us by
more than one passing ball.
Tuesday, June 23.-Last night several
of our batteries and a large number of
men were drawn off to the rear. We may
soon have hot work in that direction.
spent most Of the day in the hospitals,
ttpo Lott MI In hn do
fective shell bursted over a rife pit, kill
ing one man and wOunding some others.
/ saw the mangled bodies,
Wednesday, June 24.-Heavy firing on
the left during the night, and the report
now is that the enemy attempted to come
out, that they failed. and that 800 of them
| were taken prisonc'e and two pieces of ar
tillery captured II is also reported that
Port Hudson has been taken, with 1900
prisoners. / am inclined to believe that
| 1t is taken, for gunboats are now thun-
dering upon Vicksburg from below. The
rumor is also going that Hooker has TAX
en- G0,00O of the enemy. This l doubt;
indeed. ] am afraid the capture is on the
other side. / spent some time in the after
part Of the day in the rife pits and trench
es. No grent change has taken place since
my last visit. With the aid of a glass
saw one place where | think the rebs are
planting battery.
MINING FORT HILL.
Thursday. June 25-Heavy firing of ar
! tillery in the morning. | spent the fore
part of the day in visiting the hospitals,
writing letters, etc. At o'clock p. III.
the order came for the men to fall in
and stack arms and be ready for any emer-
gency. The rumor was that Fort Hill is
TO be blown up at 3 o'clock. l went ND to
the rifle pits of the Sth Mo-, where a
good view could be obtained. Here |
found Gen. Smith, who had come for the
same purpose / had. The rebels had a
cannon about 100 yards from where we
were, which kept firing and one of our
guns replying. This kept up the interest,
but 4 o'clock passed and still no explo-
sion. Our men opposite the fort raised a
loud cheer now and then, which | suppose
was for the purpose of drawing as many
OF the enemy into the fort as possible.
| Near > o'clock the front part of the fort
rose as a dense cloud of dust into the air.
1t was n grand spectacle, yet no report
could be heard where | was. This, how
ever. might have been owing TO the cheers
which were raised by our men. Just as
the fort rose in the air all the batteries
and all the infantry in the trenches opened
/ fire. The sound was tremendous. Where
we were situated the shells from two or
! thitt piittlito went uisSiH5 oNtI
! heads.
Amidst the cloud of smoke and dust
saw our men running forward to the fort
the dirt had been blown forward and filled
the trench, yet they pushed forward over
it, although in doing SO they exposed their
whole bodies. They mounted the slop-
ing edge Of the fort and poured raking
fire into the trenches. AT this time saw
two rebels jump from the western para
NET. they seemed to flrD n pompIafn ar-
sault in going down. Spades were now
procured. and party set to work with
| great energy to throw the dirt from the
trench, while others kept mp rapid fire.
A cloud of dust and smoke enyeloped
the fort, yet through it ] saw two flags
borne forward and planted halfway up
the sloping side of the fort. The scene
was now sublime in the highest degree
Our shells were tearing up the dirt as near
to our own men as prudence would let
them fire, while from q point at some dis