The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES
 :. AND HISTORY OF ALABAMA.
THoMAs M. OWEN, Director.

Pemberton left vicksburgtwith his mov- able army of three divisions 10 go into the field against General Grants army, he had left the two divisions or M. l.. Smith and J. H. Forney. to guard the city during his absence, from any at tack and also to maintain the defense of Yazoo River at Snyder's Blun and to meet any attack from the direction of Chickasaw Bayou, like the one made by General sherman in December, 1862. These two divisions. however. were main ly in the fortified lines and on the main roads leading to 1t, east of the city, to defend it against any sudden attack rom across Big Black. or be in place in case of any disaster SThese troops were rap- idly put in position to the north and east of the city. on the afternoon and night of May 17th. About io2 pieces of field artillery were also put in place around the exterior line of defense.
 The field ofiicers with a number of those of the line being captured, and Cap tain Brewer. the senior, being still dis abled from the effects of astree falling upon him in February the command of the 48th was given to Lieutenant-Colonel Pettus of the 10th. He had been cap tured by the enemy at Port Gibson. but made his escape. In few days the army was closely besieged. and constant firing was carried on day and night, with occasional assaults on the line. The hring was from all sides. for the Con federates were entirely surrounded by StTOuS ptS, Wltli numCfOuS oteciicS along the lines. In the rear were bat teries on the Louisiana side. and nu-- merous gun boats and mortars played upon us from the river. On the 22nd or May General Grant hurled all his forces with great valor and prolonged effort in a general assault, intending to run over our thin line, and by one blow possess the key to the Mississippi But he was met by counter determination as strong as his own, and the futility of his ef- fort was marked by the ground in our front being covered with the dead. Time enough elapsed before he asked the priv ilege of burying his dead for the stench from decvaying eorpses to be exceed ingly offensive along the whole line. On the 22nd Colonel Pettus with a part of the 46th, and part of Waurs Legion of Texas. with daring and gallantry drove the enemy from a redoubt, the only part of the line the enemy succeeded in cap turing. This contributed to his appoint ment as Brigadier General. Daily men were killed and wounded, for a constant fire was kept up. and the lines were near be had. There was always a heavy de- tail of sharpshooters, and when a head appeared above the breastworks several guns tried their aim upon it. Often a see how many balls would pierce it.
 In few days Col ,nel Garrott of the 2oth was killed. and this recalled Colonel Pettus to his own regiment, and Gspfan inr as. SrsDsr tc do hs duty written n se ss trenches. took command of the 4sth and directed its movements until nearly the close of the war. Week after week the siege was prolonged. Every day some of our comrades would bite the dust. Our rations were very short and many would eat all they received when issued to them at night, and fast till the issue of the next night. Water was scarce and not good. being such as was hauled from fhe river niHht The heat in-
 tense, and the dust bad. as there was little rain. Vermin abounded for lack of time and water for bathing. But amid It all the soldiers were brave, and com
 plaints were not numerous. and they were ready to attempt to cut their way out. ss rumors would come occasionally that such an attempt would be made Once in awhile word would come that ing the enemy in the rear while we should hew our way through the lines of the enemy. But no relief come. Day followed day of the overcoming fights hlth and hunger and thirst until at la' with thinned lines, weakened bodies and spent rations. on the memorable 4th of July. 1863, PembertOn surrendered this brave. starved army to the enemy. Many
 were the regrets that the 4th. ever mem orable in freedoms annals, was the day chosen for these, fighting freedoms bat ties over. to furl their banners in de- feat. The conqusrors treated ns kindly. made no boasts of their victory, praised our heroic devotion. and fed us bounti- fully. But we had eaten but little SD long that our -stomachs would not take in full rations. ..
 General stephen D. Lee closes his
 Siege of Vicksburg." with the follow In the siege:
 "To summarize the siege of Vicksburg it appears that, when the city surrend- cred. General Grants army numbered fnDp md h. did not complete all of General Grants great resources. Capt. Henry G. Sharpe of the U. s. Army. in his prize essay
 in the Journal of the Military Service says On the Mississippi River and it's tributaries, the U!s s. Government owned l1a steamers. 3o5 barges and 10a coal
 floats, or 533' boats. Besides this. the quartertnaster department had chartered for use on the river and its tributaries 1.150 steamers. making in all 2.Zs3 ves- sels mainly tributary to General Grant s great Vicksburg campaign in 1863. No Government had ever before brought such 8 great army and fotilla and gun-boat fleet to bear mainly on one besiegtd city. These aids are. not considered by the ordinary person in reading or hear Ing about Vicksburg. nor is the aid of the navy ordinarily borne in mind. General Grant was one man who knew Its im- portance, and was great enough to make 1t a matter of recognition. He says of Admiral Porter's aid: Without its as- sistance the campaign could not have been successfully made with twice the number of men engaged. It could not have been made at all, in the way 1t was. with any number of men, without such assistance
 Against these forces General Pember- tons army. although it surrendered l9,9il men. at no time had 19,500 men for duty: | and at the surrender with it's sick list l the force was very much smaller
 | Take it all in all. the defense of the | Confederate army did credit to the Amer. | ican soldier, so far as great gallantry | tcnacity of purpose. hardships and sac. | rifices were concerned. It was iii marked 1 contrast with the army of General Grant | except as to great gsilantry and tenacity
 of purpose. whichS both armies had te
 an eminent degrees4 The Fist Iowa Regi,
 ment was proud fsfts record during the
 siege. and well 1t may be. During tn,
 entire siege of forty-seven days aut
 nights. il was only eight nights (aboilt
 one-siXth), in the rifle pits. and only
 thirteen days (about one-quarter) on the
 same duty. This l suppose was the av.
 craze Union regiment; for Genera ] Grants large army enabled him to re- | lieve his troops frequentiy in the | trenches. But does this compare with | his with full rations, and the Confed
 crate troops, being constantly on duty 1 In the rifle pits for forty-seven days anc <, nights, or less than half rations mos ! tl,o tir AaIf