The National tribune., 1902-03-27
yICKSBURG CAMPAIGN.
A Missouri Comrades Recollections of Events
of 1853

missouri GOmTaQe heCOlloCaAOn5 Va bNohto
of 1853.
EpIToH NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have
read with considerable interest the his
torical sketch of the Nicksburg campaign
by Gen. Green B. Raum, entitled with
the Western Army" Every reader of
The National Tribune who saw service In
that Western army will surely be pleased
with n perusal of the Generals excellent
and graphic rehearsal of the movements,
incidents and accomplishments of that
most notable campaign.
OF course, there were many incidents
and personal experiences of the soldier on
the march, in camp and on the field OF
battle. that the narrator could not be
cOgniZant of. and consequently these are
not mentioned in a general write-up OF the
campaign. so correctly described in the
current series of The National Tribune.
Now, while the story of the great event
is fresh in our minds, | ask the privilege
of relating a few personal exploits and
"reminiscences of service in the First Bri-
gade. First Division. Fifteenth Corps
Boys of the brigade. do you remember
the crossing of the Mississippi River at
Grand Gulf on the Forest Queen, that had
been shot so full of holes while running
the batteries of Nicksburg, and the dry
and dusty march on the road to Jack
SOu, NHIIe our supply NdSoIS N'lt hi'''S
in the rear and ratiOns so extremely short
that many Of us gave ont from exhaustion
and hungerE The writer could readily
have sold his spare hardtack at 81 apiece.
But this did not last many days until we
got n fresh supply.
Again. at Fourtcen-mile Greek, where
we had n little engagement, losing a few
men in killed and wounded. We crossed
on temporary bridge and campeti a few
ui1nc aln1I n J,lu m tho rpuI
to Raymond.
Immediately after turning in we discov-
cred n fine layout of honey. said to be
nearly 100 gums, and we made for it with
out delay. The writer secured Il large
chunk, bees and all. and while triumphant
ly bearing it to camp, 200 yards away, he
got it in the neck and about the ears no
less than five times.
-Four miles away the battle near Ray
mOnd was going on like mad, while our
division was permitted to remain undis-
turbed for the night.
Advancing the next day through Ray
mOnd. we camped in the woods, and the
morning of the 14th started for Jackson.
1t rained all the forenoon, making it very
difficult to march in the road, and many
took to the fields, which were OverilOwed.
While passing through wide stretch of
water near the road / found a deep place,
or ditch. into which | plunged, and had
to swim several yards to reach terra
firma. Struggling was prohibited that
day. Most of us presented q draggled and
muddy appearance as we marched into the
city just after it had been taken by other
divisions Of our army. Comrades, do you
remember the big fire down town that
night when we were called out to pro-
tect the old Capitol building, full of sick
and wounded soldiers of both armies, from
the flames?
While assisting at the fire / ventured
into an upper hallway of n building that
was on fire. and was overcome by smoke,
and narrowly escaped being cut off by the
flames before reaching the street; but the
hospital was saved.
On May Is we started for Vicksburg.
The distant booming of cannon to the
westward only quickened our pace, and
cheering along the roads. The battle nf
Champions Hill was on, and we many
miles away. Too bad. But they got along
without us, and won a great victory.
Without unnecessary delay we reached
the outer works of Vicksburg the even
ing of the 18th, and We're given position
in line on the extreme right, touching the
Mississippi. The enemy proved stubborn
and spiteful. On the ODD we moved on
their works, and after n conflict Of sew
eral hours we found it necessary to re-
tire, after having sustained heavy loss in
killed and wounded. An armistice was de-
clared next day, for the purpose of recov-
ering our dead and wounded. During the
couple of hours the truce was on many
of fhe men from both sides met at the
little stream between the lines and drank
water from the same cups, and filled their
canteens at the spring.
Comrades, you probably have not for
gotten how interested we were in watch
ing the great shells from our mortar feet
as they came with rushing noise and burn
ing fuse to burst over the city. the time
Of fight being - seconds or longer.
Don't you remember the gunbOat Gin
cinnati, that came down the river to near
our position to engage the rebel siege guns
below us; how she was disabled and sank
within range of those guns, after having
sustained Il terrible pounding at Arkan-
sas Post without serious damage? Never
theless, we later secured q part of her
heavy guns, and they were placed in bat
terry within the line of our division, and
did good service before the surrender.
During the siege a battery of two 30
FOUNDER ParrOtt guns was placed just
above our regimental camp, on the ter
raced hillside. The firing during the night
was almost deafening TO our ears at first,
but later on it did not disturb our slum'
bers in the least, and we rather seemed
to enjoy the music of those great, black
Instruments of war.
About June %, fOggy morning, l ven
tured down a ravine in front of our lines
where it opened up in full view of the
enemy's position. Here / discovered q
lone peach tree, loaded with nice early
peaches nearly ripe. 1t required but n
few moments to secure peck or more
which l tied up in my blouse, and pro
ceeded to get away from there, after sew
eral shots struck near the tree, deter
mined to try again to secure another mess
when they were little ripper. The morn
| ing of July 3 was the first opportunity
had, but some other enterprising foragel
beat me, and secured the balance of the
peach crop shortly after the flag of truce
| came out for the surrender.
The morning of July | received per
mission to go over the works to see the
big guns of Vicksburg. Having exam
ined them, l wended my way down to the
Confederate headquarters, where 1 saw
Gen. John G.. Pemberton and other Off
GERS sitting in the shade of the hotel We
randa. A wounded rebel soldier from Mis-
souri, gave me much information, and af
| ter a ramble amid the ruins we parted fol
our respective camps.-JoHN Il. TIsDALE
| Doth Mo-, Chillicothe, Mo.