Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-09
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A$A GOUnC&EE1aTCnA0N anu n1AG9u- A@A yer. interSpersed with fighting,
 Graat was in position to Rs- sault tho main land defenses of Vlcks- burg. Attempts weGe uaade May 19 and q, tho second being charge all along the lime
 The army cgUsSsd to the east bank ot the Mississippi April 90 and In three weeks had marched 1s0 miles, fought Eve battles besides numerous skir. mishes, taken elahty-clgat guas from tho enemy and killed. wounded and captured enough of his troops to form an army coEpS. Vicksburg was sur rounded and completely cut off from outside aid, but the Confederate gen eRai, Johnston, was marching against Grants reaE. only fifty miles away, Elatad by the success Of their unique campaign, ths Federal troops were eager to finish 1t by attacking the works confronting them. .r.
 The attack on the 18th showed that the defenders of vicksburg were ready to make a stubborn fight at the last ditch Every day Of delay would make thalr chances stronger and regular siege would ba tedious for the Invest ing army. In order to prevent the en- amy masslng heavily at particular points Grant decided to advance his whole Hne at given hour.
 Sherman held the right of the line, which reached the river above Vicks- burg. In front of his corps stood one of the principal forts, square work with baStions. At the signal to go forward a storming party of 1k0 volunteers. armed with boards and poles to cross the ditch, dashed forward. with three brigades following. Four batteries which had bombarded the bastion for some hours then ceased firing and the parapet was instantly alive with Con federates.
 A stream Of fire flashed along the works, and many of the stormers, with the foremost soldiers following, went down, but a few reached the parapet and planted a flag. This column ad- vanoed along road, fitIy named Grave yard road. for at this point it was bar ricaded with bodies. The line follow ing the stormers turned from the fear ful fire which greeted 1t at the ghastly barricade and sought cover In 8 ra- vine. Taking shelter within a stone's throw of the fort, the troops poured 6 scathin9 fire upon the parapet, but did not advance an inch beyond the ra- vine. The flag fIoated until nightfau just out of reach Of the Oonfederates.
 Tn McPherson's corps, on the left of Sherman, only two brigades started at the signal. J. B. Smiths brigade the main fort of that part of the line until it struck severe fire, then came to dead halt. Stevenson's brigade climbed the slope south of the road, and two regiments reached the ditch of the fort, where the Seventh Missouri planted its colors, losing six color bear CTS within few minutes. Both regi- ments were finally driven back by the pitiless fire which greeted their bold charge to shelter 200 yards from the works.
 McClernand's corps held the extreme left on the Baldwin's ferry road and the Jackson railroad. Benton's bri- gade, followed by Burbridge's, charged along the ferry road upon Fort Beau regard and planted its colors on the parapet, but was beaten back by hand grenades thrown over into the ditch. Lawler's brigade rushed up the slope south of the railroad, also aiming for Fort Beauregard.
 Lawler's column was headed by the Twenty second Iowa, commanded by Ce W. M. Stone. At the sound of sfll .snaI bugles this regiment leaped over the sheltering crest in full view of { the enemy's markgmen. Silently and steadily the line moved on through a murderous fire to within fifty yards of the rampant, losing heavily at every step. Colonel Stone was shot down, but Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Gra- ham grasped the flag and with about sixty followers crossed the ditch, plant ing the flag on the slope of the walls. Before the attack McClernand's bat teries had bombarded Fort Beauregard and preached wall in one of the bas- lions. By climbing upon one anoth- er's shoulders Sergeant Joseph Grif- hths and a squad of thirteen men es- jcaladed the wall, which was twenty feet high, and craWled in through the breach. A party of Waups Texas legion attacked the daring Iowans, and in hand to hand struggle five of the Iowans were killed and seven wounded. After a time the sergeant and Private Trine emerged from the breach, driving before them thirteen Texans, who had been disarmed in the struggle inside.
 The heroes of this gallant deed at the bastton were John Robb, Nj. l.. Clemens, Alvin Drummond, Hezekiah Drummond, W. H. Needham, E. L. An derson, Hugh Sinclair, N. O. Messenger, William Griffin, Allen Cloud, David Jor. dan and Richard Arthur, besides Grif' iths and Trine. The two Drummonds Anderson, Grifhths and Arthur wera killed. Colonel Graham declared that with support at the proper time he could have captured the fort. He cluns to the ditch and bastion until dark, when he and his party were overpow. cred by the Texans and captured. J While the Iowans were fighting their way to the fort Landrum's brigade charged upon the flank, and the Sev. epty-seventh Illinois planted its flag