Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-09
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
Whistling Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.

Speaking of Vicksburg." said the
Captain, there are two Incidents Of
the siege that rise up before me like
vivid pictures whenever the word ViCks-
| burg is uttered by anyone. Our regi-
ment was in Logan's division. When it
was decided to send gunboats and trans
ports down the river past the city it
| fell TO our division to take these trans
| ports to their destination. The task
was so hazardous that il was thought
best 70 call for volunteers to man the
boats instead of making details in the
regular way.
The order to this effect was issued
| by General Logan, This order was read
to each regiment in the division, as
sembled as If for dress parade After
the order was read by the adjutant
| the Colonel of each regiment addressed
| the men, enlarging upon the hazardous
nature of the expedition, and called up
| on such Of the men as desired to volun-
teer for the service to step four PAGES to
the front Of the line, Instantly, and
with military precision, the entire dou-
bic line of each regiment moved four
PAGES to the front
again each Colonel explained that
only those who were willing to voIun-
| teer TO man the boats should step to the
front. Again the order was given, and
again the whole line of each regiment
moved forward, and this time with a
cheer, Logan, when told of the result,
| said: The darned fools don't know any
better. But 1t is characteristic These
men were never known to turn their
backs on danger Finally detail was
made from each regiment, the officers
selecting only men who were best fitted
to fill the various positions on the
| boats.
"Cn the night of April Is, 1868, the
entire fleet, composed of gunboats and
transports, steamed down the river. The
| COnfederates, who had learned Of the
contemplated movement, were ready.
| They set fire to immense piles Of wood
that they had piled on the banks of
/
tons became as light as day. On went
the fleet, the gunboats steaming as close
to the Vicksburg side of the river as
possible, while the transports Rugged
the opposite shore in an endeavor 10 es-
cape the murderous fire from the Con
federate guns browning the heights.
For nearly two hours the boats were
under fire, which was returned as the
fieet steamed directly by the city. Be
yond the sinking of one transport there
was no serious loss, only two men being
slightly wounded by flying splinters.
! The boats having run the blockade, the
| army moved down on the Louisiana
side of the river to point four miles
where it crossed over on the transports
to the east side of the river. This was
accomplished April 80.
The feet under fire was a picture to
| remember always, and know the peo-
pie of vicksburg regarded the exploit as
more wonderful than it seemed to us at
the time. 1t so happened that the
Twentieth Illinois Of Logan's division
was sent into Vicksbnrg after the sur
render to guard the city. For six weeks
we had the time Of our lives. The citi-
zens, who had been living In caves ex
| cavated in the hills, or under their
| homes, reoccupied their houses as soon
as the siege was over. At first they
kept their shutters and doors closed and
entirely ignored the presence of the
boys Ia blue.
This did not disturb us, and we paid
no attention to the closed doors and
shutters, or to the contemptuous citi-
zens The result was that the people
| in the houses became less and less re-
| served. First they opened their shut
/ tiers, then their doors, then came out in
to their yards and into the streets. Still
we paid no attention to them. They
marveled at this, as they afterward
| told us, and later began to make ad-
vances toward acquaintance. The In
variable kindness and courtesy Of our
| boys, not only to the citizens, but to
/ the members of the captured army,
gained for us many warm friends.
After our regiment went into camp,
twelve miles outside Of the city on the
! Big Black river, a train load of the cit
| liens of Vicksburg men, women and
| children-came out to visit us. We en-
tertained them at dinner, giving a ban
quet Of soldiers fare-bacon, bareback
and coffee. On New Years day the la
dies of Vicksburg made IT known that
they would be pleased to receive, as
I New Years callers, their friends among
the soldiers OF our army, and when the
day came they actually Wed with each
other as to who should have the greater
number of Yankees call upon them.
Men and women talked to US free
/ ~ Of their experiences during the siege.
/ Jufr 4r,1 bar