Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-06-15
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
Ahe veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
"histling Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
lamp Fire, Festive Bugs, ETC., Etc.

"p'"ih' thefe are two incidents OF
me siege that rise up before me like
VlVld pictures whenever the word Vicks-
burg is uttered by anyone. Our regi-
iheht was in Logan's division When it
was decided to send gunboats and trans
ports down the river past the city 1t
Tell to our division to take these trans
ports to their destination. The task
was so hazardous that it was thought
best to 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 volun-
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
cheer. Logan, when told of the result,
said: The darned fools don't know any
better. But it Is characteristic. These
men were never known to turn their
made from each regiment, the officers
selecting only men who were best fitted
to fill the various positions on the
boats
ION the night of April 16, 1863, 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
the river, and the whole field of opera
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 to 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
heet 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
below the mouth of the Big Black,
where 1t crossed over on the transports
to the east side of the river. This was
accomplished April 80,
1.-THE fleet under fire was a picture to
remember always, and l 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 Vicksburg 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
kent their shutters and doors closed and
entirely ignored the presence of the
boys in 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
ters, 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 adj
yances toward acquaintance. The in
variable kindness and courtesy Of our
bows. 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 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
ouet 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
New Years callers, their friends among
the soldiers of our army, and when the
day came they actually We'd 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,
of their indignation when they saw
that the Union fleet went past their
boosted batteries without injury, of
.t,ot, bopaloSSDaSc uhaD tho TTD{on GnaS