The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10

eentrated heavy fire. disabled gun after
 gun, to which we could make but
 feeble response, for ammunition was
 so scarce that orders forbade its use except on advancing columns of infan- try and batteries being planted.
 General Stephenson. whose division
 was below the city and next to For
 ney's. said the enemy were allowed to approach within good musket range when every available gun opened
 with grape and canister and our in- ,fantry rising in the trenches. poured into their ranks volley after veiley
 with so deadly an effect, that leaving the ground literally covered In some places with their dead and wounded they precipitately retreated.'
 Their. artillery had made breach In one of our redoubts before the as- sault and during the assault they plant ed two colors and made a lodgement there To retake this redoubt was hazardous, as 1t was so constructed as not to be commanded by any part
 of our line. It must be taken by a desperate charge, and either kill or compel the surrender of the whole party by the use of hand grenades. To q call for volunteers. our own General Pettus, who fought our battles
 to the end of his long life. promptly tNNAF0hNNN "ANh HGH OI Wauls's Texas Legion. The enemy seemed to divine our intention and opened upon the angle a terrible fire or shot. shell and musketry.
 undaunted, tins chivalrous band rushed upon them, took the flags and pieted their surrender in less time than 1t takes to tell 1t General Stephen son, who was in command of the div ision, said "a more gallant feat than this charge. has not illustrated our arms during the war" The weakness of our garrison prevented anything like a system of sallies, but as the enemy affected Judgments too close to our works, sallies were made with spir- 1t and success. He said he could not find words sufficiently strong to ex- press the pride and gratincation af- forded him by the dauntless spirit of his officers and men. Ever after this the enemp confined himself to the more cautious policy of gradual approaches and mining.
 The first mine was sprung by the enemy June 25 July 1 they sprung one in which 1t is said they used a ton of powder. We were also counter. mining and some of our mines were sprung with great effectiveness. Por- ter's mortar fleet kept up a heavy bonn. bardment of the City throughout. Vieksburg is built on succession of hills, extending back from the river, the enerenchments were beyond the town. approaching the river only on right and left. so this bombardment was effective chiefly on private dwell- ings and noncombatanfs--wom and children. Caves were dug in the hill- sides and here only was there shel- ter. Despite the great danger by the continuous explosion of shells in the streets, hourly the women went on missions of mercy to the sick and dy- ing or their beloved countrymen, who lay in the hospitals.
 Of course the fire of the gunboats carried farther than the mortars and was effective on our works
 Forty seven days and nights with out moments relief, In the burning summer sun, heavy dews and river fogs. with seanty ammunition and re- duced rations. with cramped and swol- len limbs, our brave defenders endured this murderous storm, their comn,an- ders testify, without complaint, yea, with even cheerfulness.
 The enemy was not less than eO;. 900 strong, well clad. we'll fed and abundantly equipped with the munitions of war.
 Knowing his government was eager Lo relieve, but despairing of It's ability to do so, Pemberton confidently ad- dressed his three division commanders. asking if they should capitulate or try to cut their way out. Each thought only the first was possible, be! lieved their men would make a most desperate attempt at the latter, but would fail due to their enfeebled phy- sical, condition,
 So terms of exploitation were agreed on' and XiekHhArg surrendered July Johnston, Expected to reilev. vick.. | burg when ali his re-inforcements ar- rived. After Vlcksburg's fall. when urged to so to the relief of Fort Hud- l son, which sstoutly held out until July | otb, he said he could not, without 1 Ieopordizing Jackson.
 When they arrive before Jakcson, he folds hIs. tents like the Arabs and | as quietly steals away" across the | enemy follows but little way, and | satiates himself with the burning of Jackson.
 When a bride. I spent several days | In Vfcksburg, and of course, visited | the National Cemetery. which contains | the marked graves of 16.000 Federal | soldiers, so. Says the carved inscrip- | ton on the nidssive stone gateway.
 l asked about the Confederate sol | 1iers who fell. The guide told me | their bones ableached on the battle | field. First I felt 8 pang of grief for | them. Then my heart leaped in exul- | Lation and I said surely they builded | their own monument when by their | Valor they slew so many who sought | 10 despoiL us.
 After driving through the beautiful l park. We ascended an eminence as far | as the carriage could take us, then | got out and by a. foot path. climbed | 2 high point that was overgrown with | small pines and broomstraw, on the summit of which was a small shaft to l Lhe memory of Pemberton. think | this was outside the park and prob ably was the point at which Penn berton stood, watching and command Ing in that great seige. I remember very we'll the little cannon, "WhistIfnK