davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

the line these pits had never been fin
ished.
Fatigue parties were set to work max
ing these repairs and connections. AT the
same time all field artillery, Parrot guns
and siege pieces on the river front were
moved to the rear line, platforms and en-
braSureS were prepared for them and am
munition was placed in convenient and
protected places The field artillery
brought in by our retreating army was
likewise put in position as it arrived, and
the morning of the 18th of May found us
with 102 guns ready for service on the
rear line. Some portions of our front
were protected by abatis of fallen trees
and entanglementS of telegraph wire. The
troops were placed In position as l had
recommended.
Early May 18th the Federal forces ap-
peared on the Jackson and Graveyard
Gen. NJ L. Smiths division posted as
skirmishers and pickets outside of our
main lines. The Federals We're held in
check, so that during the night Gen.
Smith had no difficulty in withdrawing
his forces within the main line of de-
Tense.
The next day, when the Federals dis
covered that the Co1federates were gone
from their position of the evening be-
fore, they came forward rapidly and took
that position with shout and cheer, and
soon after rushed upon the main line of
defense. apparently with perfect conf
dence that there would be another walk
over" such as they had had two days
before at Big Black BRIDE But this time
they struck a rock In Gen. Shoup's bril-
gade, which met them with so heavy and
we'll directed a fire that they were COM
PEELED to fall back.
II 4
A second time they came forward in
greater numbers and with more boldness
and determination. but with even more
fatal results. They were repulsed with
great loss, leaving five stands of coiors
close to our lines and the ground being
strewn with their dead and wounded.
The Goth and 21st of May were occupied
by the Federal forces in completing theiI
line. at an average distance of 800 yard.
from our works. The Confederates utiliZ
ed the time in putting up traverse.
against enfilade fires. and in making GOV
cred approaches from the camps In real
to the line Of works. Many a man anl
officer had already been picked off b,
the quick-sighted Federal sharpshooter:
while passing along our lines or be
tween them and the cooking camps. L
took several days for our men to learr
the caution necessary to protect them
selves
On the 22d of May the gunboats moved
up within range and opened fire upor
the river front. At the same time sew
eral dense columns of troops assaulted
our lines in the rear. The assaults wer,
mirable courage. Once, twice three times
they came forward and recoiled from tn,
deadly fire poured upon them by, the Con
federateS, who were now thoroughly
restored to their old-time confidence ant
aroused tc an enthusiast 9a-a"rninat iol
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26


to hold their lines. Every assault was
repulsed with terrible loss to the at
lacking parties
At two points on the line the FederaiS
obtained a ogdment and planted their
colors on our parapet but the brave fell
lows paid for their success by being
either killed or captured and having
their colors fall into our hands. They
even succeeded in capturing one of our
detached works, and drove out the men
who held 1t. But it was retaken in a
few minutes by a charge of Wauls Lee
gion, led by Col. Pettus OF Alabama. The
losses on both sides were severe; several
thousand men. estimated by us at $500
were left dead and wounded between the
lines.
On the 18th the Federal dead and some
of they wounded in the fight of the cd
were still in our front and close to our
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

A

OF the preceding months. but up to that
time no one had dreamed that the ordi-
nary river steamboats, could do SO. They
were protected by cotton bales, and by
large barges loaded with coal and forage,
dashed alof gside. On of tn s. tusp4 ).
was fired by our shells. and burned to the
waters edge in front Of the city. Two
other boats were partly disabled, and sew
eral of the barges were sunk. Yet ght
boats succeeded In getting past both
Vicksburg and Warrenton in more or less
serviceable condition.
Two nights later four more boats, tow
ing barges of large capacity. passed down
the river and Joined the others at New
Carthage a village in Louisiana about
halfway between Vicksburg and Grand
Gulf. Miss, Here there was a fleet OF
formidable gunboats and transports and
ha"ses enough - ferry large force
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

Gems. Forney and Smith responded
heartily, and before nightfall work was
under way all along the Ines of defense.
The main works on the rear line. already
described had. for the most part, eXte-
rior bitches from six to ten feet deep,
with rampant. parapet, banquette for in
fantry and embrasures and platforms for
artillery. Not having been occupied they
were now much washed and weakened by
the winters rains. The rifle pits con-
Meeting the main works had suffered in
the same way, while on many parts of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

He then asked each officer present 10
give his vote on the question. Surrender
or not? Beginning with the junior Off
Ger present. all voted to surrender but
TWO. Brig. Gen. \. l.. Lee and R-ig Gen
Baldwin. and these had no reasons 10
offer After all had voted Gen Pemhcr-
ton said:
Well. gentlemen. have heard your
votes and | a-ree with your almost unar-
imous decision. thou my own prefer
ence would be to pat my self at the head
~ my troops and make desperate eft
fort To cut our way through tn. enemy
That is my only hope of saving myself
from shame and disgrace. Far better n
would be Tor me to die al the head ~
my army, even I'm vain effort to force
the enemys lines than to surrender ii
and live and meet the obloquy which /
know viii be heaped upon me.
But my duty Is to sacrincc myself To
save the army. which has 80 nobly done
its duty To defend Nicksbu-g. | therefore
concur with you and shall offer to sur
render this army on tn. ith Of july
Some objection was made to the day.
but Gen Pemberton said: Il am north
ern man | know my people. | know
their pecul' weaknesses and Their ma
tonal vanity. | know We can get better
terms from them On the ith of Jul5 than
any other day of the year. W. must
Shtlhc our pilue To these conSidtra-
tons. And thus the surrender was
brought about
\ few minutes after the Federal sol
diers marched in the soldiers of the TWO
armies were fraterniZng and swapping
yarns over the inc dents Of the lon. sieg,
One Federal soldier. seeing me on INV lit
tie white pony, which ! had ridden every
day to and from and along the lines.
sang out as he passed See here. mister
you man on tn little white horset Dang
ed II you amt the hardest Teller to hit I
ever saw I've shot at you more'n hum
dred tines
Copyright. 1911, Icy the Century CompanyD
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

ttOpyrlgnI, 1911, the century SoD
lines. The dead had become offensive and
the living were suffering fearful agonies.
Gen. Pemberton, therefore. under nag
of truce, sent a note to Gen. Grant. pro-
posing a cessation of hostilities for two
and half hours, that the dead and
dying men might receive proper attention.
This was acceded to by Gen. Grant, and
from 6 o'clock until nearly dark both
parties were engaged in performing fu-
neral rites and deeds Of mercy to the dead
and wounded Federal soldiers.
On this occasion ! met Gen. Sherman
for the first time. Naturally. the officers
of both armies took advantage Of the
truce to use their eyes to the best posi-
BILE advantage. l was on the jackson
road redan. which had been terribly
pounded and was the object of constant
attention from battery Of heavy guns
in its immediate front. The Federals
were running toward it in zigzag APP
proach and were already in uncomfort-
able proximity to 1t. While standing on
the parapet of this work a Federal Or
derby came up to me and said that Gen.
Sherman wished to speak to me. Follow
ing the orderly l reached group OF or
ficers standing some two hundred yards
in front of our line. One of these came
man, and said:
Il saw that you were an officer by your
insignia of rank, and have asked you to
meet me, to put into your hands some
of some of your officers and men.
thought this would be good opportunity
to deliver this mail before it got too old. y
To this 1 replied: Yes. general It
would have been very old, indeed. II you
had kept 1t until you brought 1t into
Vicksburg yourself"
so you think. them said the general.
81 am a very slow mail route
well rather" was the reply, when
you have to travel by regular approaches.
paral els and ZigZagS.
Yes" he said. that Is slow way of
getting into q place. but 1t is very sure
way and I was determined to deliver
those letters sooner or later.
The general then invited me to take a
seat with him on an old log nearby. and
thus the rest Of the time of the truce was
spent in pleasant conversation. In the
course of it the general remarked:
You have an admirable position for de-
tense here and you have taken excellent
advantage Of the ground"
equally as well adapted to offensive opera
lions, and your engineers have not been
slow to discover IT.
To this Gen. Sherman assented. In
tentionally or not. his civility certainly
prevented me from seeing many other
points in our front that as chief en-
gineer was very anxious to examine.
The truce ended. the sharpshooters I'M
mediately began their work and kept II
up until darkness prevented accuracy of
aim Then the pickets Of the two armies
were posted in front Of their respective
whiled away the long hours of the night
watct witt social kat Within our lines
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

them. One of my engineer officers,
Frenchman, a gallant officer who had
distinguished himself in several severe
ENGAGEMENTS was almost unnamed
whenever one passed anywhere near him.
When joked about il he was not asham-
ed to conf SIS: Il no like re bomb: | can
not fight him back
June IS was memorable day. At
early dawn the mortar fleet renewed it's
heavy bombardment At the same time
the vessels and gunboats moved up to-
ward the city and opened fire with all
their heavy ordnance. Under cover of
this tremendous Smelling the Brooklyn
and Hartford uhe latter Farragut's flag
ship) and several OF the ironclads boldly
n,rrhed up stream, and went past our
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

on fire. Thus the enemy's saprers Were
exposed and forced to leave their sal
and begin a new one some distance back
After this they kept their sap-rollers wet
forcing us to other expedients
Our next effort was countermining
From the bitches OF all the threatened
works counter mines were started on the
night of the 18th of June. The Sd Louisi
ridge and had no ditch. The counte,
mines for it were, therefore, started from
within by first sinking a vertical shaft
with the intention of working out by an
inclined gallery under the enemy's sap.
Before this work was completed the
Federal sappers succeeded in getting un-
der the salient Of the redan, and on the
25th they exploded a small mine. but the
charge was too small to do much damage.
Nevertheless, 1t tore OFF the vortex of
the redan. and made what the Federals
thought was a practicable breach. Into
1t they poured in strong force as soon
as the explosion had expended itself But
they were met by a deadly vo ley from
our men posted behind the retrenchment
prepared for this emergency, and after
heavy loss were compelled to retire.
On the 18th OF June the enemy had
succeeded in getting close up to the para
pet of the Sd Louisiana redan. We roll
ed some of their unexploded 13-inch shells
down upon them and annoyed them so
much as to force them to stop opera
tons. At night they protected themselves
against this method Of attack by erecting
a screen In front of their sap. This
screen was made of heavy umbers which
even the shells could not move.
I finally determined to try the effect of
a barrel of powder. One containing 125
pounds was obtained. a time-fuse set to
fifteen seconds was placed in the bung-
hole. was touched off by myself with a
live coal. and the barrel was rolled over
the parapet by two of our sappers. The
barrel went true to its destination and
exploded with terrific force. Timbers,
gabions and fascines were hurled into the
air in all directions and the sappers once
more were compelled to retire.
They renewed their operations. however.
at night. and in few days succeeded In
estab ishing their mine under the redan.
which they exploded at 30 o'clock pm.
on the LIST of July. The charge was enor-
mous-one and a quarter tons. as / sub
sequently learned from the Federal engi-
neer. The crater made was about twenty
feet deep and fifty feet in diameter. The
redan was virtually destroyed. and the
explosive effect extended back far enough
to make a breach OF nearly twenty feet
wide in the retrenchment across the
gorge of the work.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

He Confederate oc-
cupation OF Nlcks-
burg was the I'M
mediate result OF
the fall Of New Or
leans into Admiral
Irarra CUTS hands
the 18th of April.
1867 The first
troops to go 10
NiCkSbU W & r e.
from Camp Moore
a rendezvous or
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

AS Grant has said. his problem now was
IF possb to beat the enemy in detail
outside the Notifications of Ficksburg."
To this end within thte next three weeks.
there followed rapidly the battles of
Grand Gulf Port Gibson, Jackson and
Champions Hill, all Union Victories. Then
came the disgraceful stampede of Big
Black bridge on the river Of that name,
about twelve miles almost due east of
Nicksburg.
The affair of Big Black bridge was one
which an eX-Confederate participant dis
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26
BATTLES and LEADERS o. the CIVIL 1 lAAPl{Z{E|
How We Defended Vksburg Against Farragtt and Grant,

whatsoever rank to obey all acquisitions
of the chief eng neer for men, materials.
and labor, and to render all possible aid
in carrying out his plans.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

Chief engineer OF the dcfcnscS Of NiCkshurg
from the time IL fortified hy the Con
f",eratrs until its surrender to Grant more
than year later.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26
18 81


batteries under full Roadway. pouring into
the city broadside after broadside with
astonishing rapidity. The Confederate
batteries responded with equal energy.
The results of this first en- COUNTER with
the hitherto redoubtabe feet were highly
gratifying TO the defenders of Vicksburg.
II is true the fleet got past the batteries:
but all the vessels suffered more or less.
and many Federal sailors were killed and
wounded. as we learned from people who
lived across the river. On the Confed-
crate side gun was diSa Oled. no bat
tery in ured and only thirteen were killed
or wounded.
After this. for two weeks. things moved
along at NickSburg with something akin
TO monotOny. The mortar fleets kept up
steady bonn ~lnent. but even the citi-
zenS OF the t-Wn became accustomed
to 1t that they went ~ out their daily oC-
equations. The women and children left
their caves to watch the shells, and would
only betake themselves to their she tiers
when the fire seemed to be concentra ted
in their particular neighborhoOis. Finally
the upper Mississippi Union fleet, under
Flag Officer G. II. Davis, came down the
river, joined the vessels that had run our
batteries, put a f1otilla of mortar beats
in position and took part in the grand
but nearly harmless sport of pitching big
shells into Eicksburg
On the 10th of July the monotony of
the situation was greatly relieved by one
of the most stir ng episodes of the war.
The little Confederate ram Arkansas I'M
der her gallant commander, /. y. Brown
came out of laZoo river, where she has
been built in imitation of the famous
NerrImac, and ran the gauntlet of the
whole upper fleet. (This event was de-
scrihed in detail in this paper October
10.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

New Orleans. with Nicksburg well gar
risoncd and fortified the lower mississippi
would still b,. in control of the COnfcd-
eracyD The first military operations were
the laying out and construction Of some
batteries tor heavy guns. the work being
done mostly hy a force of hired negroes.
These batteries were located chiefly be-
low the city Their positions were well
chosen. They had a fine command OF
the river against feet coming from
below.
The oGth Of June, 1852 was ordered to
report To Brig Gen. Martin Luther Smith.
then ia command at Nicksburg, as his
chief engineer. | was with him in that
capacity until the LIST of November, when
I was made, by Gen John G. Pemberton.
chief engineer of the Department or
Mississippi and East Louisiana, of which
Gen. Pembertou had just taken command.
This change extended my field of opera
tions. but / never relinquished Immediate
charge of the defenses of EiChshurg.
Hence ! may safely claim to have been
identified with the defense almost from
the beginning TO the end of operations.
The series of irregular hills, bluffs and
narrow tortuous ridges, apparently with
out system or order, that cons ututed the
strong defensive position OF NiChSpui -
raised some 200 feet above the level OF
the river owe their character, with all
their STRANGELY complex arrangement and
CONFORMATION, to the natural eroSive ac-
ton of water on the Tine homogeneous
eealcareous silt peculiar to the has q blum
formation.
At the time of my arrival no enemy
was near. hut the work of preparation
was going on vigorously. The garrison
was ensaeed in strengthening the bat
teres already constructed, in makinS
bomb-proof magazines and in mountins
new guns recently arrived. Several new
batteries We're laid out by myself on the
most commanding points above the city.
These were afterward known as the up
per batteries" The work of making an
accurate map of Nicksburg and vicinity
was also begun
But we had not many days for these
prelimnaries. on the 18th of June the
advance OF Farragut's feet arrived in
sight. The next morning found 1t in po
-iJion for bombarding y tiotilla of NOR
tar boats was moored close to the farther
shore of the river just beyond the range
Of our lower batteries. A second fotilla
lad crept along the bank next to US
with its masts so covered with the
boughs of trees that we did not discover
Il until il was quite near. II was COM
nlcteIy protected from our guns by the
oank.
At a signal gun from one of the iron
lads the guns were opened ] measured
one of the holes made by the mortar
shells in hard compact clay, and found
I seventeen feet deep. 1t was a difficult
matter 10 make bomb-proofs against such
destructive engines. A few shots were
fred from our batteries in answer to the
-haIIenge of the mortar boats, but these
shots We're harmless and were soon dis
continued
The Federal bombardment was likewise
nearly harmless. But few soldiers and
citizens were killed. Vertical fire is never
very destructive of life Yet the bowling
and bursting shells had a very demoraliZ-
ing effect on those not accustomed to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

across the river. This gave serious and
threatening aspect to the movement. In
Coed. on the goth of April Grant did cross
the river at Bruinsburg, Miss. and OBJ
tanned a Judgment on the eastern, or
NickSburg shore.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

We expected an assault, but previous
experience had made the enemy cautious
Instead, they opened upon the work a
most terrific fire from everything that
could be brought to bear upon 1t. Only
few minutes before the explosion | had
been down in our counter -rine and ha ii
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

For several days after this the regua-
ton homhardment was kept up. Sudden
lv, however. on the 18th of July, the lower
fleet big ships, gunboats and mortar
boats, weighed anchor and dropped down
the river to distance of several miles
below it's former position On the 9th
both lower and upper fleets took leave
of us and the 2Sth of July found Vicks-
burg once more freed from the presence
of a hostile force.
Working parties were at once put upon
the river batteries to repair damages and
increase their strength wherever recent
experience bad shown it to be necessary.
1t was also determined to construct a line
OF defense in rear of EickSburg, to pre-
pare against an army operating upon
land.
As chief engineer, il became m !, Nduty TO
plan, locate and lay out that line of de-
Tense No greater Typographical puzzle
was ever presented to engineer. The
difhcuity of the situation was greatly
enhanced by the tact that large part
OF the hills and holowS had never been
cleared of their virgin forest of mag
nitiCent magnolia trees and dense under
growth of cane. AT first il seemed i'm
possible to find anything like a general
line OF commanding ground surrounding
the city. but careful study gradually
worked ont the rro5em.
TIE most prominent points 1 purposed
TO occupy with q system of redoubtS,
redans, lunettes and small field works,
connecting them by rifle pits so as to
give a continuous line of defense The
work of construction was begun about
the lst of September with force of neg o
laborers hired or impressed from the
Plantations Of the adjacent counties
Haynes bluff. on the Yazoo river (empty-
ing into the NJ ssissippi above Vicksour
and Warrenton, about six miles below
Vicksburg, were fortified as flank pro-
tections to the main position.
On the 18th of October, 1867 Lieut. Gen
John &. Pemberton took command of the
Department of Mississippi and East
LOUISIANA, establishing his headquarters
at Jackson. About the same tine Gen
Grant was placed in supreme command
of the federal forces in north Mississippi.
Then followed a succession of movements
against Vicksburg having for their object
the turning of that point They were all
uniformly unsuccessful. and We're so re-
mote from the city. with one exception
that the garrison of Ficksburg was not
involved in the operations which defeated
them.
After this Gen. Grant himself appeared
in front of Vicksburg. occupied the river
with an immense fleet and the Louis ana
shore with large army. He renewed the
old style of bombardment. but high water
made him abandon that work and his
position.
On the night of the 10th of April, 1853.
a large part of the upper Union fleet
then commanded by Admiral David d.
Porter. consist ng of six gunboats and
several transports, ran the batteries at
Vucksburg. Gunboats had frequently
passed the batteries during the operations
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

as possible III what he knew must ne
hopeless effort To cut our way throug
the Federal lines
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-09
SOLDIERS TO PLAY
THE INTERNATIONAIS

the Fort Bliss, and international
baseball teams OF the city league are
scheduled to meet in the regular
league game at Washington park Sat
urday- The Fort Bliss team has taken
a slump Of late. but Smith, the catcher.
Is making every effort TO get his team
mates back in their old time form.
The Internationals on the other hand,
nave been playing in the worse kind OF
luck, and In nearly all their games re-
Gently things have been breaking
against them.
Polinski is the probable pitcher for
the Fort team in Saturdays game with
Smith behind the bat The Information
ais will work their star battery, Mesa
and Manquera-
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-09
AMERICAN LEAGUE.

At New York Ri Z
Chicago .........21o o1o 40 Is 2