The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-26

Miss Mary Johnston says there was
desperate and disastrous battle at
Bakers Creek. and rout at Black
Bridge. In which j agree with her. as
! assisted At both, -and propose to 20
more In detail concerning each at some
future day. The confederates entered
NicksburG on the evening Of May II.
Grant drew his forces around IL on tn.
lSih, and assaulted with great fury
on the 18TH The Sixth Missouri was
held in reserve in the rear Of the
Seventh Mississippi Battalion.
IN" captain appealed 10 our patriot
ism. and said Boys. II the MISSISSIPPI
plans fal;ef. march In aud take their
places" They did not falter. We had
very few field pieces. r. "a great deal
of artillery wAE lost at Black Fridge
ara the defense Was made chiefly with
small arms. The slaughter OF the
enenr VAS terrific, and the result most
decisive and gratifying. Many flags
we're captured. which the men after
ward placed IN front OF the works and
invited The Yankees TO come and get
them. Again, on MAY %. after eIab-
crate preparation. Grant assaulted the
works with no better success and like
terrible slaughter. again the Sixth
was held in reserve, When the blue
coated gentry refused TO assault the
works, Grant turned the siege Into a
blockade. and bomSarted the works al
most continually wish solid shot and
shell. There was also a constant rain
Of bullets, so that II was dangerous
10 raise your head above the works
Opposite one place where we were
stationed awhile knowing ones said
there was fourteen-gun battery,
which pounded away from 3 a. NJ
unit! ? or 10. and there was no sleep
after they commenced operations.
think they did very little damage TO
the carthworks, and ] saw no repairs
"A af
cate ladies' assisted. As We had TO be
somewhat dccoilettc. on account OF the
heat, they filled my clothes full OF dirt
bu, va could repair damages by visit
ing, at night. a branch not far in the
rear OF the works. The only cxhibi-
ton of Sundays that I saw was when
some were placed on top OF the works.
with ii portfolio through which to shoot
! lost very little sleep, and think
the guard duty was lighter than at any
other time during the war. think for
about ten days our regiment did moth
ing but keep out the way OF bullets
II we could
The rations were short from the be-
ginning. and a short time before the
surrender consisted of two little bis
cults and about square inch of side
meat. The man who victualled Vicks-
burg ought to have been put on short
atoms for the term OF his natural life.
never Went ca; hunting, nor did
tdi any InHl" during the siege. !
was uptown only once during the siege,
and then when was slightly wounded.
and think ii any were there during the
night II Was q rare incident. 1t is
the halicSt nonsense to say that the
soldiers suffered for want OF water for
any purpose during the siege
There were three springs within easy
reach from our position, and n stream
fed by them flowed into the river By
our cooking camp. There was also II
spring very near our tent Mule meat
was eaten. us the stock had 10 be
turned loose to make their own living
on the cane. and as death dealing
missiles were nyinG at all times many
were slaughtered. No doubt some were
Killed by the garrison for food. | was
given piece on the day of the sur
render and ii did not go so bad. Our
right rested on the jackson Road for
some time during the latter DAYS OF
the siege, the region chosen by Grant
Tor the explosion of his mines. The
Co1fcderateS exploded no mines That
is my remembrance fortified by in
formation impaired to me by General
F. NJ. Cockrell very recently We did
not possess the powder, experienced
miners or the tools required And. be-
sides. condition for that kind of snort
were very different.
There was conversation between the
lines at the beginning of the siege.
iiot to"druS ltS clcSe. Our authori-
ties soon prohibited this.
Younger brothers Of men in our
RANKS were found to be in the Yankee
army. Our regiment made no sorties
General Martin f. Green. who com
manded what was called Second Mis-
souri, Brigade. composed of Gates's
dismounted cavalry and several Ar
kansas regiments, was killed at night
in his tent. by stroy bullet. He was
born near Rectortown, Fauuier Coun-
~. and. at the commcnccMcnt of the
war was n blacksmith and class lead
er in the Methodist Church. near Pal
my-a, Mo.
fle raised a regiment, and carried on
an independent warfare in North Mis-
souri,, until Price invaded Lexington.
when he joined him, and. as command
err of Harriss Brigade. contributed
more than any other man to tho cap
ture of that place. He was not what
is styled military man. but was a