Year: 1863

Before Nlcksburg, June u.


Eds GtronicZc:-The dullness and me


notony incident to a protracted siege we


unexpectedly broken on Sunday mornin


by an attack from the enemy At day


break large rebel force suddenly emerg


cd from tn theic ket about n mile distant


and pushed rapidly across the opening il


the direction of our encampment. The!


were commanded by Generals Ben. Ne


Cullough, Jr., Walker and Taylor. tn,
latter Il son of old Rough and Ready


Our whole force did not exceed l50C
men; consisting of convaleScents and ne
gro recruits, many of whom had never
handled a musket until the day previous


We had net piece of artillery this side
of the river. The rebels had portable
breastworks in the shape of cattle and
mules, large number OF which they
drove before them. Our men, concealed
behind the levee, reserved their fire un


til the enemy were within one hundred
ylrds, when they opened a murderous
fire of musketry, which at first threw
them into confusion but quickly rallying
they rushed with a wild yell of rage ovel
the level, when commenced a desperate
hand-to-hand encounter. All was now a
! scene of horrid tumult; once, at least, in
the history of the war bayonet met bayo-
net. Onr boys fought nobly, blacks vie
ing with whites in valorous deeds of lofty
daring but at length, overpowered by
superior numbers, they were obliged to
fall back under cover of the river bank,
as well for safety as that our gun boats
might operate without endangering the
lives of our own soldiers. The rebel ad-
vance was checked by our gun boats, two
of which opened on them with such rap
id and well directed broadsides as TO
send them howling back to th cir
woody covert, taking with them their
wounded and many of their dead. The
next day we buried 40. of their dead,
130 negroes and about so whites. We
have not learned yet what number was
wounded on either side: our loss was very
severe. 1t is said 10y good authority 10
have been one of the bloodiest and most
sanguinary battles of the war. The scene
of the fatal charge was a commingled
mass of friend and foe. Together lay a
dead negro and rebel transfxed with
each others bayonets. When the rebels
charged over the levee, some of the ne
groes fed, as did number of our white
soldiers, but the greater part of them
stood up and fought like heroes, only re-
tiring when ordered TO fall back. That
mangled heap of sable dead and wound
ed redeem from cowardice the whole
race, and belle the oft-repeated assump-
ton that the NEGRO won't fight" Once
witness the desperate determination of a
black regiment charging with fixed bay
onets and you viii say that, at least, you
would not care 10 stand before them.


The enemy here are carrying out their
avowed determination of mo quarters 10
the men of negro regiments and the Off
GERS" About dozen negro soldiers ta-
ken by them were hanged the same day
together with white officer in charge of
them. They likewise hold captain of a
negro company, whom they refuse to re-
lease on parole. This we learn from
squad of our scouts who were captured
and paroled on Sunday. From the same
source we find that the rebels were de-
tered from renewing the attack on Sun
day lat Young's Point, by being badly de-
ceived as to our real force This was oc-
casioned by seeing a large number of
tents which had been left behind by the
Amy when they crossed the river. For
tunate it was for us, as they might have
easily captured and destroyed all of the
army stores in half an hour, had they
made the attempt As it was, they fell
back to Richmond, fifteen miles distant,
and we are now all right and prepared to
give them handsome reception.


Meanwhile the position at Vicksburg
is daily becoming more interesting. The
limits have been SO circumscribed that
the city is exposed to continuous storm
of iron from every direction. The NOR
tars and gunboats are raining in shell
from above, while an incessant cannona-
ding is kept up along our entire line
We learn from our own men, some of
whom are occasionally captured and sent
over the river, that the effect of our shell
ling is very destructive to life and prop
erty. The inha bitants are kept in state
of continual alarm, being safe nowhe re
except in caves, where many of the wom-
en- and children are concealed. Buildings
are torn to pieces and set on fire, and
vast numbers of animals have been de-
For days the river below has
been literally afoat with mules and horses
killed by our shells. Several thousand
mules have been turned loose and driven
through our lines, to save them the labor
and danger of dragging them to the riv-
Si uHOSI uIO Vi Oui EuhS. II - iSPOiISO
that General Pemberton's wife was killed
by shell. Their troops are now reduc-
ed to one meal per day, which consists of
a piece of hard bread, half the size of
mans hand, made of beans and corn
meal, the same amount of fresh meat,
minus salt, and one canteen of water.


They have shown desperate determ-
nation in several instances to cut thro'
our lines, which are fast crushing the life
out of them but they cant make the
rifle" They are in the condition of an
angry serpent, girdled by circle of slow
ly approaching fame. The river, dotted
with gun boats, is in their front, an army
more terrible than the gunboats presses
their rear. Their only hope is that


- Hlf. laa II9a % .s-i