May 30, 1863, The New York Herald
OUR SPECIAL ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
THREE MILES IN THE REAR OF VICKSBURG, May 20, 1863.
The army crossed the river early on Monday morning over the bridge constructed during the night by General Lee. General Osterhaus’ division first crossed, followed by General A. J. Smith, which in turn was followed by McPherson’s army corps. Sherman had continued north of the railroad from Jackson, striking Big Black river a little west of Bridgeport. Here he crossed on his pontoon bridge, and moved upon the Vicksburg and Haines’ Bluff and Spring Dale roads. McPherson moved out on the main Vicksburg and Jackson road, while McClernand took possession of the Baldwin’s Ferry road.
On the summit of the high bank across the river the column moved through the camp whence the night before the enemy made his hasty exit. On the plateau nearest the river before the hill is reached numerous tents were left standing just as the occupants had hastily left them. They could not be destroyed under the heavy fire of our skirmisher posted on the hither bank of the river. When the hill was reached we found abundant evidence of the demoralization of the enemy. Several piles of gun barrels, with stocks but half consumed, were lying by the roadside. Tents, wagons and gun carriages were in ashes, corn was burning, and officers’ baggage and soldiers’ clothing were scattered all over the camp. The column moved to Bovina, where no evidence of the enemy was seen, save a rebel hospital filled with sick and wounded. Here General Grant was joined by General Dwight from Banks’ army.
At Mount Alban General McClernand turned off on the Baldwin’s Ferry road, while McPherson kept along the railroad upon the main Vicksburg road. The approaches to Vicksburg were now all occupied, with the exception of that by way of Warrenton, which yesterday was occupied by McArthur. When General Sherman crossed the river at Bridgeport, he met the advance of General Johnston’s command, which immediately turned back, and, it is rumored, reached Vicksburg by way of Warrenton the next day. That gap is now closed, and if we capture Vicksburg we shall capture the entire force.
The night of the 18th the command encamped in the open fields outside the outer works and within easy artillery range of them, General McClernand, with the Thirteenth army corps on the left, McPherson the centre and Sherman the right.
At daylight on the 19th General Grant proceeded to move upon the enemy’s works – a series of redoubts arranged with great skill, and extending from the rear of Haines’ Bluff around to the Warrenton road, a distance of from eight to ten miles.
The ground by which they are approached is singularly broken – a vast plateau upon which a multitude of little hills seem to have been sown broadcast, and of course the rebel redoubts were so disposed as to sweep every neighboring crest and enfilade every approach.
The corps of General Sherman moved up on the Haines’ Bluff road, by a sort of poetic justice taking possession of the ground which he had once vainly attempted to gain. McPherson advanced on the Jackson road, and covered the ground from the left of Sherman to the railroad, while McClernand’s corps occupied the front from the railroad to the extreme left, Smith’s division on the right, Osterhaus on the left and Carr in the reserve.
The action began by a slow fire from our artillery along the whole line, our guns having a pretty long range, and eliciting but feeble response from the enemy.
About noon Osterhaus’ division advanced on the left to within about six hundred yards of the enemy’s works, to find themselves confronted by fifteen redoubts with their rifle pits, which opened fire upon us whenever we appeared on a crest or through a hollow.
The guns of the rebels appeared to be of small calibre, throwing principally grape and canister. Our skirmishers were thrown further up, but little firing was done on either side.
At two o’clock the order came for a general advance upon the rebel works, over ground which, on the left at least, was almost impassable under the most peaceful circumstances. The order seemed a hard one. Yet nothing is too hard for true soldiers to try.
General A. L. Lee, who commanded the First brigade of Osterhaus’ division, and was in the advance determined to carry out his orders if their execution was possible. Addressing a few words of cheer to his men he placed himself in front of the centre of his brigade, and led them forward in line of battle. The first man to gain the crest of the hill which he was attempting, he found that it was only the first of several ridges which were to be crossed, the ravines between which were swept by the guns of the enemy redoubts. Still he tried to press on and his brigade of brave fellows to follow him, the air, in the meantime, thick with bullets and shells; but a ball from the rifle of a sharpshooter struck him on the face, and he fell. His brigade withdrew a few feet only, behind the crest of the hill on which they had just raised, and held their position, one of the regiments, the Forty-ninth Indiana, getting so favorable a point that they were able to remain within about two hundred yards of one of the redoubts, and to prevent the gunners from firing a single shot.
I am glad to say that General Lee, though severely, was by no means dangerously wounded. His brigade sustained a much smaller loss than a distant observer could have believed possible, two only being killed and some twenty to thirty wounded.
The same degree of success, or want of success, attended the movement along the whole line. Our forces moved very close to the works, and then remained waiting and watching for the nearer approach of our artillery. At nightfall our troops retired a short distance and went into camp. During the night heavy seige guns were planted by us for future use, and our light artillery moved nearer, and a slight earthwork was thrown up to protect them.
Today (Wednesday) the heavy guns on our left opened long before daylight. As heretofore, the enemy has failed to reply. Our skirmishers are pushed forward within a hundred and fifty yards of the whole line of the redoubts, and keep so sharp a look out that the enemy finds in impossible to work his guns.
On the centre two heavy siege guns are in position less than half a mile from a strong fort just in front of them, so near that the Minie bullets were whistling merrily past the ears of the workmen. Tomorrow they will open on the fort.
On the right Sherman still holds his line of skirmishers well up to the rebel forts on his front, and the artillerists are trying to level the rebel works, so far without success. During our operations today thirty or forty men were wounded.
The following officers were wounded during the engagements in the rear of Vicksburg on the 19th and 20th, in General Smith’s and General Osterhaus’ divisions: –
Lieutenant A. J. McFarlane, Co. K, 23d Wisconsin.
Captain W. T. Cumings, Co. I, 19th Kentucky.
Brigadier General A. L. Lee, commanding 1st brigade, Osterhaus’division.
Captain James Leper, Co. D, 49th Indiana.
Lieutenant John F. Robinson, Co. H. 42d Ohio.
Lieutenant O. B. Risdon, A. D. C., 2d brigade.
Lieutenant J. A. Bull, co. E, 23d Wisconsin.
Besides these 118 privates have been treated at the Division hospital, who received their wounds on these two days.