LXII.

1863.

CHAP. when they came within two hundred yards, they were received by a severe fire from two divisions, this they returned, and then rushed on, but soon a portion of the column broke in disorder; fifteen of its colors were captured and nearly 2,000 prisoners; another portion swerved to their right and took possession of a stone wall a little way in advance of the main breastworks; this wall had been hastily constructed and used temporarily; on this they placed the blue flag of Virginia-for Picket's 4,000 were Virginians, and brave fellows too-a small success very dearly bought. They became a center of fire-front, right and left-in a few minutes; they threw down their arms, and fell upon the earth to escape the leaden hail; twelve stand of colors and about 2,500 prisoners were taken.

July

4.

This virtually ended the battle of Gettysburg, when the Rebellion received a blow from which it never recovered. "The Confederate soldiers returned in a mob, pursued by the growling of hostile cannon, which swept all the valley and the slopes of Seminary Hill with balls and shells." Lee exclaimed to an English officer who was present: "This has been a sad day for us, Colonel,-a sad day—but we can't always expect to gain victories."1

Both armies remained in their respective positions; Meade was prudent and Lee seemed satisfied with his last rash attempt, so disastrous and so wanton in the destruction of the lives of his soldiers. He at once began to send

off his trains to the crossings of the Potomac, and on the same night, in the midst of rain and storm, the Confederates began to retreat, leaving their dead on the field and their wounded uncared for; Ewell's division remaining to keep up appearances until nearly noon on the 5th.

A laborious march brought Lee's whole army to HagersJuly 14. town on the 7th; finally he crossed the river, which had been swollen by rains, thus delaying the passage for several days. Meade was cautious to excess, and unwilling to run risks the end would not justify; he was much censured for 1 Life of Lee, p. 249.

VICKSBURG-RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.

921

LXII.

1863.

allowing the Confederate army to escape so easily, yet in CHAP. the pursuit he captured great numbers of prisoners; many of whom were wounded and cruelly left by the roadside to lighten the trains. Lee fell back and finally took position. on the south side of the Rapidan, and Meade in his old Aug. quarters on the north side of the Rappahannock. In this battle the Union army lost in killed 2,864, in wounded 13,790; the Federals buried 4,500 of the enemy's dead, and 26,500 wounded fell into their hands, and 13,621 other prisoners.

Gen. Grant, finding it impossible to take Vicksburg from his present position, determined to pass a portion of his army on the west side of the river from Milliken's Bend to a point below, and then by running the gauntlet of the Vicksburg batteries obtain gunboats and transports to ferry over his troops to the east side of the river.

1.

A portion of the army commenced the laborious march, Mar. most of the way over an inundated and spongy soil; the 29. soldiers oftentimes balting to construct corduroy roads.

Meantime Admiral Porter ran past the Vicksburg batteries with gunboats and a number of transports, which were all protected from shot by cotton and hay in bales. These transports were manned by volunteers. Said Gen. Grant in one of his reports: "It is a striking feature of the volunteer army of the United States that there is nothing which men are called upon to do, mechanical or professional, that accomplished adepts cannot be found for the duty required, in almost every regiment."

The gunboats and transports passed down, the former bombarding Grand Gulf, but without much success, and at Bruensburg they met the army, which was at once ferried over, and General McClernand's corps marched out toward Port Gibson to occupy certain hills. He was successful in Apr driving the enemy toward Grand Gulf, which place General 30. Pemberton ordered to be evacuated and the troops to join May him at Vicksburg; and he urgently cried to General Joe 1. Johnston, who had chief command of the Confederate

LXII.

CHAP. forces in that section, for reinforcements. The latter replied: "If Grant crosses, unite all your troops and beat him back; success will give back what was abandoned to win it."

1863.

8.

12.

Grant waited five days for supplies and for Sherman. who had made a demonstration up the Yazoo, to join him; then began a series of rapid movements and victories by the May Union troops. He first moved toward Jackson, the State capital, throwing out parallel divisions, bewildering Pemberton as to his real object. The soldiers had rations for five days, sufficient for this short and decisive campaign. As the army advanced they came in contact with the enemy from time to time. They found them strongly posted in May the woods near the village of Raymond. After a contest of three hours the Confederates were driven from their position, they taking the direction of Jackson. Great numbers threw down their arms and deserted. The next day General McPherson's corps occupied Clinton, and obtained some important dispatches at the telegraph office; meanwhile Johnston had arrived at Jackson and taken comMay mand. Sherman and McPherson, despite the miry roads, were moving on, and three miles from Jackson met Johnston's army, about 11,000 strong. McPherson engaged the main body, and Sherman passed round, flanking the enemy and driving the riflemen from their pits. The Confederates soon left the field, having lost 250 prisoners and eighteen guns. Grant left Sherman at Jackson to destroy the war material and railways, but to protect private property, while he himself hastened to attack Pemberton, who was said to be in a strong position at Champion Hill with 25,000 men. General Grant was on the ground, but wished to delay the battle till the Thirteenth Corps (McClernand's) could come up, but ere he arrived the Confederates began the battle, at May 11 A.M.; and after a short and decisive struggle they were driven from the field, with great loss in killed and wounded. They fell back to Black River railroad bridge, where they made a stand; but their soldiers were sadly demoralized,

14.

16.

ASSAULT-VICKSBURG-PORT HUDSON.

LXII.

923 and when a Union brigade charged their right in order to CHAP. obtain a better position, they fled in disorder. "All is lost!" re-echoed from the ranks, and the panic-stricken soldiers crowded into Vicksburg, at ten o'clock at night, as into a trap.

1863.

Vicksburg was invested the next day. Grant at first ordered an assault, hoping that in the demoralized condition of the enemy he might carry the place; but it was too carefully fortified to be thus taken, and he was forced to begin a regular siege. Then followed a series of expedients, such as mines, one of which when exploded blew a May fort one hundred feet into the air. The garrison was nearly exhausted, and famine was pressing on when, on July 3d, at 8 A.M., a flag of truce came out from the besieged lines bearing a communication for General Grant, which contained proposals for surrender. The terms were arranged and the Confederates laid down their arms and were paroled -about 34,000 in number.

Port Hudson, twenty-two miles above Baton Rouge, had been invested by General Banks. The attention of the garrison was attracted by echoes of great shoutings in the Federal lines. It was soon ascertained that the cause of the uproar was the announcement of the capitulation of Vicksburg. General Gardner immediately surrendered Port Hudson with its garrison of more than 6,000 men with all their war material. The Mississippi was now open its entire length. The Confederacy had lost from July 1st to 9th 80,000 men and an immense amount of war material. General Banks's army consisted partly of troops of African descent. Many of these were from the Northern States, some were freedmen emancipated by the President's proclamation. To their honor be it said they were not guilty of outrages on their recent masters. They made efficient soldiers; more than 50,000 during 1863 enlisted in the Union armies, and about 100,000 the following year.

Quite a number of minor expeditions were made during the siege of these two important places; the first of these

23.

July 4.

July

9.

CHAP.

LXII.

1863.

was marked by boldness and success. Colonel B. H. Grierson made a cavalry raid from La Grange, Tenn., with 1,700 men, sweeping through the center of Mississippi, Apr. destroying $4,000,000 worth of contraband property, and coming round in safety to Baton Rouge.

17.

The Confederate General John H. Morgan made a raid into Kentucky, and after some successes and repulses crossed the Ohio at Bradensburg into the State of Indiana. The people turned out promptly and met him at every July point, though he had an effective force of 2,800 men. He was chased so hard that near New Lisbon, Ohio, he himself was glad to surrender. Only 500 of his men escaped. The gunboats in the river had prevented his recrossing. He did much damage to the railroads, but so imperfectly that they were soon repaired.

8.

Apr.

A naval expedition under Admiral Dupont was fitted out against the forts in Charleston harbor. Nine iron-clads on a clear, bright morning, when there was just sufficient wind to blow away the smoke of battle, steamed up toward Charleston. Not a gun was fired until they had reached a position on which were trained the guns of Forts Sumter and Moultrie and several other batteries. After a most gallant bombardment the iron-clads were withdrawn, as it was discovered that without a coöperative land force the forts could not be taken. One of the iron-clads was so damaged she was blown up. General Hunter, in command of the department, was succeeded by General Q. A. Gilmore, and Admiral Dalgren superseded Dupont. Gilmore now began regular siege operations; and at length by a continuous bombardment of siege-guns and iron-clads Sumter was crumbled to pieces. Gilmore occupied a point four Aug. miles distant, and from there he threw shells into Charleston itself, which was soon abandoned by most of the inhabitants.

July

6.

24.

An English blockade-runner-the Fingal-came into Savannah in November, 1861, but was unable to return