USA > Illinois > Complete history of the 46th regiment, Illinois volunteer infantry, a full and authentic account of the participation of the regiment in the battles, sieges, skirmishes and expeditions in which it was engaged > Part 22
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Headquarters, 46th Ill. Vol. Infantry. In the Field, June 7th, 1863.
S. P. BOURQUIN, A. A. A. General :
Lieutenant :- In compliance with orders from Division Headquarters, with reference to a capture of a portion of the 46th Illinois Infantry, I have the honor to report that on the afternoon of the 25th of May, the regiment was detailed to relieve the 63rd Illinois Infantry on picket duty. At 4 o'clock p. m., the regiment reported at Brigade Headquarters, but owing to un- avoidable difficulties the regiment was not fully posted until after 7 o'clock p. m. Five companies-a portion of which were captured-were posted by Lieut. Col. John J. Jones, of my regiment, under the guidance of the Major of the 63rd Illinois Infantry, and upon the same ground in the same manner that the 63rd was posted at the time we relieved them, which line extended from and near a cotton gin on the Warrenton road westward to a swamp which we supposed and had been informed was impassable. The other portion of the regiment was posted from the Warrenton road eastward to the picket of the 1st Brigade by myself, but owing to the lateness of the hour when I arrived at the center of our lines, and having implicit confi- dence in the ability and skill of Lieut. Col. Jones and other officers on that portion of the line, I deemed it entirely unnecessary to visit it. The first alarm occurred at about half past nine o'clock p. m. I heard several sharp volleys of musketry. I immediately strengthened the several posts nearest the point of alarm, and proceeded in person to the point from whence the
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alarm came, to discover, if possible, the cause. I had gone but a short distance when I discovered a body of troops moving rapidly along a skirt of timber towards the river, which proved to be Rebel soldiers. Owing to the extended line of pickets, I had only men enough to hold that portion of the line east of the Warrenton road. Unable to hear anything from the pickets on the west side of the road, and fearing some disaster had befallen them, I immediately deployed skirmishers along the Warrenton road, which afforded them a full view of the ground between it and the river bluff, in or- der to guard against a flank movement of the enemy with a view to cut us off and capture us. At the earliest opportunity, I notified the Brigade com- manders, Col. Hall, and Col. McGowan, commanding a brigade in Gen. Mc- Arthur's division, who both rendered me prompt assistance. For more full and complete particulars, I refer you to the reports of officers of my com- mand enclosed herewith.
As to the degree of vigilance exercised by the officers and men of my command, I can only speak of those under my own control, which met with my entire approbation, and from the known character of the officers in charge of the captured portion of the regiment, with possibly one exception, which I have not yet sufficient information to report, I believe the disaster to be more attributable to an injudicious posting of the pickets than to a lack of vigilance. Very respectfully, Your Ob't Sv't,
B. DORNBLASER, Col. Comd'g Reg't.
The remainder of the regiment took a very active part in the siege of Vicksburg, from the 25th of May until its surrender on the 4th of July, doing picket duty both in the front and rear, digging trenches, etc., etc.
VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN.
The difficulties overcome by General Grant and his army to capture Vicksburg were many. He attempted first to get below by means of a canal dug the year before by General Williams. This proved a failure. About seventy miles above Vicksburg and some five miles west of the Mississippi river, lies Lake Providence, which empties itself through a bayou, fillled with snags, into Swan Lake; this, in turn, sends its water southward, through the Tensas river into the last, flowing into the Red River, which effects a junction with the Mississippi below Natchez. A canal five miles long had to be cut, this also had to be abandoned on ac- count of the many difficulties to overcome and on account of the water in the rivers lowering.
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He now made a trial on the east side of the Mississippi about one hundred and fifty miles north from Vicksburg, where a little lake, called Moon Lake, separated from the river only by a thin strip of land. From this lake a narrow stream, called the Yazoo pass, leads into Cold Water river, which flows south into the Tallahatchie, that in turn unites with the Yazoo. The fleet pressed on through the high water of early Spring until they reached the Yazoo. But the Rebels had received information of the expedition and erected, near the 'confluence of the streams, a fort, which commanded the channel and yet was so surrounded by bogs that the land force could not approach it. This also had to be abandoned. Baffled, but not disheartened, Grant now made another attempt to get in the rear of the batteries on Haines' Bluffs. About seven miles above where the Yazoo enters the Mississippi, Steel's Bayou is connected with the latter river. This in turn connects inland north with Black Bayou, Rolling Fork and Sunflower river, which in their course wind entirely around Haines' Bluff. But this route was found to be full of obstacles and was abandoned. The rebels' Sharp Shooters lined the banks of this narrow passage, pre- venting working parties from clearing the way. Before the expedition reached Sunflower river the peril of being caught there in the forest per- manently with his boats was so great that Porter determined to return. This resolution was not taken a moment too soon, for if he had pushed on a few hours longer he would have been hemmed in beyond release. General Grant saw that the last hope of getting in the rear of Vicksburg inland from the north was gone. His next move was to run the rebel batteries, which lined the river for eight miles; he at last took the bold and apparently rash resolution of running them with his gunboats and trans- ports. Preparatory to this the army was marched inland toward New Carthage, below Vicksburg on the west side of the river. In this march General McClernand led the advance with the eleventh corps. The swampy country retarded the march and it was compelled to construct for itself a regular military road. Bridges had to be constructed and cordu- roy causeways made across the Swamps. The Levee had to be carefully guarded lest the enemy cut it and turn the swampy low land into an im- passable sea. The army thus worked its toilsome way, till at last it reached New Carthage, the goal of its labors, but, alas, it was like an in- land sea, for the enemy had succeeded in cutting the levee near it and flooded all the intervening country. Cut off from this front, McClernand resumed his march, striking the river twelve miles further down stream, making the whole distance from Milliken's Bend thirty-five miles. All the supplies and ordnance stores for the campaign on the other side of the river had to be hauled over this miserable road. This being accomplished, the next thing was to get the gunboats and transports past the Vicksburg batteries. The night of April 16th was fixed upon to make the attempt. It
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was decided to try with only three transports, the Silver Wave, Forest Queen and Henry Clay. The plan was for Porter to move down in single file with his eight gunboats and planting them square abreast of the rebel batteries, engage them, while the transports, hugging the western shore in the rear, covered by the smoke and darkness, were, with all steam on, to push swiftly below. A little before midnight the gunboats, one after the other drifted out of the bend in which they lay concealed and showing no light from their chimneys, moved like great shadows down the noiseless current. Nearly an hour passed by and not a sound broke the stillness, when suddenly there came a flash followed by a crash that shook the shores. Lights danced along the heights of Vicksburg. Soon thunder answered thunder and the flash of batteries from land and water sent the gloom till the black midnight seemed turned into an element of fire. Still the transports hoped to escape in the confusion, when suddenly a huge bonfire blazed forth on one of the hills near Vicksburg. The enemy were prepared for just such an attempt as this and had collected a vast amount of combustibles, which, when lighted, would make the bosom of the Miss- issippi in front of the batteries bright as day. The commanders saw that the chances were against them and crowded on all steam. Soon a heavy shot tore through the timbers of the Forest Queen and then another and she drifted unmanageable on the current. A gunboat seeing her distress wheeled and took her in tow and passed down the river, greeted at every turn of its wheels with shots from the batteries. The Henry Clay was struck by a shell, which set her barricade of cotton on fire and she soon flamed back to the beacon light on shore. The crew leaped from the glowing furnace into their boats and took refuge on the western bank. The Silver Wave alone was untouched, bearing seemingly, a charmed life ; glided serenely through the horrible tempest till the batteries were passe 1. The gunboats came safely through, with only one man killed and two wounded. Grant resolved, though but one of the three escaped, to run six more, slowly towing twelve barges. Volunteers were called for to man the boats ; immediately enough stepped forward to man the fleet and it had to be decided by lot who the lucky ones should be. A young soldier having drawn a successful number, was offered one-hundred dollars for a chance, which the spirited boy refused. He lives to tell of his share in the daring feat. With strange good fortune, the whole fleet, with the exception of the Tigress and half the barges, passed in safety.
The Army was now below Vicksburg, with transports to carry it across the river and gunboats to protect it. Here, on the 20th of April, the 13th Army Corps was embarked and moved to the front of Grand Gulf, a fortified place. The gunboats at once engaged the batteries and, for five hours, maintained a fierce fire. General Grant saw, with regret, that the ¡ost could not be reduced from the water side and that from the position of things, no landing could be made nearby to take it from the shore. The
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transports were ordered back to Hard Times, and disembarking his troops,. resumed his march down the river. At night the gunboats again engaged. the batteries and under cover of the fire the transports ran past them, . suffering little damage. Grant's march through the forest had been unseen : by the enemy and the next day the army was ferried across the river tc. the eastern shore. The work he had assigned himself had only just begun .- He landed at Bruinsburg and immediately pushed forward McClernand's corps to Port Gibson. Here a sharp contest with the enemy resulting in the capture of three cannons; the three divisions of Hovey, Carr and Smith on the right, while Osterhouse advanced against the left. The latter was hard pressed by the enemy, but was reinforced by Logan's division. He ordered a charge and led in person ; fell in such a fury on the Rebel line, that it was shattered into fragments and fell back in disorder. Three can- nons were captured in this brilliant charge. The three divisions on the flank steadily forced the enemy back all day toward Port Gibson, until darkness closed the conflict. The loss to the Union army was some eight hundred and fifty, while we took a thousand prisoners and five cannons. In the morning it was found that the enemy had retreated across Bayou Pierre. McPherson crossed his division on a floating bridge. Grant was now in the rear of Grand Gulf and, hearing of its evacuation, established it as a base of supplies for his Army from Bruinsburg. Sherman, with the 15th Corps, made a feint on Haines' Bluff, in order to keep the enemy from sending troops to Grand Gulf. Sherman, having accomplished his object, reembarked his corps and pressed on after Grant from Milliken's Bend.
To wait till the enemy, by various railroads, could concentrate an im- mense force against him, would render his defeat almost certain; to ad- vance, without a base of supplies fully established, was equally hazardous. With characteristic boldness, he decided to push forward, relying on the country for forage and supplies. His blows fell rapidly and terribly, as he advanced and, with the daring of a Napoleon, he determined to enact again that great chieftain's Italian campaign. Delay was defeat-a single severe repulse and the campaign would be ended. McPherson struck off to the Northeast, while Sherman, who had arrived, and McClernand kept along the Black river, the three corps in supporting distance of each other. Grant all the while made demonstrations as if about to cross the Black river and move directly to the rear of Vicksburg. which so confused Pem- berton that he dared not march out to join the forces at Jackson.
With the whole army in motion, Grant pushed his way with vigor and great earnestness ; his Generals all in trained discipline to co-operate with their leader. On the 13th of May, the rain fell in torrents and continued till noon the next day, rendering the roads muddy and slippery. After two successful battles, swept on and closely invested Vicksburg, the strongly fortified city in the rear, May 19; received their supplies from the base or the Yazoo, established by Porter. After a brief rest, Grant began the siege
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of Vicksburg. Sherman had taken possession of the Walnut Hills, near Chickasaw Bayou, cutting off a Confederate force at Haines' Bluff, while McClernand advanced to the left and took position on Mount Albans, so as to cover the roads leading out of the city. Porter, with his fleet of gun- boats, was lying in the Mississippi above Vicksburg and was preparing the way for a successful siege, which Grant begun with Sherman on the right, McPherson in the center and McClernand on the left. Grant was holding a line about 20 miles in extent from the Yazoo to the Mississippi at Warrenton.
He prepared to storm the batteries on the day after the arrival of the troops. It was begun by Sherman's Corps in the afternoon of May 19th, Blair's division taking the lead. After a severe struggle, the Union forces were repulsed. On the 22nd of May, Porter assisted in another attack. All night of the 21st and 22nd, Porter kept six mortars playing upon the city and works and sent three gunboats to shell the batteries. It was a fearful night for Vicksburg. At 10 A. M., on the 22nd, Grant's whole line moved to the attack. Blair's division led the van, and very soon there was a general battle. At two different points the right was repulsed. Finally McClernand, on the left, sent word that he held two captured forts. Then another charge was made by Sherman's troops, but without success. The center, under McPherson, met with no better success, and with heavy losses McClernand could not hold all that he had won. The loss to Grant's army was about 3000 men.
After this the general siege was commenced. The beleaguered garrison had only about 15,000 effective men, out of a 30,000 within the lines, and ration only for a month. Reenforcement had arrived, swelling the Union army to nearly 70,000. Porter kept up a continuous bombardment for forty days, during which time he fired 7000 mortar shells, and the gunboats 4500 shells. Grant drew his lines closer and closer ; he kept up a bombardment day and night. The inhabitants had dug caves in the clay hills on which the city stands. In these the families lived day and night, and in these children were born. Famine attacked the inhabitants and mule meat made a savory mess. As June wore on, Grant pressed the siege with vigor. Johnston tried to help Pemberton, but could not.
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Grant proceeded to mine under the Rebel works to blow them up. On June 25th, a mine under Fort Hill was exploded with terrible effect, mak- ing a great breach, at which a fierce struggle took place. Other mines were ready to be fired and Pemberton lost hope. For forty-five days he had been engaged in a brave struggle and saw nothing but submission in the end. On the morning of July 3rd, he raised a white flag; that after- noon Grant and Pemberton met under an oak near the center on the east and arranged terms of surrender, and at 10 A. M., July 4, 1863, the Con- federates began to march out of the lines as prisoners of war. At the same time there was a great victory at Gettysburg, and July 4, 1863, was the
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turning point in the civil war. In the battles from Port Gibson, Grant's loss was 9853, of whom 1223 were killed. In these engagements he had made 37,000 prisoners and the Confederates had besides lost 10,000 killed and wounded. Two days before the surrender a Vicksburg paper, printed on wall paper, ridiculed a reported assurance of Grant, that he should dine in the city on July 4, saying Ulysses must first get into the city before he dined in it. The same paper eulogized the luxury of mule meat and íricas- seed kitten.
The 4th of July will be kept in sacred remembrance by all who took part in the famous siege of Vicksburg.
On the afternoon of July 4th, orders were received to keep our men in camp and prepare for a march. Next morning the Division left camp and proceeded to Clear Creek, twelve miles east of Vicksburg on the Vicksburg and Jackson railroad. The day was extremely warm and the roads very dusty. July 6th, marched through Edward's Station to near Bolton's Station, twenty miles. We marched part of the night until a rainstorm made the roads impassable, which with the extreme darkness, rendered further progress out of the question. The only shelter we had from the driving storm was a rail fence, which afforded both warmth and shelter. July 7th, marched three miles and encamped until dusk, then resumed our march in the rear of the corps train until twelve o'clock and bivouacked un- til morning. July 8th, marched to Clinton, and on the 9th the brigade was detailed to guard the train to Jackson, Miss. Marched six miles and parked the train on Dickson's plantation, where we remained in charge of the train until the afternoon of the 12th, when we were ordered to proceed to Jackson and report for orders to Gen. A. P. Hovey, Gen. Lauman having been relieved of the command of the 4th Division after making his dis- astrous charge upon the enemy's works.
The 46th Illinois Infantry was posted on the extreme right of the line, near Pearl river, south of Jackson. Earth works were thrown up in front of the regiment and a battery placed in position to command both front and flank. Our 4th Division was temporarily assigned to the 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, commanded by Gen. A. P. Hovey. The siege was actively carried on from the 12th to the 16th of July, when the enemy evacuated the place. The regiment did its full share of the work.
COL. HALL'S REPORT OF THE SECOND BRIGADE.
Headquarters 4th Brigade 12th Division. Jackson, Miss., July, 1863.
Captain Philips :
A. A. Gen'l., 12th Division, 13th Army Corps.
Captains -- I have the honor to report to you the part taken by my com- mand, consisting of the 14th, 15th, 46th and 76th Illinois Infantry, Co.
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"K," 2nd Illinois Artillery, and 4th Ohio Battery, before the fortified city of Jackson.
Late on the p. m. of the 12th instant, whilst encamped at Dickson's plan- tation five miles west of Jackson, I received orders from Major General E. O. C. Ord, commanding 13th Army Corps, directing me to report to Brig. Gen. A. P. Hovey, commanding 12th Division 13th Army Corps, for orders, which orders I obeyed as speedily as possible, arriving at Gen. Hovey's Headquarters at nine o'clock p. in. At 4 o'clock a. n., I put the column in motion and took a position on a ridge on the east side of the New Orleans and Jackson railroad, which position we immediately proceeded to entrench and put in the best possible state of defense.
On the morning of the 15th. I was ordered by Gen. Hovey to send scouts from my right east to Pearl river, which duty was performed by 2nd Leut. Reed and six men from company "I," 15th Illinois Infantry, in a very able and satisfactory manner, finding the enemy in force on the east side, with one company on the west side as pickets. After making known to Gen. Hovey the disposition of the enemy's force, I was ordered to take the 15th, 46th and 76th Illinois Infantry and make a rapid move on the enemy at the river .. The move was made with great rapidity, but not sufficiently so as to overtake the enemy. We reached the river just in time to see the last of their pickets pass out of sight on the opposite bank. On the morning of the 16th it became apparent to some of the officers of my command that the enemy was evacuating Jackson, which fact I at once communicated to Gen. Hovey, it being the first intimation he had of it.
The spirit manifested by both officers and men during the short siege was highly commendable, obeying with alacrity every order, and executing the work assigned them with zeal and enthusiasm. To Col. B. Dorn- blaser and Capt. R. P. McKnight, A. A. G. of this Brigade, I am particu- larly indebted for valuable information obtained by reconnoitering the ene- my's works.
Respectfully your Obedient Servant, CYRUS HALL. Colonel Commanding Brigade.
On the night of the 16th of July, the rebels evacuated the town and retreated rapidly toward Meridian, leaving us to take quiet possession on the 17th. After pursuing the enemy and destroying the railroad and other public property in and about Jackson, the troops commenced their return march on the 21st, via Raymond and Big Black Bridge to Vicksburg, where we arrived at one P. M. on the 23rd, having marched over fifty miles in two days and a half. through terrible heat and dust.
The division was again detached from the 12th Division, and placed in command of Brig. Gen. M. M. Crocker, and soon after transferred to the
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17th Army Corps by General Orders No. 214, Department Headquarters. August 11th, 1863, embarked on Steamer "Rocket," and left on the morn- ing on the 12th for Natchez, Miss., where we arrived the next morning. The regiment at once disembarked and went into camp one and a -half miles from the city, northeast, where it remained doing camp and garrison duty until September 1st, when it started out with the division on an expe- dition into' Louisiana. The followng is a report of the same:
REPORT OF EXPEDITION INTO LOUISIANA.
Headquarters 46th Ill. Inft'y Vols. Natchez, Miss., Sept. 8th, 1863.
Captain R. P. McKnight,
A. A. Gen'1. 2nd Brig. 4th Div. 17th Army Corps.
Captain :- 1 have the honor to report that the regiment left this camp at 12 M. September 1st, and marched with the Brigade, in the place assign- ed it by your order, to the Mississippi river at Natchez. Crossed over in transports and encamped for the night at Vidalia, La. Early on the 2nd it took up its line of march at the Head of the Brigade, and marched six- teen miles to the west side of Cross Bayou, going into camp at sundown. On the 3rd, marched to Trinity on the Washita river twelve miles, ar- riving there a little past noon. By your order the 46th and 76th Illinois Infantry, both under my command, were left at this place to guard the trains and feity, whilst the balance of the force proceeded to Harrison- burg, La. Upon your return on the 5th, the regiment was ordered to escort a part of the artillery and brigade train to Cross Bayou, ferry the same across and select the camp for the night for the brigade; all of which was safely accomplished by eight o'clock P. M.
On the 6th the regiment marched with the brigade to Vidalia, crossed the river and arrived in this camp at five o'clock P. M. The march was made without loss or incident worthy of special note. The officers and men of my command acquitted themselves as good soldiers throughout.
I am, Captain, very Respectfully,
B. DORNBLASER. Col. Commanding Regiment.
The regiment immediately resuined its usual routine of camp and picket duty, interspersed with prize inspections and drills, together with occa- sional reviews by our commanding General and distinguished military visitors, which made our stay at the beautiful city of Natchez both pleasant and profitable.
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Oa the 10th of November the regiment embarked for Vicksburg, where we arrived on the evening of the 11th; disembarked and bivouacked on the levee for the night and the next day located our camp near the Vicks- burg cemetery. We had to occupy old camps, covered with all kinds of faith and rubbish, and only sufficiently large to accommodate a half a regi- ment comfortably. However, our stay in this camp, fortunately was not of long duration.
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