History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 54

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 54

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Now hear a portion of General Halleck's dis- patch, dated at Washington, December 7th, to which the above dispatch of Grant is an answer: "GENERAL GRANT :- The capture of Grenada may change our plans in regard to Vicksburg."

Yes, the whole affair of the capture of Vicks- burg had been planned and arranged between these two Generals, who determined that a citi- zen General should have nothing to do with it if possible, but they did not disdain to seize upon the ideas and plans of another and appropriate them to their own use, with a view of claiming all the honors and all the rewards.

We have still another link of evidence, in the instructions given Sherman by General Grant, and dated also at Oxford, Mississippi, December 8, 1862:

"GENERAL :- You will proceed with as little delay as possible to Memphis, Tennessee. On your arrival, you will assume command of all the troops there. As soon as possible, move with them down the river to the vicinity of Vicksburg, and, with the co-operation of the gunboat fleet, under Flag Officer Porter, proceed to the reduction of that place, in such a manner as circumstances and your own judgment may dictate," etc.

The above authentic documents prove clearly, that long before the 16th of December, namely,

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

on the 7th and 8th, the plan of attack upon Vicksburg had been matured between Generals Halleck and Grant, and the instructions for car- rying it out issued to General Sherman by Gen- eral Grant.

On the 4th of January, 1863, General Mc- Clernand, having verified the condition of the army, assumed the command of it.

The original plan of General Grant having entirely failed in the execution, and his instruc- tions not providing for any contingencies, the question arose, what was to be done with the army composing the Mississippi river expedi- tion? General McClernand, in a letter to Gen- eral Grant, proposed the following programme for the rednetion of Vicksburg:

"Make Memphis the base of operations, put the railroad from Memphis to Grenada in run- ning order, push forward the columns to the latter place, and to Jackson, marching upon the rear of Vicksburg, while the forces here and those below Port Hudson co-operate by such demonstrations as may be found practicable."

But General Grant, being hundreds of miles to the northward, and his communications with the Mississippi river being interrupted by gue- rillas, was not expected to be able to respond to these propositions for several weeks. Hence, General McClernand was left to act according to his own judgment, and he decided not to lie idle at Milliken's Bend, waiting orders, but to improve the moral condition of his army, and stimulate its martial spirit, by striking a decis- ive blow at the enemy near the mouth of the Arkansas river, who were endangering our line of communication between Memphis and Vicks- burg.

This movement, as well as the battle of Ar- kansas Post, which resulted from it, are minutely and eloquently described in the official report of General McClernand. Want of space prevents ns from giving anything more than a mere syn- opsis.

General McClernand and his army safely ar- rived at the month of White river on the 8th of January, 1863. Ascending the Arkansas river, and landing at Notuh's farm, on the left bank, on the 9th, the work of disembarking was busily continued till noon of the next day.

In the meantime, General McClernand, accom- panied by Lieutenant-Colonel Schwartz, of his staff, had reconnoitered the river road and a portion of the levee, within a mile and a half of Fort Hindman (better known as Arkansas Post). There they discovered that the enemy was aban- doning a line of rifle pits about half a mile above

the levee, under stress of the fire of one of our gunboats. Passing a cold night without fires or tents, in a position near enough to attack the fort, our chilled but faithful men were greeted by a bright and genial sunshine on the morning of the 11th.

By ten and a half o'clock a. m., the two corps were ready to commence the attack. General Steele's division formed the extreme right of the line of battle, reaching near the bayon. General Stuart and General A. J. Smith's divisions were formed on its left. One brigade of General Os- terhaus's division formed the extreme left of the line, resting upon the river, in full view of the fort. Another brigade of the same division was held in reserve, while the remaining brigade was disposed on the opposite side of the river.

On the previous day General McClernand had requested Rear Admiral Porter, commanding the Mississippi squadron, to advance the gun- boats and open fire on the enemy's works, for the purpose of diverting his attention, while the land forces should gain the positions assigned to them. Promptly complying, the Admiral advanced his boats and opened a terrible can- nonade upon the fort, which continued an hour and more, and until after nightfall of the 10th. The different batteries of artillery were judici- ously arranged in suitable positions, and the cavalry were disposed in the rear, with orders to force all stragglers to return to their ranks. Such was the disposition of the forces of Gen- eral McClernand on the eve of the battle of Arkansas Post. On the other hand, the posi- tion of the enemy, naturally strong, was one of his own choosing.

Post Arkansas, a small village, the county seat of Arkansas county, is situated on elevated ground, above the reach of floods, and defining for some miles the left bank of the river. It was settled by the French in 1685, is fifty miles above the mouth of the river, one hundred and seventeen below Little Rock, and is surrounded by a fruitful country, abounding in cattle, corn and cotton.

Fort Hindman, a square, full bastioned fort, was erected within the village, upon the banks of the river, at the head of a bend resembling a horseshoe. The exterior sides of the fort, be- tween the salient angles, were cach three hun- dred feet in length, the face of the bastion two feet seven inches of an exterior side, and the perpendicular one-eighth. The parapet was eighteen feet wide on top, the ditch twenty feet wide on the ground level and eight feet deep, with a slope of four feet base.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

A "banquette " for infantry was constructed around the interior slope of the parapet; also three platforms for artillery in each bastion and one in the curtain facing north. On the south- ern face of the northeastern bastion was a case- mate containing a nine-inch columbiad. A simi- lar casemate containing an eight-inch colum- biad was constructed on the curtain facing the river, and another nine-inch columbiad was mounted on the salient angle of the southeast bastion, on a "centre pivot" barbette carriage. All these guns command the river below the fort.

Besides these there were four three-inch Par- rott guns, and four six-pounder iron smooth-bore guns, mounted on field carriages on the plat- forms in the fort, which also contained a well- stored magazine, several frame buildings and a well.

General McClernand, having completed his arrangements, notified the Admiral to open fire on the fort, and that he (McClernand) would advance to the attack of the enemy's ranks.

At 1 o'clock p. m. accordingly, the gunboats opened fire, immediately followed by the fire of artillery along the right wing of the land forces, and soon after by the fire of artillery along the left wing. By 1:30 o'clock p. m. Morrey and Thayer's brigades and the two Smiths' brigades, of Sherman's corps, had gained position in a belt of woods, extending quite to the enemy's rifle pits. Checked here for a time by a severe fire of musketry from the enemy's works, they boldly resumed and continued the advance, sup- ported by a reserve brigade, until they had ap- proached within short musket range of the ene- my's lines.

The artillery kept up a brisk fire on the fort for some time. Webster's twenty-pound Par- rott guns on the river bank completely en- tilated the two faces of the northeastern bastion, some of their shots penetrated the embrasures of the casemates, and with others from the gun- boats contributing to silence the gun inside of it, also the lighter guns in the northern curtain and the gun en barbette in the southeastern bas- tion, which appeared to be above the elevation of the gunboats' fire.

About 3:30 o'clock p. m., when the enemy's guns were silenced by the continued fire of the artillery and the gunboats, General McClernand ordered an assault, which after a severe but in- effectual struggle of the enemy, terminated in a formal surrender of the post, its armament, gar- rison and all its stores.

Thus, at 4:30 o'clock p. m., after three hours and a half of hard fighting, the Union forces en- tered and took possession of all the enemy's de- fences.

Seven stands of colors were captured, includ. ing the garrison flag. Besides, we captured five thousand prisoners, seventeen pieces of cannon, large and small, ten gun carriages and eleven limbers, three thousand stand of small arms, ex- elusive of many lost or destroyed, one hundred and thirty swords, fifty Colts' pistols, forty cans of powder, sixteen hundred and fifty rounds of shot, shell and canister for ten and twenty-pound- er Parrott guns, three hundred and seventy-tive shells, grape stands and canister, forty-six thou- sand rounds of ammunition for small arms, five hundred and sixty-three animals, together with a considerable quantity of quartermaster's and commissary stores fell into our hands. One hundred and seventy wagons and a large por- tion of the stores were destroyed for want of means to bring them away.

Our loss in killed, wounded and missing, was nine hundred and seventy-seven, while that of the enemy was much larger.

Although this victory of Arkansas Post was a most brilliant and decisive one, and second only to that of Fort Donelson, it was by no means approved of by General Grant, the com- mander of the department, who could not (or would not,) see the benefits derived theretrom. He peremptorily ordered General McClernand, who had intended to attack Little Rock next, to return with his army to Young's Point to dig canals. Thus this fine army, which by its brilliant success at Post Arkansas, been partially recov- ered from the consequences of its disastrous de- feat under General Sherman, at Vicksburg, was again forced to forego all hope of actual service for the present.

Under these depressing circumstances, how- ever, it was some consolation to General Mc- Clernand and his noble army, to know that their success were acknowledged and appreciated by the President, by the Governor of Illinois, and by the loyal masses over the whole Union, and this reflection caused them to be of good cheer. Mr. Lincoln had expressed his thanks to General McClernand and his brave troops "for this great victory gained at a time when disaster after dis- aster was befalling our armies," closing his let- ter of gratitude with these remarkable words: "Your success on the Arkansas was both bril- liant and valuable, and is fully appreciated by the country and the Government."

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

How consolating also was the kind and en- couraging letter of Governor Yates, of Illinois, to our brave soldiers and their beloved General. He says:

"I regard the victory of Arkansas Post, gained under the energetic generalship of a dis- tinguished officer and citizen of Illinois, as sec- ond in importance and consequences to that of Fort Donelson, in which that officer also promi- nently participated. Fort Donelson and Arkan- sas Post, my dear General, I regard as the two great positive victories of the war in the West."

General McClernand and his troops were now employed, neither gloriously nor even usefully in digging a canal which, after all the labor ex- pended ou it, turned out to be totally insufficient for the purpose intended. In this fruitless labor they spent their precious time up to the 29th of March, 1863.

After many fruitless attempts to penetrate the State of Mississippi above Vicksburg, and to turn the rear of that city, it became a question of the highest importance, whether a point be- low, on the Mississippi river, might not be reached, and a way thus opened to the attain- ment of the same end.

General MeClernand's corps was fortunately in a favorable condition to test the question, and only await an opportunity to do so. The General himself, sharing in the feeling of his troops, was rejoiced when he obtained permis- sion to cross the peninsular from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage.

Accordingly, on the 29th of March 1863, a de- tachment of infantry, artillery and cavalry was ordered to march on to Richmond, Louisiana. These soon dislodged the garrison and occupied the place, capturing a few of the enemy in their retreat. This victory cut off all supplies to Vicksburg from that fertile region of country traversed by the Texas river, and the Bayou Macon.

On the night of the 3d of April, a bridge two hundred feet in length, was thrown across Roundaway bayou, at Richmond, and a way opened by which the troops were rapidly moved forward and so disposed, as to hold the only practicable land route between Milliken's Bend and Smith's Plantation, two miles north of New Carthage. Meantime, old roads were repaired, new ones constructed, boats were built for the transportation of men and supplies, twenty miles of levee sleeplessly guarded day and night, and every precaution taken to prevent the rising flood from breaking through the lines and en- gulfing the whole army.

Having taken possession of New Carthage, and driven the enemy in several skirmishes from positions which they had occupied to oppose the . advance of our troops, on the 29th of April, General McClernand embarked the greater por- tion of his forces in steamers and barges, for Grand Gulf, which place he had previously reconnoitered, and found it to be a place of great strength. The gunboats were steamed toward the Gulf, and closely approaching the enemy's batteries opened fire upon them, while our troops held themselves in readiness in the transports to push forward and disembark, the moment the enemy's water batteries should be silenced. But the gunboats had to be with- drawn after a bombardment of five hours and a half, the principal batteries not having been silenced, and several of the gunboats being badly crippled.

But though foiled here, a footing must be gained' at some other point, and Bruinsburg was decided upon. Hence General McClernand embarking his corps once more on the 30th, proceeded to that place and disembarked before noon. He then pushed on by a forced march as far as possible, in order to surprise the enemy next day in his position near Port Gibson, to prevent him destroying the bridge over Bayou Pierce, on the roads leading to Grand Gulf and to Jackson.

BATTLE OF PORT GIBSON.

About one o'clock, on the morning of the Ist of May, 1863, the advance of General McCler- nand's column was attacked near Magnolia Church, thirteen miles beyond Bruinsburg, and four from Port Gibson, by a light fire of the enemy's infantry and soon after by his artillery.

This attack was repulsed, and the General, coming up about dawn, learned of a negro that the enemy was in force in his front and intended to accept battle. By personal observation this was found to be correct, so preparations were made accordingly.

It would be impossible in our brief space to give a detailed account of this great battle and brilliant victory of our armies; suffice it to say that after many hours of hard and obstinate fighting on both sides, the enemy was finally driven from his first position with the loss of four hundred prisoners, two stand of colors, two twelve pound howitzers, three caissons and a considerable quantity of ammunition. About this time Major General Grant arrived on the field of action, from Bruinsburg.

The second position taken by the enemy was stronger than the first. It was a creek bottom

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covered with trees and underbrush, the approach to which was through open fields and rugged and exposed hill slopes. Here General Hovey and Carr's divisions again encountered the enemy. A hot engagement ensued, the result of which was to force the enemy back with considerable loss upon his center. Here, with a large con- centration of forces, he renewed the attack, but after an obstinate struggle he was again beaten back upon the high ridge on the opposite side of the bottom and within a mile of Port Gibson.

At dawn on the morning of the 2d, General MeClernand's whole corps triumphantly entered Port Gibson, through which place the enemy had fled the night before, burning the bridge across the Bayou Pierre in his rear.

The battle of Port Gibson was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant achievments of the war, and it was highly important as determining the splended series of successes which followed. It continued twelve hours, and cost us eight hun- dred and three men in killed, wounded and miss- ing.

The loss of the enemy was three stand of colors, six pieces of cannon, three caissons, a quantity of ammunition, a number of small arms, and five hundred and eighty prisoners. Their loss in killed and wounded must have been con- siderable.

One of the immediate results of this battle was the evacuation of Grand Gulf, only seven miles distant from Port Gibson. A naval force took possession of the Gulf without resistance.

BATTLE OF CHAMPION HILL.

On the 3d, General McClernand's corps, in obedience to orders, left Port Gibson and marched on the Raymond road to Willow Springs; on the 6th, to Rocky Springs; on the 8th, to Little Sand, and on the 9th, to Big Sand; on the 11th, it marched to Five-mile Creek, and on the 12th, to Fourteen-mile Creek, subsisting dur- ing the last thirteen days on six day's rations and what seanty supply the country afforded; was wholly without tents and almost without cooking utensils; yet was cheerful and prompt in the discharge of every duty.

Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, had been the objective point, but hearing that the enemy were advancing from Vicksburg and had crossed the Big Black, General Grant had changed the objective point to Edwards Station, a point on the Vicksburg & Jackson Railroad, nearly mid- way between these two places, and towards this point accordingly the several divisions were or- dered to march.

In executing that order the enemy's pickets were encountered on the fifteenth, about four miles from Edward's station, at a place named Midway, or Champion Hill, from the fact of its being half way between Jackson and Vicksburg, and the reputed property of a citizen named Champion.

Here the two hostile armies encountered each other, and at 11 o'clock, a. m., the engagement became general all along the lines, and contin- ned to rage with increasing fury, till noon, when the enemy were driven back with great slaughter, leaving in our hands about three hundred pris- oners and eleven pieces of cannon. But, being reinforced, and rallying, he renewed the conflict with great fury and bore heavily on our men in turn, particularily on General Hovey's division of McClernand's corps. That officer being hard pressed, called for the support of a division of MePherson's corps, which, however, was too long delayed. When it finally came it also was borne back slowly, however, and disputing every inch of ground, till our men reached the brow of the hill.

Here they rallied and checked the advance of the enemy, and a heavy blow was struck by General Hovey, which seemed to retrieve the fortunes of the day on this part of the field.

By similar exertions in other parts of the field, the enemy was at length beaten at all points, and fled in confusion, the main body along the road to Vicksburg, a fragment to the left of this road, the former hotly pursued by General Carr's division, the latter by Lindsay's and Burbridge's brigades, until night closed in; each taking many prisoners.

The loss sustained by General McClernand's corps in this memorable battle was one thon- sand three hundred and thirty-three in the aggregate, exclusive of General Blair's loss, of which no report had been received.

The loss of the enemy must have been very great in killed and wounded. A large number of small arms were also taken, in addition to the captures already mentioned.

BATTLE OF BIG BLACK.

At 3:30 o'clock, on the morning of the 17th of May, 1863, General MeClernand's corps again resumed the advance on the road to Black river bridge, six miles distant.

On the way, General Carr's division leading, captured a number of prisoners, and upon near- ing a spot of wood marking the enemy's posi- tion, encountered and drove back his pickets.

Passing to the further end of the wood, the enemy was discovered in force, strongly en-

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trenched, General Carr's division having entered the wood, was immediately formed in obedience to General McClernand's order, General Law- ler's brigade on the right, resting its flank near Big Black, and General Benton's brigade on the left, and the right of the railroad. The differ- ent batteries of artillery were placed in com- manding positions, and the action soon became general.

After some further arrangements had been made, the right, center and left of General Mc- Clernand's corps engaged the enemy with in- creased effect. General Lawlor, aided by another division, dashed forward, under a heavy fire, across a ravine and narrow field, and with fixed bayonets, carried the enemy's works, routing them and capturing many prisoners. This bril- liant achievement determined the success of the day. Fleeing towards a steamer which formed a bridge across Big Black, most of the enemy escaped to the commanding bluff on the other side, while others, hotly pursued by Benton's brigade, and the right of Lindsay's, were cut off from that escape, and were made prisoners.

No victory could have been more complete. The enemy burnt the bridge on which he had passed, also two other steamers, and the railroad bridge. About one thousand, five hundred pris- oners, with their arms, fell into our hands, eighteen pieces of cannon, and a considerable quantity of ammunition and cotton. A number of the enemy were found dead upon the field, but his loss in killed and wounded could not be ascertained.

The loss on the part of the Union army was limited to General McClernand's corps, which alone were engaged in this battle. The loss was in all, three hundred and seventy-three killed, wounded, and missing.

A bridge having been hastily thrown across the Big Black on the night of the 17th, General McClernand crossed next day, and took up his line of march for Vicksburg, only twelve miles distant.

Early on the morning of the 19th, General McClernand, accompanied by his staff, made a personal reconnoisance of the approaches to Vicksburg.

The enemy's defenses consisted of an ex- tended line of rifle-pits, occupied by infantry, and covered with a number of strong eartlı- works, occupied by artillery so arranged as to command, not only the approaches by the ravines and ridges in front, but also each other.

THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.

In obedience to orders, General McClernand's corps moved forward, and in conjunction with the other corps of the army, commenced the siege of Vicksburg, about 6:30 o'clock a. m. Skirmishers were thrown forward, who engaged the enemy's skirmishers, and artillery was opened from the most commanding positions upon the enemy's works, and a body of infantry observed between them and Burbridge's brigade, on the right.

About 10:30 o'clock an order came from Major General Grant to all the corps command- ers to gain as close a position as possible to the enemy's works, until 2 o'clock p. m., and at that hour to fire three volleys from all their pieces in position, when a general charge of all the corps along the whole line should be made. Another advance was accordingly made by all the corps, and the ground gained was firmly held, but the enemy's works were not carried. A number of brave officers and men fell in this advance.

Lively skirmishing continued during the two following days (20th and 21st), and a nearer ap- proach to the enemy's works was made. On the evening of the 21st, General McClernand re- ceived an order from Major General Grant, to the following effect:

" A simultaneous attack will be made to-mor- row, at 10 o'clock a. m., by all the army corps of this army. During the day, army corps com- manders will have examined all practical routes over which troops can possibly pass. They will get in position all the artillery possible, and gain all the ground they can with the infantry and skirmishers. At an early hour in the morn- ing a vigorous attack will be commenced by ar- tillery and skirmishers. The infantry, with the exception of reserves and skirmishers, will be placed in columns of platoons, or by a flank if the ground will not admit of a greater front, ready to move forward at the hour designated, when all will start at quick time, with bayonets fixed, and march upon the enemy without firing a gun, until the outer works are carried. Skir- misbers will advance as soon as possible after the heads of columns pass them, and scale the walls of such works as may confront them."

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History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 54

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084