CHAPTER XXI.
Return to the regiment—The Henry rifle—The march from Milliken's Bend—The tug of war—The army crosses the Mississippi—Capture of Port Gibson—Battle of Raymond—Amusing Capture—The charge on Jackson—Battle of Champion Hills—The rebel courier—Sharp-shooting—The gallant charge—The march to Vicksburg—The place besieged.
It was about the middle of the month of April that I returned to my regiment, which I found encamped at Berry's Landing, five miles above Lake Providence, La. It was while there that I had an opportunity of examining one of Henry's volcanic or repeating rifles, which are capable of discharging seventeen shots without reloading. The one that I saw was in the possession of the Captain of the steamboat Superior.
From my first enlistment I had possessed a strong desire to have a first-class rifle of the most modern improvement. The promise of such a gun was the principal condition on which I enlisted. It was several months after I enlisted before I received in exchange for my "handspike" (musket) the Enfield that was promised to me. My company officers, however, did all they could to furnish me with the promised gun. My long experience as a bear-hunter in the Western wilderness had made me expert with the rifle, and my desire to have a piece with which I could excel at sharp-shooting, if ever an opportunity offered, had become intense, and the organizing campaign against Vicksburg seemed to promise the desired opportunity.
I went to General Grant and told him about the gun, and that I wished to purchase it and carry it. He asked me if I thought I could carry so valuable a piece without losing it. "I think I can," was my reply.
"You lose mules, don't you?"
"Yes, but I capture mules. I am several mules ahead of what the Government has furnished me now; but I can't capture Henry rifles."
"Very well; tell General McPherson to get you the rifle."
I saw General McPherson about it, and he gave me permission to purchase and carry it.
It was a most beautiful piece, with steel barrel and chamber. The Captain who owned it was so much attached to it that he hated to part with it, but at last he yielded to my importunities, and sold me the rifle for sixty-five dollars, including what cartridges he had.
My release from duty afforded me a splendid opportunity of practicing with it. I was perfectly delighted with its execution. Its accuracy and long range was a marvel compared with the best feats of marksmanship that I had seen among experienced hunters.
A few days after I purchased the rifle, the grand move of the army against Vicksburg commenced. Several gun-boats and transports had already run the blockade of the formidable batteries that commanded the river. It was on the 25th day of April, 1863, at 6 o'clock, A. M., that the 2d Brigade of General Logan's Division, to which I belonged, moved from Milliken's Bend. That night the division bivouacked at Richmond, and the following night at Smith's plantation.
A heavy rain set in at the commencement of the march, which filled the ground and water-courses full of water, which made the roads across those rich alluvial bottoms extremely soft, and easily cut up by the artillery and supply wagons. From Smith's plantation to Perkins' plantation, eight miles below New Carthage, was only fifteen miles, but it took us two days to make the march. That march was really a "tug of war." The horses and mules floundered in the mud. At times, it was with the greatest difficulty, after doubling the teams, that the artillery and wagons were extricated from those miry depths. The men, however, kept up an indomitable good-will and courage, which carried us through. It was 9 o'clock, P. M., when we halted for the night, and at 12 o'clock, the same night, we started for Hard-Times Landing, situated a short distance above Grand Gulf, on the opposite side of the river. The march was made by way of Lake St. Joseph, and it was 4 o'clock, P. M., of the 29th, when we reached Hard-Times Landing.
On the 1st of May we crossed the river to Bruinsburg. It was on that day that General Osterhaus' division and two brigades of General Logan's division captured Port Gibson. From that time until the 12th of May, the troops were engaged in following up the enemy and harassing him. Our general course of march was to the north-east, toward Jackson.
On the 12th, General Logan's division being in the advance, when within ten miles of Raymond, the enemy, about 5,000 strong, including two batteries of artillery, under command of General Gregg, was found advantageously posted, with the artillery so arranged as to sweep the road and a bridge that it was necessary to pass.
The division was formed in line preparatory to an attack, with the 2d Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General Dennis, on the left, occupying both sides of the road; the 1st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General John E. Smith, in the center, on the right of the 2d Brigade; and the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General J. D. Stephenson, on the right, and the 8th Michigan Battery, commanded by Captain De Golyer, in the road near the bridge.
As soon as the troops were in position, an advance was commenced, and the battle opened with great energy. The roar of musketry was tremendous. On the left of the 1st Brigade and the right of the 2d Brigade the contest was dreadful. The line had advanced to the ditch in which ran the little stream crossed by the bridge. On the side of the ditch next to the enemy was a dense growth of underbrush; behind that brush, not fifty yards distant, were the enemy. So heavily did the enemy press the left of the 1st Brigade, composed of the 23d Indiana and the 20th Illinois, that they were compelled to give back, but immediately rallied, supported by the 81st Illinois. The giving back of the left of the 1st Brigade enabled the enemy to occupy a portion of the ditch, and exposed the 20th Ohio, occupying the right of the 2d Brigade, to a most galling fire in its flank. At one time the regiment was nearly surrounded, but it gallantly held its ground, in spite of the terrible fire to which it was exposed, and not a man of the regiment fell back.
The 23d Indiana and 20th Illinois now made a dashing charge, and drove the enemy from the ground that they had lost. It was while gallantly leading his men on to victory that the brave Lieutenant-Colonel Richards, of the 20th Illinois, was killed. An attempt was made by the enemy to charge and capture the battery, but they were met by such a terrible fire of grape and canister, that they broke and fled from the field. Our troops immediately commenced a pursuit, and by 5 o'clock, P. M., were in possession of Raymond.
The determined obstinacy with which the 20th Ohio, under the gallant Colonel Force, held its ground, added much to the brilliancy of the victory. Our loss was 69 killed, 341 wounded, and 30 missing. The enemy's was 103 killed, and 720 wounded and prisoners, 2 cannon disabled, besides the loss of a quantity of small arms.
In the morning of the 12th, after the column had commenced its line of march, General Grant sent me out to the right of the column, to ascertain whether a rebel force was coming up from below to intercept our line of march.
After riding out about three miles, I saw, in the distance, a single horseman approaching. As I neared him, it proved to be a Mississippi planter, well advanced in years, armed with a Mississippi Yager, or rifle.
"Whar be you gwine?" he asked, as we met.
"I'm gwine out to jine our forces and fight the Yankees to-day," I replied.
"So am I. I'm jist gwine to turn up sixteen Yankee moccasins with this yer piece o' mine."
"If I can kill six o' them thar Lincoln hirelings, I'll be satisfied."
"Well, I'm gwine to kill sixteen, now, sure."
"Well, take care that they don't git you. Is any of our forces out on this yer road?"
"No. I've jist come eight miles without seeing any. They left for Raymond last night, an' they ar jist a gwine to kill the whole Lincoln army."
"We had better go this way, then," said I, turning back the way I had come.
"I reckon we had," said the Mississippian.
As we rode along, he kept up his boasting of how many Yanks he was gwine to turn up, little dreaming whom he was addressing. Fortunately for me, the road on which the column was moving passed through a piece of woodland, so as to hide all movements of troops. When we came to it, the rear-guard of the 17th Corps had passed along out of sight, and the advance of the corps next in line of march had not come up. As we turned into the right, where our troops had been passing, I caught sight of two Federal soldiers, sitting by the roadside, who had fallen back from their commands. Dropping a little to the rear, I drew my revolver and motioned to the soldiers to help me. I was a little afraid the old fellow would give me battle as soon as he discovered his mistake, and I wanted to make sure of him. The soldiers comprehended my meaning, and instantly leveled their pieces at him, which, discovering, he halted, and inquired, "Is them thar our forces?"
"Never mind whose forces they are," said I, presenting my revolver; "you go right along."
"I thought it was our forces," said the old man, quite crest-fallen at his discovery.
"Come in there, old fellow! come in!" shouted the two soldiers.
"Ride along, daddy, or those Yanks will bore you in a minute," said I.
He took my advice, and rode up to the soldiers, where I made him turn his horse over to one of them and his rifle to the other, and then marched him on, at a rapid pace, to overtake the command.
We came in sight of our lines just as the first firing commenced in action at Raymond. As the musket reports became frequent, the old man's courage failed him, and he began to quiver and grow pale; and when the action became general, and the messengers of death came thick around us, his limbs could scarce support him, and he exclaimed, "My God! is that a fight? Won't we all be killed? If I can only get out of this yer scrape, I'll go home and behave myself! My God, I will!"
I turned the old man in with the first squad of prisoners that came back to the rear, and then reported to General Grant, who had a hearty laugh over the capture of the old Mississippian. I presume the old man often thinks of his attempt to turn up sixteen Yankee moccasins!
On the 13th we resumed our march for Jackson, by way of Clinton. On the 14th, about five miles from Jackson, the enemy's pickets were encountered, and driven back to within two and a half miles of the city. The enemy was under command of General W. H. T. Walker, and occupied the top of a gradually ascending rise of ground, with a large open space in his front. Many of General Walker's troops were South Carolina and Georgia regiments, and had only arrived there from the east the night before.
Preparations were now made to give the enemy battle. General Sherman's corps had arrived at the same time, on another road, to the right. General Logan's division was placed in reserve. The 7th Division of McPherson's corps, commanded by Brigadier-General Crocker, and part of General Sherman's corps, were formed in close column, by division, to charge upon the enemy. In our having to cross the open field, in full view, the enemy had a decided advantage over us. When every thing was ready, the command was given to charge on a double-quick, and the columns moved forward.
It was a sight that I shall never forget, when those thousands of brave boys, in perfect order, swept across that field! The rustle of garments, and the flapping of scabbards, cartridge-boxes, and canteens, to the tread of double-quick from that large body of soldiers, moving in close column, was like the roar of the tornado when it sweeps across the plain!
Opposed to them was a long line of Rebellion's choicest troops, pouring into them volley after volley of leaden hail. Still, on they went, without a waver! It was a terrible spectacle, and awfully grand! Mingled with the roar of the enemy's musketry was the crash of artillery from both sides.
The charge swept on. Still the enemy held his ground, as if determined to withstand the charge, and a dreadful encounter seemed imminent. A line of fence in front of the enemy was reached, and it vanished like chaff in the wind before those solid columns of Western braves. With the crash of that fence went the enemy's lines, and the pride of South Carolina fled in dismay, followed by the veterans from Georgia, that had been stationed as reserves. Then went up such shouts of victory as only Western lungs can accent. Volley after volley was fired at their retreating ranks, and pursuit kept up until they were driven beyond the city. In five hours from the time the action commenced, the stars and stripes were proudly floating over the capitol of the State of Mississippi.
Our loss was very light compared with that of the enemy—much lighter than it would have been, if the enemy had not overshot us while crossing the open field. For the casualties of the battle, the reader is referred to the official reports of the commanding Generals.
As the troops were going into Jackson, I asked General Grant if I might steal enough to make up for the field-glasses that the South Carolina General had taken from me, when I was there as a spy.
"I can't instruct you to steal," said the General, "but I presume you can find something in Jackson of as much value to you as the field-glasses."
The city had been so completely ransacked by the soldiers before I got in, that I failed to get pay for my glasses.
On the 15th of May we marched west, toward Vicksburg, and on the 16th the enemy was found in large force at Champion Hills, under command of Lieutenant-General Pemberton. He had moved his army out from Vicksburg to attack us. The position selected by the enemy was a strong one, on the summit of an elevation, or ridge of ground, with a line something like a crescent, the right and left of the line further advanced than the center. The face of the hill, in front of the enemy, was an open field, thereby exposing our lines to view as we advanced to the attack. The enemy's lines were in the skirts of a piece of woods that extended to his rear.
Early in the day, the battle commenced, opening on our left, and extending gradually along to our right, until the whole line was engaged, when it raged with intense fury. General Hovey's division, on our left, from the much stronger position occupied by the enemy in its front, suffered terribly; but timely support arrived, and the enemy was driven back. An attempt was then made to crush our center, but made in vain. Support having arrived to the assistance of the center, a dashing charge was made and the enemy routed.
It was a desperate and hard-fought battle, with a heavy loss on both sides, but that of the enemy was much the heaviest. Here, again, I must refer the reader to the official reports for the casualties. It will not be amiss, perhaps, to give the reader some of my personal experience in that battle.
When the action commenced, I was instructed by General Logan to keep to the right of each brigade of his division, as they successively arrived in position and became engaged, and to watch closely for any attempt at flank movement on the part of the enemy. My first position was with the line of skirmishers of the 2d Brigade. About the time our skirmishing commenced, a rebel courier was seen dashing along in a line nearly parallel to the line of skirmishers from the right, and about one hundred yards in advance of the line. When up with and in front of the line, he discovered us and wheeled to the right, and was dashing away at right angles with our line, when six of us brought our pieces to bear on him and fired. He fell from his horse, with one foot fastened in the stirrup. At that instant, the horse gave a leap over a log, and the dangling body struck the log and bounded into the air higher than the horse's back, and then struck the ground with a "thug" sufficient, to all appearances, to have crushed every bone in his body.
A few minutes later, I saw a rebel Major leading his regiment forward to charge upon one of our batteries. When I saw him he was not more than fifty yards distant. In an instant I brought my "repeater" to my face, and while I was looking at the prominent point of his right-cheek bone, a ball took him in the exact spot that I was looking at, and he tumbled from his horse.
I now discovered that, instead of a regiment, a whole brigade was coming, and that our skirmishers had fallen back, and that I was in range between McAlister's Battery and the rebs. I started on a run, and fairly flew as I went; but before I could get out of range, the battery opened on the rebs with double charges of grape and canister, which came howling and tearing the ground all about me. How I escaped instant death is a wonder to me. I succeeded in getting out of the way before another round was fired, quite satisfied with my experience there.
I then moved round much further to the right, and took with me a corporal of the 20th Ohio, by the name of Wm. Grinnell, whom I found engaged in sharp-shooting. After reconnoitering a little, we discovered a rebel battery of eight guns, that kept up a harassing fire upon our lines. We succeeded in sheltering ourselves from view, in close rifle range of the guns, behind a large clump of bushes, and then commenced paying our respects to the gunners. We were doing "bully" execution, and had fired ten or twelve shots apiece, when the rebs returned our compliments with a charge of canister that mowed the bushes all about us. The charge made such a terrible whizzing and howling, and came so suddenly and unexpectedly, that I involuntarily dropped to the ground.
"Are you hurt, Bunker?" called out the corporal.
"No; are you?"
"No; but if we had stood anywhere else we should both have been killed."
The ground was literally plowed up all about us.
A few minutes later, the 8th Illinois and 32d Ohio made a charge on the battery to capture it. As the line advanced, there became a strife between the two regiments which should reach it first and take possession. The officers and men of the 32d Ohio had been smarting under the false accusation of "Harper's Ferry cowards," and had longed for an opportunity of retrieving their reputation.
"Come on, boys; we are 'Harper's Ferry cowards!'" shouted a Captain; and the words were instantly repeated by the whole regiment, and with a dash they outstripped their Illinois rivals. As they raised the hill near the battery, a round of canister was fired at them, but, fortunately, it was aimed too high to do much injury. The rebs then broke and run, leaving six of their guns to fall into the hands of the 32d Ohio. Major-General Logan complimented the regiment highly for its gallantry, and allowed Company F to retain the guns and serve them. That company was originally recruited as an artillery company.
On the 17th of May we resumed our march, and on the 18th we crossed Black River, and on the 19th our lines extended around Vicksburg, from the river above to the river below, occupying a line of about seven miles in length.
Major-General Sherman's corps occupied the right, Major-General McPherson's the center, and Major-General M'Clernand's the left. Then began the siege of Vicksburg.
Up to the commencement of the siege, the troops had marched over two hundred miles and taken part in five distinct battles, and accomplished it in twenty-five days; and a large portion of that time they had been without rations, except such as they foraged from the country.