June 14. A dense fog prevailing and terribly hot. Col. Stone reported to Gen. Dwight at a very early hour, before light, with 175 men and four Captains present for duty, the rest of the men having become exhausted by the work of yesterday and the night march through the woods, having started from Plains Store yesterday morning with nearly 500 men.
A tremendous artillery fire for an hour commenced at about 3 o’clock, both from land forces and the fleet. The men present in the regiment were consolidated into four companies, and Capt. Todd volunteered to take command of the right company, consisting of remnants of Cos. B and E.
The bombardment continued fiercely for an hour, during which time the columns were being formed for the assault in the rear of a piece of woods; the formation was in column by companies and Capt. Todd led the advance. We in the 48th could see the effect of the rebel fire on the brigade in advance of us, as it turned the corner of the woods into the Mount Pleasant road. Quickly the order came down to “Forward the Brigade” (we were attached for the day to the brigade commanded by Col. Benedict). When we came out from the shelter of the woods the fire of the enemy was terrible, but the column moved forward firmly; the rebel line of breastworks was clearly defined before us, with the “Citadel” frowning in the front. As we advanced the march from quick time soon became double quick, and finally a mad rush, passing over dead and wounded in the road. The air fairly hissed with bullets and shell, the groans of the wounded mingled with the cheers and yells of the charging troops, the shouts of the officers and also their imprecations as some poor fellows, losing their presence of mind, would try to dodge the flying missiles as they passed to bury themselves with a sickening “thud” in some other doomed comrade’s body; it seemed as if pandemonium was let loose, and when we overtook and passed over the prostrate bodies of the red clothed fascine bearers, who had started in advance of the main column and who, unable to face the leaden storm, had dropped their burdens and taken shelter behind them, they were greeted with cries of derision, which quickly changed to cries of dismay when we came into the vortex and saw the ground swept as it were by a whirlwind, and every man sought shelter in ravines, behind stumps, logs and any object which could afford shelter.
This ended Gen. Dwight’s movement. But it had advanced our lines so that we held possession of a rough hill which commanded the “Citadel,” which had been the objective point of our assault, and which was the most formidable point in the rebel works. The men held themselves well and showed that former experiences had had a good effect. Capt. Todd was seriously wounded in the mouth; Adjt. Ogden was slightly wounded; Darius Nelson of Co. B was killed and others both killed and wounded. The Lieutenant-Colonel was thrown down by the explosion of a shell, which happily did not wound him, but his right leg was serious paralyzed and he laid on the field all day exposed to the pitiless fire of the rebel sharpshooters and the scarcely less endurable rays of the burning Louisiana sun, until night came and the Ambulance Corps and brought relief. The scenes on the field were heart-rending, and the sufferings of the wounded appealed so strongly to the sympathy of their more fortunate comrades that lives were lost and others risked attempting to succor these unfortunate men.
The movement was much criticized by some of the officers, especially the cannonade which preceded the assault, as it is said that by it the rebs were apprised that an assault was to be made and they were prepared to repel it, and the day which had opened so auspiciously ended in gloom. Details of stretcher-bearers plying their melancholy duty carried the wounded to the hospitals, and the dead swiftly to the long trenches.
June 15. Regiment was relieved from support of battery and marched leisurely back to our old camp near the front center. The men were almost entirely exhausted, but it was impossible to excuse them from duty, as all are in the same condition.
June 16. Received orders during the day calling for volunteers for another storming party of 1000 men.
June 17. Passed the night in the rifle pits. There was a very heavy rain early in the morning, filling the pits and making the situation very disagreeable. Order in regard to detail of one officer and twenty-five men for storming party countermanded, as more than the required number had volunteered.
June 18. Regiment supporting an Indiana battery, at the front, early in the morning having moved in to the rifle pits.
June 20. Sharpshooters are making things lively. There are rumors floating through the camps that Vicksburg has fallen. Regiment ordered to move into the rifle pits at dark.