CHAPTER X.
On the 20th, our troops had had a hard little fight but were repulsed by the rebels, after they had charged up close to the strong rebel forts. On the 21st we moved up near our advance lines and on the 22nd a general charge all along the lines was ordered. Our regiment supported the 7th Kentucky.
Several of our regiments in front had planted their flags on the rebel forts and the destruction of men was horrible. The earth trembled under the powerful explosives. Many of our boys were slain in hand to hand fights.
From some unknown cause, the rebel army in our front was reinforced and we were driven back with a heavy loss. The blame was laid to General McClernand, the commander of our 13th corps. He was superceded and I never heard of him afterwards. He was a fine looking general. Thus the name of the 13th corps was lost at Vicksburg.
The nurses and wounded whom we had left at Champion Hill, had been captured but were paroled. They came to us about this time.
Our troops were driven back and some of the regiments lost their flags. At night some of the wounded were carried away but the rebs would shoot at any little noise. Many of the wounded perished that night for want of help.
During all of the siege. Admiral Porter bombarded the city with twenty-two inch mortars and other heavy guns. It was a sight to see those huge shells raised to the distance of four miles, and then explode and send the pieces of shell humming to the ground, and making a noise like thunder.
On the 24th, we went to work digging rifle pits and preparing for the siege. Our large guns kept up a continuous firing all along the lines.
On the 25th, our dead, who had fallen in the charge of the 22nd, had not yet been buried. The rebels had refused to let us bury them. But the corpses stunk them out and they gave us a four hour’s armistice in which to bury the dead.
Two of those in our regiment were wounded while working in the rifle pits. We were relieved from this duty by the second brigade. We then moved back in a deep hollow to rest.