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177 Series I Volume XXIV-I Serial 36 - Vicksburg Part I

Page 177 Chapter XXXVI. GENERAL REPORTS.

position-probably a mile or two beyond McPherson's and probably out of sight of his position as well as my own. Could he there see; was it possible for him there to see whether I had "possession of forts" and needed re-enforcements? He does not, and I presume he could not, say so. It is true that, as above stated, General Grant ordered re-enforcements, but he does not say, as already shown by his dispatches, that he delayed sending Quinby's DIVISION, and that neither it nor McArthur's, as will be shown by the sequel, arrived in time.

In support and confirmation of what I have thus denied or affirmed respecting General Grant's allegations-that I had "more men than could possibly be used in the assault", and that "more men could only avail in case of breaking through the enemy's lines," &c. ; that he "received a SECOND dispatch from McClernand stating positively and unequivocally that he was in possession of and still held two of the enemy's forts; that he American flag waved over them, and asking to have Sherman and McPherson make a diversion in his favor; " that he "had taken a commanding position near McPherson's front," &c. ; that "the position occupied by" him "during most of the assault gave" him "a better opportunity of seeing what was going on in front of the Thirteenth Army Corps than" he "believed it possible for the commander of it to have," and that he "could not see" McClernand's "possession of forts nor necessity for re-enforcements," &c. -in support and confirmation of all that I have denied or affirmed in regard to these matters, I offer the following testimony of living, disinterested, and creditable witnesses, who speak of what they saw, did, and knew of that of which they were magnum pars:

1. -Dispatch of Brigadier General M. K. Lawler, commanding SECOND brigade, Fourteenth DIVISION, and Colonel W. J. Landram [Nineteenth Kentucky], commanding SECOND Brigade, Tenth DIVISION, whose commands formed one of my columns of attack.

SECOND BRIGADE, TENTH DIVISION-10. 10.

General McClernand, per General SMITH:

The enemy are massing their forces in our front. No movement of our troops on our left. We ought to have re-enforcements.

M. K. LAWLER,

Brigadier-General.

W. J. LANDRAM,

Colonel, Commanding SECOND Brigade.

2. -Dispatch of W. J. Landram, colonel, commanding brigade, to General Smith, and forwarded to me.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, TENTH DIVISION, May 22, 1863-2. 40 p. m.

General SMITH,
Commanding Tenth DIVISION:

Our men are holding the flanks of the fort in our front. There is a heavy cross-fire upon us, and we have lost many killed and wounded. They are hurling hand-grenades upon us, and hurting us considerably in that way.

Yours, &c.,

W. J. LANDRAM,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

3. -Letter of Colonel William M. Stone.

KNOXVILLE, IOWA, September 8, 1863.

Major-General McClernand:

In reply to your interrogatories presented by Mr. Jones, I state the following facts, which occurred under my observation, connected with the assault of the Thirteenth Army Corps upon the enemy's works at Vicksburg on May 22 last:

I was in command of the Twenty-SECOND Iowa, which regiment was in the SECOND

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Page 177 Chapter XXXVI. GENERAL REPORTS.