Today in History:

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

Page 611 Chapter XXXVI. BATTLE OF PORT GIBSON, MISS.

tance of about 200 yards, yet the several commands took their position in line without flinching, and advanced to within 80 yards of the enemy's battery, immediately after which General Hovey ordered Colonel Cameron, of the Thirty-fourth Indiana, to charge and take the battery, and ordered me to support the charge with the FIFTY-sixth Ohio, which was immediately to the left of the Thirty-fourth Indiana. I at once gave the command, and the order was promptly responded to and the brave FIFTY-sixth, with its gallant commander, rushed up to the very muzzle of the rebel guns, in company with the daring Thirty-fourth, drove them from their battery, killed a number of the cannoneers and troops supporting the battery, and captured the stand of rebel colors, which Colonel Raynor now has in his possession, a worthy custodian of that rebel trophy. Immediately after the guns were silenced, Colonel Raynor, with his command, passed on beyond the battery, and captured 220 prisoners. In the charge upon the battery, three companies of the Twenty-eight Iowa also supported the Thirty-fourth Indiana.

During the whole time, the Forty-seventh Indiana, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel McLaughlin, was hotly engaged with a heavy force of rebel infantry on the extreme left, which was trying to reach with terrible slaughter.

During this engagement, Schofield's battery, under the personal command of Captain Schofield and Lieutenant Thomas Mitchell, dealt most terrible and damaging blows, which materially contributed to our success. Thus terminated the contest in the forenoon. In the afternoon the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were ordered to the rear and extreme left of the line, to support Major-General Logan's DIVISION, which was hotly engaged, and there continued fighting like veterans, as men of that gallant State always have done, until the enemy was driven from the field and utterly routed at every point, and the curtain of night the scene.

About 1 p. m. the Forty-seventh Indiana and the FIFTY-sixth Ohio changed front, and occupied position about 1 mile to the left and rear of their position in the forenoon. I then moved the column of Captain James R. Brewer, and Company B, of the FIFTY sixth Ohio, under command of Lieutenant John Jochem, thrown forward as skirmishers.

After moving about half a mile over very broken ground, and across a ridge covered with timber, the skirmishers encountered the rebel

column, with their sharpshooters in advance, under cover of thick brush and a ravine. After a sharp skirmish they were driven out, the column in the mean time advancing over a hill to the support of the skirmishers. Immediately upon their rising the hill, the action became general, but we were soon compelled to retire from our position, by re-enforcements of the enemy in large numbers approaching over the crest of a hill to our right and rear, and form our line on the slope of the hill, which was quickly executed and in good order.

During the time of forming this line with the two regiments of my own brigade, the Twenty-fourth Indiana Infantry, of the First Brigade, under command of Colonel William T. Spicely, came down the hill and formed to the right of the FIFTY-sixth Ohio, taking their position in the bed of a creek, at right angles with the line of the SECOND Brigade. These lines had not more than been formed when three rebel regiments - two Missouri and one Louisiana - came down at a charge, with terrific yells, and could not be seen, because of the very thick growth of cane, until they reached a point within 30 yards of my line.


Page 611 Chapter XXXVI. BATTLE OF PORT GIBSON, MISS.