Today in History:

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

Page 620 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.

Lieutenant Charles Meinhold, THIRD U. S. Cavalry, mustering officer and acting aide-de-camp, showed great bravery and intelligence in all the battles. He had his horse killed under him at Vicksburg, and is entitled to great credit, and well worthy of promotion.

The medical department performed their onerous duties with great assiduity and skill, and are entitled to the greatest credit for relieving the sufferings of the wounded. Their names are: Surgs. H. P. Strong, acting medical director; George P. Rex, thirty-THIRD Illinois; W. H. White, Twenty-SECOND Iowa, and J. H. Ledlie, operating board; Asst. Surgs. O. Peabody, Twenty-SECOND Iowa; E. Everitt, Eleventh Wisconsin; A. E. McNeal, Ninety-NINTH Illinois, and J. K. Bigelow, Eighth Indiana, assistant operating board; Surgs. A. P. Daughters and G. W. Gordom, Eighteenth Indiana, assistant in charge of primary depots.

Serg. J. H. Russell, Twenty-first Iowa, clerk in assistant adjutant-general's office, went voluntarily into the battle at Black River Bridge, and was wounded.

Private E. P. Hatch, Thirty-THIRD Illinois, clerk in assistant adjutant-general's office, went out as a sharpshooter and did good service.

I consider it a duty to bring to the attention of the major-general commanding and the Government the inferior quality of the ammunition, both artillery and infantry, furnished for the use of the troops. It is impossible to fire shells over our own troops without the greatest danger. I have lost quite a number of men on this account, and there is one deplorable instance - Sergeant [Charles U.] Besse, Thirty-THIRD Illinois Infantry, both of whose arms were blown off by a shell from one of our own guns. Persons who fabricate the ammunition ought to be made pecuniarily responsible to the sufferers, and in pains and penalties to the United States, for this most careless and criminal recklessness. Complaint is also made of the quality add quantity of the powder in musket and rifle cartridges. The rebel cartridges are filled with the best of English rifle powder, and carry their balls much farther than ours.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. A. CARR,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

ADDENDA

GENERAL ORDERS, Number 32. HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH DIVISION, May 6, 1863.

I desire to congratulate the officers and soldiers of this DIVISION on the brilliant and successful manner in which they performed their duty in the different conflicts of the late battle near Port Gibson.

At the end of a tiresome night's march, the SECOND Brigade, under Colonel Stone, being in the lead, came upon the enemy at 1 o'clock in the morning, posted in a strong position, with artillery; immediately formed into line, and Captain Griffiths, first Iowa Battery, with the assistance of three pieces of Klauss' First Indiana Battery, fought him for over an hour, and finally, at 3 o'clock, drove him away. We hay down to take our first rest since 3 o'clock the preceding morning.

At 6. 30 o'clock we renewed the conflict. The two batteries made terrible havoc with the enemy. The First Brigade, under Brigadier-General Benton, was deployed in the ravine and underbrush on the right, and advanced gallantly to flank the enemy and take his guns.

When they engaged him on the right, the SECOND Brigade engaged


Page 620 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.