Today in History:

291 Series I Volume XXIV-II Serial 37 - Vicksburg Part II

Page 291 Chapter XXXVI. THE SIEGE OF Vicksburg, MISS.

artillery, and in less than FIFTEEN minutes we had gained the crest and driven the enemy from their pits and into their works beyond, from which five pieces of artillery continued shelling us for about half an hor; but from the advantageous position we had gained,, their MISSILES fell harmless, owing to the fact that he enemy's aim was too high. We lost but 2 men wounded in the engagement. On the nigh of the 24th of June, 200 men of the regiment were sent to the trenches, under the command of Major G. W. Crosley, as a working party. On their arrival at the trenches about 10 p. m., the guards were stationed in advance of the rifle-pits to guard the working party, which was engaged in digging a sap toward the main fort in our front. The night was dark, and a slight rain falling just as the men had got fairly to work, the guard in front were fiercely attacked and driven in, and the enemy advance in force and demanded a surrounded. Our men seized their arms, sprang to their places in the trenches, and delivered a terrific fire, causing the enemy no falter and then fall back about 75 yards, from which they continued to fire with both musket and artillery for about three-fourths of an hour, our men responding with energy, and getting the last shot. Our loss was 1 man killed and 2 slightly wounded. The enemy's loss, as we afterward ascertained, was 15 killed and wounded, including the colonel commanding, who was killed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant.

AARON BROWN.

Colonel THIRD Iowa Infantry.

Colonel N. B. BAKER, adjutant-General of Iowa.

Number 45. Report of Colonel Benjamin Dornblaser, forty-sixth Illinois Infantry SECOND Brigade. IN THE FIELD, June 7, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: In compliance with orders from DIVISION headquarters, with reference to a capture of a portion of the Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, I have the honor to report that, on the afternoon of the 25th of May, the regiment was detailed to relieve the Sixty third Illinois Infantry, on picket duty. At 4 p. m. the regiment reported at brigade not fully posted until after 7 p. m. Five companies a portion of which meant, under the guidance of the major of the Sixty third Illinois Infantry, and upon the same ground in the same manner, that the Sixty-THIRD was posted at the time we relieved them, which line extended rom and near a cotton-gin on the Warrenton road westward to a swamp which we supposed, and had been informed, was impassable. The other portion of the regiment was posted from the Warrenton orad eastward to the pickets of the First Brigade, by myself, but owing to the lateness of the hour when I arrived at the center of our lines, and having implicit officer on that portion of the line, I determine it entirely unnecessary to visit it.

The first alarm occurred at about 9. 30 p. m. I heard several sharp volleys of musketry. I immediately strengthened the several posts nearest the point of alarm, and proceeded in person to the point from whence the alarm, came to discover, if possible, the cause. I had gone


Page 291 Chapter XXXVI. THE SIEGE OF Vicksburg, MISS.