Today in History:

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

Page 184 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.

gun in a new work they have thrown up behind their main line. All our batteries opened on it, and in a few minutes it was silenced. The approaches of Generals Smith and Carr are closing up. General Hovey a little backward. There sap-rollers were finished to-day. The ground sap-roller was made of solid cane and of the usual dimensions, but was made with and interior gabion. This war crushed, of its own weight, in being rolled. The THIRD was made by taking two barrels, placing them head-to-head, bracing them well inside, and lashing one row weight, in being rolled. This one could be used but the grounds is of such a character that a heavier one cannot be worked with facility. To make the gabion roll easily, the space between the outside fascines, on the circumference, was filled with smaller bundles of cane, and well lashed together with telegraph wire. Major-General McClernand relieved form command of the Thirteenth Army Corps. General Ord takes his place. June 20. -The approaches in front of General Smith progressing slowly. The enemy's pickets in front of General Carr's DIVISION have entered into an agreement with the latter's pickets not to fire on each other at night. They allow our men to work in ful view, and make no attempts to stop it. Last night the picket officer was directed to crowd his pickets on the enemy's, to allow the working party to push on the SECOND parallel. Two lines of pickets, the enemy's and ours, were then not more than 7 or 8 yards apart, and in full view of each other. A working party was then stretched out in rear of our line, and the work begun. The enemy' picketers could the see it all, but did not offer to molest us. By this means a trench was opened within 60 yards of their salient C. It is matter of wonder how they allowed us this night to approach so close without offering any resistance. Although it in not customary to allow an enemy's pickets so close to the operations places as to have rendered it difficult to have carried on the work in this manner at any other point along the line. An advance of about 100 yards was made in General Hovey's front. Other details were employed in the trenches already commenced. Battery Number 13. Was begun, in which to mount two 20-pounder Parrots, taken from the four-gun in which to mount two 20 pounder Parrot battery. It will enfilade one of the faces of the to be a redoubt. It appears so from the fact that they have to cross a bridge to enter the work. This battery will destroyed the bridge in a short time. June 21. -On the right, in addition to the sap on the left of the road, another was commenced to the right, to gain the eminence on the flank of the salient B. The want of sappers it now at this point more felt than herefore. A different detail goes to work every day, who know, nothing of what is to be done, and much valuable time is lost in repeating instructions. The enemy caused some annoyance by throwing handgrenades. The distance, however was rather too great, and consequently they did little or no damage. In front of General Carr's DIVISION the details were employed principally on the SECOND parallel. June 22 and 23. -The SECOND parallel in front of Carr's DIVISION reached the railroad. The enemies opened parallel in front of Carr's DIVISION reached the railroad. The enemy opened with artillery on the heads of the advanced saps in front of General Smith. Several shells were put through the sap-rollers. They did not damage them materially, each shell pass


Page 184 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.