furious cannonading is heard, and it has never been surpassed in this war, unless at the late battle of Fredericksburg. their batteries and compelled them to withdraw their guns up the hill. The weather continued remarkably fine and favorable for all kinds of movements; and notwithstanding the opposition of the enemy, our work progressed finely, and was completed at all points on Sun-line just beyond the range of the eneday night the 28th instant. "Yesterday the general advance was ordered, and it was supposed that it would bring on a general engagement. To divert the attention of the enemy and lessen their opposition to our advance, and also to prevent any premeditated flank movements on their part, our gun-boats were brought into play. The iron-clads made a vigorous assault upon the batteries at Milldale, assisted by two mortar boats, and also shelled the rebel encampments in that vicinity. The Lexington and that class of boats, with long-range guns, lay off the mouth of the Chickasaw Bayou and kept up a vigorous cannonading up that stream and into the woods, in the direction whence the enemy would be likely to move should they attempt to turn our left flank. The Marmora and Forest Rose took a position at the head of False River, and fired by the compass across the great bend in the Mississippi in the direction of Vicksburg and to the left of it, actually preventing, as has since been learned, an attempt to turn our right flank. Our field artillery was brought into play along the entire lines, in response to the vigorous firing of the enemy; and thus a continuous roar of artillery was kept up throughout the entire day. It is seldom that a more "In the midst of this thunder our forces advanced, the centre and left crossing the bayous and deploying into my's riflemen, finding cover in the edge of the woods fronting on the plain covered with abattis. General A. J. Smith, commanding our right, did not cross the bayou running parallel with the bluffs, the enemy having cut the timber on this side of it, which would have exposed his position. He moved out on the road from Johnson's Ferry, and deployed to the right in the woods at the edge of the abattis, and pushed his right down to the bank of the Mississippi. Our first line of battle was thus formed on a line parallel with the enemy's position, though not so long as their line-it being about five miles in extent-and from a mile to a mile and a half from the rebel works. The accomplishment of this movement was most perfectly successful, our losses being comparatively nothing, less than 100 men having been placed hors du combat. "In the position thus secured, our forces rested on the right, the centre and left making some vigorous efforts to gain positions on the bluffs. General Morgan L. Smith, commanding the centre, ordered a charge up to the foot of the bluff. The regiment having the advance met the enemy's fire just as they came to the crossing of the bayou, when they showed signs of faltering. The General, who was watching the move. FAILURE AT VICKSBURG. 571 ment, at once sprang to the head of the which I have not learned. He rested at "The division commanded by General M. L. Smith was committed to the charge of General A. J. Smith after the former was wounded, and General Burbridge was assigned to the command of the latter's division on the right. "Owing to the change of commanders, or some other cause as yet unexplained, it was late in the day before the right division was ordered into action. The gun-boats Marmora and Juliet were stationed in False River to protect our flank, which, by their vigorous cannonading, they successfully accomplished. At one time the enemy was observed getting a battery into position, evidently to cover a movement on our right, when the bursting of the shells from the gunboats convinced them of the hazardous nature of the attempt, and they abandoned it. "General Steele, commanding on the left of the centre, made a desperate effort to gain the bluff, in which he captured two of the enemy's field-works, with nine guns, but was finally compelled to fall back. His loss was but "The wagon road leading from Johntrifling, and it may be that he merely son's Ferry to Vicksburg crosses the intended to reconnoitre the enemy's po- bayou directly in front of the left of our sition, preparatory to subsequent opera- division. The bridge at this point had tions. If this was his object, he was been destroyed by the enemy, as also the eminently successful. The guns he cap-road to a considerable extent, timber havtured from the enemy will abundantly ing been felled across it and all sluiceways repay any losses he met with. On the extreme left, General Morgan made some demonstrations upon the enemy's position, the nature of torn up. The enemy also have upon the bluff at the head of this road a fieldwork for light artillery, ranging directly down on the course of the road, and also single gun batteries in the face of the bluff. To avoid as far as possible these obstacles, General Smith had thrown his pontoon bridge across the bayou a little to the right of the old bridge. At this point General Burbridge masked several batteries of artillery, opening a brisk cannonade upon the rebel batteries. They replied earnreplied earnestly for a while, but their fire gradually slackened as our men warmed up to their work and got more accurate elevations to their pieces and adjusted their fuses with more accuracy, and at last ceased altogether, and their cannoniers were seen hauling their guns up the hill. in a body, one of our batteries was ordered to open upon the promiscuous crowd. In a moment the shells were flying briskly, hitting friend and foe indiscriminately. The fire was too hot for the rebels and they quickly withdrew, leaving the Ohio boys upon the field. These gathered up their killed and wounded and retired across the bridge with all possible dispatch, glad to escape so easily. They were sadly cut up, though, fifty per cent. of their number having been killed or wounded. Seven of them were killed outright by our own shells and a much larger number wounded, but the regiment was saved. "After the withdrawal of the Fiftyfourth Ohio, the Sixth and Eighth Missouri and the Thirteenth Regulars were ordered to cross. This they did promptly, the gallant Eighth-heroes of every noted field, save Pea Ridge, in the Southwest-taking the lead. The whole force crossed safely and without loss, and immediately deployed off to the left to get possession of the Vicksburg road. Scarcely, however, had they got into line when a rebel brigade came charging down the road upon their flank. The detachment quickly changed front and formed a line of battle, and accepted the challenge offered by the enemy. A brisk engagement ensued, lasting about half an hour, at the end of which time the rebels broke and fled "At this juncture the Fifty-fourth Ohio was ordered to charge across the bridge. They obeyed the order with alacrity and courage, meeting a terrible fire of musketry, both from the rebel sharp-shooters concealed in the gullies of the plain beyond and from the rebel infantry in their rifle-pits. But the gallant Buckeyes never flinched, but succeeded in gaining the opposite bank. Here they were charged upon by an entire rebel brigade, against whom they contended manfully for a time, but at last were surrounded and overpowered. The regiment was in an extremely critical situation, and seemed captured for a certainty. Still they fought on, evidently determined not to surrender. They were contending against fearful odds, and their ranks were thinning rap-in confusion. They were hotly pressed idly. At last, when it seemed clear that they could no longer sustain themselves, and would certainly be captured by the Missouri boys, who cut them up badly, more than trebly avenging the losses of the Fifty-fourth Ohio. TERRIBLE ARTILLERY. 'This closed the action on the right, night being near at hand, and the enemy apparently indisposed to offer further resistance to our crossing. At this time it would have been easy to have crossed the entire division, and obtain any position that was desirable. But for some reasons not explained to outsiders, this was not done, but on the contrary, orders were issued to those who had crossed to retire, and under cover of the darkness they all fell back into their old positions in the edge of the timber. Here they have remained since, no movements at all having been made to-day, only a trifling skirmish early this morning on the extreme right. "I have been unable to learn the precise nature of the movements in the centre. That division made an advance, crossed the bayou, and gained the foot of the bluff. This was not accomplished without a desperate struggle, but our men were equal to the duty required of them. But after gaining this ground, probably for the same reason that governed in the recall of the troops in the right division, they were withdrawn, and night found their line where it was in the morning, under cover of the timber. "The left, consisting of two divisions, General G. W. Morgan having the extreme left, and General Steele being upon his right, have been more busily engaged. Their line necessarily forms a curve facing northeast and east. They have the batteries on Haines' Bluff at their left, and the fortifications of the bluffs with the rifle-pits in their front. Opposed to them, the enemy's line is 573 nearly or quite half as long again as their own. The county road leading from Milldale to Vicksburg runs in front of them, between them and the enemy. "This column has made most desperate efforts to pierce the enemy's line and gain the bluffs, in order to get into the rear of the batteries on Haines' Bluffs, and, with the co-operation of the gun-boats, silence those guns. There are other objects to be gained by crossing the bluffs at this point. Once through the rebel lines, there would be no difficulty whatever in sending a force across to the crossing of the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad over the Big Black River, and by the destruction of the bridge at that point cut off the enemy's retreat as well as prevent their getting reinforcements. These are some of the leading objects to be gained by getting through the rebel lines in this direction. The effort was made twice yesterday, our troops on both occasions getting well up to the enemy's lines, but in both instances being overcome by the tremendous storm of artillery and musketry by which they were received and forced to retire. Our losses here have been heavier than in any other part of the field, though I am unable to state definitely what the casualties have been in those particular divisions. "The medical director reports the casualties in the entire army up to noon to-day, at 754 in killed, wounded, and missing. Since then a very disgraceful affair occurred in the centre that largely increases the number. An Ohio regiment occupying an advanced position was attacked by a considerable force this morning reported that they were of rebel cavalry. With scarcely no re-evacuating, but this is questionable. sistance at all they threw down their They are certainly either evacuating or arms and surrendered. What aggra- receiving reinforcements, it is doubtful vated the case is the fact that relief was which. Sunday night, yesterday, and close at hand. A large Union reserve last night, trains were arriving on the force came up so suddenly that the en- Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad hourly. emy had no time to gather up the arms The whistle of the locomotive, as it arthey had captured; but leaving them rives and departs, can be distinctly heard lying upon the ground, with all their in our lines. There is a report that other spoils, they drove their prisoners General Lee is in command here. This before them as a herd of cattle, and is confirmed by prisoners, deserters, conmade haste to get back into their own trabands, and all sources of information. lines. This is the first cowardly act of The fact of his being here would argue this campaign, and by it the rebels gain a determination to hold the position so about 500 prisoners. long as their most skilful generalship can hold it. "Colonel Wyman, of the Thirteenth Illinois, acting on General Steele's staff, was shot on Sunday by rebel sharpshooters, while leading a regiment into action, and instantly killed. The ball entered his breast, passing through his lungs. He had the reputation of being a brave and gallant officer. "On our right a negro sharp-shooter has been observed, whose exploits are deserving of notice. He mounts a breast-work regardless of all danger, and getting sight of a Federal soldier, draws up his musket at arm's length and fires, never failing of hitting his mark. It is said that Colonel Wyman was shot by a negro; but this lacks confirmation. It is certain that negroes are fighting here, though probably only as sharpshooters. "The best information we are able to gather to-day of the enemy's strength places them at 20,000, though I fear the maximum is not reached yet. Deserters "The non-arrival of Farragut and Banks gives rise to no little comment throughout the lines. It is no longer any secret that they are coming, and were to have been here long ago; but days pass away, and the most anxious looker for the smoke of their vessels goes unrewarded for his diligence. "We had an unusually heavy rain last night, the water pouring down in perfect torrents. An inch and a quarter of water fell during the night. The soldiers lying out without tents must have suffered severely, especially as it cleared off toward morning cold and windy. The heavy fall of water left the roads extremely wet and muddy, particularly in the woods, and interferes considerably with the movement of artillery and supply trains. The soil, however, being sandy, will soon absorb the water, and doubtless by to-morrow noon the roads will be dry and in good |