THE SECOND ASSAULT.

Impelled by the same, and additional urgent considerations, General Grant issued his orders on the 21st for a grand assault along the whole line, at ten o'clock A. M. on the 22d. Johnston was at Canton, with the troops which had been driven out of Jackson, largely re-enforced. Grant believed that by making this assault he would take Vicksburg at once, capture its garrison, drive Johnston away, and save great expenditures of men, money, and time.

He informed Admiral Porter of his intentions, and requested him to engage the batteries on the river-front as a diversion. Porter kept six mortars firing during the night of the 21st, on the city, and engaged the batteries on the morning of the 22d, from half-past nine to half-past eleven o'clock.

The preparations for the attack were soon made. The corps commanders set their watches by that of General Grant, and at sharp ten, the storming columns were in motion. Grant stationed himself on a summit in McPherson's front, from which he could see the whole of McPherson's corps, with portions of Sherman's and McClernand's. With no space for details of the assault, we may say that it was most gallantly made at all points, and that the flags of each column were placed upon the exterior slopes of the works in their front.

Sherman placed Blair's division in front, with Tuttle's in support; while Steele was directed to make the attack half a mile to the right. A small number of volunteers carried poles and boards to cross the ditch; and the artillery was posted to concentrate its fire on the position. From the nature of the approaches, comparatively few men could be used, while the enemy could bring to bear a large force, and a terrible fire, under which our men halted, wavered, and fled to cover.

McClernand engaged in an impromptu and rapid correspondence with General Grant on the field. The burden of it was, loud and reiterated calls for re-enforcements and diver

sionary assaults. He declared that he had taken two forts, and needed assistance to hold them. Grant, whose position was such that he could see better than McClernand, doubting the accuracy of his report, first directed him to re-enforce himself from his reserve divisions; but afterwards, upon his importunity, sent him Quimby's division, and reluctantly ordered Sherman to make a new assault in his favor, which increased the mortality list at least fifty per cent., and gained us nothing.

To epitomize the results of this correspondence, we may say that, on account of it, and a congratulatory order of McClernand's to his corps, which reflected upon Grant and his dispositions, Grant relieved McClernand from his command and gave it to Major-General Ord. It was no time to consider personal feelings; the work must be done vigorously and cheerfully, without controversy, and in the spirit of a willing subordination.

But to return to the assault: like the former one, it was unsuccessful; it had been necessary to make it, in order to develop the strength of the garrison, the nature of its defences, and the character of the operations which must now be made. It was evident that a regular siege must be undertaken, and to do this Grant must have re-enforcements.

CHAPTER XV.

VICKSBURG BESIEGED.

RE-ENFORCEMENTS.-THE COMPLETE INVESTMENT. THE CONDITION OF VICKSBURG.THE FIRST MINE. THE EXPLOSION.-EFFECTS.-WE GAIN A LODGMENT. THE CANNONADE. THE SECOND MINE.-PREPARATIONS FOR FINAL ASSAULT.-PEMBERTON'S CHANGE OF OPINION.-FURTHER DELAY USELESS.-IS READY TO SURRENDER.

Or the re-enforcements which reached Grant, Lauman's division, and four, regiments from Memphis, with Smith's and Kimball's divisions of the Sixteenth Corps, came up, and were assigned to Major-General Washburne. On the 11th of June, the division of Major-General Herron arrived from the Department of the Missouri. On the 14th, two divisions of the Ninth Corps came up, under command of Major-General Parke.

Grant's army, re-enforced by these troops, was now thus disposed: Sherman occupied the extreme right with the Fifteenth Corps, from the river around to the roads leading to the northeast bastion. Joining his left, McPherson, with the Seventeenth Corps, extended to the railroad from that point. Ord, with the Thirteenth, continued the investment towards the left; which was completed by the divisions of Lauman and Herron, the latter lying across Stout's bayou, and abutting against the bluff at that point, separated by a belt of swamp and timber, not a mile wide, from the river.

Parke's corps, and the divisions of Smith and Kimball, were sent to Haines' Bluff, which had been fortified on the land side to resist any attempt of Johnston in that direction.

A force, under Major-General Sherman, consisting of one division of the Fifteenth and one of the Seventeenth Corps, was also held in readiness, with Lauman's, to move upon Johnston as soon as circumstances should prompt.

The approaches were now conducted with great vigor; and as Pemberton was in no condition to waste his ammunition, the trenches were opened much nearer to the rebel works than is usual. Thus our entire line was inclosing Vicksburg in the "snaky twine" of a "huge typhon." Along the entire front forts, batteries, and rifle-pits were erected; and, by reason of the irregularities of the ground, winding covered ways were constructed, through which our men could pass to and from the extreme works, concealed from the rebel sharp-shooters.

The condition of Vicksburg was now pitiable in the extreme. As early as the 27th of May, a courier from Pemberton to Johnston came voluntarily into our lines, and gave to Grant the message he had been directed to deliver to Johnston. It was this: "I have fifteen thousand men in Vicksburg, and rations for thirty days-one meal a day. Come to my aid with an army of thirty thousand men. If you cannot do this within ten days, you had better retreat. Ammunition is almost exhausted, especially percussion-caps." This gave token that Vicksburg must fall; but Grant did not abate the vigor of the siege.

Mines were constructed at several points, particularly in McPherson's front, the excavations being under guard, and the greatest secrecy being observed; so that, although our men knew of a general intention to blow up the enemy's works, few knew where and when this would be done.

General Sherman, upon the receipt of information that General Johnston was again approaching the Big Black with a large force, set out, with the command already mentioned, to drive him back, leaving Steele in temporary command of his division. Grant's order to General Parke, on the 27th of June, indicates the character of the movement :

"GENERAL PARKE-Sherman goes out from here with five brigades, and Osterhaus's division subject to his orders besides. In addition to this, another