A Dark Spot in Memory: The Second Storming of Vicksburg

Moments into his regiment’s attack on the bastion of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863, Corporal Charles Morris of the 33rd Illinois found himself pinned down in front of the Confederate works “with the missiles of death raining around, the hot sun pouring down, amidst the wail of the wounded, the fierce yell of the victors, and the incessant roar of musketry. Death stared us in the face if we remained or if we attempted to get down. We knew it was madness to send men there. The Rebel rifle pits to our left could fire upon us and every now and then some poor fellow would go down. The terrors of that day made men grow old.”

The Illinoisan called the attack a “dark spot” in his memory, commenting that “scarcely one of the old guard who either does not carry a reminder of it on his person or points to that fatal day as the last on earth of some cherished comrade.” Morris’s vivid description of his brigade’s assault against Vicksburg originally saw publication in Wilbur Hinman’s 1892 compendium entitled Camp and Field: Sketches of Army Life Written by Those Who Followed the Flag ’61-’65.

 

Charles Morris's regiment charged against the Confederate fortifications surrounding Vicksburg near the 2nd Texas Lunette, until pinned down with the 42nd Alabama, 15th Arkansas, and 2nd Texas in their front. They found themselves in a hell of flashing missiles, screaming men, and death all around. "The terrors of the day made men grow old," Morris confessed. 

          The 22nd of May is a dark spot in the memory of many, and there is scarcely one of the old guard who either does not carry a reminder of it on his person or points to that fatal day as the last on earth of some cherished comrade.

          Carr’s division had hot work on the 21st in moving into position near the railroad. Every move was greeted with storms of grape and canister and the ever-present song of the Minie balls. The First Brigade consisting of the 33rd Illinois, 8th Indiana, 18th Indiana, and 99th Illinois commanded by Brigadier General William P. Benton, was moved up to within 300 yards of the enemy’s works the evening of the 21st and passed the night under the shelter of an abrupt hill. We had muskets as bedfellows, empty stomachs, and full cartridge boxes with which to dream of the morrow.

          Those of us who had been sharpshooting until daylight on the 22nd knew something of what was before us and when another company came and relieved us at dawn so that we might lead the charge that day, the gallant Major Isaac H. Elliott said that he appreciated the compliment but that many a brave boy would fall that day. A spirit of solemnity seemed to pervade the brigade as it massed in view of the enemy. Men congregated in groups conversing in undertones. Letters conveying a last farewell were hurriedly written, messages and keepsakes were given to comrades by those who knew this was to be their last charge. Yet they did not hesitate, and to my personal knowledge their sad presentiment was verified in almost every case.

Colonel Isaac H. Elliott
33rd Illinois

          Officers, outwardly calm, moved aimlessly about, anxiously consulting their timepieces. Aides from brigade headquarters came and went, running the gauntlet, dodging shells that came shrieking down the ravines. As the hour of 10 a.m. drew nigh, four colonels (Charles Lippincott of the 33rd, Henry Washburne of the 18th, David Shunk of the 8th, and George Bailey of the 99th) held a consultation and, to see who would lead the brigade, cast lots for position. It was won by Colonel Bailey of the 99th Illinois; our 33rd Illinois was next, then the 18th Indiana and 8th Indiana.

          Our artillerymen were emptying their limber boxes as fast as muscle and powder could do it and as the decisive moment approached, it seemed as though their exertions were redoubled and that the sulfurous blast of flame and smoke and the murderous roar would stifle and crush us. Men sprang to their feet, grasping their muskets with a grip of iron. Officers tightened their belts and in quick, fiery words gave the command, “Fall in!” In an instant, the brazen mouths that for three hours has spoken were, for the first time, silent. The men forming Grant’s army crouched with nerves of steel, ready to spring upon their foe. They came as conquerors and were anxious to try issues with their enemy, even in his stronghold.

          Colonel Bailey, divested of coat and vest and with arms bared to the elbow, sprang to the head of his regiment and with a single word of “forward” sent the hot blood tingling through our veins. The hour of nervous waiting, the hardest part to bear in patience, was over. Our course was around the base of a hill and up by the right flank, through a narrow defile, until the crest was nearly reached. There, as we swung into line, not 100 yards away, burst a withering, scorching sheet of flame, unmerciful in its intensity, sent forth by desperate men.

Hundreds went down. The gallant Bailey fell grievously wounded. The 99th Illinois could go no further. The 33rd Illinois, charging over the same ground, fared not even so well for as we came into line, the same fearful blast struck and virtually annihilated us, for in that day’s work only 7 men of the 60 in my company could report for duty the next morning, some of these even were bruised and wounded.

Corporal Charles D. Morris
Co. E, 33rd Illinois

The 18th and 8th Indiana regiments, coming up quickly, met much the same fate. Some of them, with scattering ones from the two preceding regiments, turned to the right and Colonel Washburne of the 18th found partial shelter in an angle of their works and there, with the missiles of death raining around, the hot sun pouring down, amidst the wail of the wounded, the fierce yell of the victors, the incessant roar of musketry, we kept them down in our front. Death stared us in the face if we remained or if we attempted to get down. Some of our colors were planted on the walls of the fort. Washburne’s ringing voice could be heard above the din, shouting encouragement to us.

McClernand, away in the rear, called loudly on Grant for help. We knew it was madness to send men there. Grant, as near to us as McClernand, thought as much. The Rebel rifle pits to our left could fire upon us and every now and then some poor fellow would go down. The terrors of that day made men grow old. The appeal for help was answered. Colonel George Boomer’s brigade attempted to reach us but they could get no nearer than 200 yards. Boomer himself was killed. We knew then to stay longer was useless and so, one by one, we stole away, running the gauntlet for life and liberty.

To learn more about the assaults on Vicksburg, please check out these related posts:

Working for Vicksburg: A Voice from the 33rd Illinois

The Ground Was Slippery With Blood: The 54th Ohio Tries for Vicksburg

A Most Bloody and Foolhardy Charge: A Buckeye Recalls the First Crack at Vicksburg

A Whistling Hail of Death: The First Assault on Vicksburg with the 95th Illinois

The Forlorn Hope at Vicksburg

Storming Vicksburg: Earning a Medal of Honor in the Forlorn Hope

Marching to Vicksburg with the 31st Iowa

Source:

“Battle of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863: Heroic Charge of the First Brigade,” Corporal Charles D. Morris, Co. E, 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, from Wilbur F. Hinman’s Camp and Field: Sketches of Army Life Written by Those Who Followed the Flag. Cleveland: The N.G. Hamilton Co., 1892, pgs. 178-180

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Arming the Buckeyes: Longarms of the Ohio Infantry Regiments

Image
     A common question that comes up in conversation about Civil War Buckeye regiments is "What were they armed with?" We are fortunate in that the state of Ohio kept good records of how the regiments were armed when they went into service, this being especially true for those regiments which went into service in 1861 and 1862. The state adjutant general's reports for 1861 and 1862 have been heavily drawn upon to construct this article, as well as consultation with Phil Spaugy who has done extensive research on how Ohio's troops were armed during the war.      Buckeyes carried a fairly wide variety of weapons into the field, and the below article breaks this down into weapons of both domestic manufacture and imported arms. The early days of the war found the state of Ohio practically bereft of longarms; as an example, when the 1st and 2nd Ohio Volunteer Militia left the state in late April 1861, they left unarmed, being armed at Lancaster, Pennsylvania on their way to
Read more

Bullets for the Union: Manufacturing Small Arms Ammunition During the Civil War

Image
       Civil War bullets are perhaps the most common item collected from the era; the two armies expended bullets by the millions during the four years’ conflict and spent or deformed bullets of all shapes and sizes have made fascinating and affordable collectibles since the guns went silent in 1865.       I recently acquired a display piece featuring 35 different types of small arms ammunition used during the Civil War, including everything from a small .28 caliber ball up to a .69 caliber three-ring Minie and it triggered some questions: how did the Federal army obtain its small arms ammunition during the war? Where did the lead come from to make the bullets, and where and how was the ammunition manufactured? This post seeks to answer those questions. A typical .58 caliber 3-ring Minie bullet   “Whenever the blasts of war blow in the ears of men who trade in the implements of destruction, they are apt to experience more joy than the true warrior, for then comes the harvest of gain.
Read more

Dressing the Rebels: How to Dye Butternut Jeans Cloth

Image
     In the early days of the Civil War,  the Southern states found themselves with an abundance of cotton but a shortage of cloth with which to make army uniforms. The trade in cloth prior to the war had largely been to send raw cotton or wool north to New England (or Great Britain) where it was converted into usable cloth; but now that trade was broken and the Southern states were thrown upon their own resources in their efforts to properly clothe the Confederate army.  This collection of Confederate enlisted men's frock coats and shell jackets gives some indication of the variety of shades of butternut worn during the war. All of them are shades of yellow brown, some heavier on the yellow and some heavier on the brown. The blue used around the collar or as rank insignia indicates that the soldier was in the infantry. Surviving Confederate uniforms are considered rather rare and command quite a healthy price in the collecting market. For an in-depth study of how Confederate jacke
Read more

The Wizard of Oz and the Civil War

Image
T he 1939 film The Wizard of Oz has delighted viewers for 85 years and ranks as a personal favorite, especially during the Halloween season. While watching it with the family the other night, I wondered if there were any connections between the film and the Civil War. Not surprisingly, the answer is yes and those connections touch both the blue and the gray.           Interestingly both “witches” in the film not only had Civil War ancestors but had connections with Civil War soldiers from Ohio. Margaret Hamilton, the “Wicked Witch of the West,” was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 9, 1902, to attorney Walter Jones Hamilton and his wife Mary Jane Adams; Margaret’s grandfather was Judge Edwin Timothy Hamilton. Judge Hamilton had served as a private in Co. D of the 84 th Ohio Infantry during the summer of 1862. The 84 th Ohio, a three months’ regiment, served nearly the whole of its service attached to the Railroad District in western Maryland, performing provost duty at Cumberlan
Read more

The Vaunted Enfield Rifle Musket

Image
     The English-made Model 1853 .577 caliber Enfield Rifle Musket was widely regarded as the best infantry arm in the world at the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. Favorable international press describing its efficiency in the Crimean War and in suppressing the Indian rebellion led to the widespread desire of American infantrymen (both Federal and Confederate) to be armed with these accurate and well-made arms. The lock plate of this well-worn P1853 Enfield rifle musket produced in 1862 shows the typical markings of a British-made weapon that made it through the Federal blockade.  ( Army of Tennessee Relics ) Enfield-pattern weapons were imported into the states by the tens and hundreds of thousands during the war years; one estimate stated that the Federal government purchased 500,000 while the Confederates purchased another 400,000. The Confederate government dispatched Captain Caleb Huse to Europe in April 1861 to purchase weapons and Huse focused on securing all the Enfi
Read more

In front of Atlanta with the 68th Ohio

Image
  The arrow corps badge of the 17th Army Corps was worn by many members of the 68th Ohio in the latter days of the war.       Private Edward A. Bigelow of Co. F of the 68th Ohio Volunteer Infantry wrote this brief account of the Battle of Atlanta just two days afterwards to his father back home in Henry County, Ohio. The regiment formed a part of Colonel Robert K. Scott's three regiment all-Ohio brigade consisting of the 20th, 68th, and 78th regiments, being designated the Second Brigade of the Third Division of Frank Blair's 17th Army Corps. Bigelow's letter originally appeared in the Napoleon Press newspaper and was copied in the Toledo Daily Commercial which was providential as no known copies exist today of the wartime Napoleon Press.  
Read more

Charging Battery Robinett: An Alabama Soldier Recalls the Vicious Fighting at Corinth

Image
W riting 30 years after the Battle of Corinth, James A. McKinstry of the 42 nd Alabama recalled his experiences storming Battery Robinett with Colonel William P. Rogers of the 2 nd Texas and expressed guilt that it was perhaps his action that brought about the colonel’s demise. “On seeing a line of Federals approaching, and before giving the situation a thought, I immediately raised my gun and fired full into the breast of a Federal sergeant, who was in front of the column, and only a short distance from us.  'Twas then that Captain George Foster shouted, "Cease firing, men! cease firing!" and waved his handkerchief, then I realized the true situation. 'Twas too late! That fatal volley had been turned on our little band from the muzzles of 1,500 muskets. I was still standing just as I was when I fired my last shot, and within a few feet of Colonel Rogers, when a Minie ball went crashing through my left hip and turned me half round; another went tearing through my
Read more

Federal Arms in the Stones River Campaign

Image
  T he following list, constructed after many years of research, lists unit by unit which type of weapons were carried by the Army of the Cumberland during the Stones River campaign. A number of sources were consulted including state ordnance reports, Federal quarterly ordnance reports (thank you Research Arsenal ), Ken Baumann’s Arming the Suckers, regimental histories and memoirs, captured ordnance reports, and consultation with knowledgeable experts in the field of firearms. Some of this information has been shared on the blog before in “ Rosy’s Heavy Metal: Artillery of the Army of the Cumberland ” or “ Shoulder Arms: How Sheridan’s and Davis’s Divisions Were Armed at Stones River ” but this is the first time the army as a whole has been presented. The overall conclusion I drew from looking at this data is that the Army of the Cumberland in December 1862 was an organization in the midst of transformation as far as arms. Many of the regiments still retained their original issue
Read more

Cook & Brother of New Orleans

Image
    The lockplate of a New Orleans-made Cook & Brother Enfield rifle produced in 1862 shows the fine craftsmanship that became the hallmark of the maker throughout the Civil War. Note the stars and bars flag at left, an emblem used on C&B's production throughout the war and the Cook & Brother, N.O. 1862 markings. Earlier production weapons at New Orleans had the flag located just above the maker's name while later weapons produced in Athens, Georgia would have a modified flag and Athens on the plate followed by the serial number.        In the spring of 1861, two English-born businessmen, Ferdinand and Francis Cook of New Orleans, perceived the need for the South to have its own domestic production of firearms and  set out to prove "that rifles could made here as well as in Yankee land or in Europe." The brothers  elected to produce copies of the British Model 1853 .577 caliber Enfield rifle as this was considered the benchmark longarm at the outset of the
Read more

Revisiting Snodgrass Hill: Memories of a 21st Ohio Officer

Image
Captain Isaac Cusac, Co. G, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry proudly displaying his rank as captain in an image likely dating from early 1863. One of his shoulder straps was shot off in the final stages of the 21st Ohio's fight atop Snodgrass Hill on September 20, 1863. Cusac brought it back to Chickamauga 50 years later.  I n September 1913, 83-year-old Isaac Cusac, a retired Presbyterian minister from the little town of McComb, Ohio, returned to Chattanooga to attend the national G.A.R. encampment. The former captain of the 21 st Ohio returned to Snodgrass Hill on the old Chickamauga battlefield on the 50 th anniversary of the battle carrying with him a precious relic of his wartime experiences. “He carried with him there an epaulet that was shot from his shoulder at the battle,” it was reported. “The bullet clipped off the epaulet and then struck him on the left hand, injuring two fingers.”           The flood of memories as he walked the grounds must have been overwhelming. The f
Read more