A Summer Sojourn in Mississippi: Taking Jackson with the 45th Pennsylvania

By the end of the Civil War, the 45th Pennsylvania could point to a war record that marked them as one of the most traveled regiments in the U.S. Army. Organized at Camp Curtin near Harrisburg in October 1861, the regiment was assigned to first to duty on the South Carolina coast, fighting at James Island and Secessionville in June 1862. Transported north to join General John Pope’s Army of Virginia shortly thereafter, the regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac and fought at both South Mountain and Antietam in September and later at Fredericksburg in December.

          The following spring, the 9th Corps was dispatched to the western theater, first to Kentucky, and shortly thereafter to the Mississippi River to support Grant’s campaign against Vicksburg. Our correspondent, a soldier in Co. I labeling himself as “Young America,” picks up the story in mid-June 1863 at Memphis, Tennessee as the Pennsylvanians are about to depart for Vicksburg. This letter first appeared in the August 26, 1863, edition of the Wellsboro Agitator.

          Following the regiment’s two month summer sojourn in Mississippi, it steamed back to Kentucky to take part in Burnside’s east Tennessee campaign before rejoining the Army of the Potomac in the spring of 1864 to take part in the Overland Campaign and siege of Petersburg.

 


Camp near Milldale, Mississippi

August 3, 1863

Friend Agitator,

          If in writing this letter I can give your readers a tolerable idea of our Mississippi campaign and the country, climate, etc. of this desolate portion of the Southern Confederacy by the statement of plain, simple facts, my object shall have been accomplished.

          The transport Sallie List, on board of which my last was written, left Memphis at 5:30 a.m. on June 17, 1863. Rumors from reliable sources were in circulation that the boats having on board the remainder of our brigade had been fired into by guerillas on their passage down the Mississippi. We, of course, had reason to expect no better treatment from these sneaking bushwhackers who to this day swarm along the banks of that river. A couple of gunboats accompanied us through the most dangerous places, however, had the desired effect of scaring the cowards away and our journey from Memphis to Young’s Point was performed peaceably and without incident. We made the latter place at 9 a.m. on June 19.

          After a couple hours of delay, we entered the mouth of the Yazoo River and after about three hours ride on that beautiful stream finally landed at Snyder’s Bluff at 3 p.m. The waters of the Yazoo, unlike those of the Mississippi, are clear and transparent. Transports are constantly hovering along the principal landings, unloading troops or awaiting orders. I counted no less than 30. Snyder’s Bluff had been well-fortified by the Rebels as the formidable works on the heights along with the immense, numerous, and now dismantled guns bearing on the river amply testified to. Working parties were busy fortifying the position, planting cannons on the heights and digging rifle pits to protect the rear.

          After marching four miles through a scorching sun and over hills and gullies innumerable, we joined our brigade with the remainder of the First and Second Divisions of our corps stationed about 11 miles in rear of Vicksburg. We were attached to that part of the army of Mississippi stationed to defend General Grant’s rear while the siege of Vicksburg was in progress. Our time was taken principally in digging breastworks, rifles pits, felling timber, and otherwise fortifying the naturally strong position we occupied, always holding ourselves in readiness to meet any attack which Johnston might attempt to make from the Big Black [River] where he was said to be concentrating a large army for the relief of the defeated and discomfited Pemberton.

It is perhaps ironic that the "defeated and discomfited Pemberton" mentioned by our Pennsylvania correspondent was a native Pennsylvanian!

          We found the climate so much warmer than what we had been accustomed to that even moderate exercise in digging or chopping became very laborious and we were glad when the order came to lay down our picks and shovels and shoulder our muskets. Another mortifying difficulty with which we have had to contend with is the scarcity of water in these parts. The inhabitants derive their supply principally from cisterns which at best furnish an inferior quantity of that necessary beverage and we are glad to go a mile or two to get spring water which is better. The surface of the country for miles around Vicksburg consists of a succession of gullies, hills, chasms, etc., rendering the ground admirably fitted for defensive military operations.

          Immense fields of corn are the only article cultivated to any extent between the Yazoo and Big Black. Our army is making as good use of it as possible, the stalks making good forage for horses and mules while the green ears enter largely into the soldiers’ diet. Various kinds of fruit grow in abundance such as plums, peaches, pears, apples, and berries. On our arrival into the state, we found plenty of ripe blackberries and plums. The season for them has passed, peaches, pears, apples, and green corn have taken their places in the soldier’s mess. It is almost impossible to get ripe fruit of any kind without going a great distance as the soldiers pick faster than nature can ripen it. To use the language of a Southern lady who has the misfortune of being in too close proximity to our camp- “We’ll have to wait until the day after the war before we get another ripe peach.”

          During the siege of Vicksburg, cannonading and musketry could be constantly heard from our camp. So much has been said about the place and its fortifications that I deem it superfluous for me to say anything about them, though I had the good fortune of spending half a day behind Grant’s inner line of fortifications, firing a few shots at what I imagined to be a Rebel head projecting above the hostile pits, getting a peep at the city situated about a mile and a half from Grant’s line. The fortifications of the two armies were in places so near that the enemy often effectually threw clubs into our fortifications while hand grenades were freely used. Our sharpshooters fired constantly while the enemy kept remarkably silent, reserving their ammunition for close work.

"Hand grenades were freely used." 

          On the morning of the 4th of July, the firing suddenly ceased. During the afternoon we received the long expected and cheering intelligence that Vicksburg had surrendered unconditionally to General Grant, thus adding new luster to that already memorable day. Almost simultaneously with the reception of the new confirming the fall of Vicksburg, we received marching orders. All, or nearly all, guessed where we were going- in pursuit of Johnston.

          General Sherman, commanding the expedition, lost no time after the surrender of Vicksburg in pursuing Johnston with the utmost vigor, but the wily Rebel was not long in receiving the ominous intelligence and knowing that his crippled and demoralized army of 30,000 could not stand before our victorious columns, immediately commenced his retreat from the Big Black, making directly for Jackson which he had previously fortified to fall back on.

          On the 6th we arrived on the western bank of the Big Black, a turbid, muddy stream about 30 yards wide. Flowing from its banks in copious streams we found some excellent springs of pure, clear water, the best yet found by us in the state. A few pickets yet remained on the opposite bank, however, who skedaddled during the night. At 2 p.m. on July 7, bridges having been thrown across the river, we crossed and continued our march until 9 p.m. then encamped for the night. We should doubtless have marched much further than night had it not been for a terrific thunderstorm which not only completely drenched us to the skin, but the darkness, only broken by the lurid lightning, became so great that it was impossible to proceed further. During the storm, several soldiers were struck by lightning and killed.

Major General William T. Sherman 

          Next day, our march was resumed and continued with all possible vigor until Friday at 4 p.m. when we came upon the enemy near the State Lunatic Asylum, one and a half miles from the city of Jackson. At 4:30 p.m. on July 10, our regiment was deployed as skirmishers and ordered to advance, supported by our division commanded by General [Thomas] Welsh in line of battle. [Welsh would die of disease contracted in this campaign scarcely a month later.-Ed] Between us and the enemy’s line was the railroad and one of those large fields of corn for which this part of the state is celebrated. The line of the enemy, which proved to be cavalry, stood firm until considering discretion the better part of valor and took to the woods nearby.

On we went after them through the woods expecting every moment to run upon them. It was nearly dark and yet no enemy had been found to dispute our progress when the right of our line came upon the enemy’s pickets. Having discovered his position we were ordered to right wheel which brought us face to face with the foe. At 10 p.m., we lay down on our arms and slept until morning within about 100 yards of the enemy’s pickets.

Next morning at early dawn we were ordered to advance. We were just ascending the brow of a hill when a volley of musketry and the ominous sound of whistling bullets warned us to lay low. We returned the compliment and firing soon became general along the lines. The enemy’s skirmishers had the advantage of us being under cover of woods while we were exposed in the open field. The weather being extremely hot, rendered our position still more uncomfortable. After skirmishing until 11 a.m. and expending all our ammunition while driving the enemy into his rifle pits, we were relieved by the 36th Massachusetts. The great wonder among others was how we had occupied so exposed a position and sustained no great loss. Every man did his duty and among the killed are some of our best men.

 

“We drove them within three-fourths of a mile of Jackson when they having the advantage of the ground made a stand. Here, I am sorry to say, James Naval of Co. I was killed being shot through the neck. Edwin Carvey and Cornelius Saxbury bravely went to bring him off when Carvey was shot through the knee, but made out to crawl away. Captain William Chase of Co. I was struck on the shoulder with a ball which tore his sardine box all to pieces and bruised his shoulder. One or two men were sun struck and all were nearly famished and exhausted, having been in the hot sun so long. It nearly finished me. I have been quite sick since. Our regiment lost about 10-12 killed and wounded; the 2nd Michigan, on our left as skirmishers, lost about 70. The reason our loss was so light is our boys know how to skirmish.” ~ Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Hill, 45th Pennsylvania

 

It seemingly not being the intention of our generals to bring on a general engagement, none but skirmishers with proper support were thrown forward. Firing with musketry and artillery on both sides was constant and sometimes quite brisk. Several solid shots passed through the upper story of the Asylum to the bewilderment and consternation of its numerous, unfortunate inmates. On Sunday morning, we were relieved from duty at the immediate front by the Second Division of our corps. Sunday afternoon was comparatively quiet.

On Monday morning the ball opened briskly on both sides and continued throughout the day. At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, a heavy detail of our regiment was sent to the front. For 24 hours we lay in reserve, the next 24 hours were spent in the rifle pits dug for the protection of our skirmishers, our only duty being to hold our position while Sherman maneuvered around the city should Johnston give him time. On Wednesday afternoon the Rebels sent over a flag of truce asking for a cessation of hostilities for a few hours in order to bury their dead. On Thursday another flag of truce came over- both were accepted. The enemy made several desperate charges on our right and were repulsed with great slaughter. Thursday morning, we were relieved and took no further part in the conflict. Thursday afternoon was unusually still and Friday morning all was quiet.

Brigadier General Thomas Welsh
Former colonel of the 45th Pennsylvania
Died of malarial fever
August 14, 1863 at Cincinnati, O.

News soon spread through camp that Jackson was evacuated; the prey had flown. The Second Division of our corps under General [Robert Brown] Potter was the first to enter the town. We took about 300 prisoners, some voluntarily giving themselves up while many were found napping about the houses or in the woods nearby. On being questioned, all agreed in saying that Johnston’s army consists of about 30,000 men, mostly conscripts, but that he could not muster more than 20,000 effective, reliable men. Our cavalry was sent in pursuit to harass his rear and, if possible, completely rout him before he can make a stand. He is by this time out of the state, leaving the great Mississippi Valley clear of all the enemies of the U.S.

          The fortifications around Jackson were formidable as far as they went, there being but one line and that immediately around the town. The houses are nearly all deserted except here and there by a faithful Negro. Many of the houses were ransacked by the soldiers and much property carried away or destroyed. Since then, the city has been nearly all destroyed and railroad communication all cut. After assisting in cutting the railroad, our corps being relieved from further duty in this department, was marched to our old camp at the rear of Vicksburg where we are awaiting transportation to convey us to our new field of action.

Sources:

Letter from Young America, Co. I, 45th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Wellsboro Agitator (Pennsylvania), August 26, 1863, pgs. 1-2

Letter from Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Hill, 45th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Wellsboro Agitator (Pennsylvania), August 5, 1863, pg. 3


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