Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

THE LIFE OF OUR SISTER 281
in from the surrounding country. We pushed on toward
Vickshurg, and on May i6tli foiif^ht the great battle of Champion
Mills, which virtually decided the fate of Vicksburg.
"We were awakened about five o'clock in the morning of
May i6th and ordered to cook our breakfasts and get ready for
battle. I had nothing but some coflee which I had saved. I
boiled about a pint of it and drank it down and set out on that
march of eight miles, where the battle commenced about ten
o'clock. We fought all that day, and my company stood
battle picket all night. The enemy fell back during the night
to Black River bridge, a distance of about eight miles, and as
soon as it was daylight we marched that eight miles and fought
the battle there, which lasted about two hours, all before we
got anything to eat. We then had issued to us a pint of corn
meal, ground up cob and all.
"On May 19th we drove the rebels into their fortifications
at Vicksburg, and on May 22d we attempted to storm their
works. This was the most desperate battle of the campaign
up to that time. At daylight our army opened upon the rebel
works with some one hundred and fifty pieces of artillery,
and the rebels replied with about an equal number. This
duel lasted until ten o'clock that morning, when our whole
army of 30,000 men moved on the rebel fortifications, our
artillery firing over our heads to confuse the rebel aim. The
sight was most magnificent and imposing. We rushed to the
assault with great impetuosity, knowing as we did that our
greatest safety lay in getting into the works as soon as possible,
having it over with rather than being shot down on the outside.
"Our division attempted to storm the fort on what was
known as the Baldwin's Ferry Road. When we reached the
fort we found it surrounded by a deep ditch we could not
cross. We were compelled to remain there until about four
o'clock, when we fell back to our old position. The rebel
general, in making his official report, said that when the fight
was over the field looked as though the Yankee dead lay so
thick you might nearly step from one dead body to another
over about an acre of ground. The siege lasted until almost
the Fourth of July, with only desultory skirmishes.