Logan's Division, to which we belonged, embarked on
transports, that had passed the batteries at Vicksburg and Grand Gulf, last
night, about two miles below the latter place, where we had marched down the
Louisiana levee to meet the boats. Crossing the Mississippi river, we landed at
Bruinsburg, and left that place this forenoon at 10 o'clock, marching twelve
miles over dusty roads and through a hilly and broken country.
Although the
boys were tired, their minds were diverted with the scenery of a new State.
After crossing the great Mississippi, we bade farewell to Louisiana and its
alligators, and are now inhaling the fragrance and delightful odors of
Mississippi flowers. Arriving near Port Gibson about dark, found that the
advance of McClernand’s corps had defeated the enemy, who had marched out from
Vicksburg to check our army. The fight was quite spirited, and the rebels hotly
and bravely contested every foot of ground, but they were overpowered, as they
will be in every engagement they have with us. Having only two days’ rations in
our haversacks, guess we will have to eat rather sparingly of them, for our
wagon train is not on the road. Should rations run short, we will have to
forage off the country; but even the supplies from that source will not feed
Grant's large army. We were well satisfied, however, that the stars and stripes
were victorious, in this battle, without our assistance. We did not smell the
battle afar off, but heard cannonading through the day, and fully expected to
take a hand in it. When we stopped, as we supposed, for the night, our Colonel
drew the regiment into line, and said Gen. McPherson had asked him if his regiment
was too wearied to follow the retreating enemy. When the question was put to
the men, every one wanted to go, and started on the trail with the swiftness of
fresh troops, marching as rapidly as possible until 10 o'clock, then camped in
a ravine for the night. During this rapid movement, we did some skirmishing.
The Confederate army had retreated, and we made the tail of it fly over the
road pretty lively.
“The battle wa?
fought, and the victory won;
Three cheers for the
Union! the work was well done.”
 |
| Porter's Gun-boats in front of Grand Gulf. |
SOURCE: Osborn Hamiline Oldroyd, A Soldier's Story of the Siege of Vicksburg, p. 3-4
