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| Map of Vicksburg showing the river front and the positions of the Union and Confederate lines in the rear. |
When I awoke this morning I offered thanks to God that my
life had been spared thus far. We slept on our arms—something unusual. This day
has been busily spent in making cautious advances toward the works of the
enemy, and, although our progress seems to have been very little, we are
content to approach step by step, for the task is difficult and dangerous.
Bullets are flying over our heads, and it is quite common to see the boys
trying to dodge them. A few have succeeded in stopping these bullets, but they
had to leave at once for the hospital. A blanket displayed by its owner was
called a map of the confederacy, on account of the holes in it made by bullets
at Raymond and Champion Hills. It is good enough yet for warmth, but will not
do to hold water. We are ragged and dirty, for we have had no change of clothes
for over a month. But we have the promise of new suits soon. If we were to
enter Vicksburg to-morrow, some of our nice young fellows would feel ashamed to
march before the young ladies there. We can see the court house in the city
with a confederate flag floating over it. What fun it will be to take that
down, and hoist in its stead the old stars and stripes. Then yonder is the
Mississippi river again; we want to jump into that once more and have a good
bath. The hills back of Vicksburg, and in fact all round the city seem quite
steep and barren, and to run in parallels, affording our troops good shelter
from batteries and secret approaches. It is upon these hills opposite the town
that our tents are pitched. We must cut back into the hills to escape the
shower of bullets, for we like to feel secure, when asleep or off duty. A great
many of the balls that come over are what are called "spent," that
is, have not force enough left to do any harm. We do not feel quite as safe awake
or asleep as we did before we got so near the city. However, we manage to sleep
pretty much unconcerned as to danger. Our regiment is detailed to watch at the
rifle pits in front to-night.
SOURCE: Osborn Hamiline Oldroyd, A Soldier's Story
of the Siege of Vicksburg, p. 29-30
