| |
us with anything but pleasant sensations. We ascertained the
following to be the position of affairs, on Saturday evening the
14th, which satisfied us that either the enemy would surrender
next morning or we have some hard fighting, and the Seventy-Eighth
Ohio Regiment have probably a very rough invitation.
The rebel position was a strong one.
The water batteries had been successful in so far injuring the
gunboats, that they could not be of any more service for several
days. The place must be taken by a land force. The rebel defenses
were strongly protected by a line of rifle-pits, and these protected
in turn by fallen trees and brush, making almost impassable obstructions.
The main fort was in the rear, and occupied a position on a high
ridge, which commanded the country for miles in the sweep of its
common range. The rebel General Floyd was in command of the works,
and next in rank were Generals Pillow and Buckner. General U.
S. Grant was in command of the Federal army, which consisted of
three divisions. General McClernand's Division on the right,
General Smith's on the left, and General Lew Wallace's in the
center.
General Grant established his lines on Friday, parallel
with the rebel line of works, and completely enclosed them. On
this day some hard fighting took place on our right and center.
General Wallace made an attack upon a strong rebel position,
but without much success. The gunboats, under command of Admiral
Foote, did some very severe fighting, losing fifty-four men, killed
and wounded, and was himself severely wounded in the foot. The
Admiral, seeing his boats doing fine execution, thought he was
about being successful in silencing the rebel batteries commanding
the river, but at that moment a shot disabled one boat, and the
other was so badly injured that it was compelled to float down
stream to get out of range of the enemy's guns. That Friday night
was one of great suffering and hardship to the troops, who slept
without tents or fire, and within rifle shot of the enemy's works.
The night was dark, and soon a cold heavy rain began to fall,
and finally turned into sleet and snow, with fierce tempests of
wintry wind. Occasionally the sharp crack of the pickets' rifle
was heard over the sound of the agitated forest, and bending and
breaking trees. In this cold, pelting storm the men lay without
a murmur, upon their arms, ready for the terrible storm of the
next day's conflict. * * *
* General Grant having the enemy closely invested,
determined to hold them in their position, and storm them into
a surrender, but the rebel Floyd, fearing this same thing, decided
that he would, the next morning, concentrate his forces upon General
McClernand, who held our right, and cut his way out and escape
towards Nashville. This caused the most terrible fighting on
Saturday, and well nigh did Floyd accomplish his plan. The day
was damp and cold; at dawn of day the soldiers rose from their
wintry resting place, and soon were standing shivering in their
ranks, but cold frost and snow were soon forgotten, and unfelt,
as the heavy roar of the enemy's guns, and the rapid musketry
firing broke the morning's stillness. The battle-field was made
up of hills and ravines, all covered with dense forest. On every
commanding eminence artillery was placed, which belched forth
shot and shell into our lines below. Through the dense woods
the battle surged backward and forward, till our advance regiments
on the right, overpowered by overwhelming numbers, gave way, and
were driven back from their first position. At one time the enemy
threatened to sweep the entire battle-field, and even broke through
McClernand's lines. M'Callister's Battery of four twenty-four
pounders, which had poured so much death into the rebel ranks,
could do nothing more to prevent the advance of the enemy. Captain
M'Callister had fired away his last
| |