Vicksburg by Samuel W. Mitcham

Author:Samuel W. Mitcham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Regnery History

CHAPTER XIV

INTO VICKSBURG

The fortification of Vicksburg had been going on for some time. It started under Earl Van Dorn in the summer of 1862, but picked up under Pemberton. According to his chief of staff, Major Robert Memminger, “the engineering skill of the commander and his fertility and expedients were conspicuously displayed.” This is no doubt true, but John Pemberton had a huge amount of help. In fact, generally speaking, the skills of the military engineers on both sides exceeded those of their army commanders—often by a wide margin. In Vicksburg, Pemberton had Major Samuel Lockett, an engineering genius, and Martin Luther Smith, a decent division commander but a great military engineer.1 Pemberton placed him in charge of developing a line of defense. It included a system of detached works (redans, lunettes, banquettes and redoubts) on the most prominent features and key locations. They were connected by rifle pits (now called trenches), and there were platforms for the artillery. Parts of it were protected by abatis of fallen trees with sharp stakes pointing toward the enemy. Trees were cut and houses burned to give the Rebel infantry a clear field of fire.

On Sunday, May 17, the ladies of Vicksburg were dressing for church when they heard the sounds of artillery. Startled, some of them sought an officer, who informed them that those were Confederate guns. They were firing at Yankees on the Louisiana side of the river, who were burning houses there. Thus reassured, Mrs. Loughborough, the wife of Major James M. Loughborough, a Confederate staff officer, and her friends, went to the Methodist Church.2 Here she received another indication of the closeness of the war. Her pastor was not there. He had left to tend the wounded and dying on the battlefield. She received an uplifting sermon from a refugee, “a plain man, of simple, fervent words.” When she and her friend emerged, they saw their first demoralized Confederates.

That Sunday, the defeated Army of Mississippi began pouring into Vicksburg. They were accompanied by hundreds of cattle, sheep, goats and hogs. Foreseeing a siege, Pemberton ordered his men to drive the local livestock into the city. He instructed his men to commandeer every available wagon, cart and buggy to collect corn, rice, and peas, and bring them into the fortress.

Many of the men entering Vicksburg were demoralized stragglers. One soldier found the streets “thronged with stragglers, and several hundred slightly wounded men seeking food and hospitalization. No sentries, no order . . . the army came drifting in, footsore, tired, hungry and dispirited.” Emma Balfour recorded that “Nothing like order prevailed.”

“I shall never forget the woeful sight of a beaten, demoralized army that came rushing back,—humanity in the last throes of endurance,” Dora Miller recalled. “Worn, hollow-eyed, ragged, footsore, bloody, the men limped along unarmed, but followed by siege guns, ambulances, gun carriages, and wagons in aimless confusion.”

“What can be the matter?” the ladies from the Methodist Church cried, as the streets were full of vanquished men.

The men passed them without saying a word.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.