4th Iowa Infantry History - Page 3

The Fourth then subsequently joined General Sherman's army in the movement down the Mississippi River, against Vicksburg, in which it bore a most conspicuous part. On December 28 and 29, 1862, it participated in the desperate fighting at Chickasaw Bayou, suffering severe loss, and duplicating its record of gallantry at Pea Ridge. To ease Sherman's task, Grant would continue his southward movement parallel to the Mississippi with the goal of diverting the attention of the Vicksburg defenders. Grant was distracted by problems and diverted his attention from Vicksburg to solve some family matters. Supposed "friends of the family" were using Grant's camp to black market items.

The Confederates were making extraordinary efforts to improve their defenses in the Vicksburg area. Jefferson Davis had sent Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, a southern-minded Pennsylvanian, to take charge of Confederate forces in Mississippi, and then had installed over him as commander in the West one of the South's premier officer, General Joseph E. Johnson. Pemberton conceived a double-barreled raid on the Federal rear. First, he ordered major General Earl Van Dorn to descend with his cavalry on Holly Springs and cut Grant's supply line as the Union general moved south.

While Van Dorn was attacking Holly Springs, Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest, an unorthodox but highly effective cavalry officer, was leading his Tennessee cavalry brigade against the Federals near Jackson, Tennessee. In a series of engagements he cut Grant's line of communications at a second point.

The two Confederate raids caught Grant in enemy territory without supplies and he had to hasten back to Memphis the way he had come. He sent word to Sherman that the two-pronged attack was no longer possible. Grant's communications lines were in such disarray that the message arrived too late to stop the waterborne assault.

Sherman and Porter were hoping to fall without warning upon the Vicksburg defenses. Sherman was to loose his element of surprise because a private planter who had installed his own telegraph line along west bank of the Mississippi north of Vicksburg. On Christmas Eve, the Confederates received warning that the Federal troops were moving on the Mississippi.

Brigadier General Stephen D. Lee received the warning. By the time Sherman's troops landed 12,000 Confederate men were waiting along the 10 mile ridge Chickasaw bluffs. Another 13,000 Confederate troops were on the way.

On the 20th of December, 1862, General W. T. Sherman was joined there by General Steele and his command. The army, which filled a hundred transports, then continued the journey to Milliken's Bend, about twenty-five miles above Vicksburg. On Christmas evening orders were issued for the fleet, next day, to attack Vicksburg. Grant's retreat had liberated the Confederate army, which had been gathered at Grenada to oppose his advance, and, unknown to Sherman, it had hastened to the defense of Vicksburg.

Vicksburg, it is well known, is on the bank of the Mississippi, about two miles below a sharp bend. The course of the river; in fact, forms a peninsula here, in front of Vicksburg some five or six miles long and about one mile wide. Opposite the point of this peninsula Chickasaw Bayou flows into the river. Its whole length is only about seven miles. It flows from the Yazoo, taking first a course not far from south, and having reached the vicinity of the line of bluffs about two miles from its source, follows their general direction toward Vicksburg. It is; however, some hundred yards from the base of the hills, which are about three hundred feet high, and extend in a general range as far as Haines' Bluffs. The Yazoo flows parallel to the bluffs for some five or six miles, and about four miles distant. The space intervening is, for the most part, low and swampy, abounding in lagoons, quicksands, and bayous.

Protected by abatis covering rifle pits, with the bluffs as strongly fortified as skill and slave labor combined could make them, the place was absolutely impregnable from assault, when defended by a large army. The mighty task which Sherman attempted was simply impossible, but somewhere in the long line he hoped to find a weak place where the army could force its way. The men were in excellent spirits and anxious to be led against the stronghold. Porter's gunboats were ready to render all possible assistance. The troops were landed along the Yazoo River on the 26th of December.

On account of the difficulties of landing, the debarkation of the army was not effected till near night. The lines extended along the river-bank about six miles, General A. J. Smith on the right, next to him General M. L. Smith, then Steele's division, next General Morgan, whose division on the evening of the 26th, held the extreme left of the line. On the morning of the 27th, General Steele embarked Thayer's and Hovey's brigades and went some two miles up the Yazoo, debarking some distance north of Chickasaw Bayou. On the 28th, he advanced toward the bluffs, and had some severe fighting. The only route by which he could approach the bluffs, was along a narrow causeway, raked from one end to the other by the artillery of the enemy. The First Iowa battery, Captain Griffiths, and Landgraber's battery opened on the rebels, and after a severe cannonading caused the abandonment of two of the enemy's batteries. Still the causeway was commanded by other artillery, supported by sharp-shooters, and the attempt to gain the bluffs by this route was abandoned. Steele reembarked on the night of the 28th, and on the next morning took position south of Chickasaw Bayou still holding the left of the line. Meantime, the other portions of the army had moved up to the bayou, fighting as they marched, and on the morning of the 29th were ready to cross and assault the enemy's works.

The position of the Union forces at this time was as follows: General Morgan on the south side of the bayou; on his immediate right, was General Blair's brigade; General M. L. Smith's division, now commanded by General David Stuart, General Smith having been severely wounded on the evening of the 28th, was on the right center; General A. J. Smith was moving up to the extreme right, and General Steele was coming up on the left. Several bridges had been constructed across the bayou beforenoon.

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