4th Iowa Infantry History - Page 7

June 22nd saw the enemy try to break at night about 9 o'clock on the left and were driven back with a loss of 500 men. Joe Johnston was reported on the west side of Black River with 40,000 men to raise the siege; and relieve Vicksburg, 20,000 troops were sent out to meet and drive him back. However, on June 24th, the enemy appeared uneasy and as if fixing some way to get out of "their precarious situation". Quite a severe was fire kept up on the enemy all day; the enemy returned the fire rapidly on the river bank to keep the regiment from fortifying at that place. June 25th saw one of the enemies forts blown up by troops in McPherson's Corps who undermined it and put 6 barrels of powder under, which was ignited, tearing the fort to pieces after which there was opened a terrific fire from the artillery which was followed by a charge of the infantry on the works, but the charge was unsuccessful, there was a desperate fight on the left. On June 26th, occured heavy fighting on the center of the demolished fort, federal forces fought by reliefs, two regiments on the firing line for about two hours and off the line for about six. The rebels held one side of the fort and the federals the other; the fighting was very desperate, yet the loss on the federal side was quite light. The rebels were driven away from their demolished fort at about 9 o'clock at night, and federal troops occupied it. Federal gunboats engage the batteries in front on the 27th. In the evening the firing was very heavy for three hours. June 28th saw very little firing, "the Sabbath appears to be strictly observed." The regiment chaplain preached at 3:30 under the shade trees. June 29th, the rebels opened a heavy artillery fire on the rifle pits held by the 9th Iowa, killing one and wounding another man of that regiment at a point only 20 feet from the rebel stockades near their works at the top of the hill, but a shell or two from the federal batteries soon silenced the enemies guns. On June 30th, the rebels came out with a flag of truce for the object of passing out a British subject, a woman, but Grant refused to pass her out. "The rebs say they are preparing to celebrate the 4th of July in Vicksburg."

The next month opened very differently. The enemy's fire was very weak, except their reply to federal batteries on the point opposite Vicksburg. On July 2nd, the enemy tried to drive back federal General Logan's division, but were severely repulsed. The next day a flag of truce came out of Vicksburg. Very little firing occured along the line except at the water batteries, which kept up a vigorous fire upon federal mortars all day. The next day dawned a new. All firing was ordered to be stopped; the enemy proposed terms of surrender. The enemy fired a salute of 13 guns at sunrise; the northerners responded with 34 guns, both sides firing blank cartridges. Confederate General Pemberton surrendered at ten thirty, and Grant’s army took 32,000 prisoners, 150 pieces of artillery. This was a glorious 4th to Grant's Army. During the siege the regiment lost in killed and wounded about eighty men.

Following report was written by J. A. WILLIAMSON, Colonel, Commanding 4th Iowa Infantry.

"HEADQUARTERS FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY
Battle-field near Vicksburg, Miss., Dec. 30, 1862

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken in the battle before Vicksburg on the 28th and 29th instant by the 4th Iowa Infantry.

Early on the morning of the 28th I took the position assigned me on the right of the brigade. In obedience to the orders of the general commanding the brigade, I detailed 30 men from my regiment, under command of 1stLt. E. C. Miller of Company G, to act as pioneers and skirmishers. Of these 30 men one was killed and five wounded during the day. The regiment remained in position on the right of the brigade all day, at intervals under the fire of the enemy s artillery, without becoming generally engaged. Late in the evening the regiment fell back with the brigade to the transports and reembarked during the night and moved down the river two or three miles.

At daylight on the 29th the regiment again debarked and took the advance of the brigade, marching about two miles, to a point near where Gen. Morgan's division was engaging the enemy. At this point the regiment was commanded to halt, where it re mained until about 3.30 o'clock, when I received orders from the general commanding the brigade to charge the enemy's intrenchments, about one-half mile distant, near the base of the hill. There is near the base of the hill a slough, or, more properly, a swamp, which could only be crossed at one place (a narrow causeway which had been constructed), and at that only by the flank of the regiment. As the head of the column emerged from the crossing it became exposed to a terrific fire of musketry from the intrenchments in front and also to a fire from the enemy's batteries on the right and left flanks. These batteries were so situated as to perfectly command this point. After effecting the crossing the head of the column filed right, the left coming forward into line, the right resting on and inside (the side next the enemy) of a strong abatis, which had been formed by the enemy for his own protection. Here I was informed by the general commanding the brigade that contrary to his orders the regiment was not supported by others, and that I should hold the position I then had until he could ascertain if support was coming, providing I could do so, leaving me to judge of that matter for myself. I held the position about thirty minutes under a fire which cannot be described. At the end of this time, seeing that I had no support and that none was coming; that my regiment was the only one on the field; that my officers and men were suffering dreadfully from a fire which could not be returned effectively, I gave the order to fall back, which was accomplished in good order though with great loss. The regiment went into this action with 480 men and officers of whom 112 were killed and wounded.

Among the killed was Lt. E. O. Miller of Company G, who had command of the 30 men on the 28th. No braver officer has fallen in his country's cause. Under any circumstances the loss of so many brave men is a matter to be deeply deplored, but in this instance it is doubly painful, as no advantage commensurate with the loss was obtained. The officers and men of the regiment join me in tendering the general commanding the brigade our earnest, heartfelt thanks, both for the part he took in the charge, going as he did at the head of the column, and for the manner in which he spoke of the action of the regiment in the field.

It would be invidious to speak of individual acts of bravery, as all did well. Every officer and man did his whole duty and regretted that he could do no more."

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