Northeast Ohio and the Civil War: Primary Source Manuscripts at Cleveland Public Library

Camp on Battle Field, April 13, 1862

Dear Mother:

I received your for the 18th ult., and would have answered it before this, if I had had time. But owing to being at work and on a march I could not do it.

We are now encamped on a part of the battle - ground of the 5th and 6th. I suppose you have read an account of the battle. Companies A and G were at Wanesboro, about 28 miles from this place, so, you see, we again escaped a considerable battle. We heard the cannon roar, and wished we were with our regiment. Eight companies of our regiment were in the fight, and they took a battery of seven guns. It was is the famous Washington

battery, that fought Sherman at Manassas. By order of Gen. Crittenden this inscription was put upon it -- taken by the 13th Reg't O. V. I. I cannot write the full particulars. You perhaps know them already, Gen. Grant will be general no more. He showed a lack of prudence in camping near an overwhelming force of the enemy.

Jarvis will give this letter to a man who is going to Ohio. As he is going to start tomorrow, and it being late, I will close, promising to write more in my next.

Direct to Mr Robert Allen 13th Reg't

16 1/2 ernest [???] commencement of the Vicksburg campaign, and promptly commenced began operations

The transports [??horseing??] under the protection of the Iron Clads impatiently waiting for an opportunety to land their human freight, on the first favourable occasion

Grand Gulf a fortified promontory at the mouth of Wolf river was the first [illegible] when all attempt was made, one of the outlying works intended for the protection of the Vicksburg, it was garrisoned by 10,000 of the cream of the enemys army under [??Borren].

The entire navy consisting of a dozen iron and tin clads participated in the attack. The vessels ran up under the guns of the water batteries and fired at close range receiving in return a fuselade that is terrifying to contemplate even at this remote late date to contemplate, The Tuscumbia was disabled by having her hog chains severed by a solid shot. The weight of her armament fore and aft, caused her stern and steam to drop in such a manner, that her engines refused to to work. While in this predicament and perilous position a shell entered one of her port holes and killed eleven of her crew. The Benton and Carondolet ran to her rescue, sustaining serious damage to themselves, but finally succeeded in towing her out of range

General Grant in a small tug was every where and

16 constructed were used by the entire army in getting below Vicksburg.

The navy was also very active on several occasions, during the time we were working inland dummy gun boats were improvised, constructed and towed into the current. They created consternation to the enemy and a realization of the pride, pomp and circumstances of glorious war, nothing could be more [sublime??] than the scene during the passage of one of the [illegible]. The river was illuminated by bon fires along the shore and every gun in the works of the enemy was was blazing away at the inoffensive coal barge, simply because it was painted black and had a couple of suguar hogs heads projecting above the semblence of a quarter deck.

This trick was played often that when the critical time arrived we were fully with full knowledge informed as of the position and power of their water patterns, most of the transports had pased, before the enemy realized that it was not another of those [illegible] tricks, Several of the steamers and some of gun boats suffered more from the effects of struck by shot and shell, but more of them more sunk as was expected would be the result when volunteers were asked for to man them, all the artillery and stores aboard the boats reached New Carthage the following day, and army and navy were again united for the real

3. passage, wondered, if you were dead or alive passage, will readilly realize the effect of the sudden turn of affairs when Stonewall Jackson fell upon us. like a thunder bolt sweeping our victorious army from the field.

When crazy Sherman asked for two hundred thousand men to defend Ky and Buell relieved him of the command I was at McCooks headquarters at Munfordsville, ^on Green River^ The winter was spent facing Buckner, with Terrys Texas Rangers (the naturaral enemiesof Wellicks dutch) in close proximity. The bodies of Zollicoffer and Bailey Peyton ^killed at Mill Springs^ were sent through the lines, Accompanying the flag of truce I had an opportunity see the enemy at short range

The fall of Donalson and Ft Henry and the surrender of Nashville, encouraged a forward movement and we reached Shiloh in time to participate in the second days fight.

It was said that Buell saved Grants army, it was our which was my impression at the Time, — Grant subsequently saved not only the army he commanded, but cared for, in a commendable way. Every army that was opposed to him and finally, when reduced by treachery and deception to absolute penury,

4. he refused to surrender, but and held at bay mans mortal enemy, until he had com pleted his lifes work and bequeathed a treasure to his country and a fortune to his family.

The seige of Corinth which followed Shiloh, has been a subject of much intelligent discussion, not only as to whether it was a siege at all but also as to who was the first to discover that the enemy had been gone several days, After taking the information of the probable evacuation from General Rousseau, to M^cCook the division commander, I rode to the Tischomingo hotel without meeting a soul until I arrived at the square; where men from the right were hoisting the national colors there on the flagstaff there.

Our march there after was through a country undisturbed by the ravages of war. The typical south, everyday was a revelation. The hospitality of the people to us their enemies was amazing.—True they were protected by the orders of the commanding general in an unusual way, no trespass was permitted, and vouchers were given for what it was necessary to take. The people were to be conciliated as a means of restoring the

5 union. The Fugative ^slave^ was to be returned to his master as though it was our especial business to perpetuate that the institution ^of slavery^ to the end of time. The policy creating the contraband and counter marches over the territory effaced all pleasing features, so that taken The returned Confederate later would with difficulty recognise the home of his childhood.

The march to Florance over the old Jackson trail, the picturesque camp on the shelving side of the river bluff—the place where Old Hickory slept while his army was crossing the Tennessee river on its way to New Orleans, were doubly interesting ^to me^ because ^it was where^ ^it was there that^ I said good bye to ^my^ companions to assume the duties of a recruiting officer in Cincinnati.

On the 2^d of September 1862 nine companies of the unorganized 83^d Ohio at Camp Dennison were ordered into Kentucky to oppose the advance of Kirby Smith with several regiments of volunteers and a battalion of the 13^th Infantry, an aggregation of militia squirrel hunters and companies of citizens of the Queen City who were to be unwilling workers with pick and spade

6 we felt we were in a great big mob and that The whole a grand farce ^I venture this^ not withstanding the serious^ness^ of the matter in a paper, recently submitted by that eminent General and auther Lew Wallace.

When the scare subsided and after the battles of Richmond and Perryville, A Brigade fully organized with regiments a thousand strong and twelve wagons to each marched through Lexington and Frankfort to Louisville under the command of Gen^l Burbridge and there embarked for Memphis to join the army operating against Vicksburg. A force of 2twenty thousand under Sherman left Memphis on the 20^th of December, in an expedition intended to co operate with Grants land forces, working in the rear by way of Holly Springs and Granada

Our first landing was in Louisana on Christmas day. The objective a bridge over the Tensas river, where the Vicksburg Shreveport and Alexandria railroad crosses that stream. Immense quantities of cotton was were stored all over the country and in the vicinity of the bridge, branded Confederate States of America and presumbed to be security for loans advanced by the English to aid the rebellion The bridge flanked by

7. pyramids of that precious commodity loomed up against the sky in grand proportions ^as we approached^ The torch was relentlessly applied and Englands security went up in smoke and the railroad was permantently disabled. We returned to our transports the same night and the following morning steamed into Yazoo river with a convoy of several iron clads. The country between the Chickasaw ridge on which Vicksburg is situated and the Yazoo river, is low and swampy and is intersected with bayous, the largest near the base of the bluff, forming a natural ditch for the fortifications. one or two fords were found but were well defended by the earthworks that extended along the face of the almost perpendicular bluff.

Rain continued with little intermission during the five days that were spent in attempts to make a lodgment on the enemys side of the bayou, over pontoons that were thrown across it. Heavy guns requiring twenty oxen to draw them over the corderoy roads constructed for the purpose, were placed in position, The first attack was made by the troops

8. of Gen^l George W Morgans command followed by those of Morgan [W?] Smith The gunboats fired continuous, but the intervening woods interfered with the effectiveness of their fire aim and endangered the lives of our men, by shells striking and exployding ^in^ the trees above their heads.

The shrill whistle of the locomotive and exultant cheers as the trains arrived, indicated that re enforcements were constantly arriving coming

The earthworks along the face of the bluff werewas outlined in the mist. by flame a blaze along its entire length ^by a blaze of flame^ The attacking parties in column of company were literally swept from the bridges and the few who succeeded in getting accross, were shot down in attempting to fall back. The disabled were digging in the sand some with bayonet others with only their hands, to protect them selves:—^the dead were piled in rows like cord wood^ all in full view of those who were to follow. Information of the The destruction of Grants depot of supplies of Holly Springs by Van Dorns cavalry, reached Sherman, who determined to withdraw. The skillful work of the many in covering the retreat enabled Sherman him

[left margin in pencil] My recollections of the hollidays spent in the Yazoo swamps will never be effaced and are incomparable with any subsequent experience during the remainder of our campaign