Beschreibung
4to (8" x 12"), lightly lined sheets fastened together at top. 33 pp. of manuscript. A compelling brigade battlefield report composed in the immediate wake of the Battle of Port Gibson (Mississippi, 1 May '63), an assault that set the stage for Grant's pivotal siege of Vicksburg; the eight reports of Army of the Tennessee regiments and batteries chronicle extensive combat; the capture of Confederate colors; the taking of hundreds of rebel prisoners and guns; casualties, and more. Likely transcribed by a regimental brigade clerk, this fascinating document comprises highly detailed reports submitted by regimental and battery commanders with a prefatory brigade report by Brig. Gen. George F. McGinnis (1826-1910), Commander of the 1st Brig., 12th Div., 13th Army Corps of the Army of the Tennessee. Included here are the official reports for each of the following regimental battery commands: the 11th, 24th, 34th and 46th Indiana; the 2nd and 16th Ohio; and the 29th Wisconsin. All reports record combat and provide accounts of the participation of these regiments and batteries in the Battle of Port Gibson. Commanders whose companies endured serious casualties append lists of the killed and wounded, and often record the specific nature of injuries. The seven regimental reports were written by the following commanders: Col. Dan Macauley (11th Indiana Inf.); Col. Wm. J. Splicely (24th Ind. Inf. Vols.); Col. R. H. Cameron (34th Ind. Inf., AKA "Morton Rifles"); Col. Chas. R. Gill (29th Regiment Wis. Inf.); Capt. James A. Mitchell (16th Ohio Inf.); Col. Thos. H. Bringhims (46th Ind. Inf.); Lieut. Aug. Beach (2nd Ohio Bat.). The Battle of Port Gibson-in which the Union prevailed-was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi during Grant's Vicksburg Campaign. On 30 April '63, the Army of the Tennessee-composed of the 13th and 17th Corps-crossed the Mississippi River at Bruinsbur, some thirty miles south of Vicksburg. Grant sought to move east toward the capital at Jackson, Mississippi to prevent the Rebel Army (commanded by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston) from reinforcing Vicksburg. Port Gibson-ten miles east of Bruinsburg on the Bayou Pierre River-was the best route of approach and thus became the Union's primary target. Intense fighting broke out around midnight on 1 May when Union forces came upon Rebel Maj. Gen. John Bowen's men in the brush around Port Gibson. After a brief cessation, the battle continued again at dawn. The fighting continued for the majority of the day as multiple Confederate lines suffered under the weight of the Union assault. After a rebel counterattack was thwarted in the late afternoon the Confederate forces retreated for good. 131 of Grant's men were killed and 719 were wounded (of the 23,000 engaged); 60 Confederate men-including Gen. Edward Tracy-were killed and 340 were wounded of some 8,000 engaged. While Grant lost more men, his victory enabled his army to secure a foothold on Mississippi soil. In turn, Grant launched his campaign deeper into the interior of the state, and started moving his army inland and eastward towards Jackson without resistance. Revealing the Confederate's inability to defend the line of the Mississippi River, the Union victory forced the Confederate evacuation of Grand Gulf, precipitating the fall of Vicksburg. "Local lore has it that Union forces marching through Mississippi spared the town of Port Gibson from the torch because it was too beautiful to burn" (American Battlefield Trust). SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES: May 6 1863; Brig. Gen. George F. McGinnis "The balance of my brigade moved rapidly to the front, and were soon within range of a rebel battery, supported by a brigade of Infantry.a fearfully destructive fire was poured upon them that Col. Cameron, very properly, and with much coolness and judgment, halted his command and protected them from the enemy's fire behind the brow of the hill.the 11th Ind. which had been in reserve, moved to the front in double quick.the gunners and horses we. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 5491
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