The New York Herald Newspaper, January 15, 1863, Page 1

4 . i ‘ “ o q Since my last ie “per, OF alittle bolow, as wil! b ‘gradually to the Big Black WHOLE NO. 9619. The Enemy’s Works an Their Strength. Our Advance Under Cover of a Furious Cannonade from A TERRIBLE ‘STRUGGLE, Twe Batteries of Nine Guns Cap- tared by General Steele. Whe Gallant Charges Made by the Union Troops. Gite - One Half of the Fifty-fourth’ Ohio Vo- Tunteers Destroyed in One Fight. , ' "THE WAY COL. WYMAN MET HIS DEATH, Rebel Negro Sharpshooters and Their Daring. Operations ef the Ram Lioness and er Gallant Commander. The Withdrawalof Our Army and Navy. , Attempt of the Rebels to Block- ade the Mississippi. he Death of Commander Gwin, of | the Gunboat Benton. Wzat Ren We give this morning one of our special reposts of the operations on Vicksburg, with a map of the @ebel positions and defences. Another report from another correspondent will be given to-mor- wow if possible. These descriptions will enable ‘the public to fully comprebend the extent of the failure of our forces at that important point. THE GRAND BATTLE. —~——- Our Army Correspondence. Yazoo River, Miss., Dec. 30, 1562, communication tho progress of ‘events ero has been decidedly slow, and all our operations of an exceedingly desultory character. OUR FORCES READY TO ATTACK THE ENEMY. ‘Our forces have been‘ put in position and are now ready fo attack the enemy iu their strongholds. he effort to pdtain these positions has been fraught with groat dif, ficulties at every step, and skirmishing of a light nature Jbas been constan: Jous points along the lines. Gee raat te Postion. The diagram I send you with this will disclose to you BB HAS DONE, Ree, ae. the exceedingly strong character of the enemy’s ar Oo, o-< 08e of The advance of our lines to a close the enemy has ebown us tha! are equally @s strong in their rear as in their front. Nature has furnished them the groundwork for impreguable fMlofence, and, anticipating our movemouts with a ehrewduees that does them credit, they have thrown up fortifications, dug rifle pits and plautod batteries in their rear to such an extent as t) rendcur the attempt to fank, them most hazardous and desperaty. At Vickeburg py seen by the diagran Diaffs upon which the city is partinily built take, rigo, These bluff exteud in a worth northoaster ry 4 tion from the point below Vicksburg, where “oy Aheir rise, to Haines’ Bluffs, on the Yazoo Teor, a distance Of tweive or fifteen miles, and aro for’ oq throughout their entiro length. Tho blullw front 4.6 4 ieejvs: tuke ippi and the Yazoo rivers, ah a8 | abrupt or precip! ascent. Back Of Wem the ground {s High and broken, sOmeW poy roiling, falling off . fiver, The only land approach Yo Vicksburg from UP ese wisnissippl ts by ellwnbing the feco of these biaffs. pee yezo0 RIVA, ‘which finds it*, gay mto the Mississippi sbout ten mi'er WHEW Viclebung, through what is known as ow —# sppesed once to bave been the maiv channel of lasisemppi—is crooked and narrow, very deop, end ‘ha’s Wut Ittle current, Its general course, as it approaches | 18 cacuth, ts from northeast to southwest. Following !ts Peimdiogs from ite mouth, we pass aloug the face of (he ange of bluffs above alluded to, being, at the junction 0; ‘tho Yaz00 proper with Old river, about six miles from | them, and gradually approach ipg them, until, at Haines’ | or Drumgoold’s Biufis, they are} calied on ome maps, {Be river and biults come together. This poin fs nine miles from Vicksburg by the roads lowing | along the foot of the bluffe—shown in the diagram—and twenty three miles from the Mississippi, by the course o¢ the Yazoo river, We thus have a piece of triangular bot tom Jand east of the Yazoo river, nice miles in length on ome sido, six on the other, the third side being irregular, hough being, if straight, about the same length as the ret side, Upon this triangle our troops are disembarked, ‘with tho purpose of getting in the rear of Vicksburg and gaining that position by such a movement. BATOUS OF THE RIVER, From the Yazoo, above ite junction with Old river, and rs the upper half of the distance to Haines’ Blutt, wo set in to this triangular piece @ bottom land. As they approach the base of the Dla they intersect a third that leads along nearly parallel with the base of the hills, diverging from them @8 it approaches Its outlet into the Miseiseippl, at which point it is about one mile from them. THR PLAIN AND REDRL AnsTuM Behind this latter bayou, and between it and tho butte, {ea plain, the timber upon which bas bees felled to foam ‘em abatis. This plain is cut up by deep gullies, which farnish admirable shelter to tho abarpshooters of th® enemy, and are fully appreciated by tem. Along the rebels have dug rife pite, which are also defen ingle gup datteriog, stationed in the face of the Pui at A A A—Pontoon bridges. short {ntervals from Vicksburg to Milldale, half » mile below Haines’ Plufle, where all their works ter | minate. In addition to these batteries they baye (thrown up at varieus commanding pointe along the range, both im its face and upon the sum- mit, field works for the reception and protection of light artillery, whenever {t may be needed, No effort seoms to bave been spared to furnish shelter to their men, and the Intention seems apparent to require them to ight in ‘no eveot, when it can be avoided, out of cover. TUM APPROACH TO THE REBEL WoRKS Te approach the enemy’s position from any point oa the Yazoo river, beyond the reach of their batteries, it is essary to crows the bayous above allude to, These are at present fail of water and unfordable, Pontoon bridges bave bad to be constructed at various points ta enadie the troops to crows. The localities of these bridges are shown in the diagram. In con, structing them we fret met with opposition from the enemy Their skirmishers and sharp- shooters were placed in the gull above de foribed, and bebind logs, trees and stumps, sod kept ups constant and galling Gre upon our working partion, Still @ur men did not suffer much from their fire, ear own pleked marksmen @ them & good deal of annoyance sod rendering them careful of showing themselves long enough to get accurate aims TOR FRE FROM TH BATTRRIEN, NEW YORK, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1963. | FE SRS Ral nat arene SA Tp adaition to this aanoyance, wherever opr operatinos — cidedly the loners, as our heaviest field artillery was gle gun batteries in face of bluff, ccc brought on to the ground wherever thie occurred, and In several instances silenced their batteries and com- polled them to withdraw thelr guns up the bill, The weather continued remarkably fine and favorable for all kinds of movements; and, not withstanding the opposition of the enemy, oar work pro- (ressed finely, and was completed at all points on Sunday night, the 28th inst THR GONDOATS AND PIRLD PINCES HROCGHT (NTO PRAT. Yesterday the general advance was ordered, and it was suppored that it would bring oa @ general cogagomeat. To djvert the attention of the enemy and lessen their op position to our advance, and also to prevent any premedi tated flank movements onstheir part, our guboais were brought into play. The iron clads made a vigorous as- sault upon the batteries ag Milldale, aswisted by two mor tar boate, and also shelled the rebel encampments in that vicinity. Tho Lexiogton and that clawof boats, wih jong range guns, lay off the mouth of the Chickasaw bayou and kept up & Vigorous cannooading ap that stream and into the woods in (he direction whence the @uomy would bo likely to move should they attempt to torn our Jett fank. The Marmora and Ferost Ross took # position’ at the head of False river, and fired by the com page acrons the great beud iu the Missies\pyi In the direc tion of Vicksburg and to the lett of it, actually preveat. ing (a@ bas sinee been learned) go attempt (o ture oor right fank. Our fold artillery was brought into play along the entire lines, in response to the vigvrous Bring | ase of the bluffs, throughout their entire length, the | were withim reach the evemy opened their batteries to | of the enemy; and thes a continuous roat 04 artillery was | by | thefaceof the biuts upon ur, But in thie they wore de- | kept up througbeut tho « jo day. It i seldom that a more furlows Camuynadiog is heard, aad it hw nover beep REFERERENCES. —Field works for light artillery. Kd 4 g D D D—Rito pits. surpassed (a thie wer, unless at the lato batt ricka of Frede. ‘TH ORWERAL ADTs In the midst of tin thander our forces advanced, | ontr and left Gremsing the bayour and deploying into ust boyoud thé range of the enemy's rifemen, find. n the edge of the woods fronting on the pisin 4 with abatit, General A J, Smith, commanding ¢i4 Bot croms the bayou running paratiel with (be enemy having cut the timber on this side of it, which would bave exposed his position. Me moved oot oo the road from Jobason’s Ferry and deployed to the right ti woods at the edge of the abatie, and puebed bis rig tn to the bank of the Mississippi ‘COR FiNaT Lave OF baTTLA was (ous formed on a line parallel with the enemy's por ion, though not #0 tong as their lino—!t being about fre miles \n extant—and frome mile toa mile and aie from the rebel works, The accomplishment of this more ment ww most perfectly suecessful, our lonses being com paratively nothing, less thas ope bandred mea having een piaced hers de combal. CaAssk FROM THO CRETRR—Gee, ML. MITE WOUNDED. tn the position thus @ecured our forces rested oo the right, (oe centre and loft making somo vigorous ofr ts \o gain poe\ons on the bats, General Morgan L. smh, commer (iog the centre, ordered e charge up to the foot of the 5 ‘The regiment having (he advacce met (be sormy sre just me they exme to the cromsing of the w line ) bayo they showed wigns of faltering. The General who watebing the moveumut, at ones orang to tho best of bo column, aod, waving bis # wed msi i f ie We, “oe 2 G Ld kundgate protecting transports fearealy bad be in the thigh by & s taken from the | } on the men to follow bim | epoken when be was #rock | musket od badly wounded. & flei4, ad bin forces fell back 1 position wader | Cover of the woods. Geoeral Smitty was painfully though not badly wounded. The hall penetrated the feuhy part Of the thigh, breaking 90 bones, but making «very rog- £04 wound. Mie nuffered considerably from lows of blood before bis wocnd was drewed; aad became very faint He @ now toting well, with every prospect of being able to Lake the Bold agaia within « o uple of weeks GR A. 1. EIT TARR COMMAND OF TIE CROTER. ‘The division commanded by Geo M. 1. Smith mitted to the charge of Gen. A. J. Sinith, a’ver the former wee wounded, aod Gen. Narbriige was aseigne® bo the qommand of he lations divwicg om thet ght AROTIER CHA ROR Genera! Siecle, Commanding on ihe left of the centre, | made m denpersie effort to gain the biol, in which be | captured two Of the enemy's Seid works, with nine guns but was Boally competied to fall back. Elie lors was bub trifing, and it may be that he merely intended to recon noltro the enemy's position preparatory to Radseyvent erations. If this was bis object he was eminently sue contol «The gone he captured from the enemy will ebendaatly repay any joven he met wiih. an crt” | PRICE My position wae with the right, the doings of which Jam more conversant with than with the operations on any other part of the field. 1f, therefore, 1 fail in doing Justice to other pertions of the army (thas a0 nobly | pled with the enemy is bie somes tole ee _} Sribated to the lack of ompiacience on the part of your correspondent. Owing to the change of commanders, or some other cause as yet unexplained, it was late ia the day before the right division was ordered into action. The gunboata Marmora and Juliet were stationed in False river to protect our fiank, which, by their vig »rous canconading, they successfully accomplished. At one time the enemy ‘was Observed getting a battery into position, evidently to cover ® movement vn our right, when the bursting of the | shells from the gunboats convinced them of the basard- '] Cus nature of the attempt, and they abandoned it. 48 ARTILLERY rome. | The wagon road leading from Johnyen's Ferry to Vieks ‘Dury crosses the bayou directly in front of the jeft of ous division, The bridge at this polit had been destroyed by the enemy, ag also the road to a conaiderabla ‘ber having beon felled across it and al! nluiceways torn up. The enemy alo have upon the Wlull at the bead uf thin roud « field work for light artillery, ranging directly down on the course of the road, and also single gun bat: tories in tho face of the biuf To avoid as far ag possible ‘hese obstacies, General smith tied tnvown is panseeal bridge acroas the bayou a litle w tho right of the old bridge. At this point General Burbridge massed severm batteries of artillery, opeoing ® print ¢ansonade upon the rebel batteries. They replied earnestly for a while; bu! their fre gradually siackened ag our men warmec up to thelr werk and got more sccurate elevations to their pleces and adjusted thetr fuses with more uccuracy, and at Inst coaxed altogether, and their CLunoniers were Koon bauling (cit guns up the hill, A GALLANT CHARGH—-IRAVERY AND FEARFUL LORS, At this junctare the Fifty-fourth Obio was ordered ta charge acrosa tho bridge, They obeyed the order with alacrity and courage, mosting a terrible tire of musketry bth from the rebel sharpshouters convealed in the gul- Hes of the plain beyond aud from the revel intantry in their rive pits, But the gallant Buckeyes uever flinched bul succeeded in gaining opposite bank. Here they were charged upoa by as entire rebel brigade, agaiust whom ‘they contended manfully for @ time, but at leet were wurrounded and overpowered. The Fe giment was in ap extremely critical situation, aud reomed captured for certainty, Still they fought on, evidently determined uot to surrender, ‘They were contending against fearful odds, aud thei? rauks were thiuniog rapidly, Attaxt, whon it seomed clear that they could ov longer sustain thomnelves and ‘would certainly be captured in a body, oue of our batter ries was ordered to open upou the promiscuous crowd Ju moment the abel) were fying brietly, bitting friend and foo tudiscrimimately, The fre was too bot for the rebels, and they quickly withdrew, leaving the Ohio boy® upon the weld, These gatherod up thelr killed and wounded and retired across (he bridge with all possible despatch, glad to excape so easily. They were sadly oug up, though, fiity per ceut of their number having been killed or wounded. Seven of thom were killed outright by our own shells, 20d a much larger umber wounded; but the regimeut was saved. REINFORCEMENTS — ANOTHER FIGHT 4¥D VICTORY, After the withdrawal of the Fifty-fourth Obio, the Sint end kighth Missour) and the Thirteenth regulars were ordered to cross. This they did promptly, the gallant Eigbth—horoce of every voted Geld, save Vea Kidge, to the Bouthweet—taking the lead. The whole forc® crossed safely and without los, and tinmediately de. ployed off to the loft to get pormession uf tw Vicksburg oad. Scarcely, however, bad they got int rebel brignde came charging dows tho + fduk. The detachment quickly ghinged {rout {0 line of battle, aud the challenge offered by ‘he epemy. A brisk engagement ensued, iasting about half on bour, at the cud of which me the rebels broke and fled tu contusion, They were hotly promed by the Missourl ‘boys, who ¢ut them up badly, moro than trovly avenging the losses of thy Fifty fourth Obio, ‘THIS CLOSED THR ACHON ON THR RiGHT, Bight being near at hand, and the enemy apparentiy jDdiaposed Lo oder further resistance to ovr crossing. AG this Une It would have been easy to havo crossed the entire division, and obtain avy position that wn» de- Sirable. But for some reason not explaiied to onteiders his was not done, but, on the contrary, orders wore lagued to those who bad crossed to retire, and under co” Ver of the darknors (hey afl fell back into their old posi” tions in the edge of the timber, tere they have ro” mained since, vO movements at ali haying beoa made 10-day, only @ trifing siiriniel early tity morning op the extreme right. OPERATIONS ON TRE Chote. Thave been upable to learn the precise nature of tho movements in the contre, That division made aa ad- Vance, crosned the bayou and gained the foot of ie Biull. This was vot accompliehed without » desperate struggle’ but our men wersequet to the duty required of tuem Bat after gaining this ground, probably for the same rea, sop tbat joverned in the recall of the troops in the rials division, they were ‘withtrawn, aud night found their line where it was In the morsing, ander cover of the Umber r TION OF THE LEFT pao TRIDM OPERATION The left, consisting of two divisious, Geo Morgan taving the extrem upoo bint Hine nec They ft, and General cing and the fort bo bint wit the ride 5 their front, Opposed to them the eoruy's lke is poaly Or quite balf ax long again as their own, The county road leading from Milidaie to VickstMrg reas ia srout a 5 them, between thew etterte to pleres the evemy’s tino and galo the biufts, tu order io get into {he reer of (bo batteries ou Halvor Bluff, ana, with the ey-operation of the ¢ 7” ose gues Their syjects to be gained by crowing tho b t Voce Wrong | nea, taer would be no difienity whatever io ng a force serves w the erosamg of the Vicksburg aot Jecason Rutirond over (he Big Black river, and by the destruction of thé bridge at that polat cut off the enemy’) retreat ae wall ks preveot (velr getting reinforceme'*. These are some of the Jeading shjcets to be guided by gottiog through the rebel tines tn this dire o The eft wa made twice yenterday, our trope on both oo canione getting well wp to the enemy's linet, bot io doth instances being overcote by the tremendous worm Of artitiory and moskeiry by which (ey were revetved and forced to retire Cur homes bere have boom heaviog than iu any other part of the Seid, thengh fam wnabie to state definitely atthe can jes wave been i thow particalar div oe on LmRR TO eal | tus 30m wee rector reports the ea ty day ,at seven bom a) Killed, wounded and missing, Giney then a very ugrace fal afiair ccourred in the centre that largely incresser the member, Ao Ohio regiment, ocompying an advanced position, were attacked by ao of rebel ca, vairg. With ecarcely po reatt hey throw dows their arms and rurrendered. What aggravated (he can’ fe the fact that relief war clone ot hand A large Unie renerve force Peo woddenly (ye! the enemy had ag time te gather ap the arms they bed captured, bat, leay 5 ing them lying wpon the ground, with all their other *polte, they drove the re before Chem as a herd Of cattle and mode bart to get beck Into thelr own Nace ‘This lathe Oret cowardly eet of thin campaign, and by if tbe rebets gain aboot Ove bandred printers cnet OF COLOR wre Coos! Wyman, of tha Thirteenth [ilincls, acting og Goners! Mtecle's atalf, was shot on Ronday by rebel sharp; shooters, *ble leading & regiment into ection, and in iy Killed, The ball entered bin breset, posing gh hie longs, Me tad the reputation of being » aod galiaat officer ‘ Puarenooren. a On Gor right « hegro Rharpehooter haa been obrerved « i are demrving of votice. Ms mounts a. on terre Leer Generel) Worgxn made some demonstrations e7oo (ne oneny's position, the gators of which | bave oot learned, He resteg! at pight tn the position be hed taken daring the tay, Yeuterdsy the bettie was renewed WD mech | teat Colonel Wyman was » regardions of all danger, and, geting sight on) 1 woldier, draws op bie murket af arm's lengih and fires, Never failing iu biting hiv mark, Min anid D7 A egro, Dut Chie ineicg CONTINUED ON EIGHTH PAGE)