Army of Northern Virginia Reorganized

Lee

With the death of Stonewall Jackson earlier this month, his place as commander of the Second Corps remained vacant. It was occupied temporarily by J.E.B. Stuart, and although he had done a fine job in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Lee needed him as a cavalry officer. He had two leading contenders to take Jackson's place.

Ewell

The first was Richard S. Ewell. In many ways he was a natural choice, as he had served as Jackson's right hand in his famous Shenandoah Valley campaign. He had been absent from the army for months from a wound incurred in the Second Battle of Manassas.

Hill

The other was A. P. Hill, commander of what he called the Light Division. He was a very competent division commander, and was instrumental in some of Lee's great victories. His fault was that he was very quarrelsome. He had been in Longstreet's first corps until he quarreled with his commander. He was transferred to Jackson's second, but argued with him as well.

In the end, Lee decided to chose both of these men. He would reorganize the army into three corps. This would allow him to promote both men, and give the army more flexibility. Ewell would have the second corps, and one of his four divisions was given to Hill's new third corps. Hill also received one of Longstreet's divisions, and a new division of reinforcements. The army was composed of three corps of three divisions each, along with another division of cavalry.

This reorganization was a dangerous thing to do just before a major campaign – the invasion of the North. Ewell and Hill had fought well as division commanders, but no one knew how they would perform when advanced to the next level of command. But Jackson was no longer available, so it was a risk that had to be taken.

USS Cincinnati Sunk

USS Cincinnati

In the siege of Vicksburg, the Union ironclads were used for their artillery – to bombard the Confederate positions. But that use would not come without a cost. The batteries on the bluff at Vicksburg were still very powerful, and they fired back at the Federal gunboats. 150 years ago their shots found a mark. The USS Cincinnati was sent down to destroy a two gun battery that had been annoying the Union infantry. She had been sunk and raise once before, a casualty of the bombardment of Fort Pillow on May 10, 1862. Now, just over a year later, she would be sunk again. As the Cincinnati moved toward the two guns, they were falling into a trap. There was another Confederate battery on the brush. The Federals could no longer see it, so they assumed that it had been moved. But the rebels had just hidden the guns in the brush. They had also cracked the Union signal code, so they were waiting for the Cincinnati. The Harper's Weekly printed this description of the battle:

She went gallantly into action, rounded the point, and blazed away at the rebel batteries, but the latter were not idle, and all the guns that could be brought to bear—rifled and smooth bore — opened on her. Her tiller ropes were shot away, and she got some heavy shot into her sides. The pilot was killed at the wheel, and her commander took his place. All the men at the wheel were wounded, but Lieut. Bache escaped unharmed.

She started up the river, as she made a great deal of water, rounded again the point of the peninsula opposite Vicksburg, and was struck by a plunging 10-inch smooth-bore or 7-inch rifled shot; she then commenced to sink, and her captain ran her inshore, where she sank to her hammock netting. The officers and crew saved nothing.

When the Cincinnati took a direct hit and her steering was knocked out, her captain knew she was doomed. He was able to drive the ship onto the bank, where she was tied to allow for an easy evacuation. But before the men could be got on shore the ropes came loose and the Cincinnati was pushed out into the river again. She sank in 13 feet of water. Those who could swim jumped over and headed for shore, but many were trapped on board the ship. Four of the crew, Landsman Thomas E. Corcoran, Boatswain's Mate Henry Dow, Seaman Thomas Jenkins, and Seaman Martin McHugh, began helping their fellow crew members escape. They helped them swim to shore. For those badly wounded from the Confederate fire, they returned to the sinking ironclad and repaired a small boat, and loaded the casualties on board. These four swimmers were awarded the Medal of Honor for their conduct. The ship suffered 40 casualties in this disaster. She would later be raised in August, 1863 and return to service

Attack on Port Hudson

After surrounding the town five days before, the Union troops would assault Port Hudson on May 27, 150 years ago today. Heavy siege guns had been planed in position opposite the Confederate lines, and they opened at dawn on the day of the attack. The Confederate gunners responded, trying to disable the Union cannon. Sharpshooters joined in the fray on both sides.

As the day progressed, the infantry attack on the rebel left went forward, but the troops destined for the center and right failed to move. This assault was a disaster. The troops had to move through deep ravines and swamped, filled with thick underbrush. As the Union troops started to move up the bluff on which the Confederate rifle pits were dug, they were driven back by a heavy fire from the defenders. Some Federals ran to the rear, others found any shelter they could and clung to the ground they had won, thinking it was safer to stay than to try to make their way back to the Confederate lines.

Elsewhere on the line, Thomas Sherman finally began his assault began at 2 pm, hours late. He personally led his men forward across the open field that led to the Confederate positions. The well placed Confederate entrenchments and hidden guns opened on the Federals with a heavy fire. Sherman himself had his horse shot from under him, and then his leg was hit by a Confederate ball. The attacking regiments broke and ran, harried by canister from the concentrated southern artillery.

Well placed Confederate defenses, good use of reinforcements, and disorganization in the Union attacks had given them a clear victory. After this failed assault of Port Hudson the siege fell into trench warfare.

Mine Exploded at Vicksburg

Siege lines at Vicksburg

The Federals were not content with simply bombarding and waiting for the Confederates to surrender Vicksburg. They had been digging nine zig zag approaches to get close enough so that, with a final charge, they could get over the Confederate lines with little loss of life. They also began digging mines to try to blow up the fortifications. One was detonated 150 years ago today under the redan occupied by the 3rd Louisiana.

To dig the mine, six men would work for an hour, digging out the dirt and handing it back in bags to be taken out of the tunnel, and after working for an hour they were replaced with others to continue the work. The defenders heard the work of the diggers underground and began digging a counter mine to intercept them. They got so close that inside the mines each could hear the commands given to the other. However, they did not reach the mine in time. The mine was exploded at 2 pm on May 25th. 2,200 pounds of gunpowder blew apart the Confederate fortifications, creating a crater 40 foot wide and 12 foot deep. One Confederate soldier wrote:

A huge mass of earth suddenly, and with tremendous force and a terrific explosion, flew upwards, descending with might power upon the gallant defenders, burying numbers beneath its falling fragments, bruising and mangling them most horribly. It seemed as if all hell had suddenly yawned upon the devoted band, and vomited forth its sulphurous fire and smoke upon them.

The mine exploding

About a hundred men were killed or injured from the explosion alone. The Federals immediately opened fire on the crater and sent in infantry to attack. A Union officer wrote:

But little difficulty was experienced in entering the crater, but the moment the assaulting forces attempted to mount the artificial parapet, which had been formed by the falling debris about midway across the fort, completely commanded by the Confederate artillery and infantry in the rear, they were met by a withering fire so severe that to show a head above the crest was certain death. Two lines were formed on the slope of this parapet, the front line raising their muskets over their heads and firing at random over the crest while the rear rank was engaged in reloading. But soon the Confederates began throwing short-fused shells over the parapet, which, rolling down into the crater crowded with the soldiers of the assaulting column, caused the most fearful destruction of life ever witnessed under like circumstances. The groans of the dying and shrieks of the wounded became fearful, but bravely they stood to their work until the engineers constructed a casemate out of the heavy timbers found in the crater, and upon which the earth was thrown until it was of sufficient depth to resist the destructive effects of the exploding shells.

The Federals did not give up after this failed assault. They dug another mine and exploded it a few days later, destroying the fort even more. However, by the time preparations were completed for the assault, the siege of Vicksburg was over.

Fighting in the crater

Another Attack on Vicksburg

Although the May 19^th Union assault on the Vicksburg defenses had been a complete failure, that didn't stop them from trying it again. Another attack was launched on May 22^nd, 150 years ago today. It was preceded by an artillery bombardment from the entire Union line, and the gunboats in the river. At 10:00 am Federal troops advanced everywhere at once. Sherman wrote:

A small party, that might be called a forlorn hope, provided with a plank to cross the ditch, advanced at a run, up to the very ditch the lines of infantry sprang from cover, and advanced rapidly in line of battle. ... The rebel line, concealed by the parapet, showed no sign of unusual activity, but as our troops came into fair view, the enemy rose behind their parapet and poured a furious fire upon our lines; and, for about two hours, we had a severe and bloody battle, but at every point we were repulsed.

McClernand

As the bloody fighting continued, McClernand reported to Grant that he had secured a foothold on the Confederate line. To help him, Grant ordered the attacks to be renewed, loosing many men and gaining no more ground. McClernand's message had been misleading. He had only gained a new outlying works, not a portion of the main line. The attack was finally called off. The Union had lost 500 men killed, 2,550 wounded and 150 missing, and had gained nothing for these heavy casualties. It was evident that Vicksburg would not be captured with frontal attacks on the strong entrenchments. Other tactics would be necessary. Grant was not discouraged by the reverses. He wrote to Halleck:

Vicksburg is now completely invested. I have possession of Haynes' Bluff and the Yazoo; consequently have supplies. To-day an attempt was made to carry the city by assault, but was not entirely successful. We hold possession, however, of two of the enemy's forts, and have skirmishers close under all of them. Our loss was not severe. The nature of the ground about Vicksburg is such that it can only be taken by a siege. It is entirely safe to us in time, I would say one week, if the enemy do not send a large army upon my rear. With the railroad destroyed to beyond Pearl River, I do not see the hope that the enemy can entertain of such relief.

Confederate siege gun

Port Hudson Surrounded

The advance on Port Hudson

The only point that the Confederates held on the Mississippi River other than Vicksburg, on which Grant was closing, was Port Hudson to the south. But 150 years ago this other bastion was surrounded. The Union army under Nathaniel Banks had moved inland from the river, and now cut off Port Hudson from the rear. He thought he could quickly subdue the garrison under Maj. Gen. Franklin Gardner, and then more north to help Grant capture Vicksburg. As the Yankees advanced they met opposition from a small Confederate detachment under Colonel W. R. Miles. In what was called the Battle of Plains Store, the outnumbered reels gave a good account of themselves. They brought the Federals to a halt, and engaged them for six hours. Finally outnumbered and running out of ammunition, Miles fell back to the Confederate lines. Many of their artillery horses had been killed, so they pulled the guns off by hand, refusing to let them be captured. Port Hudson would put up a better resistance than Banks expected.

Sherman Attacks Vicksburg

When Grant arrived at Vicksburg, he did not delay in making preparations for an attack. He hoped to crush through the strong defenses while the Confederates were discouraged from their defeats of the past few days. He positioned Sherman on the right, McPherson in the middle and McClernand on the left. Grant decided to assault the Stockade Redan on May 19^th, 150 years ago today.

Map of the May 19 attacks

At 2:00 pm the Union troops formed up in three lines with flags flying, and advanced against the Confederate fortifications. At first it appeared that the Confederate fortifications were deserted. But then as they pushed on the defenders stood up opened a terrific fire upon them. As Sherman said, "The heads of the columns have been swept away as chaff thrown from the hand on a windy day." One Union captain said that "the very sticks and chips, scattered over the ground jumping under the hot shower of Rebel bullets."

The assault on Vicksburg

The bluecoats pressed through the incredibly heavy fire. Two flagbearers made it to the wall, and planted the ensigns on the top, but their regiments were unable to follow. They were driven back, but came on again and again. In the three attacks, they were never able to make it over the walls. Some Federals were not even able to retreat. They lay hidden at the bottom of the parapet until night, when they were able to return to their lines. Sherman lost almost 1000 men, while the Confederates suffered less than 200. Pemberton was encouraged by the showing his men had made in driving back the Federals. They had redeemed themselves from their disgraces in the rest of the campaign, and the Confederate prospects for the siege seemed much improved.