LIEUT.-COLONEL PASE'S REPORT. HEADQUARTERS FIRST. INDIANA CAVALRY, M. W. Benjamin, A. A. A. G., Headquarters Colonel Clayton, Commanding Cavalry Brigade, Helena, Arkansas: SIR: In obedience to orders, I herewith transmit a list of killed and wounded of my command, First Indiana cavalry, together with a statement of the part the regiment took in the attack on Helena on the fourth of July, 1863. A little before four o'clock on the morning of the fourth of July, two messengers came in from the picket-post on the Little Rock road, bringing word that the enemy were advancing, driving in the pickets before them. I immediately ordered the bugle to sound to horse, and, forming the regiment, moved up the levee near town, and awaited orders. Soon received orders from you, through your Adjutant, to move tents and baggage within the line of fortifications as rapidly as possible, leaving part of the command to guard the train, and with the rest to form line of battle behind the Fifth Kansas, which was already drawn up in the open flats just above town. I immediately ordered Major Owen to take two companies, with one piece of our small rifled guns, and cover the rear of the train, and with the balance of my command I took positions as ordered. General Prentiss then ordered our guns some distance in front up the levee, and companies M and L were dismounted and sent forward as a support. Our battery was commanded by Lieut. Leffler, of company B. For the bravery shown and the terrible execution done by them, you are best able to judge, they having been under your immediate command. By this time Major Owen came up with his detachment, and fell in line with the regiment. Captain Wethers, Aid to General Salomon, now came up with word that the enemy had captured a battery on the heights in the rear of General Salomon's headquarters, driving our infantry from their rifle-pits, and were rapidly advancing into town; and I was ordered to take my regiment under the walls of Fort Curtis, dismount them, and check their further advance. I did so, taking the regiment on the top of the hill to the left of General Salomon's headquarters. flank, just above them, occupying ground from which we had driven them. They held their position for some time, doing terrible execution, but were finally compelled to fall back, bringing with them quite a number of splendid English rifles which they had captured from the enemy's sharp-shooters. Another detachment of our men soon went over, accompanied by some infantry, a company of which had come up on the hill where my regiment was stationed. (It may be proper to state here, that several companies of infantry were at the foot of the hill to our right, around General Salomon's headquarters, who did good service, acting in concert with us.) The enemy, finding himself flanked, and having no chance of escape, as every one attempting to run up the hill-side was sure to fall, raised the white flag, and about one hundred surrendered. Quite a number still held out, seemingly determined to die before they would become prisoners. Here more than half the regiment threw away their carbines, (many of them being unserviceable, having been condemned by a U. S. inspecting officer some, time since,) and supplied themselves with Enfield rifles captured from the enemy. General Salomon now sent orders for us to charge and retake the battery. Two hills more had to be crossed before reaching it, the sides of which were covered with logs and brush. The hills were several hundred feet steep, almost perpendicular; but, at the word "forward," they were accompanied by two companies of infantry, and where it was too step to walk the boys would crawl on their hands and knees. The enemy did not wait to receive us, but left their works. I was now compelled to beat a hasty retreat in consequence of the shells from the gunboat Tyler dropping in all around us, and we fell back and resumed our former position. The men were now much exhausted from charging over the hills and back. The sun was shining out intensely hot, and I ordered the regiment to the foot of the hill, under the trees around headquarters, (the fighting was now over, with the exception of some occasional_shots)— after being engaged for five hours under a continued and severe fire. Wounded mortally-Robert Smith, company D, shot in abdomen; James Carter, company F, shot in the breast. Wounded severely-Frank Bennett, company F, shot in knee; Thomas Adams, company F, right arm shot off; Frederick Lewis, company F, shot through hand and wrist; Geo. Barter, company H, right thumb shot off. Wounded slightly-John Carter, company B, in head; James H. Campbell, in leg. Missing-Benjamin Happy, company M. My killed, wounded, and missing number as follow: Killed-A. Brokan, company A, shot in On the crest of the hill opposite was the bat-head; William Stark, company H, shot in breast. tery the enemy had just captured, and over the breastworks from which our infantry had been driven, they were pouring one dark, continuous stream. The boys wheeled into line, and with loud yells, commenced firing, pouring in such a storm of bullets that they soon retreated, with the exception of their sharp-shooters, which, to the number of several hundred, took possession of a ravine running up the side of the hill, which was filled with fallen timber and stumps, from behind which they poured a continuous and deadly fire. Soon ten or twelve daring spirits now rushed down the hill-side and up the steep ascent in front, getting a position on the enemy's left The officers and men all conducted themselves so as to meet my highest approbation. Such being the case, I find it impossible to name particular ones as deserving of notice for their brav ery, without doing injustice to the rest. To Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding First Indiana Cavalry. NAVAL REPORTS. UNITED STATES MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, FLAG-SHIP BLACK HAWK, OFF VICKSBURGH, July 11, 1863. } SIR: I have the honor to inclose you a full report of the late affair at Helena, where the gunboat Tyler saved the day, and enabled our little band of soldiers to capture a number of the enemy. I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, DAVID D. PORTER, A. R. Admiral Commanding Mississippi Squadron. Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy, Washington. U.S. IRON-CLAD RAM EASTPORT, A. R. Admiral David D. Porter, U. S. Navy, SIR: General Holmes, with a reported force of eighteen thousand rebels, attacked this place at daylight on the morning of the fourth instant, and was repulsed, after a hard contested fight of several hours' duration. description, the killed being literally torn to pieces by shell, and the avenging fire of the gunboat pursued the enemy two or three miles to his reserve forces, creating a panic there which added not a little to the end of victory. The enemy's loss is very heavy. Our forces have buried three hundred and eighty of his killed, and many places, have been found where he had himself buried his dead. His wounded number one thousand one hundred, and the prisoners also are one thousand one hundred. Our cavalry forces are hourly discovering dead and wounded in the surrounding country, and are bringing in stragglers and deserters. Boats passing up the river for two days after the battle were continually hailed by deserters from the rebel ranks wishing to get on board to escape. It is An examination of the field and the reports I hear convince me that the Tyler contributed greatly to the defeat of the enemy, and the terrible slaughter in his ranks is largely hers. due to Captain Pritchett to add that he took up an admirable position, and used his battery in a manner alike creditable to himself and to his officers and men. First at Belmont, then at Pittsburgh Landing, and now here, the Tyler has been of inestimable value, and has saved the fortunes of the day. The garrison, numbering but three thousand three hundred men, with lines entirely too extensive for such a force, evidently fought with a courage and determination without superior example in this war. Our loss in killed and wounded is about one hundred and eighty. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, The enemy attacked the centre of the defences and carried the rifle-pits, and a battery upon the To Acting Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Commanding Mississippi Squadron. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EASTERN ARKANSAS, crest of the hills in the rear, which commanded not only Helena itself, but also all the other defensive works, including Fort Curtis. After possessing himself of that position, he pushed large forces down the slope of the ridge into the gorges, ADMIRAL: I take pleasure in transmitting to and his sharp-shooters began the work of driving you my testimony concerning the valuable assistthe artillerists from the guns in the main fort. ance rendered me during the battle at this place Rebel guns, both above and below the town, had on the fourth instant, by Lieutenant Commander been planted upon commanding positions, and James M. Pritchett, of the gunboat Tyler. I asopened fire upon the lines of defensive works sure you, sir, that he not only acquitted himself across the river-bottom, about one thousand yards with honor and distinction during the engagein width, and his troops were in force near them ment proper, but, with a zeal and patience as rare to secure the advantages the capture of the works as they are commendable, when informed of the upon the hills would offer for closing upon the probabilities of an attack on this place, he lost no town from both directions along the river-bottom. time and spared no labor to make himself thoThe Tyler had been covering the approach by the roughly acquainted with the topography of the old town road; but Captain Pritchett discovered surrounding country. And I attribute not a litthe enemy pressing down the hill-side after the tle of our success in the late battle to his full capture of the battery in the centre, and took up knowledge of the situation, and his skill in adaptsuch a position that, while his broadside guns ing the means within his command to the end to poured a destructive fire upon the slopes and en- be obtained. Nor can I refrain from mentioning filaded the ravines, his stern guns effectually si- that after the engagement, and while we were lenced the rebel battery below, and his bow guns expecting a renewal of the attack, Commander played simultaneously upon the upper one. The Pritchett, commanding a division of your fleet, slaughter of the enemy at this time was terrible, was unusually efficient in procuring timely reënand all unite in describing the horrors of that hill-forcements. side and the ravines after the battle as baffling Permit me to add, sir, that I can conceive of ment. no case wherein promotion would be more worth-planned and timed by a master-mind, the pickets ily bestowed than in the case of Commander being driven at all points at almost the same moPritchett, and it will afford me much pleasure to learn that his services have received a proper reward. I write this communication, sir, quite unsolicited and without the knowledge of Commander Pritchett. I have the honor to be, sir, with much respect, To DAVID D. PORTER, ST. LOUIS "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT. HELENA, ARK., July 12, 1863. At last we have been attacked by Missouri's favorite general, under the direction of the laggard Holmes. At four o'clock A.M., on the fourth day of July, the siege-gun, which was to give the signal of attack, belched forth its startling alarm to the little garrison, and immediately infantry, cavalry, and artillery were in motion to take up the various positions assigned them. For two nights we had been under arms at two o'clock A.M., and it was but a few moments' work to place all in readiness. . On both flanks the enemy's artillery opened with some spirit but no effect, being replied to rapidly with good success. The exchanges were principally at long-range for light pieces, and the design was evidently to make a diversion simply, while the centre was attacked in strong force, thus driving through our long line of defences and falling simultaneously upon the rear of both flanks. The success of this plan would have given them Fort Curtis and the whole wharf, entirely cutting off our retreat by means of the transports. It will be seen that their plan entirely ignored the presence of the gunboat, which they were not expecting to find at our landing. No batteries were opened upon our centre, as they failed, on account of ravines, to obtain favorable positions. Their infantry was relied upon for this work. Lieutenant-General Holmes personally directed the attack upon battery D, which was made by Fagan's Arkansas brigade, while Major-General Price directed that upon battery C. At half-past four A.M., a regiment moved from cover to attack D, advancing in four ranks upon a bridge perpendicular to the line of that work and flanked by the guns of C, which opened upon them with shell as soon as the full length of their line was exposed. To give some idea of the position, let us say that Helena lies upon flat ground, upon the western bank of the Mississippi River. About a quarter of a mile from the river, and running parallel to it, high ridges command the city and The guns of D opened upon them at the same approaches, ravines, opening toward the river, moment, the guns of both batteries having exand raked by the guns of Fort Curtis, (which is cellent range, and creating a panic among the lower than all the ridges, and centrally located,) enemy, which soon increased to a rout, the regibeing between these ridges. Before the depart- ment drawing off in great disorder. At once ure of General Gorman, Fort Curtis was readily they were reënforced, their sharp-shooters presscommanded from all the ridges about the city. ing closer and annoying the gunners of C so Generals Ross and Salomon conceived the plan much that the guns had to be turned upon them of placing strong batteries upon these hills as an with canister. One gun of this battery, howadvanced line, and connecting each battery by ever, was used to assist D, and again the enemy rifle-pits. This plan was executed by Lieutenant were checked, taking cover in the ravines and James G. Patton, of the Thirty-third Missouri, fallen timber. At this time a heavy fog fell upon and results have demonstrated the correctness the ridges and batteries, lasting some three quarof his judgment, and the wisdom of the general ters of an hour and causing a cessation of hostiliplan. Making the city our base, battery A is ties for that time. When the fog raised, the force upon our right running on next to B, C, and D, in front of battery D appeared to have been weak(which is on the left.) Between the ridges ened; while crossing low ridges between that (above and below the town) and the river there and battery C, appeared a brigade of three disis low, flat ground, protected by rifle and cavalry-tinct regiments. pits, and flanking batteries of ten-pounder Parrotts, and six and twelve-pounder brass pieces. When discovered, this brigade (Parsons's) was entirely concealed from the range of guns of C, "The enemy are in force on the old town but exposed to that of D, which accordingly road," was the first intimation of the plan of at- opened upon them with shell from both guns, tack. This was on the left of our line, and a frequently breaking the column, but only to see strong force of cavalry, with a brigade of infant-it closed again and pressing forward. The first ry and four pieces of artillery, was there. Next line of pits in front of C was flanked and the came word that the old St. Francis road was company compelled to retreat upon the battery, occupied in force, and that an assault was being attempted upon battery A. Scarcely was this report in, when news came that batteries C and D were annoyed by sharp-shooters, who were supported by heavy columns, in which could be distinguished the rumbling of wheels, supposed to be artillery moving into position. Cavalry could be seen in front of battery B. So much for the dispositions of the enemy. They were where they again stood. In front and upon both flanks the enemy charged this work, not in regular lines, but swarming upon our gallant fellows like locusts. Two companies in the pits upon the left of the guns broke and fled in the greatest confusion; two companies with the guns, and two in the pits to the right of them, held their ground steadily, firing double charges of canister and pouring Minie balls into the assailants with the most terrible effect. They were overmatched, however, and the guns could not be saved. The captain of the battery spiked one of his guns as the enemy reached his parapet, and his gunners, with rare presence of mind, secured all the friction-primers, so rendering the battery utterly useless to the enemy. Part of the stragglers rallied at the foot of the hill, between batteries C and D, and made a firm stand, where they were promptly supported by parts of two regiments, and the remainder retired to Fort Curtis to act as sharp-shooters in protecting the gunners. In possession of battery C, and flushed with apparent certain victory, the enemy turned the captured guns upon our main fort, and loaded them with shell. Then gathering together his scattered companies, who were pillaging the camp of the two companies that garrisoned the battery, with one wild, self-confident yell he charged down the hill immediately in front of Fort Curtis; charged, not in line or in column, not with fixed bayonet showing a glittering line of polished steel, not as the "Old Guard" charged at Waterloo, but charged en masse, or worse yet, en mobbe, every man being in himself a small host with a leader of its own. and broke into squads of twenty, ten, two, and at last each man for himself, "and devil get the hindmost." Grape-shot and canister, round-shot and shell, followed them mercilessly, bore them down and battered them to pieces. Still they had not enough, but once more sought to approach through a ravine, protected by flanking sides from artillery fire. As they passed from the battery to this ravine, one point which the line must cross was exposed to fire. The guns succeeded shortly in getting such perfect range of this point that nothing could pass it. The regiment, and more, that had passed into the ravine, could not return, and the brigade could not pass in to its support. A Federal regiment of infantry was so posted at the mouth of the ravine as to rake its length, another took a position on a ridge on the enemy's right flank, and the two poured in their fire. Cross-fires from the Fort and batteries, aided by the gunboat, broke and scattered what of the brigade remained upon the ridges, compelling them in their precipitation to leave the guns they had captured uninjured, and the gallant regiment that had led the second charge, with their arms, officers and colors, prisoners of war. Not less than three hundred killed and wounded, besides nearly four hundred prisoners, were left by the enemy in the vicinity of this battery. Shortly after the attack was commenced upon battery C, a second and similar one was made by Fagan's brigade in strong force upon battery D. As at the first battery, only a portion of the brigade succeeded in passing through our lines. The remainder were driven back by a murderous The crest of the hill was six hundred yards from Fort Curtis, and the base five hundred. Five twenty-four pounder siege-guns, and one thirty-two pounder columbiad swept the entire base of the hill, from crest to base. Although the enemy had loaded our captured guns with shell, he could not use them; there were no slow matches, no friction-tubes, and the guns were so much useless brass. Without well-fire from the guns of the work, and also from our posted artillery, how could they hope to live upon the hill with the light guns of A, B, and D, playing upon their flanks and rear, and the big guns playing upon their front? Nothing but madness could have driven them on; nothing short of omnipotence could have saved them from destruction. Yet, with the howl of demons, the last mad, defiant, impotent howl of baffled but still determined traitors, exposed to history, to nations, and to themselves; whipped, naked and hungry, on they came, cursing, firing, rushing, like the "Light Brigade," "into the gates of death, into the mouth of hell." No hurrying, no excitement, and yet no hesitation in the Fort and batteries, but steadily the shell, case, grape, and canister flew, with the swiftness of lightning and the precision of fate, straight in the faces of the infuriate mob. Heads, trunks and limbs hurled asunder by bursting iron, flew into the air, nauseating and sickening all who must witness the horrible sight. No body of men on earth could long endure such a tornado of iron as was hurled upon them. Their shots all fell short, or passed harmlessly over the gunners of the Fort. Not a man was even wounded. Slow to receive convictions, but at last satisfied of the hopelessness of their assault, the mob turned about, as if by common consent, sharp-shooters, who were in greater force than at C, and well protected by rifle-pits, which almost entirely concealed them from the enemy. Those who succeeded in getting through, took position in a ravine to the left of the battery, out of range of its guns, but raked from the mouth by part of another battery and the reserve of an infantry regiment. They made a short fight, when they threw down their arms and were formally surrendered. While they were still fighting, a Lieutenant-Colonel, who commanded the rebels, was standing upon a log waving his sword and cheering his men. The captain of battery D called out to him: "What in do you keep swinging that sword for? Why don't you surrender?" "By what authority do you demand my surrender?" asked the confederate officer. "By authority of my twelve-pound howitzer," replied the Captain. The confederate looked about him, and could see no chance of escape, so passing his sabre-blade into his right hand, he held it out, humbly saying: "Very well, sir, I surrender." Perhaps at that moment it would have been very difficult to cite a more competent authority upon the question of surrenders than that under which the cool captain claimed to act. The enemy lost at this battery nearly two hundred and fifty killed and wounded, and between GENERAL GRANT'S OFFICIAL REPORT.* HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, VICKSBURGH, Miss., July 6, 1863. COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the army of the Tennessee, and coöperating forces, from the date of my assuming the immediate command of the expedition against Vicksburgh, Mississippi, to the reduction of that place. From the moment of taking command in person, I became satisfied that Vicksburgh could only be turned from the south side, and, in accordance with this conviction, I prosecuted the work on the canal, which had been located by Brigadier-General Williams, across the peninsula, on the Louisiana side of the river, with all vigor, hoping to make a channel which would pass transports for moving the army and carrying supplies to the new base of operations thus provided. The task was much more herculean than it at first appeared, and was made much more so by the almost continuous rains that fell during the whole of the time this work was prosecuted. The river, too, continued to rise and make a large expenditure of labor necessary to keep the water out of our camps and the canal. Finally, on the eighth of March, the rapid rise of the river and the consequent great pressure upon the dam across the canal, near the upper end, at the main Mississippi levee, caused it to give way and let through the low lands back of our camps a torrent of water that separated the north and south shores of the peninsula as effectually as if the Mississippi flowed between them. This occurred when the enterprise promised success within a short time. There was some delay in trying to repair damages. It was found, however, that with the then stage of water, some other plan would have to be adopted for getting below Vicksburgh with transports. Captain F. L. Prime, Chief Engineer, and Colonel G. G. Pride, who was acting on my staff, prospected a route through the bayous which run from near Milliken's Bend on the north, and NewCarthage on the south, through Roundaway Bayou into the Tansas River. Their report of the practicability of this route determined, me to * Official reports of the various battles, etc., mentioned in this report will be found under their proper dates in the previous volumes of the RECORD. commence work upon it. Having three dredgeboats at the time, the work of opening this route. was executed with great rapidity. One small steamer and a number of barges were taken through the channel thus opened, but the river commencing about the middle of April to fall rapidly, and the roads becoming passable between Milliken's Bend and New-Carthage, made it impracticable and unnecessary to open water communication between these points. Soon after commencing the first canal spoken of, I caused a channel to be cut from the Mississippi River into Lake Providence; also one from the Mississippi River into Coldwater, by way of Yazoo Pass. I had no great expectations of important results from the former of these, but having more troops than could be employed to advantage at Young's Point, and knowing that Lake Providence was connected by Bayou Baxter with Bayou Macon, a navigable stream through which transports might pass into the Mississippi below, through Tansas, Wachita, and Red Rivers, I thought it possible that a route might be opened in that direction which would enable me to coöperate with General Banks at Port Hudson. By the Yazoo Pass route I only expected at first to get into the Yazoo by way of Coldwater and Tallahatchie with some lighter gunboats and a few troops, and destroy the enemy's transports in that stream and some gunboats which I knew he was building. The navigation, however, proved so much better than had been expected, that I thought for a time of the possibility of making this the route for obtaining a foothold on high land above Haines's Bluff, Mississippi, and small-class steamers were accordingly ordered for transporting an army that way. Major-General J. B. McPherson, commanding Seventeenth army corps, was directed to hold his corps in readiness to move by this route; and one division from each of the Thirteenth and Fifteenth corps were collected near the entrance of the Pass to be added to his command. It soon became evident that a sufficient number of boats of the right class could not be obtained for the movement of more than one division. While my forces were opening one end of the Pass, the enemy was diligently closing the other end, and in this way succeeded in gaining time to strongly fortify Greenwood, below the junction of the Tallahatchie and Yallobusha. The advance of the expedition, consisting of one division of McClernand's corps, from Helena, commanded by Brigadier-General L. F. Ross, and the Twelfth and Seventeenth regiments Missouri infantry, from Sherman's corps, as sharp-shooters on the gunboats, succeeded in reaching Coldwater on the second day of March, after much difficulty, and the partial disabling of most of the boats. From the entrance into Coldwater to Fort Pemberton, at Greenwood, Mississippi, no great difficulty of navigation was experienced, nor any interruption of magnitude from the enemy. Fort Pemberton extends from the Tallahatchie to the Yazoo, at Greenwood. Here the two rivers come |