Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[167] fighting all day. Several desperate charges were made in force against the lines without accomplishing their object. It would require the pen of a poet to depict the awful sublimity of this day's work — the incessant booming of cannon and the banging of small arms, intermingled with the howling of shells, and the whistling of Minie balls, made the day truly most hideous.

Saturday, May 23.--In the morning there was a good deal of shelling from the mortars and gun-boats for an hour or two, after which every thing was silent. The firing along the lines, which began right lively in the morning, also became feeble, and ceased almost entirely toward the middle of the day. In the afternoon shelling commenced again by the mortars, and continued throughout the entire night. The range of the shells appeared to extend over the whole city, and three mortars were employed in throwing the missiles. In the night Commodore Porter started a barge loaded with coal from the upper fleet to the boats below, which was discovered on passing by Vicksburgh and secured at the wharf.

Sunday, May 24.--On this morning firing commenced early toward our right and continued at slow intervals through the forenoon. Later in the day the mortars played upon the city with great fury. A continual war was kept up to the close of the day, and through the night until next morning.

Monday, May 25.--The same boisterous and belligerent demonstrations were still going on and presented nothing different from the preceding six days. Along the lines every thing was quiet, which was occasioned by a flag of truce to bury the dead. At five P. M. the mortars again commenced with a fury heretofore unknown, and rained a perfect storm of shells for some fifteen minutes, when it ceased, and every thing became quiet.

Tuesday, May 26.--The sharp-shooters were again at work at an early hour, and considerable artillery firing was also heard on the lines. In front the mortars remained silent up to nine A. M., when they began with a liveliness that indicated a general demolition of the City of a Hundred Hills. This lasted about two hours, and then slacked off until about ten P. M., when they again commenced and continued up to night, shelling over the whole extent of the city. Along the lines there was not much firing until toward night, when a brisk artillery duel was heard. During the night the shelling was continued at intervals until next morning,

Wednesday, May 27.--Nothing different from the preceding day was observable this morning. The mortars were shelling the city, and the sharpshooters were popping away along the line. Four gunboats again attacked the lower batteries at long-range. At the same time the gunboat Cincinnati came down to engage the upper water-batteries, which resulted in her destruction. After this adventure the firing ceased along the lines as well as on the river.

Thursday morning, May 28--Was ushered in by the chop, chop, chop of the sharp-shooters, whose performances resembled the continual cutting of wood by a hundred choppers. Artillery firing was quite rapid early in the morning, but the mortars were silent. Most of the day was passed in silence, and only an occasional shell was hurled into the city. Toward night a slight rain passed over, which caused a cessation of firing for a short time, after which the mortars again commenced with great rapidity, throwing a great number of shells into the heart of the city. In the night the firing was slow and only at long intervals. Very little damage was done to the houses.

Friday, May 29.--About four o'clock A. M. the Federals opened a terrible fire along the line, and their shells all over the city. The air was filled with missiles of death, and so many were over-head at once that the report of the guns could not be heard from the continual roaring and whirring of the shells through the air. The affair lasted about two hours, after which quietness was restored, and but little annoyance was experienced during the remainder of the day, until five P. M., when another fire was opened similar to the attack in the morning. The artillery roared savagely and continued about one hour. In the night the boats again attacked the lower batteries, and kept up the engagement about one hour. The mortars also made night hideous with the roaring and bursting of shells. On this night the court-house was struck for the first time, killing two men and wounding four.

Saturday, May 30.--This morning opened contrary to expectations, as all looked for another shelling from the lines; but the morning came and brought no shelling with it. Only an occasional bomb was thrown during the forenoon, and but little firing was heard on the lines. About seven P. M. the mortars commenced shelling the town very rapidly, and continued nearly the whole night. The gunboats were also engaged in shelling the lower batteries. In the night a party of confederate soldiers made a trip to the sunken gunboat Cincinnati, and succeeded in setting fire to her.

Sunday, May 31.--On this morning the Federal artillerists were put to work at an early hour, having opened their batteries at three A. M., with great fury, which was continued about one hour. As the morning advanced silence was restored. The day was very quiet, and religious services were performed in all the houses of worship. As the shades of night spread over the earth, the mortars again opened on the city, casting once in a minute, which was continued during the whole night.

Monday, June 1.--Hostilities again became rampant at three o'clock A. M., and the firing was kept up with about the same rapidity as on the previous mornings. A general attack was expected, had been expected during the night, and General Pemberton was on the lines in person all night. After night the mortars again commenced, as well as the batteries on the lines, and shelled the pits with merciless ferocity. In the middle of the night an incendiary applied the torch to the store of J