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Believing his winnings thus far to be permanent, McClernand sent the dispatch to Grant already mentioned, to which the latter replied by telling him to order up McArthur, of his own (McClernand's) corps, to his assistance.
Before receiving this order McClernand had sent another dispatch similar to the first, and this was soon followed by a third, in which he said, “We have gained the enemy's intrenchments at several points, but are brought to a stand ;” and in a postscript informed Grant that his troops were all engaged, and he could not “withdraw any to re-enforce others.”
Grant, who was in a commanding position, “could not see his possession of the forts,” he said, “nor the necessity for re-enforcements, as represented in his dispatches,” and expressed to both Sherman and McPherson his doubts of their correctness; yet, unwilling to allow any opportunity to capture the post to escape, he ordered Quinby's division of McPherson's corps to report to McClernand.
He also made the diversion in his favor already mentioned, which, Grant said, “resulted in the increase of our mortality list full fifty per cent., without advancing our position or giving us other advantages.”
1 Two hours later, McClernand informed Grant that he had lost no ground; that some of his men were in two of the forts, which were commanded by the rifle-pits in the rear, and that he was hard pressed.
He had really gained no substantial advantage.
He attributed his failure to do so to a lack of proper support, McArthur being some miles distant when Grant's order came to call him up, and Quinby not arriving until twilight.2 Meanwhile Osterhaus and Hovey, on the left of McClernand, had been unsuccessful in their assaults.
Porter had joined in the fight from the river with his mortars and gun-boats, increasing the horrors of the day in the city.3 Night closed in with positive defeat and heavy loss to the National
1 See Grant's Report, July 6, 1863.
2 In a congratulatory address to his troops, General McClernand reflected upon General Grant and the disposition of his troops at the time of the assault. The commanding-general, perceiving in this great danger to the harmony and efficiency of the army, and unwilling to allow such a phase of insubordination to become a precedent, relieved General McClernand from command, on the 15th of June, and assigned it to General E. 0. C. Ord.
3 Grant had requested Porter to shell the hill batteries at Vicksburg on the morning of the assault, from half-past 9 until half-past 10 o'clock, to annoy the garrison while the army should attack. Accordingly, in the morning the Mound City, Benton, Tuscumbia, and Carondelet were sent down the river, and made an attack at the prescribed time on the hill batteries, opposite the canal, and soon silenced them. Porter then. pushed three of them up to the water batteries, leaving the Tuscwnbia to keep the hill batteries still. They had a furious fight with the water batteries, and were repulsed after receiving several wounds. “This,” said the Admiral, “was the hottest fight the gun-boats had ever been under, the water batteries being more on a level with them than usual.” Yet he did not have a man killed, and only a few were wounded. His vessels, fighting bow on, were not much damaged.--Report of Admiral Porter to the Secretary of the Navy, May 28, 1863.
We have remarked that the day of the assault was a terrible one in Vicksburg. The following notice of it, from the diary of a citizen during the siege, from the 17th of May to the 4th of July, gives a vivid picture of those horrors: “Friday, May 22.--The morning of this day opened in the same manner as the previous one had closed. There had been no lull in the shelling all night, and as daylight approached, it grew more rapid and furious. Early in the morning, too, the battle began to rage in the rear. A terrible onslaught was made on the center first, and then extended farther to the left, where a terrific struggle took place, resulting in the repulse of the attacking party. Four gun-boats also came up to engage the batteries. At this time the scene presented an awfully sublime and terrific spectacle--three points being attacked at once, to wit, the rifle-pits, by the army in the rear; the city, by the mortars opposite; and the batteries, by the gun-boats. Such cannonading and shelling has perhaps scarcely ever been equaled, and the city was entirely untenable, though women and children were on the streets. It was not safe from behind or before, and every part of the city was alike within range of the Federal guns. The gun-boats withdrew after a short engagement, but the mortars kept up shelling, and the armies continued 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 bang of small arms, intermingled with the howling of shells and the whistling of Minie balls, made the day truly most hideous.”
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