The following information about "The Widow Blakely" was obtained from -
The War Of The Rebellion:
A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate
Armies. 1889.
THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG, MISS.
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part II & III, Reports.]
No. 75.
Report of Col. Edward Higgins, C. S. Artillery, commanding River
Batteries.
ENTERPRISE, MISS., July 25, 1863.
MAJ.: I have the honor to report the operations of the river batteries
under my command during the recent siege of Vicksburg.
The line of batteries extended along the river front, commencing at a
point above Fort Hill, on the right of my line, to a redoubt which
terminated the extreme right of the rear lines and met my left, a distance
CHAP. XXXVI.] THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG, MISS. PAGE 337-37
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 37.]
8-inch columbiad, 1 7.44-inch Blakely gun, 1 7-inch Brooks, 1 6.4-inch
Brooks, 3 smooth-bore 42-pounders, 2 smooth-bore 32-pounders, 8 banded
and unbanded 32-pounder rifles, 1 18-pounder rifle, 1 20-pounder Parrott,
1 Whitworth, 1 10-inch mortar, 1 8-inch siege howitzer, making in all 31
pieces of heavy artillery, besides 13 pieces of light artillery, which were
placed in position to prevent a landing of the enemy on the city front.
These batteries were divided into three commands, as follows: The upper
batteries, from Fort Hill to the upper bayou, were worked by the First
Tennessee Artillery, under Col. Andrew Jackson, jr. The center batteries,
or those immediately on the city front, were under charge of Maj. F. N.
Ogden, Eighth Louisiana Artillery Battalion, to whose command was attached
Capt. S.C. Bains' company, of Vaiden Light Artillery. The lower batteries
were in charge of the First Louisiana Artillery, under Lieut. Col. D.
Beltzhoover. A portion of the Twenty-third [Twenty-second] Louisiana
Volunteers was joined to Lieut.-Col. Beltzhoover's command.
On the evening of May 18, the investment commenced in rear of the city.
At the same time five of the enemy's gunboats (four of which were
iron-clads) came up from below, and took up a position in the river
just out of range of our guns, while the river above and in front of
the city was guarded by three gunboats, thus completing the investment.
On the evening of the 19th, the enemy's sharpshooters, having obtained
possession of our abandoned line of outer works, opened a fire upon the
upper four-gun water battery, commanded by Maj. F. W. Hoadley, First
Tennessee Artillery, thus rendering the battery temporarily untenable.
Advantage was taken of the darkness of the night to construct traverses
on the flank and in rear of the guns of this battery, and at daylight
there was ample protection afforded to the men while at the guns. The
enemy also commenced feeling our batteries, and opened a heavy fire from
three of his iron-clads upon Capt. [W. C.] Capers' 10-inch columbiad,
on the left of my line. Their fire was kept up for several hours, but
without any serious damage.
At daylight on the morning of the 20th, the enemy opened fire upon the
city and batteries with seven mortars placed under the bank of the river
on the Louisiana shore. Three iron-clads also shelled the lower batteries
at long range.
On the 22d, at 9 a.m., four iron-clads and one wooden gunboat engaged the
lower batteries, and after an engagement of one hour and a half were
repulsed. Two of the iron-clads were seriously damaged. This engagement
was creditable To the First Louisiana Artillery, who, with ten guns,
mostly of small caliber, contested successfully against thirty-two heavy
guns of the enemy. Our casualties were only 2 wounded during the fight;
one 10-inch columbiad and the 18-pounder rifled gun were temporarily
disabled. The Blakely gun burst at the muzzle.
On the 23d, eleven of the light pieces on the river front were ordered
to the rear, and were there fought by detachments from my command
during the remainder of the siege.
From the 24th to the 26th, mortars kept up a steady fire upon the city
and batteries. The 8-inch siege howitzer, one smooth-bore 32-pounder,
the 20-pounder Parrott, and the Whitworth gun were removed to the
rear with their detachments.
Soon after daylight on the morning of the 27th, the enemy's iron-clad
gunboat Cincinnati, mounting fourteen guns, was observed approaching
our upper batteries, while four iron-clads approached the lower batteries.
22 R R--VOL XXIV, PT II
PAGE 338-37 MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. [CHAP. XXXVI.
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 37.]
An engagement took place, which resulted in the complete repulse of
the enemy, and the sinking of the Cincinnati in front of our guns, after
an action of thirty minutes.
Great credit is due to Capts. [J. P.] Lynch and. [T. N.] Johnston, of
the First Tennessee Heavy Artillery, for the handsome manner in which
their guns were handled during the engagement.
The enemy's loss was severe, many of their men being killed in the
port-holes by our sharpshooters. As the river fell, attempts were made
by the enemy to recover the guns of the Cincinnati by working at night,
to prevent which fire was opened on the sunken boat every night from
one or two of my guns during the siege.
On the 28th, the 18-pounder rifled gun was sent to the rear lines, in
charge of Capt. L. B. Haynes' company (E), First Regiment Louisiana
Artillery.
At daylight on the 31st, a tremendous fire was opened on the city from
the enemy's guns in the rear, which did some damage to the works of
the upper batteries. A battery of two small Parrott guns which opened
upon my left at the same time was silenced by Capt. Capers' 10-inch
columbiad.
June 1, a large fire broke out in the city, close upon the magazine of
the Whig Office battery, which was at one time in great danger. The
ammunition was taken out and placed in a more secure position. All
the men of my command that could be spared from the guns were ordered
out immediately to assist in arresting the progress of the conflagration.
From June 2 to 8, the enemy kept up an incessant fire from the
mortar fiats on the city and batteries, and each day the gunboats below
shelled the woods and lower batteries. Two of the field pieces in my
command were turned over to Maj. Gen. M. L. Smith, to be placed in
the rear defense.
June 9 and 10, the fire from the mortars continued at irregular intervals.
The enemy succeeded in placing sharpshooters in the woods on the Louisiana
shore opposite the city, but they were driven off by a few well-directed
shots from one of the light field pieces of Maj. IF. N.] Ogden's Command.
On the morning of June 11, the enemy opened fire from a 10-inch gun
placed in position at a point about a mile above the bend of the river,
opposite the upper batteries, mortars and gunboats still keeping up a
Brisk.
June 12, the 10-inch mortar was ordered to our works in the rear, and was
placed in Maj.-Gen. Forney's line. It was manned by a detachment of
men from Company G, First Louisiana Artillery, under Lieut. C. A. Conrad.
June 13 to 15, a 30-pounder Parrot gun opened on the upper batteries
from the same position as the 10-inch gun mentioned previously.
Several of the mortars dropped down the river some 500 yards, and
opened a heavy fire on the upper batteries. The two Parrott guns
opened again on Capt. Capers, but were silenced after five shots.
June 16, enemy opened fire on Capt. Lynches battery (upper batteries)
from a new work between Edwards' negro quarters and the river, doing
considerable damage to the parapets, traverses, &c., but not injuring
any of our men or guns.
June 17, 18, and 19, mortars still keeping up an irregular fire. The guns
on the Louisiana shore fired very rapidly in the morning and evening. Our
batteries replied slowly. The Parrott battery opened again on Capt.
Capers, but never fired after our guns opened. Since the
CHAP. XXXVI.] THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG, MISS. PAGE 339-37
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 37.]
surrender it has been ascertained that those two guns were totally
disabled by Capt. Capers' fire.
June 20, about 3 a.m., the enemy opened a heavy fire from both front
and rear upon the city and batteries. Firing ceased at 7.30 a.m.
June 21, mortars ceased firing. The enemy mounted a 100-pounder Parrott
gun on the Louisiana shore, under the bank of the river, at a point about
500 yards above the mortar-boats. It opened upon the city during the
evening, doing a great deal of damage. Capt. [R. C.] Bond, in the lower
batteries, opened fire with his 10-inch columbiad and 32-pounder rifled
gun, when, after a few shots, the enemy's gun ceased firing.
June 22 to 27, firing from the guns on the Louisiana shore was kept up on
the city and batteries with great vigor. Our guns replied slowly and with
deliberation, but in consequence of the timber on the Louisiana shore
affording ample means of masking batteries, it was very difficult to
arrive at any satisfactory results.
On the 26th, the mortars resumed their fire upon the city, and on the
same day numbers of the enemy's sharpshooters opened upon the city
from the brushwood on the Louisiana shore.
June 28, firing still kept up. The 10-inch Brooks' gun in the upper
batteries burst one of the bands and also at the breech. At 4 p.m. the
100-pounder Parrot gun and two mortars opened upon the lower batteries.
June 29 and 30, heavy firing all along the river front. The gunboats
shelled the woods around Capt. Capers' battery. The mortar was brought
from the rear, and remounted in its old position in the redoubt on the
extreme left of my line. It was very successfully used in driving off
sharpshooters from that point. In addition to the other guns on the
Louisiana shore, the enemy opened two small Parrott guns close to the bank
in front of the city. Their fire was very slow and at irregular intervals.
July 1, the enemy opened fire on the mortar redoubt from his lines.
Our works were somewhat damaged by it. The mortar replied, and
almost immediately afterward the enemy's fire ceased.
July 2 and 3, heavy firing from all points. At 4 p.m. on the 3d, I
opened fire all along my lines, and at 5 p.m. The last gun was fired by
the river batteries in defense of Vicksburg.
July 4, the city capitulated.
During this long and tedious siege, I am happy to say that the officers
and men under my command discharged their duty faithfully and with
alacrity. Owing to the weakness of our infantry force, they were called
upon to perform other duties than those of fighting their guns. They
formed a portion of the city guard, discharged the duties of firemen in
case of fire, policed the river, &c., and the reliefs were almost nightly
under arms as infantry in the trenches.
I have not yet received the surgeon's report of our loss in killed and
wounded. It will probably not amount to more than 30. Among the killed
was Maj. F. W. Hoadley, First Tennessee Heavy Artillery, who commanded
the upper water battery. This battery was exposed constantly to an
unceasing fire of mortars, Parrotts, and sharpshooters. The gallant major
was always at his post, and fell with his face to the foe, struck in the
breast by a fragment of a shell.
The officers who most distinguished themselves by their gallantry and
unceasing vigilance during the siege were: Col. Jackson, First
Tennessee Artillery, who, with his gallant regiment, bore the brunt of
the labors and dangers of the siege, and was always ready, day or night,
for any duty to which he might be called ] Lieut.-Col. [Robert]
PAGE 340-37 MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. [CHAP. XXXVI.
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 37.]
Sterling, Capts. [J. P.] Lynch and Johnston, of the same regiment; Maj.
F. N. Ogden, Eighth Louisiana Artillery Battalion, and Capts. [T. N.]
McCrory and [P.] Grandpre, of the same battalion; Capts. W. C. Capers,
R. C. Bond, and R. J. Bruce; Lieuts. R. Agar, E. D. Woodlief, and C. A.
Conrad, First Louisiana Artillery.
Capt. W. C. Capers, by his strict and indefatigable attention to his
duties and gallant bearing, won my admiration.
Lieut. C. A. Conrad, in command of the 10-inch mortar, behaved with
great gallantry.
Lieut. W. T. Mumford, adjutant of the command; Lieut. W. M.
Bridges, inspector-general; Lieut. W. Yerger, aide-de-camp; Lieut. B.
G. Knight, volunteer aide-de-camp, and Lieut. W. O. Flynn, engineer
officer, discharged their duties to my satisfaction.
It is but an act of simple justice before closing this report to make
known the good conduct of Sergt. Thomas Lynch, of the First Louisiana
Artillery, who was in command of the picket boats and chief of the river
police. By his ceaseless energy and his close attention to his very
arduous duties. He made himself almost invaluable, and I trust the
Government will reward his faithfulness.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
EDWARD HIGGINS,
Col. of Artillery, C. S. Army,
Late in command of River Batteries, Vicksburg.
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No. 76.
Report of Lieut. Col. D. Beltzhoover, First Louisiana Artillery.
DEMOPOLIS, ALA., August 29, 1863.
SIR: As near as I can ascertain, the heavy guns lost at Vicksburg
were as follows:
LG CF UG T
10-inch columbiads................. 3 2 3 8
9-inch navies...................... 1 .. .. 1
8-inch columbiads.................. .. .. 1 1
10-inch mortars.................... 1 .. .. 1
42-pounders........................ 2 .. 1 3
32-pounder rifles.................. 1 .. 4 5
32-pounder smooth-bores............ 3 1 1 5
Brooks'*........................... 1 .. 1 2
Blakely's+......................... 1 .. .. 1
6-pounder field guns............... .. 2 .. 2
Aggregate.......................... 13 5 11 29
LG=Lower garrison. CF=City front. UG=Upper garrison. T=Total.
I cannot give any idea of the ordnance stores lost, because I have none
of the reports or returns. During the siege the commanders of garrisons
had nothing to do with the ordnance stores further than to see that
they were taken care of. Ammunition, &c., was sent to the batteries
and removed from them without our knowledge. Col. [Ed.] Higgins
and all his staff are absent, and I get no better information than that
given above.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. BELTZHOOVER,
Lieut.-Col., First Louisiana Artillery.
R. R. HUTCHINSON,
Assistant Adjutant Gen.
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HDQRS. RIVER BATTERIES, Vicksburg, Miss., February 12, 1863.
Capt. WILLIAM ELLIOTT:
SIR: I have the honor to inform you that, in obedience to your direction,
I have examined the position indicated by you in rear of Col.
Beltzhover's quarters, and find the bluff too high to work the Blakely
gun upon to the best advantage, and that the depression requisite to
command the landing, near the steamer Vicksburg, cannot be obtained.
I would respectfully recommend that the gun be removed to the vicinity
of the upper water batteries, where we are weak, and where guns of
long range and heavy caliber can be used to great advantage, as in
approaching the city the enemy's vessels will be exposed to the fire of
the upper guns for a long time, and for a portion of the distance will be
obliged to come head-on to the battery. I would also respectfully
recommend that the upper water battery be further strengthened by
heavy guns, which can command the doublings of the river, and that the
light guns, such as smooth-bore 32-pounders, be removed to position
lower down and more suitable to their range. If the enemy's iron-clads
succeed in passing the others. If their plan of attack should be to use
their iron-clads to silence our batteries in detail, and then get their
transports where they want them, I think a successful resistance of the
PAGE 624-38 MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. [CHAP. XXXVI.
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part III, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 38.]
plan could be made by a few more heavy guns planted at the point indicated.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
EDWARD HIGGINS,
Col., Cmdg.
[Indorsement.]
Approved, and respectfully recommended.
STEPHEN D. LEE.
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Author's Note: This reference below is of another large Blakely and not "The Widow Blakely."
PAGE 668-38 MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. [CHAP. XXXVI.
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part III, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 38.]
HDQRS. DEPT. OF MISSISSIPPI AND EASTERN LOUISIANA,
Jackson, March 14, 1863.
Gen. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
Cmdg. Chattanooga:
GEN.: Your letter of the 11th instant, from Mobile, has just one
of which [the lower] completely enfilades it. The range, however, is
long, 1 7/8 miles, but effective. The battery consists of one 10-inch
columbiad, one 10-inch mortar, and a 30-pounder Parrott. The upper
battery, range 1 3/4 miles, consists of one 10-inch columbiad and one
Whitworth; a 7-inch Blakely also bears on mouth of canal, but at still
longer range.
I am now fortifying Grand Gulf and mounting two 8-inch naval guns,
a banded 32-pounder rifled, and two 32s, rifled but not banded. The
three first-named guns belong to the Navy Department, and were
intended for boat building at Shreveport, La., as transportation by land
to Port Hudson for these guns was impossible from the condition of the
roads, and, as navigation by Mississippi River was uncertain and
dangerous, I took temporary possession of them, notifying the
Department of the fact. The Secretary of War, though blaming my
action as unauthorized, has allowed their retention, and will endeavor
to supply the navy with others. I think it hardly necessary to say that the
apparent probability of success with the canal made it necessary to
establish another battery below, and that the mouth of Big Black, from
its relation to Vicksburg, induced the selection of Grand Gulf. Ellis'
Cliff, 18 miles below Natchez, per se, has superior advantages for
locating a battery, but has no connection with Vicksburg. The
dredge-boats [two] have advanced only one-fifth the length of the canal.
Spade works is stopped for the present. I begin to hope it may prove a failure.
The high water has driven within the last few days a large part of the
transport fleet, with many troops, higher up the river, but to what point
has not yet been reported. River falling slowly. Gen. Gardner, at
Port Hudson, estimates Banks' forces at Baton Rouge at least 30,000.
Farragut, with Essex, Richmond, Hartford, Monongahela, Pensacola,
and Tennessee, and a large number of mortar-boats, below. Banks made
a forward movement with a part of his army on the 11th by three roads,
but has not advanced since.
I have telegraphed you to-day and yesterday as to operations on
Tallahatchee. Some eight or nine gunboats, two of them iron-clad, and
about seventeen or twenty transports, after cutting through nearly a mile
of solid Tallahatchee, on the 11th with iron-clads, and were repulsed;
one boat considerably damaged. On yesterday they renewed the attack
with great vigor, and continued it until after sunset, from ten to sixteen
heavy boat guns, and from a mortar and two guns on land. We lost
several men, and a 11-inch shell passed through 16 feet earth and a bale
of cotton, blowing up the magazine of one Whitworth gun; this the only damage.
Gen. Loring, in command, telegraphs cartridges were being prepared
for the gun, and notified me of arrival of ammunition for heavy guns.
He says loss of the enemy must have been very great. Our shot struck
constantly, scattering burning cotton. I think Col.------- can hold the
place. It is located on a narrow neck 6 miles above Greenwood.
A raft and steamboats sunk obstruct the river opposite the fort.
CHAP. XXXVI.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--CONFEDERATE. PAGE 669-38
[Series I. Vol. 24. Part III, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 38.]
Yazoo City is being fortified and is strongly garrisoned. Gen. Loring
and his troops have done most admirably.
I am drawing corn in large quantities from Yazoo, Sunflower, and Deer
Creek, via the river and Grenada; also supplies are being collected along
Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and thrown into Vicksburg as rapidly as
possible. Nothing prevents large accumulations there of corn but the
wretched condition of the Southern Railroad, which after every rain is
so seriously injured as to delay transportation for several days; hence I
have found it necessary at times to require the rolling-stock of other
roads to run their freight through to Vicksburg over the Southern road,
not knowing that to-morrow I shall be able to put in a train. It is now,
however, accumulating rapidly, and I have already withdrawn the
restriction against shipments of sugar for other departments. A
moment's reflection will, I think, show the propriety of my order at the
time of its issue. I had very little other subsistence for the army there,
whilst for nearly a week it was impossible to pass a car over the
Southern Railroad, and the navigation of the Mississippi River either cut
off or liable to be so at any hour by the passage of gunboats. At this
time cattle could be crossed from Louisiana if they were on the shore,
but the condition of the country from heavy rains has made it
impracticable of late to drive them. I have agents purchasing, and
contracts for large number of head, and I hope very shortly to receive
some of them. Meat is, I presume, as scarce in this department as in
others. The beef obtained in the fall and winter from Texas will not feed
on corn, and there being little or no pasturage, the animals become thin
and unfit for issue. There is not sufficient beef in the department to feed
the people and army for any considerable time. I am getting bacon and
salt pork from the interior and from Trans-Mississippi.
Gen. Gardner telegraps me [2 p.m.] that the bombardment at Port
Hudson has commenced; fleet not in range of his pieces; land forces
advancing. We have every reason, I think, to hope for success.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. C. PEMBERTON.