alan polk
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2012
December 26-29, 1862. While Grant marched south along the Central Mississippi Railroad, Sherman moved down the Mississippi River from Memphis and attacked Vicksburg at Chickasaw Bayou.
Samuel Mitchel was a Confederate private helping to hold the works at the base of the mighty Chickasaw Bluffs when Sherman attacked:
“The woods beyond the field in our front was perfectly blue [with Yankees] and they moved in fine style, huzzaing as they came.”
“They rallied and tried again and again, but only to be driven from the field. Our men never flinched but delivered their fire with a precision that was perfectly appalling to the Federals. They failed in every attempt, but be it said to their credit THEY FOUGHT LIKE MEN.”
The battle and the campaign proved an utter failure for the Union. Sherman lost 1,776 at Chickasaw while the Confederates lost a little over 200.
It was only the beginning, however. Grant shifted his base to the Mississippi River and eventually captured Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.