1st gun planted at Vicksburg

The Bearss book has already been a great help. In a May, 1862 report on the river defenses of Vicksburg, it says that there were two initial batteries that appeared to have four guns each - one was on the hill just north of town (almost certainly Fort Hill) and the other was on a slope below the city. I was able to cross-reference this with a Confederate journal entry that describes the 8th LA HVY ART taking possession of a four-gun battery 2-3 miles below the city, soon after their arrival on May 5, cannon details given as well. I don't know which of the two was the first planted, but at least I now 'know' that they manned a battery prior to the Depot and Whig Office Batteries. I had read this bit of information on the battery below town previously, but didn't make the connection. Everything is falling in place.
 
The Naval ORs have good info on Vicksburg also. They can be found here; http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/ofre.html

Just received volume 18 of the 'Navies' books. This may end up being the most useful of any of them - amazing detail concerning the bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Phillip, including nice maps. There is also an interesting map showing the Vicksburg batteries in June, 1862 - considerably different than during the 1863 siege. It also contains General M.L. Smith's report on the Union boats passing the Chalmette batteries - nothing mind-blowing, but some good detail. Interesting the way Smith describes the retreat to the swamp, as opposed to the description of a Confederate private! The maps alone are worth the $10 I paid for it - great reference.
 
wow thats something i knew nothing about.....yet another rabbit hole to jump into....is the John Roy diary on the net somewhere...i would like to see that.
I'm John Roy's g-g-granddaughter and working on a book about him.I have a digital copy but it's hard to read because of the time and the Edwardian script and John's scribbled handwriting some places. He describes the battle at Fort McGee. There were some other small fortification on the west bank of the river near there also. This a very rough transcription. (James Curtis he speaks of is his brother in law. Barrie is a friend John had been in an accident just before thsi where a buggy turned over on him so he was sick as also had a very sore arm and leg.)
  • April 24
  • Thursday, Sick but was anxious to go to the work to see what was going on. Sent Barrie for a horse so I could go down ? ? Brought me the pony. Went down and found that the Yankee fleet had passed the forts and were coming up the river. Went to Commander Whittle asked him to let me have the floating battery to mount the spare guns around the custom house upon which were 7. He said take her. I done so and had commenced to get the guns on board when a Naval Officer got the Commodore to take her from me and give her to him. I took my men off the battery and Bradford got a lot of soldiers with pipes in their mouth, who might fight but would not work, so that he prevented me from doing anything with the Battery and could do nothing himself. I then went to a meeting of citizens and tried to get command of the Fire Boats. But there was so much discussion about it that I despaired of being able to do anything. So I went to General Smith; got an order to lease a steamboat and go to the upper Forts and get 3 - 42 lb. and take them to Fort McGee, and fight them with what men I could raise. I got the Morgan Nelson and 29 men, but had no provisions. Went to the free Market and begged for enough to live for 2 days and Mr. Murrey gave us just what we wanted. We then left for the forts above, dismounted 3 -42s and got them onboard by morning.

  • April 25

  • Started for down the river but was short of fuel. Stopped at a flatboat and got 50 lbs of coal gave a receipt on General Smith for the same. In passing down the river, saw the ram with a steamboat alongside to tow her up river. (Wondered why she did not go ??? She having 4 guns on board.)Passed down to Fort McGee. Heard that one of the steamers of the U S was around the point. Made haste to get the guns ashore and mounted. And two guns ??? when the fleet made their appearance around the point. The boat at this time had swung out into the stream for the purpose of getting her midship close to the bank for the purpose of getting off the other guns and carriages. General M. L. Smith was onboard and several officers. The captain of the boat then gave her steam and stuck the (her) bow right into the bank. The general and all on board except one of my men got off. I then told the captain of the boar that he would better leave. He bade us good bye and hoped to meet us under more favorable circumstances. He was a good and true man. I hope he escaped. Captain McDonald told me that we had not over 60 cartridges. I afterwards found that (maybe Redy or Bedy) had the bags on board the Jeff Davis. I passed him that morning lagging as if doing nothing. There being no possibility of mounting these guns, the General made us take down the ??? and prepare to give them(inkblot) we had 4 that my men would stand by as close to the (appalment?) as possible for the purpose of assisting the (generals?) (gunners) if required.
  • On they came. Captain McDonald asked me how far the gunboat was of that (haged? The ?)I said I thought she was a mile and ahalf. He said he thought( strike “he thought”) his gun could reach them but the general said let them come up a little farther. So on they came until the order was given.
  • When Bang went our shot a good low (?) but too high then the enemy returned upon us at a good rate. Our shot could not be called good shooting and yet I think that it was much better than the enemy’s. The general sent me down to Col. Pinkney to tell him not to fire so fast and a little lower. The most of our shot (postry) over. I could not say whether our shot done ? but think that a 64 shot struck the Harriet Lane and (hurled) her over so that she ? ?of the flagship, Hartford, but up she came again in about 10 minutes alongside of the flagship and when the (or their) (broad side came to bear upon us they made the mud fly) ? ? they made the ? fly all around us. At this time the ? was done.

  • The general sent me to the magazine to tear (tare) up shirts to make cartridges. I went but found an Irishman tearing up red flannel. I told him that I had come to help him but he looked at me with a tear in his eye and said By hades sir, that’s my business. You came here to mount guns. Go mount them. I went back to the ? (implacement) and thought that I was perfectly safe when a shot came (slap) into the embankment ? through the very earth because (strike “because” add “by”)of its force
  • ( several lines completely indecipherable here)
  • I saw falling on General Smith’s (back or barracks) but the ship came up so close that the embankment was but little shelter and every broadside that came towards the place with the ? ? Colonel Pickney reported to General Smith that all the cartridges were out. I heard him say tear up some shirts and see if you can scare up another round. He went back to the magazine and whether he got any more or not I have forgotten. But I became aware form (from) the rapidity of the enemy’s broadsides into our midst this was any thing but a safe place and if all the cartridges were out, it would (probably omitted not)be a good job. But (And) yet I had no notion to leave although I had no business there except to ? (tell) the gunners when they got tired which they were not and seemed to ? to gain strength and ? (activity) by their exertions.

  • Col. Pinckney came up to the general and told him that they could not get any more cartridges. Then he said n my hearing that if so he would better retire with his men to the woods. About 30 infantry, a (French) company took to the woods without farther notice. Some of them threw off their knapsacks and threw away their muskets. I thought this was might(y) poor soldiering and picked up a (knapsack) and carried it into the woods. James Curtis he took a gun and as I was making for the woods, I saw (James Curtis) holding the general’s horse with the shot flying all around him and the horse jumping about as if on a full (gait?) O Captain what will I do with the horse ? ? close in and take him to the woods so on we went to the woods and there’s water for General Smith who came down walking as coolly as if nothing was the matter here.

  • I met several of my men. Sergeant Lyat (lent or sent) Anderson and other Lyat had cut up a knapsack and found a bottle of wine within. Was handed to me and I handed it to the general who took a mouthful and handed it back to me. I ? the same thing and gave it back to Mr Lyat. The general then turned to the officers and told them to make the best of their way to ? (Amite?) where they would make the next stand. I then told him that he would better make the best of his way to the city as he was ? here. He bade me good bye and took to the woods on his horse (next line illegible) time of it. While we remained at the end of the embankment the shot cut the tops of the trees over our heads that is seemed to me that there was more danger from the limbs of trees than the shot in the open field. At last we took into the woods and as it was wet we sunk to our knees every step and as some parts to the middle. It was then that I remembered that I was sick and had left my bed but the day before. I became so ? that I had to call a halt and rest. I took off my belt & pistol and was to throw it away but my brother in law, James Curtis, had abandoned his gun and I ? ? ? (knapsack) sometime before. So he proposed to carry the pistol which he did all the way home. When we had traveled in the woods for some 2 hours we came out upon the road just a little above the forts and could see most of our guns standing as we left them. Then it commenced to rain heavy which completely drenched us to the skin. At this time I saw ship after ship drifting down the river all in flames. I could not but admire the patriotism of a people that would thus burn up their property rather than it should fall into the hands of the enemy.
  • We (reached the city at the Canal Ferry and the people (were ?) and destroying property at an ? rate. We got safe home tired enough.
 
I'm John Roy's g-g-granddaughter and working on a book about him.I have a digital copy but it's hard to read because of the time and the Edwardian script and John's scribbled handwriting some places. He describes the battle at Fort McGee. There were some other small fortification on the west bank of the river near there also. This a very rough transcription. (James Curtis he speaks of is his brother in law. Barrie is a friend John had been in an accident just before thsi where a buggy turned over on him so he was sick as also had a very sore arm and leg.)
  • April 24
  • Thursday, Sick but was anxious to go to the work to see what was going on. Sent Barrie for a horse so I could go down ? ? Brought me the pony. Went down and found that the Yankee fleet had passed the forts and were coming up the river. Went to Commander Whittle asked him to let me have the floating battery to mount the spare guns around the custom house upon which were 7. He said take her. I done so and had commenced to get the guns on board when a Naval Officer got the Commodore to take her from me and give her to him. I took my men off the battery and Bradford got a lot of soldiers with pipes in their mouth, who might fight but would not work, so that he prevented me from doing anything with the Battery and could do nothing himself. I then went to a meeting of citizens and tried to get command of the Fire Boats. But there was so much discussion about it that I despaired of being able to do anything. So I went to General Smith; got an order to lease a steamboat and go to the upper Forts and get 3 - 42 lb. and take them to Fort McGee, and fight them with what men I could raise. I got the Morgan Nelson and 29 men, but had no provisions. Went to the free Market and begged for enough to live for 2 days and Mr. Murrey gave us just what we wanted. We then left for the forts above, dismounted 3 -42s and got them onboard by morning.

  • April 25

  • Started for down the river but was short of fuel. Stopped at a flatboat and got 50 lbs of coal gave a receipt on General Smith for the same. In passing down the river, saw the ram with a steamboat alongside to tow her up river. (Wondered why she did not go ??? She having 4 guns on board.)Passed down to Fort McGee. Heard that one of the steamers of the U S was around the point. Made haste to get the guns ashore and mounted. And two guns ??? when the fleet made their appearance around the point. The boat at this time had swung out into the stream for the purpose of getting her midship close to the bank for the purpose of getting off the other guns and carriages. General M. L. Smith was onboard and several officers. The captain of the boat then gave her steam and stuck the (her) bow right into the bank. The general and all on board except one of my men got off. I then told the captain of the boar that he would better leave. He bade us good bye and hoped to meet us under more favorable circumstances. He was a good and true man. I hope he escaped. Captain McDonald told me that we had not over 60 cartridges. I afterwards found that (maybe Redy or Bedy) had the bags on board the Jeff Davis. I passed him that morning lagging as if doing nothing. There being no possibility of mounting these guns, the General made us take down the ??? and prepare to give them(inkblot) we had 4 that my men would stand by as close to the (appalment?) as possible for the purpose of assisting the (generals?) (gunners) if required.
  • On they came. Captain McDonald asked me how far the gunboat was of that (haged? The ?)I said I thought she was a mile and ahalf. He said he thought( strike “he thought”) his gun could reach them but the general said let them come up a little farther. So on they came until the order was given.
  • When Bang went our shot a good low (?) but too high then the enemy returned upon us at a good rate. Our shot could not be called good shooting and yet I think that it was much better than the enemy’s. The general sent me down to Col. Pinkney to tell him not to fire so fast and a little lower. The most of our shot (postry) over. I could not say whether our shot done ? but think that a 64 shot struck the Harriet Lane and (hurled) her over so that she ? ?of the flagship, Hartford, but up she came again in about 10 minutes alongside of the flagship and when the (or their) (broad side came to bear upon us they made the mud fly) ? ? they made the ? fly all around us. At this time the ? was done.

  • The general sent me to the magazine to tear (tare) up shirts to make cartridges. I went but found an Irishman tearing up red flannel. I told him that I had come to help him but he looked at me with a tear in his eye and said By hades sir, that’s my business. You came here to mount guns. Go mount them. I went back to the ? (implacement) and thought that I was perfectly safe when a shot came (slap) into the embankment ? through the very earth because (strike “because” add “by”)of its force
  • ( several lines completely indecipherable here)
  • I saw falling on General Smith’s (back or barracks) but the ship came up so close that the embankment was but little shelter and every broadside that came towards the place with the ? ? Colonel Pickney reported to General Smith that all the cartridges were out. I heard him say tear up some shirts and see if you can scare up another round. He went back to the magazine and whether he got any more or not I have forgotten. But I became aware form (from) the rapidity of the enemy’s broadsides into our midst this was any thing but a safe place and if all the cartridges were out, it would (probably omitted not)be a good job. But (And) yet I had no notion to leave although I had no business there except to ? (tell) the gunners when they got tired which they were not and seemed to ? to gain strength and ? (activity) by their exertions.

  • Col. Pinckney came up to the general and told him that they could not get any more cartridges. Then he said n my hearing that if so he would better retire with his men to the woods. About 30 infantry, a (French) company took to the woods without farther notice. Some of them threw off their knapsacks and threw away their muskets. I thought this was might(y) poor soldiering and picked up a (knapsack) and carried it into the woods. James Curtis he took a gun and as I was making for the woods, I saw (James Curtis) holding the general’s horse with the shot flying all around him and the horse jumping about as if on a full (gait?) O Captain what will I do with the horse ? ? close in and take him to the woods so on we went to the woods and there’s water for General Smith who came down walking as coolly as if nothing was the matter here.

  • I met several of my men. Sergeant Lyat (lent or sent) Anderson and other Lyat had cut up a knapsack and found a bottle of wine within. Was handed to me and I handed it to the general who took a mouthful and handed it back to me. I ? the same thing and gave it back to Mr Lyat. The general then turned to the officers and told them to make the best of their way to ? (Amite?) where they would make the next stand. I then told him that he would better make the best of his way to the city as he was ? here. He bade me good bye and took to the woods on his horse (next line illegible) time of it. While we remained at the end of the embankment the shot cut the tops of the trees over our heads that is seemed to me that there was more danger from the limbs of trees than the shot in the open field. At last we took into the woods and as it was wet we sunk to our knees every step and as some parts to the middle. It was then that I remembered that I was sick and had left my bed but the day before. I became so ? that I had to call a halt and rest. I took off my belt & pistol and was to throw it away but my brother in law, James Curtis, had abandoned his gun and I ? ? ? (knapsack) sometime before. So he proposed to carry the pistol which he did all the way home. When we had traveled in the woods for some 2 hours we came out upon the road just a little above the forts and could see most of our guns standing as we left them. Then it commenced to rain heavy which completely drenched us to the skin. At this time I saw ship after ship drifting down the river all in flames. I could not but admire the patriotism of a people that would thus burn up their property rather than it should fall into the hands of the enemy.
  • We (reached the city at the Canal Ferry and the people (were ?) and destroying property at an ? rate. We got safe home tired enough.
Wow extremely interesting...I hope you let us know when you finish the book!!

One of the other reasons I'm interested in Mr. Roy is because he designed and built the gun carriages for the CSS Missouri ironclad built in Shreveport, La.

Does he mention any of that time in the diary??

John Roy is mentioned numerous times in the book "A Man and his Boat" by Katherine Jeter. I believe his title was Chief Ordnance Officer.

Thanks.
 
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Wow extremely interesting...I hope you let us know when you finish the book!!

One of the other reasons I'm interested in Mr. Roy is because he designed and built the gun carriages for the CSS Missouri ironclad built in Shreveport, La.

Does he mention any of that time in the diary??

John Roy is mentioned numerous times in the book "A Man and his Boat" by Katherine Jeter. I believe his title was Chief Ordnance Officer.

Thanks.
The dairies end in August 1862. Shortly after, there is a letter from him thanking General Beauregard for recommending him to go to Selma and build a foundry. Apparently this never came about. But I assume somehow while he was in Selma possibly through Lovell, John Roy was recommended to Carter and that is how he came to be ordinance officer on the Missouri. I do have the book.
 
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