Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/352

 of the Thirteenth Army Corps under General John A. McClernand. The corps was moved down the river below Vicksburg and soon after joined the army in its march toward the rear of Vicksburg. Under command of Major Atherton the Twenty-second participated in the Battle of Port Gibson, where it lost twenty men. This was the regiment’s first battle, and it won the commendation of General Carr, commanding the division. At the Battle of Champion’s Hill the Twenty-second was among the regiments held in reserve and was not engaged in the conflict, but joined in the pursuit and captured many prisoners. The next day it was slightly engaged at the Battle of Black River Bridge, where two of its number were wounded, and from there it marched with the army to the rear of Vicksburg, where General Pemberton’s army was driven into the defensive works of the city. In the afternoon of the 19th of May and attack was made on the enemy’s works, which proved too strong to be carried by assault. General Grant’s army had now been marching and fighting for twenty-five days, victorious in every battle. General Johnston was gathering a large army in his rear for the avowed purpose of raising the siege and relieving Pemberton. Under these circumstances General Grant determined to risk a general assault in the hope of being able to carry the works and take possession of the city. He could not then know how nature and art had combined to make it the stronghold of the Southern Confederacy. The high bluffs commanding the river front made it impregnable from that side, defended as they were by massive fortifications mounting heavy artillery. In the rear, where it was now assailed, the best engineering skill of the Confederacy had been employed to strengthen the natural defense. The steep ridges were parapets and the deep ravines were natural ditches, covered with a tangled growth of vines, cane, brush and trees, through or over which no army could advance in lines. There were detached fortifications connected by rifle pits on all