Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/369

 had already won three battles since his army started to capture Vicksburg and General Pemberton determined now to move out of his stronghold and strike the Union army a crushing blow in the rear while General Johnston was engaging it in front. His plan was a good one, and if successful Grant’s army would have been caught between the two Confederate armies and cut to pieces or captured. But Pemberto had a master in the art of war to deal with. Instead of being caught in the trap so skillfully laid, Grant had sent McPherson and Sherman two days before to fall upon Johnston’s army at Jackson, while he faced about the main body of his army to meet Pemberton, ordering the detached division to concentrate near Bolton. Grant learned that Pemberton was approaching with an army of 25,000 and ten batteries of artillery, and at once directed Sherman to move with all possible speed to join the main army at Bolton. Pemberton had taken a strong position on a ridge which was protected by precipitous hillsides covered with dense forests and undergrowth. His left rested on a height owned by Colonel Champion, which gave the battle-field its name—Champion’s Hill. McClernand was slow in reaching the ground and the battle was fought mainly by the divisions of Hovey, Logan and Crocker. Hovey moved on the main road until he came within sight of the enemy in his strong position. Deploying his division into line he attacked the whole front of the Confederate army with great impetuosity and for more than an hour the battle raged with great fury at this point. Charge after charge was made on the Confederate lines with varying success. At one time the Twenty-fourth Iowa, unsupported, made a desperate charge on a battery that was pouring a destructive fire into our ranks, and captured it. Carried away with the enthusiasm of their brilliant achievement the men rushed on with shouts of victory until checked by a terrible fire of musketry from greatly superior numbers. In this charge Major Ed Wright was wounded,