File:Abraham Lincoln - a history (1914) (14769865062).jpg

Identifier: abrahamlincol07nico (find matches)
Title: Abraham Lincoln : a history
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Nicolay, John G. (John George), 1832-1901 Hay, John, 1838-1905, joint author
Subjects: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Presidents
Publisher: New York : Century Co.
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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ps detached fromBragg were sent to the defense of Vicksburg. Mr.Davis, after a fervent address to the Legislature,in which he urged the citizens of Mississippi togo at once to Vicksburg and assist in preservingthe Mississippi River, that great artery of thecountry, and thus conduce, more than in any otherway, to the perpetuation of the Confederacy andthe success of the cause, returned to Richmond.When, therefore, General Sherman landed hisforce upon the east bank of the Yazoo the taskwhich he had assigned himself had become alreadywell-nigh impossible. The bluffs in his front,which he must cross a difficult bayou to reach,were crowned by formidable earthworks and de-fended by an ample force, for in the position whichthe Confederates held one man for defense was asgood as ten for attack. Impassable swamps on theleft and the Mississippi River on the right restrictedthe field of operations to a very narrow space, andeven that was of such a character that a description 132 ABRAHAM LINCOLN
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PEELUDES TO THE VICKSBUKG CAMPAIGNS 133 of it in the reports of the generals engaged, at this chap. v.lapse of time, strikes the reader with amazement.General Frank P. Blair, Jr., who led the principal at-tack on the enemys works, thus describes the groundhe was compelled to traverse : The enemy had im-proved their naturally strong position with con-summate skill. The bed of the bayou was perhapsone hundred yards in width, covered with waterfor a distance of fifteen feet. On the side of thebayou held by my troops (after emerging from theheavy timber and descending a bank of eight or tenfeet in height) there was a growth of young cotton-woods, thickly set, which had been cut down by theenemy at the height of three or four feet and thetops of these saplings thrown down among thesestumps so as to form a perfect net to entanglethe feet of the assaulting party. Passing throughthis and coming to that part of the bayou contain-ing water, it was deep and miry, and when this wascrossed we enco

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