Saturday, July 6, 2013

May 22, 1863---The Siege of Vicksburg: Day Five



MAY 22, 1863:   

The Siege of Vicksburg (Day Five):             

Ulysses S. Grant makes a second attempt at a full frontal assault on Vicksburg. This time, more wisely, he orders a preliminary heavy artillery bombardment of the Confederate works before he launches his all-out attack at 10:00 AM.



The thrust against Stockade Redan is, as it was three days earlier, quickly repulsed. Billy Yank, on the Jackson Road, quickly recoils under Johnny Reb’s fire.



However, the Confederates are forced to evacuate the so-called Railroad Redoubt, and the South Fort and Square Fort are invested. A later Rebel counterattack retakes the Railroad Redoubt and the pressure is taken off the South Fort and the Square Fort. 



Grant’s second assault fails at the cost of 3,200 men, wounded, killed, and missing. The Confederates lose less than 500. Faced with the large combined losses (4,500) of the two direct assaults, Grant decides to forego further direct attacks and simply siege the city, concluding that "they could not last always."

 

No comments:

Post a Comment