VICKSBURG May 22, 1863 – Climbing into a hail of Confederate minie balls and grapeshot, a sergeant of the 22nd Iowa advances to plant a flag atop the Confederate breastworks at Vicksburg. The attackers were driven back with heavy loss each time such an advance was attempted. Undaunted by his failure on the 19th, but realizing that he had been too hasty, Gen. Ulysses Grant made a more thorough reconnaissance of the Vicksburg defenses prior to ordering another assault. Early on the morning of May 22, Union artillery opened fire, and for four hours bombarded the city’s defenses. Then, at 10:00 a.m. the guns fell silent along the entire Federal, and Union infantry was thrown forward along a three-mile front. Sherman attacked once again down the Graveyard Road, Gen. James McPherson in the center along the Jackson Road, and Gen. John McClernand on the south along the Baldwin Ferry Road and each side of the Southern Railroad of Mississippi. Although flags of all three corps were planted at different points along the exterior slopes of the Confederate fortifications, and Gen. McClernand’s troops were able to make a short-lived penetration at Railroad Redoubt, the Federals were again driven back, sustaining losses in excess of 3,000 men.
The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee
Tour Stop 13 – Railroad Redoubt
The Railroad Redoubt was a Confederate fortification built to protect a vital entrance to the city — in this case the Southern Railroad of Mississippi.
On May 22, General Grant ordered a second major assault against the formidable Confederate positions. Union forces began their carefully planned attack with a fierce artillery bombardment, followed by the advance of the infantry.
Unlike other points along the Confederate defense line, the blue-clad soldiers found that the redoubt’s southeast angle had been partially destroyed by the artillery bombardment. Union soldiers commanded by Sgt. Joseph E. Griffith of the 22d Iowa were able to exploit this brief breakthrough and quickly entered the redoubt in an attempt to storm the Confederate earthworks. The Confederates counterattacked and called up reinforcements. Waul’s Texas Legion arrived to drive out the Federals and “seal the breach.”
Although Union forces sustained heavy losses, Griffith managed to withdraw, taking a dozen prisoners with him. By evening, the Federals had returned to their lines. There were no further attacks on the Railroad Redoubt, and mining operations commenced. By the time of the surrender on July 4, 1863, approach trenches had reached the redoubt’s outer ditch.
National Park Service,
Vicksburg National Military Park
This painting, by Thure de Thulstrup, is attributed online to several different engagements at Vicksburg, including two different National Park Service pages.
