Thursday, June 25, 1863

Today a tunnel under the Confederate works was completed, and a mine was placed at the far end.  It was charged with a ton of gun powder.  Two regiments were stationed under cover to charge through the breach, and at 3 o'clock the fuse was lit.

The explosion was a success and the two regiments rushed into the crater, which they held for 24 hours.  However, they were driven out by hand grenades thrown from behind the second line of works near the rear of the Confederate fort.

One soldier in the 77th Illinois described the day like this:

The explosion of the mine was the signal for the opening of the artillery of the entire line. The left Division of Gen. McPherson's Seventeenth, or centre Corps, opened first, and discharges were repeated along the left through Gen. Ord's Thirteenth Corps and Herron's extreme 'left Division,' until the sound struck the ear like the mutterings of distant thunder. Gen. Sherman on the right, also opened his artillery about the same time, and occupied the enemy's attention along his front. Every shell struck the parapet, and bounding over, exploded in the midst of the enemy's forces beyond. The scene at this time was one of the utmost sublimity. The roar of artillery, rattle of small arms, the cheers of the men, flashes of light, wreaths of pale blue smoke over different parts of the field, the bursting of shell, the fierce whistle of solid shot, the deep boom of the mortars, the broadsides of the ships of war, and added to all this, the vigorous replies of the enemy, set up a din which beggars all description.

Tuesday, June 23, 1863

Private William Wiley from the 77th Illinois described the Union efforts to tunnel into the Confederate forts.  

Heavy details were mady each day to work in the trenches and do picket duty in the trenches already dug. We soon got our trenches up so near to the rebel forts that they could fire down on our workmen from the top of their works. But our Yankee ingenuity overcame this difficulty by making long rollers or tubes of bamboo canes about as large as sugar hogheads but longer and filling them with cotton and rolling them in front of us as a breast work.  Pushed by hand by Union soldiers digging approach trenches, these large, barrel-shaped devices were known as sap rollers.

To conserve ammunition, Confederate General Pemberton restricted the firing of rebel cannons. To escape the Union shelling, Vicksburg residents dug caves in the hillside for shelter.

Sunday, June 21, 1863

The mining operations carried on each day with steady success.  The mining/tunneling was considered so important that the utmost secrecy was observed.  Guards were placed at the entrance leading to the mine, and non one under the rank of general was allowed to pass except the engineers and workmen carrying on the operations.  These workmen were experienced miners detailed from the different regiments for the express purpose of tunneling.

Friday, June 19, 1863

Towards the end of the siege, J. W. Spurr, Company B, 145th Illinois Infantry Volunteers, had an amazing adventure.  Chalres Johnson told the story:

Spurr somehow managed to get possession of an old Confederate uniform and going to the Mississippi River at the extreme left of our lines went in the water during a heavy rainstorm after night and swam north, past the pickets of both friend and foe. Then, upon going ashore he at once went to some Confederates who were gathered about a campfire and engaged them in conversation. Later he left them and went to a house and asked for something to eat which was refused in consequence of the fact that, at that particular time, eatables in Vicksburg were at a very high premium. Finally, however, with the persuasive influence of a five-dollar bill both food and lodging for the time being were secured. 

Young Spurr's hostess was an Irish woman, who was found to be a Union sympathizer, and who proved her fidelity by warning her guest that he was being watched. Consequently, after spending three days in the beleaguered city the daring adventurer, after night, found his way to the river's bank south of the city, went in the water and swam and floated down past the pickets of foe and friend alike, and upon reaching the Union lines was promptly arrested, but upon establishing his identity was as promptly released.

It is, perhaps, not too much to say that this feat had few, if indeed any, parallels in either army during the whole period of the Civil War's four years' history. That an eighteen-year-old boy, on his own intiative and impelled by nothing save curiosity and innate dare-deviltry, should plan, undertake and successfully execute such a) hazardous feat as that of young Spurr, is hard to believe.

Sunday, June 14, 1863

Private George W. from Company H, Claremont, died today of his wounds.

Thursday, June 4, 1863

Private Jesse Blount from Blueville died today at Vicksburg.  He was from Company D.

Tuesday, June 2, 1863

Private Daniel N. Dodd was killed today in Vicksburg.  He was assigned to Company D and from Blueville.