One of the more interesting primary sources of the Vicksburg Campaign is the diary by Seth J. Wells [1]. According to the forward of his diary, Wells was born on April 26, 1842 in Iowa but grew up on his grandfather's farm in Michigan. I haven't been able to track down his whole life and where he lived, but somehow he ended up enlisting in the 12th Indiana Infantry, a one year regiment, in 1861. After mustering into service, the 12th moved to the Eastern Theater and saw service in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Virginia regions. Once his one year's service expired, Wells was mustered out of the army, but that was not the end of his war. He soon after joined the 17th Illinois and saw extensive service in the Vicksburg Campaign, from its early beginnings to its conclusion [2]. During the campaign, Wells's regiment saw little of the intense fighting as they crossed the Mississippi river much later than the rest of the army. However, once the assaults on the city's defenses and the siege thereafter began, he and the other men of the 17th were skirmishing and fraternizing with the Confederates quite frequently. This portion of the diary presented here covers the march from Miliken's Bend, to the beginning stages of the siege. A future post will cover the siege as seen through the eyes of Wells.
In 1864, the remnants of the 17th were consolidated with the 8th Illinois [3]. An image of the few remaining men of the regiment can be found in this collection of Illinois items found in Military Images, which could include Seth Wells. In July 1864, Wells was killed in a skirmish with Confederates near Jackson, Mississippi. He is buried in the Vicksburg National Cemetery [4].
April 29, Wednesday:
Making out muster rolls today. We had dress parade at 5 o'clock. The "Edward Walsh" came up this morning for the 95th [Illinois] and us. We are to return to Stevenson's brigade. Stevenson is now Brigadier-General. We expect warm work shortly. The river is falling rapidly. It is a number of feet below where it was in the spring when we first came down here. I a was walking on the bank this evening when whom should I see but Coon, the little Negro who used to cook for Capt. Williamson. A new iron clad boat and hospital boat went down the river yesterday. I wrote two letters today, one to Rosalie, and one to George Butterfield.
April 30, Thursday:
Major Peats returned last evening and at 8 o'clock this morning, mustered us for pay, after which we boarded the steamer "Edward Walsh" for Miliken's Bend. Most of the boys bought what was called black berry jam, but it was merely liquor in cans and created a drunken row in which some were hurt, one officer and two privates. Arrived at the Bend before dark. The troops have all left, except the convalescents. They took one tent to each company and loaded the train with commissaries, hardtack, pork, coffee, salt and sugar. I took a towel, one pair of socks, my oilcloth and blanket. This evening we heard heavy and continued firing up the Yazoo, supposed to be Sherman attacking Hams Bluff.
May 1, Friday:
Up at 4, and started on our march at daylight, accompanied by the 95th and a big train of commissaries. A fine road has been made b y Bush's engineering corps. We passed through Richmond, a small country town. It is a beautiful country and the planters are wealthy. The plantations range from six hundred to twentyfour hundred acres. The land is low and level and the soil is rich. The roads have been very bad, but are better now. We made a hard march of nineteen miles.
May 2, Saturday:
Marched 15 miles, very tired. We passed McArthur's division this forenoon. Weather awfully hot.
May 3, Sunday:
Started at 5 o'clock, as usual. The country through which we are now passing is the most beautiful I have ever seen. The plantation mansions are Grand, and the grounds and outbuildings are fitted up in fine style. Each plantation has a splendid steam gin, and some have steam cane-mills as well. The mills must have cost between ten and twenty, possibly thirty thousand dollars. The inhabitants have but recently left. They put in their corn crops, and some cotton, before going. The corn is nearly two feet in height. The boys have destroyed a number of guns and a good deal of furniture. The roads have mostly followed the banks of bayous, and alligators, turtles and snakes abound. The boys have shot a number of alligators. We marched twenty miles today. I became overheated and completely exhausted.
May 4, Monday:
We started early and after marching eight miles, arrived at the landing called "Hard Times," where we took the steamer "Silver Wave." We crossed the river and landed four miles below at Grand Gulf. There is a high prometory [sic] and a range of bluffs here which the Rebels had forfeited with nine guns. It commanded the entrance to the Black River as well as the Mississippi. It was a fort of nature's own construction. We have had a fatiguing march and a good many have given out. Grant's headquarters are eighteen miles back. We hear that Logan's division is in advance and has done good fighting, also that many prisoners have been taken. I should like to hear from home very much just now.
May 5, Tuesday:
Gov. Yates and Adjt. Gen. Thomas are here. We are detailed to remain here and do fatigue duty. The burning barges loaded with provisions came down this evening. The town of Grand Gulf is entirely destroyed. I didn’t know there had been a town there until told.
May 6.
We hear that McClernand’s troops are advancing. One hundred and twenty-eight prisoners came in this morning. We are having a very cold snap for this time of the year.
May 7.
Thursday. Very cold again today. Had to stand around the fire to keep warm. Seventy-four more prisoners came in today. A good many of our boys found old friends or acquaintances among them. They have been very poorly dressed and fed. There is general activity today, Steele’s division is crossing over—also Tuttle’s. Gunboats and transports are engaged in the work.
May 8.
Friday. All quiet. Sherman’s corps moved out this morning. An exorbitant price is demanded for everything. A sheet of paper and envelope are five cents each. Twenty-five cents for a lemon; six dollars for a canteen of whisky; milk costs a dollar a quart, and other things in proportion. At 5 o’clock we boarded the “Empire City” for the lower landing, fifteen miles below, to protect the hospital and bring off the wounded.
May 9.
Saturday. We disembarked early this morning and went back in the country three miles where we found about three hundred of our wounded in a splendid country mansion. The books show that the house cost over one hundred thousand dollars. We lay here in the shade during the day while the ambulances were carrying the wounded down to the river.
May 10.
Sunday. We were awakened last night at 11 o’clock and ordered to fall in with all possible speed. We hurried back to the river and returned to Grand Gulf, which was supposed to be in danger of an attack. Flats and transports brought down shipping teams which sent food to the front. Cumbersworth, Hagan and Hunt each got a barrel of flour last night when they were on extra duty, burying a soldier.
May 11.
Monday. Made out muster rolls this forenoon. Blair’s division came down this afternoon.
May 12.
Tuesday. On brigade guard. Jim Chester and I went outside the pickets and picked dewberries and mulberries, all we could eat.
May 13.
Wednesday. I made a raise on commissary last night. Boggs, Schultz and I ran the pickets and got some mulberries this morning, and brought back four quarts of which we made pies this afternoon. McArthur’s division is coming in. Hooker is fighting a great battle in the East. We cannot get the particulars.
May 14.
Thursday. We got orders this morning to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. We hear that Grant has had another battle. The “Gen. Price” came up this morning from Red River. We were ordered on the march at 8 o’clock. It rained just enough to lay the dust and make good marching. We marched ten miles and camped on a small stream. The country is rough and hilly. The roads follow the ranges of hills, so there are few to climb. Every patch of ground that is tillable is tilled and planted to corn.
May 15.
Friday. Marched twenty miles, saw some fine fields of wheat that are just turning. We heard the cheering news today that Richmond, the Rebel capital, is captured, and also that Jackson, Miss., is taken. The country is the same as yesterday—rough and hilly.
May 16.
Saturday. We had a hard march of twenty-five miles today. We passed through Utica and camped at Raymond. We heard cannonading in the direction of Big Black Bridge. A battle is supposed to be taking place. The hills have gradually disappeared and the face of the country is quite smooth. I saw wheat nearly ready for the reaper. The boys are tired tonight. I keep up fine. We passed a number of hospitals filled with the wounded and also passed a large number of prisoners.
May 17.
Sunday. We started for Big Black Bridge early. Nine miles out we came upon the road leading from Jackson to Vicksburg, and were upon the battle ground of yesterday. The horrors of war were everywhere visible. The dead and wounded were scattered around over the ground. Here we came upon Bill Stafford, who said McPherson’s corps took seventeen hundred prisoners and thirteen pieces of artillery, but were badly cut up. They are burying the dead. It is rumored that Pemberton was killed. In one place the horses of nearly a whole battery were killed. We marched five miles, joined our old brigade, and camped on Black River. Our advance has reached the bridge, and taken three thousand prisoners, and seventeen cannon. McPherson says we have taken seven thousand prisoners and sixty-eight pieces of light artillery since crossing the Mississippi. We saw Stevenson and Logan this afternoon. I saw Quimby when we stopped for dinner. A number of fellows swam the Black River and captured chickens, pigs, etc. The Rebels have chosen their own ground and have been badly whipped each time. We draw scarcely any rations. Engineers are bridging the river.
May 18.
Monday. We lay in camp until 1 o’clock, when the bridge was completed and orders came to advance. We crossed in the rear of Blair’s division and marched to within six miles of Vicksburg. The country is nothing but a succession of hills. Sherman’s corps was in the advance. The roads were very dusty, but we marched six miles before we bivouaced [sic] for the night, tired, hungry.
May 19.
Tuesday. Arose early and advanced three miles and formed our line of battle, our brigade on the left of Smith’s. We held this line until afternoon. On the right they fought a little, some balls passing over our heads. About 1 o’clock we moved up and formed a line. Shells passed over our heads, one man in our regiment was wounded and three horses killed. By this time our batteries were planted and the cannonading became general. It lasted until 3 o’clock and then slackened and we moved to the right about half a mile. McPherson, Logan and Stevenson are in the thickest of it. We hear that Sherman’s right rests on the Mississippi, and McClernand’s left, below. If so they have them completely surrounded. All praise to Gen. Grant. The country is rough and hilly, and the hills steep and rugged, and run in ranges parallel around the town. At 1 o’clock we moved still further to the left and a little forward. Wounded men are being brought in rapidly. We lay here till morning.
May 20.
Wednesday. We were astir early and took breakfast. Cannonading began at daylight. We were ordered back to our brigade and moved up to the road. Shells were thrown over, so we moved to the right and were drawn up. Here we were protected by a hill, and awaited orders. We were soon ordered to the left, and advanced about half a mile or more, and lay under the brow of a hill which protected us from the enemy’s fire. Their line of works are but forty rods in advance.
10 o’clock—Batteries on our right have opened and there is a regular artillery duel going on over our heads. There is an occasional premature burst, one of which seriously wounded Dare. Doty and Shaw each got a slight rap. Our line of skirmishes are on the hill above. I went up and skirmished a while and fired fifty-nine rounds. While there, word was brought me that Frank was slightly wounded. The ball hit a pocket, which was full of things, broke a looking glass, the handle of a toothbrush, and a thick letter from Cousin Sarah. It merely broke the skin, making a bruise. He had not fired a single shot. Seven of our regiment were wounded today. We lay here all night. A singular incident happened during the night. We struck up a conversation with the Rebels. One of our boys, after talking a long time, found he was talking with an old friend. Inquiries were made for mutual acquaintances, and they had a real social time. Finally they laid down their arms and came together. The line of fire that followed the shell from our gunboats and mortars sent over that ill-fated town was a grand sight.
May 21.
Thursday. At daylight the implements of death and destruction were opened once more. I saw some splendid work done by our artillery and there were many little incidents worthy of note. Three shots came very near hitting me, one went between Doty’s head and mine, which were about a foot apart. Brisk fighting all day. Bill Stafford came here and I wrote a few lines home and sent them by him to mail. At dark the firing ceased and a lively chat was again opened by the contending parties. It looked singular to see men fighting with deadly aim during the day, and then spending the night in friendly conversation. I slept in the same hollow. Gunboats and mortars fired at regular intervals.
May 22.
Our line of skirmishes opened at daylight as usual. 7 o’clock—Scaling ladders are being brought around. 10 o’clock—Deployed for the charge. Terrific cannonading going on over our heads. Shells are prematurely bursting, wounding our own men. Night—The day has finally passed away. The 81st Ill. and the 7th Mo. made the charge and were repulsed. Charging was done along the whole of the lines, but it was not a concerted movement and proved a total failure, owing probably to the nature of the grounds. Our boys charged up to the works in splendid style but were not supported. The Confederates raised and poured deadly volumes among them and swept their ranks with grape. We left a good many killed and wounded upon the field. Among the officers, the Colonel of the 81st was killed and Humphries of the 95th. Our regiment made no charge, but advanced close to the works and acted as sharpshooters, and when our charging column was repulsed, we were ordered to retreat. J. R., fool-like, gave the order loud and distinct, and as we fell back they poured the musketry and grape among us. We finally returned to the old camp, having lost eighteen, killed and wounded. The Rebel works extend as far as the eye can see. They are a succession of forts and rifle pits.
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