Posted inUS Civil War

May 15, 1863 – Retreat of Gen. Hooker

The army of Gen Hooker is again on the north side of the Rappahannock. It began to recross the river Tuesday afternoon, and was all over on Wednesday morning. The troops were annoyed considerably by the firing of the rebels from the neighboring hights, and there were some casualties, but the accounts go to indicate ihat the passage of the river was made in good order and with admirable success under the circumstances. The first reports of the retreat stated that it was preceded by a severe battle and defeat of our forces on Tuesday, but later accounts deny that there was any battle on that day, and state that the army was deliberately withdrawn from prudential reasons. Some have already made haste to charge Gen Hooker with cowardice in ordering this retreat, but it is too soon, and the facts are too imperfectly known, to make a just judgment in the matter possible, and it is quite likely to appear that Gen Hooker has demonstrated by the movement that he is a prudent leader, as he has already shown himself a bold one.

Posted inUS Civil War

May 10, 1863 – Gen. Grant Advancing on Vicksburg

The Cincinnati Gazette’s diapatch trom Memphis announces the capture by Gen. GRANT’s forces of Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Willard’a Valley. Port Gibson is six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf. The capture of these places has given Grant possession of the Big Black river. The distance from the mouth of that river to the bridge of the Vicksburg and Jackson railroad is thirty-two miles. The Big Black is navigable for gunboats twenty-two miles.

Posted inBiographical US Civil War

May 9, 1863 – Brief Sketch of Maj. Gen. French, U.S. Vols.

The subject of our sketch, Maj. Gen. William H. French, U.S. A., was born near Baltimore. His parents, natives of Massachusetts, removed to Maryland a short time previous to his birth. He commenced his classical studies at the University of Maryland, and afterwards continued them at Columbia College, Washington, D. C., from which, in 1833 he was appointed Cadet to West Point, and graduated with honor in 1837, in the same class as Maj. Gen. Hooker, of our army, and J. Braxton Bragg. of the Rebel service. He was assigned as second Lieutenant to the 1st Regiment U. S. Artillery and ordered to accompany an expedition to Florida. He was promoted 1st Lieut. July 11, 1838, and served on the frontier until the Spring of 1840, when his Regiment was ordered to Houlton, Maine; from there he was detailed on duty with the joint Commission to run the Northeastern Boundary. Early in May, 1846, he was sent with the first reinforcements to Gen. Taylor at Brazors, Texas, and was assigned to the command of the siege train (Mortar Batteries) in front of Matamoros. After he surrender of that city, and war was formally declared, he served with Taylor’s Battery, whose command lauded in the first line at the siege of Vera Cruz. He served throughout the war with Mexico, and was brevetted Captain for gallant and meritorious conduct at the battle of Cerro Gordo, April, 1847, and Major for gallant and meritorious services at Contreras and Churabusco, August, 1817.