Vicksburg National Military Park in Warren County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Benton's Brigade: Assault, May 22, 1863
Union Position Tablet
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 11, 2016
1. Benton's Brigade: Assault, May 22, 1863 Marker
Inscription.
Benton's Brigade: Assault, May 22, 1863. Union Position Tablet. This brigade advanced by the right flank at 10 A.M., to assault the Confederate lunette on the Baldwin’s Ferry Road, through the ravine that debouches on that road immediately in front of the left face of that lunette. In order from right to left as follows: 99th Illinois, 33rd Illinois, 8th Indiana, 18th Indiana. The regiments encountered a very severe fire as they successively approached the head of the ravine and the brigade took position in front of both faces of the Confederate lunette and the curtain south of it , the 99th Illinois around the salient angle of the lunette, the 18th Indiana on its right, the 33rd Illinois on the left of the 99th Illinois, and the 8th Indiana still farther to the left. Detachments of the two last named regiments crossed the railroad and took position in front of the Confederate railroad redoubt. The positions gained were held either until detachments of the brigade were relieved by Sanborn’s brigade or until after dark, when all the detachments not previously relieved retired. This tablet marks the right of the 99th Illinois as that regiment first formed, under fire, around the Confederate lunette, and the point where its right substantially remained until the brigade was relieved. Casualties: 33rd Illinois, killed 13, wounded 59, total 72; 99th Illinois, killed 19, wounded 77, missing 6, total 102, Lieut. Thomas J. Kinman killed, Capt. Eli R. Smith and Lieut. William Gray mortally wounded; 8th Indiana, killed 22, wounded 95, total 117, Capts. Andrew O’Daniel, Frederick S. Wysong and Hiram T. Vandevender killed; 18th Indiana, killed 7, wounded 39, missing 1, total 47, Major John C. Jenks and Lieut. John L. Lowes mortally wounded; 1st United States (serving siege guns), wounded 3; aggregate, killed 61, wounded 273, missing 7, total 341.
This brigade advanced by the right flank at 10 A.M., to assault the Confederate lunette on the Baldwin’s Ferry Road, through the ravine that debouches on that road immediately in front of the left face of that lunette. In order from right to left as follows: 99th Illinois, 33rd Illinois, 8th Indiana, 18th Indiana. The regiments encountered a very severe fire as they successively approached the head of the ravine and the brigade took position in front of both faces of the Confederate lunette and the curtain south of it — the 99th Illinois around the salient angle of the lunette, the 18th Indiana on its right, the 33rd Illinois on the left of the 99th Illinois, and the 8th Indiana still farther to the left. Detachments of the two last named regiments crossed the railroad and took position in front of the Confederate railroad redoubt. The positions gained were held either until detachments of the brigade were relieved by Sanborn’s brigade or until after dark, when all the detachments not previously relieved retired. This tablet marks the right of the 99th Illinois as that regiment first formed, under fire, around the Confederate lunette, and the point where its right substantially remained until the brigade was relieved. Casualties: 33rd Illinois, killed 13, wounded 59, total 72; 99th Illinois, killed 19, wounded 77, missing 6, total 102,
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Lieut. Thomas J. Kinman killed, Capt. Eli R. Smith and Lieut. William Gray mortally wounded; 8th Indiana, killed 22, wounded 95, total 117, Capts. Andrew O’Daniel, Frederick S. Wysong and Hiram T. Vandevender killed; 18th Indiana, killed 7, wounded 39, missing 1, total 47, Major John C. Jenks and Lieut. John L. Lowes mortally wounded; 1st United States (serving siege guns), wounded 3; aggregate, killed 61, wounded 273, missing 7, total 341.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is May 22, 1863.
Location. 32° 20.734′ N, 90° 51.216′ W. Marker is in Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi, in Warren County. Marker is on Confederate Avenue, one mile south of Pemberton Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Vicksburg MS 39183, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Col. George Bailey’s 99th Illinois heads Benton’s column as it emerges from the ravine fronting today’s visitor center and crosses Baldwin’s Ferry Road. Bailey strides along in his shirtsleeves. Alongside him is one of his color bearers, Cpl. Thomas J. Higgins. Higgins rushes into the Rebel fire and doesn’t look back. He goes into the foe’s works and Texas Capt. A.J. Hurley pulls him in, grabs his chest, and inquires, “Are you wearing a bulletproof vest? My men are good shots. They were shooting at you.” Higgins looks around. Where in the hell are his friends? He looks to the rear and sees that Bailey and the rest of the 99th have gone to ground. But on come many more Yanks and after a desperate struggle finally gain the ditch fronting Second Texas Lunette...
(Submitted on January 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 151 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 7, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
