constructed, and abundantly supplied with material of war, the ammunition being sufficient for a long siege. The author of "The American Conflict" says: "It would hardly be credited on other testimony than his own, that our admiral proceeded to destroy this inestimable material of war with full knowledge that Grant's triumphant army was at hand to defend and utilize it."
General Grant, apprehending an attack by Johnston's relieving force from Jackson, and counting much on the demoralization of Pemberton's command, ordered an assault on the 20th, at 2 p.m. The Union flag was planted on the Confederate earthworks by Blair's division of the 15th corps, but an entrance was not effected owing to the severity of the Confederate fire. A second assault on a larger scale was made on the 22d, at 10 a.m., and to make sure of a simultaneous movement, the corps commanders set their watches by General Grant's. The gun-boats co-operated by opening fire in front, and at the appointed time the assault was general along the whole line.
Sergeant Griffith and 11 men of the 22d Iowa infantry, of McClernand's corps entered one of the bastions of a fort in front of McClernand's position, but all except the sergeant were killed or captured. In two instances at other points regimental flags were planted on the bastions, but that was all. The whole attack was repulsed with a loss of nearly 3,000 in killed, wounded, and captured. At one time General McClernand thought his attack had been successful, and sent word to that effect to General Grant, and at the same time he asked reinforcements, which were sent. Colonel Boomer commanding one of the reinforcing brigades was killed just as his men went into action, and shortly afterwards the assaulting force was hauled off.
It was evident that Vicksburg could only be taken by siege, and General Grant sat down in front of it for that purpose. When he invested the place his forces were
