Into The Mouth of The Cannon

By Robert E. Reynolds

Click On the link AuthorHouse Icon to purchase into The Mouth of The Cannon

The Battle of Fort Pillow Tennessee, The Siege of Corinth Mississippi, The Battle for Iuka Mississippi, The Battle for Port Hudson, Louisiana, The Fall of Vicksburg , The Seizure of Little Rock in September 1863 and the Camden Campaign are included in the book, as well as many events.

    The book is a true story that is well-documented. Each chapter has numerous source reference note numbers authenticating the research. The book is indexed and also contains an appendix making it easy to do research and is illustrated. It also contains letters written during the Civil War period never published before. The book reads with the ease of a novel. It is filled with factual accounts that pull the reader into the events taking place on the written pages. The rebel yells, the ear-splitting roar of the cannon and the heart wrenching cries of the wounded hold your interest as you are pulled into the story. Truly this is a book full of action, suspense, and even romance. The writer carries you right into the realities of the Civil War.

D. L. O.

    Excerpt from Chapter14: (The Hardships of Southern Women) The closing of the lower Mississippi River by Farragut's fleet had immediate positive results for the Union cause. 4 The seizure of the port had far-reaching consequences for the South and in time would strangle her efforts to continue the struggle.

      Because of the blockade the women of the Confederacy had to improvise with whatever resources were available.  In the early part of the war this inspired Southern women to band together and pool resources.  Communities of women--literally this was the case, for all able-bodied men were in the service--would come together to pool their resources in order to keep the war effort alive.  Small cottage industries sprang up that were operated by women who were determined to furnish whatever was necessary for their men who had gone to battle.  Women worked at looms, tanneries, and spinning wheels to ensure a continuous flow of supplies to the army.  They gathered herbs, such as horehound, mullein, and boneset to furnish much-needed medications for the sick and wounded.  The women cultivated poppy plants for medicinal purposes.  When the plants reached a certain stage of maturity, they cut the stock.  They then collected sap from the plant and dried it.  This process was used to manufacture opium that was shipped to hospitals and doctors in the field.  Opium was one of the principal painkillers used to relieve the anguish and suffering of the wounded during the Civil War

Excerpt from Chapter 9: (Port Hudson: A Confederate Fortress on the Mississippi) The Siege of Port Hudson began on May 23, 1863. A vastly outnumbered force of determined southern defenders was pitted against 30,000 union soldiers. What began on that day was a siege that was to last for 48 days. This was the longest siege in United States military history. Ferocious assaults were thrown against the 6,800 brave defenders during the siege. These actions constituted some of the most severe and bloodiest fighting of the entire Civil War. The siege took a heavy toll on both union, and confederate forces. Estimated casualties on the union side were over 5,000 men. The confederate forces suffered greatly also. Towards the end of the siege, the confederate army had exhausted their ammunition. They had to resort to eating mules, horses, and rats to keep from starving.

Excerpt from Chapter 6:  (The Siege of Corinth) The armies of General Earl Van Dorn and General Sterling Price were ordered by the Confederate high command under General Bragg, to combine their strengths at Ripley, Mississippi. This build-up of Confederate troops was for the purpose of capturing the federal fortifications at Corinth.
    On the morning of September 29, 1862, the combined armies under the command of Van Dorn marched out of Ripley in the direction of Pocahontas, Mississippi. The movement was intended to create an illusion that an attack was coming against Bolivar, Tennessee, thus diverting General Grant's attention from the true objective. General Grant was closely watching the build-up of Confederate troops in the Ripley area and quickly began responding to this threat. His reconnaissance was reporting these movements and because of this, he began to reinforce the Union Army at Corinth preventing impending defeat. The two opposing armies were nearly equal now.
    On the morning of October 4, 1862, Southern Army woke up to the sound of Confederate cannon signaling that the second day of the battle was about to begin. The assault against the federal fortifications should have taken place soon after the artillery bombardment, directed at the enemy's batteries.
Lieutenant George W. Isaacs and Company H had been waiting for the anticipated order to move out and assist the first attack on Battery Powell.
    Three assaulting columns were thrown against Batteries Robinett and Powell. It was on the last attack that Cabell's Brigade was ordered to reinforce Colonel Gates Missouri troops. Much to their astonishment, they realized Battery Powell had been reinforced Cabell's brigade consisted of the 21st, 20th, 19th, 18th Arkansas Infantry, Jones' battalion and Rapley's Battalion of sharp shooters. They came up against an entire division. Rosecrans had quickly reinforced Battery Powell with Hamilton's division.
    The Siege of Corinth and The Battle of Davis Bridge that took place during the retreat from Corinth was truly one of the darkest moments during the Civil War.
 

Click On the link AuthorHouse Icon to purchase into The Mouth of The Cannon

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005910732

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana