JACKSON.

THUS terminated this memorable conflict for the possession of the rebel stronghold in the southwest, and thus the SIEGE OF VICKSBURG passed into, and became a part of, the permanent history of the country. The glorious consummation was hailed with acclamations of joy throughout the north, while it fell like an unexpected thunder-clap upon the people of the south. But our joy at the success of our work was mingled with disappointment and vexation. For forty-seven long, weary days and nights we had either charged upon the works or stood upon the picket line or worked in the trenches. A bloody record had been written on those hills. And yet we, of the Thirteenth Army Corps, were not permitted to go inside and see the prize we had assisted in capturing.
        Scarcely had the sound of our artillery died away in the distance, before we were again under marching orders. At first we expected to move at six o'clock on the morning of the 4th, but from some cause unknown to us, the forward movement did not commence until Sunday morning, July 5th, at sunrise. The whole column was in motion by eight o'clock A.M. The expedition was commanded by General Sherman, and consisted of three Army Corps, the Ninth, Thirteenth and Fifteenth, commanded respectively by Generals Parke, Ord and McPherson. We were now playing the last act in the bloody drama in which we had been engaged for the last six months.
        The weather was excessively hot, and notwithstanding the fact that we were in light marching order, many of the men fainted and fell by the way. And no wonder. We had done no marching for several weeks, and this laborious march was too much for us. Water was also very scarce, and a great deal of suffering was experienced from thirst. But a soldier's life is a life of endurance, and the troops composing that army forgot, to some extent at least, their toils and their grievances, and trudged along as merrily as they could under the circumstances. A part of the Seventy-Seventh reached the spot selected for the camp about the middle of the afternoon, and from that time until after midnight the stragglers kept coming in. The next day we rested. It was on this march that we received the flattering appellation of "Smith's greyhounds."
        On the morning of July 7th, the march was resumed, and soon after we passed over the battle ground of Champion Hills. Here we saw evidences of the fight of May 16th, as we could not see them on the day of the conflict. "There was much here to interest the members of Hovey's Division. There nearly fourteen hundred of their comrades had fallen. Each one had friends and companions in arms, whose graves they sought out and paid their last tribute of respect. All was quiet. Each spoke and walked about, as if he moved on hallowed ground, and hallowed it was, if the noblest blood of the land can hallow any spot of creation, when ebbing from wounds received in defending liberty's banner and liberty's cause. It was an impressive sight to behold the bluff and hardened soldier, wipe from his bronzed cheek the silent tear. They visited the spot where their comrades fell. All around were evidences of the fierce conflict. Each tree, log and bush was scarred and torn by the balls. The graves were arranged along the summit of the hill. In many instances officers were buried in the same grave with the common soldier. They died together, struggling for victory; it is meet that they should sleep in the same heroic graves. In future days, when the starry folds shall float over this united land, honored and respected by all, some memorial may be raised by their grateful countrymen to commemorate their deeds of valor in the greatest of the battles fought for the possession of Vicksburg."
        But we had no time to indulge in reminiscenses of the past, or to stand regretfully on the graves of our dead comrades at Champion Hills. Onward, was the word, and Jackson was the goal. At night the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Army Corps formed their lines of battle, expecting a general engagement in the morning, as the enemy was only a short distance in front of us. That part of the line occupied by the Seventy-Seventh, was in a cornfield, and the corn was in good roasting ear condition. We were not long in gathering the crop and appropriating it to our own use. We then cut up the corn by the roots, and laying the stalks lengthwise in the furrows behind our stacks of guns, made a bed which answered our purpose as well as the best woven wire mattress could have done. That night we had a regular old-fashioned Mississippi rainstorm. And such a rain! It beggars description. It was a perfect deluge in miniature. During the night we awoke from our slumbers in the furrows, to find high water-mark about half-way up our sides. There were nights on this march when we found a scarcity of water, but this was not one of them. We pulled our bed and bedding out of the ditch and laid them on higher ground, and for the rest of the night we slept on the ridges. The next morning that army presented an appearance which would defy all the descriptive powers of the poet or painter. Mud and water were our boon companions. But we were disappointed in our expectations of a battle, and continued the advance, skirmishing with the enemy in front, until they were finally driven within their defences at Jackson.
        We were now ready for business again. The siege of Jackson began, properly on the 13th of July, our lines having been established the two preceding days. The Seventy-Seventh occupied a position supporting Gen. Lawler's Brigade. We were within easy range of the rebel guns, and the shells would crash through the trees and burst over our heads, and we would then hear the old familiar sounds, "lay down," "grab a root," etc. One day when a severe cannonading opened upon us, we saw Gen. A. J. Smith galloping to the front as fast as his horse could carry him. He was always on hand when there was any work to do. His aids and orderlies found it impossible to keep pace with him. At another time when everything was comparatively quiet on both sides of the line, Gen. Osterhaus went to the front to see how the boys were getting along. Sitting down in the trenches facing the rebel works, he remarked, "I takes a front seat." Just then a shell came howling overhead and exploded behind the general. Quick as thought he whirled around and taking a seat on the other side of the trench, he said, "I takes a pack seat." The men hailed the movement and the remark with cheers and roars of laughter.
        The siege progressed satisfactorily, with now and then a sortie by the rebels, or a charge by some part of our lines. In one of these affairs Co. "K" had a sergeant wounded by a cannister shot, and a private in Co. "G" was severely wounded by a fragment of a shell. Our lines were drawing closer and closer around the rebel works, and we expected soon to have them surrounded on all sides. Gen. Johnston, fearing such a result, took the precaution to evacuate during the night of the 16th, and crossing Pearl River on the east, made good his escape. As soon as this fact was ascertained, on the morning of the 17th, troops were marched in, and formal possession was taken of the city. Jackson was ours a second time.
        On Sunday, the 19th of July, the Seventy-Seventh Illinois and the Ninety-Sixth Ohio Regiments, were ordered to march a few miles south of Jackson for the purpose of tearing up and destroying a section of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad. When we reached the point designated, it was found that other troops had been there and accomplished the work we had been sent to do. We remained there that night, and in the morning proceeded to a place called Byram, about seven miles further south, where we arrived at 9 o'clock A. M. Going to work with a will, we succeeded during the day in destroying about two miles of track, burning the ties and bending the rails. Having accomplished our mission we retired, as we supposed, for a good night's rest after the toils of the day. But scarcely had we turned in, when an orderly came from Gen. Smith with orders to return to Jackson immediately, and be ready to march for Vicksburg at three o'clock the next morning.
        The first duty of a good soldier is obedience to orders, and accordingly all we had to do was to obey. We took up our line of march and retraced our steps, arriving in camp about two o'clock in the morning. We pursued the march and made our advent into camp with the most unearthly howls and yells that ever waked the midnight slumbers of the Mississippi forests. So great was the noise and confusion that some of the troops, thinking a rebel host was about to pounce upon them, sprang half asleep from their beds and seized their arms, ready to repel the impending attack. Finding it to be a false alarm, they returned to their downy pillows, muttering something about "needless alarms," "fools in disguise," "rather a thin joke," etc. Those of us who had created all this uproar sought convenient places to lie down, and were soon in blissful ignorance of war's alarms.
        After sleeping two or three hours, we scratched out again and prepared for another march of fifty miles. On the return we again came to Champion Hills, and the Seventy-Seventh camped on the ground over which they marched on the 16th of May. At night we had orders to have our breakfast over by daylight in the morning, in order to get an early start. This order was complied with by most of us, but there was one who did not comply with it. One of the boys in Co. "I" slept until all the others had their breakfast. As it would never do to start on a long march under a burning sun with an empty stomach, he proceeded to cook his breakfast, and having done so, very coolly sat down on a log, and laying his hat on one side of him, his tin cup of coffee on the other and his tin plate on his knees, went to work on his morning repast. By this time the Regiment was in line ready to march. Colonel Grier was sitting on his horse and was just on the point of giving the command "forward" when he saw our hero sitting on the log, and asked, "H--, what are you doing?" He replied, "I'm eating my breakfast." "All right," said the colonel, "eat your breakfast; we'll wait for you." And we did wait, and it was many a day before H-- heard the last of it.
        On this march the boys made a business of confiscating "abandoned property," that is, they would pick up all the old plugs of mules and horses they could find in the country, and mounting them, they followed in the wake of the Regiment. It is probably safe to say that by the time we arrived at Black River one-half of our men were mounted. It looked as though we had a cavalry escort or guard of honor, conducting us back to Vicksburg.
        At last, at about ten o'clock on the night of July 23d we reached our old quarters in the ravine, footsore and weary. We now felt that our work, for the present, was done; and we felt an honest pride in believing it well done. Soon after our return we were removed to the river bank, about two miles below the city. We were now permitted to rest and recuperate for a time, after more than six months of almost incessant toil. The weather was very hot, and we built small sheds and other contrivances to protect us from the scorching sun. Our duties were light, compared with our past experience. We had company drill at seven o'clock in the morning, and dress parade at six o'clock P.M. The rest of the time we enjoyed life as best we could.
        On Sunday the second day of August, Chaplain Pierce preached a good sermon to us, and we all enjoyed it very much. At the close of the services he administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and many of those bronzed men partook of the elements representing the broken body and shed blood of Christ, for the first time since leaving home. It was good to be there. Many a fervent heart was raised in thankfulness to the God of battles for the victories which had crowned our arms. We also attended church in the city as we had opportunity. Rev. Dr. Russell, of the U. S. Christian Commission, preached a thanksgiving sermon in the Walnut Street Presbyterian church, on the 6th of August, from these appropriate words: "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy." Ex. 15:6.
        Soon after our return from Jackson, the army was partially reorganized, preparatory to new campaigns. The Thirteenth Army Corps was still under the command of Major General E. O. C. Ord, and consisted of four Divisions -- the First, Second, Third and Fourth, commanded respectively by Generals Washburn, Herron, Hovey and Burbridge. The First Brigade of the Fourth Division consisted of the 23d Wisconsin, the 16th, 60th and 67th Indiana, the 83d and 96th Ohio regiments and the 17th Ohio battery. The Second Brigade consisted of the 77th, 97th and 130 Illinois, the 48th Ohio and the 19th Kentucky regiments and the Mercantile battery of Chicago. Our old Division Commander, Gen. A. J. Smith, went north to enter some other field of service. We had been with him ever since we entered the State of Kentucky, and had learned to love him; notwithstanding the fact that under his leadership we had been called "nigger thieves" and "greyhounds." But that was not the last we heard of A. J. Smith. On other hard-fought fields he made his presence known; and the campaign on Red River, and the siege and capture of Mobile bear witness to his abilities as an officer.
        While we were enjoying ourselves in camp on the banks of the great river, Col. Grier sent the following letter to the Soldier's Aid Society, at Peoria, which shows that the Seventy-Seventh was not idle at Jackson.

VICKSBURG, July 25, 1863.

PRESIDENT OF THE SOLDIERS' AID
SOCIETY, PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

        At the capture of the city of Jackson, Miss., by the United States forces on the 16th of July, 1863, the 77th Regiment was among the first regiments that entered the city, and succeeded in capturing from the enemy a stand of their national colors. Allow me, on behalf of the Regiment, to present your society with those colors as a slight token of our appreciation of the many great benefits you have conferred on the Regiment since our entering the service of our country.
        Very respectfully, your obedient serv't,

D. P. GRIER,
Col. 77th Illinois.