Griffins at the battle for Vicksburg-Chauncey Lawrence

Almost every Griffin family that lived during the Era of the Civil War sent a son or sons to serve in the Union army. This was indeed the case for brothers Chauncey and Horace Lawrence. Their mother was Submit Griffin who had married their father Martin Lawrence. Submit / Edward / James / Samuel. As a young married couple Submit and Martin left her mother Submit behind in Colebrook, Connecticut to join the land rush to the new American frontier in Ohio. Submit and Martin’s family were all carpenters and joiners. At the time of the outbreak of the war they had moved still further west to Sabula, Iowa a community that sat on an island in the middle of the Mississippi. The brothers were in their mid 30s with families at home when they joined the Union Army, Horace as a drummer and Chauncey commissioned a lieutenant. They were assigned to the 24th Iowa Infantry. The 24th Iowa served in the western theater in the early years of the war serving under the command of General Grant. Among other campaigns they were part of the forces gathered for the investment of the key city of Vicksburg. Vicksburg sat on a bend in the Mississippi River. Its location on the river and the natural barriers that surrounded it made Vicksburg a formidable target. To control Vicksburg was to control the flow of traffic on the Mississippi. Controlling Vicksburg allow the south to deny heartland America access to the port of New Orleans and an outlet to the world for their farm produce. Controlling Vicksburg gave the south access to the cattle driven up from Texas. Capturing Vicksburg became the focal point of the war in the west. General Grant organized two Army groups with the intent of capturing the key city. Starting in January General Grant tired a number of different stratagems to accomplish the capture of Vicksburg. The preeminent Civil War historian Shelby Foot lists them as the seven failures. The battle was against the very difficult topography as much as it was against the southern armies. Finally Grant settled on the idea of bypassing the city over the very difficult terrain on the rivers western bank. Having succeeded in moving his army to the banks of the Mississippi below Vicksburg he then had his navy run the gauntlet of cannon fire from Vicksburg to move a flotilla of transport ships past the city. Grant used the transports to move his army to the eastern bank where he had access to terrain much more conducive to offensive warfare. Grant then began one of the campaigns that was to become part of his legacy. Cut off from his supply line, facing two armies, one in Vicksburg under Pemberton and one inland in the capital of Jackson under the area commander Joseph E Johnson, Grant devised a campaign to live off the land and divide and conquer the two southern forces. His first action was to attack Johnson at the capital at Jackson an action in which he succeeded handsomely. The key to Grants success was his ability to keep ahead of the two southern commanders as they tried to coordinate their actions. In response to the move on Jackson, and at the order of General Johnson, Pemberton led his army out of the Vicksburg defenses hoping to catch Grant by surprise and attack the rear of his army. After a series of missteps the two armies met at a key crossroads dominated by a low ridge called Champion Hill. The following description of this key battle in the campaign to capture Vicksburg is taken from a Civil War history publication. “On May 16, 1863, about 7:00 am, the Union forces engaged the Confederates and the Battle of Champion Hill began. Pemberton’s force drew up into a defensive line along the crest of a ridge overlooking Jackson Creek. Pemberton was unaware that one Union column was moving along the Jackson Road against his unprotected left flank. For protection, Pemberton posted Brig. Gen. Stephen D. Lee’s men atop Champion Hill where they could watch for the reported Union column moving to the crossroads. Lee spotted the Union troops and they soon saw him. If this force could not be stopped, it would cut the rebels off from their Vicksburg base. Pemberton received warning of the Union movement and sent troops to his left flank. Union forces at Champion Hill moved into action and emplaced artillery to begin firing. When Grant arrived at Champion Hill, around 10:00 am, he ordered the attack to begin. By 11:30 am, Union forces had reached the main line and about 1:00 pm, they took the crest while the Rebels retreated in disorder. The Federals swept forward, capturing the crossroads and closing the Jackson Road escape route. One of Pemberton’s divisions ( Bowen’s) then counterattacked, pushing the Federals back beyond the Champion Hill crest before their surge came to a halt. Grant then counterattacked, committing forces that had just arrived from Clinton. Pemberton’s men could not stand up to this assault.” The aftermath of the battle saw the retreat of Pemberton to the defenses of Vicksburg and a prolonged siege that ended in Union Victory on July 4th. For us the story centers on the attack and counter attack around the forces of Confederate General Bowen. The 2nd Brigade commanded by Col. James R. Slack led the Union forces opposing him. One of the four companies that made up the brigade was the 24th Iowa with brothers Horace and Chauncey Lawrence. As a drummer Horace, along with the flag barriers, was probably in the forefront beating the call to advance. Also probably in the front line was Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence leading his troops into the battle. Found in the Quarter Masters registry we find the following notation, “Lawrence Chauncey Lt., 24 Iowa, May 16, Champion Hill, Killed in battle.” From the history of the 24th Iowa we find this description, “The 24th Iowa was second to no regiment in the splendid fighting on this bloody field. Not an officer or a man engaged but did his duty meritoriously, yes with special gallantry. At one time in the fight the regiment advanced, unsupported to charge a battery of five guns whose grape and canister were rapidly thinning the Union ranks. The 24th rushed to the charge with the greatest enthusiasm, trampling down the gunners, and by their own momentum the men pressed far beyond the battery, driving the infantry supports away in wild confusion. But they were in turn attacked by overwhelming numbers, and compelled to give way. It was in this daring charge that Major Wright was severely wounded. Here were slain Captains Silas D. Johnson and William Carbee, and Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence gallant officer as ever lived died in the cause of American nationality and of man.” In the archives is another record concerning his death ”Original burial Matthews Plantation 2 miles SW Midway Station near fork of Raymond and Bolton Roads. Moved to Vicksburg National Cemetery.” Is it possible that Horace was a witness to his brother’s death? Within the unit of 600 men he certainly would have become aware of the events that transpired during the battle before the day was over. Was he involved in the recovery of his brother’s body? The original burial was close to the scene of the battle. Was one brother there to bid the other farewell? In the 1870 census back in Sabula we find Chauncey’s widow Sarah and his daughter Kate living next door to his brother Martin with Horace living a short distance away. It remains for us in their memory to take up the cause of American nationality and of man.