Captain Andrew Hickenlooper was a civil engineer from Ohio who joined the Union Army and eventually was promoted to Brigadier General for his performance in several important Union battlefield victories.
He was at Vicksburg during the siege and was an integral participant in Logan's Approach, which tried and failed to undermine and destroy the 3rd Louisiana's defensive works near where Hickenlooper's statue stands.
From the Civil War Album website, this excerpt from the Union Army's official report of Logan's Approach: (
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"LOGAN'S APPROACH.
This was the approach in front of McPherson's corps, on which most work was done. It followed the ridge along which the Jackson road runs, and approached a high, commanding salient, called by us Fort Hill, which, if once in our possession, would have made this part of the enemy's line untenable. The enemy resisted our approach here more strongly than at any other point . . . Counter-mines (see extract from Captain Hicken-looper's report, Appendix B(*) were used by us, one heavy one being fired June 25, destroying a part of the enemy's parapet. An attempt was made to hold the crater, but after heavy loss from the hand-grenades which the enemy threw into it, the attempt was abandoned.. . . Captain Hickenlooper, of General McPherson's staff, assisted by Captain Merritt and Mr. Tresilian, was in charge of this approach."
Here is Captain Hickenlooper's official report, also from the Civil War Album website: (
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"MAY 19-JULY 4, 1863.--The Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.
Report of Capt. Andrew Hickenlooper, Chief Engineer Seventeenth Army Corps, including operations since April 17.
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Vicksburg, Miss., October 23, 1863.
SIR: In compliance with your request, I most respectfully submit the following journal of my engineering operations from April 17 to July 4, 1863:
. . .
May 19.--Opening attack on Vicksburg. Engaged all night in selecting and throwing up works for protection of batteries.
May 20.--Moving up slowly. Artillery doing well; dismounted three of the enemy's guns.
May 21.--Engaged all night in throwing up works beyond white house and constructing battery for 30-pounder Parrotts, which were placed in position to-day.
May 22.--General assault ordered at 10 a.m. Artillery opened promptly, under cover of which our troops advanced, but were repulsed at every point.
May 23.--Orders issued for construction of regular approaches.
May 24.--Captain Powell placed in charge of approaches on General Ransom's front, and Captain Sands in charge of construction of batteries on General Quinby's front. I have taken personal charge of central approach along Jackson road.
May 25.--Flag of truce in, in consequence of which we did very little work.
May 26.--Commenced on main sap with 300 men. Same number went on and relieved day detail at 7 p.m.
May 27.--Three hundred and eighty feet under cover. Same number [of men] engaged in deepening and widening trench. Made survey of our front. New battery on General Ransom's front completed, and line of rifle-pits south of Jackson road being pushed rapidly.
May 28.--Engaged in making sketch of our front, in accordance with orders received from the major-general commanding. Detail upon main trench reduced to 200 men. Enemy more active this morning. They placed a 6-pounder in position on Fort Hill, which was silenced by our guns in about 30 minutes.
May 29.--Main trench completed up to a point 750 feet beyond white house, 8 feet wide by 7 feet deep, with beam and parapet.
May 30.--In compliance with orders received from the major-general commanding, left at 3 a.m. for Big Black River, accompanied by 300 detailed men from General Ransom's command and pioneer company of Third Division. Arrived at Bridgeport, on Big Black River, at 11 a.m. At 3 p.m. commenced moving westwardly along Bridgeport road, obstructing the road by felling trees across same. From Tiffin I sent the pioneer company southwest, on Bovina Station road, with orders to return on Hebron road, obstructing said roads in same manner. Burned the bridges across Clear Creek, and small creek next west of Hebron road.
June 1.--Commencing at Clear Creek, obstructed the road westwardly to our rear picket line, and then moved on into Vicksburg, arriving at 3 p.m.
June 2.--Engaged on main trench. Detail reduced to 150 men. The Third Division pioneer company engaged in making gabions, fascines, &c.
June 3.--Detail on main trench reduced to 100 men. Trench finished up to and through advanced battery, with side rifle-pits, &c.
June 4.--Engaged on advanced battery, putting in embrasures, revet-merits, &c. This work is irregular in shape, of 3,000 square feet, two embrasures on north and one on west face, and open to and covered by batteries in the rear.
June 5.--Advanced battery finished, and main trench carried about 20 feet southwest, with lead-sap down to the road. Detail reduced to 75 men.
June 6.--Two 24-pounder howitzers and one 6-pounder placed in advanced battery, within 100 yards of Fort Hill. Carried the main trench down to and lead-sap across the road.
June 7.--Have a constant detail of 70 men, under immediate charge of General Leggett or staff officer. Work progressing finely.
June 8.--Captain [Adoniram J.] Merritt placed on duty as assistant engineer. Placed traverse over main trench, and built magazine immediately south of advanced battery.
June 9.--Carried lead-sap across the road last night. Am confined to my bed by sickness this morning.
June 10 to 13.--Sick and confined to bed.
June 14.--Visited the work this morning. I find the trench was not carried far enough across the road before making the turn, and was then run too far to the right. Corrected it by cutting away south side and putting up two traverses.
June 15.--Work progressing as usual. Captain Powell's (General Ransom's front) work being pushed forward. He commenced advance work on hill north of advanced battery.
June 16.--Detail at work on main trench and rifle-pits leading from last angle south along crest of hill. The advanced batteries of General Quinby were completed to-day. Began another trench running south, 32 degrees west, along front of curtain of Fort Hill, commencing at a point on main trench, about 25 yards from ditch of Fort Hill. Constructing battery for 9-inch guns near General Logan's headquarters.
June 17.--Building platforms for 30-pounder Parrotts in advanced battery, the enemy having opened with two 20-pounder Parrotts on Ransom's front. Work on trench and rifle-pits progressing as usual.
June 18.--Sap roller burned last night. The working party leaving it alongside cotton-bale, the rebels threw over fire-balls, setting cotton on fire, which communicated to sap-roller before it could be removed. Detail increased to 150 men. The night detail was taken off during mysickness, and, in consequence of near approach to enemy's works, it is not considered advisable to put it on again.
June 19.--Work progressing as usual. Captain Merritt in charge of working par[y of left sap, which is a side cut, covered by our guns in the rear, and running almost parallel with parapet of Fort Hill.
June 20.--Work on main trench progressing as usual. Placed new sap-roller on work to-day. In evening commenced work on Navy (9-inch) battery with a detail of 100 men, putting up heavy parapet, with embrasures reveted with gabions. The enemy have opened with a large mortar in hollow south of Fort Hill, with which they are shelling the Navy battery.
June 21.--Work on trenches progressing as usual. The enemy are using hand-grenades (6 and 12 pound shells) with effect. Being within a few feet of the ditch of Fort Hill, I made a call for all the miners in the command to report to me in person. General Ransom has completed his advanced work, and General Quinby has commenced building Battery Archer for Navy guns.
June 22.--We reached the rebel fort to-day at 10 o'clock with main trench, and cleared away a place to commence mining operations. Experienced considerable annoyance to-day from rebel hand-grenades thrown among the workmen.
June 23.--Thirty-five miners having reported, divided them into three reliefs, of eight hours each; and placing them under charge of Lieutenant Russell, of the Seventh Missouri Infantry, went to work at 9 a.m. Had pushed the gallery (3 by 4) 12 feet under Fort Hill.
June 24.--Captain Merritt sick and confined to his tent. Driving the gallery as rapidly as possible. Have penetrated to a distance of 40 feet, and commenced on branch gallery to left. Can hear the rebels at work on counter-mine very distinctly. Appear to be above and to the left of our gallery.
June 25.--Last night during my temporary absence the miners became frightened at noise made in rebel counter-mine and quit work. Had them rush it ahead this a.m., and finished it before 9 o'clock. Deposited 1,500 pounds of powder in three different branch mines (500 in each): and 700 pounds in center; 2,200 pounds in all. Fuses so arranged as to explode them all at the same instant. Mine tamped with cross-timbers, sand-bags, &c.. and all ready to explode at 1 p.m. As per order, the mine was fired at 3.30 p.m. Perfect success. Troops rush in and took possession of crater, and detail of pioneer troops went to work under my direction clearing away entrance to same.
June 26.--Having orders to arrange crater for two guns, with proper protection for infantry support, commenced construction of covered gallery in center of crater, from which to lead mines or counter-mines, as the case might require. Finished it before dark, with a loss of 7 of pioneer company wounded. The rebels' hand-grenades (6 and 12 pound shells) being very destructive, the men were called back and placed behind rifle-pits, thrown up across center of crater, where they were perfectly protected against grenades thrown by the enemy, and still be able to hold the crater.
June 27.--Entire force at work on left trench. Sent the detail of miners over to advanced work of General Ransom. Work progressing lively on Battery Archer, and small work for howitzer in front of rebel mortar.
June 28.--It being impossible to continue work on crater until rebels are driven from outer face of said work, we have concluded to spring another mine under parapet to left of crater, for the purpose of uncovering their work. Commenced work on said gallery, running northwest from covered gallery in crater.
June 29 to July 2.--Sick and confined to tent.
July 1.--The mine under left curtain of Fort Hill was fired to-day at 1 o'clock. Perfect success, blowing some 7 or 8 rebels, who were engaged in countermining, within our lines.
July 3.--Flag of truce in; no work done.
July 4.--Vicksburg surrendered at 10 o'clock. For a more full and complete understanding of engineering operations of corps, I will most respectfully refer to reports and plat of survey of our front by Mr. Tresilian, engineer officer of Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and which have been forwarded direct to chief engineer of the department. The accompanying sketch* (24 KB) will more fully illustrate the operations upon main or central approach.
Very respectfully,
A. HICKENLOOPER,
Captain, and Chief Engineer Seventeenth Army Corps."