Retreating from the upland, Grant sailed down the river and joined McClernand and Sherman at Milliken's Bend at the begin ning of February, and assumed command of the three corps (XIII., McClernand; XV., Sherman; XVII., McPherson) avail able. He had already imagined the daring solution of his most difficult problem which he afterwards put into execution, but for the present he tried a series of less risky expedients to reach the high ground beyond Pemberton's flanks, without, indeed, much confidence in their success, yet desirous in these unhealthy flats of keeping up the spirits of his army by active work, and of avoiding, at a crisis in the fortunes of the war, any appearance of discouragement. Three such attempts were made in all, with the co-operation of the flotilla under Rear Admiral David D. Porter. First, Grant endeavoured to cut a canal across the bend of the Mississippi opposite Vicksburg, hoping thus to isolate the fortress, to gain a water connection with the lower river, and to land an army on the bluffs beyond Pemberton's left flank. This was unsuccessful. Next he tried to make a practicable channel from the Mississippi to the upper Yazoo, and so to turn Pemberton's right, but the Confederates, warned in time, constructed a fort at the point where Grant's advance emerged from the bayoux. Lastly, an advance through a maze of creeks (Steele's Bayou expedition), towards the middle Yazoo and Haines's Bluff, encoun tered the enemy, not on the bluffs, but in the low-lying woods and islands, and these so harassed and delayed the progress of the expedition that Grant recalled it. Shortly afterwards Grant determined on the manoeuvre in rear of Vicksburg which estab lished his reputation. The troops marched overland from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage, and on April 16 Porter's gunboat flotilla and the transports ran past the Vicksburg batteries. All this, which involved careful arrangement and hard work, was done by April 24. General Banks, with a Union army from New Or leans, was now advancing up the river to invest Port Hudson, and by way of diverting attention from the Mississippi, a cavalry brigade under Benjamin Grierson rode from La Grange to Baton Rouge (boom. in 16 days), destroying railways and magazines and cutting the telegraph wires en route. Sherman's XV. Corps, too, made vigorous demonstrations at Haines's Bluff, and in the confusion and uncertainty Pemberton was at a loss.
Foiled at Grand Gulf on April 29, on the 3oth McClernand and the XIII. Corps crossed the Mississippi 6m. below Grand
Gulf, followed by McPherson. The nearest Confederate brigades, attempting to oppose the advance at Port Gibson, were driven back. Grant had now deliberately placed himself in the middle of the enemy, and although his engineers had opened up a water line for the barges carrying his supplies from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage, his long line of supply curving round the enemy's flank was very exposed. But his resolute purpose outweighed all textbook strategy. Having crossed the Mississippi, he collected wheeled transport for five days' rations, and on Sherman's arrival cut loose from his base altogether (May 7). Free to move, he aimed north from the Big Black river, so as to interpose between the Confederate forces at Vicksburg and those at Jackson. A fight took place at Raymond on May 12, and Jackson was cap tured just in time to forestall the arrival of reinforcements for Pemberton under General Joseph E. Johnston. The latter, being in supreme command of the Confederates, ordered Pemberton to come out of Vicksburg and attack Grant. But Pemberton did not do so until it was too late. On May 16 Grant, with all his forces well in hand, defeated him in the battle of Champion Hill with a loss of nearly 4,000 men, and sharply pursuing him drove him into Vicksburg. By May 19 Vicksburg and Pemberton's army in it was invested by land and water. Grant promptly assaulted his works, but was repulsed with loss (May 19) ; the assault was repeated on May 22 with the same result, and Grant found himself compelled to resort to a blockade. Reinforcements were hurried up from all quarters. Johnston's force (east of Jackson ), was held off by a covering corps under Blair (afterwards under Sher man), and though another unsuccessful assault was made on June 25, resistance was almost at an end. On July 4, the day after, far away in Pennsylvania, the great battle of Gettysburg had closed with Lee's defeat, the garrison of Vicksburg, 37,000 strong, surrendered.
See J. H. Wilson, "A Staff Officer's Journal of the Vicksburg Campaign," Mil. Serv. Inst. Journ., vol. xliii., p. 93-109, 261-275 (1908) ; and W. L. Livermore, "The Vicksburg Campaign," Mil. Hist. Soc. of Mass., vol. ix., p. 538-571 (Boston, 1912). For a personal side light, see U. S. Grant, "Letter to his Father on the Capture of Vicksburg, 1863," Amer. Hist. Rev., vol. xii., p. 1o9 (Lancaster, Pa. 1906).