VICKSBURG, Military Operations Against and Siege of, The advisability of fortifying Vicksburg to aid in the closing of the Mississippi River was apparent to the Con federates early in 1861, but not until after the fall of Fort Donelson, in February 1862, were any steps taken to garrison and fortify the place. Then General Bragg sent ont regiment to oc cupy it and in March guns and ammunition were sent from Pensacola. In April General Beaure gard recommended that works should be con structed on the bluffs commanding the river for 40 guns and that the place should be garrisoned by 3,C00 men. Work was begun late in the month and six batteries had been completed by 18 May, on which day Commander S. P. Lee, commanding the advance of Farragut's fleet from New Orleans, appeared before the place and demanded its surrender, ivhich was refused. Two days later Farragut arrived with additional vessels and transports carrying 1,500 men and a battery, under command of Gen. Thomas Williams; a reconnaissance was made, Williams decided that his force was too small to accomplish anything, upon which Farragut, with the greater part of his fleet returned to New Orleans, and Williams took his troops bacic to Baton Rouge. Upon his return to New Orleans, Farragut was met by instructions from the Navy Department to clear the Mississippi, which, at the time, was obstructed only by the batteries of Vicksburg. A mortar flotilla of 16 vessels, each with a mortar, under Couunander D. D. Porter, was started and reached Vicks burg 20 June, and on the same day Farragut left Baton Rouge with three vessels of war and seven gunboats, carrying in all 106 guns, and a fleet of transports carrying Williams' brigade of 3,000 men and two batteries. Far ragut reached Vicicsburg on 25 June, and Wil liams' brigade was landed on the Louisiana shore, and with the assistance of 1,200 negro laborers began digging a canal across the penin sula opposite the city. With his 106 guns and the 16 mortars of Porter, Farragnt attacked the Confederate batteries, but they were so high, more than 200 feet above the river, that little or no damage was done them. At the time the
place was held by Gen. Earl Van Dorn with 16,000 men, and 40 heavy guns were in position. Failing to silence the batteries, the mortar flo tilla, with one vessel and two gunboats, were left below, and early on the morning of the 28th Farragut, with two vessels and five gunboats, ran the batteries. The firing lasted about two hours and his loss was 15 killed and 42 wounded. The damage to his fleet was not serious and he had inflicted no damage on the Confederate works. Meanwhile a Union fleet, under Capt. C. H. Davis, had descended the Mississippi and on 1 July joined Farragut above Vicicsburg. A sudden nse in the river de stroyed the canal Williams was digging across the peninsula; he proposed to return to Baton Rouge and Farragut was expecting an order to return with him when, 15 July, a startling inci dent took place. Early in the morning some light gunboats of Davis' flotilla had been sent up the Yazoo to obtain information of the Arkansas, an iron-plated ram known to be build ing up that stream. The Arkansas was unex pectedly encountered and the Union gunboats steamed back, closely followed by the Arkansas. But one of Farragut's vessels had steam up and the Confederate ram passed directly through his entire fleet, delivering her saucy broadsidft, and without injury proceeded to the shelter of the batteries of Vicicsburg. Farragut was much chagrined and at once determined to run past the batteries that night and endeavor to dr stroy the ram in the passage. He passed the batteries with a loss of 20 killed and wounded, but did no damage to the Arkansas. On 20 July, Farragut received orders to retum to New Orleans. He waited until Williams embarked his men and on the 27th started down the river, Davis on the same day going up the river to Helena. During the two months since the fleet had appeared before Vicksburg the Confeder ates had but 22 killed and wounded and no material damage had been done to their bat teries.