Vicksburg

The next movement against Vicksburg was by General Grant, who, 2 Nov. 1862, moving from Corinth, Mississippj and Bolivar, Tenn., with 30,000 men drove the Confederates from Grand Junction and followed along the line of the Mississippi Central Railroad to attack Vicksburg from the rear. General Pemberton, commanding the Confederate forces, fell bacic behind the Tallahatchie and on the 13th Grant occupied Holly Springs and made it a depot of supplies. Another advance was made, Pem berton fell back to Grenada and Grant halted south of Oxford until he could repair the rail roads in his rear, and while so engaged heard definitely that General McClernand had been given conunand of an independent expedition to start from Memphis and open the MississiPPi, and for which McClernand had already organ ized and sent some regiments to Memphis. Grant says: tI doubted McClernand's fitness and I had good reason to believe that in fore stalling him I was by no means giving offense to those whose authority to command was above both him and me."' So, to forestall Mc Clernand, General Sherman, 8 December, was sent back to Memphis to take charge of the expedition which had been specially assigned to McClernand by the President and Secretary of War. Grant was about to advance from Ox ford on Grenada when the Confederate cavalry, under Forrest, broke up the lines of commuru cation in West Tennessee, and on the morning of 20 December Gen. Earl Van Dorn, at the head of 3,500 cavalry, dashed into Holly Springs, captured a greater part of the garrison and burned Grant's accumulated supplies. (See HOLLY SPRINGS). These two raids compelled Grant to fall back, and Sherman was notified not to sail from Memphis, but he did not re ceive the notification in time; the day Holly Springs was captured he started from Memphis, with four divisions of 30,000 men, moved down the river, accompanied by Porter's fleet, and on the 29th assaulted Chickasaw Bluffs, on Yazoo River, and was repulsed with a loss of 1,213 killed and wounded and 563 missing. (See CHICKASAW BAYOU, OR BLUFFS, BATTLE oF). General McClernand arrived at Memphis, after Sherman's departure, and following down the river assumed command and escorted by gun boats, under Admiral Porter, ascended the Arkansas River and captured Fort Hindman (q.v.). On 18 December Grant had received orders from Washington to divide his com mand into four army corps, with General Mc Clemand to command one of them and to be assigned to that part of the army which was to operate down the Mississippi. This ma terially interfered with his plans, as he had put Shertnan in command of the river expedition, so after falling back to Grand Junction, Grant decided to go down the Mississippi, unite a part of his forces with those under McClernand and assume command of the whole. The army was divided into four corps commanded by Generals McClernand, Sherman, McPherson and Hurlbut, and Grant now planned a new cam paign to get below Vicksburg and operate from the south. McClernand's and Sherman's two corps were moved from the mouth of the Ar kansas to Young's Point to cut a canal across the peninsula opposite Vicksburg, on very near the line followed by Williams, and by the aid of this canal it was hoped to get below Vicks burg and land on the east bank of the Missis sippi. The work was prosecuted from 22 January to 7 March 1863, much hard and ex hausting labor being expended upon it, when there was a sudden rise m the nver, the entire peninsula was flooded and work on the canal abandoned; it was an admitted failure. An attempt was made to reach the Mississippi south of Vicksburg, from Lake Providence, La., 60 miles above the city, through Bayou Macon, the Tensas and Washita rivers into Red River and then up the MississipPi to Vicksburg. This project was abandoned at the end of March. Meanwhile efforts were being made to reach the high ground north of Vicksburg by cutting the levees at Yazoo Pass, nearly opposite Helena, Ark., and by way of the Coldwater and Talla hatchie rivers gain the Yazoo River. A like movement was attempted through Steele's Bayou into Deer Creek, to reach the Sunflower River and through it the Yazoo above Snyder's Bluff. (See YAZOO PASS AND STFFIr'S BAYoU EXPEDITIONS). All these efforts to flank the position on the right having failed Grant once more turned his attention to getting soutb of Vicksburg, by a series of bayous running from Milliken's Bend past Richmond to New Car thage, and on 29 March McClernand was ordered to move his corps toward Richmond and New Carthage, with a view to making his way to the banks of the Mississippi below Vicksburg and the batteries at Warrenton and Grand Gulf. At the same time Grant suggested to Porter that the gunboats run past the Vicksburg batteries to attack those at Grand Gulf and cover a land ing in that vicinity. On the night of 16 April, Porter with eight gunboats, three transports with supplies and a number of barges filled with coal ran past the batteries, and although under fire for nearly two hours and struck many times the gunboats were uninjured. One of the transports was abandoned and burned by her commander and a coal barge was sunk. No one was killed and there were but a few wounded. On the night of the 22d six trans ports protected by cotton bales, loaded with sup plies, and having 12 barges in tow, loaded with rations, Tan the batteries, five getting through more or less disabled, while one was sunk. Some of the barges were lost. By the 27th, Mc Clernand's corps was all at Hard Times on the Mississippi below Vicksburg and McPher son's was closing up. The plan was to have the navy silence the guns in Grand Gulf and to have as many men as possible ready to land under cover of the fire of the navy and carry the works by storm. At 7 m., 29 April, Porter with seven gunboats carrying 81 guns left his anchorage at Hard Times and steamed down the river, followed by transports and flat-boats carrying 10,000 men of McClernand's corps. Porter opened his guns upon the Grand Gulf batteries about 8 A.m. and by 1.30 P.M. the COn federate guns had not been silenced by the 2,500 shot thrown against them, and the fleet with drew after a loss of 19 killed and 56 wounckd. Grant now determined to move still farther down the river and flank Grand -Gulf. Mc Clernand landed his men at Hard Times and marched across the point opposite Grand Gulf and three miks down the river during the night, and Porter with his fleet of gunboats and trans ports dropped down to the same point. Grant had heard of a good landing on the east bank of the river, and at daybreak of the 30th trans ports and gunboats began ferrying the troops across to Bruinsburg, 10 miles below Grand Gulf and 32 in a straight line below Vicksburg; and at tbOon McClernand's four divisions of 18,000 men had been landed. At 4 P.m. Mc Clernand ixished out 12 miles, fought the Con federates next morning at Port Gibson (q.v.), defeated thern and caused the abandonment of Grand Gulf. While Grant was crossing the river at Bruinsburg, Sherman whose corps had been left at Young's Point went up the Yazoo River with a division, accompanied by some of Porter's gunboats, and made a strong demon stration on Snyder's Bluff, on the Yazoo, 12 miles above Vicksburg. On 3 May Grant rode into Grand Gulf. He says: “I resolved to get below Vicksburg, unite with Banks against Port Hudson, make New Orleans a base and, with that base and Grand Gulf as a starting point move our combined forces against Vicksburg. Upon reaching Grand Gulf after reducing its batteries and fighting a battle, I received a letter from Banks informing me that he could not be at Port Hudson under 10 days and then with only 15,000 men. The time was worth more than the reinforcements. I, therefore, de

termined to push into the interior of the enemy's country?) (See PokT HUDSON', SIECal or). Grant advanced toward the rear of Vicksburg, de feated the Confederates at Raymond (q.v.) 12 May ; Jackson (q.v.) 14 May; and then marched westward on Vicksburg. The battle of Cham pion's Hill (q.v.) was fought on 16 May, and General Pemberton, after his defeat, withdrew his army across Big Black River. Grant fol lowed on the 17th. Pemberton tried to hold the bridge head on the east side of the stream, but his troops became demoralized and fell back across the bridg.e, losing 18 guns and 1,750 prisoners. Pemberton's troops on the west bank of the river covered the disorderly flight, enabling most of the troops on the east aide to get over, and Pemberton ordered all his corrunand to withdraw within the intrenched lines of Vicksburg. The fortified position at Snyder's.Bluff on the Yazoo was abandoned and the garrison brought into the city, and the out post at Warrenton, on the south, was drawn in. About 102 pieces of field artillery were also put in place around the exterior line of defense, which wa.s about eight miles in length, and held by 19,000 effective men. On the river front were 40 heavy guns, with about 700 men. On the 18th Grant closed in and on the right Sher man occupied Haines' and Snyder's bluffs, and Grant established his base on the Yazoo River above Vicksburg. McPherson, on the left of Sherman, held ground on both sides of the Jackson road, and McClemand south of Mc Pherson, extended toward Warrenton. The movement into position was accompanied by constant skirmishing, which continued during the morning of the 19th. From the fact that the Confederates had been defeated in several engagements and were so demoralized at the affair on the Big Black, Grant concluded that Pemberton's entire force was so demoralized that it would yield to a vigorous attack and at 2 P.M. of the 19th ordered a general assault. Sherman on the right advanced and after hard fighting gained the ditch of the work near the Graveyard road, but could go no farther and was repulsed with a loss of 942 killed and wounded. McPherson and McCleniand had over a mile to advance, and made part of it, under a heavy fire when darkness set in and they bivouacked. The next two days were spent in strengthening ehe position and in malting roads in rear of the army to connect with its new base on the Yazoo River.

As Gen. J. E Johnston was but 50 miles in Grant's rear collecting a force to assist Pember ton, it seemed advisable to Grant that he should press matters and he ordered a general assault for the 22d. Early in the morning a furious cannonade was opened on the Confederate lines, in which Porter's fleet joined, and at 10 A.14. Grant's 40,000 men threw themselves against the 20,000 Confederates covered by intrench ments. As the leading columns went forward not a Confederate was to be seen, but when they had come within easy range the Con federates rose up along the more than three miles of assault and dehvered volley after vol ley, striking down the heads of the assaulting columns, and at the satne time the reserves ad vanced and fired over the heads of those in the trenches. Every field gun double shotted with grape and canister joined in the defense. Sher tnan and McPherson, in some places, reached the ditch of the Confederat'e works and planted their colors on the parapet, but in general the assault was repulsed and the troops fell back under shelter. On the left McClernand suc ceeded in carrying a part of the Confederate line, but its defenders from a line 100 yards in rear drove him out; but he maintained his position in the ditch and planted some of his colors on the parapet. At noon McClernand re ported to Grant that he held the Confederate worIcs and that support on the right would be followed by cotnplete success, upon which Sherman and McPherson were both ordered to renew the assault. The assault failed. Grant says it only served to increase the casualties without giving any benefit whatever. The firing continued till dark, when the troops that had reached the Confederate works were with drawn. The Union loss in this assault was 502 killed, 2,550 wounded and 147 missing. The Confederate loss was not over 500.

The result of the assault convinced Grant that Vicksburg could be taken only by siege, which was immediately begun. The investing line was 15 miles long, extending from Haines' Bluff to Vicksburg, thence to Warrenton on the south. Artillery was put in commanding posi tions, and rifle-pits and covered ways con structed to connect the entire command by the shortest route. In no place were the opposing lines more than 600 yards apart, and the dis tance was gradually reduced. The work was pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and when an advanced position was secured and covered from the fire of the enemy, the batteries were advanced. The work had steadily progressed from 23 May and by 25 June a sap had been run to the C'onfederate parapet and a mine ex ploded just north of the Jackson road and a lodgment effected inside the worlcs by two Union regiments, which, however, were driven out next day. Another mine was exploded on 1 July, but no attempt was made to taloe ad vantage of it. Three other !nines were ex ploded at other points and by both sides, by which men were covered and killed and buried at the same time. The Hems now were very close and the casualties on each side were from 10 to 100 every day. By 30 June Grant had re ceived reinforcements raising his force to 71, 000 men and he had in position 248 guns — 220 of which were field piec.es and 28 heavy naval guns. A large part of the army was put under Sherman's command and disposed to re sist the advance of General Johnston's army from Jackson to relieve Pemberton. By 1 July Granes approaches were close up to the Con federate works and at many points the ap proaches had been pushed to within from five to 100 yards of the enemy and orders were given to make preparations for a general assault on the 6th. But Pemberton had concluded, after consultation with his division commanders, that it was best to surrender, as an assault was in evitable and his men too much enfeebled by hunger and constant duty to meet it, and on the 3d displayed white flags on his works and sent a note to Grant proposing an armistice to arrange terms of capitulation. Terms were agreed on and at 10 A.M. 4 July, the Con federate troops marched out, each division in front of its works, stacked arms, 'laid their colors upon them and then returned toward the town, where they were subsequently paroled. The prisoners surrendered numbered 31,600, together with 172 pieces of artillery, 67 of which were siege guns, about 60,000 muskets and a large amount of ammunition.

Before the surrender had been completed on the 4th, Sherman, with 48,000 men, had been ordered to march against Johnston, who with over 30,000 men had advanced as far as the Big Black to relieve Pemberton. Johnston heard on the night of the 4th of Pemberton's surrender and next morning retreated to Jack son, closely pursued by Sherman who besieged Jackson and captured it. (See JACKSON, SIEGE or). Grant's losses in his entire campaign f rom 30 April, and including Sherman's siege of Jackson, were 1,243 killed, 7,095 wounded and 535 missing. The Confederate losses in killed and wounded are not lcnown, but in killed, wounded and captured they aggregated full 40,000 men. Consult 'Official Records' (Vols. XV, XVII, XXII, XXIV, XXV, XXVII); Greene, 'The Mississippi' ; Crrant's 'Personal Memoirs) (Vol. I); Sherman's