YAZOO CITY, Military Operations at and near. Yazoo City was chosen by the Con federates as a site for a navy yard, at which were constructed some formidable iron-clads. Upon General Grant's approach to Vicksburg from the rear, in May 1863. the Confederates abandoned Haynes' Bluff, near the month of Yazoo River, upon which Lieut.-Commander John G. Walker, of the United States navy, went up the river with a small gunboat fleet to destroy all the works at Yazoo City. As the expedition approached the city, Lieut. Isaac N. Brown, of the Confederate navy, set fire to and destroyed three powerful rams which he had nearly completed, and upon which the Confederates were placing great dependence. Walker set fire to everything else of a pub lic character, including the navy yard, con taining five saw-mills, planing-mills, machine shops, etc., and the expedition then returned. Early in June, Kimball's Union division was sent up the Yazoo to destroy the railroad bridge over the Big Black near Canton; but upon arriving at Mechanicsburg, Kimball found a large Confederate force in his front at Ya zoo City and Liverpool, and as the river, on which he depended for supplies, was rapidly falling, he returned to Haynes' Bluff. After the surrender of Vicksburg, 4 July 1863, a re port reached General Grant that Gen. J. E. Johnston was fortifying Yazoo City, and that a number of steamers were at the place, em ployed in supplying his troops. A naval and military expedition was organized to capture or destroy the steamers and take the place. Four vessels, under Lieut.-Commander Walker and 5,000 men under Gen. F. J. Herron, in transports went up the Yazoo from Haynes Bluff 12 July, and approached Yazoo City at noon next day; the Confederates were re ported in force, and the iron-clad gunboat De Kalb was pushed ahead and opened her guns to ascertain the number and position of the enemy's guns. The Confederates had a bat tery of six heavy guns and the town was held by the 29th North Carolina infantry. Finding the defenses formidable, Walker dropped back and notified Herron, who at once landed his troops and a combined attack was made. After a slight skirmish on shore the Confederates fled, previously setting fire to four large steamers. Six heavy guns and one steamer fell into Union hands. Herron captured nearly 300 prisoners. While the Dc Kalb was mov ing slowly along and firing on the enemy, she ran on a torpedo and sank in 15 minutes. All on board were saved. Herron destroyed all public property, captured about 2,000 bales of cotton and returned to N'icksburg 21 July.
On 3 Feb. 1864, in co-operation with Gen eral Sherman's Meridian expedition (q.v.). a combined expedition of gunboats and trans ports with troops was sent up the Yazoo River from Vicksburg, with instructions for the gun' oats to explore Yazoo and Sunflower risers and all their tributaries. The gunboats were fise in number, under command of Lieut. Commander Owen, United States nary. Foe tran-ports conveyed the 11th Illinois and 8th Loulsiana (kulored infantry and 35 colored cavalry. in all men, under command of Col. James IL t. oate, who was instructed to reconnoitre YALl.H.) (At) and to corn and forage on the Sunflower or oo the Yazoo, and also to seize at least 1.000 bales of cotton and to destroy all flats or boats used to cross from the east to the west From is start the expedition was annoyed by Gat L S. Ross, who, with a brigade of about 12]11 men, was guarding the Yazoo River and the Mississippi Central Railroad, and who, on 3 February, opened fire with artillery upon one of the gunboats when near Liverpool Heights Coates landed his men, had an indecisive fight with Ross in which he lost six killed. 21
wounded and eight missing, and at night with drew to his transports. Next morning the expedition, under fire of Ross' artillery and musketry, passed up the river, the gunboats clearing the way to within four miles of Ya zoo City, where it remained until 6 February when two gunboats, having been ordered le reconnoitre, reported that the place was oc cupied in force, with five guns in position and another in course of erection. The germ opened, two shots taking effect on one of the gunboats, and, the gunboats and transports fell down the river below Satartia, where, as the morning of 7 February, Coates disem barked his entire command, drove back some Confederate skirmishers and at night with drew to his transports. On 8th February the expedition again pushed up the river, two gunboats passed the city and the t landed their men within a mile of day Coates took possession of the city, and on 11 February moved up the river, arriving at Greenwood on 14 February, where he remained until 19 February, gathering cotton. corn and forage. He then received orders to fall back to Yazoo City. On 28 February when Isidro six miles of the place he ordered his small force of cavalry to move in rear of the an and take possession of all roads leading ow of it. That afternoon he landed at Yazoo City and took position in some redoubts com manding the roads. Major Cook, with 50 colored cavalry, was sent toward Benton When nearly six miles out Cook ran into Ross' brigade, by which he was roughly handled and pursued nearly to the city, losing eight ballet 35 wounded and 10 missing. Coates' pickets were mach annoyed and on the morning of 5 March were driven in. Ross had been Joined by Gen. R. V. Richardson's Tennessee hngade of about 600 men and at 10 o'clock the two brigades, about 1,600 men, making a deter mined attack, forced portions of the Uni.n line and gained the streets of the town. At the same time they used artillery upon the redoubt, on the Benton road beyond the town which, with the adjacent rifle-pits, was held by a part of Coates' command and repulsed all Confederate effort to carry. At 2 rte Coates, with those who were not in the re dcul t, made a charge through the streets and the Confederates withdrew and {lase up the attempt upon the redoubt. The Lnioa loss is the engagement was 19 killed, MO wounded and 18 missing. The Confederate loss was six lolled and 51 wounded. On the evening of it, March Coates started on his return to Vicie.sharg. Ile took with him oser 1,700 bales of comn and much corn and forage. The total loan of the expedition was 31 killed. 121 viciuusded and 31 missing.
On 19 April 1864 a small detachment of a colored brigade, under command of Col. H. Scofield, marched from Vicksburg for Yazoo Qv and two gunboats went up the river to co-operate in an attack on the city. Scofield skirmished sharply with a part of Gen. Wirt Adams' brigade and on the night of 20 April bivouacked 15 miles below the city. On 22 April the gunboat Petrel in attempting to run past Yazoo City in order to fire upon the works from above, was fired upon by a section of artillery and a detachment of sharpshooters of Adams' brigade. The men were driven from the guns, the crew from the boat, and most of them captured, including Acting Mas ter McElroy. The Confederates seized the boat, removed her eight guns and burned her. Next morning the expedition returned to Vicksburg.
E. A. °madam.