and Louisville, all iron-clads, steamed up to within about three hundred
yards of the fort, and opened fire upon it. As soon as the gunboats hove
in sight, and before they fired a shot, the fort opened on them. On a
sort of sandy beach, by the bend in the river, the rebels had erected
several targets, which were to assist them in aiming at the gunboats.
Barricades had also been placed in the river opposite the fort; but the
high water had washed part of them away and left the channel open. The
bombardment increased in rapidity as other vessels of the squadron came
into position. It took some time to get good range of the casemated guns
and the barbette gun on the fort. The Baron DeKalb had orders from the
Admiral to fire at the right hand casemate, the Louisville at the middle
one, and the Cincinnati at the great 9-inch Dahlgren gun _en barbette_.
In half an hour after the bombardment commenced the casemates were
struck by the shell from the gunboats. When the range was obtained, the
shells from the gunboats struck the guns in the fort almost every shot,
until every one was silenced and smashed. The Cincinnati fired shrapnell
at first, and cleared the crew away from the 9-inch Dahlgren gun on the
parapet, when the Baron De Kalb broke off the muzzle with a 10-inch
shot. The Lexington, light draught, Lieutenant-Commander James W. Shirk,
moved up at two o’clock, and with her rifled guns replied to the Parrott
rifled guns in the fort, while the Rattler, Lieutenant-Commander Walter
Smith, and the Gilde, Lieutenant-Commander Woodworth, threw in
shrapnell, and in company with the ram Monarch, Colonel Charles E.
Ellet, of the army, commanding, pushed up close to the fort. Each of the
gunboats silenced the gun it was instructed to fire at about the same
time. At twenty minutes past two all the heavy smooth bore and rifled
guns in the fort were most effectually silenced. The Black Hawk,
Lieutenant-Commander K. R. Breese, the Admiral’s flagship, steamed up
and took part in the fight. The Admiral himself, with his secretary,
Doctor Heap, was in the little tug which was all the time screaming and
dancing about among the gunboats, directing and superintending the
fight.
THE LAND ATTACK.
The first gun from the fleet was the signal for the soldiers to move,
and Morgan and Sherman immediately pushed forward their men, and were
met by a fierce fire from the rebel works.
The troops in front wore now sharply engaging the rebels in their works,
while our artillery, and their field-pieces, behind the breastworks near
the fort, were blazing away at each other with great rapidity. In one
instance, the rebels galloped the horses up to the parapet with a gun,
and when the horses wheeled with it, in order that it might be placed in
position, the infantry fire killed all the horses in the traces, and the
artillerists scampered off in an instant, and left their gun. At a shot
from one of our Parrott guns, which knocked one of the timbers from the
breastwork, at least a hundred rebels ran away from behind the
intrenchment into the bastioned fort. Our caissons were now coming from
the front for ammunition. At ten minutes past three, most of Morgan’s
men were in line, and the remainder were forming in the rear. In five
minutes more they were advancing with vigor. Sharp musketry and
artillery firing was kept up all the time. At twenty minutes past three
a heavy column of Morgan’s men was seen moving to the left, near the
river bank, advancing amid clouds of smoke. It was a body that was
moving quickly to the front, to extend the advancing line.
The time was now fifteen minutes past three. The fight was quite severe
on both sides. Although the heavy guns in the fort were silenced the
field-pieces and the infantry behind the parapet with great
determination continued to resist our vigorous advance. The Union line
extended from the river on the left, round in front of the fort, and to
the bayou on the right. The engagement was general along its whole
extent. Morgan sent word that his left was advancing steadily, and, as
the gunboats commanded the river, he had sent for Lindsay’s brigade to
return from the other side.
It was now nearly four o’clock. The Admiral’s flagship was coming close
to the bank, and, with the other gunboats, was pouring shot into the
fort; Lindsay’s brigade, across the river, was also firing into the
works, while Morgan’s and Sherman’s men were advancing fast in front.
The white flag was seen in several places on the parapet; enthusiastic
cheers arose from the troops in front; the firing ceased; the rebels
rose from behind the breastwork; and the Federal troops rushed wildly
forward with flags flying, into and over the intrenchments. The fort had
surrendered.
General McClernand and staff dashed off, and were soon in the enemy’s
intrenchments, surrounded by thousands of the men. When the flag was
shown on the river side, the jolly Jack Tars jumped ashore, and were
soon in the fort, followed by Admiral Porter and a number of his
officers. Colonel Dunnington, commander of the fort, surrendered his
sword to the Admiral in person. General Churchill, commander of the
forces, soon appeared with his staff, and surrendered himself and his
troops to General McClernand. General Churchill accused his subordinates
of treachery. It may be, that the soldiers, seeing that further
resistance was useless, concluded to abandon the defence. One thing is
certain, there was great unanimity among the rebels in the surrender.
ADMIRAL PORTER.
The following sketch of Admiral Porter, who commanded the gunboat
attack, will inform the reader of his previous history:
ACTING REAR-ADMIRAL DAVID D. PORTER, the commander of the Mississippi
Flotilla, is the son of the famous Commodore David Porter of the
_Essex_, and was born about the year 1814. In 1829 he entered the navy
as midshipman on board the _Constellation_, and served six years on that
ship and the _United States_. In 1835 he passed his examination, and
served six years as passed midshipman on the Coast Survey. In 1841 he
was commissioned a lieutenant, and served with that rank on board the
_Congress_ for four years. After a brief period of service at the
Observatory at Washington, he was placed on active duty under Commodore
Tattnall in the Gulf of Mexico, and took a leading part in the naval
operations of the Mexican war. In 1849 he took command of one of the
Pacific Mail Company’s steamers, and remained several years in the
service of that Company.
At the beginning of the year 1861 he was under orders to join the Coast
Survey on the Pacific, but, fortunately, had not left when the rebellion
broke out. His name at that time stood number six on the list of
lieutenants. The resignation of several Confederates left room for his
advancement, and the “Naval Register” for August 31, 1861, placed him
number seventy-seven on the list of commanders. He was placed in command
of the steam sloop-of-war _Powhatan_, a vessel of about twenty-five
hundred tons, and armed with eleven guns. After doing blockading duty
for some time, he left that ship to take special charge of the mortar
expedition. The active part he took in the reduction of the forts below
New Orleans will make his name ever memorable in connection with the
mortar fleet. After the capture of New Orleans he, with his fleet, went
up the Mississippi river, and was engaged in several affairs on that
river, including that of Vicksburg. From that place he was ordered to
the James river, and returned in the _Octorara_. When off Charleston, on
his way to Fortress Monroe, he fell in with and captured the Anglorebel
steamer _Tubal Cain_. He was then appointed to the supreme control of
all the naval forces on the Mississippi river, with the rank of Acting
Rear-Admiral. The force under his orders, in vessels, guns, and men, was
larger than had ever heretofore been under the command of any United
States naval officer. His squadron was distinct in every way from that
of Admiral Farragut, who commanded the Western Gulf Blockading Squadron.
[Illustration: HOUSE USED FOR CONFINEMENT OF REBEL SYMPATHIZERS, AT ST.
LOUIS, MO.]
The capture of the Post of Arkansas was the first exploit performed by
the Admiral in his new command.
MAJOR-GENERAL M’CLERNAND.
MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN A. MCCLERNAND was a lawyer by profession, and had
figured prominently as a leading Democratic politician from Illinois. He
was a leader of the Douglas Democrats, and did battle for them valiantly
at Charleston. At the outbreak of the war he took sides manfully for the
Union, and shortly afterward was nominated a Brigadier-General of
Volunteers. In the Belmont fight he gave evidence that he possessed good
military capacity, and during his administration of military affairs at
Cairo he secured the good will of the men under his command. In the
reconnoissance in the rear of Columbus, during the advance upon Fort
Henry, and at the grand battle before Fort Donelson, General McClernand
manifested superior military ability. For his gallantry on these
occasions he was, on the 21st of March, 1862, made by Congress a
Major-General of Volunteers, and accompanied the advance up the
Tennessee river toward Savannah. At the battle of Pittsburgh Landing he
was highly distinguished.
* * * * *
After spending two days devoted to the care of the wounded, and the
burial of the dead, the fort was blown up and completely destroyed, the
rifle pits levelled, and a hundred wagons which had been captured, were
burnt. On the 18th, General McClernand embarked with the main body of
his troops, and proceeded down the Arkansas river to Napoleon, where a
conference was held with General Grant and Admiral Porter, and future
operations were planned.
Meantime an expedition of light-draught steamers, under
Lieutenant-Commander J. G. Walker, and a body of troops led by General
Gorman, had proceeded up the White river, and captured the towns of Des
Arc and Duval’s Bluff.
General McArthur’s corps of General Grant’s army, left Memphis on the
20th of January on transports, and landed at Young’s Point, on the west
side of the river, about nine miles above Vicksburg. Here the greater
part of the fleet was concentrated; and on the 2d of February, General
Grant arrived, and assumed command of the army. At this point a canal
had been commenced by General Williams, previous to the unsuccessful
attack on Vicksburg the year before, for the purpose of effecting a
passage for vessels across the peninsula in front of Vicksburg out of
range of the enemy’s guns.
The attack on Vicksburg, from up the river, had demonstrated the
strength of its defensive works on the north, and convinced General
Grant that they were too strong to be carried without a very heavy loss.
The first step for him to accomplish, therefore, was the transportation
of his army below the city, in order to make an attack from the south.
The passage by the river was too hazardous to be attempted. The
formidable batteries on the river front at Vicksburg were capable of
destroying all the transports. Work was therefore recommenced on the
canal. While this work was in progress, the river continued to rise
rapidly, and great labor was required to keep the water out of the
canal, and also out of the camps of the laborers and soldiers. In
addition, the rain was incessant, and the magnitude of the work was,
from these causes, greatly increased. The earth taken out of the
excavation was placed on the west side, and thus formed an embankment or
levee, which it was supposed would prevent the water from flooding the
country.
While a portion of General Grant’s forces were employed in cutting the
canal at Young’s Point, their commander, firmly intent on accomplishing
the great enterprise before him, was industriously employed in the
prosecution of other plans, which might be consummated in the event of a
failure in the canal at the peninsula. A channel was cut from the
Mississippi into Lake Providence, on the west side of the Mississippi,
and another into the Cold Water river on the eastern bank, by way of the
Yazoo Pass.
While these operations were in progress, a daring enterprise was
undertaken by Colonel Charles E. Ellet, commander of the ram steamer
Queen of the West, by which he hoped to destroy a formidable rebel
steamer called the City of Vicksburg, then lying under the guns of the
fortifications at that place.
The Queen of the West had been previously provided with all the
arrangements deemed necessary to insure the complete success of the
dangerous undertaking. Three hundred bales of cotton had been procured
further up the river and placed on board, particularly about the
machinery, in order to save her from any serious injury by shot and
shell from the rebel batteries. Rear-Admiral Porter had given orders
that she should proceed down to Vicksburg, destroy the rebel steamboat
City of Vicksburg, lying opposite the city, and then run past the lower
rebel batteries. The Colonel was directed to keep close to the right
bank going down, to have all his lights on board extinguished—as it was
intended that she should run the gauntlet in the darkness—and having
safely passed the batteries, to anchor below the mouth of the canal and
there wait for further orders.
The Colonel started with the ram from above the bend at half past four
o’clock in the morning. It was about six o’clock, just as the sun was
rising, when the ram rounded the point of land lying opposite Vicksburg.
She had only men enough on board to work her, it having been arranged
that the remainder of the crew would cross the point of land and get on
board of her below after she had passed the batteries. When rounding the
point she was distinctly seen by the rebels. They immediately opened a
heavy fire from several of their batteries, which crowned the crests of
the bluffs about the city. The Queen slowly and steadily proceeded down
the river under a heavy fire from those batteries, until she reached a
point opposite the spot where the steamboat City of Vicksburg was lying.
Colonel Ellet saw that the steamboat was lying in almost the same
position as was the rebel ram Arkansas when he ran into her with the
Queen of the West. If the rebel steamboat should be struck as the ram
was running down the river, the prow, instead of penetrating her, would
be inclined to glance, and the full force of the blow would thus be
lost. Wishing to make the shock as effective as possible, when the ram
had reached the proper position the Colonel turned her partly around, so
as to face the city, and then made across the river straight for the
fated steamboat. The rebels, who had crowded on the banks, scampered off
in the most affrighted manner from the shore, and sought safety in the
city. The ram still went steadily on to the execution of her destructive
errand. She struck the rebel steamboat forward of the wheel-house; but
at the moment of collision the current caught the stern of the ram and
swung her round so rapidly that nearly all the momentum of the blow was
lost. To set the rebel steamboat on fire was part of the arrangement.
That portion of the programme was intrusted to Sergeant J. H. Campbell.
He was directed to fire the forward guns, loaded with combustible balls
saturated with turpentine. As the ram swung round he was ordered to fire
them. Just at that moment a 64-pound shot from one of the rebel
batteries came crashing into the barricade of cotton near him; but the
brave Sergeant did not hesitate a moment in the execution of the order.
The guns were fired, a tremendous blaze was vomited forth from them, and
the rebel steamboat was in flames.
About the same time the ram was found to be on fire. A shell from shore
had set her on fire near the starboard wheel, while the discharge of the
guns with the combustible balls had fired the cotton on her bow. Both
steamboats were thus ablaze at the same time. The flames spread rapidly
on both vessels. The smoke from the front of the ram rushed into her
engine-room and threatened to suffocate the engineers. Those on board
the rebel steamboat did all they could do to extinguish the flames on
their boat. This they soon accomplished. Colonel Ellet had intended to
strike the rebel steamboat in the stern, and thus finish the work of
demolition; but the spreading flames on the Queen of the West made it
necessary for him to attend to the safety of his own vessel. He
therefore ran down stream, and set all hands on board at work
extinguishing the flames. Though the cotton had been wet before
starting, the fire was extending rapidly, and several burning bales were
thrown overboard in order to save the ram. She then anchored below the
mouth of the canal, where she awaited further orders.
All this time, both when approaching the city and leaving it, the rebel
batteries were blazing away at the Queen of the West with light and
heavy guns. It was a very exciting scene. About one hundred and twenty
shots were fired from the batteries; but the ram was struck only twelve
times, and sustained no material injury.
The Queen of the West now proceeded down the Mississippi, and when below
Natchez, burned three small rebel steamers, the Moro, Berwick Bay, and
A. W. Baker, laden with stores for the army at Vicksburg. After cruising
for two weeks in the Atchafalaya, the Red river, and other tributaries
of the Mississippi, inflicting serious injury on the rebel commerce, and
capturing several vessels, she finally ventured up the Black river, and
captured the rebel steamer Era. She proceeded to Fort Taylor, some fifty
miles from the mouth of the river, where she grounded on a bar, exposed
to the fire of the guns of the fort, and her crew was compelled to
abandon the vessel, which fell into the hands of the enemy. Captain
Ellet and most of the men succeeded in reaching the Era, and effected
their escape.
* * * * *
When the work on the canal through the peninsula had approached its
completion, and the huge iron scoop of the dredging machine had
commenced demolishing the barrier which intervened between the bed of
the canal and the “Father of Waters,” an unforeseen occurrence, which
could not be guarded against, crushed the enterprise.
Owing to heavy rains and the rapid rise of the Mississippi above and
opposite Vicksburg, the head of the canal gave way, and the water poured
in at a tremendous rate. The force of the current, however, did not
break the dam near the mouth of the canal, but caused a crevasse on the
western side, through which the water flowed in such profusion as to
inundate the lower part of the peninsula to the depth of four or five
feet. When the fracture occurred a number of soldiers were on the levee,
and were thrown into the torrent, but no lives were lost. All attempts
to repair the mischief proved ineffectual, and the troops were removed
to Milliken’s Bend, fifteen miles above.
* * * * *
On the 27th of February, Admiral Porter dispatched what was called a
dummy Monitor, to run the Vicksburg batteries, in order to ascertain
their exact location. This contrivance was an old flatboat, with
flour-barrels for smoke stacks, and a couple of large hogsheads to
represent Monitor turrets. It ran the fortifications in gallant style,
and drew the fire of the rebel guns, without creating a suspicion of the
true character of the vessel. The rebel authorities, fearful of the
capture of the Indianola, then in an exposed position undergoing
repairs, caused that vessel to be blown up to prevent her from falling
into the hands of the Federals, and thus uselessly sacrificed the finest
iron-clad they had on the western waters.
The prudent forethought of General Grant exhibited by his employing a
portion of his men in cutting channels from the Mississippi to
Providence lake on the west side, and to Moon lake on the east side, was
now made apparent, and those works were progressing rapidly.
Lake Providence is a few miles south of the boundary line between
Arkansas and Louisiana. It is situated in Carroll parish, Louisiana,
about one mile west of the Mississippi river, and about seventy-five
miles above Vicksburg. It is about six miles in length. Two streams flow
out of the lake to the south, Moon bayou and Tensas river. The former,
after running about a hundred miles, unites with the latter. The two
continue south, and unite with the Washita, and are called after the
junction, Black river. By cutting a channel from the Mississippi to Lake
Providence, General Grant thought a communication might be had through
that lake down the Tensas and Black into the Red river, and thence
through the Atchafalaya, with General Banks at New Orleans. This route
avoided the batteries of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. The canal to the
lake was finished so as to let in water on the 16th of March. The flood
was so great as to inundate a large district of country, some of which
was fine land for growing cotton. Some boats passed into Lake
Providence, but the uncertainty of the channel of the Tensas river, and
the interest which was now excited by the Yazoo Pass expedition,
together with the unimportant results to be anticipated by removing a
large force to the Red river or below, caused a diversion from this
route to others presenting more certain prospects of success against
Vicksburg.
Eight miles below Helena, in Arkansas, and on the opposite side of the
river, is a little lake, known as Moon lake. The passage from the
Mississippi across the lake to the mouth of the Yazoo Pass is about
eight miles; thence through the Pass proper to the Coldwater river,
twelve miles. The Coldwater, a narrow stream, runs south, empties into
the Tallahatchie, which continues to flow south, and unites with the
Yallobusha, forming the Yazoo river, which empties into the Mississippi
a few miles above Vicksburg.
Another important operation took place on the 14th of March, which had
much to do with the success of General Grant’s movements. Admiral
Farragut, with his fleet, attacked Port Hudson, and the flagship
succeeded in running past the batteries and arriving before Warrenton,
when he communicated with the fleet above. Shortly after this Admiral
Porter succeeded in running some of his fleet down to the assistance of
Farragut, and the united fleets began operating upon the river between
Vicksburg and Port Hudson, cutting off the communications of the rebels
with Louisiana, and making important military movements on the Louisiana
shore.
An attempt to pass the rebel batteries at Vicksburg, was made by the
Union rams Lancaster and Switzerland, on the 25th of March, without
success. As soon as they came within range, the rebels opened a
tremendous fire. The Lancaster was struck thirty times. Her entire bow
was shot away, causing her to sink immediately. All the crew except two
escaped. The Switzerland was disabled by a 64-pound ball penetrating the
steam-drum. She floated down, the batteries still firing, and striking
her repeatedly, until finally the Albatross ran alongside and towed her
to the lower mouth of the canal.
An expedition proceeded down the Coldwater, on the 2nd of April,
consisting of a portion of General Sherman’s and General McClernand’s
corps, under General L. F. Ross, with eighteen transports and five small
gunboats, and arrived at the mouth of the river without obstruction.
They proceeded down the Tallahatchie, to its junction with the
Yallobusha, which there forms the Yazoo, near which point is the village
of Greenwood. On a peninsula near by, the rebels had erected a
fortification. It consisted of a single line of breastworks facing
westerly, composed of cotton bales and earth, and flanked on the right
by a battery of three heavy guns fronting the river. Other field-pieces
were in position on the works. On the right flank of the line, a defence
or raft of logs had been constructed, to serve as a blockade of the
river. Directly in front of the breastworks was a deep slough, extending
across the peninsula, and admirably serving the purpose of a ditch. The
slough was close to the base of the works at the upper end, but
gradually receded from them at the lower, where it was several hundred
yards distant. Beyond the slough there was an almost impenetrable
canebrake, backed by an extensive forest.