expedition could proceed further, and the gunboat Chillicothe,
Lieutenant Foster, was sent forward on the morning of the 11th of April
to reconnoitre. The vessel approached the fortification, and fired
several shots, but was soon struck four times by heavy rifle shots.
At the same time detachments from the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh
Indiana regiments were sent out to feel the Confederate position on the
land side. A considerable body of the enemy’s skirmishers were
encountered, who were driven across the slough and into the works, when
the detachments were withdrawn. In the afternoon the Chillicothe was
ordered to engage the fortification. After she had fired seven rounds, a
64-pound shell from the enemy passed through a half-open port striking
upon the muzzle of a gun, in which a shell had been placed preparatory
to cutting the fuse. Both shells exploded at once, by which three men
were killed and eleven wounded. At this time orders were received to
withdraw from the engagement. During the ensuing night a force was sent
to throw up a battery facing the enemy’s works, west of the slough, and
in the edge of the timber. A single 30-pound Parrott gun was mounted,
and the work concealed by brush from the view of the enemy. Subsequently
another gun was mounted. No attack was made on the 12th, in consequence
of the absence of the mortar boats. After some delay, on the 13th, the
engagement was commenced about half past ten A. M. by the land
batteries. The gunboats Chillicothe and DeKalb soon after approached and
opened their fire. It now appeared that the fortification mounted a
rifled 64 Parrott, and three 24-Dahlgrens, and a small field battery.
These guns were protected by a parapet composed of seven tiers of cotton
bales, covered on the outside with eight feet of earth. The contest was
bravely maintained for some time, when the fire of the enemy was
suspended, but no disposition to surrender was shown. The gunboats and
battery kept up the fire, but without any success in reducing the works.
The Chillicothe was struck thirty-four times, but not severely injured.
The DeKalb suffered more, in consequence of some shot penetrating her
casemates, by which one man was killed and five wounded.
The impracticable nature of the land approaches rendered any attempt on
the part of the military futile, and the expedition was compelled to
retire.
An expedition under Admiral Porter, consisting of the heavier gunboats
of his flotilla was undertaken about this time accompanied by
transports, for the purpose of reaching the Yazoo river below Fort
Pemberton, and Greenwood, and above Haines’ Bluff. The route of this
expedition was up the Yazoo to Cypress bayou, thence into Steele’s
bayou, and through Cypress lake to Little Black Fork and Deer creek.
These waters were found to be impenetrable to the Federal vessels, and
that expedition also proved a failure.
PASSING THE VICKSBURG BATTERIES.
APRIL 16–22, 1863.
General Grant having now fully determined to transport his army below
Vicksburg, the cooperation of the naval commander was obtained: and on
the 16th of April, three transports, under cover of the gunboats, were
in readiness to descend the river. At half-past ten at night Admiral
Porter’s vessels started on their perilous expedition down the river.
The vessels comprising the expedition started in the following order,
fifty yards apart: Benton, Lieutenant-Commander Green; Lafayette,
Captain Walker, with the General Price lashed on the starboard side;
Louisville, Lieutenant-Commander Owen; Mound City, Lieutenant Wilson;
Pittsburg, Lieutenant Hall; Carondolet, Lieutenant Murphy, and
Tuscumbia, Lieutenant Commander Shirk, with the tug Day, which was
lashed to the Benton. The three army transports were in the rear of
these vessels, and the Tuscumbia was placed astern of all.
Two of the transports, when the firing became heavy, attempted to run up
stream; but Lieutenant Commander Shirk drove them back, and stayed
behind them until the Forest Queen was disabled. He then took her in
tow, and placed her out of reach of the enemy’s shot.
All the vessels except the Benton took coal barges in tow, and all
except the Lafayette brought them safely past the batteries. Having the
Price alongside the Lafayette did not manage very well, and the coal
barge got adrift, but was picked up at New Carthage. The Louisville,
Lieutenant Commander Owen, lost hers in the melee, but picked it up
again. The Benton fired over eighty shell, well directed, into the town
and batteries.
The Pittsburg, Mound City and Tuscumbia were more fortunate than the
others in not turning round as they came by, although no ill results
happened to those vessels which did turn. The pilots were deceived by a
large fire started on the side opposite to Vicksburg by the rebels, for
the purpose of showing the vessel more plainly. Fires being started on
both sides of the river at once, the vessels had some narrow escapes,
but were saved in most instances, by the precautions taken to protect
them. They were covered with heavy logs and bales of wet hay, which was
found to be an excellent defence.
No one on board of the transports was injured; and, encouraged by the
success of this enterprise, General Grant ordered six more to be
prepared in like manner for running the batteries. On the night of the
22d of April the Tigress, Anglo Saxon, Cheeseman, Empire City, Horizona
and Moderator, left Milliken’s Bend, and all passed in safety but the
Tigress, which received a shot in her hull below water-line, and sunk on
the Louisiana shore.
CAPTURE OF GRAND GULF, MISS.
APRIL 29-MAY 3, 1863.
On Wednesday, the 29th of April, a part of the gunboat fleet under
Admiral Porter, consisting of the Benton (flagship), Lafayette, Mound
City, Pittsburg, Carondolet, Tuscumbia and Louisville, left Hard Times,
and steaming down below Coffee Point, engaged the rebel batteries at
Grand Gulf, just at the confluence of the Big Black and the Mississippi.
The engagement commenced at eight o’clock and lasted until half-past
two.
The enemy had four batteries at Grand Gulf, one on the rock around which
the waters of the Big Black flow into the Mississippi, and three below,
about midway between the water and the summit of the bluffs. In the
former they had placed four heavy guns, and in the three latter two and
three each, with parapets, embrasures and rifle pits. The upper guns
were very large, throwing shot and shell weighing one hundred pounds.
The lower guns were mostly thirty-two-pounders.
The Benton opened the fight, followed by the other gunboats in rapid
succession. At first they stood off at long range, and fired at a
distance of a mile or more; but as the fire became warm they pressed
closely to the bluff, and passed and repassed the batteries, sending
broadsides upon the fort whenever they came in position. For six hours
where the gunboats firing and receiving fire, until the gradually
ceasing explosions of the enemy indicated their desire to terminate the
engagement.
The Benton suffered considerably in her upper works, not less than a
half dozen shots passing entirely through her. One shell exploded in her
porthole, killing five men. The Tuscumbia was disabled. Other gunboats
were more or less injured, but not seriously.
On the same day Admiral Porter sent the following report to the
Secretary of the Navy:
HON. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy:—
I have the honor to inform you that, by an arrangement with General
Grant, I attacked the batteries at Grand Gulf this morning, which were
very formidable. After a fight of five hours and thirty minutes we
silenced the lower batteries, but failed to silence the upper one,
which was high, strongly built, and had guns of very heavy calibre.
The vessels were unmanageable in the heavy current. It fired but
feebly toward the last, and the vessels all laid by and enfiladed it,
while I went up a short distance to communicate with General Grant,
who concluded to land the troops and march over to a point two miles
below Grand Gulf. I sent the Lafayette back to engage the upper
batteries, which she did, and drove the soldiers out of it, as it did
not respond after a few fires. At six p. m. we attacked the batteries
again, and under cover of the fire all the transports passed by in
good condition. The Benton, Tuscumbia, and Pittsburg were much cut up,
having twenty-four killed and fifty-six wounded, but they are all
ready for service.
We land the army in the morning on the other side to march on
Vicksburg.
DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear Admiral.
On the 30th of April General Grant, with the three selected _corps de
armeé_, viz.:—the Thirteenth, General McClernand; the Fifteenth, General
Sherman, and the Seventeenth, General McPherson, crossed from the
Louisiana side of the Mississippi river and landed at Boulinsburg.
The total number of killed in the fleet was twenty-six, and the wounded
fifty-four.
The bombardment was terrific, the gunboat men exhibiting a coolness,
courage and determination which it seemed nothing could resist. The
rebels stood bravely to their guns, but the steady and heavy fire of the
iron-clads drove them again and again. All the boats were struck
repeatedly; but the Tuscumbia was the only one materially damaged. She
had her hogchains cut away, and was otherwise so badly damaged that it
was deemed advisable to remove her from the scene of action.
Finding it useless to protract the contest when the object to be
attained could be reached by another way, the gunboats moved out of
range and prepared to run the blockade at night. The usual precautions
were taken to prevent casualties, and each gunboat carried all the
troops it could conveniently accommodate. The transports were filled
with troops, and all the barges crowded—so eager were the soldiers to
take part in the exciting scene. The gunboats started first, and were
subjected to a severe fire, for it was almost as bright as midday; the
moon shining from a cloudless sky. When the transports appeared the
concentrated fire of the rebel batteries was directed to them; but none
of the vessels were disabled. The Cheeseman had six or seven horses
killed by the explosion of a shell; but no lives were lost, as far as
heard from.
General Grant was aboard a tug during the fight, and directed the
movement of troops, under cover of the gunboat fire. The forces landed
at Bayou Pierre.
BOMBARDMENT OF HAINES’ BLUFF.
Simultaneous with the land attack on Grand Gulf, General Sherman made a
demonstration on Haines’ Bluff on Wednesday morning, April 29. A
considerable force was embarked on the transports, and preceded by the
iron-clad Choctaw and all the wooden gunboats in the Yazoo, proceeded up
that stream. The bombardment at the Bluff was chiefly carried on by the
gunboats Choctaw, DeKalb, Black Hawk, Romeo, Linden and three mortar
boats. The former was struck fifty-two times, and had her upper works
pretty badly battered. Her pilot house was struck by an eight-inch solid
shot, which penetrated the extreme top, but fortunately injured none of
the occupants. Her turret was struck repeatedly, but the shot all
glanced off. She was also penetrated by three shots below the water
line, one shot entering three feet below the surface of the water.
Another shot penetrated her casemates and floundered on her deck. It was
supposed to be a shell, and all hands beat a hasty retreat, except Chief
Engineer Baldwin, who ran up, seized it and threw it overboard. General
Sherman landed his forces on the south bank of the Yazoo. The main
object of the expedition was to prevent the enemy from sending
reinforcements to Port Gibson. The rebels displayed a large force, and
anticipated a battle. The expedition returned on the 7th of May.
* * * * *
On the third of May, Admiral Porter took possession of the forts at
Grand Gulf. The details of the occupation are narrated in his report to
Secretary Welles, of the same date:
FLAGSHIP BENTON, GRAND GULF, Miss., May 8, 1863.
Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy:
SIR—I have the honor to report that I got under way this morning with
the Lafayette, Carondolet, Mound City and Pittsburg, and proceeded up
to the forts at Grand Gulf, for the purpose of attacking them if they
had not been abandoned. The enemy had left before we got up, blowing
up their ammunition, spiking their large guns, and burying or taking
away the lighter ones. The armament consisted of thirteen guns in all.
The works are of the most extensive kind, and would seem to defy the
efforts of a much heavier fleet than the one which silenced them. The
forts were literally torn to pieces by the accuracy of our fire.
Colonel Wade, the commandant of the batteries, was killed; also his
chief of staff. Eleven men were killed that we know of, and our
informant says that many were wounded, and that no one was permitted
to go inside the forts after the action except those belonging there.
We had a hard fight for these forts, and it is with great pleasure
that I report that the navy holds the door of Vicksburg. Grand Gulf is
the strongest place on the Mississippi. Had the enemy succeeded in
finishing the fortifications no fleet could have taken them.
I have been all over the works and found them as follows:—One fort on
a point of rocks seventy-five feet high, calculated for six or seven
guns, mounting two seven inch rifles, and one eight-inch and one
Parrott gun on wheels, which was carried off. On the left of this work
is a triangular work, calculated to mount one heavy gun. These works
are connected with another fort by a covered way and double rifle pits
extending one quarter of a mile, constructed with much labor, and
showing great skill on the part of the constructor. The third fort
commands the river in all directions. It mounted one splendid Blakely
one hundred-pounder, one eight-inch and two thirty-pounders. The
latter were lying bursted or broken on the ground.
The gunboats had so covered up everything with earth that it was
impossible to see at first what was there, with the exception of the
guns that were dismounted or broken.
Every gun that fell into our hands was in good condition, and we found
a large quantity of ammunition.
These are by far the most extensively built works, with the exception
of those at Vicksburg, I have seen yet, and I am happy to say that we
hold them.
I am dismounting the guns, and getting on board the ammunition.
Since making the above examination new forts have been passed nearly
finished. They had no guns, but were complete as regards position, and
had heavy field pieces in them.
DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear Admiral,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
CAPTURE OF PORT GIBSON, MISS.
MAY 1, 1863.
Two days after the bombardment of Grand Gulf by Admiral Porter’s fleet,
General Grant’s forces made a successful attack on Port Gibson, a point
six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf, which compelled the rebels to
evacuate the latter place. General Grant sent the following dispatch to
General Halleck, dated May 3:
GRAND GULF, Miss., May 3, 1863.
Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:
We landed at Boulingsburg April 30, moved immediately on Port Gibson,
met the enemy eleven thousand strong, four miles north of Port Gibson,
at two o’clock A. M. on the 1st inst., and engaged him all day,
entirely routing him, with the loss of many killed, and about five
hundred prisoners, beside the wounded. Our loss is about one hundred
killed, and five hundred wounded.
The enemy retreated towards Vicksburg, destroying the bridges over the
two forks of the Bayou Pierre. These were rebuilt, and the pursuit has
continued until the present time.
Besides the heavy artillery at this place, four field pieces were
captured and some stores, and the enemy were driven to destroy many
more.
The country is the most broken and difficult to operate in I ever saw.
Our victory has been most complete, and the enemy are thoroughly
demoralized.
Very respectfully, U. S. GRANT,
Major-General Commanding.
Governor Yates, of Illinois, writing from Grand Gulf, on the following
day, gives a glowing account of the operations of the Federal army:
“Our arms are gloriously triumphant. We have succeeded in winning a
victory which, in its results, must be the most important of the war.
The battle of May 1 lasted from eight o’clock in the morning until
night, during all of which time the enemy were driven back on the
right, left and centre. All day yesterday our army was in pursuit of
the rebels, they giving us battle at almost every defensible point,
and fighting with desperate valor. Last night a large force of the
enemy was driven across Black river and General McClernand was driving
another large force in the direction of Willow Springs. About two
o’clock yesterday I left General Logan, with his division in pursuit
of the enemy, to join General Grant at Grand Gulf, which the enemy had
evacuated in the morning, first blowing up their magazines, spiking
their cannon, destroying tents, etc. On my way to Grand Gulf I saw
guns scattered all along the road, which the enemy had left in their
retreat. The rebels were scattered through the woods in every
direction. This army of the rebels was considered, as I now learn,
invincible; but it quailed before the irresistible assaults of
Northwestern valor.”
GRIERSON’S RAID.
APRIL 17–MAY 2, 1863.
For a long time Colonel Grierson’s ambition had been to lead the cavalry
force under his charge into the enemy’s country. At last he received an
intimation from General Grant’s headquarters that his desire would be
gratified. Colonel Grierson commanded the First brigade of cavalry under
General Grant. This force had been for some time occupying Lagrange,
Tenn., which is a small town on the Memphis and Charleston railroad,
about fifty miles east of the city of Memphis, and four miles west of
the junction of the Mississippi and Charleston railroads. When Colonel
Grierson first received permission to move with his force into
Mississippi, one of the chief objects of the expedition was to cut off
the means of communication between the rebel army of the West, and that
of General Bragg, then in Middle Tennessee; but when the expedition was
once begun, it branched off into many unthought-of directions, and ended
in being one of the most brilliant, as well as important feats of the
war.
On the morning of the 17th of April, Colonel Grierson received orders
from General Grant to move his force out on the Ripley road;
accordingly, his brigade, consisting of the Sixth Illinois cavalry,
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Loomis; the Seventh Illinois cavalry,
Colonel Edward Prince; and the Second Iowa cavalry, Colonel Edward
Hatch, obeying the directions they had received, bivouacked for the
night on a plantation a few miles northwest of the town of Ripley.
During the night five guerrillas were captured by the Union men. On the
morning of the next day the march began; the main body of Colonel
Grierson’s men proceeded in a southerly direction, while one regiment,
the Second Iowa, crossed the Tallahatchie, and went in a southeasterly
direction. On both sides of the river the enemy’s pickets were posted in
all directions, endeavoring to prevent the Union soldiers from crossing,
and there was constant skirmishing between them and the rebels. The
pickets were constantly driven in; and an attempt to fire the bridge at
New Albany was prevented by the rapid movements of Grierson’s men. At
the close of the day the Union troops had accomplished their
contemplated march, and were stationed as follows: the Sixth and Seventh
Illinois regiments were encamped on a plantation a few miles south of
New Albany, and the Second Iowa about four miles east of the same place.
The Second Iowa, during the night, repulsed a severe attack of the
enemy. On the morning of the 19th, Colonel Grierson dispersed his troops
in various directions, with a view to mislead the enemy, and cause him
to suppose that the main object of the expedition was to break up the
various military organizations in that part of the country. Accordingly,
one detachment marched to the eastward, another moved back toward New
Albany, and a third marched northwest towards King’s Bridge; and the
enemy was thus completely puzzled and in total ignorance of the real
destination of the Union forces.
Colonel Grierson himself, with the main body of his command, marched in
a southerly direction, and were subsequently joined by the remainder of
the force, when they took the road to Pontotoc. There they met a
detachment of the rebels, who fled before them, after the exchange of a
few shots, and were hotly pursued, and driven through the town. Their
entire camp equipage was captured, and a large store of salt, which was
destroyed. The march was then continued till about eight o’clock at
night, and the men encamped at a point on the road leading to Houston, a
few miles south of the Pontotoc. At an early hour on the following
morning the reveille was sounded. Major Lull of the Second Iowa, with
about one hundred and fifty picked men, and one piece of artillery, was
then sent back to Lagrange in charge of all the prisoners and captured
property which had been taken from the rebels, in order that the force
might be relieved of all incumbrance, and the enemy made to suppose that
Colonel Grierson was retracing his steps.
At five o’clock on the morning of the 21st, Colonel Hatch was ordered
with his command to proceed up the Columbus road, and destroy as much of
the Mobile and Ohio railroad as was possible; and to attack Columbus
These orders were successfully carried out; and Colonel Hatch, with the
troops under his command returned to Lagrange, and thus aided in still
further deceiving General Chalmers (who was in command of the rebels at
this point) in regard to the movements of Colonel Grierson.
In the mean time the remainder of the Union forces had continued their
march, and reached Starkville, where they captured and destroyed a rebel
mail which had arrived; and set fire to and utterly destroyed one of the
finest tanneries in the country, which they reached after continuing
their march for five miles in a southerly direction.
On the following day, the 22d, the march was not only disagreeable, as
the men were often compelled to swim their horses through streams and
lead them over blind marshes, but extremely perilous; for often horse
and rider would sink into the marsh together, and though the men escaped
with life, the hapless animals often disappeared and were lost. With
unparalleled fortitude the men pushed on; and at ten o’clock the next
morning they reached Philadelphia, Miss. At this place the mail was
taken from the post-office, and destroyed, but nothing else was injured
in any way.
On the following day the march was vigorously prosecuted. A battalion
was sent by the Southern railroad to Decatur and Newton, where they were
joined the same night by the main body, under Colonel Grierson. Two
trains of cars were captured at Newton, laden with every description of
commissary stores, and a large quantity of ammunition and loaded shell.
All were destroyed, and the locomotives rendered unfit for any further
service. The march was then resumed, and continued till the 25th, when a
halt was made at a plantation a few miles west of Montrose, the men
having fired every bridge which they passed on the way. From this place
the route was slightly changed, and the cavalry pressed on in a more
southerly direction.