On the 7th of May, having moved headquarters to Hawkinson's Ferry, he ordered the final advance. He had made demonstr tions to induce the enemy to believe that he intended to move direct upon Vicksburg by that route and by Hall's Ferry above. His real intention was to hug the Black river closely with McClernand's and Sherman's Corps, and with them to strike the railroad at some place between Edwards' station and Bolton. McPherson was to move by way of Utica to Raymond, and thence to Jackson.

Congratulatory Order.

Before the advance was made, the following congratulatory order was issued and read to the troops:

On the March.

as events proved, for the campaign was, as it | valor and endurance of the had been intended to be," short, sharp and men who composed it. Al decisive." Everything was sacrificed to cele- were officially recognized by Governor Pettus, rity of motion and vigor of action, with the of Mississippi, who, in a proclamation dated view of establishing a new base north of May 5th, called the people of the State to Vicksburg. arms, en masse, to repel the "invaders." Ten days after this call was issued, the Union forces were in possession of the capital of Mississippi and the Governor was a fugitive. Of the advance a correspondent wrote: "On Thursday, the 7th of May, McPherson, commanding the 17th Corps, moved his troops to Rocky Springs, and his camp was occupied next day by Sherman, with the 15th Corps, On Saturday, the 9th, McPherson again moved to the eastward, to the village of Utica, crossing the road occupied by the 13th Corps, under McClernand, and leaving the latter on his left. On Sunday morning, the 10th, McClernand marched to Five Mile creek, and encamped on the south bank at noon, on account of broken bridges, which were repaired the same day. On Monday morning, the 11th, Sherman's corps came up, passed McClernand, and encamped that night at the village of Auburn, about ten miles south of Edwards' station, which is on a portion of the railroad from Vicksburg to Jackson. As soon as it passed, McClernand's corps followed a few miles, then took a read going obliquely to the left, leading to Hall's Ferry, on the Big Black river. Thus, on Monday morning, May 11th, McClernand was at Hall's Ferry; Sherman was at Auburn, six or eight miles to the northeast; and McPherson was about eight miles still further to the northeast, a few miles north of Utica. The whole formed an immense line of battle; Sherman's corps in the centre, with those of McPherson and McClernand forming the right and left wings. It will be observed, also, that a change of front had been effected. From Grand Gulf the army marched eastward; but by these last movements it had swung on the left as a pivot, and fronted nearly northward."

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, In the Field, Hawkinson's Ferry, May 7th. "Soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee:

"Once more I thank you for adding another victory to the long list of those previously won by your valor and endurance. The triumph gained over the enemy, near Port Gibson, on the 1st, was one of the most important of the war. The capture of five

cannon and more than one thousand prisoners, the

possession of Grand Gulf, and a firm foothold on the highlands between the Big Black and Bayou Pierre,

from whence we threaten the whole line of the enemy, are among the fruits of this brilliant achieve

ment.

The march from Milliken's bend to the point opposite Grand Gulf was made in stormy weather, over the worst of roads. Bridges and ferries had to be constructed. Moving by night as well as by day, with labor incessant, and extraordinary privations endured by men and officers, such as have been rarely paralleled in any campaign, not a murmur of complaint has been uttered. A few days' continuance of the same zeal and constancy will secure to this army crowning victories over the rebellion.

"More difficulties and privations are before us; let us endure them manfully. Other battles are to be fought; let us fight them bravely. A grateful country will rejoice at our success, and history will record it with immortal honor. U. S. GRANT,

"Major-General Commanding."

The General did not exaggerate the importance of the achievement of his army, nor the

McClernand and Sherman struck the enemy on the 12th, at Fourteen Mile creek. Considerable skirmishing followed ere they succeeded in effecting a crossing. On the same day, Logan's division, of McPherson's corps, came upon the rebel brigades of Generals Walker and Gregg, at Fondern's creek, near Raymond.

Fighsing on the Way.

ON THE WAY то VICKSBURG.

Battle of Jackson.

69

They were strongly posted, | himself unable to hold the being almost wholly con- city, Johnston had marched cealed by the woods bordering the stream, out, with the view of delaying the advance with their artillery on an eminence. The Union and gaining time to remove the public proptroops were obliged to cross an open field, erty. The bulk of his force, then about eleven under a terrific fire. After an obstinate con- thousand strong, engaged McPherson, on the test of three hours, McPherson drove the ene- Clinton road. A small body of artillery and my, with heavy loss in killed, wounded and infantry opposed Sherman for a while, but prisoners, his principal column taking the were soon driven within their rifle-pits. Mcdirect road to Jackson. Many of the rebels Pherson was held at bay on the Clinton road. threw down their arms and deserted, Gregg Sherman, however, soon flanked the enemy, and Walker withdrew toward Jackson. The on the right, when they were found to have Union loss at the "battle of Raymond" was retreated. Their infantry had escaped to the four hundred and forty-two, in killed, wound- north, by the Clinton road; but about two ed and missing. hundred and fifty prisoners, with all their At this time Grant was with Sherman's artillery (eighteen guns) and much ammunicorps, about the centre of the army. On the tion and valuable stores, fell into the hands 11th, he had dispatched to General Halleck, of the victors. The total Union loss, in this at Washington, that he should communicate" battle of Jackson," in killed, wounded and with Grand Gulf no more, unless it should missing, was two hundred and eighty-six. become necessary to send a train with a heavy escort, and that he might not be heard from again for several days.

About Face!

Grant, always with the advance, moved his headquarters into Jackson. His brief dispatch, On the night of May 12th, after orders had announcing the capture of the capital of Misbeen given for the corps of McClernand and sissippi, was dated from that place, May 15th, Sherman to march toward the railroad by 1863. During the evening of the 14th, he parallel roads, the order was changed, and learned that Johnston, satisfied that Jackson their divisions were headed in the direc-was the Federal general's point of attack, had tion of Raymond. This was in consequence ordered Pemberton peremptorily to march of the enemy having retreated toward Jack- from Vicksburg and attack the Federal rear. son after his defeat at Raymond, and of in. | Availing himself of this information, Grant formation that re-enforcements were arriving immediately ordered McClernand's corps, and at Jackson, where General Joseph E. John- Blair's division of Sherman's, to face about ston was hourly expected to take command and march toward Bolton, with a view to in person. Grant therefore determined to reaching Edwards' station, moving on differmake sure of Jackson, and leave no enemy in ent roads converging near Bolton, while Mchis rear. Pherson's corps was ordered back by the Clinton road.

On the 13th, McPherson's (17th) corps reached Clinton, destroyed the railroad and Sherman, with the remainder of his corps, telegraph, and captured some important rebel was left in Jackson to destroy railroads, facdispatches. It then moved on toward Jack-tories, arsenals, bridges and everything valuson, along the railroad. Sherman marched able for the support of the enemy. This was in a parallel column, by the turnpike. Mc- so fully accomplished that Jackson, as a railClernand's divisions garrisoned Clinton, Mis-road centre, or Government depot of stores sissippi Springs and Raymond, and, together and military factories, could be of little use with Blair's division and a brigade from to the enemy for many months following. McArthur's, was held as a reserve. In addition to the rebel Government buildings, the penitentiary was burned, probably by the convicts who had been set free by the rebel authorities. Some other buildings were destroyed by mischievous soldiers, though peremptory orders had been given, forbidding

Over miry roads, and through torrents of rain, but in excellent order and the best of spirits, Sherman and McPherson marched on, and met the enemy, under Johnston, at noon of the 14th, three miles from Jackson. Finding

any acts of that character. The railroads | a height where the road were ruined for four miles east of Jackson, leading to Vicksburg made three south, three north and ten west.

On the afternoon of the 15th, Grant followed the advance as far west as Clinton, where he arrived in the evening, ordering McClernand to move early the next morning toward Edwards' station, marching so as to feel the enemy, if he encountered him, but not to bring on a general engagement unless confident that he was able to defeat him. Blair's division was ordered to accompany McClernand. On the morning of the 16th, Grant received information of the positions taken by Pemberton, at Champion's hill,* for the purpose of "attacking the rear," and learned that his force was estimated at twenty-five thousand men, with ten batteries of artillery. The General commanding immediately dispatched to Sherman to bring up his entire force to Bolton. Sherman's advance division was in motion within an hour from the time when the dispatch was received.

Battle of Champion's
Hill.

a sharp turn to the left.
Hovey's division was disposed for the attack,
and McPherson's two divisions were thrown
toward the enemy's rear; but the General
withheld the attack until he could hear from
McClernand, who was then coming up with
four divisions, He soon learned that Mc-
Clernand, by the nearest practicable route,
was two and a half miles distant; but, near
as he was, the 13th Corps did not arrive until
the enemy had been driven from the field with
a heavy loss of killed, wounded and prisoners,
and much of his artillery—so furious was the
Federal assault.

The battle of Champion's hill, or Baker's creek, was fairly commenced at eleven o'clock in the morning, and was fought mainly by Hovey's division of McClernand's corps, and Logan's and Crocker's divisions of McPherson's corps. Logan had penetrated nearly to the enemy's rear, and compelled his retreat. The battle line as ar- Proceeding to the front, General Grant disranged, was to be as follows: covered that the enemy was retreating, and Extreme left, Smith, sup-ordered the divisions of Carr and Osterhaus ported by Blair; on the right of Smith, Os- in pursuit. Carr continued the pursuit until terhaus, supported by Carr; Hovey in the dark, capturing several cars loaded with comcentre, with McPherson's corps on the extreme missary and ordnance stores. At Edwards' right, and Crocker on the reserve. Ransom's station the retreating rebels destroyed large brigade arrived early in the fight, and took quantities of similar stores. Besides the prisup a position as a reserve, behind Carr. Grant oners captured, Loring's division of the enemy, was on the field at an early hour, and person- and much of his artillery were cut off and ally superintended the disposition of his host. permanently lost to Pemberton. The enemy had taken up a very strong position on a narrow ridge, his left resting on * Pemberton's conduct of this campaign is very sharply criticised by some Southern writers. John ston's report of November 1st, 1863, was very severe on the Vicksburg commander, tending to show how, by a disobedience of his (Johnston's) positive orders, the Federal "rear'' was unmolested, and Grant was enabled so to concentrate as to beat back the Confederate advance from Vicksburg and prevent a

junction of Johnston's and Pemberton's forces. It would appear that Pemberton was ordered (he says advised) to move out of Vicksburg with his main strength, marching direct for Clinton-that he (Pemberton) did not care to abandon Vicksburg, and therefore only advanced to Edwards' station and Champion's hill, where he was confronted, as above indicated, by Grant's quickly concentrated columns.

Such was the battle of Champion's hill, which, as General Grant justly concluded, virtually decided the fate of Vicksburg. The Rebels were repulsed with unusually heavy losses in killed and wounded, showing how well the field was contested. The Union loss was also great, amounting to a total of one thousand four hundred and fifty seven men. The pursuit, which had been discontinued at night, was renewed at daylight next morning, the veteran 13th Corps in the advance. The enemy was found strongly posted on both sides of Black river, to which Pemberton had withdrawn, expecting there to make his last defense. At that point the bluffs extended to the water's edge on the west side. The east side was entirely opened by a cultivated bottom of nearly one mile in width,

Battle of Big Black
River.

which Grant's extraordinary celerity had accomplished, even before Pemberton was aware of the full measure of the Federal commander's design.*

Investment of Vicksburg

surrounded by a bayou of stagnant water from two to three feet in depth, and from ten to twenty feet in width. Following the inside line of the bayou, the ene- Informed of Sherman's my had constructed rifle-pits, with the bayou success, Grant proceeded in to serve as a ditch on the outside and imme-person to the extreme Feddiately in front of them. Carr's division oc-eral right, from whence he had resolved to cupied the right in investing this place, operate. McPherson and McClernand, who Lawler's brigade being the division right. had constructed floating bridges, and were After some severe skirmishing, Lawler dis- ready to cross the Big Black river on the covered that, by moving a portion of his morning of the 18th, were to operate, the brigade under cover of the river-bank, he former on the centre, and the latter on the could get into position from which that place left. Sherman pushed forward to within could be successfully assaulted, and a charge range of the defenses of Vicksburg, and sent was ordered. Over the level ground, under Steele's division to the north on the Haines' a fearful fire, went the glorious Western men. bluff road. Steele reached the bluffs by dark, Wading the bayou, they delivered their fire, getting possession of the enemy's outer works, and rushed upon the enemy's rifle-pits and his camps and many prisoners. The next cover with fixed bayonets. The position was morning, Sherman's right rested on the Miswon. Seeing this, Pemberton at once order-sissippi, within plain view of our fleets at the ed the destruction of the railroad bridge and his bridge of boats, leaving no means of (scape for those on the east side. The results of this victory were three thousand prisoners, seventeen pieces of artillery, several thousand stand of arms, and a considerable supply of coru and commissary stores. The Union loss, strange to say, amounted only to two hundred and seventy-five men. Considering the nature of the conflict and the necessity for a charge over a singularly obstructed field, in the face of rifle-pits, this los was remarkably

small.

Bearing in mind the necessity for a base for supplies on the north of Vicksburg, Grant started Sherman for the Yazoo immediately after the victory at Champion's hill. Blair's division having approached the Big Black river at Bridgeport, with the only pontoon in the army, Sherman moved from Berlin to that point, reac ing the river at noon, May 17th. That night the wearied men slept on the west bank, and, accompanied by Blair's forces, Sherman started by daybreak (18th) for the Yazoo. By ten A. M. the Benton road was reached. The route to the river was thus secured, and the enemy in Vicksburg severed from the Haines' bluff fortifications. This completely out-generaled the Confederate commander-an event which Johnston had foreseen and tried to provide against, but

mouth of the Yazoo, and at Young's point. Haines' bluff had been evacuated, and, with its guns and magazine was taken possession of and utterly destroyed by Porter's gunbo: ts' crews.t Communication was immediately opened with the fleet, and bridges and roads were made to bring up ammunition and provisions from the mouth of the Chickasaw, to which point supply-boats had been ordered by Grant.

Thus a near and secure base of supplies was obtaine, and all fear of short rations disappeared. "Up to that time," said Sherman, "our men had literally lived upon the country, having left Grand Gulf May 8th, with three days' rations in their haversacks, and recei· ed

"If Haines' bluff be untenable Vicksburg is of no value, and cannot be held. If, therefore, you are invested in Vicksburg you must ultimately surrender. Under such circumstances, instead of losing both troops and place, you must, if possible, save the troops. If it is not too late, evacuate Vicksburg and its dependencies, and march to the north-east."Johnston to Pemberton, dispatch of May 17th.

+ This destruction was premature, and would have been avoided had Porter awaited orders or advices from the army commander. The armament comprised fourteen superb guns, of heavy calibre, and the magazine was richly stored. The fortifications were found to be of exoeeding strength, and of great extent. They were, in fact, the right and flank defenses of Vicksburg.