Casualties of the Campaign. A summary of the entire National casualties of the campaign from Port Gibson to the surrender, Grant tabulated as follows: Killed. Wounded. Missing. Total. 28 Port Gibson.......... 130 718 5 853 24 Raymond..... 69 341 52 442 Jackson 40 240 6 286 The Adjutant-General (Thomas) made his | ed all hope of "dictating terms of peace," visit of inspection in April, and, fully impress- and demonstrated the folly of operations ed with the folly of change, returned to north of the Potomac. Both Federal successWashington to report a degree of discipline es were, therefore, stunning blows to the and efficiency in all Grant's command which rebellion, though they were not necessarily excited his astonishment. fatal. They drove the armies of insurrection into closer quarters-in that respect strengthening them, for the time being, by concentration. But that very concentration was equally favorable to the arms of the Republic, since it contracted the immense field of war, centralized their too divided energies, and thus hastened the catastrophe which ever follows upon combat within well defined limits. The fall of Vicksburg did not bring rest to the troops. Having secured that prize it remained for the Federal commander to dispose of Jolinston's force, then still threatAs stated, Sherman had been ening his rear. specifically dispatched, June 23d, to the Big Black river railroad crossing, but, up to July 4th, no attempt was made by the rebel department commander to relieve the besieged.* June 29th, having obtained the necessary supplies, with about thirty thousand men, Johnston moved toward the Big Black, from Jackson, and on the evening of July 1st encamped west of Brownsville. The 2d and 3d were spent in reconnoissances, by which the Confederate leader discovered that any attack north of the railroad, with Sherman on his 8575 Nearly one-half the wounded returning to duty within a month. Followed, as these successes were, by Lee's discomfiture in Pennsylvania, the Federal cause, lately so wanting in encouraging propress, assumed a new and brighter aspect. The opening of the Mississippi severed the Confederacy in twain-the western half being as utterly divorced from it as if a sea rolled between.* The disaster at Gettysburg blast * But we must recognise the fact of various disasters which have immediately issued from the fall of Vicksburg. It compelled the surrender of Port Hudson, as its necessary consequence. It neutralized, in a great measure, a remarkable series of successes on the Lower Mississippi, including the victory of General Taylor, at Ashland, La., which broke one of the points of investment around Vicksburg, and his still more glorious achievement in the capture of Brashear City. The defense of the cherished citadel of the Mississippi had involved exposure and weakness in other quarters. It had almost stripped Charleston of troops; it had taken many thousands of men from Bragg's army, and it had made such requisitions on his force for the newly organised lines in Mississippi, that that General was compelled or induced, wisely or unwisely, to fall back from Tullahoma, to give up the country on the Memphis and Charleston railroad and practically to abandon the defense of Middle Tennessee. The fall of Vicksburg was followed by the enemy's re-occupation of Jackson, the evacuation of Yazoo City, and important events in Arkansas which resulted in the retreat of our army from Little Rock and the surrender to the enemy of the important valley in which it is situated."-Pollard. The Confederate War Department were greatly disappointed at Johnston's failure to march to Pemberton's relief. No orders were issued for him to attack, but the opinion was expressed that the end to be achieved justified "any risk and all possible contingencies." And, also wrote the Confederate Secretary of War," the eyes and the hopes of the whole Confederacy are upon you, with 'the full confidence that you will act." The Richmond authori ties knew far less of the situation than the General addressed. Dr. Craven in his "Diary" detailed a conversation held with Jefferson Davis, while a prisoner in Fortress Monroe, in which Mr. Davis is made to say; Pemberton made a splendid defense of Vicksburg and might have been relieved if the officer commanding the army sent to relieve him had not failed to obey orders to attack General Grant." But, no orders were given of the nature indicated. Had they been given and been obeyed Johnston must have experienced certain and overwhelming defeat. THE SECOND OCCUPATION OF JACKSON. 79 The Re-occupation of front, was impracticable. | ditions accompanied his progress-one of He therefore proposed to which succeeded in capturing Jefferson Davis' operate from the south-library and private papers. On the 12th, a "thinking," he said, "from what was already cavalry force rode fifteen miles to the east, known, that the chance for success was much along the railroad, destroying bridges, culbetter there, although the consequences of verts, &c. A general advance of the lin s had defeat might be more disastrous." And he been arranged for the 12th, but failed by the added: premature movement of Lanman's division, which suffered severely from the rebel artillery fire. "On the night of the 3d, a messenger was sent to General Pemberton, with information that an attack to create a diversion would be made to enable him to cut his way out, and that I hoped to attack the enemy about the 7th." During the morning of the 13th, General Breckenridge, holding the rebel left, made a sortie, under cover of the fog, hoping to That message, like many others of equal break the Federal right. Though very sudimportance, never reached the post command- den and fierce, it was promptly met and reer, who said: "Had I received General John-pelled, and the enemy became convinced of ston's dispatch of the 27th of June, in which he encouraged the hope that both Vicksburg and the garrison might be saved, I would have lived upon an ounce a day, and have continued to meet the assaults of Grant's army, rather than have surrendered the city until General Johnston had realized or relinquished that hope." Johnston, learning of Vicksburg's capitulation, fell back on Jackson, to which point Sherman, re-enforced by the remaining divisions of the 13th and 15th Corps, and soon by the 9th Corps, began to move, on the afternoon of the 4th. On the 6th he was before the city, and at once threw out his investing lines. Seeing this, Johnston's hopes revert d to a proclamation and cotton bale fortifications. The paper manifesto made an almost piteous appeal for every man to do his duty. "An insolent foe, flushed with hope by his recent success at Vicksburg, confronts you, threatening the people, whose homes and liberty you are here to protect, with plunder and conquest. * * * This enemy it is at once the duty and the mission of you, brave men, to chastise and expel from the soil of Mississippi." And that very night the prepa. rations for a retreat toward the Alabama line commenced, by dispatching to Meridian the government property and accumulated stores. Steadily Sherman's lines encompassed the place—each day witnessing more or less cannonading. By the 12th his entrenchments on the west stretched from Pearl river on the north to the same stream on the south of the town. Reconnoissances and scouting expe On the the inutility of their further attempts to re- All The enemy were pursued only to Brandon. A few days were spent in still further destroying the railways and in exploring the country around. On the 20th the entire force under Sherman retraced its steps to the Big Black river, by way of Clinton. Grant, meanwhile, with headquarters at Vicksburg, was using the rest of the troops to advantage. General Osterhaus, placed in military command in the town, soon instated a degree of order long unknown in the place. Learning that Yazoo City was being repossessed and refortified by the enemy, Herron's division was dispatchea, July 16th and 17th, to act, in conjunction with three Incidental Operations. Various little expeditions followed. Ransom's regiments, sent to Natchez to stop the crossing of stock, captured five thousand head of Texas cattle, in Mississippi, and a number of teams loaded with ammunition in Louisiana, besides prisoners. Admiral Porter also dispatched an expedition up the Red river and its tributaries, which captured several steamers and a large quantity of ammunition and other property. Rebel Repulse at Helena of Porter's gunboats, under | pected, would be surprised Captain Walker,against the | and captured by one daring post. This expedition was, in the end, quite dash. Waiting some days, a success. The post was seized, and, although at Clarendon, for the arrival of Price's bria large number of rebel transports had made gades, it was not until the morning of July 1st their way still further up the shallow stream, that the combined forces moved, about nine Herron's cavalry pursued and succeeded in thousand five hundred strong. July 5th the destroying most of them. The gunboat De vicinity of Helena was reached, when a halt Kalb, however, was lost by the explosion of was made to rest the men-the dirtiest and a torped. Herron secured about three hun- most tattered set of "poor white trash" that dred prisoners, and returned to Vicksburg ever marched to a desperate enterprise. Such by way of Benton-to which place he marched equipments and costumes would have frightto join in the movement on Jackson; but ened a European disciplinarian, but no kingly Jackson had fallen, and his division was per- army ever beheld men of more tenacious mitted a few days of repose. courage. During the night the assailants advanced well toward the Federal earthworks covering the ridge or bluff, one mile back from the town, upon the river. These works were of admirable construction, and so arranged as to command its three bastions, with their own concentric fire, in event of necessity-a fact of which Holmes and Price were not cognisant. Nor were they conscious that General Prentiss, in command of the post, was fully prepared for their approach. Hence, at daybreak, on the morning of that most eventful 4th of July, the Confederate brigades were put into line for assault and storm. Price, with the brigades of McRae and Parsons, was detailed to carry the central bastion on Graveyard hill. Marmaduke was detached to assault the Righton hill battery on the north. Fagan, with four regiments, was assigned to the task of carrying the battery on the south, on Hindman's hill. These three "forts" were so flanked and faced with abatis and ravines as to render their approach extremely difficult; while the rifle-pits in their rear, and the ease with which the guns of one commanded the others, made the temporary seizure of one an extremely dangerous enterprise. enemy, therefore, arranged to seize all, and, Rebel Repulse at Helena. Pending the operations against Vicksburg, Grant had drawn troops from every post within his command, leaving, in some instances, but mere garrisons in possession. Helena, Arkansas, was stripped of all troops, save about four hundred men to hold its defenses. The position was one of importance as a river depot of supplies for fleet and army, as well as a base for operations toward Little Rock. Its retention by the Federals had long been a source of mortification to the trans-Mississippi department commander (Kirby Smith); and when Lieutenant-General Holmes solicited permission to make a descent on the post it was readily granted and authority given him to call into requisition the several commands of Sterling Price, Marmaduke and Parsons. The Gov-as Price moved forward on Graveyard hill, erner of Arkansas (Flanagan) lent the pro- Fagan attempted his share of the enterprise. ject his full co-operation, and contributed Marmaduke alone failed to as ault and storm all the conscripts and recruits within his on the north, intimidated as he was, first, by province to control, to enhance the strength the non-co-operation of Walker's cavalrymen of the brigades of Walker (cavalry), McRae who did not care to ride over breast works, and Fagan. By the latter part of June, after nor to fight on foot--and, second, by the infinite trouble, the force gathered was threatening look of things on his front. pushed toward the post, which, it was ex- Price's assault was a temporary success. The THE FIRST TECHE EXPEDITION. 81 Rebel Repulse at Rebel Repulse at Amid a withering fire from | number were prisoners. the battery and rifle-pits Fagan's loss was proporon his front and right, his tionately great, but he utbrigades steadily pressed on up the rugged te:ly failed to gain a foothold in the bluff, gained the crest, and wrested the work. Marmaduke's loss was small, owing battery from its defenders, only, however, to his failure to advance to the assault. to find himself in a perfectly helpless con- At eleven A. M., Holmes drew off his entire dition, for Fagan, having been repulsed in force-severely and effectually repulsed. He his attempt on Hindman's hill, that battery reported his entire losses as one thousand at once turned upon the Graveyard fort, from six hundred and thirty-six. which the rebel flag flaunted. The guns of the captured position having been rendered useless by the abstraction of their primers, Price was unable to reply, and soon abandoned what it was certain destruction to retain. He, therefore, fell back, the ground actually strewn with his killed and wounded. Out of three thousand men carried into action, more than one hundred were killed; over five hundred wounded, and an equal | Arkansas." This attack resulted in peace to that section for many a day. "It, in connection with the fall of Vicksburg," said Pollard, “terminated all hope of the connection of the trans-Mississippi with the eastern portion of the Confederacy, and was the first step of the retreat which, at last abandoning Little Rock, was to surrender into the hands of the enemy the most valuable portion of CHAPTER IV. BANKS' OPERATIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, UP TO AUGUST FIRST. Advance up the Advance up the RECALLED from his before Banks' advance. campaign in the Teche The rebel mounted artilcountry to co-operate with lery and guerillas disputed Farragut in his passage of the batteries at the march as occasion offered, but with no Port Hudson, General Banks returned to the other effect than to throw the Federal briwork of clearing the enemy from the position gades several times into battle line. The which they held with the evident purpose of gunboat Diana-a National craft which had a descent on New Orleans. The divisions fallen into Taylor's hands-was encountered of Emory and Grover, with the brigade of at the Beasland plantation, just above PatWeitzel from Augur's division, proceeding tersonville, on the 12th, and appearances into Berwick City commenced the advance dicated the Confederates' presence in some from thence up the Teche river, along which force behind a line of well-defined entrenchthe enemy, under Dick Taylor and Sibley, ments. A halt then occurred, and all night had taken position. Moving from Berwick, long the enemy were busy at their defences. April 11th, Weitzel marched up the Teche to On the 14th, after considerable artillery Pattersonville. Emory followed on the 12th. firing, the Diana was driven up stream in a Grover, embarking at Brashear City, pro- crippled condition, and the maneuvers for ceeded up through Grand Lake to Indian position placed the National troops in conBend-thus to get in the rebel rear at Frank-dition to reach the enemy's fortified linelin, toward which point the enemy retreated General Paine's and Colonel Gooding's bri Advance up the gades doing the work of driving in the field batteries and skirmishers that sharply contested the way. This done, the army rested from its labors, with orders to be ready for the assault at daylight on the 15th. At daybreak the enemy were gone. Advance up the Teche. below. The way now being former being used for casting cannon and shot, and having also attached to it a manufactory for gun carriages. Near the town were extensive salt works, which were broken up, greatly to the enemy's injury. A cavalry skirmish occurred on the 16th, when the Confederates sought to obstruct further progress to the northward. Taylor having retreated toward Opelousas, with a force almost hourly reduced by desertions, could offer but feeble resistance in open battle, yet seized every opportunity to skirmish at all defensible points. Queen of the West Grover's division, on three transports, and piloted by four gun' oats, left Brashear City on the morning of the 11th-having been delayed by the dense fog for twelve hours. Proceeding up the Atchafalaya to the McWil-foundry and saw-mill were destroyed-the liams road landing, a disembarkation was effected on the morning of Sunday, 12th, after much labor, owing to shallowness of the water. A rebel battery arrived too late to oppose the landing, but, taking position in the woods, it had to be routed by the Federal advance regiment-the First Louisiana. This regiment, moving forward to the charge, received a severe musketry and artillery fire, but swept the woods rapidly of the enemy. Having put his brigades and guns ashore, Grover pushed on over the McWilliams road toward the Teche, his advance occupying the river road, along which Banks was pressing eleven miles below. This movement was contested sharply by the rebels, threatening, as it did, their line of retreat. Grover's re-enforcements coming up, the rebels retired across the Teche, at McWilliams' plantation, burning the bridge. The bridge at the plantation below was saved. Over it Grover passed his fo ces and halted for the night. At seven the following morning the rebels were struck, in some force, at Irish bend, on the Teche. Colonel Berge's brigad, in the van, was so severely pressed as to be compelled, after a loss of three hundred in all, to drop back and close up with Dwight's regiments. The division then moved upon the rebel's first position and took it with but slight resistance. Seeing the necessity of escape, the enemy retreated, after having fired the gunboat Diana and three transports-now caught between two Federal colums. A fourth transport, loaded with their wounded, fell into Banks' hands. Taylor withdrew, not by Franklin, but by way of Dead Cypress bayou. Grover took possession of Franklin, and there received news of Banks' success Ellett's famous ram, Queen of the West, which had been captured by the enemy in Red River (owing to the pilot's grounding the vessel under a rebel battery*), having been brought down the Atchafalaya, ran into Grand Lake, with her tender, the Mary T., designing to pass on to Brashear City, to sever Banks' communications, and then ascend the Teche to operate on the advance. The ram was encountered early on the morning of April 14th, by the Federal fleet, commanded by Lieutenant-Commanding Cook, comprised of gunboats Arizona, Calhoun and Estrella, off Indian Bend. A conflict followed, during which the Mary 1. retired up the river. The fight was of short duration, for a shell from one of the gunboats set the ram on fire and she soon was in flames. Her career there ended, for she burned to the water's edge and finally exploded. The gunboats humanely rescued her crew, though over thirty were lost. This stripped the enemy of all effective naval force on the Atchafalaya. The gunboats named, conjoined with the Clifton, after this * See Vol. III., p. 414. |