storming party, and there remained till withdrawn, after nightfall, by Sherman's orders. General Steele, with his division, made his assault at a point about midway between the bastion and the Mississippi River. The ground over which he passed was more open and exposed to the flank fire of the enemy's batteries in position, and was deeply cut up by gulleys and washes, but his column passed steadily through this fire, and reached the parapet, which was also found to be well manned and defended by the enemy. He could not carry the works, but held possession of the hill-side till night, when he withdrew his command to his present position. The loss in Sherman's corps in this attack was about six hundred killed and wounded.

In the mean while portions of each of the storming columns on McPherson's and McClernand's fronts planted their columns on the exterior slope of the parapet, where they kept them till night. But the assault had failed. The enemy's works were naturally and artificially too strong to be taken in that way. The enemy was able to maintain at each point assailed, and at all simultaneously the full force the position admitted; and the nature of the ground was such that only small columns could be used in the assault.

General Grant now determined to undertake a regular siege. The troops worked diligently and cheerfully. On the evening of the 3d of July the saps were close to the enemy's ditch, the mines were well under his parapet, and every thing was in readiness for a final assault. Meanwhile the investing force had been strengthened by Landrum's division from Memphis; Smith's and Kimball's divisions of the Sixteenth Corps, under Major-General C. C. Washburne; Herron's division from Arkansas, and two divisions of the Ninth Corps, under MajorGeneral John G. Parke, from the Department of the Ohio. By the 25th of June, our intrenchments being now as formidable against a sortie as the enemy's works were against assault, and there being more troops than were needed for the investment, General Grant placed Sherman in command of the Ninth Corps at Haines' Bluff, Landrum's division, and one division each from

the Thirteenth, Fifteenth, and Seventeenth corps, and assigned to him the duty of watching the movements of Johnston, who had collected a large army at Jackson, and was apparently about to attack the rear of the investing force, with the design of raising the siege. Our position was a strong one. The Big Black covered us from attack, and would render Johnston's escape in the event of defeat impossible. Nevertheless the condition of affairs with his army was so desperate that he moved from Jackson on the 29th of June; but while he was making reconnoissances to ascertain the best point for crossing the river, on the 4th day of July, 1863, Vicksburg surrendered.

General Grant in his official report of the siege, dated July 6th, thus alludes to Sherman's operations while guarding the rear: "Johnston, however, not attacking, I determined to attack him the moment Vicksburg was in our possession, and accordingly notified Sherman that I should again make an assault on Vicksburg at daylight on the 6th, and for him to have up supplies of all descriptions ready to move upon receipt of orders, if the assault should prove a success. His preparations were immediately made, and when the place surrendered on the 4th, two days earlier than I had fixed for the attack, Sherman was found ready, and moved at once with a force increased by the remainder of both the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Army corps, and is at present investing Jackson, where Johnston has made a stand."

Johnston occupied the lines of rifle-pits covering the front of Jackson with four divisions of Confederate troops, under Major-Generals Loring, Walker, French, and Breckinridge, and a division of cavalry, under Brigadier-General Jackson, observing the fords.

After toiling for nearly two months in the hot and stifling trenches, without pausing to share the general outbreak of joy for the national triumph which crowned their labors, Sherman's men marched fifty miles in the heat and dust through a country almost destitute of water, to meet the enemy.

The advance of his troops appeared before the enemy's