Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

[191] squadron, all in line, followed his example, while the transports hugged the Louisiana shore, and sought to hurry by under cover of the smoke. Grant remained on a transport just above the bend, where he could watch the operations, within range. Shot and shell fell thick around him.

The night was dark, but houses were speedily set on fire by the rebels along the shore on either side, and the bright glare thrown across the water made it light as day. When the fleet got opposite the city, the men at the batteries and in the streets of Vicksburg, could be plainly seen. The first transports arrived opposite the court-house at twenty minutes past twelve. It was here they received the heaviest fire; each vessel became a target to the rebel shot, and a storm of projectiles of every variety and size came crashing over them, cutting the ropes and chimney-guys, bursting in the pilot-houses, and shivering the machinery. Men were stationed in the holds, to put cotton-bags into such openings as were made by the rebel shot; and, soon after getting under fire, the barges were cut loose, some of them sweeping down in the current, even below New Carthage.

Every transport was struck, and two were drawn into the eddy, and ran over a part of the distance in front of Vicksburg no less than three times. The Forest Queen was disabled by a round shot, and drifted down opposite the lower picket stations, where the gunboat Tuscumbia took her in tow, and landed her just above the crevasse at New Carthage. The Henry Clay also became disabled, and was in a sinking condition soon after coming within range of the upper batteries; she had in tow a barge with soldiers aboard, which was cast loose, and floated