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two rifled guns, a large amount of ammunition, and destroyed the railroad, rolling stock, etc. The enemy retreated toward the
Alabama line, and
General Sherman returned to
Vicksburgh to recuperate his forces.
Our loss from the twenty-third to the thirtieth of May, including the assault of the twenty-seventh, as reported, was about one thousand.
Being reenforced from
General Grant's army on the termination of the
Mississippi campaign,
General Banks sent an expedition, under
General Franklin, to occupy the mouth of the
Sabine River, in Texas.
It reached the entrance to the harbor on the eighth of September, and the gunboats engaged the enemy's batteries, but two.of them, the
Clifton and Sachem, being disabled, were forced to surrender, the others retreated, and the whole expedition returned to
Brashear City.
The officers and crews of the gunboats, and about ninety sharp-shooters, who were on board, were captured, and our loss in killed and wounded was about thirty.
After a long delay at
Brashear City, the army moved forward by
Franklin and
Vermillionville, and at last accounts occupied
Opelousas.
Department of the Tennessee.
At the date of my last annual report
General Grant occupied West-
Tennessee and the northern boundary of
Mississippi.
The object of the campaign of this army was the opening of the
Mississippi River, in conjunction with the army of
General Banks.
General Grant was instructed to drive the enemy in the interior as far south as possible, and destroy their railroad communication; then fall back to
Memphis, and embark his available forces on transports, and, with the assistance of the fleet of
Admiral Porter, reduce
Vicksburgh.
The first part of this plan was most successfully executed; but the right wing of the army, sent against
Vicksburgh, under
General Sherman, found that place much stronger than was expected.
Two attacks were made, on the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth of December, but failing in their object, our troops were withdrawn, and, while waiting reenforcements from
General Grant, moved up the
Arkansas River to
Arkansas Post, which place was, with the assistance of the gunboats, captured on the eleventh of January.
Our loss at
Vicksburgh was one hundred and ninety-one killed, nine hundred and eighty-two wounded, and seven hundred and fifty-six missing; at
Arkansas Post, one hundred and twenty-nine killed, five hundred and thirty-one wounded, and seventeen missing. We captured at the latter place five thousand prisoners, seventeen pieces of cannon, three thousand small arms, forty-six thousand rounds of ammunition, and five hundred and sixty-three animals.
General Grant now assumed the immediate command of the army on the
Mississippi, which was largely reenforced.
Being satisfied by the result of
General Sherman's operations that the north line of works was too strong to be carried without heavy loss, he directed his attention to opening the canal, which had been commenced the year before by
General Williams, across the peninsula, on the west bank of the river.
This canal had been improperly located, its upper terminus being in an eddy, and the lower terminus being exposed to the enemy's guns.
Nevertheless, it was thought that it could be completed sooner than a new one could be constructed.
While working parties under
Captain Prime,
Chief Engineer of that army, were diligently employed on this canal,.
General Grant directed his attention to several other projects for turning the enemy's position.
These are fully described in his official report.
The canal proving impracticable, his other plans being unsuccessful, he determined to move this army by land down the west bank, some seventy miles, while transports for crossing should run past the enemy's batteries at
Vicksburgh, the danger of running the batteries being very great and the roads on the west side in horrible condition.
This was a difficult and hazardous expedient, but it seemed to be the only possible solution of the problem.
The execution of the plan, however, was greatly facilitated by
Admiral Farragut, who had run two of his vessels past the enemy's batteries at
Port Hudson and
Grand Gulf, and cleared the river of the enemy's boats below
Vicksburgh; and, finally, through the indomitable energy of the
Commanding General, and the admirable dispositions of
Admiral Porter for running the enemy's batteries, the operations were completely successful.
The army crossed the river at Bruinsburgh.
April thirtieth, turned
Grand Gulf, and engaged the enemy near
Port Gibson on the first, and at Fourteen Mile Creek on the third of May.
The enemy was defeated in both engagements, with heavy loss.
General Grant now moved his forces, by rapid marches, to the north, in order to separate the garrison of
Vicksburgh from the covering arm of
Johnston.
This movement was followed by the battles of
Raymond, May twelfth; of
Jackson, May fourteenth; of Champion Hills, May sixteenth; and Big Black River Bridge, May twenty-seventh; in all of which our troops were victorious.
General Grant now proceeded to invest
Vicksburgh.
A military and naval force was sent to
Yazoo City on the thirteenth.
It took three hundred prisoners, captured one steamer, burned five, took six cannon, two hundred and fifty small arms, and eight hundred horses and mules.
No loss on our side reported.
Small expeditions were also sent against
Canton,
Pontotoc,
Grenada, and
Natchez, Mississippi.
At
Grenada a large amount of rolling stock was destroyed.
Near
Natchez,
General Ransom captured five thousand head of
Texas cattle, a number of prisoners and teams, and a large amount of ammunition.
The other expeditions were also successful, meeting with very little opposition.
As soon as his army was supplied and rested,
General Grant sent a force under
General Steele to
Helena to cooperate with
General Schofield's
