Chapter 7:
- Preliminary orders for the campaign -- passage of the Mississippi river -- movement to the high land -- battle-field of Port Gibson -- McClernand meets the enemy -- battle of Port Gibson -- Grant comes on the field in person -- arrival of McPherson's command -- success on the right -- McPherson's charge -- defeat of the rebels -- pursuit until dark -- rebels retreat beyond Port Gibson -- pursuit to Big Black river -- bridges burnt by rebels and rebuilt by Grant -- evacuation of Grand Gulf -- New plan of campaign -- reasons for the change -- dispatches from Banks -- New plan not divulged to Halleck -- efforts to bring up troops and supplies -- demonstrations towards Vicksburg -- instructions to Hurlbut -- McPherson advances -- Sherman arrives -- correspondence with Sherman -- army moves -- position of troops -- Grant's habit in planning campaigns -- Grant's force at outset of campaign -- headquarters at Cayuga -- more dispatches from Banks -- final dispatches to Halleck -- McPherson ordered to Raymond -- battle of Raymond -- capture of Raymond -- enemy retreat to Jackson -- Pemberton deceived by Grant's manoeuvres -- advance of Sherman and McPherson -- pursuit of the rebels towards Jackson -- Johnston's arrival at Jackson -- Pemberton ordered to attack Grant's rear -- McPherson arrives at Clinton -- battle of Jackson -- position of Mc-Pherson and Sherman -- charge of Crocker's division -- capture of Jackson -- retreat of Johnston towards Canton -- destruction of railroad and stores -- Frustration of Johnston's plans -- Pemberton again ordered to join Johnston -- Grant intercepts Johnston's dispatches -- moves at once towards Bolton -- Grant converges while rebels diverge -- Pemberton moves to cut Grant's communications -- receives Johnston's orders and reverses his column -- battlefield of Champion's hill -- McClernand's advance -- Grant's arrival -- Hovey's attack -- battle of Champion's hill -- Hovey's success -- enemy masses on Hovey -- Grant reenforces Hovey -- McClernand repeatedly ordered up, but does not arrive -- McPherson outflanks the enemy -- rebels finally driven from the field -- McClernand arrives when the battle is over -- reasons for McClernand's delay insufficient -- pursuit of the rebels -- rout of the enemy complete -- Loring cut off -- losses on both sides -- hill of death -- Grant gets in advance of column -- Johnston loses a day -- Sherman ordered to Bridgeport with pontoon train -- McClernand comes up with enemy at Black river bridge battle-field of Black river bridge -- gallant charge of Lawler -- demoralization of rebels -- firing of bridge -- capture of prisoners and cannon -- rapid [204] reconstruction of bridges -- passage of Black river by entire army -- pursuit of the rebels to Vicksburg -- Sherman strikes Walnut hills -- investment of Vicksburg -- evacuation of Haine's bluff -- results of campaign -- rebel movements during campaign -- Reflections -- comparison with Italian campaign in 1796.
The gunboats being now all below Grand Gulf, it was possible that the rebels might send armed steamers down the Big Black river, and up the Mississippi as far as Perkins's plantation, where Grant had established a depot of supplies. In order to prevent any damage to this depot by the enemy, Grant, on the night of April 29th, ordered McPherson, who had arrived at Hard Times, to improvise a gunboat by putting a section of light artillery aboard one of the transports, and to send it up to guard the plantation. He also directed four thirty-pound Parrott guns, which he was taking with him on this campaign, to be hauled by oxen to the bank of the river at Perkins's, and put in battery there. These arrangements effectually protected the position. On the 30th, orders were issued to the chief commissary and quartermaster of the command, to prepare two more tugs to run the blockade, each with two barges in tow, and to load them to nearly their full capacity with rations. ‘Do this,’ said Grant, ‘with all expedition, in forty-eight hours from receipt of orders, if possible. Time is of immense importance. Should their crews decline running through, call on the commanding officer for volunteers, and discharge the crews.’ The same day, the chief commissary of the Thirteenth corps received the following directions: ‘You will issue to the troops of this command, without provision returns,1 for their [205] subsistence during the next
