...plan was wise while it was bold, and characteristic of Van Dorn's aggressive temper. The enemy occupied West Tennessee and the Memphis and Charleston railroad at Memphis, Bolivar, Jackson, Corinth, Rienzi , Jacinto, Iuka and Bethel with garrisons aggregating 42,000 men, and was preparing with extraordinary energy to reduce Vicksburg by a combined attack of land and naval forces. To prevent this, his ...