Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2.

[590] the mist dispersed the Webb in chase was in sight. She turned and fled, and was pursued a short distance, when the chase was relinquished, and the Era went safely up to a point below Vicksburg, notwithstanding she was fired at from Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf.

The appearance of the Indianola (Lieutenant-commanding Brown) was very opportune. She had left her anchorage at the mouth of the Yazoo on the night of the 13th of February, and silently drifted by Vicksburg undiscovered, until she had nearly passed the lower batteries. These opened upon her, but without serious effect, and were followed by others quite as harmless. She rescued Ellet, as we have seen, and then went on down the Mississippi, expecting to sweep it of all Confederate craft. She blockaded the mouth of the Red River a few days, and then turned her prow up the Mississippi, intending to go up the Big Black River, if possible, as far as the bridge of the Vicksburg and Jackson railway, which was one of the objects of her voyage. When, at half-past 9 o'clock in the evening of the 24th,

Feb., 1863.

she was nearly abreast of Grand Gulf, she was suddenly assailed by the ram Webb, the captured Queen of the West, which the Confederates had repaired, and two smaller gun-boats, which, without the knowledge of Lieutenant Brown, had gone up the Mississippi. The attack was so furious and skillful that the Indianola was soon disabled. Seven times the ram had struck her, and at last stove in her stern. Finding her in a sinking condition, her commander surrendered her, and she was immediately run ashore. And now the Confederates had nothing to fear on the Mississippi between Vicksburg and New Orleans, for at that time (near the close of February) Farragut and his fleet were on the Gulf coast.

The Confederates immediately began to repair the Indianola, with the expectation of holding sway with her and their other craft over the Mississippi, between Vicksburg and Port Hudson at least, when, by a trick fatal to their schemes, their hopes were blasted. Porter fitted up a worthless flatboat in imitation of a ram, with smoke-stacks made of pork-barrels, and set it afloat one night on the current of the river, without a man on board. It was believed by the Confederates, when they discovered it, to be a most terrible iron-clad monster, and as it passed sullenly by in the darkness it drew a tremendous fire from the Vicksburg batteries. On it went, appearing more terrible as it seemed to defy shot and shell. Word was hastily sent to the Queen of the West, at Warrenton, to beware of the impending danger, whereupon she fled for her life. Orders were also sent for the Indianola to be instantly destroyed, to prevent her being captured by the awful ram. The trick was soon discovered, and other orders were sent to save the Indianola; but it was too late. Lighted gunpowder had blown her into fragments, and her cannon had gone to the bottom of the great river.

When General Grant withdrew his forces from the bayous he determined to send troops down the west side of the Mississippi by land, and make a lodgment at New Carthage, the first point below Vicksburg that could be reached in that way while the river was so full. General McClernand, with the Thirteenth Army Corps, moved in that direction on the 29th of March, and the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps were ordered to follow him as speedily as supplies of food and ordnance stores could be afforded them. The roads were heavy and the movements slow, and when the head of