The New York herald., 1863-07-08


aeet began to make any progress southwark ITO" eae
the rebels gradually securely, proceeded 70 forhy
This position until has become series OF oFss, q
were within large fortress. many miles in extent
rHE OPERATIONS mE WEST. Ha# e.
An the operations in the west TO the end Of May 1862
were for the simple purpose Of clearing the Mississippi
river Of the blockade thus opening II 10 tho Gul and
also with the intent TO put down all the rebels In arms IN
the states bordering that river s main tributaries
The saegcai movements not directed TO any one
particular spot the whole country In general About
juno, 1882 however the operations had moro definite
directon-namely, the reduction Of vcksbrg and its
neghboring batteries and from this point VIII com
nence to review the whole Of the campaign
UcKsBuRG A PoIsr OF ArrAcK-AuITARY NAVAL
MEsrs.
On the lst OF June 1862, Commodore Farraguts feet
after having taken and passed New Orleans arrived on
Grand Gulf, whore IL attacked q rebel battery
Of rihod guns and ultimately passed it, but did not
then really succeed in the object intended at least
~ far - the reduction Of the place was con-
cerncd. Memphis had not yet been taken, therefore
no cooperation could be expected from the feet on that
point Of the river On the 7h OF June Farraguts ee
arrived Of vicksburg and next day portion Of the
squadron returned Gu and silenced the rebel
battery that point Memphis had surrendered on the
etn OF June Of tho upper river feet had reach
Cd the fortified spot; but afterwards returned 70 Mem
phis thence to operate up the rivers OF Arkansas &C.
In consequence Of the movements arising from Hal
cks advance by land via Holly Springs and the senc-
Ing Of Grand Gulf by the neet tho rebels Of Mississippi
removed the State archives from jackson juno 10.
The negroes In tho state also commea:ed rising, and had
70 be put down by great force and examples On
the 25th OF June General Grant assumed supreme com
mand Of the troops 70 operate throughout the state OF
Mississippi, and on the 2Tn the fleet commenced
tha vAh Vickc frou, tba
This bombardment continued At intervals end OF
July when IL discovered that the river falling
sorapidy that the large would have been unable
70 reach The Gulf they had stad longer before vicks
burg On the 18th OF July the Arkansas ran by tho
neet and lay up before the city of vcksourg whore she
ultimately destroyed by the gunboat Essex, Of Ad
miral Porter's feet
FIRST, WILLIAMS
During part Of this time the troops under Gen vii.
iams Of Gen. Buffers Department engaged upon
the cuon, to attempt the turning Of the tho
Mississippi river from before vcksburg aad thus force
the city inland at least the main
cerned On the 22d Of July canal completed the
river would not aow through it, owing II then sop
posed to its low stage Of water The Siege prac
ncaly abandoned for the tirne and far the Union
'orces were concerned nothing done until the
ensuing winter ut which time might consider the pro
hmnary movement OF the present attack been
gun will thus be seen that tho only troops acting this
time In direct conjunction with the fleet was small dy
sion, under General Williams insufficient for the occupa
sion Of vicksburg, II IL had been taken by tho
neet
OPERATIONS CHANGED.
II Nnow became evident that an attack from New Or.
loans would be unavallng, unless sufficient force Of
troops participated therein enough TO hold country
after should have been captured and experience
at the battle Of Baton Rouge, August 1862 WAS also
evident that the troops could not be brought from New
Orleans. The garrison At Baton Rouge had been with
drawn and became necessary 70 organize suifcient
soroe north Of tho rebel position vcksburg The men
Of the Northwest had asserted through their mouthpecs
the present General John A. Logan-that "hey would
hew their way 70 the Guf the opportunity given
them and therefore decided that tho force under
General Grant should be greatly increased from ha. por
tion Of the country. Therefore, tho 22d OF Qecember
1852 and his grand army organized into -four army
corps-viz the Thirteenth under General j. A. Mccler
nand; the Fifteenth, under General W. +. sher-
man. the xteecnth, under General g. A. Hurlbut and
the Seventeenth, under General j. B. MCPHERSON. Pro
vous this date his force consisted OF only c,rps
composed Of several divisions, and considerably scat
tered.
REHErs nkASwWKY
was not 70 be supposed that the rebels could bc no
rant that such plan ofoperatons being carried oi
the weakness OF Grants forces This the moro mani
fest by the strengthening Of the vicksbrg
the land sde so 70 prevent them beag turned By
military force acting from the North was detor
by them 10 upset Grants plans possible, and compel
him to withdraw from his chosen position along the
line Of the Memphis and Chlrleston Railroad. The only
way to accomplish this outaank him. and there.
fore they made . grand offensive movement towards
the Ohio, by way Of Tennessee and Kentucky This
movement conducted by Bragg, with tho OBJ lect
crushing Buell., thereby rendering Grants positisn unte
nabe. The plan was, In military sense, good ono,
and would have been successful had not Buell. by rapid
marching gained tho ohio before the enemy lnd oppos
Bragg tho vicinity Of thu triangle formed by Louis
vile, Lexington and Cincinnati As 1t was, tennessee,
Northern Alabama and part Of Northeastern Mse sip2
tempor .ry lost and but for tho victories o Iuka
aud Corinh Grant must also have fallen back Braggs
advance was however, stopped DO 1t too late,
and he fell back, pursued by the Army OF tho Cambor
land, which has since held him in check.
On tho 25th Of November the rebels comnencea fort.
fying hudson, TO prevent Farragut again
ccnding the river 10 vicksburg
II became necessary FOR the Of Grants forces
be cleared OF rebel bands lest they should interfere
with bis communications by way Of the Mississippi river
from downward. The forces along the edges Of
svcr rom that point vcksburg were therefore placed
under his command, making Cairo itself distaut base
Of operations On the 25h OF september tho village of
Prentss, opposite Napoleon, was burned, because tho
rebels made tho houses shelter behind which o nre
upon the boats carrying supplies. &C. TO tho troops
stationed below. General Sherman aud Admiral Porter
on tho 9TH Of November arranged that armed vessels
shoud accompany all transports and o,hcr plying
between Memphis and Cairo. These operations and
others Of minor import occupied the army until Decom
Der, 1862
Acr1vx OPERATIONS nDrmp-rHE POSITION AFFAIRS.
AZ the beginning Of December 1892 Gen Grants forces
began moving along tho ne OF the railroad from Cornlh
and rand Junction. and December Gen. Hovey took
possession o Grenada Miss Tho apparent intention
advance Jacson by this route, and progress
had been male b. ths Unin troop, when Cen
Grant found hts and deposs interferei
with1y a dash OF The rebels on December fe upon holy