The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-08-28
VOL XXXlIl.
to the

Ya.oo and Greenwood. Here the two nv.
ara come within . few hundred yards OF
, ..ch other. The land around the Fort Is
low. and at the time Of the attack was en-
tireiv overfio we'd Owing to This tact no
moyement could be made by the army to
reduce il. but all depended upon the ability
of the gunbosts to silence the guns Of the
enemy and enable the transports TO run
down and land troops immedistely on the
fort itself. After an engagement Of several
hours the gunboats drew of, being unable
to silence the batteries. Brigad or General
j. F. Quimby. commanding division of
McPherson's Corps, met the expedition un-
der Ross with his division on its return
and, being the senior, assumed command Of
the entire expedition. and returned to the
position Ross had occupied.
J. as. BAYOU.
4 On the Esd day of March sent orders
for the withdrawal of all the forces opera
ting in that direction. for the purpose of
concentrating my army at MiIiikin's Bend.
On the Gath day Of March. Admiral D. d.
Porter. commanding the mississippi squad
ron, informed me that he had made recon
noisance up Steeie's Bayou. and partially
\ through Black Bayou toward Deer Greek,
and SO far as explored these watcrcourses
were reported navigsble for the smaller iron
clads Information given mostly. believe,
By the negroes Of the country. was TO the
effect that Deer Creek could be navigated
to Rolling Fork, and that from there
through the Sunflower to the Yazoo river
there " as no question aboit the navigation.
On the following morning accompanied
Admiral Porter 10 the ram Prince, several
iron clads preceding US. up through Sseels's
Bayou 10 near Black Bayou.
At this time forces were at dead
lock a. Green~ ood. and looked upon the
success Of this eutsrprse as &c vast inpor.
tauce. IL would, if successful. leave Green
wood between two forces OF ours, and
would necessarily cause the imme Hate
abandonment of that slron ghold
Abou; thirty stesmcss Of tie enemy would
have been destroyed or fallen into our har ds
Seeing that the great obstacle to navigation,
so far as | had gone, was from oyerhsnging
trees, | left Admiral Porter near Black
Bayou aoj pushed back to Youag's Paiat
for the purpose Of sending forwarl q pio-
ueer corps to remove these d,ticu ultias-
Soon alter my return to Young Point Al
mirsl Porter sent back - ne for Z Corpora
tins military force. Sher nan was prompt
ly sent with one division OF his Corps
The number Of steamers suitable Tor the
navigation of these bayous being limited,
most OF the force was sent up the Missssip-
ps rivsr to Eagles Ben /, = point where the
river runs within one mic OF Sseeie's Bay
on, thus saving az iEporisnt part OF this
ditfi..uit navigation. The exps.li.,on failed. Z
probably more from want of knowIsdge as
to what would be required to open this route
than from any impracucability in The navi-
oE 10. -. ,.h
which it was proposed to pass. Wan, of
this knox ledge led the expedition on until
diff culties were encountered, and then it
would become necessary to send back to
Young's Point for the means of removing
them. This gave the enemy time to move
forces to edeclually checkmare further pro-
gress, and the expedition was Withdrawn
when within fow hundred yards Of free
and open navigation to the YaZoo. All this
may have been providsntal in driving US
ultimately to . line of operations which has
proved eminently successful For further
particulars of the Steele's Bayou expedi-
ton sec report of Major General w. f.
Sherman. fol ardsd or the 9Th Of April
As soon As l decided to open water commu.
nication from . point Of the Mississippi near
Millikin's Bend to New Charthage, de.
termined to occupy the latter place. it be-
ing the first point below Vicksburg that
could be reached by land at the stage of
water then existing. and the occupancy Of
which. while it secured to US point on the
Mississippi river. would also protect the
main line Of communication By water
Accordingly. the 18th Army Corps. Major
Geusral j. A. MeCIernand commanding.
was directed to take up its line of march 90
the 29ih day of March for New Carthage.
the l5th aud l7sh corrs to follow, moving
no faster than supplies ami ammunition
could be transported to them
The roads, though leve! were in.ole, ably
bad. and the movement was therefore. nee
essari!y slow. Arriving at Smiths Plsnta-
ton. two miles from New Carthage. il WAS
found that the levee OF Bayou Vidal was
broken in several places, thus leaving New
Carthage An island.
RrsNIsG THE BArrsRtss
All the \ Al, that cca'd be vege col'ec,
ed from different bayous ii ,he vinc.aity
and others wera buiif, bu; Tie rasporta'ion
OF au army In this wa toSd excee
6inrlv tcdiops. AnetleT route had 70 Be
for7.G This was done bv makiug a tur-
tbey march aTcund Vydsl p Perki1s's Plan
tation, distance of l2 miles IL ere. making
the whole distance 10 be nsrohe3 llom Mil
Ekin's Bend 70 reach watsE communication
on the opposite side OF the rotat, 55 miles
/ Over this .d.siSuee, nilh bal ssads 10 con
tend against. supplies CT ordnance stores
! and provisions had to be hsuied by WACO
with whici, 10 commence the campa paigo on
the opposite side OF ;he river. st Ike same
| time ordered the occupation OF New Car
thaye. preparations were made for running
transports by he Y,cksbarg batteries with
Admiral Porter's gushoai deet. On the
mig hi of the 10th of April Admiral Porter's
feet and and the transports Silver Wave.
Forest Queen. and Henry Clay ran the
Vicksburg batteries. The boilers e the
transports were protected as we'll as possible
with hay and cotton. dore or less commits
saries we're pu, on each. All three o; these
boats were struck moro or less frequently
While passing the enemy batteries, and the
Henry Clay, by the explosion Of . she'll or