The New York herald., 1863-08-13
The VscKsBuRa cAPITulATIon.
Major General Grants 0ficial Report
Of His Splendid Campaign.
Interesting History OF the
Great Event.
TIE HEROES OF TIE MISSISSIPPI,
&C., &C., H.

Capitulasion OF vfcksburg.
aEYoRT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE ARMY OF THB
TENNESSEE, FROM THE DAY MAJOR GENERAL U. 8.
GRANT ASSUMED IMMEDIATE COMMAND or THE Bx-
PEDITl0N AGAINST yIcKsBuRG TO THE SURRENDER
OF THAT PLACE.
HsADau AErKEs, D,7ARrxssr s,. os Ta. rssnssm,
CoSnxx-I have the honor 70 submit the fol owing re-
port operations Tho Army OF tho Teneessee and
so-operatng forces frpm sie date my assuming the
muedaie Command Of the expedition inst Vicksburg,
Hfssissp,i TO the reduction OF that place
From the moment Of taking command 10 person be-
satisfied that Vcks COZ Id only be turned from
eAe south and in accordance with this convction,
! prosecuted the work on tho canal, which had been
1ua. Louisiana side Of the river with al viger,
hoping to make channel whith wou pass transports
Base OF operations thus provided. The task was much
hecuean than II at first apI cared, and made
much more 20 by the almost continuous rams that tel
during whole Of the time this work prosecuted
Tho river TOO. continued TO rise and make large
pendure Of labor necessary to keep the water out OF
Finally sth Of March the rapid the river
md the consequent great pressure upon the dam across
the canal near the upper end, at the main Msslsspp
evee caused TO give and let through the low lands
back Of camps torrent water that separated the
north and south shores OF the peninsula a. eectuay ~
the Mississippi flowed between them. This occurred
when the enterrse promised success within a short
sme There was some delay in trying 70 repair damages
found however that with the then stage water
other plan would have be adopted for getting
low vicksbnrg with transports
Captain r. E. Prime Chief Engineer, and Colonel C. G.
Pride. who acting my STAFF prosr ected a route
through the bayous which run near Mlken Bend
the north and New Carthage on the south through
1oundawsy Bayou nto the Tansas river Their report s
nsnce work upon IT, Having three dredge boats at the
time, tho work OF opening this route executed with
were taken through the channe thus opened but the
river commencing about the middle OF April TO fall
ksus Beud and New Carthage made imprsc.csSls and
unnecessary 70 open water between these
Soon Altar commanding tho Ara, canal srokar ~
eaased channel TO be cut from the Mississippi river into
Lake Proyidence also one from the Mississippi river
INTO Colcwater, by way OF Yazoo Pass
had great expectations OF important results from
she ormer Of these but having troops than could
ing that Lake Providence connected by Bayou
with Bayou Macon. navigable stream through which
Kansas Wachia, and Red rivers, thought u possible
that q route might be opened In that direction which
youfd enable me TO co operate with General Banks at
BY the Yazoo Pass route only expected first se.
a9 y .o M ama na
the onemys transports in that stream and gun.
boats which knew he was building; The navigation.
shs the route for obtaining the foothoh on high land
steamers were accordingly ordered for transport
inG an army that way. Major General J. B. Nc
Pherson, commanding Seventeenth army corps,
directed TO hold his corps In readiness move by
th route and division from each the Thirteenth and
yNtcenth corps were collected the the
pass 10 be added 10 his command. II became evi-
dsnt that sufficient number OF boats OF the right
could not DO obtained for tho movement Of more than
Whilst forces were opening one end Of the the
enemy diligently closing the other end. and In this
way succeeded IN gaining time TO strongly fortfy Green
wood below the junction OF the Taiahatche and Yalo-
division Of McCernands corps from Helena, commanded
By Brgadier General l. y. Ross, and the Twelfth and
ssventeen,h regiments Missouri infantry from shermans
corps. sharpshooters tho gunboats succeeded In
reaching ColdwateT the I'd day Of March, after much
ltcuty and the partial disabling o. most Of the boats
sho otpfn
Greenwood, Mississippi no great difficulty OF navigation
was experienced nor any interruption Of magnitude
iahatche TO the Yazoo At Greenwood. Here the two
rivsrs within few hundred yards OF each other
attack entirely overlooked Owing to this fact no
movement could be made Dy the army TO reduce H. but
Che guns Il the enemy and enable the transports TO run
down and land troops Immediately on the fort itself
After engagement Of several hours the gunboats
Oh being unable 70 silence the batteries Brieadier
General J. +. Qumby. commanding division Of McPher
eons oorps met the expedition snder Ross with his div
March and, being the senior. assumed command OF the
entire expedition and returned 70 the position Ross had
On the 2sd day Of March orders for the with.
Arawa OF all the forces operating in that direction
The purpose OF concentrating my army at Mbiken Bend
On tho 14th day OF March Admiral D. d. Porter com.
nanding Mississippi squadron informed that he had
made reconnaissance up Steee,s Bayou and partially
dnrough Black Bayou towards Deer creek as
explored these water courses reported navgable
eor the smaller iron oads Information given mostly,
believe by the negroes OF the country, effect
tt Deer creek could be navgated TO Rolling Fork and
shat from there through sunhower Yazoo
shsre question about the navigation fol
pwiug morning accompanied Admiral Porter ram
iron clads pre' ling us-up through steees
bayou TO Black Bayou.
~ this time forces at dead lock at Green.
vooi and looked upon the success OF this enterprise
q Of impo tlnce II would II successful, leave
Greenwood between two forces OF ours and would
sarily tho immediate abandonment OF that strong
bold.
About thirty Of the enemy would have been
destroyed fallen into hands seeing that frea,
a.. .ts..u fax. k.t.
Svarangiug trees. left Admiral Porter ack Bayou
sas rushed back TO Youngs Point for the purpose of
sending onward pioneer carps TO remove these dicul
ties. soon after my return TO Young's Point Admiral
Porter sent back y me tor e. operating military
Sherman was promptly sent with one division Of his
cprps IN number of steamers suitable for the navlga
ton Of these yous being limited tho force was
Gent Up the MIS- ssippi river Eagles rend a point
where toe river runs within one mite OF sieeos BAYOU,
thus important part OF this dicult navigation
The execution failed probably more from of know
aee 10 Whist would be required 10 open route than
rom ary im racilcsbnty u the navigation @. tbs
streams M biyous through which i proposed T.
ftss WAN u ths knowefga let thc exi edition until
a. i1rpiNes were enc untefci, AM tnen u wolid
bc1ne necessary = send lack q Yogncs PoIn,
fr tue means o removing thcm This gave The sucmy
time ~ move frcrs e. eitectuaiy cheokn,te fwssor
prgesH, and tie expedition Withdrawn when witbin
eS hundred yards FREQ aud opon navigation 70 The
Al lbs may have been p-ovidcnti4 10 driving us UNI
Sa'c @ ue q operations which has proven eminent
further raicrars y tho steeie's ryon exrel,ton
SO report o ~ or General ". r. sherman forwarded on
decided 70 ope1 water communication from
spont on tho Mi.sssipt near MliSen's Pend {, New
Carthage. detcrm ned TO occupy the hitter place. II
being the nrst point below Nlcksburg that could be
reached by lard ~ the stage ~ then ex sting and
the occupancy ~ which. while u secured ~ point on
Ge Nssissi y river would also protect the lirc
communication hy waller Accordingly, the Thirteenth
army corts, Ma General = A. MoGernand command.
irg, directed y take up s Ire o march Tho 1th
DAY of NarCh Tor Nv Carthage, the Fifteenth aud
tenth corps - follow moving raster than supplies and
ammgnitl0n Nud b. iryrs nrted TO them
The ads though level in'o,craby bad, and tho
movement wns therefore necessarily slow. Arriving
Fphs plantAi, two miles ron Neg Carthage u
f0uni that tn evce u Bayou Nda broken several
paess thus leaving New Carthgg ggc n island.
All the beats that cuGd be we're cUieced from the
different hayous ia the vicinity and oibes built,
nt The uanspQftat on of army IN ths way found
exoeediugy tedious. Another route had 10 be found
1hR was done by making further march around vital
Fetklns plantation, distance OF twelve miles more,
W kng the whole distance % be marched from Milkens
tho. IL