The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-11-19

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force. Sherman's expedition failed.
Grant now moved wi all the avail
able force he had to Milliken's Bend,
just above Vicksburg. AT this time
he had within his department about
100000 men, whom he organized
into Army Corps, numbered respec-
lively Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Six
teenth, and Seventeenth, which were
commanded respectively by McCler-
nand, Sherman, Hurlbut, and Nc
Pherson.
Hurlbut's Corps and part of Nc
Clernand's we're left at Memphis
and other points on the river that
his communications in the rear by
way of the river should be kept open.
The remainder of the Thirteenth and
the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps
were put in camp at Lake Provi-
dence, Milliken's Bend, and Young's
Point, just below and opposite
Yazoo River.
For months he was engaged in
cutting canals at Lake Providence
and opposite Vicksburg and else
where, at the same time sending out
expeditions in various directions
over the country to ascertain, if
possible, If there was any way to
secure foothold somewhere on the
Yazoo River, above Haine's Bluff,
so that an advance might be made
by dry land on the north against
Vicksburg. But in all of these
movements failure was the result.
About this time many people in the
country began to lose confidence in
Grant and clamor for his displace-
ment. The President of the United
States, however, needed not the
clamor of the multitude. Having
implicit confidence in Grant, he said
to those who came to him that he
would trust him "a little longer"
About this time Grant determined
upon plan which was recognized
by the military authorities of the
country as wholly unmilitary and
dangerous. They believed that it
was military suicide and against all
science of war. 1t was movement,
however, full of audacity and in its
results showed the genius of the
man planning it. He abandoned all
his lines of communication and
moved rapidly down the west side
of the Mississippi River to Bruens-
burg, a point four miles below
Grand Gulf. At the same time he
loaded seven transports with sup
plies, and manned them with men
selected from my command, then
the Third Division of the Seven
teenth Corps, and ran them by
the batteries of hundred guns
which vomited forth their fire and
iron hail at them as they passed by.
All passed safely except one. This
being accomplished, he crossed the
river, moving rapidly upon Port
Gibson, where he met the enemy
and defeated him. His forces
amounted to $1,000 men, less in
number than the enemy held encir-
cling Vicksburg inside their works.
In rapid succession came the vic
tories of Raymond, Jackson, Cham
pion Hills, Black River, and the
investment of Vicksburg. At Cham
pion Hills the enemy received the
severest defeat in its results that
they had yet received up to that
time. Halleck had written letter
to Grant directing him to leave
Vicksburg alone and move down to
Port Hudson and assist Banks: he
(Banks) being his superior officer,
would then have been in command
of the combined forces. After
Port Hudson should fall Halleck
suggested that he should assail
Vicksburg. Halleck's letter, how
ever, came too late. Five battles
had been fought, and Grant was
crossing Black River and moving in
the direction of Vicksburg. While
these battles were being fought,
Porter, with gunboat fleet, passed
up the Yazoo River and took posses
sion of Haine's Bluffs, which had
been evacuated in the meantime by
the enemy. Thus it was that safe
communication was reopened with
Grants army, and again he had a
base of supplies. Pemberton was
driven within the walls of Vicks-
burg and locked up, as it were, in
that stronghold, with but 60 days.
rations. Grant had then completely
turned the tables on the enemy, and
had Pemberton and his whole army
within his grasp.
On the 4th day of July, 1868, the
long and bloody siege came to its
termination. Pemberton surrendered
to Grant. Grant, at the head of a
victorious army, entered the city
and planted the old flag upon the
courthouse, where it was unfurled
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