The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-08-08

during the afternoon, and Beauregard
who then assumed the command, found
further advance stopped by the ex-
haustion of his troops, who had been
marching or fighting since midnight
by the difficult nature of the ground,
cut up into ravines near the Landing
by the fire of the gun-boats, which
raked these ravines by the hot fire,
also, of the Union artillery, massed
near by, and of the Union troops, con.
centrated as they had been driven in,
and now REINFORCED by the advance
OF Buell.. During the night Buelrs re-
manning troops arrived, and the next
day the combined Union armies drove
the Confederates from the field, and
the battle of Shiloh was ended. The
Union aggregate loss was over IL 900
men the Confederate, about II 900.
Heavy re enforcement continuing to
arrive, Halleck, who took command,
laboriously spaded his way toward
Corinth, which the enemy evacuated.
The consequence Of these movements,
and of Pope's capture of Island Number
Ter, was the abandonment of Fort Pill.
low on the Mississippi, and the navy
then captured Memphis. Grant remain
ed at Corinth in charge of the army there,
Halleck was transferred to Washington
as General-in-chief, and Buell. was dis
patched to Tennessee to check a formid-
able invasion by Bragg, designed to carry
the scene of conflict back to the Ohio.
Grant forwarded re-enforcements to
Buell., and to prevent him from sending
more, Price threatened Corinth. But
Rosecrans, under Grants direction.
fought Price at Iuka, September 10, and
fortnight after, bloodily repulsed both
Price and Van Dorm at Corlnth.
The Mississippi was now open except
at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and Grant
accordingly turned his attention TO re.
ducing the former. He began by sending
Sherman from Memphis, with $4,000 men,
down the river, conveyed by Porter's
gun-boats, to open the Yazoo, which
enters the Mississippi above Vicksburg.
Sherman found the Yazoo defenses at
Haines's Bluff impossible to carry, beng
repulsed, on the Goth of December, with
loss of about 1000 men. Grant, who
had intended to advance against Vicks.
burg by land, was batfled by the surren.
der of Holly Springs, his secondary base,
and by the cutting of his communications
by Confederate cavalry. Some compen
sation was found in Netherlands cap
ture of Arkansas Post, with nearly 4SOt
prisoners and seventeen guns.
In the spring of 1868, Grant transferred
his army by river to Vicksburg, and spen,
many weeks with the aid of canals and
other devices, in the vain attempt to ap.
proach the city. At last he adopted the
bold conception of carrying his whole
army, on the Arkansas side, below Vicks
burg, and there re-crossing the river, sc
as to place his forces in the rear of the
city, thus compelling its garrison to come
out and fight or else stand siege. Thil
was handsomely accomplished, Porter's
gun-boats at the same time running the
river batteries; and after five combats,
including one on the Big Black and the
sanguinary pitched battle of Champion.
Hill, he forced the Confederate com
mander, Pemberton, back into Vicks
burg. ]. E. Johnston, with small re-
lieving force, was kept away, and on thu
4th of July, 1868, Pemberton surrendered
with from $1,000 to 10000 men and II:
guns. In all these Vicksburg operations
the aggregate Confederate loss was abou
$4,000 men and 200 guns; while Gran
lost fewer than IL, 900 men. Port Hudson
soon surrendered to Banks, and the Mis-
sissippi was free.
Grant, for this great victory, which
happened simultaneously with Meade
at Gettysburg, was made Major Genera
in the regular army, and all eyes turned
to him as the man for the hour. Indeed
his soldierly energy was soon again to b.
tested. Rosecrans, who had succeeded
Buell. in Tennessee, and had fought Bragg
on Stone River at the close of 1862, dur
ing the succeeding year had pressed tn
enemy back to Chattanooga and beyond
but being repulsed at Chickamauga, hat
fallen back into Chattanooga, which
place Bragg soon held under seige
Rosecrans had been superseded b.
Thomas, and Grant was intrusted will
the command of the Division of the Mis-
sissippi, so as to include Chattanooga
Sherman, who had been driving Johnston
from the rear of Vicksburg, was hurried
to Chattanooga, and meanwhile Grant
by opening line Of supplies, PRACTICAL,
raised the seize. Then he prepared t.
dislodge Bragg from the surrounding
heights. On the Gath of November Hooke
brilliantly captured Lookout Mountain
Bragg's left the next day Sherman at
tackled Bragg's right; but the GROWING
work was that of Thomas, whose Arm,
of the Cumberland, in the centre, as
saulted and carried the frowning height
of Missionary Ridge. Bragg fell bacl
into Georgia, and relief was prompt,
sent by Grant to Burnside, who had beel
kept under close serge at Knoxville b,
Longstreet. Grants loss at Missionar,
Ridge was about 1000 men, and Bragg
probably still greater; Bragg also los
forty guns.
Upon this victory Congress votet
thanks to Grant, ordered gold media
to be struck for him, and appointed hin
Lieutenant General, March 2, 1864. Oh
the 18th he assumed command of all tn
armies of the United States. To Sher
man he assigned the task of attackin.
Bragg's successor, j. E. Johnston, il
Georgia, while he proposed to person
ally supervise the campaign against Lee
in Virginia.
On the 4th of May, 1864, he crosse,
the Rapidan with the Army of the Pc
tomac, under Meade, which, includin.
the Ninth Corps, was 10000 strong
Lee, who had about half that number a
command, at once attached him while OF
the march, and terrible two days