The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-04-21

MAE uuONtN0 NCHN9 " uFA.AAItoNA
saEy. Below Y6ungs Point the Misais-
sippi makes 4 sudden bend. aows north
elat four or i've miles. when h turns
abruptly and runs The same distance
toward the southwest Dy thiS curve q
narrow peninsula h formed o. the
Louisiana shore. which stretches oul IN
The shapS Of atnhgns little more than
mile IN width Opposite the loWsF side
Of the peninsula b the city Of vieks
burg. situated on commanding cliifs
that riao abruptly 500 feet from the
Watsrh edge AbDv0 the town this rangP
Of hills strikes the YaznO nearly twenty
miles from III mouth and h known ~
Walnut HillA
Between Haynes Bluff. whichistwelvp
miles above the town. and WaTTentOn
seven miles below. the Confelierates had
mounted twenty eight guns Of heavy
cAliber along the river frout all q
which had = plunging ars that could
not b returned from gnnboatB In the
river On account Of the oxtTeins elsva
ton Rifle pits abOunded along the
slope: chains were also stretched and
rata mOoFed across the Yazoo. 20 that
direct allanlt was impraetieahle. In the
roaF Of vickzburg ravines. croeki and
bay0us also presented squAlly admirable
facilities for defense. Al Grand Gulf
fifty miles below Vickaburg. was an
other fertilization. and still another was
located q Port Hudson. $50 miles frOm
the -. Granta forces q YOung's PUNT
and vicinity consisted Of 5000 men.
The plan essayed By Grant cannot BE-
more clearly described than In his letter
20 HnIleck; There b 4 system Of bAyOns
running from the river near this point
(YoungsD that are uasigable Tor large
and small steamers passing around by
Richmond to New Carthage The
drudgss are now engaged In cutting a
canal into these hay0us. an having
~ the coal boats and other baFEes pre-
paFed for carrying troops and artillery
and have written for aix tngs 70 tow
them With them Il will BE- easy "a
elETy supplies % New Carthage and any
point south Of that.
sMyuxpectatiou d for some Of the dee;
torun the batteries Of Vicksburg willis
chs army moves thS0ugh BY this new
route. Once there. will move d
WafTsnton o. Grand Gulf. probably the
latter. From eitherof these points there
arr good roads % Jarka1n and the Black
river bridge without crossing Blaek
river. I win keep my army t0gether and
80 10 q that am not cut on frum my
supplies. or beat In any other way than
q fair fight
The plan was 20 full Of obstacles thai
& was bitterly opposed By his intimate
friondB and corps commander. who
urged that By tins cutting loose fFuln
hla concentration. failure. u II result
ed meant absolute annihilation- Bui
Grant Was decided The evaporation
and drainage Of the swamp on the west
en- nids having rendered u possible 4
construct q road and bridges Tor dla
tnncs 81 thirty-ivs miles 70 the pUlul
from which 4 was proposed 70 operate
ths WORK Va promptly begun and in
i1hsd o. Mafrh - MeClernAnd va
ordered 10 take the advance.
Meanwhile Grant determined % rial
sending three steamega and Ten barge
pest tie batteries. loaded with ration
and forage. Il being necessary 70 have I
Iupply az boats below vickaburK for til
purpose Of fsEEying tho troops across tn
river. Ths night Of the 18th 0f Apr
Wus oslsctsd tor The undertaking. Will
spVan Il PoFtsES ironclads eneaRel tn
histories the river nioaineFs. pfutectei
b bales Of cotton and vet hay and tow
ing Tie barges. were 70 run the gantlel
of tWonty-Glght guns that commanded
tie river for over hftsen mIloA- tn
trunnpoEa were manned By volunteer
from The army. the river crown and cap
tains bsing afraid Of the danger. Porte
lod he way.
Ths night w. DARK, but houses sst q
GrD On oitheP shore made Il light q day
Nan q Tie batteries and the crowds b
10 slrpols d vicksburg could boplainl.
1ssn. Every transport wa STRUCK. bu
fhao were men In the holds 10 prea
cotton hags IN the FRACTURES made b
he aholl. Two or three Transports wen
~ On nEO and diaableA On the gun
boan 10 ono iuas killed and only oleh
Wuundod; and within half an hour alta
paaIing he bailerioa an q PogtsFiS ve1
6ob were ready Tor Gefvica. On Apr
- . o1codd nses o. transports and barge
w. 1nut down, half Of. which got safol
b lhs foFtiHcltionA ThessWsro quiekl
nla1s rsady Tor he purpose for Whic
thtg WOlo Intended.
ne Seventeenth coFpa under NJ
rh1fsoh. hifing arrived. GFant now d
t1rminsd % attack the works at 0ran
oulE Admiral Porter. with bis iroI
cIadl. seven IN number, began the bon
hardmrnt On the morning Of the 9otl
md lw molO than Eve hOnTs Kept mp
rIrclunH Gre. but lhe po4ltiuo va :
1'lIaI1d thai - W. 1nA1le . clhmeupl
single piece. md u would have bel
mldncI1 . attempt landing under IN
IIl1uc1d guns IKE thea Grant u ono
requested Ne admiral % run b. ~
I1fII1calions that night with bis ontiF
Get - . cover % The transpQriD WI
WHICH be ln1anlt1 % convoy hls troop
~ Il