Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-04-28

elevated thai 10 WIS unable TO dlsmount
Il single piece, and it would have been
madness to attempt IL landing under IN
silenccd gums like these. Grant at once
requested the admiral to run by the
Notifications that night with his entire
fleet as cover to the transports with
which he intended to convey his troops
10 Bruiusburg, Il point six miles below
Grand Gulf, whence good road led to
Port Gibson, twelve miles in the in
terror. On May 1 General Sherman,
who had not yet started from Milliken's
Bend, received orders to withdraw and
as rapidly rs possible follow on the heels
of McPhersoii'a corps. Grant at this
,uncture wrote 10 halleck: Il feel that
the battle is now more than half over"
To gain the high ground and establish
base before the enemy should become
aware of the movement was now OF
prime importance and this was done
within twenfy-four hours of the first
landing. Only three rations were issued
for five days, and neither tent, wagon
nor personal baggage WAS transported
until all the troops We're safely across.
The horses of Grant and his staff did not
reach them for several days. McCler
| nand at once pushed on in the direction
of Port Gibson, secured possession of that
point, turned Grand Gulf and compelled
the evacuation of that stronghold.
A Confederate army having collected
in the interior Of the state, Grant resolved
before marching direct upon Vicksburg
TO defeat this force and capture Jack
son, the capital of Mississippi and juno
ton of railroads by which Vicksburg
was supplied.
1t is unnecessary here to describe the
details of march and battle. Suffice il
that Jackson fell. Pomherton, the Con-
| federate general, was defeated at Cham
pion Hills, with heavy loss in men and
guns. General Joseph E. Johnston, who
had been appointed to take chief com
mand of all the forces in Mississippi,
was prevented from cooperating with
him, and what remained of the Con-
federate forces were compelled to retreat
upon Vicksburg with Grant in hot pur-
| suit
Grant was with Sherman when the lat
ter reached the Walnut Hills. Together
they rodeup the farthest height and stood
upon the very bluff from which Sherman
had been repulsed six months before. The
two soldiers gazed for moment on the
scene before them-the grand object of
the campaign-the high, dry ground on
the north OF Vicksburg, and the base for
their supplies, when Sherman, turning
abruptly to his companion in arms, ex-
claimed: Until this moment l never
thought your expedition q success.
never could see the end clearly until
now. But this is campaign; this is a
success if we never take the town"
At o'clock on the 10Th of May
Grant's right rested on the Mississippi
river within full view of the fleet at the
mouth of the Yazoo; Vicksburg was in
plain sight and nothing separated Sher-
man from the environed Confederates
but space of about 400 yards intersect-
ed by almost impossible ravines and a
line Of heavy Entertainments. McCler.
nand and Mcpherson advanced by differ.
ent roads and the siege of Vicksburg
began
Hainos Bluff had been abandoned, its
fourteen heavy guns secured by the navy
and Chickasaw Landing was made the
base Of supplies. In the language of the
historian, 1T was just twenty days since
the campaign began" In that time
Grant had marched more than 200 miles
beaten two armies in five battles, cap
tured twenty-seven heavy cannon and
sixty-one pieces of field artillery, taker
6,0O0 prisoners and killed and wounded
at least 900 Of the enemy.
AID-DE-CAMP.