The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-04-22

elevated that he was unable 70 dismount
\ single piece. and IL would have been
madness 70 attempt landing under I'm
rilrnced guns like these. Grant at once
requested the admiral to run by the
tors..ications that night with his entire
fleet as cover to the transports with
which he intended 20 convey his troops
TO Brninsbnrg. point six miles below
Grand Gulf. whence good road led 70
Port Gibson, twelve miles IN the in
terror. On May General sherman.
who had not yet started rom Nilliken's
Bend. received orders 10 withdraw and
= rapidly a. possible follow on the heels
OF Mcpherson's corps Grant IT this
juncture wrote to Halleck; II feel that
the battle i 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 twen;y-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 were safely across
The horses Of Grant and his staff did not
reach them for several days. McCler-
naad 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
10 defeat this force and capture Jack
son. the capital Of Mississippi and juno
tion OF railroads by which Vicksbu.g
was supplied.
Ii Is unnecessary hero 10 describe the
details of march and battle. Suffice II
that Jackson fell Pemberton. the Con-
federate general. was defeated at Cham
pion Hills. with a heavy loss in men and
guns. General Joseph E. Johnston. who
had been appointed to take Chief COM
nland 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 vicksbnrg with Grant in hot pur-
suit
Grant was with Sherman when the lat
ter reached the Walnut Hills. Together
they rode upthe 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 | never
thought Your expedition q success.
never could see the end clearly until
now. But this is q campaign: this u .
success If we never take the town."
At : O'Clock on the 18th Of May
Grants 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 enyironed Confederates
but space Of about 400 yards intersect-
cd BY alrnoss impossible rayines and a
line Of heavy intrenchments. McClcr-
! nand and Mcpherson advanced by differ
emit roads and the siege Of vicksburg
began
Haine's 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 twcnty-seven heavy cannon and
sixty-cne pieces of field artillery. taken
5000 prisoners and killed and wounded
at least {, 900 Of the enemy.
ATD-Dg-CANP.