The National tribune., 1893-04-06

The Senate adopted the following resolutions
Resotred. Thai the Senate viii, profound
| sorrow tho annonaceRie,r OF t!i. tie'tl oi Nm T.
Saerma aie General lof,ti,e Armies OF the United
| St.cs
Reselred, Tint the Senate renews lis aoknowl.
edg-..a OF lse incstsnsabge services Ire rendered
his ca'uiry II, the day of extreme trial. aments
| the great loss the country has sustained, and
deeply ssn,faiii;zes with his family IN tieir
bereavement.
Resolved That the presiding officer is requested
10 appoiat cnmmit ee of five Senators to attend
| til" funeral of the late Gen. Sherman
/ fesotred Tint copy Of these resolutions be for
| warded 10 the family of the deceased.
The House adopted the following resolutions:
Resolced, That the House of Representatives has
| heard with profonid sorrow of the death. Mt his
| home in New York City, on the l4ti inst, of Will
| liam Tecumseh sherman. the hast OF the Generals
| of the Armies Of the United states.
Resolved That we momrj. him as the greatest SOL
der remaining to the Republic and the last OF that
| fliustrlouS trio OF Generals who commanded the
| Armies of the United Siates-Grant, Sherman and
| Sberidnn-who shed i'nperishable glory upon
| American arms, and were tho idoiiZed leaders of
the Union army.
Resolred. That we hereby record the high appre-
citation in which the American people hold the
character and services OF Gen. Sherman as one of
the greatest sotiers of his generation, one of the
grandest patriots that our country has produced
| aud noble in the broaiest and fullest
meaning of the word.
| We minge our grief with that of the Nation
| mourning the departure OF her great son. and OF
tie survivors of bAttle-scHrred veterans whom
he led TO victory and peace. We especially tender
| Oar sympathy and coincidence to those who are
bound TO him by the ties Of blood and strong per-
| sora affection.
ResoiUed That the Speaker appoint committee
OF nine members of the House to attend the funeral
HesOtued. That copy of these resolutions be for
| warded by the Clerk of the House to the family of
Gen. Sherman.
BAYOU EXPEDITIONS.
On his arrival at Young's Point towards the
latter part of January Gen. Grant found the
Fifteenth Corps stretched across the peninsula,
working hard at the canal, and its right flank
resting the river below Vicksburg; the
Thirteenth Corps and one division of the Sew
| enteenth were on the left of the Fifteenth.
Admiral Porter was present with feet of
gunboats. Upon examining the line of the
canal Gen. Grant lost lrope of its ever leading
to practical results He therefore ordered other
routes to be prospecte,i, although the troops
were still kept employed on the canal, it not
being deemed advisable to abandon it en-
tirely. The work on the canal was therefore
prosecuted mainly by the Fifteenth Corps,
from Jan. % 10 March Z, on which latter date
a sudden rise in the river broke down the bar
rier at the upper end and flooded the whole
peninsula. driving the troops onto the levee to
escape drowning. After this, work was con-
tinned for about two weeks, but WAS then aban-
doned, the canal scheme having proved fail-
ure
In the meantime the expeditions which had
been set on foot to reach the hard ground in
tho rear of Vicksburg had failed of SUCCESS, and
after reconnaissance by Gen. Grant and Ad-
mirai Portor route for new expedition was
agreed upon.
The route proposed was up the Yazoo to
Steeles Bayou. up that bayou about 40 miles
to small cross creek known as Black Bayou,
through that into Deer Creek aud up Deer
Creek about 80 miles to another cross creek
called Rolling Fork, through that to compara
lively large stream called the Sunfower, and
thence down that stream about so miles. COM
ing into the YaZoo about midway between
Haines's Bluff and Yazoo City. The difficult
ties of the route were in the two cross bayous.
Black and Rolling Forks, where the channel
was not sufficiently wide for q boat to turn, and
where it could be quickly barricaded by telling
trees across it. 1t was hoped, however, to get
into the Sunfower before the enemy were
aware of the approach.
On March 16 Gen. Sherman was ordered by
Gen. Grant to take q part OF the Fifteenth
Corps and reconnoiter this route with refer
ence to its adaptablity for moving a large
force. Admiral Porter was to accompany him
with feet of five ironclads. four mortar boats
and two tugs. Gen. Sherman accordingly put
one regiment (the 9Th Mo.-many of whom
were boatmen) on board of two boats and sent
them into Steee's Bayou to remove trees ETC..
while three regiments of Stuart's Division
were sent up the Mississippi under orders to
dsembark at point above Millken's Bend,
where the Mississippi and Steeles Bayou
are only mile apart. The next day (the 17th)
Sherman started after Porter on tug and
overlook him just after he, had passed through
Black Bayou. The guuboats had been greatly
delayed at this poiut by trees driftwood. ETC..
but Porter continued his movement and Sher-
man returned to hasten forward his troops,
which were brought up in relays by tho two
boats as far as Black Bayou aud then disem-
barked to move forward by land.
On the 10Th smoke was seen through the
woods in the direction of the Snnfiower, and
soon afterward shells began falling from the
same direction. Porter landed force of sea-
men to prevent advance against him, but
they were not strong enough for the purpose,
and were obliged tore-embark that evening.
The enemy. having learned of the expedition
the day after its departure, had dispatched d
brigade of infantry and several pieces of artii-
lery from Haines's Bluff up the Sunfower
Upon their arrival at the junction of the Sun
flower and Rolling Fork they erected battery,
and were preparing to pass in rear of Porter.
obstruct the channels, aud capture his entire
force
Porter fully realized his critical situation,
and sent negro back through the swamps TO
inform Sherman. and ask the assistance OF his
troops at the earliest possible moment. This
message reached Sherman during the night,
and he Immediately sent forward the men with
him, about 800 in number, and then went back
alone in u canoe to meet the remainder and |
hasten them forward. He met the latter on
boats, and increasing their speed the boats
crashed forward through the trees, needless OF
damages, until their progress was arrested in
Black Bayou. Here the men disembarked and
pushed forward by land, picking their way |
through the canebrake by lighted candles
Porter was in retreat the 2lst, when the |
ad vance column came to his relief. Sherman, |
with the second column, was but a few miles in |
rear, when at noon of that day he encountered |
q force of the enemy, who retreated after q |
short skirmish. The opportune arrival Of |
Sherman prevented the execution of the plan |
of the enemy, and finding. after conference |
with Porter that further efforts were hopeless,
they tnrned back. The gunboats had to back |
out stern foremost all the way to Steele's |
Bayou-30 miics-and were three days in pass
ing over the distance Sherman's troops re-
gained their camps opposite Vicksburg on the
9th.
Every possible route by bayous and creeks in
the whole bottouiland between Vicksburg and
Memphis had now been tried, unsuccessfuliy,
to reach solid ground On tho ntuks OF the
Vicksburg position, aud the next and final
plan determined upon by Gen. Grant 10
find o way through theswamps opposite Vicks-
burg cross the Mississippi Grand Gull,
and operate against the of Vieksburg
TO victory for supplies. the detail
of this plan included the cutting of a canal