The National tribune., 1901-11-28

as to his plans; he ordered Gems Denver
and Lauman to report TO Gen. Claut Nor
orders, and, taking the division OF &eFS
gan l.. Smith, he turned his face toward
Memphis, and reached that city Dee. Il
On his arrival he found that Gen. A. j.
Smith and Gen. George w. Morgan had
arrived with their divisions.
This force under Gen. Sherman was
designated as the Right Wing OF the
Thirteenth Army Corps, consisting of four
divisions, three of which were ut Mem
phis and one at Helena, commanded Dy
Brighten. Frederick Steele.
Col. Allen, Chief Quartermaster at st.
Louis, entered actively upon the work of
securing transportation for this expedi-
ton. In an incredibly short space of time
every arrangement was made for this first
great combined army and navy movement
against Vicksburg. A flotilla of So steam
boats was required to transport the troops
of all arms, with their supplies and all
their paraphernalia Of war.
On Dec 10, 1852, the embarkation of
the troops and their supplies was begun
at Memphis and completed the next day.
Steamers had already been sent to Hell
ena for Gen. Steele's Division.
on Dec. 19 Gen. Sherman wrote Gen.
Grant from Memphis:
Il will 90 ahead to Helena tomorrow
and conclude the arrangements for the
garrison at Friars Point and cavalry
1GIGE operating TO AltE 1NlluHdlCitiE-
calculate to leave Helena Dec. q,
Gainess Landing 22d, and at Nicksburg'
21th Admiral Porter IS here, and goes
TO Helena tomorrow. He expects ali to
meet ut 8iilliken's Bend p miles above
Vicksburg, on the 9th. Shall at once
break railroad west of Nicksburg and
then enter the YaZoo. You may eaicu-
late on our being at Vicksburg by Christ
mas. At VicksbuTg we viii act so as to
accomplish the original purpose, and will
calculate to send you ratiOns up the va
zoe. Yazoo City is the best point, and
can be reached after the reduction of the
batteries at Haines's Bluff"
This letter outlines the plan, and the |
hopes of Gen. Sherman in conducting this |
important movement
SHERMAN MOVES.
On Dec. .21, 1862. all the forces having
rendezvoused at Friar's Point, the great
armada of ironclad gunboats and Eflet's
feet OF rams, all under Admiral Porter,
and the 50 transports carrying Gen. Sher-
mans army, $4,000 strong, moved out IN
grand procession. led by Admiral Porter
on his fiagboat BLACK Hawk"
It was a splendid sight, one never to
be forgotten by those who saw It.
This great array of the military power
Of the Government was composed OF
splendid material, and was led by two of
the most capable men who ever served
IN the army ana navy.
Gaines Landing was reached the first
day. and the expedition paused for the
night. The next day MIliken's Bend was
reached. From this point Gen Burbridge
with his brigade was dispatched westward
with orders to destroy the Sicssburg y
Shreveport Railroad. Leaving Gen. Z. J.
Smith at Milliken's Bend to await the
return of Burbridge, Gen. Sherman pro-
ceeded to a point opposite the mouth Of
the Yazoo River, where the vessels were
landed, and Gen. Morgan l.. Smith, with
one Of his bTigades, was dispatched with
instructions to destroy another seeucn OF
the railroad. 1t is hardly necessary to
say that many miles of the Fieksburg q
Shreveport Railroad was etfectually de-
stroyed, SO that during the rest of the
var It was of no service to the Confed-
eraey. So far the plans Of Gen. Sherman
had been carried out to the letter He
was now, Dec. %, opposite the mouth OF
the Yazoo River and only u miles from
Eieksburg, his great objective point
In fhe game of war that was being
tiiayed between Grant and Pemberton the
advantages were all on the side of Gen.
Pembert0n. His operations were all con-
Quoted in a country occupied by ms
friends. he had Convenient base Tor sup
nIies he had no important positions Ia :
his immediate neighborhood to defend, .
ana he was constantly kept well informed !
as to the movements of his antagonist
Gen. Grant was operating in the enc !
myss country He depended for his sup
plies not upon the country. but upon a
single line Of railroad, every mile Of which /,
back to Columbus, KY, he must defend :
against an active and enterprising enemy. /;
II was Winter, the roads were horrible,
and each mile he advanced increased bis
difficulties To hold Pemberton from rein
forcing Eicksburg against Sherman it was
necessary to keep in touch with him. This
was something that Pemberton avoided;
bis tactics evidently were TO draw Grant
farther and farther from his base.
But he was not satisfied with this pol
icy alone. Gen. PembertOn decided to t
make such demonstration upon Gen e
Grants rear as would force him to with L
draw his army from central Mississippi
VAN DoRN's RAID on GRANTS SUPPLIES. L
Gen. Pemberton selected Gen. Van t
Dorm TO perform this task. On the night i
Of Dee 10, 1862, st the very time that !
was embariling his troops at !
Memphis for an attack on Yicksburg;, Cen '
Van Dorm, with a strong column OF cav '
airy, forded Yocknapatalfa River some 5
seven miles above the Union epcamD-
ment, and by a rapid march reached t
HOliy Springs at daylight. e
Gel r. G. Murphy, Of the sth WIS, !
was commander Of the post Although (
warned Of the neditated attack, he failed {
to take the necessary precautions for the t