The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-05

he should conceal the direction of his
when once he had taken the fateful step
Of putting his army across the river
that he would move with such celebrity
and audacity as to prevent his numer-
Gus enemies from concentrating against
him. Grant had the daring OF his gen.
ius and took these chances.
The Early Conception Of The Plan.
Gen. Grant had such q movement in
his mind even while he was trying the
above the city. As early as March 20.
1863, he had started McClernand with
the four divisions of his corps through
the country some miles west Of Vfcks-
burg and by the way OF Richmond, La,
to strike the Mississippi at New Garth
age, some 80 miles by the river below
Vicksburg. Some IL miles below New
Carthage by the river, but only five
miles in q straight line, was a piece Of
dry ground known as Congo Landing,
with a good road leading up on to the
bluffs, by which it was hoped that Nc
Clernand could reach and capture the
batteries at Grand Gulf and give foot
ing on the high land at that point.
At that time Gen. Grant had an idea
of sending his troops and supplies
through the bayous on flatboats. and as
Gen. Osterhaus, leading McClernand's
SoTpS, duNdHCeu he Illdue use OI the
boats that he collected in the neighbor-
hood to carry his troops and supplies
over the overfowed country. The wa
ter was by this time falling, however,
SO that soon the boats could not be
used.
Pemberton was informed of this ad-
vance of McClernand's, as was also Gen.
Bowen, who commanded the garrison
at Grand Gulf. Neither of them at
tached any Importance to it, however,
as they were welded to the idea that
Grant would continue to attempt to Sc
cure a foothold above the city. Grant
gave color to this belief by sending
Steele's Division some distance up on
the old Deer Creek route. Bowen sent
three regiments across the river to get
in touch with Osterhans's Division, hold
1t in check, or at least observe ii. and
there was some diminishing between
these troops and Osterhauss advance
AT this time Gen. Ellet's Marine Bri-
gade, about 1000 strong, was ordered
to the Tennessee River and left, making
quite a show, which helped to convince
Pemberton that Grants army was on
the retreat and that the movement west
of the river was merely to cover this
The first essential thing to such a
movement was to get undisputed con-
troll of the river below .Vicksburg. and
in this the cooperation of the gunboats
was necessary. Commodore Porter, al
ways daring and willing, listened with
Ia mind that needed no prompting to
Grants suggestion that he run his gun
boats past the batteries and assist in
the capture of Grand Gulf.
The Gunboats Pass the Batteries.
Commodore Porter made his prep
arations to run by the batteries on the
night Of April 16, when the new moon
gave the least illumination. The ves-
galC he had decided "a a
Benton. Flagship. f6 guns, Lieut.
Comd'r James A. Greer.
Lafayette, eight guns, Capt. Henry
Wake
Louisville, IL guns, Lieut.. -Comd'r E.
X. Owen.
Mound City, IA guns, Lieut.. Byron
Wilson.
Pittsburg, 13 guns, Lieut.. w. r. Hoel
Carondelet, II guns, Lieut.. j. M. Muir
ply.
Tuscumbia. five guns, Lieut.-Comd'r
James W. Shirk
coal yard behind each of them took a
coal barge on the starboard side, and
the Lafayette had lashed on the other
side Of her coal barge the ram Gen.
Price, which had been captured in the
fight above Memphis and repaired for
a Union vessel. 1t was under the COM
mand of Lieut.. S. +. Woodwork. The
gunboats moved in the order given
above, with the Benton leading, and
between the carondelet and the Tus-
cumbia came three army transports, the
Silver Wave. Henry Clay and Forest
Queen, unprotected except by bales Of
hay. and cotton around the boilers They
carried full loads Of stores, but no
troops.
The experience which the Confeder-
ates had been having with the boats
that had previously run the batteries
had led them to make many improve
ments and to mount more and heavier
guns. SO that at this time there were
81 pieces Of heavy artillery and 13 Of
light placed along the bank at points
from which they could be operated
most effectively. Among them were
eight 10-fnch guns. one nine-inch and
one eight-inch Columbiad, all smooth
bore guns. There were IL rifles of a
caliber of 6.5 inches and upward. AS
there was no intention on the part Of
Commodore Porter to engage the bat
fnrfn ha a,,fi fi<y,