The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10

and stores. that we were much in need of. offered us at rates much below oui market price. to be delivered through inc Yazoo (see map). Davis withstood this. against much importantly, coenizing it as the indirect result II moi direct design of the enemy to get the river open for navigation so as 10 attack Vicksburg on the rear.
 IorinR had caused the river to De by shaped rafts. Wnlch efYectively wedged into the narrow DOT tions of the channel: and Davis stoutly that it must stay so-
 In the latter part of December oher- man descended the Mississippi ana antared Yazoo with four divisions of land troops and five gunboats .Wlth the intention of reducing Haines Rluff He was repulsed in repeated at- tacks that he made.
 Tine next important step was that Grant. the End of February, came uoWn the Mississipp from Memphis, remoVeG obstructions in Yazoo Pass ana Colu the Mississippi into the Tallahatcnie River). to get to the rear or Fort Pemberton and reduce that work ana thus make his way down the Hazoo 10 attack the defenses at Vicksburg. AL the same time, by means or the ret work of bayous and creeks ne at tempted to enter the Yazoo aDoVe Haines' Bluff. Our sharpshooters so harrassed them that this protect was abandoned and they returned Wltn alacrity to the Louisiana side, where they infested the land.
 With Runboats above and below Vicksburg, Grant then cut canal across the peninsula opposite Vicks- burg, to make a passage for transport vessels. This, engineering feat proved to be a case of zeal without knowL- edee. for the direction of the ditch was such as to cause 1t to fill with debris instead of washing out a channel.
 So determined was he to get com mand of the river and at the same time escape our batteries at Vicksourg' that he cut another canal from Mill ken's Bend above to New Carthage below.
 As long as Vicksburg and Port Hud- son could be held, we had a distance of about 260 miles in which our yes sels could often evade the watchtul eye of the enemy's gunboats and which secured our. communication across the Mississippi.
 The enemy's manifest desire to gel to Vicksburgs rear, caused Pemberton to construct batteries at Grand Cur to guard the Black River.
 On the 18th of March Admiral Far agut passed Vicksburg with his flag ship and one gunboat, but like pro- feet on the 25th was completely re- pulsed. These efforts were repeated with varying results till the last of April, when they succeeded in landing abundant supplies and ferries enough for the movement of their armies across the Mississippi River below Bayou Pierre. It was here that gal lant General Tracy of Alabama fell. leading an unequal combat. The steady arrival of endorsements so augmented the enemy's strength that line. intrepid sons of the South were outfianked on every side. till their con dition seemed hopeless; when rising In desperation they forced back the right wing of the enemy and made retreat across the bridge over Bayou Pierre where General Bowen quickly en- trenched his camp and waited for flu ture developments.
 In his Rise and Fall of the Confed- crate Government" Davis tells us that the Confederate forces in that desper- ate battle of May l were $500 and the Federal 20.000. Indeed, find through . out the Mississippi campaign. one to four was the relation.
 While the foregoing was taking place, Colonel Grierson with three reg iments of cavalry, made raid through the interior of the State. cutting rail- roads and thereby crippling us. Their outrages against women and children were scarcely less conspicuous than Sherman's march to the sea.
 !. Pemberton's cavalry had been trans ferred to Tennessee. He made fre- quent but vain requests for it's return, horses and mount infantry in an effort to meet the dire need.
 Believing that if Joseph E. Johnston, who was then in Tennessee, were there In person, he would be convinced that the supreme effort was to be at Vicks- burg. the War Department ordered him to reinforce 1t with both cavalry and infantry and to take command. The administration up to this time had great confidence In Johnstons leader ship and he had the Warmest affections of the soldiers.
 know it would be decidedly pert for mo to criticize. but I must be true to the impressions made by such au- thorities as I have been able to con- suit. Though a most gallant and ef- fective leader on other fields, Johnston appears to be dazed here or at least not to know his own mind. Pember- ton begs for cavalry to cut off Grants supplies below Vicksburg and wants to attack Grant before he arrives. Johnston arriving at Jackson found the enemy between himself and Pember- ton and telegraphed that he was too late Then sent series of orders and countermands, by which valuable time was lost and the enemy kept pouring In. Tho battle of Bakers Creek oc- cured on a reverse march.
 This Is of special interest to the Florence Chapter. because Captain Bra han Patton, Captain Andrews, Esquire Lemay. Mir. Meadows Colonel Ives and General Joe Thompson of Tuscumbia were in Lorngs division. which took part. covering the retreat. Captain Andrews tells me they marched all night and fought from sun up till 4 o'clock in the afternoon of May 16 without food or water. So hot was it that l believe he thinks yet the sun stood in its zenith the entire day.
 Pemberton regarded the occupation of Vicksburg as paramount and re- fused to endanger It. till so pressed that there was no alternative. Then evacuating every other point, he placed the men and everything portable with in the entrenchments and burned the rest. On May IS the troops were dis posed on the shortest line of defense eight miles in length. that the topog raphy of the country permitted, and 1O2 pieces of artillery were placed as