Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-06-27

GENERAL o.. 8. GRANT, comMAN n OF THE
SIEGE OF ~.
the same case. The risk for Bragg was
that, II he sent troops to Mississippi to
fight against Grant, Rosecrans might
drive the main body out of Tennessee.
Rosecrans feared that Bragg would at
tack him II he weakened his force to
aid Grant and In all probability recap
ture Nashville.
To Bragg 1t seemed the part or wis
dom to lie still and keep his immediate
enemy amused" as the saying Is. If
Rosecrans should attack with superior
numbers and compel him to retreat
south of the Tennessee border be would
simply unite his command with that of
General J. e. Johnston. in eastern Mis-
sissippi. and the two armies could
pounce upon Grants rear and thus
raise the siege Of Yickshurg
Great Minds Disagree.
By remaining Idle ii his camp Rose
Grams thought he could detain the
whole of Bragg's army ON the Duck
river line until Grants success at
Viclxsburg was assured.
Grant did not agree with Rosecrans
as to the best use of the Army of the
Cumberland. He wanted help at
vicksburg. General Fl. W. Halleck.
the general In chief of the army, and
the secretary Of war agreed with Grant
and were critical of Rosecrans' judg-
ment In this matter. When Grant first
set out to attack vicksburg by an over
land route the soil Of southern Ten
nessee was rain soaked. and 1t would
have been difficult for Rosecrans to
move his wagons and artillery against
Bragg.
Up to June ! the argument based
upon bad roads was valid. but when
the roads became settled General ]. A.
Garfield. who was chief Of staff Of
Rosecrans, urged an immediate adj
anc He believed that 1t would be
a good military strickland at the same
time please the country and the au-
thorities at Washington. Rosecrans
went no further at the time than to get
ready to pronounce the word march,
at the opportune moment for a success
fui advance,
mo Quarter For Negroes
Grants uniform success from the
moment he struck hard ground east of
the Mississippi until he reached the
fortiicattons east of v~icksburg was a
thorn In the side of every Confederate
commander In the whole region. One
and all wanted to do something to
checH his progress. A chance arrived
when General John G. Walkers Con-
federate division appeared CD the scene
from Arkansas. Walker had 1000
men. and General Johnston had sum-
moned him to the assistance of the
besieged city.
At MilliRen's Bend. on the west bank
Of the river, Grant had left a small
garrison composed Of u white and
three coiored regiments On the 18th
of June Walker attacked the place IN
the hope Of capturing It for a supply
depot for the use Of the besieged in
vlcksburg or. In case Of defeat at
vicksburg. for a haven OF retreat
should the vicksburg garrison be fore
ed to escape across the river.
At first Walkers men carried the
day. The garrison was driven from
their works to the river banks, where
the fire Of the gunboat Choctaw pro
tected them Word Of the attack was
sent to Grant, and he dispatched a
fresh brigade to the scene which with
gunboat aid, drove the Confederates
away. On finding colored troops con
fronting them Walkers men raised the
cry Of mo quarter against both white
and black foes. and these retaiiated IN
kind The affair raj q stirring Incl
dent Of the Siege, but had no effect
upon the progress Of operations on the
sast shore.