Washburne had been operating with troops which they had led from Helena, Ark.
Grant had gathered a large quantity of supplies at Holley Springs, which,
through carelessness or treachery, had fallen (Dec. 20, 1862) into the hands
of Gen. Earl Van Dorn, and he was compelled to fall back to Grand Junction
to save his army. Taking advantage of this movement, a large Confederate
force under Lieut. Gen, J. C. Pemberton had been gathered at Vicksburg for
the protection of that post. On the day when Grant's supplies were seized
Gen. W. T. Sherman left Memphis with transports bearing guns to besiege
Vicksburg. At Friar's Point they were joined by troops from Hatteras, and
were met by Commodore Porter, whose fleet of gunboats was at the mouth of
the Yazoo River, just above Vicksburg. The two commanders arranged a plan
for attacking the city in the rear, and proceeded to attempt to execute it.
The troops and boats went up the Yazoo to capture some batteries that
blockaded the way, but were unsuccessful, and abandoned the project. Early
in January
Gen. J. A. McClernand arrived and, ranking Sherman, took the
chief command, and went up the Arkansas River to attack Confederate posts.
Meanwhile
General Grant had arranged his army into four corps, and with it
descended the river from
Memphis to prosecute the siege of Vicksburg with
vigor. He was soon convinced that it could not be taken by direct assault.
He tried to perfect the canal begun by Williams, but failed. Then he sent a
land and naval force up the Yazoo to gain the rear of Vicksburg, but was
repulsed. Finally Grant sent a strong land force down the west side of the
Mississippi, and
Porter ran by the batteries at Vicksburg in the night
(April 16, 1863) with nearly his whole fleet. 
GENERAL PEMBERTON'S HEADQUARTERS AT
VICKSBURG.
Then Grant
prepared for vigorous operations in the rear of Vicksburg, on the line of
the Black River. On April 27
Porter ran by the Confederate batteries at
Grand Gulf, when Grant's army crossed a little below, gained a victory at
Port Gibson, and calling Sherman down the west side of the Mississippi and
across it to join him (May 8), the whole force pushed forward and captured
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. Then the victorious army turned
westward towards Vicksburg, and, after two successful battles, swept on and
closely invested the strongly fortified city in the rear (May 19), receiving
their supplies from a base on the Yazoo established by Porter. For a
fortnight the army had subsisted off the country through which it passed.
After a brief rest Grant began the siege of Vicksburg. Sherman had taken
possession of the Walnut Hills, near Chickasaw Bayou, cutting off a
Confederate force at Haines's Bluff; while
McClernand, advancing to the
left, took position at Mount Albans, so as to cover the roads leading out of
that city. Porter, with his fleet of gunboats, was lying in the Mississippi,
above Vicksburg, and was preparing the way for a successful siege, which
Grant began with Sherman on the right,
McPherson in the centre, and McClernand on the left. Grant was holding a line about 20 miles in
extent—from the Yazoo to the Mississippi at Warrenton. He prepared to storm
the batteries on the day after the arrival of his troops before them. It was
begun by Sherman's corps in the afternoon of May 19, Blair's division taking
the lead. There had been artillery firing all the morning; now there was
close work. The Nationals, after a severe struggle, were repulsed. Grant
engaged Commodore Porter to assist in another assault on the 22d. All night
of the 21st and 22d Porter kept six mortars playing upon the city and the
works, and sent three gunboats to shell the water batteries. It was a
fearful night for Vicksburg, but the next day was more fearful still. At 10
A.M. on the 22d Grant's whole line moved to the attack. As before, Blair led
the van, and very soon there was a general battle. At two different points
the right was repulsed. Finally McClernand, on the left, sent word that he
held two captured forts. Then another charge upon the works by a part of
Sherman's troops occurred, but without success. The centre, under McPherson,
met with no better success, and, with heavy losses, McClernand could not
hold all that he had won. Porter had joined in the fray; but this second
assault was unsuccessful. The Nationals had lost about 3,000 men.
PORTER'S FLEET SHELLING THE BATTERIES AT
VICKSBURG.
Then Grant
determined on a regular siege. His effective force then did not exceed
20,000 men. The beleaguered garrison had only about 15,000 effective men out
of 30,000 within the lines, with short rations for only a month. Grant was
soon reinforced by troops of Generals Lanman, A. J. Smith, and Kimball,
which were assigned to the command of General
 Washburne.
Then came General Herron from Missouri (June 11) with his division, and then
a part of the 9th Corps, under General Parke. With these troops, his force
numbered nearly 70,000 men, and, with Porter's fleet, Vicksburg was
completely enclosed. Porter kept up a continual bombardment and cannonade
for forty days, during which time he fired 7,000 mortar shells, and the
gunboats 4,500 shells. Grant drew his lines closer and closer. He kept up a
bombardment day and night. The inhabitants had taken shelter in eaves dug in
the clay hills on which the city stands. In these families lived day and
night, and in these children were born. Famine attacked the inhabitants, and
mule meat made a savory dish. The only hope of the was in the arrival of
Johnston from Jackson with a force competent to drive the Nationals away. As
June wore on, Grant pressed the siege with vigor. Johnston tried to help
Pemberton, but could not. Grant proceeded to mine under some of the
Confederate works to blow them up. One of these, known as Fort Hill Bastion,
was in front of McPherson, and on the afternoon of June 25 it was exploded
with terrible effect, making a great breach, at which a fierce struggle
ensued. Three days later there was another explosion, when another struggle
took place.
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