road from Vicksburg to Jackson by parallel roads, the latter in the direction of Edwards's Station, and the former to a point on the railroad between Edwards's Station and Bolton. But he afterward ordered these two corps to march to Raymond, in consequence of being informed that the enemy had retreated to Jackson after the defeat near Raymond, and also that reënforcements were daily arriving at Jackson, and that Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was hourly expected there to take the command in person. He says: "I therefore determined to make sure of that place, and leave no enemy in my

rear.

On the next day, the 13th, Gen. McPherson moved to Clinton, and destroyed the railroads and telegraph, and captured some important despatches from Gen. Pemberton to Gen. Gregg, who had command on the previous day in the battle of Raymond. Gen. Sherman moved to a parallel position on the Mississippi Springs and Jackson road, and Gen. McClernand moved to a point near Raymond.

On the 14th, Gen. McPherson and Gen. Sherman each advanced from his respective position toward Jackson. The rain had fallen in torrents during the night before, and it continued to fall until about noon, thus making the roads at first slippery, and then miry. Nevertheless, the troops marched in excellent order and spirits about fourteen miles, when they came upon the enemy. The main body of their force in Jackson had marched out on the Clinton road, and encountered Gen. McPherson about two and a half miles from the city. A small force of artillery and infantry also took a strong position in front of Gen. Sherman, about the same distance out from Jackson.

On the march of Gen. McPherson from Clinton toward Jackson, Gen. Crocker's division held the advance. All was quiet until he reached a hill overlooking a broad open field, through the centre of which, and over the crest of the hill beyond, the road to Jackson passed. On the left of this latter hill the enemy had posted his artillery, and along the crest his line of battle. As the Federal force came within range, the artillery of the enemy opened fire. The battery of the First Missouri was moved to the left of a cotton gin in the open field, and returned the fire for nearly an hour, when the guns of the enemy were withdrawn. Meantime, Gen. Crocker had thrown out two brigades to the right and left of his battery, supported by another brigade at a proper distance, and had also pushed forward a strong line of skirmishers, and posted them in a ravine in front, which protected them from the fire of the enemy. After a little delay they were again advanced out of cover, and a desultory fire ensued between the opposite lines of skirmishers, in which the enemy, owing to the nature of the ground, had the advantage. At length Gen. Crocker, seeing the necessity of driving the rebels from the Crest of the hill, ordered a charge along the line, the execution of which has been thus

described: "With colors flying, and with a step as measured and unbroken as if on dress parade, the movement was executed. Slowly they advanced, crossed the narrow ravine, and, with fixed bayonets, reached the crest of the hill in easy range of the rebel line. Here they received a tremendous volley, which caused painful gaps in their ranks. They held their fire until they were within a distance of thirty paces, when they delivered the returning volley with fearful effect, and, without waiting to reload their muskets, with a terrific yell, they rushed upon the staggered foe. Over the fences, through the brushwood, into the inclosure, they worked their way, slaughtering on the right and left without mercy. The enemy, astonished at their impetuosity, wavered and fell back, rallied again, and finally broke in wild confusion.” They finally retreated north, but without further damage.

When Gen. Sherman encountered the enemy, he soon discovered the weakness of the latter by sending a reconnoitering party to his right, which had the effect of causing them to retreat from that part of their line. A few of the artillerists, however, remained in their places, firing upon Gen. Sherman's troops until the last moment, evidently having been instructed to do so with the expectation of being captured in the end.

At this time Gen. McClernand occupied Clinton with one division, Mississippi Springs with another, Raymond with a third, and his fourth division and Gen. Blair's division of Gen. Sherman's corps were with a wagon train, still in the rear near Auburn. At the same time Gen. McArthur, with one brigade of his division of Gen. McPherson's corps, was moving toward Raymond on the Utica road. It was not the intention of Gen. Grant to move these forces any nearer Jackson, but to have them in a position where they could be in supporting distance if the resistance at Jackson should prove more obstinate than there seemed any reason to expect.

On the retreat of the enemy, Gen. McPherson followed directly into the city of Jackson. A fine battery of six pieces was found, and around the Deaf and Dumb Institute, which was used as a hospital, tents enough were seized to encamp an entire division. The commissary and quartermaster's stores were in flames. The Governor and State Treasurer had withdrawn, taking the State funds and papers. All citizens officially connected with State or Confederate Governments had also left. Many soldiers remained, besides a large number in the hospital.

At night, Gen. Grant, who with Gen. Sherman's corps had arrived at Jackson, was informed that Gen. Johnston, as soon as he had satisfied himself that Jackson was to be attacked, had ordered Gen. Pemberton peremptorily to march out from Vicksburg and attack the Federal rear. Availing himself of this information, he immediately issued orders to

ing's division of his army were cut off, besides the prisoners captured.

On the request of Gen. Hovey for more reenforcements, just before the rout of the enemy commenced, Gen. Grant ordered Gen. McPherson to move what troops he could by a left flank to the enemy's front. Proceeding to the front, and expecting every moment to see the enemy, Gen. Grant found, on reaching what had been his line, that he was retreating. Upon arriving at the Raymond road, Gen. Grant perceived a column of troops on the left and on the next ritlge, which proved to be Gen. Carr's division of Gen. McClernand's corps. To the left, Gen. Osterhaus's division of the same corps soon after appeared with his skirmishers well advanced. Gen. Carr was ordered to pursue the enemy with all speed to Black river, and to cross it if he could, and Gen. Osterhaus was ordered to follow. The pursuit continued until after dark, and a train of cars loaded with commissary and ordnance stores and other property was captured. Gen. Grant states that "the delay in the advance of the troops immediately with Gen. McClernand was caused, no doubt, by the enemy presenting a front of artillery and infantry, where it was impossible, from the nature of the ground and the density of the forest, to discover his numbers. As it was, the battle of Champion's Hill, or Baker's Creek, was fought mainly by Gen. Hovey's division of McClernand's corps, and Gens. Logan's and Quimby's divisions (the latter commanded by Brigadier-General M. M. Crocker) of McPherson's corps.”

Orders were now sent back to Gen. Sherman to turn his corps toward Bridgeport, and Gen. Blair was expected to join him at that place. Bridgeport was on the Black river, and some miles north of the railroad. By crossing the river at that point, Gen. Sherman would be on the flank of the enemy, if they made a stand at the railroad crossing of the river.

At daylight on the next morning, the 17th, the pursuit was renewed, with the corps of Gen. McClernand in the advance. The enemy was found strongly posted on both sides of the Black river, at a point where the bluffs on the west side extended to the water's edge, but the cast side was an open cultivated bottom of nearly one mile in width, and surrounded by a bayou of stagnant water from two to three feet in depth and from ten to twenty feet in width, extending from the river above the railroad to the river below. Along the inside line of this bayou the enemy had constructed riflepits, with the bayou serving as a ditch on the outside and immediately in front of them. The division of Gen. Carr occupied the right in investing this position, and the brigade of Gen. Lawler occupied the right of the division. After a few hours' skirmishing, Gen. Lawler discovered that by moving a portion of his brigade under cover of the river bank, he could get a position from which the enemy could be successfully assaulted. He accord

ingly ordered a charge. Notwithstanding the level ground over which a portion of his troops had to pass without cover, and the great obsta cle of the ditch in front of the enemy's works, the charge was gallantly and successfully made, and in a few minutes the entire garrison with seventeen pieces of artillery were the trophies of this brilliant movement. The enemy on the west bank of the river immediately set fire to the railroad bridge and retreated, thereby cutting off all chance of escape for any portion of his forces remaining on the east bank. By this time, Gen. Sherman had reached Bridgeport on the Black river above. The only pontoon train was with him. By the morning of the 18th, he had crossed the river and was ready to march on Vicksburg. Gens McClernand and McPherson caused floating bridges to be constructed during the night, and were ready to cross their troops by eight o'clock on the next morning.

Early that morning, Gen. Sher:nan commenced his march by the Bridgeport and Vicksburg road, and, when within three and a half miles of Vicksburg, he turned to the right to get possession of Walnut Hills and the Yazoo river. This was successfully accomplished before night. Gen. McPherson crossed the Black river above the road to Jackson, and came into the same road with Gen. Sherman, but in his rear. His advance arrived after nightfall at the point where Gen. Sherman turned to the right. Gen. McClernand moved by the Jackson and Vicksburg road to Mount Albans, in the rear of Vicksburg, and there turned to the left to get into the Baldwin's Ferry road. By this disposition the three army corps covere all the ground their strength would admit of, and by the morning of the 19th the investment of Vicksburg was made as complete as could be by the forces under the command of Gen. Grant,

In the march from Bruinsburg to Vicksburg, only five days' rations were issued, and three of these were taken in haversacks at the start, and soon exhausted. It was a period of twenty days before supplies could be obtained from Government stores, during which all other subsistence was obtained from the country through which the army passed. It was abun dantly supplied with corn, bacon, beef, and mutton. The march was commenced without wagons except such as could be picked up. Communications were at once opened with the fleet above Vicksburg, and Gen. Grant's base for supplies was changed from Grand Gult to the Yazoo. The movements by which this was effected are thus described in a despatch from Rear-Admiral Porter to the Secretary of the Navy:

FLAG STT BLACK HAWK.

HAINES'S BLUFF, Yazoo RIVER, May 20th, To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Nary: On the morning of the 16th I came over to the Yazoo to be ready to cooperate with Gen. Grant, leaving two of the ironclads at Red River, one at Grand Gulf, one at Carthage, three at Warrenton, and two in the Yazoo, which left me a small force. Still I disposed of them

to the best advantage. On the 15th, at meridian, fir ing was heard in the rear of Vicksburg, which assured me that Gen. Grant was approaching the city. The cannonading was kept up furiously for some time, when, by the aid of glasses, I discovered a company of artillery advancing, taking position, and driving the rebels before them. I immediately saw that Gen. Sherman's division had come on to the left of Snyder's Bluff, and that the rebels at that place had been cut off from joining the forces in the city.

I despatched the DeKalb, Lieut.-Commander Walker, the Choctaw, Lieut.-Commander Ramsay, the Romeo, and Forest Rose, all under command of Lieut.Commander Breese, up the Yazoo, to open communication in that way with Gens. Grant and Sherman, This I succeeded in doing, and in three hours received letters from Gens. Grant, Sherman, and Steele, inform ing me of this vast success, and asking me to send up provisions, which was at once done. In the mean time, Lieutenant-Commander Walker in the DeKalb pushed on to Haines's Bluff, which the enemy had commenced evacuating the day before, and a party remained behind in the hopes of destroying or taking away a large amount of ammunition on hand. When they saw the gunboats they ran out and left everything in good order, guns, forts, tents, and equipage of all kinds, which

fell into our hands.

As soon as the capture of Haines's Bluff and the fourteen forts was reported to me, I shoved up the gunboats from below to fire on the hill batteries, which fire was kept up for two or three hours. At midnight they moved up to the town and opened on it for about an hour, and continued at intervals during the night to annoy the garrison. On the 19th I placed six mortars in position, with orders to fire night and day as rapidly as they could.

The works at Haines's Bluff are very formidable, There are fourteen of the heaviest kind of mounted eight and ten inch and seven and a half inch rifle guns, with ammunition enough to last a long siege. As the gun carriages might again fall into the hands of the enemy, I had them burned, blew up the_magazine, and destroyed the works generally. I also burned up the encampments, which were permanently and remarkably well constructed, looking as though the rebels intended to stay some time. Their works and encampments covered many acres of ground, and the fortifications and rifle pits proper of Haines's Bluff extend about a mile and a quarter. Such a network of forts I never saw.

As soon as I got through with the destruction of the magazines and other works, I started Lieut.-Com. Walker up the Yazoo river with sufficient force to destroy all the enemy's property in that direction, with crders to return with all despatch, and only to proceed as far as Yazoo City, where the rebels have a navy yard and storehouses.

with the DeKalb, Choctaw, Forest Rose, Linden, and Petrel, on an expedition to Yazoo City. Arriving at Haines's Bluff, I landed a force and spiked an 8-inch gun on the fort there, and burned the carriage. I also burned some forty tents left standing, and a steam sawmill.

Arriving at Yazoo City at 1 P. M., 20th, I was met by a committee of citizens, who informed me that the place had been evacuated by the military authorities, and asking protection. The navy yard and vessels had been fired by the enemy. I sent a working party to insure the destruction of everything valuable to the rebels. The vessels burned were the Mobile, a screw vessel, ready for plating; the Republic, which was being fitted out for a ram; and a vessel on the stocks -a monster, 310 feet long, 75 feet beam. The navy yard contained five saw and planing mills, an extensive machine shop, carpenter and blacksmith shops, and all necessary fixtures for a large building and repairing yard, which, with a very large quantity of fumber, were burned. I also burned a large sawmill above the town. Most of the public stores had been removed; such as I found in town were taken on board the vessels or destroyed. Enclosed I send a list of articles removed or destroyed by Acting Volunteer Lieut. Brown, the officer detailed for that purpose. In the hospital I found and paroled 1,500 prisoners, a list of whom I enclose.

Returning, I left Yazoo City this morning, arriving here at 4 P. M. At Liverpool Landing, in a sharp bend in the river, we were attacked by some field guns, and about 200 riflemen concealed in the bushes, and for a few minutes the firing was very sharp. The enemy retreated as soon as the vessels got into position to use their guns with effect. The Petrel, Linden, and Choctaw were struck with shot, but received no particular injury. Sergt. Stockinger, of this vessel, was killed by a rifle shot. The Linden had five wounded, the Petrel two, and the Choctaw one. Most of the wounds are slight.

After the storming of their position on the Big Black river, the Confederate force fell back to Vicksburg, which they reached about eight o'clock on Sunday night, the 17th. Their army was immediately reorganized, and placed as follows: Gen. Smith's division on the extreme left, Major-Gen. Forney in the centre, and Major-Gen. Stephenson on the right. Brig.Gen. Bowen's division of Missourians held the

reserve.

There has never been a case during the war where the rebels have been so successfully beaten at all points, and the patience and endurance shown by our army and navy for so many months is about being rewarded. It is a mere question of a few hours, and then, with the exception of Port Hudson, which will follow Vicksbarg, the Mississippi will be open its entire length. (Signed) D. D. PORTER, Com'g Mississippi Squadron. The result of the expedition to Yazoo City is thus described in the report of Lieut. Walker, addressed to Rear-Admiral Porter:

U. S. STEAMER BARON DE KALB,

MSTEAMER BARON DE, 23d. }

SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your order I started from Snyder's Bluff on the 20th,

found his forces insufficient to entirely invest the works. There was therefore danger that the two bodies of the enemy, under Gens. Johnston and Pemberton, might yet effect a junction, as it was known that the former was receiving large reënforcemsnts from Gen. Bragg's army in Middle and Eastern Tennessee. He therefore ordered a general assault to bo made at two o'clock in the afternoon. This was made by the fifteenth army corps, which arrived in time before the works on the previous day to get a good position. The thirteenth and seventeenth corps succeeded in gaining an advanced position covered from the fire of the enemy. A Confederate report of the action of Tuesday is as follows: "On Tuesday morning, before daylight, they opened fire from their batteries, our guns responding immediately and