It also appears from the official reports, that the second position taken by the enemy was much stronger than the first, being located in a creek bottom, covered with trees and underbrush, the approach to which was over open fields, and ragged and exposed hill-slopes.

At break of day on the morning of Saturday, May 2d, the Thirteenth Army Corps triumphantly entered Port Gibson, through which place, and across the south branch of the Bayou Pierre, the enemy had hastily fled the night before, burning the bridge across that stream in his rear. This bridge was even burning when the advance entered Port Gibson, and it was necessary to remain a few hours in that village, until a floating bridge could be constructed.

While this bridge was being built, the rebels appeared on the opposite side of the Bayou Pierre, both above and below the town, and a desultory fire ensued between the belligerents, without any material damage to either side. In the afternoon the bridge was completed, and the advance crossed over.

Three miles beyond Port Gibson, on the Raymond road, the Union Army came across two large piles of bacon belonging to the rebel army, and at least of fifty thousand pounds weight. The army next came upon the upper causeway across the Bayou Pierre, which being a substantial iron suspension bridge, the rebels had not time to completely destroy, although they left behind them evidences of their attempts at its destruction.

This bridge repaired, the Union army passed over it, and came to the cross-roads near the site of an old town which once rejoiced in the name of Willow Springs. As the army was proceeding leisurely along the road, a battery opened upon them with shell at short range, causing a few casualties. The advance was next drawn up in line of battle, and moved slowly forward until the rebel position was

attained. The enemy, however, then soon retired with unusual haste.

The advance of the Union army then pushed on to the bank of the Big Black River, where it arrived shortly be fore dark, and was received with a sharp fire of musketry. Lines of skirmishers were quickly formed, and the rebel troops driven across the river. Their rearguard attempted to destroy the pontoon bridge; but in this design they were frustrated by the rapid movements of the sharpshooters of the Union army. After exchanging a few

shell and shot, all was quiet for a time.

This part of the army was seven miles beyond Grand Gulf, and within eighteen miles of Vicksburg. While passing through a deep ravine to reach the above position, the Union troops met a strong line of rebel skirmishers, and, after an engagement of about two hours, the latter retired, closely followed by the Unionists. Several prisoners were taken, from whom it was ascertained that Grand Gulf had been evacuated and the rebel magazine blown up. This was owing to two causes; first, the flanking of the position by General Grant, and secondly, the severe bombardment it received at the hands of Admiral Porter.

Finding that Grand Gulf had been evacuated, and that the advance of the Union forces was already fifteen miles on the road they would have to take to reach either Vicksburg, Jackson, or any point of the railroad between those cities, General Grant determined not to stop the troops in their victorious course, for the purpose of furnishing himself with an escort due to his rank, but took with him some fifteen men, and proceeded in person to the evacuated position, where he made the necessary arrangements for changing his base of supplies from Bruinsburg to Grand Gulf.

From this point General Grant telegraphed to the Government the complete success of the first part of his

movement. It will be seen that the document was worded in the most modest manner, considering the value of the work accomplished, and was as follows:

GRAND GULF, MISS., May 3, 1863.

Major-General HALLECK, Gencral-in-Chief:

We landed at Bruinsburg April 30th, moved immediately on Port Gibson, met the enemy, 11,000 strong, four miles south of Port Gibson, at two o'clock A. M., on the 1st inst., and engaged him all day, entirely routing him, with the loss of many killed, and about 500 prisoners, besides the wounded. Our loss is about 100 killed and 500 wounded.

The enemy retreated towards Vicksburg, destroying the bridges over the two forks of the Bayou Pierre. These were rebuilt, and the pursuit has continued until the present time.

Besides the heavy artillery at the place, four field-pieces were captured, and some stores, and the enemy were driven to destroy many more. The country is the most broken and difficult to operate in I ever saw. Our victory has been most complete, and the enemy is thoroughly demoralized. Very respectfully,

U. S. GRANT, Major-General Commanding.

Governor Yates, of Illinois, who was on a visit to the army at the time of the movement, and had necessarily to participate therein, telegraphed at the same time to the officials at his State Capital, as follows:

GRAND GULF, MISS., May 3, 1863. We gained a glorious victory at Port Gibson, on the 1st instant. The enemy are in full retreat. Our forces are in close pursuit. The Illinois troops, as usual, behaved with the greatest gallantry. The loss on our side is 150 killed and 500 wounded.

We have taken 1,000 prisoners. The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded was much greater than ours. RICHARD YATES.

On the same night that Grand Gulf had been taken possession of, several barges, loaded with stores, were sent down past the Vicksburg batteries. The firing was very heavy upon some of them, and a shell bursting in the midst of a quantity of cotton and hay, destroyed the vessels, and

compelled those on board to surrender. The following is the rebel official dispatch of the occurrence:

To General S. COOPER:

VICKSBURG, May 4, 1863.

Last night two large barges, heavily laden with hospital and commissary stores, with a small tug between them, attempted to pass here. They were burned to the water's edge, and twenty-four prisoners taken from them, among whom are one correspondent of the New York World, two of the New York Tribune, and one of the Cincinnati Times.*

J. C. PEMBERTON, Lieut.- Gen. Commanding.

The day after the occupation of Grand Gulf, Governor Yates sent the following report of the operations of the few preceding days:

The

GRAND GULF, MISS., May 4, 1863. Our arms are gloriously triumphant. We have succeeded in winning a victory which, in its results, must be the most important of the war. battle of May 1st lasted from eight o'clock in the morning until night, during all which time the enemy was driven back on the right, left, and centre. All day yesterday our army was in pursuit of the rebels, they giving us battle at almost every defensible point, and fighting with desperate valor. Last night a large force of the enemy was driven across Black River, and General McClernand was driving another large force in the direction of Willow Springs. About two o'clock yesterday I left General Logan, with his division, in pursuit of the enemy, to join General Grant at Grand Gulf, which the enemy had evacuated in the morning, first blowing up their magazines, spiking their cannon, destroying tents, etc. On my way to Grand Gulf I saw guns scattered all along the road, which the enemy had left in their retreat. The rebels were scattered through the woods in every direction. This army of the rebels was considered, as I now learn, invincible; but it quailed before the irresistible assaults of Northwestern valor.

I consider Vicksburg as ours in a short time, and the Mississippi River as destined to be open from its source to its mouth.

I have been side by side with our boys in battle, and can bear witness to the unfaltering courage and prowess of our brave Illinoisans.

RICHARD YATES, Governor.

* Some of the unfortunate correspondents were in Libby Prison at the Commencement of 1864. But were soon after released.

CHAPTER XXXI.

OUTSIDE OPERATIONS.

GENERAL GRANT, in order to deceive the rebel authorities at Richmond, Chattanooga, and elsewhere, as to the p ecise direction from which he intended to strike at Vicksburg, and also to prevent heavy re-enforcements from being sent to Grand Gulf from that place, ordered some very excellent feints to be made in all directions.

On

Among others, General Grant ordered Colonel Corwyn, with his Cavalry Brigade, to go down the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, on the east of his line of operations, and threaten an attack upon all the rebel posts along that road. the 6th of May a fight took place between the Union cavalry and the rebel forces under General Ruggles, at Tupello, a railroad station in Itawamba county, Mississippi, and, after a half-hour's conflict, the rebels retreated in disorder, leaving behind them their arms, equipments, and ninety of their men prisoners.

On the north General Grant ordered a still more valuable feint. In moving from Milliken's Bend, the Fifteenth Army Corps had been set apart to bring up the rear, and, consequently, under that order, it was to be the last to start upon the southern march. General Sherinan, commanding the Fifteenth Corps, had made every preparation to move by April 26th, 1863, on which day he received a letter from General Grant, who was then near New Carthage, ordering him to delay his march, in consequence of