arrangements had been made to cut off his retreat. It was apparent now that his intention was not to return, but to march through the State. Preparations were therefore made at Osyka to stop his progress. It was well known that to advance any farther south it would be necessary for him to cross several bridges. Hence a regiment of Confederate cavalry was so posted as to flank his force, while a body of infantry was thrown in his front, to hold him in check until the cavalry could make an attack upon his flank and rear. Col. Grierson, understanding his danger, at once ordered a charge upon the infantry, and, with one dash, broke through their lines, and soon left them far in the rear. Fortunately he met with no loss, and continued his march south to Greensburg, thence direct to Clinton. About ten miles above that town he crossed the Amite river. On the Big Sandy creek a camp of partisan rangers was found, which he attacked, and destroyed one hundred and fifty tents, with the camp equipage and private baggage. Several horses were also captured. He then marched on the Greenville Spring road toward Baton Rouge. About ten miles from the latter place he suddenly came upon a force of cavalry, under Col. Stewart, and captured the entire body. About four o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st of May he entered the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In seventeen days the troops had marched over eight hundred miles through the heart of the State of Mississippi. A large number of the enemy were killed and wounded, and it was estimated that over four millions of property were destroyed. On two important railroads communications were cut off with strong positions of the enemy. Over a thousand prisoners and more than twelve hundred horses were captured, and great excitement was created throughout the State.

Meantime, as the army of Gen. Grant lay at Hawkinson's Ferry, waiting for supplies and the arrival of Gen. Sherman's corps, demonstrations were made to induce the enemy to think that route and the one by Hall's Ferry, next above on the Big Black river, were objects of much solicitude to Gen. Grant. Reconnoissances were made on the west side of the Big Black river, extending within six miles of Warrenton.

On the 7th of May an advance was ordered. Gen. McPherson's corps were required to keep the road nearest Black river to Rocky Springs. Gen. McClernand's corps moved on the ridge road running from Willow Springs, and Gen. Sherman followed, with his corps divided on the two roads. All the ferries were closely guarded until the troops were well advanced. It was the intention of Gen. Grant here to hug the Big Black river as closely as possible with Gen. McClernand's and Gen. Sherman's corps, and thus get them to the Jackson and Vicksburg railroad, at some point between Edwards's Station and Bolton. Gen. McPherson was ordered to move by way of Utica to Raymond, and from thence into Jackson, destroying the

railroads, telegraph, public stores, &c., and then push west to rejoin the main force. Gen. Sherman moved forward on the Edwards's Station road, crossing Fourteen Mile creek at Dillon's Plantation. Gen. McClernand moved across the same creek farther west, sending one division of his corps by the Baldwin's Ferry road as far as the river. At the crossing of Fourteen Mile creek, both Gens. McClernand and Sherman had considerable skirmishing with the enemy to get possession of the crossing. On the evening of that day, May 11th, Gen. Grant sent the following despatch to Maj.-Gen. Halleck, at Washington:

My force will be this evening as far advanced along Fourteen Mile creek, the left near Black river, and extending in a line nearly east and west, as they can get communicate with Grand Gulf no more, except it bewithout bringing on a general engagement. I shall comes necessary to send a train with a heavy escort. You may not hear from me again for several weeks.

That night Gen. McClernand's corps was near Black river. Gen. Sherman, in the centre of the line, was at and beyond Auburn; and Gen. McPherson, about eight miles to the right, with his corps, had advanced a few miles north of Utica. Corn, salt meat, and live stock were found abundant.

On the next morning, Tuesday, May 12th, Gen. McClernand's advance drove in the enemy's pickets, and brisk skirmishing ensued for an hour or two, with little loss on either side. By noon the enemy had disappeared from his front. Gen. Sherman early set a division in motion, which came upon the enemy at the crossing of Fourteen Mile creek. The cavalry advance was fired upon from the thick woods that skirt the stream, and was unable, owing to the nature of the ground, to make a charge or clear the enemy from their position. A battery was brought forward, supported by two regiments, and skirmishers thrown out, who drove the enemy slowly until a brigade was thrown upon their right and left flanks, when they withdrew toward Raymond. The principal resistance to the line of march was, however, in front of Gen. McPherson. At ten o'clock his advance, under Gen. Logan, came upon a Confederate force, estimated at ten thousand, but which proved to be two brigades under Gens. Gregg and Walker, posted on Fondreu's creek, about two miles south of Raymond. Brisk skirmishing began at once, which soon brought on a general engagement. The enemy was almost wholly concealed at first by the woods bordering the stream, behind which their forces were posted. Their artillery was on an eminence, which commanded the Federal approach. The battle continued for three hours, when the enemy, after heavy loss in killed, wounded, and missing, withdrew in two columns, the principal one taking the road to Jackson. Gen. McPherson immediately occupied Raymond.

Gen. Grant was at this time with Gen. Sherman's corps, and had ordered that corps and also Gen. McClernand's to move toward the rail

Gen. McClernand, and to Gen. Blair of Sherman's corps, to face their troops toward Bolton, with a view to reaching Edwards's Station by marching on different roads, which converged near Bolton. Gen. McPherson was ordered to retrace his steps on the Clinton road, early on the morning of the 15th. Gen. Sherman was left in Jackson to destroy the railroads, bridges, factories, workshops, arsenals, and everything valuable for the support of the enemy. On the afternoon of the 15th, Gen. Grant proceeded as far west as Clinton, through which place Gen. McPherson's corps had passed to within supporting distance of Gen. Hovey's division of Gen. McClernand's corps, which had moved that day on the same road to within one and a half mile of Bolton. The country from Jackson to Bolton is rugged and broken, with a succession of hills and valleys, precipitous steeps and deep ravines, over and through which the road passes. Gen. Grant, on reaching Clinton, about five o'clock P. M., ordered Gen. McClernand to move his command early the next morning toward Edwards's Station, marching so as to feel the enemy, if he encountered him, but not to bring on a general engagement unless he was confident he was able to defeat him. Gen. Blair was also ordered to move with Gen. McClernand.

Early the next morning, two persons employed on the Jackson and Vicksburg railroad, who had passed through the army of Gen. Pemberton on the night before, were brought to the headquarters of Gen. Grant. They stated that the force of Gen. Pemberton consisted of about eighty regiments, with ten batteries of artillery, and that the whole force was estimated at near twenty-five thousand men. They also described the positions taken by the enemy, and his intention to attack the Federal rear. Gen. Grant had determined to leave one division of Gen. Sherman's corps one day longer in Jackson, but after this information he resolved to bring his entire command up at once, and accordingly sent orders to him to move with all possible speed until he came up with the main force at Bolton. A despatch was sent to Gen. Blair at the same time, to push forward his division in the direction of Edwards's Station with all possible despatch. Gen. McClernand was also ordered to establish communication between Gen. Blair and Gen. Osterhaus of his corps, and to keep it up, moving the former to the support of the latter. Gen. McPherson was also ordered forward at 5.45 A. M., to join Gen. McClernand. The information received was communicated to Gen. McClernand, with instructions as to the disposition of his forces.

Early on the morning of the 16th, Gen. Grant left Clinton for the advance, and on arriving at the point where the road from Raymond to Bolton crosses the Jackson and Vicksburg railroad, he found Gen. McPherson's advance and his pioneer corps engaged in

rebuilding a bridge on the latter road, that had been destroyed by the cavalry of Gen. Osterhaus's division, which had gone into Bolton the night before. On reaching the front, Gen. Grant found Gen. Hovey's division of the thirteenth corps at a halt, with his skirmishers and the enemy's pickets near each other. Gen. Hovey was bringing his troops into line, ready for battle, and could have brought on an engagement at any moment. The enemy had taken up a very strong position on a narrow ridge. His left rested on a height where the road made a sharp turn to the left, as it approached Vicksburg. The top of the ridge and the precipitous hillside to the left of the road were covered by a dense forest and undergrowth. To the right of the road the woods extended a short distance down the hill, and then were cultivated fields on a gentle slope spreading into an extensive valley. Gen. Hovey's division was disposed for the attack on the road and into the wooded ravine and hillside, while Gen. McPherson's force, excepting Gen. Ransom's brigade, which arrived after the battle, were thrown to the right of the road, which was properly the enemy's rear. Still Gen. Grant would not allow an attack to be commenced by his troops until he could hear from Gen. McClernand, who was advancing with four, divisions, two of which were on a road intersecting the Jackson road about one mile from the position occupied by the above-mentioned troops, and about the centre of the enemy's line; the other two divisions were on a road still farther north, and nearly the same distance off. Learning that Gen. McClernand was distant two and a half miles, Gen. Grant sent orders to him to push forward with all rapidity. Meanwhile the continued firing between Gen. Hovey's skirmishers and the enemy grew into a battle by eleven o'clock. At first this division bore the brunt of the conflict, but finding the enemy too strong for them, one brigade and then another of Gen. Crocker's division of Gen. McPherson's corps was ordered to reenforce them. Meanwhile Gen. Logan's division of McPherson's corps was working upon the enemy's left and rear, which weakened exceedingly their attack in front. Here their force outnumbered the Federal force. Gen. McClernand was, however, expected momentarily upon the field. But he did not arrive until the enemy had been driven from the field after a terrible contest of hours, in which he met with a heavy loss in killed, wounded, prisoners, and artillery. It appeared afterward that the road to Vicksburg, after following the ridge in a southerly direction about one mile, intersecting one of the roads to Raymond, turned almost to the west, down the hill and across the valley in which Gen. Logan was operating on the rear of the enemy. One brigade of his division had, unconscious of this fact, penetrated nearly to this road, and compelled the enemy to retreat to avoid capture. As it was, much of his artillery and Gen. Lor