DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear Admiral,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
CAPTURE OF PORT GIBSON, MISS.
May 1, 1863.
Two days after the bombardment of Grand Gulf by Admiral Porter’s fleet, General Grant’s forces made a successful attack on Port Gibson, a point six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf, which compelled the rebels to evacuate the latter place. General Grant sent the following dispatch to General Halleck, dated May 3:
Grand Gulf, Miss., May 3, 1863.
Major-General Halleck, General-in-Chief:
We landed at Boulingsburg April 30, moved immediately on Port Gibson, met the enemy eleven thousand strong, four miles north 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 five hundred prisoners, beside the wounded. Our loss is about one hundred killed, and five hundred 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 this 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.