The army have terrible work before them, and are fighting as well as soldiers ever fought before. But the works are stronger than any of us dreamed of. General Grant and his soldiers are confident that the brave and energetic generals in the army will soon overcome all obstacles and carry the works.
DAVID D. PORTER, Acting Rear-Admiral,
Commanding Mississippi Squadron
Having been repulsed with severe loss in several attempts to storm the rebel works, General Grant now determined to approach the fortifications by regular siege lines. It had been demonstrated that it was impossible to approach any point of attack, with a force equal in numbers to that with which the enemy would be prepared to resist him.
General Pemberton deemed it prudent at that time, to forbid all unnecessary waste of ammunition, and thus General Grant was able to commence throwing up works and erecting forts within a short distance of the opposing line of breastworks. The firing upon the town was made only during the day, until the 26th of May, after which it was continued day and night. The mortars on the peninsula opposite Vicksburg opened fire on the 25th, and continued it until the surrender. It was estimated at Vicksburg that as many as six thousand mortar shells were thrown into the town every twenty-four hours, and on the line in the rear of the city, as many as four thousand in the same time. During about five days after the siege commenced, the troops in the city were allowed full rations. At the expiration of that time, they were gradually reduced to four ounces of flour, four ounces of bacon, one and a half ounces of rice, two ounces of peas, not eatable, and three ounces of sugar. The extent of the works, and the limited number of the Confederate troops, required every man to defend the lines, and no time was allowed to rest. Whole companies laid back of their breastworks for three weeks without leaving the line for a moment.
Meantime every effort was made to strengthen the force under the command of General Grant. He had already ordered a division under General Lanman, and four regiments at Memphis to join him. He now brought forward the divisions of Generals Smith and Kimball, of the Sixteenth army corps, and placed them under the command of Major-General C. C. Washburn. On the 11th of June, Major-General F. J. Herron’s division, from the department of Missouri, arrived, and on the 14th, two divisions of the Ninth army corps, Major-General J. G. Parke commanding, reached Vicksburg. These two divisions were a part of the forces of General Burnside, commanding in the Department of Ohio. This increase of the forces of General Grant enabled him to make the investment of Vicksburg more complete, and at the same time left him a large reserve with which to watch the movements of General Johnston.
These reinforcements were arranged by placing General Herron’s division on the extreme left, south of the city. General Lanman’s division was placed between Generals Herron and McClernand. General Smith’s and General Kimball’s divisions, and the force under General Parke, were sent to Haines’s Bluff. This place was now fortified on the land side, and every preparation made to resist a heavy force. About the 25th of June, General Johnston crossed the Big Black river with a portion of his force, and everything indicated that he would make an attack.
About this time Rear-Admiral Porter reported to Secretary Welles, under date of May 27, the loss of one of the finest gunboats in his fleet, in the following dispatch:
Sir:—Amidst our successes I regret to report any losses; but we cannot expect to conquer a place like this without some loss.
At the urgent request of Generals Grant and Sherman, I sent the Cincinnati to enfilade some rifle pits which barred the progress of the left wing of our army.