In two days after, the colored boy was captured, and a dispatch from General Johnston found on his person. About the same time the fishing arrangement at the river was broken up. I can also assure the reader that the little Frenchman, though never arrested, will never buy any more Confederate money nor carry any more rebel dispatches.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Sent for by General Grant—Instructions—Crosses Black River—Is captured by rebel cavalry—Sent to General DeVieu—The interview—Passes as Johnston's spy—The attempt to escape—The pursuit—Fired at by Federal pickets—Again fired at by the enemy—The pursuers driven back—Again fired at by Federal pickets—The alarm—Reports to General Osterhaus—Reports to General Grant.
While the siege was progressing, General Johnston was engaged in concentrating a large Confederate force, to attack General Grant in the rear and force him to raise the siege of Vicksburg, and thereby relieve General Pemberton and his forces.
General Grant, in the mean time, had been considerably reinforced, and had formed a line of defense from the Black River bridge north-west along Clear and Bear Creeks, across to the Yazoo River at Haines' Bluff, and a heavy force was stationed along that line to resist any attempt on the part of the enemy to raise the siege.
The difficulty of rapidly crossing Black River with a large force below the bridge, rendered it necessary to keep a force stationed on the line running from the bridge to the Mississippi River below Vicksburg; for the enemy, once across, would run a very poor chance of recrossing without destruction. A constant watch was kept up by our scouts, however, to see whether the enemy would attempt to cross there.
Some time toward the latter part of June, General Grant sent for me, and requested me to make a trip across Black River, and find out whether the enemy was making any attempt or movement indicative of crossing.
I was instructed to cross at the bridge, through General Osterhaus' lines, and take the road to Fifteen-mile Creek, and, if I met with nothing to prevent, to go on to the creek and remain there two days, and at the end of that time return. If I discovered any movement of importance while on my way, I was to report it immediately.