He now styled his forces the Army of the Mississippi, and desiring to devote his undivided attention to the general interests of the expedition, retained Gen. Sherman in command of the 15th army corps, and assigned the 13th to Gen. Morgan. The former consisted of two divisions commanded by Steele and Stuart, the first containing the 13th Illinois infantry, the 3d and a company of the 15th Illinois cavalry; and the 2d the 113th and 116th Illinois infantry, Willard's and Taylor's batteries and two companies of Thielman's battalion of Illinois cavalry. The latter corps also consisted of two divisions, the 1st commanded by A. J. Smith, containing the 77th, 97th, 108th, 131st Illinois infantry, and the Chicago Mercantile battery; the 2d commanded by P. J. Oster haus, of the 118th Illinois.

Capture of Arkansas Post.—The same day he assumed command he started with the army for Arkansas Post, or Fort Hindman, situated on a bend of the Arkansas river about fifty miles from its mouth. It was a strong bastioned fortification surrounded by a deep moat and furnished with ten guns. Two of them were Columbiads surrounded by immense casements, one on the river side and the other in the northeastern bastion. On the bank of the river below was a line of rifle pits and a number of embrasures made in the levee for the use of cannon. This rebel strong. hold formed the key to Little Rock, 117 miles above and was the source whence a number of rebel detachments had proceeded for the purpose destroying the supplies destined for the forces operating on the Mississippi. Only a few days before the Blue Wing a governmont transport laden with valuable stores had been destroyed by a predatory party of this kind and Gen. McCler nand now proposed to end these annoyances by the capture of the fort.

The expedition ascended the Mississippi to the mouth of White River and after a short pause entered its narrow channel which wound serpent like through dense forests centuries old and grey bearded with Spanish moss, whose dim aisles strangely rever berated with the whistles of the struggling engines and sent back in weird echoes the voices of men on board the fleet. After threading this mere ribbon of waters the boats turned into the Arkansas where the channels of the two rivers unite and continued to ascend the latter stream. On arriving within three miles of the fort they drew near a great plantation on the eastern side of the stream for debarkation. Night came on before this could be effected and a strong picket force was thrown out between the fleet and the rebels who could be heard busily engaged in felling trees in the woods beyond to strengthen their defense.

At early dawn the work of landing commenced, each boat approaching the shore and pouring forth its crowds of soldiers. Reg. iments, brigades and divisions soon collected and commenced stretching out in line to the right for the purpose of investing the works. After toiling for several hours in this direction, impassable bayous and swamps were encountered and the right and centre of the line were compelled to return. When night came on they entered a more practicable route near the enemy's works and by 5 o'clock the next morning reached the opposite side of

the bend and were able to command the river above and below the fort. When the investing line was thus made complete, Steele's divison occupied the right, and those of Stuart, Smith, and Osterhaus extended toward the left in in the order mentioned. Admiral Porter with three iron clads and a fleet of light draft gunboats had accompanied the expedition to co-operate with the land forces. While the latter was making the necessary detour to surround the fort, Porter pushed forward the fleet to ascertain the range and strength of the enemy's guns. Opening within 400 yards of the works he soon demonstrated the superiority of his fire by partially silencing the hostile batteries. During the en gagement the Ratler, one of the light draft boats, ran by the fort and commenced an enfilading fire, but becoming entangled among snags was compelled to return. The attack was made late in the afternoon of Saturday, and night soon coming on ended the contest. Sunday morning, the 11th of January 1863, the enemy, finding himself greatly outnumbered, had retired to his inner defenses, where, owing to their great strength he hoped to make a successful resistance. All the federal batteries having been placed in position at 1 o'clock, a simiultaneous assault commenced by both navy and army. The fire was terrific, the rebel batteries sweeping the plain in front of the works with cannister while they hurled at the gunboats their own shot recently taken from the Blue Wing. Twice charges were made by different commands, but so destructive was the fire they were compelled to return without reaching the coveted goal. Meanwhile a tremendous concentrated fire from the surrounding federal batteries on land and water was rapidly silencing those of the fort. Their huge shells, after continual pounding at the great casemates at length affected an entrance, and, exploding within, tore the rebel artillerists into fragments. As the afternoon wore away the fire was increased till the bomb-proofs were battered to pieces and all the heavy guns were either broken or dismounted. The infantry had, in the meantime, fought its way foward and just as it was about to charge into the fort a white flag was run up and the battle ceased. At 44 o'clock the national troops took possession of the works. Seven stand of colors, 17 cannon, 5,000 prisoners, besides large numbers of other munitions fell into the hands of the conquerors. The loss of the latter was 129 killed, 831 wounded, and 17 missing. This signal triumph coming after the reverses of Grant and Sherman, greatly encouraged the army and thus prepared for the arduous labors yet to be performed in the reduction of Vicksburg, the primary object of the campaign. The government became more hopeful, and its chief magistrate returned thanks to Gen. McClernand and his brave army for the important services which they had rendered the country. One fourth of the troops who fought in the battle and shared in the glory of victory were from Illinois. The commanding general, John Alexander McClernand, was born in Kentucky of Scotch parents, who while he was young, removed to Shawneetown, Illinois. Here he studied law and soon rose to distinction in the practice of his profession. His first military experience was acquired in the Black Hawk war, during which in the performance of a number of gallant actions, he evinced superior address and daring. In 1836 he was elected a member of the legislature, in which he was made commissioner and treas

urer of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. In 1838 he was tendered the office of lieutenant-governor, which he declined, not having attained the constitutional age of 30 years. He served two additional terms in the legislature, and while still a member in 1843, was elected a representative to the 28th congress. During the session, as one of the committee on public lands, he brought forward a bill donating land to aid in the completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. He was four times re-elected to congress. During the summer of 1850 he prepared and introduced the first draft of the famous compromise measures and the same year drafted a bill, granting land to aid in the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad. While still a member of congress, in 1861, at the instance of Gov. Yates, he took command of a volunteer force at Cairo and assisted in suppressing the contraband trade then carried on by means of the Mississippi and Ohio We have already spoken of his operations at Donaldson and Shiloh. As a soldier he was vigilant, sagacious and brave. As a memorial of Illinois valor, one of the broken guns of the fort was sent to Gov. Yates, and is still preserved as a State relic.*

The following correspondence occurred in connection with its presentation: "His Excellency Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois:

"I have the honor to send you a broken Parrott piece, captured by the force under my command at Arkansas Post. The piece was broken by a shot from one of the guns of my batteries. Please accept it on behalf of the noble State you so worthily represent, as an humble testimonial of the esteem and admiration of the brave men whose valor wrested it as a trophy from the enemy. J. A. McCLERNAND, "Major-General Commanding."

"Maj. Gen. J. A. McClernand, Vicksburg, Miss.

"DEAR SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the broken Parrot gun captured by the army under your command at Arkansas Post, and to express my aeknowledgement in the name of the people therefor. It also gives me great pride and satisfaction to do so, from the fact that I regard the victory at Arkansas Post, gained under able and energetic generalship of a distinguished officer and citizen of Illinois, as second in importance and consequence only to Fort Donelson, in which that officer also prominently participated. Fort Donelson and Arkansas Post, dear general, I regard as the two great and positive victories of the war in the West. May your par ticipation in the third be equally prominent and attended by as substantial advantages and glorious results.

"With sentiments of respect and esteem, I am your most obedient servant. RICHARD YATES, Governor."

CHAPTER LXI.

1863-ILLINOIS IN THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGNS.

Battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills and Black River, Grierson's Raid-Siege and Capture of Vicksburg

McClernand next proposed to strike a blow at Little Rock, but Gen. Grant arriving at the fort a few days after the battle, ordered the army to Young's Point opposite the mouth of the Yazoo whither he arrived on the 29th of January, 1863. His forces, greatly strengthened by the addition of McPherson's corps from the river above, and the fleet under Commodore Porter, he was ready to resume more immediate operations for the reduction of Vicksburg. For this purpose it was necessary to get his army on the east side of the Mississippi and in the rear of the city, a feat which he found extremely difficult to perform. Five different expedients were tried, three of which were to get around the batteries on the Mississippi at Vicksburg, and two round those of the Yazoo at Haines' Bluff. The first was an attempt to complete the canal commenced by Gen. Williams, but unfortunately when nearly finished a flood in the Mississippi rendered it impracticable. The second was a canal from Millikin's Bend through a number of bayous communicating with the Tensas river, and thence to the Mississippi at New Carthage. The third was an inland passage by way of Lake Providence, the Tensas, Washita, Black and Red rivers. The 4th and most promising plan was to get from the Mississippi into the Yazoo above the batteries at Haines' Bluff through Moon Lake and the Coldwater and Tallahatchie rivers. The 5th was to effect a circuit of the Haines' Bluff batteries by way of Steel's bayou, connecting with the Yazoo 7 miles above its mouth thence by Black bayou, Dear Creek and Sunflower river to the Yazoo, some 60 miles above its mouth.

Such is the remarkable hydrographical character of the region in which the army was operating, that by cutting the levees of the Mississippi, and removing obstructions from the channels of bayous, passages could be opened for the advance of the gunboats and transports along the several routes mentioned. Vast labors were expended and the whole of February and March consumed in attempts to avoid the hostile batteries by these routes, and when in two or three instances success was almost attained, some unexpected or unavoidable obstacle intervened and they were all finally abandoned. A man of less determined fibre than Grant would have been overwhelmed by the repeated failures. Defeat, however, only nerved him for renewed exertions. When one expedient failed another was quickly substituted, and at length the city which had so long defied the approach of his army was laid under seige and compelled to surrender.

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The number of probable operations for its reduction was now reduced to one, that of moving the army on the west side of the river, crossing below the rebel fortifications and ascending on the Vicksburg side. The conception of this plan was easy, but its execution appalling. As a requisit gunboats and transports must descend the Mississippi in opposition to the hostile batteries to furnish facilities for crossing, and the army, when on the eastern side of the river, must cut itself off from its base of supplies and depend upon the contingency of beating the enemy in the field before another could be established. The commanding general unmoved by these perils, determined to hazard a trial. Accord ingly the 13th army corps, commanded by McClernand, consisting of 4 divisions in charge of Gens. Osterhaus, A. J. Smith, Carrand Hovey, and containing the 33d, 77th, 97th, 99th, 108th and 120th Illinois infantry, portions of the 2d and 3d Illinois cavalry and the Peoria and Chicago Mercantile batteries, on the 29th of March left Milliken's Bend above Vicksburg for New Carthage below. McPherson with the 17th corps, followed as fast as the imperfect roads would permit. Vast bogs intersected with bayous, were encountered, and it became necessary to construct causeways over the one and bridges over the other. Arriving at New Carthage it was found to be an island, the rebels having flooded the entire region round by cutting the adjacent levees of the Mississippi. Under these circumstances the march was continued to Grand Gulf farther down the river, where the lowest of the Vicksburg works was located.

In the meantime Porter was making preparations to execute the fearless enterprise of descending the river with a portion of the fleet. It being deemed best not to compel the crews of the boats designated for this purpose to accompany them, volunteers to man them were called for. Soon more men offered their services than could be accepted. Logan's division of the 17th corps, alone furnishing the number required. Of the 65 men furnished by the Illinois troops for this daring feat the 81st furnished 16, the 8th 14, the 45th 13, the 31st 9, the 20th 8, the 30th 4, and the 11th 1. It was arranged that 8 gunboats should proceed in single file down the river and engage the batteries, while 3 accompanying transports should pass unnoticed near the western shore. A little before midnight the boats with their lights concealed, moved like huge phantoms down the stream. Despite the attempt at concealment they were discovered and suddenly a sheet of flame, keeping pace with the advancing boats, flashed along the 8 mile of rebel batteries which lined the bank of the river. Simultaneously the fleet replied, and for miles distant the tor tuous windings of the Mississippi echoed with the thunders of artillery. It was hoped in the general commotion the frail transports might escape unobserved, but suddenly a huge bonfire threw a glare over the waters with such brilliancy that the most minute objects could be seen, and they soon became targets for the enemy's guns. From the effects of shot one of them was set on fire and soon became a mass of flame, while another was rendered unmanagable, but fortunately a gunboat towed it beyond the range of the bat teries without further injury. The rest of the fleet, although exposed for an hour to an incessant fire, passed through in safety, and with the exception of one killed and two wounded, the crews