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Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, Headquarters moved to Holly Springs-General McClernand in command-assuming command at Young's Point-operations above Vicksburg- fortifications about Vicksburg-the canal- Lake Providence-operations at Yazoo pass (search)
McPherson, stationed with his corps at Lake Providence, to cut the levee at that point. If successful in opening a channel for navigation by this route, it would carry us to the Mississippi River through the mouth of the Red River, just above Port Hudson and four hundred miles below Vicksburg by the river. Lake Providence is a part of the old bed of the Mississippi, about a mile from the present channel. It is six miles long and has its outlet through Bayou Baxter, Bayou Macon, and the Tensas, Washita and Red Rivers. The last three are navigable streams at all seasons. Bayous Baxter and Macon are narrow and tortuous, and the banks are covered with dense forests overhanging the channel. They were also filled with fallen timber, the accumulation of years. The land along the Mississippi River, from Memphis down, is in all instances highest next to the river, except where the river washes the bluffs which form the boundary of the valley through which it winds. Bayou Baxter, as i
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 19 (search)
paddling them across the bayou with the butts of their carbines, hastened to occupy the town. Hot pursuit of the fugitive enemy was soon after made by another portion of cavalry, who swam their horses over the bayou. Seven of the enemy were wounded, four of whom fell into our hands. This spirited and successful attack was consummated under my own observation, and effectually cut off the supplies which were wont to be transported through Richmond from the rich tracts traversed by the Tensas River and Bayou Macon to Vicksburgh. On the night of the third a bridge two hundred feet in length, made of logs taken from houses, was thrown across Roundaway Bayou at Richmond, by the pioneer corps, under Capt. Patterson. This was the work of twenty-four hours, and a way being thus opened, the remainder of General Osterhaus's division was rapidly moved forward and so disposed as to cover and hold the only practicable land route between Milliken's Bend and Smith's plantation, two miles nor
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 104 (search)
Doc. 102.-expedition up Red River. Report of Admiral Porter. United States Mississippi Squadron. Flag-ship Black Hawk, off Vicksburgh, July 18, 1863. sir: I have the honor to inform you that the expedition I sent into the Red River region proved very successful. Ascending the Black and Tensas Rivers, (running parallel with the Mississippi,) Lieutenant Commanding Selfridge made the head of navigation — Tensas Lake and Bayou Macon, thirty miles above Vicksburgh, and within five or six miles of the Mississippi River. The enemy were taken completely by surprise, not expecting such a force in such a quarter. The rebels that have ascended to that region will be obliged to move further back from the river, if not to go away altogether. Lieutenant Commanding Selfridge divided his force on finding that the transports, which had been carrying stores to Walker's army, had escaped up some of the narrow streams. He sent the Mainton and Rattler up the Little Red River, (a small
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 22: the siege of Vicksburg. (search)
canal project was a failure. In the mean time General Grant had employed others of his now redundant troops in preparing another way to reach the vitals of the Vicksburg defenses. It was by cutting a channel from the western shore of the Mississippi, forty or fifty miles above Vicksburg, across a narrow neck of land into Lake Providence, from which there was a continuous water communication to the great river, far below the city to be assailed, through bayous Baxter and Macon, and the Tensas River, as also into the Washita and Red rivers. This would be a long and tedious way by which to reach the Mississippi, and the chief object to be gained in opening it was the establishment of a communication with General Banks, in command of the Department of the Gulf, to whom had been assigned the duty of reducing Port Hudson, below. Another side cut was attempted from Milliken's Bend into bayous that connected with the eastern branch of the Tensas, and so through other bayous with the Miss
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 26: siege of Vicksburg. (search)
ant being anxious to get transports past Vicksburg, determined to try the ditch again, and had dredges brought down to work on it. It was hoped that when the river rose it would cut its way through, but that wished for event did not come to pass until after the fall of Vicksburg. The enemy mounted heavy guns opposite the mouth of the canal, and prevented any work upon it. General Grant now hit upon a new expedient — which was to deepen Lake Providence. This Lake communicated with the Tensas River (a deep stream), and the Tensas emptied into the Washita, and this latter into the Red River — thus forming a beautiful system of inland navigation which if properly opened and intelligently directed would have been of great service to the country bordering on the rivers mentioned. But it was not to be, the engineers were not successful. Several transports were taken in, but there were miles of forest to work through and trees to be cut down. The swift current drove the steamers agains
Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 30: (search)
k on the rams. If the Arkansas, which ran the gauntlet of Farragut and Davis' squadrons, was a specimen of the iron-clad that could be built at Yazoo City, the Federals had cause to congratulate themselves that the Yazoo was open by the evacuation of Haines' Bluff, and the last attempt of the Confederates to carry on naval operations in that quarter abandoned. At the same time that the expedition was sent up the Yazoo another was dispatched up the Red River, ascending the Black and Tensas Rivers. Lieutenant-Commander Selfridge penetrated to the head of navigation on the latter stream, at Tensas Lake and Bayou Macon, thirty miles above Vicksburg, and within five or six miles of the Mississippi River. Parties of the enemy's riflemen were in the habit of crossing this narrow strip of land and firing upon transports passing up and down the Mississippi, sometimes killing women and children who happened to be on board. Quite a large force of Confederates were assembled in that qua
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume II., chapter 14 (search)
t abatis forbade egress therefrom on the enemy's side, that to attempt its passage was certain destruction. Nevertheless, Stuart made his dispositions, and was ready to tempt the desperate hazard so soon as Morgan should do likewise. Still farther to the right was A. J. Smith's division, whereof Burbridge's brigade arrived about noon on the 27th; having been dispatched Dec. 21-22. from Milliken's Bend by Sherman to break up the (uncompleted) Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad at the Tensas river, burn several long bridges and trestles, and destroy the cotton, corn, &c., there held for the Confederacy — an order which it had thoroughly obeyed. It was now pushed forward to the bayou, with instructions to cannonade the Rebel defenses opposite, while its infantry should hastily construct rafts and cross; A. J. smith's 2d (Landrum's) brigade holding a key position to the right and rear, having its pickets pushed forward into the abatis in front, with Vicksburg in plain view on its ri
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9. (ed. Frank Moore), chapter 89 (search)
ion during our occupation of that country. While at Brashear City, I had received a despatch from Admiral Farragut, by Mr. Gabaudau, his secretary, informing me that General Grant would send twenty thousand men by the first of May, through the Tensas, Black, and Red Rivers, for the purpose of uniting with us in the reduction of Port Hudson. It was felt that this reenforcement was necessary, and would secure the speedy reduction of that position. On reaching Alexandria, I received two despatssy down Bayou De Glaize to Simmsport. Mouton's division, consisting of Polignac's and Grey's brigades, was divided--one brigade near Alexandria, and the other on its way to Alexandria: from Trinity (the junction of the Ouachita, Little, and Tensas Rivers) Banks was organizing his expedition at Berwick's Bay. Colonel Vincent, with the Second Louisiana cavalry and a battery, was near Opelousas, watching him. General Liddell, with a brigade of cavalry and several batteries, was near Monroe, watc
Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Regimental Histories, Missouri Volunteers. (search)
ge of Jackson July 10-17. Ordered to District of Natchez, Miss., August 15. Assigned to garrison duty at post of Vidalia till April, 1864. Action at Vidalia September 14, 1863. Expedition to Trinity November 15-16. Expedition to Tensas River February 2-3, 1864. Repulse of Gen. Polignac's threatened attack on Vidalia February 17, 1864. Expedition to Tensas River March 10-11. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., April 3-5, and duty there till May 9. Expedition to Big Black River BTensas River March 10-11. Moved to Vicksburg, Miss., April 3-5, and duty there till May 9. Expedition to Big Black River Bridge May 9-16. Camp at Vicksburg till July 1. Pearl River Expedition July 1-10. Guard pontoon train at Big Black River July 3-9. Moved to Morganza July 28-30, thence to Port Hudson, La., August 23-24. Expedition to Clinton August 24-27. Moved to Morganza August 28, and to mouth of White River, Ark., September 3-8. Duty there till October 18. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., October 18-19. At Fort Pickering, Memphis, till October 28. Moved to mouth of White River, Ark., Oct
Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3. (ed. Henry Coppee , LL.D.), Book II:—--the Mississippi. (search)
form the tributaries of Amite River, discharging their contents into the vast sheet of water called Lake Pontchartrain. At the west the line of bayous, meeting with no resistance, is much more developed, existing for a distance of about six hundred miles in a straight line from the first infiltrations which are formed near Cape Girardeau, across the lake and the river St. Francis, the marshes of Helena, the White River, the mouths of the Arkansas, the Bayou Macon, the Washita River, the Tensas River, and part of Red River, as far as the long and tortuous channel of Atchafalaya (signifying in the Indian language the lost waters); which channel, in fact, loses itself among the neighboring lakes and swamps of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these channels are deep and navigable. Could they not be made available for surmounting the obstacles which obstructed the Yazoo and the Mississippi? Grant and Porter determined to make the attempt at three different points at once, and set to work
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