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Profile of Canal across Burey's Point, opposite Vicksburg. |
On the 4th of July
General Williams reported:--
Have arrived at Vicksburg.
On June 25 commenced running and levelling the line of the cut-off canal, and on the morning of the 27th broke ground.
Between eleven and twelve hundred negroes, gathered from the neighboring plantations by armed parties, are engaged on the work.
With the hard-working twelve hundred negro force engaged and this prospect of a rise we are in good heart.
The project is a great one, and worthy of success.
In the next three days we expect to be ready for the waters of the Mississippi.
The fleets of Flag-Officers Farragut and Davis are waiting for the result with great interest.
Seven of Flag-Officer Farragut's vessels, having passed Vicksburg at four in the morning of the 28th, without silencing the batteries of the town, are anchored with Flag-Officer Davis' fleet of six mortar boats and four gunboats on the west side of Barney's Point.
Again on the 6th of July, he reported as follows:--
To-day's work of the negro force on the cut-off, duly organized into squads of twenty,with an intelligent non-commissioned officer or private to each, superintended by officers, is highly satisfactory.
The flag-officer with his fleet is most sanguine and even enthusiastic.
I regard the cut-off to be my best bower.
