companion and towed her out of range. The fight-one of the fiercest and most desperately contested naval engagements yet witnessed on the Western waters-was over.

"Throughout the action the Albatross fought with most unflinching gallantry, and her officers and crew deserve well of their country. She had seven men killed and wounded at her guns-three killed and four wounded, as near as I can ascertain. The Grand Duke and Mary T., according to the statement of two deserters, had sixty persons killed and wounded on the two boats."

The Hartford and the Albatross remained above Port Hudson until the surrender of that place, having, in the mean time, taken part in the bombardment of the batteries, during the unsuccessful attempts of General Banks to carry the enemy's works by assault. On the 11th of July, the two steamers arrived at New Orleans, where, after their adventurous cruise and long absence, they were received with acclamation.

Hudson was the greatest blow yet in-
flicted upon the enemy.
The occupa-
tion of the Mississippi River being thus
secured by the Union forces, the region.
of the insurgents was divided into two
parts, and their armies on the east
of the river severed from the great
sources of supply-Arkansas, Louisiana,
and Texas-on the west. The success
of the Northern arms on the Mississippi
caused great exultation at the North
and proportionate dejection at the South,
while the nations of Europe became
more impressed with the power and
vigor of the United States, and less con-
fident of the means of resistance of its
enemies.

The enemy, notwithstanding the capture of their strongholds at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and the consequent loss of the command of the Mississippi, strove by every effort to obstruct its navigation. The tortuous course of the great river, its length, and the formation of its banks, whose alternate marshes, cane-brakes, and bluffs offered Admiral Farragut, after aiding ready means of offence and shelter, in completing the victory at Port Hud- were favorable for skulking guerrilla son, by clearing the banks of the Missis- parties, who continued to infest the sippi at Donaldsonville and elsewhere, Mississippi and seriously impede the of the lingering enemy, returned to the passage of vessels. The Union fleet North, where he met a triumphant was constantly on the alert, but notreception. withstanding its vigilance, many lives. The capture of Vicksburg and Port and much property were destroyed.

CHAPTER IV.

General Rosecrans, after the Battle of Stone River.-His Advance Checked.-Delay in establishing a Basis of Opera tions and securing Communications -Rosecrans prepared to Advance.-Rosecrans' Movements in Middle Tennessee. His Report.-The Operations of the Enemy's Cavalry and Detached Parties.-The Enterprise of General Van Dorn.-His Attack on Franklin.-His Repulse.-General Morgan on the Move.-His Rout at Snow Hill. --- Success of Union Cavalry.-Woodward Recaptured.-Wheeler's Raids.-Destruction of Railroad.-Raid on the River.— Gun-boats Destroyed.- McMinnville Surprised by the Unionists.-Mrs. General John Morgan a Prisoner. - Escape of the General.-Unionists Capture Tuscumbia and Spring Hill.-The Success of Union Cavalry.-Death of Van Dorn.-Streight's Expedition.-Streight overtaken by Forrest, and forced to Surrender.

to Columbia and Spring Hill, where and Union men at about 18,000, inForrest was concentrated, and threaten-fantry and artillery; Hardee's at 12,000, ing Franklin. infantry and artillery-making a total of 30,000 of these arms, and probably 8,000 effective cavalry."

"The position of Bragg's infantry was covered by a range of high, rough, rocky hills, the principal routes passing southward from Murfreesboro' toward Tullahoma and the line of the enemy's communications.

cludes it, while the intermediate by-roads between that and Manchester were so difficult as to be regarded as unsuited for the movement of an army; and

"2. The Manchester pike passing these hills through Hoover's Gap, and ascending to the barrens' through a long, difficult canon called Matt's Hollow. "3. The Wartrace road through Liberty Gap, which passes into the one along the railroad by Bellbuckle Gap.

"4. The Shelbyville turnpike running through Guy's Gap.

"5. The Middleton dirt road.

After describing the position of the enemy, General Rosecrans thus narrates his own movements and their result : "Positive information from various

"1. By McMinnville it is seventy-five sources concurred to show the enemy miles to Tullahoma. Its length pre-intended to fight us in his intrenchments at Shelbyville, should we advance by that route, and that he would be in good position to retreat if beaten, and so retard our pursuit through the narrow winding roads from that place which lead up to the 'barrens,' and thus inflict severe loss without danger to their own line of retreat to the mountains toward their base. I was determined to render useless their intrenchments, and, if possible, secure their line of retreat by turning their right and moving on the railroad bridge across Elk River. This would compel a battle on our own ground, or drive them on a disadvantageous line of retreat. Το accomplish this it was necessary to make Bragg believe we could advance on him by the Shelbyville route, and to keep up the impression until, if possible, we had reached Manchester with the main body of the army, as this point must be reached over a single practicable road passing through Hoover's Gap, a narrow way three miles in length, between high hills, and then through Matt's Hollow, a gorge two miles long, with scarce room anywhere for wagons to pass each other. These passes were occupied by

"6. The road by Versailles, into the Shelbyville and Triune roads, both of which avoid passes and have few defiles.

"The enemy held all these passes, and his main position in front of Shelbyville was strengthened by a redan line extending from Horse Mountain on the east to Duck River on the west, covered by a line of abattis.

"Polk's corps was at Shelbyville. Hardee's headquarters was at Wartrace, and his troops held Hoover's, Liberty, and Bellbuckle gaps. Polk's corps was generally estimated by intelligent rebels

the enemy, but eight miles from Har-ville, to the vicinity of Bradyville; his dee's headquarters, nor more than six- advance to seize the head of the defile. teen miles from their left at Shelbyville. leading-up to the 'barrens' by an ob"The plan was, therefore, to move scure road leading them to Manchester General Granger's command to Triune, by Lumley's Station. All the other' and thus create the impression of our troops were ordered to be in readiness. intention to advance on them by the to march with twelve days' rations of Shelbyville and Triune pikes, while bread, coffee, sugar, and salt; six days' cavalry movements and an infantry meat on hoof, and six days' pork or advance toward Woodbury would seem bacon. General Mitchell accomplished to be feints designed by us to deceive his work after a sharp and gallant fight. Bragg and conceal our supposed real General Granger arrived and took posidesigns on their left, where the topog- tion at Salem in pursuance of orders. raphy and the roads presented comparatively slight obstacles and afforded great facilities for moving in force.

"Events proved that this had the desired effect; and accordingly Bragg called forward Buckner and all the spare troops at his command from East Tennessee and the lines of the railroads, the last of them arriving on the very evening they began their retreat from their position in front of Duck River. The operations which followed these successful preliminaries were as follows:

"On the 23d of June, Major-General Granger, under orders, sent General Mitchell, with his cavalry division, on the Eagleville and Shelbyville pike, to make a furious attack on the enemy's cavalry and drive in their infantry guards on their main line, while General Granger, with his own troops and Brannan's division, moved, with ten days' rations, to Salem, sending his sick and baggage to the camps at Murfreesboro'. On the same day Palmer's division and a brigade of cavalry were ordered to move, via Cripple Creek and Ready

"The corps commanders met at headquarters in the evening, when the plan of the movement was explained to them, and each received written orders for his part, as follows:

66

Major-General McCook's corps was to advance on the Shelbyville road, turn to the left, move two divisions by Millersburg, and, advancing on the Wartrace road, seize and hold Liberty Gap. The third division was to advance on Fosterville and cover the crossing of General Granger's command from the Middleton road, and then move by Christiana to join the rest of the corps.

General G. Granger was to advance on the Middleton road, threatening that place, and cover the passing of General Brannan's division of the fourteenth corps, which was to pass by Christiana and bivouac with the rear division of the twentieth corps.

"The fourteenth corps, Major-General Thomas, was to advance on the Manchester pike, seize and hold with its advance, if practicable, Hoover's Gap, and bivouac so as to command and