168

FARRAGUT'S OPERATIONS AT VICKSBURG.

he did on June 1. On reaching there he was ordered to renew the attack, and adopted immediate measures to comply. In the meantime, however, the Confederates had taken advantage of his absence, had planted some more batteries, and were better able to cope with his fleet than ever before. Farragut reached Vicksburg about June 25 accompanied by Porter with 16 mortar boats and by General Thomas Williams with 3,000 troops and 2 batteries. Farragut had also 3 vessels of war and 7 gunboats carrying in all 106 guns. Opposing the Union land forces were 16,000 Confederate troops under General Earl Van Dorn, and the Confederates had also 40 heavy guns in position to oppose the Union fleet. On reaching Vicksburg Williams' brigade was landed on the Louisiana shore and with the aid of 1,200 negroes began digging a canal across the peninsula opposite the city. With his 106 guns and Porter's 16 mortar vessels Farragut attacked the Confederate batteries, but they were so high that little or no damage was inflicted. Having failed to silence the batteries, Farragut with 2 vessels and 5 gunboats ran the batteries on June 28. The fire lasted about two hours and his loss was 15 killed and 42 wounded, but he inflicted no damage on the Confederate works.* Meanwhile the Union fleet under Captain C. H. Davis had descended the

Mississippi and on July 1 joined Farragut above Vicksburg, at the mouth of the Yazoo River. A sudden rise in the river destroyed the canal being constructed by Williams, who then proposed to return to Baton Rouge. Before the embarkation commenced, however, a startling accident took place on July 15. Early in May the Confederate ram Arkansas had been carried up the Yazoo River. Knowing this, early on the morning of July 15 some light gunboats of Davis' flotilla were sent up the Yazoo to obtain information regarding the Arkansas and if possible to destroy her. Unexpectedly the Union gunboats encountered the Arkansas, now iron-clad and mounting 10 guns. The Union gunboats retreated, closely followed by the Arkansas. Not one of Farragut's vessels having steam up the Confederate ram passed through the entire fleet and proceeded without injury to the shelter of the batteries at Vicksburg.* Farragut was much chagrined at this and determined to repass the batteries the same evening, intending to bombard and destroy the ram in passing. passed the batteries in safety but the darkness prevented the destruction of the ram which received no damage. In this passage Farragut lost 20 killed and wounded.† On July 20 Farragut received orders to return to New Orleans and after Williams had

He

Maclay, pp. 412-419; Battles and Leaders, vol. iii., p. 572 et seq.; Greene, pp. 23-24. Maclay, pp. 419-421.

170

THE ENGAGEMENT AT ST. CHARLES.

started to meet the army under Curtis and open communication with it. This expedition consisted of the gunboats St. Louis, Lexington, Conestoga, and Mound City, and the 46th Indiana regiment under Colonel Graham N. Fitch. The fleet reached the mouth of the White River 170 miles below Memphis on June 14, and while cautiously ascending the river on the 17th suddenly came upon the Confederate works on a high bluff on the south side of the river in the vicinity of St. Charles, Arkansas, about 85 miles from the Mississippi. On learning of the approach of the Union vessels, the Confederates sunk the gunboat Maurepas across the channel and transferred her guns to the shore-battery. On June 17 a detachment of Federal troops landed below the bluffs, and the gunboats opened the attack upon the Confederate position, the Mound City leading; when she was within 600 yards of the shore a 42-pound shell entered her casemate and exploded her steamdrum; badly crippled she was towed out of action by the Conestoga, and the other boats continued the attack. The commanding officer of the land forces very shortly

signaled them to stop firing, and the troops successfully stormed the Confederate battery. The Confederate loss was 6 killed, 1 wounded, and 8 missing; the most serious Federal loss was on the Mound City, the majority of her crew being killed by the escaping steam, or in consequence of jumping into the river. Of 175, only 3 officers and 22 men were saved. As there were no Confederate works farther up the river, this action gave control of the White River to the Federals. The expedition was unsuccessful, however, failing to open communications with Curtis. After some skirmishing with the Confederates, and having destroyed some ferry boats at the mouth of the Arkansas, Curtis returned to Helena and in September was appointed to the command of the Department of Missouri, consisting of the States of Missouri and Arkansas and the adjacent Indian Territory. Helena continued to be occupied by the Union troops, but active operations were suspended. This closed General Curtis' campaign.

Mahan, The Gulf and Inland Waters, p. 50; Battles and Leaders, vol. iii., pp. 552-553; Greene, The Mississippi, pp. 17-18.