rolls to this office, and you will be received into the service with all the protection and rights belonging to other soldiers in the field.

Ammunition will be furnished you, and every aid in my power extended to you for your security and efficiency.

Fathers, brothers, Mississippians-while your sons and kindred arc bravely fighting your battles on other fields, and shedding new lustre on your name, the burning disgrace of successful invasion of their homes, of insult and injury to their wives, mothers, and sisters, of rapine and ruin, with God's help and by your assistance, shall never be written while a Mississippian lives to feel in his proud heart the scorching degradation.

Every moment's inaction and delay but strengthens your enemy and weakens your brothers in arms. Let every man, then, make it his business, laying all else aside, to assist in organizing as many companies as can be raised in each county, and report immediately to this office for orders. By this course you will enable our arms in a short time to repel the invader, secure the safety of your homes, and shed imperishable honor on your cause. You will not be without assistance. Let no man forego the proud distinction of being one of his country's defenders, or hereafter wear the disgraceful badge of the dastardly traitor who refused to defend his home and his country.

JOHN J. PETTUS, Governor of Mississippi.

General Grant's plans had been too carefully studied and followed out, to be thwarted by any suddenly improvised forces that the Governor could then raise.

On the morning of the 7th of May, a general advance was ordered by General Grant. The Thirteenth Army Corps was directed to move along the ridge road from Wilton Springs; the Seventeenth Army Corps was to keep the road nearest the Black River to Rocky Springs; and the Fifteenth Army Corps was to divide in two parts and follow. All the ferries were closely guarded until the troops were well advanced, to prevent surprise on the flanks, and also to mislead the enemy as to the intention of the movement.

Before the troops were started on this march, the following congratulatory order was read at the head of every regiment:

HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF THE TE, NESSEE, IN THE FIELD, }

Soldiers of the Army of Tennessee:

FERRY, May 7th.

Once more I thank you for adding another victory to the long list of those previously won by your valor and endurance. The triumph gained over the enemy near Port Gibson, on the 1st, was one of the most important of the war. The capture of five cannon and more than one thousand prisoners, the possession of Grand Gulf, and a firm foothold on the highlands between the Big Black and Bayou Pierre, from whence we threaten the whole line of the enemy, are among the fruits of this brilliant achievement.

The march from Milliken's Bend to the point opposite Grand Gulf was made in stormy weather, over the worst of roads. Bridges and ferries had to be constructed. Moving by night as well as by day, with labor incessant, and extraordinary privations endured by men and officers, such as have been rarely paralleled in any campaign, not a murmur of complaint has been uttered. A few days continuance of the same zeal and constancy will secure to this army crowning victories over the rebellion.

More difficulties and privations are before us; let us endure them manfully. Other battles are to be fought; let us fight them bravely. A grateful country will rejoice at our success, and history will record it with immortal honor. U. S. GRANT, Major-General Commanding.

It appears from General Grant's official report of the Vicksburg Campaign, that it had been his intention, while at Hawkinson's Ferry, to have moved the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Army Corps in such a manner as to hug the Black River as closely as possible, in order that they might be able to strike the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad at some point between Edwards's Station and Bolton. The Seventeenth Army Corps was to move by way of Utica to Raymond, thence to Jackson, at which place, and in its vicinity, it was intended that the railroad, telegraph, public stores, etc., should be destroyed, after which the corps was to move west and rejoin the main army.

The following is an account of the primary movements of the army, by one who took part in its operations from its organization to the capitulation of Vicksburg:

On Thursday, the 7th of May, General McPherson, commanding the Seventeenth Army Corps, moved his troops to Rocky Springs, and his camp was occupied next day by General Sherman, with the Fifteenth Army Corps. On Saturday, the 9th, General McPherson again moved to the eastward, to the village of Utica, crossing the road occupied by the Thirteenth Army Corps under General McClernand, and leaving the latter on his left. On Sunday morning, the 10th, General McClernand marched to Five Mile Creek, and encamped on the south bank at noon, on account of broken bridges, which were repaired the same day. On Monday morning, the 11th, General Sherman's Corps came up, passed. General McClernand's, and encamped that night at the village of Auburn, about ten miles south of Edwards's Station, which is on a portion of the railroad from Vicksburg to Jackson. As soon as it passed, General McClernand's corps followed a few miles, and then took a road going obliquely to the left, leading to Hall's Ferry, on the Big Black River. Thus on Monday evening, May 11th, General McClernand was at Hall's Ferry; General Sherman was at Auburn, six or eight miles to the northeast, and General McPherson was about eight miles still further to the northeast, a few miles north of Utica. The whole formed an immense line of battle; Sherman's Corps being in the centre, with those of McPherson and McClernand forming the right and left wings. It will be observed, also, that a change of front had been effected. From Grand Gulf the army marched eastward; but, by these last movements, it had swung on the left as a pivot, and fronted nearly northward.

Up to this the enemy had not appeared on our line of march. On Tuesday morning, May 12th, General McClernand's advance drove in the enemy's pickets near Hall's Ferry, and brisk skirmishing ensued for an hour or two, with little loss to either side. By noon the rebels had disappeared from his front, and seven wounded and none killed was the total Union loss. General Sherman put Steele's Division in motion early in the morning, and came upon the enemy at the crossing of Fourteen Mile creek, four miles from Auburn. The cavalry advance was fired into from the thick woods that skirt the stream, and was unable, owing to the nature of the ground, to make a charge or clear the rebels from their position. A battery was taken to the front, supported by the two infantry regiments, and threw a few shell into the bushy undergrowth skirting the stream which gave them cover. Skirmishers was thrown out and advanced to the creek, driving the enemy slowly. A brigade was thrown to the right and left flanks,

when the rebel forces, mainly cavalry, withdrew towards Raymond. The bridge was burned during the skirmish; but a crossing was constructed in two hours, and trains were passing before noon.*

General Grant was not behind his troops; but as they advanced, he continually changed his head-quarters and his line of communications, keeping with the centre of the army for the purpose of better directing the movements of his three columns.

When he had advanced far enough into the field to be sure of his position, he sent the following telegraphic message to the government at Washington:

IN THE FIELD, May 11, 1863.

To Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

My force will be this evening as far advanced along Fourteen Mile Creek, the left near Black River, and extending in a line nearly east and west, as they can get without bringing on a general engagement. I shall communicate with Grand Gulf no more, except it becomes necessary to send a train with a heavy escort.

You may not hear from me again for several days.

U. S. GRANT, Major-General.

The foregoing dispatch plainly sets forth that General Grant in his plans had intended to cut an opening through the enemy's lines, and communicate with the General-inchief by a more northern route. When the dispatch was sent from General Grant, he plainly foresaw the success of this plan, and as he personally superintended all the movements of his army, and had not to depend upon any other outside co-operation than that of the fleet, he doubtless felt sure he could not fail through any lack of proper combination at the right time. He also, by breaking up this line of communication by way of Grand Gulf, prevented the enemy from cutting off his supplies, and he

Army correspondence

had taken the precaution to have with him all that was needed until he was ready to open up the new line by the Yazoo.

The Fifteenth Army Corps moved forward on the Edwards Station road, and crossed the Fourteen Mile Creek at Dillon's plantation. The Thirteenth Army Corps crossed the same Creek, some short distance further west, making a demonstration along the road towards Bald win's Ferry, as if to advance upon Vicksburg or Warrenton by that route.

While crossing the Fourteen Mile Creek, both corps had to skirmish considerably with the enemy in order to gain possession of the right of way; but under the persistent attacks of the determined Union troops, the rebels had to give way, and the Union army moved towards the railroad in splendid order.

In the meantime the Seventeenth Army Corps was steadily advancing upon Raymond, but met with no small opposition from the rebels, who were stationed in two brigades under Generals Gregg and Walker, at a point of the road about two miles southwest of that village. General Logan's Division came upon the rebel troops, estimated at about ten thousand, posted on Fondren's Creek, at ten o'clock on Tuesday morning, May 12th, and brisk skirmishing began at once, followed by a general engagement. The enemy (as in front of General Sherman) was almost wholly concealed at first by the woods bordering the stream, behind which their forces were posted. Their artillery was on an eminence that commanded the approach, and the Union troops had to cross an open field, exposed to a terrible fire. The First and Second Brigades were in the thickest of the contest, and suffered most. After three hours' hard fighting, the enemy withdrew sullenly in two columns, the principal one taking the road to Jackson.