Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... Eighteen days only had passed since the Union army crossed the Mississippi at Grand Gulf. During the time, the troops had marched two hundred miles, defeated the Confederates at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, and Big Black, capturing eighty-eight cannon, inflicting great losses upon Pemberton. They bad only five days' rations, but bad picked up wbat food they could find in the country. It was a great risk which General Grant took to cut himself loose from all supplies. But he had faith in his men, and, best of all, faith in himself. With what energy he pushed on! The battle of Big Black was fought on Sunday morning. It was over by nine o'clock, the Confederate troops fleeing west to Vicksburg, twelve miles. General Grant had only one pontoon train, and Sherman was using it. He reached the Big Black at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon, and at sunset was ready to cross. General McPherson set his soldiers to tearing down a cotton-gin and THF. ATTACK UPON VICKSBITRC1 ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY. felling trees. Through the afternoon there was a clattering of axes, men lifting timber, building cribs in the river, filling them with bales of cotton, laying stringers with plank upon them, building two bridges before midnight. On the morning of the 18th Sherman was across the Big Black, pushing north-west to hold the right of the line and opening communication with the fleet; McPherson was across, and pushing due west; McClernand was swinging south-west--all closing in upon Pemberton. General Grant knew nothing of the country, only that the Big Bayou, rising in the hills north-east of Vicksburg, ran south, and emptied into the Mississippi below the city; that the country was much broken; that there were ravines, hills, gullies, ..
