Rebel Victory at Vicksburg

By Edwin C. Bearss

Originally published in 1963, Rebel Victory at Vicksburg by renowned American Civil War and World War II historian Edwin C. Bearss details the Confederate victory. Told with great power and imagery, this book will make an invaluable addition to any historian’s collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Papamoa Press
• Release date: Apr 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781789121162

Edwin C. Bearss

Edwin C. Bearss was a world-renowned military historian, author, preservationist, and tour guide best known for his work on the Civil War. The grievously wounded World War II Marine served as the Chief Historian for both Vicksburg National Military Park and the National Park Service, authored dozens of books and articles, and led scores of tours each year. Ed helped discover and raise the Union gunboat USS Cairo from the Yazoo River, now on display at Vicksburg National Military Park. Ed passed away at the age of 97.

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Text originally published in 1963 under the same title.

© Papamoa Press 2017, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

REBEL VICTORY AT VICKSBURG

by

EDWIN C. BEARSS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

DEDICATION 4

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5

MAP ILLUSTRATIONS 6

INTRODUCTION 7

Chapter I — BATON ROUGE SURRENDERS 9

Chapter II — NATCHEZ FALLS; THE FLEET PUSHES ON 20

Chapter III — THE CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES REFUSE TO SURRENDER VICKSBURG 32

Chapter IV — THE CONFEDERATES SEEK TO BLOCKADE PALMER’S SQUADRON 52

Chapter V — FARRAGUT RETURNS TO THE HILL CITY 62

Chapter VI — The Confederates Gird for the Test 88

Chapter VII — FARRAGUT PASSES THE BATTERIES 107

Chapter VIII — THE FEDERALS MARK TIME 139

Chapter IX — THE ARKANSAS COMES OUT 172

Chapter X — THE YANKEES RECOIL FROM VICKSBURG 204

REFERENCES 236

BIBLIOGRAPHY 237

Manuscript Sources 237

Newspapers 237

Printed Sources 237

Regimental Histories, Soldiers’ Memoirs, Personal Reminiscences, Etc. 239

APPENDIX 240

ORDER OF BATTLE — Confederate Forces Engaged in the Defense of Vicksburg May 18-July 28, 1862 240

ORDER OF BATTLE — Union Army Units Engaged in the Attack on Vicksburg May 18-July 24, 1862 242

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 243

DEDICATION

To my wife, family, and friends who have suffered through many years of the Civil War, I gratefully dedicate this volume.

Ed Bearss

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am deeply grateful to:

My wife, Margie Riddle Bearss, for her proofreading, criticism and help,

James W. Holland, Regional Historian for the National Park Service, Richmond, Virginia, for reading the manuscript and making comments and suggestions,

Ken Watkins of Little Rock for reading the manuscript and indexing,

Mrs. Laura Chappell of Manteo, N. C., Mrs. Eunice Simmons, Mrs. Florence Bori, Mrs. Betty Gentry, and Miss Charlie Sue Gartman of Vicksburg for typing,

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Vicksburg Public Library—especially Miss Mary Sherard for putting up with my many requests for books from the Library of Congress,

John R. Peacock of High Point, North Carolina, for the loan of many books from his personal library,

William E. Geoghegan of the Smithsonian Institution for the answers to numerous questions regarding ship construction and nomenclature,

Captain Victor Gondos and the personnel of the National Archives for searching the files for unpublished source materials,

B. R. Adams of Shreveport, Louisiana, for drawing the maps,

The National Park Service for use of their source material and their encouragement,

Albert Banton and the personnel of the Vicksburg National Military Park for their co-operation,

And to the Mississippi Commission on the War Between the States, the Vicksburg Centennial Commemoration Association, and especially to the chairman of the Mississippi Commission on the War Between the States, Mayor John Holland of Vicksburg.

MAP ILLUSTRATIONS

New Orleans to Baton Rouge

Port Hudson to Natchez

Coles Creek to Vicksburg

Union Advance on Vicksburg

Farragut Passes the Batteries

The Arkansas Comes Out

INTRODUCTION

The importance of the Mississippi Valley, the great Heartland of North America, was readily apparent to strategists in the North and South. To protect the Mississippi Valley the Confederate high command in the late summer of 1861 established a defense line with its left flank anchored on the Mississippi at Columbus, Kentucky, its center on Bowling Green, and its right on Cumberland Gap. Two forts, Henry on the Tennessee River and Donelson on the Cumberland River, were erected and manned. The Confederate leaders hoped these two strongholds would close the two rivers to an advance by a Union amphibious force. In southwestern Missouri, a Confederate army led by Major-General Sterling Price guarded the Granby lead mines.

On the Mississippi River south of Columbus, the Confederates threw up fortifications at Island No. 10, and on the Chickasaw Bluffs north of Memphis. If the ocean-going navy should attempt to enter the mouth of the Mississippi, it would have to fight its way past Forts St. Philip and Jackson, seventy miles below New Orleans.

In May 1861, Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott began maturing plans for a movement down the Mississippi. The conquest of the great valley was already the subject of considerable discussion in the press. Finally, it was decided to strike from two directions. Plans were laid for a massive converging attack. One force (the army supported by river gunboats) would descend the Mississippi, while another task force (the deep-water navy supported by the army) would ascend the river from its mouth. Between these two forces, if all went as planned, the Confederacy would be cut in two.

At Belmont, Missouri, on November 7, 1861, occurred the first significant clash in the Union drive to wrestle control of the Mississippi Valley from the Confederates. In this battle, a force under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant captured the Confederate camp opposite Columbus. The timely arrival of Southern reinforcements turned the tide against the Federals. Grant’s troops were driven back to their transports, which carried them back to their base of operations at Cairo, Illinois. Grant’s attack on Belmont was designed to cover a campaign by other Union forces to drive Jeff Thompson’s Confederates out of southeast Missouri. In addition, the engagement at Belmont has some significance since it was Grant’s first important independent command.

The Confederate force covering Cumberland Gap was routed in the Battle of Mill Springs on January 19. Following this disaster, the army charged with covering the Confederate right in the Mississippi Valley was compelled to fall back to Cumberland Gap. The next blow fell on the Confederate center. In January 1862, Major-General Henry W. Halleck (who commanded the Department of the Missouri) strongly endorsed a plan of operations that called for an amphibious thrust up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. Halleck pointed out that by the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson the Federals would be able to outflank the Confederate stronghold at Columbus. The large Confederate garrison would either have to evacuate or stand siege.

In consequence of this decision on Halleck’s part, Grant moved up the Tennessee River. Fort Henry was captured by the navy on February 6, Grant then attacked Fort Donelson, which surrendered ten days later. The results of these great victories were quickly apparent. The Confederates were forced to evacuate Middle Tennessee, including Nashville. Halleck’s opinion regarding Columbus was verified, when the Southerners also gave up that stronghold.

While Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and Pierre G. T. Beauregard strove to establish a new Confederate defense line anchored in the west on Island No. 10, they learned that the Confederate army in northwest Arkansas had been defeated at Pea Ridge. Thus, the initial Southern defense line in the west had collapsed.

Within the next several weeks a Union amphibious force (the army under Major-General John Pope, and the river gunboats commanded by Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote) closed in on Island No. 10. In the meantime, General Halleck had General Grant, now a major general, mass his army at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. There, he would await the arrival of Major-General Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio, which was advancing cross-country from Nashville. When Buell’s army reached Pittsburg Landing, the combined armies under Halleck’s direction would advance and capture Corinth.

Following the withdrawal from Middle Tennessee, General Johnston gathered his troops for the defense of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Corinth, because of its strategic location (The only east-west railroad in the Confederacy, the Memphis and Charleston intersected the vital Mobile and Ohio Railroad there. Furthermore, it was within 20 miles of Pittsburg Landing where Grant’s army was camped.), became for several weeks the most important military point in the South. Since Johnston had called in troops from all parts of his vast department, he designated Corinth as his point of concentration.

Learning of the approach of Buell, the Confederate leaders (Johnston and Beauregard) determined to beat the Federals to the punch. On April 6 they attacked Grant’s army prior to Buell’s arrival. A desperate battle ensued. Johnston was killed. About nightfall, the Confederates’ attacks were brought to a standstill. Next day, Grant’s army augmented by Buell’s Army of the Ohio counterattacked, driving the Confederates from the field. Frustrated in their endeavor to hurl the Yankees back into the Tennessee River, the Southerners fell back to Corinth. On the same day (April 7) as the Confederates retreated from the bloody field at Shiloh, the 7,000 defenders of Island No. 10 surrendered to General Pope.

Halleck now arrived at the front from St. Louis. He took active charge of operations, with Grant becoming his second in command. Pope’s army which was preparing to attack Fort Pillow, the next Confederate stronghold south of Island No. 10, was transferred to the Corinth area. Halleck soon assembled an army of about 120,000 men and commenced a slow and methodical investment of Corinth.

Chapter I — BATON ROUGE SURRENDERS

Early in the spring of 1862, Flag Officer David G. Farragut’s formidable ocean-going fleet (five sloops-of-war, three corvettes, and nine gunboats) entered the Mississippi River. Twenty mortar-schooners (each mounting one giant XIII-inch mortar), with a supporting flotilla of six gunboats, joined Farragut’s squadron. Aggressive, bombastic Commander David D. Porter was in charge of the Mortar Flotilla.

The sailors aboard the mortar-schooners opened fire on Forts St. Philip and Jackson on April 18. Porter’s mortar-schooners maintained a round-the-clock bombardment of the two forts for six days and nights.

By the night of the 23rd, the Union naval officers were satisfied that the prolonged shelling had softened up the Confederate defenses. At 2 a.m. on April 24, Farragut’s fleet cast off. Fighting their way past the forts, the Union warships smashed the Confederate River Defense Fleet. Continuing up the river, Farragut’s fleet anchored off New Orleans at noon on the 25th. The largest city in the South was at the mercy of the big naval guns. Since the Confederate military had withdrawn from the city, Mayor John T. Monroe had only one choice. Yielding to force, he surrendered New Orleans to the naval officers.

Forts St. Philip and Jackson which had been bypassed by Farragut’s dash up the Mississippi were surrendered to Commander Porter on April 28. This enabled the transports with Major-General Benjamin F. Butler’s bluecoated soldiers to ascend the river. Butler reached New Orleans by the evening of May 1. Following Butler’s arrival, Farragut turned the city over to the army.

With the army in possession of New Orleans, Farragut’s hands were now free. He would be able to push up the Mississippi River. If all went according to plan, Farragut’s ocean-going fleet would meet the Union ironclad squadron which was known to be fighting its way down the Mississippi. When and if this occurred, the Confederacy would be cut in two. The Mississippi River from its source to its mouth would again be under the stars and stripes.

Farragut, on May 2, summoned all his ship commanders to a staff meeting aboard the flagship Hartford. As soon as all the officers had assembled, Farragut announced that he wanted to send three or four vessels up to Vicksburg at once, to destroy the railroad. Next, the flag officer inquired, Who is ready to go, right off?

Captain Thomas T. Craven, a senior officer whose white hair and grizzled whiskers betokened many years at sea, replied, "The Brooklyn."

The captains of the gunboats Sciota and Winona echoed Craven’s sentiments. Another old seadog, Commander James Alden, informed Farragut that his ship, the powerful sloop-of-war Richmond, would not be able to cast off until the next day. Two other gunboats, the Pinola and the Itasca, were also reported as being ready to sail on the 3rd.

Satisfied with this response, Farragut turned to Craven and said, "I want you to start right off. Go up to Vicksburg, destroy the railroad, and wait there until I come up. I will send the Richmond up tomorrow and the two gunboats will follow you up immediately." At this, Farragut dismissed the officers.{1}

Returning to his ship, the sloop-of-war Brooklyn, Craven alerted the crew to be prepared to get under way at a moment’s notice. While the officers and men were getting the big vessel squared away, Craven sought to obtain the services of a Mississippi River pilot. He was unsuccessful. Despite this setback, Craven was undaunted. By the time the captain had returned from his fruitless search, his executive officer reported, the powerful warship ready to sail. The order to cast off was given. Followed by the gunboats Itasca, Sciota, and Winona, the Brooklyn pulled away from the wharf and started up the mighty river. (Evidently Lieutenant Charles H. B. Caldwell had been able to get his vessel, the Itasca, ready for the expedition quicker than he had anticipated.)

Since he had been unable to obtain a pilot, Craven’s flotilla would have to proceed very cautiously. To reduce the hazards, Craven decided against making any night runs on the river. At sunset on the 2nd, the vessels anchored about 20 miles above New Orleans.{2}

It was a little after 7 a.m. when the four warships weighed anchor on May 3. To give the Richmond and the Pinola a chance to overtake him, Craven purposely held down the speed of his flotilla. About noon, the lookouts sighted a schooner with all sails set tied up to the bank. Aboard the Sciota, Lieutenant Edward Donaldson shouted for a boarding party to lower the cutter. Scrambling into the small boat, the brawny tars pulled for the shore. Boarding the schooner, the bluejackets discovered she was the Gabriel Aimé, loaded with sugar. The officer in charge signaled this information to the flag officer. Craven replied, ordering a prize crew from the Sciota to take charge of the schooner and take her to New Orleans.{3}

As they worked their way up the Mississippi, the ships passed a number of rich sugar plantations. Captain Craven recalled:

It was interesting and sometimes exciting as we steamed along inshore, to witness the dense crowds of spectators. In front of the large sugar plantations their white occupants were collected in groups, gazing askance at us, the ladies often turning their backs upon us, showing by their manner that they would give worlds, if they had them, to crush us from the face of the earth. Then as we passed the groups of darkies, particularly if they were hidden from their masters’ view by intervening trees or houses, such demonstrations of joy, such jumping and bowing, and such antics and grins as could only be imagined by those who are familiar with the monkey traits of the negro character.{4}

On one occasion during the afternoon, the tars witnessed a brave exhibition of patriotic zeal for the Union. As the warships chugged along, the Federals sighted a solitary woman standing on the levee in front of a large, magnificent mansion. Her servants were grouped nearby. As the Brooklyn drew abreast of the lady, she ran to her slaves. Unrolling a large flag, she handed it to her Negroes. In accordance with the woman’s instructions, the servants brandished the banner, which proved to be the stars and stripes. Training his glass on the scene, Craven noted that the lady was waving her kerchief and wiping the tears from her eyes at the same time. The Union tars, observing that two large parties of the woman’s Secessionist neighbors were gathered nearby, cheered the plucky Unionist and saluted her with their ensigns. Captain Craven reported, I felt at the time as if I could jump to the shore and kiss her as if she had been one of my nearest and dearest kin.{5}

Sunrise found the fleet anchored off White Hall Plantation. During the day’s run up the river, the warships had made only 52 miles. Craven was disappointed by the failure of the Richmond to overtake him.{6}

Although Craven did not know it, there had been a change in Farragut’s plans. Continued efforts on the Federals’ part to obtain Mississippi River pilots had been without avail. The pilots were afraid to take the big ocean-going sloops-of-war up the Mississippi. Consequently, Farragut decided not to send the Richmond up the river at this time. Instead, the flag officer would reinforce Craven’s flotilla with the gunboats, Oneida and Pinola.{7}

Since Craven’s departure, Farragut had received discouraging reports concerning the high stage of the Mississippi. It was said to be almost impossible for the deep draft sloops to navigate the river above Baton Rouge without grounding. Farragut therefore decided that it would be unwise for Craven to take the Brooklyn above Baton Rouge. Instead, Craven was to entrust the capture of Vicksburg to three or four gunboats under Commander S. Phillips Lee of the Oneida. As soon as he had secured possession of Baton Rouge, Craven was to return to New Orleans with the Brooklyn.{8}

Prior to his departure from New Orleans on the afternoon of May 5, Commander Lee had been handed this information for delivery to Captain Craven.

At sunrise on the 4th, Craven’s squadron resumed its run up the river. A number of fine plantations and the pretty little villages of Donaldsonville, Bayou Goula, Iberville, Plaquemine, and Bayou Manchac were passed without incident. By sunset the fleet was anchored eight miles below Baton Rouge.

Opposite the flotilla’s anchorage was a large plantation house. As was his custom when stopping, Captain Craven sent a landing party under Lieutenant Reigart B. Lowry ashore. The lieutenant had the duty of sounding out the people’s sentiments. Making his way to the mansion, Lowry found that it was the residence of a Creole and his family. Lowry discovered that the man and his family appeared to be terribly frightened. To calm their fears, the lieutenant assured them that the bluejackets were not on a nigger-stealing expedition, and that all their property was safe. At this, the people’s fears gradually subsided. As their reserve wore off, the Creole and his family became talkative. They informed Lowry that an hour before the appearance of the Union warships they had been visited by one of Governor Thomas O. Moore’s emissaries. The aide ordered the Creole to destroy his sugar and molasses. If he refused, the officer continued, a party would be sent to destroy his property and hang him. Before returning to the Brooklyn, Lowry asked the planter what he would take for his sugar. He answered, 2½ cents per pound.

Before casting off on the morning of the 5th, Captain Craven sent another party ashore. After securing the planter’s permission, the commissary officer purchased supplies (poultry, eggs, and vegetables) from his Negroes. As the bluejackets were getting ready to return to their ships, one of the women of the house approached. She handed the officer in charge a beautiful bouquet which she asked him to present to Captain Craven.{9}

At 8 a.m. the flotilla reached Baton Rouge. Beginning at Baton Rouge, and extending northward for hundreds of miles, a line of bluffs parallel the east bank of the Mississippi. (At a number of points between Baton Rouge and Vicksburg, these bluffs abutted directly on the great river.) Since he had as yet received no orders to take possession of the city, Craven decided to press on. Breasting a powerful current, the four warships slowly chugged up the river. All the officers and men, whose duties did not keep them below, were either on the deck or in the rigging. At the same time, almost all the inhabitants of Baton Rouge had turned out to gaze at the ships. The tars and civilians stared coldly at each other. There were no cheers or jeers. As a mark of defiance, several citizens flaunted their state flag from the turrets of the capitol. Except for the icy stares of the populace, Baton Rouge was passed without incident.

Continuing up the Mississippi, the Yankees observed that the river had burst through the levees in several places. Where it had, the plantations had been flooded. A number of Negroes, who had been forced by the high water to vacate their cabins, were perched in the upper lofts of the omnipresent sugar mills.

Where the plantations had escaped the ravages of the high water and at Pointe Coupée and Bayou Sara, large numbers of people thronged the river bank. They gaped in astonishment at the sight of the ocean-going ships. The flotilla anchored before dark on a deserted reach of the river above Tunica Island. On both sides of the river, a dense forest came down to the edge of the water.{10}

Despite the slow speed of the advance up the river, the reinforcing gunboats had failed to overtake Craven’s squadron. Since Craven had been led to understand that he would be joined by the sloop-of-war Richmond, he was understandably disturbed. Nevertheless, he decided to push on. At 7:30 a.m. on the 6th, the fleet entered Raccourci Cut-off.

Three hours later, as the warships approached the mouth of Red River, a man dashed from his house on the west side of the river. Making his way to the levee, he set fire to a large number of cotton bales which were stacked there. This constituted a prearranged signal for the planters to begin destroying their cotton to keep it from falling into the Yankees’ hands. Within a few minutes, the Union lookouts spotted a number of other fires. Captain Craven recalled, as far as the eye can reach, we see the smoke arising from other heaps, and as we steam along the river is filled with such cotton as could not be burned without endangering their buildings.{11}

About 2 p.m., Lieutenant Caldwell of the Itasca hailed the Brooklyn. Caldwell informed Craven that a breakdown had occurred in his gunboat’s engine room. Several minutes later, Lieutenant Donaldson signaled Craven that the Sciota’s engine was not functioning properly. Craven accordingly ordered the squadron to heave to. The warships on the 6th stopped off Union Point, 18 miles below Natchez.

As soon as all the vessels had anchored, Craven summoned the gunboat commanders to a meeting. Within a short time, the designated officers had assembled in Craven’s cabin. Besides reporting their mechanical difficulties to the captain, the gunboat captains announced that they had only enough coal left in the bunkers of their vessels to last for 48 hours. This information caused Craven to have serious misgivings. The staff meeting was turned into a council of war. After considerable deliberation, the naval officers decided against pressing on to Vicksburg. Instead, the squadron would return to Baton Rouge. At Baton Rouge, Craven knew there would be facilities for the speedy repair of the damaged engines. While the Itasca and the Sciota were undergoing repairs, the Winona would be sent to New Orleans for coal.{12}

As soon as the warships had stopped for the night, Lieutenant Lowry went ashore. Spotting a man near a burning pile of cotton, Lowry inquired, What are you burning your cotton for?

The civilian, who proved to be an overseer on a nearby plantation, replied, because its owner had ordered it to save its falling into Union hands.

Lowry replied that the navy was not on a cotton, or nigger, or chicken-stealing expedition.

At this, the man’s eyes popped and he said, Well, there are 1,500 bales gone. If it had been mine I would not have burned it.{13}

A small Confederate detachment manning an outpost at Ellis Cliffs spotted the Union warships. To alert the residents of Natchez to the approaching danger, the Confederate sentries fired three rockets. The fiery trails left by the rockets as they ascended were clearly visible to the lookouts on board the vessels.{14}

By daybreak on the 7th, the Itasca’s engines were again turning over. Taking the Sciota in tow, the Brooklyn started for Baton Rouge, followed by the two other gunboats. Since there was a strong four and one-half mile current running, the helmsmen had a difficult time controlling the Brooklyn whenever she rounded a bend. On several occasions, the large sloop came dangerously close to being hurled against the bank by a powerful eddy.{15}

About 5 p.m. the lookouts sighted three gunboats—the Oneida, the Kennebec, and the Pinola—coming up the river. While en route up the Mississippi, Commander Lee had been reinforced by the Kennebec.

***

On the morning of the 5th, it had been rumored in New Orleans that the Brooklyn was aground at College Point, about 60 miles above the Crescent City. By this time, Farragut had been able to secure the services of two Mississippi River pilots—Dan McGowan and John Gallagher. He determined to send these men up the river immediately. The Kennebec, Lieutenant John H. Russell commanding, was given this assignment. One of the pilots was to report to Captain Craven for duty aboard the Brooklyn; the other would join Commander Lee. In a message addressed to Craven which he entrusted to Russell, Farragut reiterated his directive of May 3 for the Brooklyn not to proceed beyond Baton Rouge.{16}

About the time that the Kennebec was leaving New Orleans, the Oneida and the Pinola sighted a small schooner bound down river. Before the gunboats could halt the small boat, one of the four passengers escaped ashore. When the Union boarding party searched the passengers’ baggage, it was discovered that they were officers in the Confederate navy. Hard-bitten Commander Lee had the officers removed from the schooner and confined aboard the Pinola in double irons. Later in the day, two more schooners were stopped and searched. Since these vessels were not carrying any contraband, they were released.{17}

The Kennebec, on May 6, overtook Lee’s two gunboats. As soon as he obtained a pilot, Lee was able to make better time. When he sighted Craven’s approaching squadron on the afternoon of the 7th, Lee ordered a cutter lowered. One of the officers, a pilot, and several men from the Oneida scrambled into the boat. The officer was handed Farragut’s dispatch of May 3, which he was to deliver to Craven.{18}

When Craven opened Farragut’s communication, he learned that he was not to take the Brooklyn above Baton Rouge. This greatly relieved the captain. Writing his wife, Craven observed, "as we ascended the river, my anxiety lest the Brooklyn should ground on some one of these sand bars, or on some submerged levee, kept [me] constantly on my feet," from sunrise to sunset. After dark, the swarms of mosquitos had been so bad that the captain had been compelled to discontinue his diary.{19}

Before continuing to Baton Rouge, it would be necessary for Craven to confer with Lee. Craven signaled Lee to come aboard the Brooklyn. Preparatory to getting into the small boat which would ferry him to the Brooklyn, Lee directed his executive officer to turn the Oneida around. A short distance below Tunica Bend, the vessels anchored.

In his conversation with Lee, Craven learned that the bunkers on the Oneida, the Pinola, and the Kennebec were nearly empty. Consequently, Craven decided to transfer to the gunboats all the coal he could spare. The fleet remained at anchor on the 8th, while the Brooklyn coaled the other vessels. In the meantime, the engineers succeeded in putting the Sciota’s machinery back in running order. Since it proved impossible to effect more than temporary repairs to the Itasca, Craven determined to let her proceed to New Orleans immediately. Upon reaching the Crescent City, Lieutenant Caldwell would inform Farragut that Craven had been unable to reach Vicksburg.{20}

On the morning of the 9th, the Brooklyn started down the river. Before parting with Lee, Craven advised him not to go any farther than Natchez until he had received fresh supplies of coal and provisions. At 1 p.m., the Brooklyn reached Baton Rouge, where she found the Iroquois.{21}

***

The Iroquois, Commander James S. Palmer, had arrived off Baton Rouge the evening of the 7th. Farragut had sent Palmer up the river with instructions to secure the surrender of the city. An officer had been sent ashore. He was to summon the mayor to appear before Palmer. Since Mayor B. F. Bryan was said to be out of town, the officer returned with his deputy. From this individual, Palmer learned that Craven’s squadron had passed up river on the 5th without communicating with the city fathers. Continuing, the civil official stated that the mayor and council would be ready to receive Palmer’s demands in the morning.{22}

Palmer on the 8th forwarded to the mayor a formal request for the surrender of the city. While Palmer promised to respect the rights and property of the citizens, he pointed out that all the public property belonging to the so-called Confederate States must remain intact, to be delivered over when demanded. In addition, the United States flag would have to be hoisted over the arsenal.{23}

Replying to Palmer’s dispatch, the mayor bravely observed, the city of Baton Rouge will not be surrendered voluntarily to any power on earth. But, he hedged, the withdrawal of the Confederate military had left the city without any means of defense. Its possession by the Federals, Bryan pointed out, must be without the consent and against the wish of the peaceable inhabitants.{24}

Mayor Bryan’s reply to his demands angered the hot-tempered Palmer. Here, he wrote, is a capital of a State with 7,000 inhabitants, acknowledging itself defenseless, and yet assuming an arrogant tone, trusting to our forbearance. Palmer determined to submit to no such nonsense.

The next morning (the 9th), the gunboat weighed anchor. Steaming up river, she hove to off the arsenal. When Palmer gave the word, the sailors lowered three small boats. Hardly had these craft struck the water before they were manned by a detachment of marines armed to the teeth. Making an unopposed landing, the marines took possession of the arsenal and the barracks. After running up the U.S. flag, the marines reboarded the Iroquois.{25}

Following the marines’ return, Palmer addressed another note to Mayor Bryan. After notifying the mayor that he had taken possession of the arsenal, Palmer noted, War is a sad calamity, and often inflicts severer wounds than those upon the sensibilities. The naval officer warned Mayor Bryan that the flag which the marines had raised over the arsenal must remain unmolested, though I leave no force on shore to protect it.{26}

***

Flag Officer Farragut arrived at Baton Rouge late on the afternoon of the 9th. In addition to his flagship, the Hartford, Farragut was accompanied by the sloop-of-war Richmond. The Hartford and the Richmond, accompanied by the gunboat Kineo, had left New Orleans on the afternoon of May 7.{27}

Breasting a strong current, the three warships stopped for the night near Kenner. On the morning of the 8th, the two sloops weighed anchor. The Kineo remained behind to cover a detachment of the army which General Butler planned to land at Kenner. Commander Henry H. Bell of the Hartford wrote of the day’s run up the Mississippi in his diary:

8:15 passed Red Church on the left bank, 25 miles from city. Graves and tombs in good keeping, but the church dilapidated; a small, low wooden structure, painted red on two sides, but no paint on front, which is weatherworn. Banks well planted with sugar cane for 2 miles back, then heavy forests. Large, spacious dwellings and comfortable negro quarters lining the banks. Levees apparently 6 feet higher than the plains and level of the water within 1 foot of top of levee. The heads only of men walking in the road along the banks are seen, and lower parts of dwellings partly concealed by levee, although our poop deck is 14 feet high.

All the mansion grounds are densely shaded by live oaks, magnolias of rather small growth, pecans, and orange trees—nurseries for mosquitoes and chills and fevers. Dwellings generally low, with high-pitched roofs. Basement floors, galleries in front and rear. Live oaks are grand and gloomy by their thick foliage of deep green and long moss pendant from their boughs.

12 meridian, Bonnet Carré abeam, wind from the eastward, Richmond under sail. Small village, one Roman Catholic chapel, graveyard filled with marble tombs, and drugstore on the bank (south). Whites and blacks lining the banks, apparently having nothing to do. Not a token of friendship shown today except at one country seat, where they hoisted the Danish flag about 8 a.m.{28}

At 4 p.m., Farragut’s squadron encountered the Itasca. Hailing the flag officer, Caldwell gave him the latest news concerning the movements of Craven’s flotilla. What especially interested Farragut was the information picked up by Craven’s tars concerning Confederate preparations for the defense of Vicksburg. According to the stories told by persons who had just left the Hill City, 4,000 troops were at Vicksburg. These men were said to be hard at work fortifying the city, with water batteries and batteries on the bluffs. Hard luck Major-General Mansfield Lovell with the troops formerly stationed at New Orleans was reportedly at Jackson, Mississippi. Farther up the river, these informants said, the Confederate authorities were pulling their troops out of Fort Pillow and fortifying Memphis.{29}

Before dismissing Caldwell, Farragut ordered him to proceed to Pilot Town with the Itasca. There, he would get in touch with the officers in charge of several of the fleet-coalers. These vessels were to be directed to go to New Orleans. After coaling his gunboat, Caldwell was to return up river.{30}

By nightfall on the 8th, the Hartford and the Richmond were anchored three miles below Donaldsonville. A landing