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the heavy reenforcements pouring into Vicksburg must be Pemberton's army； and that General Grant must be near at hand。 He informed me that General Grant was not coming at all； that his depot at Holly Springs had been captured by Van Dorn； and that he had drawn back from Coffeeville and Oxford to Holly Springs and Lagrange； and； further； that Quinby's division of Grant's army was actually at Memphis for stores when he passed down。 This； then； fully explained how Vicksburg was being reenforced。 I saw that any attempt on the place from the Yazoo was hopeless； and； with General McClernand's full approval； we all came out of the Yazoo； and on the 3d of January rendezvoused at Milliken's。 Bend； about ten miles above。 On the 4th General McClernand issued his General Order No。 1； assuming command of the Army of the Mississippi； divided into two corps； the first to be commanded by General Morgan； composed of his own and A。 J。 Smith's divisions； and the second； composed of Steele's and Stuart's divisions； to be commanded by me。 Up to that time the army had been styled the right wing of （General Grant's） Thirteenth Army Corps； and numbered about thirty thousand men。 The aggregate loss during the time of any command； mostly on the 29th of December； was one hundred and seventy…five killed； nine hundred and thirty wounded； and seven hundred and forty…three prisoners。 According to Badeau； the rebels lost sixty…three killed； one hundred and thirty…four wounded； and ten prisoners。 It afterward transpired that Van Dorn had captured Holly Springs on the 20th of December； and that General Grant fell back very soon after。 General Pemberton； who had telegraphic and railroad communication with Vicksburg； was therefore at perfect liberty to reenforce the place with a garrison equal； if not superior； to my command。 The rebels held high； commanding ground； and could see every movement of our men and boats； so that the only possible hope of success consisted in celerity and surprise； and in General Grant's holding all of Pemberton's army hard pressed meantime。 General Grant was perfectly aware of this； and had sent me word of the change； but it did not reach me in time； indeed； I was not aware of it until after my assault of December 29th； and until the news was brought me by General MeClernand as related。 General McClernand was appointed to this command by President Lincoln in person； who had no knowledge of what was then going on down the river。 Still； my relief； on the heels of a failure； raised the usual cry； at the North； of 〃repulse； failure； and bungling。〃 There was no bungling on my part； for I never worked harder or with more intensity of purpose in my life； and General。 Grant； long after； in his report of the operations of the siege of Vicksburg； gave us all full credit for the skill of the movement； and described the almost impregnable nature of the ground； and； although in all official reports I assumed the whole responsibility； I have ever felt that had General Morgan promptly and skillfully sustained the lead of Frank Blair's brigade on that day； we should have broken the rebel line； and effected a lodgment on the hills behind Vicksburg。 General Frank Blair was outspoken and indignant against Generals Morgan and De Courcey at the time； and always abused me for assuming the whole blame。 But； had we succeeded； we might have found ourselves in a worse trap； when General Pemberton was at full liberty to turn his whole force against us。 While I was engaged at Chickasaw Bayou； Admiral Porter was equally busy in the Yazoo River； threatening the enemy's batteries at Haines's and Snyder's Bluffs above。 In a sharp engagement he lost one of his best officers； in the person of Captain Gwin； United States Navy； who； though on board an ironclad； insisted on keeping his post on deck； where he was struck in the breast by a round shot； which carried away the muscle； and contused the lung within； from which he died a few days after。 We of the army deplored his loss quite as much as his fellows of the navy； for he had been intimately associated with us in our previous operations on the Tennessee River； at Shiloh and above； and we had come to regard him as one of us。
On the 4th of January； 1863； our fleet of transports was collected at Milliken's Bend； about ten miles above the mouth of the Yazoo； Admiral Porter remaining with his gunboats at the Yazoo。 General John A。 McClernand was in chief command； General George W。 Morgan commanded the First Corps and I the Second Corps of the Army of the Mississippi。
I had learned that a small steamboat； the Blue Wing； with a mail； towing coal…barges and loaded with ammunition； had left Memphis for the Yazoo； about the 20th of December； had been captured by a rebel boat which had come out of the Arkansas River； and had been carried up that river to Fort Hind
We had reports from this fort； usually called the 〃Post of Arkansas；〃 about forty miles above the mouth； that it was held by about five thousand rebels； was an inclosed work； commanding the passage of the river； but supposed to be easy of capture from the rear。 At that time I don't think General McClernand had any definite views or plays of action。 If so； he did not impart them to me。 He spoke； in general terms of opening the navigation of the Mississippi； 〃cutting his way to the sea；〃 etc。； etc。； but the modus operandi was not so clear。 Knowing full well that we could not carry on operations against Vicksburg as long as the rebels held the Post of Arkansas； whence to attack our boats coming and going without convoy； I visited him on his boat； the Tigress； took with me a boy who had been on the Blue Wing； and had escaped； and asked leave to go up the Arkansas； to clear out the Post。 He made various objections； but consented to go with me to see Admiral Porter about it。 We got up steam in the Forest Queen； during the night of January 4th； stopped at the Tigress； took General McClernand on board； and proceeded down the river by night to the admiral's boat； the Black Hawk； lying in the mouth of the Yazoo。 It must have been near midnight； and Admiral Porter was in deshabille。 We were seated in his cabin and I explained my views about Arkansas Post； and asked his cooperation。 He said that he was short of coal； and could not use wood in his iron…clad boats。 Of these I asked for two； to be commanded by Captain Shirk or Phelps； or some officer of my acquaintance。 At that moment； poor Gwin lay on his bed； in a state…room close by； dying from the effect of the cannon shot received at Haines's Bluff； as before described。 Porter's manner to McClernand was so curt that I invited him out into a forward…cabin where he had his charts； and asked him what he meant by it。 He said that 〃he did not like him；〃 that in Washington； before coming West； he had been introduced to him by President Lincoln； and he had taken a strong prejudice against him。 I begged him； for the sake of harmony； to waive that； which he promised to do。 Returning to the cabin； the conversation was resumed； and； on our offering to tow his gunboats up the river to save coal； and on renewing the request for Shirk to command the detachment； Porter said； 〃Suppose I go along myself？〃 I answered； if he would do so； it would insure the success of the enterprise。 At that time I supposed General MeClernand would send me on this business； but he concluded to go himself； and to take his whole force。 Orders were at once issued for the troops not to disembark at Milliken's Bend； but to remain as they were on board the transports。 My two divisions were commandedthe First； by Brigadier…General Frederick Steele； with three brigades； commanded by BrigadierGenerala F。 P。 Blair； C。 E。 Hooey； and J。 M。 Thayer； the Second； by Brigadier…General D。 Stuart； with two brigades； commanded by Colonels G。 A。 Smith and T。 Kilby Smith。
The whole army； embarked on steamboats convoyed by the gunboats； of which three were iron…clads； proceeded up the Mississippi River to the mouth of White River； which we reached January 8th。 On the next day we continued up White River to the 〃Cut…off；〃 through this to the Arkansas； and up the Arkansas to Notrib's farm； just below Fort Hindman。 Early the next morning we disembarked。 Stuart's division； moving up the river along the bank； soon encountered a force of the enemy intrenched behind a line of earthworks； extending from the river across to the swamp。 I took Steele's division； marching by the flank by a road through the swamp to the firm ground behind； and was moving up to get to the rear of Fort Hindman； when General MeClernand overtook me； with the report that the rebels had abandoned their first position； and had fallen back into the fort。 By his orders； we counter…marched； recrossed the swamp； and hurried forward to overtake Stuart； marching for Fort Hindman。 The first line of the rebels was about four miles below Fort Hindman； and the intervening space was densely； wooded and obscure； with the exception of some old fields back of and close to the fort。 During the night； which was a bright moonlight one； we reconnoitred close up； and found a large number of huts which had been abandoned； and the whole rebel force had fallen back into and about the fort。 Person