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he first to reach the fleet：
HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE； SECOND DIVISION FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS； YOUNGS POINT； LOUISIANA； March 28； 1863
Captain L。 M。 DAYTON； Assistant Adjutant…General。
CAPTAIN： I have the honor to report the movements of the First Brigade in the expedition up Steele's Bayou； Black Bayou； and Deer Creek。 The Sixth Missouri and One Hundred and Sixteenth Illinois regiments embarked at the month of Muddy Bayou on the evening of Thursday； the 18th of March； and proceeded up Steele's Bayou to the month of Black； thence up Black Bayou to Hill's plantation； at its junction with Deer Creek； where we arrived on Friday at four o'clock p。m。； and joined the Eighth Missouri； Lieutenant…Colonel Coleman commanding； which had arrived at that point two days before。 General Sherman had also established his headquarters there； having preceded the Eighth Missouri in a tug； with no other escort than two or three of his staff； reconnoitring all the different bayous and branches； thereby greatly facilitating the movements of the troops； but at the same time exposing himself beyond precedent in a commanding general。 At three o'clock of Saturday morning； the 20th instant； General Sherman having received a communication from Admiral Porter at the month of Rolling Fork； asking for a speedy cooperation of the land forces with his fleet； I was ordered by General Sherman to be ready； with all the available force at that point； to accompany him to his relief； but before starting it was arranged that I should proceed with the force at hand （eight hundred men）； while he remained； again entirely unprotected； to hurry up the troops expected to arrive that night； consisting of the Thirteenth Infantry and One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois Volunteers； completing my brigade； and the Second Brigade； Colonel T。 Kilby Smith commanding。
This； as the sequel showed； proved a very wise measure； and resulted in the safety of the whole fleet。 At daybreak we were in motion； with a regular guide。 We had proceeded but about six miles； when we found the enemy had been very busy felling trees to obstruct the creek。
All the negroes along the route had been notified to be ready at night fall to continue the work。 To prevent this as much as possible； I ordered all able…bodied negroes to be taken along； and warned some of the principal inhabitants that they would be held responsible for any more obstructions being placed across the creek。 We reached the admiral about four o'clock p。m。； with no opposition save my advance…guard （Company A； Sixth Missouri） being fired into from the opposite side of the creek； killing one man； and slightly wounding another； having no way of crossing； we had to content ourselves with driving them beyond musket…range。 Proceeding with as little loss of time as possible； I found the fleet obstructed in front by fallen trees； in rear by a sunken coal…barge； and surrounded； by a large force of rebels with an abundant supply of artillery； but wisely keeping their main force out of range of the admiral's guns。 Every tree and stump covered a sharp…shooter； ready to pick off any luckless marine who showed his head above…decks； and entirely preventing the working…parties from removing obstructions。
In pursuance of orders from General Sherman； I reported to Admiral Porter for orders； who turned over to me all the land…forces in his fleet （about one hundred and fifty men）； together with two howitzers； and I was instructed by him to retain a sufficient force to clear out the sharp…shooters； and to distribute the remainder along the creek for six or seven miles below； to prevent any more obstructions being placed in it during the night。 This was speedily arranged； our skirmishers capturing three prisoners。 Immediate steps were now taken to remove the coal…barge； which was accomplished about daylight on Sunday morning； when the fleet moved back toward Black Bayou。 By three o'clock p。m。 we had only made about six miles； owing to the large number of trees to be removed； at this point； where our progress was very slow； we discovered a long line of the enemy filing along the edge of the woods； and taking position on the creek below us； and about one mile ahead of our advance。 Shortly after； they opened fire on the gunboats from batteries behind the cavalry and infantry。 The boats not only replied to the batteries； which they soon silenced； but poured a destructive fire into their lines。 Heavy skirmishing was also heard in our front； supposed to be by three companies from the Sixth and Eighth Missouri； whose position； taken the previous night to guard the creek； was beyond the point reached by the enemy； and consequently liable to be cut off or captured。 Captain Owen； of the Louisville； the leading boat； made every effort to go through the obstructions and aid in the rescuing of the men。 I ordered Major Kirby； with four companies of the Sixth Missouri； forward； with two companies deployed。 He soon met General Sherman； with the Thirteenth Infantry and One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois； driving the enemy before them； and opening communication along the creek with the gunboats。 Instead of our three companies referred to as engaging the enemy； General Sherman had arrived at a very opportune moment with the two regiments mentioned above； and the Second Brigade。 The enemy； not expecting an attack from that quarter； after some hot skirmishing； retreated。 General Sherman immediately ordered the Thirteenth Infantry and One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois to pursue； but； after following their trace for about two miles； they were recalled。
We continued our march for about two miles； when we bivouacked for the night。 Early on Monday morning （March 22d） we continued our march； but owing to the slow progress of the gunboats did not reach Hill's plantation until Tuesday； the 23d instant； where we remained until the 25th； we then reembarked； and arrived at Young's Point on Friday； the 27th instant。
Below you will find a list of casualties。 Very respectfully；
Giles A。 SMITH； Colonel Eighth Missouri； commanding First Brigade。
P。 S。…I forgot to state above that the Thirteenth Infantry and One Hundred and Thirteenth Illinois being under the immediate command of General Sherman； he can mention them as their conduct deserves。
On the 3d of April； a division of troops； commanded by Brigadier… General J。 M。 Tuttle； was assigned to my corps； and was designated the Third Division； and； on the 4th of April； Brigadier…General D。 Stuart was relieved from the command of the Second Division； to which Major…General Frank P。 Blair was appointed by an order from General Grant's headquarters。 Stuart had been with me from the time we were at Benton Barracks； in command of the Fifty…fifth Illinois； then of a brigade； and finally of a division； but he had failed in seeking a confirmation by the Senate to his nomination as brigadier…general； by reason of some old affair at Chicago； and； having resigned his commission as colonel； he was out of service。 I esteemed him very highly； and was actually mortified that the service should thus be deprived of so excellent and gallant an officer。 He afterward settled in New Orleans as a lawyer； and died about 1867 or 1868。
On the 6th of April； my command； the Fifteenth Corps； was composed of three divisions：
The First Division； commanded by Major…General Fred Steele； and his three brigades by Colonel Manter； Colonel Charles R。 Wood； and Brigadier…General John M。 Thayer。
The Second Division； commanded by Major…General Frank P。 Blair； and his three brigades by Colonel Giles A。 Smith； Colonel Thomas gilby Smith； and Brigadier…General Hugh Ewing。
The Third Division； commanded by Brigadier…General J。 M。 Tuttle； and his three brigades by Brigadier…General R。 P。 Buckland； Colonel J。 A。 Mower； and Brigadier…General John E。 Smith。
My own staff then embraced： Dayton； McCoy； and Hill； aides； J。 H。 Hammond； assistant adjutant…general； Sanger； inspector…general； McFeeley； commissary； J。 Condit Smith； quartermaster； Charles McMillan； medical director； Ezra Taylor； chief of artillery； JNo。 C。 Neely； ordnance…officer； Jenney and Pitzman； engineers。
By this time it had become thoroughly demonstrated that we could not divert the main river Mississippi； or get practicable access to the east bank of the Yazoo； in the rear of Vicksburg； by any of the passes； and we were all in the habit of discussing the various chances of the future。 General Grant's headquarters were at Milliken's Bend； in tents； and his army was strung along the river all the way from Young's Point up to Lake Providence； at least sixty miles。 I had always contended that the best way to take Vicksburg was to resume the movement which had been so well begun the previous November； viz。； for the main army to march by land down the country inland of the Mississippi River； while the gunboat…fleet and a minor land…force should threaten Vicksburg on its river…front。
I reasoned that； with the large force then subject to General Grant's orders…viz。； four army corpshe could easily resume the movement from Memphis； by way of Oxford and Grenada； to Jackson； Mississippi； or down the ridge between the Yazoo and Big Black； but General Grant would not；