Young’s Point,
Mississippi,
March 10, 1863.
NOW that Congress has adjourned, I have thought possible you
might want to make a visit to this part of the country. I need not assure you
that I would be most glad to see you here, and have you stay during the contest
which will take place in the next thirty days from this writing. You will have
time to join me if mails are prompt. The canal through would have been a
success by today but for the great rise of water. The river is now several feet
above the whole country hereabout, and our canal was dependent for its success
upon keeping the water out of it. The upper dam has broken and submerged things
generally. To stop this off will take a number of days, but we will do it. In
the meantime, so far as I now know and have official reports, the Yazoo Pass
expedition is going to prove a perfect success. This is highly important if for
no other purpose than to destroy the transportation and embyro gunboats the
enemy had there. They have been working for one year on one boat of gigantic
proportions up that stream.
Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, a young man of great merit, who
has been put on General Hunter’s staff, but who was on mine as a lieutenant,
and I objected to relieving until the present campaign is over, writes to
Rawlins in a private letter that our success in getting into Yazoo Pass is due
to the energy of C. C. Washburn. He felt an interest in the enterprise and took
hold with a will, and with men worthy of the object to be accomplished. I have
ordered the army corps of McPherson through that way with additional forces,
making him effective men to the number of about twenty-eight thousand.
McPherson is one of my best men, and is fully to be trusted. Sherman stands in
the same category. In these two men I have a host. They are worth more than a
full brigade each. McPherson will effect a lodgment on the high lands on the
Yazoo River east bank, and will co-operate with the troops from here. The class
of transports adapted to the pass being so limited, some delay will necessarily
take place in getting them to their destination. I have sent up the river for
all the small class of boats that can be got.
We are going through a campaign here such as has not been
heard of on this continent before. The soldiers see the position of the enemy
in front of them, but I presume do not see how they are to attack. Their camp
ground is several feet below water, held in its place by the levees. Constant
rains falling keep the roads almost impassable. With all this the men are in good
spirits, and feel confident of ultimate success.
The health of this command is a subject that has been very
much exaggerated by the press. I will venture the assertion that there is no
army now in the field showing so large a proportion of those present with their
commands being ready for duty. Really our troops are more healthy than could
possibly have been expected, with all their trials. Although I have told you
but little of plans here, it is more than I am in the habit of writing on this
subject. You will excuse me, therefore, from saying how I expect to co-operate
with McPherson, at least until you come down. General Washburn will have
command of a very important cavalry expedition from the Yazoo River if all
other plans succeed. . .
SOURCE: James Grant Wilson, Editor, General Grant’s
Letters to a Friend 1861-1880, p. 23-6
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