MILLIKEN'S BEND, May
2, 1863.
As I wrote you on Wednesday,
I went up Yazoo with two ironclad boats, four or five mosquitoes, or small
stern wheel gun-boats, and ten transports carrying a part of Blair’s division
for the purpose of making a simulated attack on Haines' Bluff to divert
attention from Grant's movements on Grand Gulf. The first night we spent at our
old battle ground of Chickasaw Bayou, and next morning moved up in sight of the
batteries on Drumgould's Hill. We battered away all morning and the enemy gave
us back as much as we sent. The leading gun-boat got fifty-three shots in her,
but her men being in iron casemates were not hurt. A wooden boat had a shot
through the engine room. I was in the Black Hawk which was a wooden boat
with two thirty pound rifles on the bow. We kept up a brisk cannonade for about
five hours and then hauled out of range. I then disembarked the men in full
view and made all the usual demonstrations of attack and remained so till night
when the men were recalled. Next morning we made renewed examination, and I had
just given orders for a new cannonade when a messenger came up from Grant
saying they had had hard work at Grand Gulf and were compelled to run below,
but that he would land at Bayou Pierre and turn back on Vicksburg, ordering me
to come with two of my divisions to Perkins' plantation about forty miles down
the river. I sent down orders for Tuttle's and Steele's divisions to march at
once and yesterday afternoon we renewed the cannonade and kept it up till night
when he ran down to our camp and moved up to Milliken's Bend. Steele's and
Tuttle's divisions have gone out and I start to-morrow to overtake and pass
them. I have nothing positive from below. Blair's division remains here.
. . .
SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of
General Sherman, p. 258-9. A full copy of this letter can
be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR),
University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR
2/04.
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