NEAR VICKSBURG, MISS., May 25, 1863.
Maj. Gen. N. P. BANKS,
Comdg. Dept. of the Gulf:
I send Colonel Riggin, of my staff, to communicate with you
on the subject of co-operation between our respective forces in the effectual
opening of the Mississippi River. Colonel Riggin can give you all the
particulars of my present situation more minutely than can well be done in a
short communication. I now have Vicksburg invested, and draw my supplies from
the Yazoo above Vicksburg, and from Warrenton below the city. I feel that my
force is abundantly strong to hold the enemy where he is, or to whip him if he
should come out.
The place is so strongly fortified, however, that it cannot
be taken without either a great sacrifice of life or by a regular siege. I have
determined to adopt the latter course, and save my men.
I can get no accurate information as to the number of men
the enemy have nor the amount of provisions or ordnance stores. They are
evidently deficient in artillery.
The greatest danger now to be apprehended is that the enemy
may collect a force outside and attempt to rescue the garrison. My cavalry
force is insufficient to guard properly against this, but with what I have I am
doing the best I can.
The railroad is effectually broken at Jackson, so that an
army to come here within the next twenty days would have to haul their supplies
and ordnance stores with teams at least 40 miles. The rebels set such a value
upon the possession of a foothold on the Mississippi River, however, that a
desperate effort will be made to hold this point. For this reason, I deem it
advisable that as large a force be collected here as possible.
Having all my available force that can be spared from West
Tennessee and Helena here, to get any more I must look outside of my own
department. You being engaged in the same enterprise, I am compelled to ask you
to give me such assistance as may be in your power.
When I commenced writing this, it was my intention to
propose sending you, if you will furnish the transportation, 8,000 or 10,000
men to co-operate with you on Port Hudson, but, whilst writing, a courier came
in from my cavalry, stating that a force of the enemy are now about 30 miles
northeast of here. They may be collecting there for the purpose of making an
attack. At present, therefore, I do not deem it prudent to send off any men I
have, or even safe, without abandoning some of the advantages already gained. I
would be pleased, general, to have you come, with such force as you are able to
spare. You can be supplied with everything from Young's Point. The road is now
good across the point opposite Vicksburg, and, with your transports, the
ferriage can be made. I am in hopes this letter will find you in possession of
Port Hudson, and, therefore, of a much larger force to bring to this place than
you could otherwise detach.
Colonel Grierson would be of immense value to me now. If he
has not already started, will you be kind enough to order him here immediately?
He should come up the Louisiana shore, to avoid delay.
U.S. GRANT.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 346-7
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