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... , which was taking too long, he left with out them. He knew if he would wait for the supplies, Vicksburg would have time to be reinforced. Grant decided not to wait for the supplies any longer and just move to Jackson and attack Vicksburg from the rear. The Union leaders hardly agreed with this carry-what-you-can plan and sent a message to Grant to wait for the supplies in Been Rouge.
This message never made it to Grant, it was too late and he was already in the execution phase. Sherman joined Grant on May 7 th; the exact same day Grant would begin his movement to Jackson. He moved thru Rocky Springs to Raymond. Mcclernand was ordered to move straight north to Auburn. Grant wanted Pemperton to assume that his next target was Champions Hill. McPherson and Sherman got to Raymond on May 12 th after Confederate forces retreated to Jackson.
Soon, Mcclernand met up with Grant and Raymond, Grant made McPherson destroy the railroad in Clinton to prevent reinforcements and re-supply, then move eastward to Jackson. Sherman was to attack Jackson from Raymond, and Mcclernand was to stay in Raymond to protect the rear and reinforce Sherman or McPherson. Jackson had 6, 000 Confederate troops to Grants 25, 000 Union troops. Needless to say, Jackson was taken relatively easily. The commander at Jackson, General Joe Johnston, retreated his forces north to Canton. Grants decision to keep going without supplies was key to this victory.
If he had waited for supplies, they would have then had to face an increasingly growing Confederate army of over 14, 000 troops with another 9, 000 close behind. Grant was now in position to take what he initially came to take: Vicksburg. At this point, the Confederates moral was very low while the Unions confidence was increasing. Union forces almost seemed invincible. Grants success was defiantly having an impact.
On May 18 th, the federal army crossed the Big Black River and pushed towards Vicksburg. The first Union forces arrived in this direction was the 15 th Army Corps under the command of Major General William T. Sherman, Grants most trusted and experienced subordinate officer. The next corps to get there was that of the 17 th Corps commanded by the young James McPherson.
The final Corps arrived, the 13 th Army Corps commanded by Major General John Mcclernand, as these troops arrived, they started to slowly make their lines longer to the left and to the right. While investigating the Confederates works and prepare for the attack, which they knew, would be ordered shortly. On May 19 th, Grant decided to make a better reconnaissance then furl his entire force against Vicksburg on May 22 nd. Early that morning, Union artillery fell silent. Union Soldiers moved forward for over three miles, toward the defense of Vicksburg.
Again they succeed in planting the red, white, and blue on the parapets of Vicksburg and many other places making a short line at a railroad redden one Mcclernand's front, but where forced back a second time with a devastating loss. In the assault on May 22 nd, killed, wounded, or missing Grant lost over 3, 000 people. When Grant got to Vicksburg in mid-May, he tried two assaults that didnt really work. The second assault on May 22 nd had worse results than the first on May 17 th. Realizing his attacks wouldnt work, Grant decided to settle down to regular siege operations.
Pemperton couldnt get any supplies in and no confederates could get out of Vicksburg. Grant knew Pemperton wouldnt last very much longer. Grant also got reinforcements to increase Union numbers to 70, 000 to Pemperton's 30, 000 Confederates. As Grant thought about his next move, he left behind his dead and his wounded many that have been lying exposed since May 19 th. Being exposed to the sun, rain, and heat took a number on the lying corps. The bodies of the dead started to bloat and turn black.
The stench was so sickening; one Confederate thought the Yanks were trying stink them out of Vicksburg. On May 25 th, white flags appeared along the Confederate line, Union soldiers were hopeful that the city would soon be surrendered and given up to the Union forces. This wasnt the case, however, as word quickly spread that a note was passed from Pemberton to Grant saying that in name of humanity that Grant should bury his dead as the odor had become very offensive. A Mississippi summer consists of temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, and humidity always up around 200 %. This means that water has to be a huge necessity. Disease began to spread rapidly throughout the ranks, dysentery, diarrhea, malaria, and various fevers took a toll on human life.
Hundreds of men could be seen lying their weapons down and walking or crawling as best they could towards the direction of the hospitals in Vicksburg. Public buildings were completely filled, many residences were converted into hospitals, but even there, there werent any medications that could be provided to them. Each day, dead wagons as they were called, made the rounds of the hospitals and the dead brought out in everyday increasing numbers. They were laid to rest in the city cemetery, north of town.
As May eventually faded into June, Grant moved up his infantry and artillery, first within 300 yards, then 200 yards, then 100 yards. The object was to get as close to the enemy as possible. So if an attack was ordered, all they had to do was get out of their man-made ditched, over the parapet and among the enemy. This would help cut down on casualties and help the troops strengthen which would vacate the enemy. An option was to tunnel underneath the enemy, hollow out rooms, fill them with black powder and destroy the fortifications of Vicksburg. Union soldiers excavated 13 approaches.
Of the 13, the most popular was called Logan's approach, situated along the Jackson Road, here in the center of the Confederate line. They excavated a trench 7 feet deep and 8 feet wide. On June 25 th, 2, 200 pounds of black powder was placed into the mine. At 3 p. m. , the fuse was lit. Tense moments passed then the ground gave way and a column of flame and dirt touched the sky.
Before the dust could settle, Union soldiers ran into the crater in an attempt to secure the breach. This battle lasted for 26 hours. The confederates at the point of bayonet sealed the breach. The Union planned had failed.
In early July, Pemperton and Grant began negotiations for the conditions of surrender. On July 4 th, 1863, the Confederates surrendered. Grant road horseback along the Jackson Road and down to the Warren County Courthouse, where he watched the stars and the stripes be placed on top of the building. When word reached President Lincoln, he sighed, Thank God, the Father of waters again goes on decks to the sea.
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