CAPTURE OF GRAND GULF, MISS.
April 29-May 3, 1863.
On Wednesday, the 29th of April, a part of the gunboat fleet under Admiral Porter, consisting of the Benton (flagship), Lafayette, Mound City, Pittsburg, Carondolet, Tuscumbia and Louisville, left Hard Times, and steaming down below Coffee Point, engaged the rebel batteries at Grand Gulf, just at the confluence of the Big Black and the Mississippi. The engagement commenced at eight o’clock and lasted until half-past two.
The enemy had four batteries at Grand Gulf, one on the rock around which the waters of the Big Black flow into the Mississippi, and three below, about midway between the water and the summit of the bluffs. In the former they had placed four heavy guns, and in the three latter two and three each, with parapets, embrasures and rifle pits. The upper guns were very large, throwing shot and shell weighing one hundred pounds. The lower guns were mostly thirty-two-pounders.
The Benton opened the fight, followed by the other gunboats in rapid succession. At first they stood off at long range, and fired at a distance of a mile or more; but as the fire became warm they pressed closely to the bluff, and passed and repassed the batteries, sending broadsides upon the fort whenever they came in position. For six hours where the gunboats firing and receiving fire, until the gradually ceasing explosions of the enemy indicated their desire to terminate the engagement.
The Benton suffered considerably in her upper works, not less than a half dozen shots passing entirely through her. One shell exploded in her porthole, killing five men. The Tuscumbia was disabled. Other gunboats were more or less injured, but not seriously.
On the same day Admiral Porter sent the following report to the Secretary of the Navy:
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy:—
I have the honor to inform you that, by an arrangement with General Grant, I attacked the batteries at Grand Gulf this morning, which were very formidable. After a fight of five hours and thirty minutes we silenced the lower batteries, but failed to silence the upper one, which was high, strongly built, and had guns of very heavy calibre. The vessels were unmanageable in the heavy current. It fired but feebly toward the last, and the vessels all laid by and enfiladed it, while I went up a short distance to communicate with General Grant, who concluded to land the troops and march over to a point two miles below Grand Gulf. I sent the Lafayette back to engage the upper batteries, which she did, and drove the soldiers out of it, as it did not respond after a few fires. At six p. m. we attacked the batteries again, and under cover of the fire all the transports passed by in good condition. The Benton, Tuscumbia, and Pittsburg were much cut up, having twenty-four killed and fifty-six wounded, but they are all ready for service.
We land the army in the morning on the other side to march on Vicksburg.
On the 30th of April General Grant, with the three selected corps de armeé, viz.:—the Thirteenth, General McClernand; the Fifteenth, General Sherman, and the Seventeenth, General McPherson, crossed from the Louisiana side of the Mississippi river and landed at Boulinsburg.
The total number of killed in the fleet was twenty-six, and the wounded fifty-four.
The bombardment was terrific, the gunboat men exhibiting a coolness, courage and determination which it seemed nothing could resist. The rebels stood bravely to their guns, but the steady and heavy fire of the iron-clads drove them again and again. All the boats were struck repeatedly; but the Tuscumbia was the only one materially damaged. She had her hogchains cut away, and was otherwise so badly damaged that it was deemed advisable to remove her from the scene of action.
Finding it useless to protract the contest when the object to be attained could be reached by another way, the gunboats moved out of range and prepared to run the blockade at night. The usual precautions were taken to prevent casualties, and each gunboat carried all the troops it could conveniently accommodate. The transports were filled with troops, and all the barges crowded—so eager were the soldiers to take part in the exciting scene. The gunboats started first, and were subjected to a severe fire, for it was almost as bright as midday; the moon shining from a cloudless sky. When the transports appeared the concentrated fire of the rebel batteries was directed to them; but none of the vessels were disabled. The Cheeseman had six or seven horses killed by the explosion of a shell; but no lives were lost, as far as heard from.
General Grant was aboard a tug during the fight, and directed the movement of troops, under cover of the gunboat fire. The forces landed at Bayou Pierre.