CAPTURE OF PORT GIBSON, MISS.
May 1, 1863.
Two days after the bombardment of Grand Gulf by Admiral Porter’s fleet, General Grant’s forces made a successful attack on Port Gibson, a point six miles in the rear of Grand Gulf, which compelled the rebels to evacuate the latter place. General Grant sent the following dispatch to General Halleck, dated May 3:
We landed at Boulingsburg April 30, moved immediately on Port Gibson, met the enemy eleven thousand strong, four miles north of Port Gibson, at two o’clock A. M. on the 1st inst., and engaged him all day, entirely routing him, with the loss of many killed, and about five hundred prisoners, beside the wounded. Our loss is about one hundred killed, and five hundred wounded.
The enemy retreated towards Vicksburg, destroying the bridges over the two forks of the Bayou Pierre. These were rebuilt, and the pursuit has continued until the present time.
Besides the heavy artillery at this place, four field pieces were captured and some stores, and the enemy were driven to destroy many more.
The country is the most broken and difficult to operate in I ever saw.
Our victory has been most complete, and the enemy are thoroughly demoralized.
Governor Yates, of Illinois, writing from Grand Gulf, on the following day, gives a glowing account of the operations of the Federal army:
“Our arms are gloriously triumphant. We have succeeded in winning a victory which, in its results, must be the most important of the war. The battle of May 1 lasted from eight o’clock in the morning until night, during all of which time the enemy were driven back on the right, left and centre. All day yesterday our army was in pursuit of the rebels, they giving us battle at almost every defensible point, and fighting with desperate valor. Last night a large force of the enemy was driven across Black river and General McClernand was driving another large force in the direction of Willow Springs. About two o’clock yesterday I left General Logan, with his division in pursuit of the enemy, to join General Grant at Grand Gulf, which the enemy had evacuated in the morning, first blowing up their magazines, spiking their cannon, destroying tents, etc. On my way to Grand Gulf I saw guns scattered all along the road, which the enemy had left in their retreat. The rebels were scattered through the woods in every direction. This army of the rebels was considered, as I now learn, invincible; but it quailed before the irresistible assaults of Northwestern valor.”