Chapter 12
An Army on the Move
The plan was for Grant’s army, with McClernand’s corps in the lead, to advance south along this route, working their way along the paths, slogging through water when necessary, and sometimes being ferried across channels that cut across the roads. Once he got his men south of Vicksburg, Grant needed to transport them across the Mississippi River and strike inland to find an approach to the city from the east that avoided the bluffs and swampland surrounding it. The 17th Illinois (McPherson’s corps), remained behind.
One noted historian of the campaign wrote, Grant’s plan was “full of dangers and risks. Failure in this venture would entail little less than total destruction. If it succeeded, however, the gains would be complete and decisive.” In the end, Grant hoped the military risks would be less than the political risks of languishing in Louisiana or withdrawing his army north and admitting defeat.2
Ulysses Grant, depicting him with the two stars of a major general, a promotion he received in February of 1862. It is possible that the image was given to Senator John Lindsay when he visited Grant in April of 1863. The image is from E & H. T. Anthony, 501 Broadway, New York City. Author
Despite the condition of the roads, Grant’s troops made a successful march, and the canals the Yankees had dug provided one benefit for the army: The flooded countryside protected the army’s right flank as it moved along the levees. Grant’s gamble paid off. He now had men in position south of Vicksburg, at New Carthage, Louisiana. The next part of his plan was a real unknown. Troop transports had to get down the river to carry his men across to the Mississippi side. To get there, however, the vessels had to run the gauntlet of artillery protecting Vicksburg, something long thought to be virtually impossible.3
Commander David D. Porter put together a flotilla of eight gunboats and three transports loaded with supplies for the Union troops at New Carthage. The transports were piled with hay and bales of cotton to provide additional protection from enemy fire. On the evening of April 16, Porter ran his little fleet downriver past Vicksburg. Fortunately for the Union, many of the Confederate officers in charge of the artillery were occupied at a party, which gave Porter precious time for his ships to steam downriver before the Rebels opened fire. Although the Confederates still managed to fire more than 500 rounds, only one transport and a coal barge failed to successfully make the journey. Kate Stone, the Louisiana woman who wrote of Union troops pillaging her home, watched as the guns from Vicksburg lit up the sky that night.4
Senator Lindsay, who was part of Governor Yates’ entourage, watched the spectacle from Grant’s headquarters ship Von Phul. Lindsay later wrote of arriving on board Von Phul with Yates. “We found our way up through a dark passage and when we reached the cabin there was a gentleman seated at the head of a long table with a lamp burning before him,” he recalled. “He was an ordinary looking personage—apparently in deep study—and smoking a clay pipe.” Lindsay was surprised to discover this “ordinary” man was General Grant, as “all form grand ideals of distinguished military generals.” Grant, though, was “without one particle of ostentatious vanity or fuss and feathers.”5
Governor Yates asked General Grant how he would like to travel downriver on one of the transports. The army commander replied, “if he was a soldier in the ranks and required to face the danger he would move himself by a sense of duty to his country. But while in the command of an army if he would place himself in such peril—when others were willing to take this post of danger—he would be looking for a request from the War Department to send in his resignation.”6
Lindsay described Porter’s flotilla moving past them in the darkness “with the upper decks but faintly outlined looking like phantom boats floating upon some dark mysterious sea.” The senator and the others watched as the fleet proceeded one by one down the river. “Soon, as if by magic touch, the whole 8 miles of batteries sprang into lurid flames flooding hill city river and forest with the brilliant light of that noon day sun.” Lindsay could see the Confederate artillery crews outlined on the shore, and described how “hundreds of strange weird beings moved to and fro all along the shore with torches in their hands as if ministering to the wrath of the infernal. Vast dense clouds of smoke now arose—rolled up over city and hill—and forming into towering columns all along the Eastern sky—and burnished into intense brilliancy by the reflection of the lurid flames all along the shore.” After Porter’s successful run, Lindsay recalled that Grant “showed no exultation or joy over his triumph but was apparently more silent and thoughtful.”7
Lindsay also noted that he heard that evening that everyone who sailed under the Vicksburg guns that evening were volunteers, drawn by lot. “A boy 18 years of age drew what he called a prize—a position on one of the transports. He was offered $100 for his prize, the young hero refused it, and lived to tell the story of his peril in defence of his country. I thought when I looked at these floating tombs their courage was more than mortal,” he continued. “Protected by a frail wooden boat and some cotton bales—against 8 miles of batteries of the heaviest guns in the northern or southern army. Had such cool manly courage ever been equaled-surely it was never surpassed.”8
Six days later, six additional transports made the run. Five of the transports, though damaged, survived the trip. Grant now had the means to ferry his men across the Mississippi below Vicksburg. Over the next few weeks, the remainder of Grant’s army, first McPherson’s corps and then Sherman’s command, used the overland route to reach New Carthage, and from there were either ferried or marched overland farther south to the town of Hard Times, Louisiana.
Grant made one unsuccessful attempt to cross the river to Grand Gulf, before finding an alternative landing site farther south. On April 30, Grant’s men crossed the river and landed at Bruinsburg, Mississippi. At that time, it was the greatest amphibious operation in American history. Grant now had his troops south of Vicksburg on the Mississippi side of the river, and the Confederates were not there to throw back his advance.9
Over the next 17 days, Grant’s troops pushed inland, meeting and defeating Confederates at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, and Big Black River Bridge, finally penning John Pemberton and his garrison inside Vicksburg’s sprawling defenses. The 17th Illinois, part of John D. Stevenson’s brigade in John Logan’s division, McPherson’s corps, did not arrive in Mississippi in time to take part in these important battles. Instead, the regiment remained behind in Grand Gulf until May 14, unloading supply ships and assisting the wounded sent back from the Mississippi battlefields. The regiment did not catch up to its division until May 17. They may have missed the sharp fights leading to the gates of Vicksburg, but they would not miss the struggle for the city itself.
Jennie to Josiah
Peoria, April 27th 1863
Capt J. Moore
My Dear Friend,
I thought “some person” had almost forgotten how wearily the hours go by when no message comes from the dear one. Yes I think three weeks entirely too long a time to wait for a letter. I hope it wont happen so again. Now remember dear friend, remember how “lonesome” Jennie is with thee so far away. Tis true I have my home and friends, yet while the one who is dearer than all these is absent. I cant but feel sad and lonely. I received your dear missive of the 13th inst this morning. I was much pleased to hear of the welfare of our dear wanderer. Oh that he could give us a “Roll” some “pleasant evening”. Wouldnt we have a chat over “old times” I think they are not forgotten. I hope they may be soon again realized.
I presume you have seen father ere this. The last we heard from him he was in Memphis. I think they intend stoping at Providence on their way down. We miss father so much it doesnt seem like home with him away. Andie was better the last time we heard from him. I do wish he could come home with father. Oh this cruel war will there ever be an end to it—I dont believe we will ever have peace again. Although the coming of the negroes does give us a slight ray of hope. I should like to see a Regt of them on dress parade.
I do think it too bad Mr. Tom Currie putting temptation in your way by sending you “old bourbon” Thats just the way persons commence, by drinking “native wine” then they must have something stronger. Tom and Sarah were out on last Friday. Tom was home from the store on account of having a very bad cold. He thought if he came into the country it would cure him. he is very anxious to have Sarah go East this summer he is afraid if she doesnt take Willie away from Peoria during the warm weather that he will get sick, and poor Sarah thinks if she goes without her dear husband then she will be so homesick. I really pity her. I’m glad I never get homesick. I think it very foolish for persons to be this afflicted. What do you think?
Well my dearest friend what shall I say to interest thee. Oh if I could only speak instead of writing. how happy I would be. It seems as though my heart were always saying, Come home dear wanderer come, and yet it calls in vain. days weeks and months pass slowly away and still this loved one cometh not.
So Lt. McClanahan did get home as well as “somebody” else. I think he truly deserved it for being so faithful.
Well dearest friend I see you are looking weary so I’ll not write any more to night. I would that it were more worthy your reading. but please take this will for the deed, like a dear good boy with this hope I will give thee a kind good night kiss. Remember and write soon too.
Jennie
Senator Lindsay caught up with his son Andie in camp. According to Andie’s captain, J. M. McCulloch, on or about April 25 the senator “came to see him while we were on the march to a point below Vicksburg. He found him very weak and told him he could get him discharged but the boy was plucky and refused but accepted a detail in the Commissary Dept.” Andie’s change in assignment was effective April 26, 1863, by order of General Grant.
Senator Lindsay or Governor Yates may have used their time with Grant to request the transfer. That same month Grant told visitor Frederick Law Olmsted (one of the founders of the U.S. Sanitary Commission and later a noted designer) that he was continually besieged by Midwestern governors with requests. According to Olmsted, Grant described Yates as “an amiable and weak man [who] seemed to think it his business to help any citizen of Illinois to anything he wanted.” The barrage of requests from Yates were “all written in the most earnest tone of personal and official anxiety,’ said Grant, ‘yet there are so many of them, they can’t mean anything.” Yates probably thought he could turn Lindsay into an ally—or at least neutralize him—by providing assistance to his son. As we will see in Jennie’s letter from May 5, Lindsay was successful in bringing Andie home to recuperate. He remained home for two or three months. Captain McCulloch, who was captured by the Confederates in April 1864 and held until the war’s end, claimed Andie became ill while at Young’s Point early in 1863, although Andie later wrote that he fell sick while on detached service from the company.10
Josiah to Senator Lindsay
Grand Gulf Miss
May 14th 1863
Hon J. T. Lindsay,
Dear Friend,
Your kind favor of the 3rd inst and posted at Cairo Ills, came duly to hand to day and contents noted. I was pleased to hear of your safe arrival at Cairo tho I regretted your having to leave Providence so prematurely, but it was a necessity, I am much obliged for your kind profer in assisting me with the Gov, tho at present there is not much prospect of an opening. I saw the Gov. since coming here he was quite unwell and by this time I think has returned. our Regt. was detained here on post duty but is now about to march to the front to report to Gen Stephenson of Logan’s Div, Logan had hard fighting yesterday he took Raymond repulsed the rebels and took 300 prisoners. he had about 80 killed & wounded the enemy lost heavily. our army is progressing nobly some of our troops expected to reach Jackson today where there is every prospect of a large battle Just now a gun boat arrives that reports fighting the last two days at Port Hudson.11
Various rumors come from the Potomac. some seem rather disastrous the last is that Stoneman12 with his cavalry had reached and captured Richmond, but nothing is believed we are prepared for the worst, as we never expect much from that part.
The weather here is beautiful and Providence seems to favor us in every manner possible. Where God is for us we need not fear opposition.
But as the train is about to start I must close. I hope Andie is well and has had ere, this the pleasure of once more seeing the folks at home.
Remember me to Mrs Lindsay, Miss Jennie and all engrossing friends.
Yours truly
Josiah Moore
Josiah’s comments about Lindsay assisting him with the governor, and the lack of openings, suggest Lindsay was trying to secure a promotion for Josiah, and even perhaps the colonelcy of another Illinois regiment. Although he would serve for three years, Josiah never rose higher than his initial rank of captain. Not every captain was promoted, but Josiah was educated and officially recognized at Shiloh for his exemplary conduct under fire. It is possible that Josiah expressed strong abolitionist views to others, or echoed the views about John Brown he had expressed in writing back in 1859. The Democratic party was dominant within the 17th Illinois, as the political maneuvering to fill the colonelcy after Shiloh aptly demonstrated. Josiah’s views, assuming others were aware of them, may not have been well received and may have hampered any promotions.13
There may have been opportunities for Josiah to seek an appointment in one of the new black regiments. Other men from the 17th, including Abraham Ryan, had done just that. However, that probably would have required Josiah to spend additional time in the service, and he may have already decided not to remain past his initial three-year enlistment.
Grand Gulf Miss.
May 14th 1863
Miss Jennie E. Lindsay,
“My Dear Friend”
Another sweet respite permits the “wanderer” to commune with the “dear absent one.”
Your dear epistle of the 27th ult. came duly to hand and is now on my desk. would that the writer were present, then, this fair sheet would be laid aside for that fairer one, “sweeter, dearer, far.” Your kind missive was rec,d three or four days since and just about two hours after mailing my last in which I believe I betrayed some signs of being a little lonesome. but it was too late for correction, however the brighter day quickly succeeded the darker morning. and as I was just then about to embark on an expedition, it made the duty much lighter to have news from my dear Jennie.
Our Regt. went down the river 15 miles by boat landed and marched out 4 miles to the Hospt,l where were kept the wounded of the first battle at this place. we found them doing very well, of course it was a sad sight, there were about 300 in all, and dear Lady you can have some idea of a chivalrous villa when I tell you that this 300 wounded men was quite well accommodated in the first & second stories the 3rd being still occupied by the natives consisting of the owner, who by the way is a widow lady and two others, also widows—quite a trinity for one habitation! well I think they are having quite a singular time of it down south here, I am so sorry. perhaps I am a little interested. our business was to move the wounded up to this point but when we got about half to the boat and order came for us to return quickly to the Gulf as the rebels intended making a raid, but they did not come. we are still doing duty at this post, but now have marching orders and will probably start tomorrow, so dear lady you will perhaps hear from me next at Jackson.
I had, today, a letter from Mr. Lindsay dated at Cairo on the 3rd inst I was glad to hear that thus far he arrived safely, also that Andie had a prospect of visiting home, so ere this, no doubt, there has been one happy meeting and I am sure that none can wish you a more happy good cheer than your humble sr’vt I wish my father would come and take me home I am so backward you know that I dont like to go of myself among strangers.
Well never mind my dear Jennie, hope still lingers with her sweet solace that through the kind favor of a divine protector there will be another “happy meeting” of course the fortune of cruel Mars may defer this happy time and I would not excite any hopes that might be frustrated, but I assure you that it is no pleasure to be separated from one so sincerely lived, and I anxiously look for our national affairs to take such a turn as will not only result in an honorable adjustment of national troubles but also allow friends to return to loved ones at home.
My health is still quite good. I was pleased to hear that dear Jennie “never got homesick,” i.e. when speaking of Mrs Currie. But dearest friend you look tired of this long letter, so wishing you a full participation in all the joys that makes life worth living or heaven worth gaining I will give thee a kind goodbye kiss.
With most sincere regards, as ever
J. Moore
P.S. I enclose one secesh post stamp so that dear Jennie can write to her little secesh friend now dont forget. good bye. J.M.
When Josiah expressed his strong desire to return to Jennie after what he cynically calls “an honorable adjustment of national troubles,” we can assume this “adjustment” included restoration of the Union, but once again he remained silent on the issue of abolition. Either Josiah had modified the strong sentiments he expressed in 1859 when he wrote of the hanging of John Brown, or he was again avoiding the subject because of Jennie’s father. Just a few weeks prior he certainly expressed an opinion on arming blacks.
Jennie to Josiah
Peoria May 5th 1863
Capt J. Moore,
My Dear Friend,
This is such a lovely evening. Oh how I do wish some one was here to help me enjoy the beautiful moonlight. I cant tell you how pretty everything looks. The fruit trees are all in blossom and by the bright light of the moon all nature looks peaceful and happy yet the heart sighs for a kindred spirit to commune with in this quiet hour.
Your kind letter of the 21st inst was received on last Saturday. You can imagine what a dear welcome missive it was. Oh that I could have such a one every day, or which would be almost as pleasant to see the writer. That would indeed be “joy beyond measure”. When will the days grow bright again dearest friend. I sometimes get impatient for their return.
So you’ve seen my dear old father. Well I envy you both. Poor me hath eyes and yet can not see thee. We are looking for father home the last of this week. I do hope we will not be disappointed if he brings Andie with him. Wont there be joy in this household. You better come and see what happiness he will bring. Cant you come too please. Jennie wants to see you ever so much, and just think youve been gone four months. Oh I wish you would get real home sick then perhaps you would come. I think you would enjoy being here this month every thing looks so beautiful. quite an improvement on last winter at the time you were in Peoria you could now go into the country without any trouble, and find the folks at home too, just try wont you?
I went to Sarah Curries yesterday after Church. I am not in the habit of visiting on Sunday, but you know what a pleader Sarah is then I couldnt think of depriving her the pleasure of my company.
Tuesday morning: Well dear friend I dident think last evening when I commenced this letter what a pleasant interruption I would have. I suppose you have already quesed who the interrupter was. Andie gave us quite a surprise. We did not think of looking for them until the last of the week, but I assure he was none the less welcome for coming sooner. I could scarcely beleave it was him. I thought it as dream, but as he is still here this morning it has become a reality. he left father in Cairo, we look for him this evening.
Andie said he saw you a minute Oh how I did wish you had come to then Jennie would of been happy.
Andie will be with us about a week he will then go to Memphis. I think he looks so badly, but as he is at home now I think he will get better.
Well dearest friend I guess I will have to say farewell for a short time. You know we now have a soldier boy with us and he is waiting for me to go down town with him. Yes dont think dear friend because we have one with us we have no thoughts for another. Oh no he to is kindly rememberered would that he were with us in person, with the fond hope of seeing him soon. I will now bid thee dearest friend good bye.
Jennie
Please write soon
Josiah would soon have a good deal to write about in his next series of letters to Jennie.
1 Woodworth, Nothing But Victory, 315-316.
2 Edwin Cole Bearss, The Vicksburg Campaign: Grant Strikes A Fatal Blow (Dayton, OH, 1985, 1991), 21.
3 Shea and Winschel, Vicksburg is the Key 90-91; Giambrone, Illustrated Guide to the Vicksburg Campaign, 45; Shea and Winschel, Vicksburg is the Key, 91-93.
4 Ibid., 98-99; Ural, Don’t Hurry Me Down to Hades, 118.
5 From an unpaginated account written by Senator John Lindsay, in the collection of the author.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Shea and Winschel, Vicksburg is the Key, 106-108.
10 Simpson, The Civil War: The Third Year, 114-115; Pension records, James A Lindsay, National Archives.
11 Port Hudson was another stronghold on the Mississippi River more than 100 miles farther south just above Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was under the command of Maj. Gen. Franklin Gardner and besieged by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks, whose 48-day siege of Port Hudson would prove the longest real siege of the entire war. Gardner surrendered after Vicksburg fell. See Larry Hewitt, Port Hudson: Confederate Bastion on the Mississippi (Baton Rouge, LA, 1994).
12 This is a reference to Maj. Gen. George Stoneman, the head of Joe Hooker’s cavalry in the Army of the Potomac. Stoneman’s raid was a large cavalry operation in mid-April before the opening of the Chancellorsville campaign. It was intended (and failed) to cut Lee’s communications to force him to call back, not capture the Confederate capital.
13 Ramold, Across the Divide, 67.