Union hopes seemed stuck in the mud losing more men to illness than Confederate munitions. As spring came Grant developed a new plan and began to attack Confederate forces not "skeeters and snakes." In late March construction began on a road to reach Hard Times, Louisiana seventy miles south of Miliken's Bend. On April 16th a moonless night Admiral Porter sent his seven gunboats and three supply ships past the Vicksburg batteries. On April 22nd more supply ships came past Vicksburg. Passing Vicksburg ended with a few causalities, no deaths, and the loss of two ships. The Federal Navy was south of Vicksburg ready to assist Grant's planned river crossing. Grant ordered IL Colonel Benjamin Grierson on a cavalry raid starting in Tennessee on April 17th and ending in BatonRogue, LA on May 2nd. This raid proved to be a great diversion. It is loosely depicted in a John Ford movie The Horse Soldiers starring John Wayne and William Holden.
Union soldiers after Vicksburg Surrender
Winston Groom author of Forrest Gump has written a new book on Vicksburg fun not scholarly or completely accurate.
Grant ordered his troops to begin crossing the Mississippi on April 30th. Grant's forces defeated Confederate resistance at Port Gibson on May 1st. The Confederates fell back to Vicksburg; Grant sent his forces northeast towards Jackson, the Mississippi capital. Grant had three corps under McClernand, McPherson, and Sherman by May 8th all were united on the east side of the river. The Battle of Raymond was fought on May 12th as Grant headed to Jackson. Jackson MS was taken on May 14th this cut off the Vicksburg forces numbering about 40,000 strong as General Joseph Johnston withdrew the Confederate forces he had just taken command of in Jackson. The Union turned back towards Vicksburg and fought a major battle at Champion's Hill on May 16th. The Union destroyed the delaying action at the Big Black River on the 17th. Grant proceded on to Vicksburg while the Confederates prepared to defend it within the extensively prepared fortifications.
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