Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/530

 498 Halleck takes the command in person. [isei country flooded, Pope's engineers succeeded also in cutting a channel through a stretch of timbered land to a neighbouring bayou, by means of which his transports were able to pass to where the two gun-boats lay below the island. Seeing that he now had command of the river, and could move his troops at will, the Confederates surrendered Island No. 10; and the supporting force of about 6500 men, with three general officers, laid down their arms on the morning of April 8, the day following the battle of Pittsburg Landing. Pope made immediate arrangements to proceed with his forces down the Mississippi and attack Fort Pillow, but was called away in another direction. Carrying out his former intention, Halleck left his head- quarters at St Louis and proceeded to Pittsburg Landing to take personal charge of the further campaign in Tennessee. There being no other troops from which to make up the losses in the recent battles, he ordered Pope to join him with his whole army; and that officer promptly obeyed, his transports reaching Pittsburg Landing on April 22. The determination of Halleck to take personal command of the united western armies in the field was highly satisfactory to the Administration; and the Secretary of War telegraphed to him : " I have no instructions to give you. Go ahead, and all success attend you." The hope that his leadership would speedily secure brilliant military results was fully justified by the favourable circumstances which presented themselves to his skill and experience. Five days after the arrival of Pope and his army, the inspiring news was telegraphed to Halleck from Washington, that the fleet under Admiral Farragut had captured New Orleans, and was under orders to push up the Mississippi river immediately to Memphis without waiting for anything. A campaign of prime importance under conditions of almost certain success thus lay ready to his energy and enterprise. The army under Halleck, and the fleet under Farragut had only to join hands, and the great Mississippi river, from Cairo to the sea, would be released from the enemy's control, and nearly one half the territory of the Confederate States would find its communications effectually severed from the other half. Halleck himself had pointed out the possibility that Pope and his army might capture Memphis. With the three armies under his command no sufficient Confederate force could be concentrated to resist his prompt southward march, which was to turn and compel the evacuation of every fortress of the enemy on the Mississippi above Vicksburg; and even that stronghold would be powerless to resist the combined strength of the army and the fleet. It turned out unfortunately that Halleck lacked either the mental grasp or the physical energy to seize the great opportunity before him. For some days his orders and dispatches indicated commendable vigour and promptness. To prepare for a march on Corinth he organised his forces into three corps, making the army of Grant his right wing, which