Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/591

 1862-s] Naval operations on the Mississippi. 559 splendidly earned Bowling Green and Columbus, the enemy's two advanced positions in Kentucky, were evacuated; but the advantage was not followed up. When the advance was made to Pittsburg Landing the flotilla supported the army, and by the confession of Southern authorities did some damage to the Confederates in the battle of Shiloh. In April, 1862, the Northern gunboats passed Island No. 10 on the Mississippi, compelling its surrender ; in the following June Fort Pillow was reduced, after an engagement with the enemy's flotilla off Memphis ; and Vicksburg was reached in the same month. Farragut, moving up with his ships from New Orleans, had lately reached a point below the town ; and only the stretch of water commanded by the guns of the Vicksburg forts now severed the deep-sea fleet of the North from its victorious flotilla on the upper waters of the great river. With little trouble and but small loss Farragut ran past the batteries up-stream, only to find that no army was available for the attack on what was at that time the last Confederate fortress on the Mississippi. He was therefore forced to return, as his coal was running low and the level of the river was falling; but his excursion had shown others the way. Early in 1863 the stretch of water below Vicksburg, which had for some months been left untroubled by Northern vessels, was the scene of the exploits of the steamer Queen of the West, which ran past the Vicksburg works and destroyed a great quantity of supplies, causing the South heavy loss before she was destroyed. In the spring and summer of 1863 the navy rendered Grant in- valuable assistance against Vicksburg assistance which he, with his usual generosity of disposition, was the first to acknowledge. Farragut had now received instructions once more to move up the river from New Orleans; but the task was more difficult than it had been on the previous occasion, owing to the construction of formidable works at Port Hudson and Grand Gulf. Between these two points the Red River flowed into the Mississippi ; and down that river came great quantities of supplies for the Confederate army. Late in the night of March 14 Farragut's small squadron advanced, the ships lashed in pairs, intending to pass the batteries at Port Hudson and attack them from above, with the help of a military force. On this occasion, however, Farragut met with a check. Of his seven vessels only two passed the works ; one was destroyed by the enemy's fire, and the others were compelled by various accidents to fall back. But with the two which had passed, joined by a vessel from the flotilla above Vicksburg, he was able to stop the passage of supplies from the Red River, and thus to render sterling service to his cause. A few days later the flotilla above Vicksburg gallantly ran the gauntlet of the fire of that fortress and anchored below. Farragut now received orders to rejoin his fleet at New Orleans, but to do this he had to travel by the bayous, the way CH. XVII.