Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 06.djvu/59



Vol. VI.

, ., January, 1863.

Major—I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the troops under my command during the recent conflict with the enemy, resulting in his abandoning his attack upon the city of Vicksburg.

The enemy's transports commenced making their appearance near the mouth of the Yazoo on Christmas day, when, in compliance with orders from Major-General Smith, I took charge in person of the defence of the swamp from the city to Snyder's mills. Between that point and the city runs the Swamp road at the foot of the bluffs,—the average distance of the road from the Yazoo being about two and a half miles. The country between the road and the Yazoo is heavy bottom—and intersected by sloughs and bayous—containing the plantations of Captain W. H. Johnson, Mrs. Lake and Colonel Blake; the first two being below Chickasaw bayou, which bayou separated Mrs. Lake's plantation from Colonel Blake's. The bayou runs back from the Yazoo and makes the half way point between the city and Snyder's mills. A lake and swamp run almost parallel to the road from near the city to Snyder's mills, and at an average distance from it of about one-third of a mile,