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| Stumbling through the beginnings of the Vicksburg Campaign I became interested in Sherman's attempt to take Vicksburg by entering Steele Bayou and following it to the Yazoo River. Ray wanted to find where the Cairo had been sunk and these 2 places seemed to be in the same general direction. We did a lot of bludering around but we did find the a place where Sherman had been. Post ride researching has uncovered yet another early attempt at taking Vicksburg from the bayous. Below is the Cairo, an example of the big boats that the Federals sent down the narrow twisting bayous. All of these attempts ended in Union failures. I had put "ended in Confederate victores", but, in war there is only one victory.. |
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| Crossing the Yazoo. |
| Modern control of the Steele. |
| Other riders in the 40 mile per hour wind. |
| Historical Marker found. |
| Yes, Ironclads were in that water. |
| And the boys in gray, backed them up. |
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Porter took Grant on an short excursion through these bayous, navigating between flooded treetops down roads covered with 15 feet (4.6 meters) of water, and Grant was so enthusiastic that he issued immediate orders to begin the "Steele Bayou" expedition, as it would come to be known. Sherman, more or less unemployed since the abrupt end of his canal-building efforts, was ordered to provide ground-force support for the project, and slogged through the mud with a division to make contact with Porter's little navy on 16 March. Sherman's troops boarded the transports accompanying Porter's fleet, which immediately steamed forward.
However, as James Wilson and Watson Smith had found out with their own plans, the idea looked better on a map than it did in practice. The bayous were narrow and tangled, resulting in damage to the vessels and a rain of vermin -- mice, rats, snakes, lizards, and cockroaches -- from the trees. Sherman's men generally managed to sweep them off the decks, though encounters with agitated wildcats who had been rudely dropped from the branches resulted in a few exciting confrontations. Porter's gunboats ranged well ahead of the transports. The transports were too wide to fit through the narrow passages, and the infantry had to help clear the way for them through the tangle. On 19 March, the gunboats got into trouble. Encountering a wide, green patch of water at daybreak, Porter asked some slaves on the banks if it were safe to enter. One replied that it was nothing but a patch of willows and that the vessels shouldn't have any trouble. That might have been true for rowboats, but when Porter steamed his ironclad into the patch of water it quickly became snarled tight in the willow branches, leaving it almost defenseless if the Confederates wanted to seize it, since the banks blocked the ship's guns. Porter set up four smoothbore howitzers on an Indian mound for self-defense and put his men to cutting the ironclad out of its trap. Suddenly the ironclad and the gun crew on the mound came under long-range artillery fire. The Confederates had two six-gun batteries bearing on them from opposite directions. Porter managed to return fire using mortar boats. Desperate for help, Porter found a contraband, who he addressed as "Sambo", only to be told: "My name ain't Sambo, sah. My name's Tub." With names all straight, Porter paid Tub a half dollar to carry an unintentionally humorous message back to Sherman: "Dear Sherman: Hurry up, for Heaven's sake. I never knew how helpless an ironclad could be steaming around through the woods without an army to back her." Tub honored his bargain with Porter, finding Sherman late that night. The slave then led Sherman and his troops first on a steamship, and when the steamship couldn't proceed further, on foot through the muck. Drummer boys carried their drums on their heads and the men slung their cartridge belts around their necks to keep them dry. They spend a day and another night on this wretched slog, and the soldiers finally came to Porter's aid on the morning of Sunday, 22 March. Brisk fighting was in progress, with rebel and Union artillery trading shots. Confederate soldiers were trying to sneak and chop down trees to cut off the stranded gunboats. Sherman's men chased off the rebel soldiers and then made contact with Porter. By this time, Porter had managed to free his vessels. Their rudders removed, they were trying to steam backwards to where they had come from, since there was no room to turn around. Porter was relieved to get the help, since he had feared being encircled and captured: "I doubt if he was ever more glad to meet a friend than he was to see me," Sherman wrote later. Both men had gone through enough, however, Sherman calling it "the most infernal expedition I was ever on." The gunboats continued their backwards progress, Sherman's soldiers mocked the Navy crews mercilessly, who swore back at them angrily. In any case, the fleet managed to inch its way back to the mouth of the Yazoo, where their damage was repaired and the vessels were painted and polished back to a shine. Despite the whole expedition being a preposterous fiasco, or more likely because of it, the Steele Bayou expedition became something of an adventure that its participants looked back on with a bit of pride. * Sherman's canal had failed, McPherson's Lake Providence route had gone nowhere, Wilson's expedition down Yazoo Pass had run into a dead end, and so had Porter's meanderings through the Yazoo Delta. Grant ordered McClernand to investigate another canal, but that project went nowhere fast when the Mississippi began to fall again. Someone less persistent than US Grant would have been discouraged. The last word on the futile bayou efforts was given by a Union officer who had been taken prisoner during the Steele Bayou experiment. The rebels asked him what he thought Grant was thinking: "Hasn't the old fool tried this ditching and flanking five times already?" The prisoner replied: "Yes, but he has thirty-seven more plans in his pocket." |
| FARRAGUT RETURNS UPRIVER
Down the Mississippi, Nathaniel Banks had been similarly considering what he might do to isolate or capture Port Hudson, the linchpin of the Confederate Mississippi corridor in the south. Unlike Grant, however, Banks was much more worried about what the rebels might do to him instead of the reverse, and so he ended up doing nothing. His naval counterpart, David Farragut, was made of much more fiery stuff. On hearing of Porter's loss of the QUEEN OF THE WEST (to General Van Dorn) and the INDIANOLA, Farragut took it as a personal insult. He resolved to move upstream immediately past the high bluffs and guns of Port Hudson and show the rebels just who the boss really was. He had seven wooden vessels: the heavy warships HARTFORD, RICHMOND, and MONONGAHELA, the old side-wheeler MISSISSIPPI, and three gunboats. He planned to make the run during a moonless night to limit his casualties. Banks wasn't to be left completely out of the action, however. He was to lead a feint on Port Hudson with 12,000 men to distract the defenders while Farragut prepared for his dash. After darkness fell on 14 March, the fleet steamed upriver, with the HARTFORD leading the way. The ships moved quietly and remained undetected until the HARTFORD cleared the first battery below Port Hudson, when she was detected by Confederate pickets, who lit pitch-pine bonfires and set off rockets to alert the gunners on shore. The night was misty and windless, and the exchanges of cannon fire between the ships and the guns on the bluffs above the river covered the river with black smoke, blinding the gunners on both sides. The HARTFORD made it beyond the batteries with three casualties and damage to her spars and topdeck. Unfortunately, the RICHMOND was struck in her engine room and lost steam. She floated back downstream, to be followed by the MONONGAHELA, which suffered an engine failure and other damage. It was the side-wheeler frigate MISSISSIPPI, which had been Commodore Matthew Perry's flagship during the US Navy expedition to Japan a decade before, that took the worst beating, taking hits not only from the rebels but, in the confusion, from the RICHMOND as well, and then ran hard aground, right in full view of the rebel gunners. Pounded by shot and shells and stuck tight, her captain ordered the crew to abandon ship and set the MISSISSIPPI on fire. She burned until morning, then slid off the mud bank where she had grounded, floated in flames downstream past the injured ships nursing their wounds below the town, grounded again, and then blew up. Banks' men had arrived too late to seriously distract the Confederates, but they got a spectacular fireworks show. Only three of the seven vessels that started out made it past Port Hudson. There were 112 casualties, with 35 men killed outright. Still, Farragut was now past the guns of Port Hudson. The three ships steamed upriver for the day and the following night, dropping anchor near the mouth of the Red River when the sun came up again. The rebel ram WEBB and the captured Ellett ram QUEEN OF THE WEST had retreated back up the Red after the INDIANOLA fiasco. They had been heavily damaged in that fight and were in no condition to take on Farragut, but in any case he rigged up further protection for the HARTFORD by using logs and anything else he could find as armor, and then continued upriver in hopes of making contact with Porter's vessels. Porter had the same idea. He sent two Ellett rams, the SWITZERLAND and the LANCASTER, downstream past Vicksburg on 25 March to link up with Farragut. The LANCASTER took several hits, while the SWITZERLAND was hit so badly that she broke up and sank, giving her captain, the young Charles Ellett, another dunking in the Mississippi. Despite the losses, Porter's plan for a naval blockade between Port Hudson and Vicksburg was now a reality. The Federals had now effectively cut commerce between the eastern and western halves of the Confederacy. Unfortunately, as long as the rebels maintained their fortresses at each end of the corridor, they in turn blocked commerce from the American Midwest into the Gulf of Mexico. It was up to Grant to put an end to this stalemate. |
| MARCH 14-27, 1863.--The Steele's Bayou Expedition...
Report of Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston, C. S. Army, commanding Brigade. HEADQUARTERS FEATHERSTON'S BRIGADE, Near Fort Pemberton, Miss., April 3, 1863. MAJOR: In obedience to orders, I submit the following report of the troops under my command on Rolling Fork and Deer Creek: About 3 a.m., March 19, I was ordered to move my brigade to Snyder's Bluff as rapidly as possible; to take two regiments from that point and one section of artillery, and proceed up Sunflower River and Rolling Fork to the junction of Rolling Fork and Deer Creek, to which point the enemy was said to be directing his movements. The order was promptly obeyed, and on Friday (20th), about 3 p.m., we arrived at the mouth of Rolling Fork, and disembarked the troops, who had to march through water three quarters of a mile before reaching land. Colonel Ferguson had preceded me from near Greenville, Miss., with his command, consisting of a battalion of infantry, six pieces of artillery, and a squadron of cavalry some 40 or 50 in number. Colonel Ferguson had previously engaged the enemy and driven back his advance guard from Dr. Chaney's house, immediately in the fork of Rolling Fork and Deer Creek. My artillery and infantry were moved rapidly from the boat landing, a distance of some 6 or 7 miles, to the head of Rolling Fork, and arrived there from 4.30 to 5 p.m. I immediately assumed command of all the forces, and placed them in position for an immediate attack The battalion of infantry was placed on the right, extending up to Deer Creek. The Twenty-second and Twenty-third Mississippi Regiments were placed on the left in the nearest strip of woods to the enemy, and extending down Deer Creek below the enemy's line of boats the artillery on the more elevated position in the center. The enemy's boats (five in number), commanded by Admiral Porter, were lying a few hundred yards below the junction of Rolling Fork and Deer Creek, surrounded by an open field from one-half to a mile wide, and near a large, elevated mound, upon which he had planted a land battery of not more than two guns. The infantry were ordered to throw out companies of skirmishers in advance, with instructions to fire at every man who made his appearance on the boats. This disposition of the troops having been made, a brisk fire was opened by our artillery and continued until dark. This fire was responded to by the enemy's gunboats as well as their land battery until night. There was no hope of boarding the boats at this time by the infantry, as they were in the middle of the stream, and could not be reached without passing through water from 10 to 20 feet deep. The troops remained in position during the night, with instructions that if the boats landed on the east side of Deer Creek to board whenever an opportunity offered. During the night their land battery moved from the Mound to the boats, and the boats commenced moving down stream. Next morning the attack was renewed. Skirmishers were thrown forward to the nearest points of woods on both sides of the creek, and a constant fire kept up during the day. The artillery was not used on the second day, for the reason that the supply of ammunition was nearly exhausted by the firing on Friday. The country from the head of Rolling Fork down Deer Creek to Black Bayou is nearly a continuous chain of plantations, cleared on both sides, and but few points of woods running to the bank of the stream to serve as a covert and protection for sharpshooters. Owing to the high stage of water in Deer Creek, their guns could be sufficiently depressed on the boats to use grape and canister. On Saturday evening, the Fortieth Alabama, Lieut. Col. John H. Higley commanding, arrived, and was placed, with the Twenty-second and Thirty-third Mississippi Regiments, under the command of Col. D. W. Hurst, Thirty-third Mississippi Regiment, who had prior to that time had the immediate command of the Twenty-second and Thirty-third Mississippi Regiments, Colonel Ferguson retaining during the whole time the immediate command of his own forces. The enemy continued to retire down the creek. On Sunday morning the attack was continued at Moore's plantation, some 6 or 7 miles below the head of Rolling Fork. Two regiments were thrown below in advance of the boats (Twenty-second and Thirty-third Mississippi), in a point of woods running up to the creek, where it was thought they could be successfully assailed. The Fortieth Alabama and artillery ordered to open a brisk fire on them until it had exhausted its supply of ammunition. This order was promptly obeyed, and the fire of our guns most cordially responded to by the guns of the enemy's boats. The two regiments thrown below were met by Sherman's division coming up, when a sharp skirmish ensued. While this skirmish was going on between the two regiments below and Sherman's division, two regiments of the enemy advanced from the boats immediately to the front, evidently with a view of cutting off the Twenty second and Thirty-third Mississippi, then in advance. These two regiments were ordered back to a strong position then held by the Fortieth Alabama and artillery. This was done in good order through the skirt of woods on the enemy's left. The enemy advancing some half a mile through the field, and finding our forces united, fell back to the boats. I am satisfied, from reliable information received from citizens as well as a captured dispatch from General Sherman to Admiral Porter, that the enemy's force could not now have consisted of less than eight or nine regiments. On Monday [23d], our troops were not moved, for the reason that our artillery was out of ammunition and hourly expecting a supply by our boats, and the men were without rations, and had been scantily and irregularly supplied up to that time, owing to the fact that we arrived without rations and without transportation, and it required time to collect both. On Tuesday morning the march was again resumed, but the artillery was carried but a little distance until the roads were found impassable, and it was left. On Wednesday [25th], the enemy was overtaken on Watson's farm, about 3 miles above Black Bayou. They were posted in a dense canebrake and woods, from which they retired before our skirmishers, the boats having preceded them. The woods were occupied by our troops that (Wednesday) night. On Thursday morning our troops again advanced through Fore's plantation, when a skirmish ensued between their rear guard and our sharpshooters. On Friday morning, when preparing to advance through the last skirt of woods on the east side of Deer Creek, before reaching Black Bayou, I learned from cavalry scouts sent in advance that the enemy's boats had gone down Black Bayou and his land forces retired. On Monday evening, the Thirty-first Mississippi Regiment, Col. J. A. Orr commanding, arrived, and in time advance on Tuesday and Wednesday Colonel Orr had the immediate command of the Twenty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-first Mississippi, and Fortieth Alabama Regiments. On Friday night, after the first engagement, the cavalry was sent several miles below to fell trees into the stream to prevent the escape of the boats, but were driven from their work at an early hour by a body of the enemy's infantry without having accomplished much. The cavalry did that night capture a negro, a bearer of a dispatch from General Sherman to Admiral Porter, which was sent to you at Vicksburg. The capture of the gunboats could only have been accomplished by the presence of a land force strong enough to have moved a part of it boldly to the rear of the boats, and taken a position where the succoring land force of the enemy might have been held firmly in check, while the remaining part might have felled trees and otherwise obstructed the stream in rear of the boats, annoying them with sharpshooters and compelled their surrender from absolute stress and calamity of situation after their ammunition, and perhaps provisions, should have been exhausted. The entire force under my command up to Monday did not exceed 1,300 effective men, and at no time during the seven days did it exceed 2,500 men. The visionary absurdity of the over-sanguine expectations of capturing gunboats entertained by some military men becomes apparent when it is considered that from 12 to 15 feet depth of water, with a width of from 6 to 10 feet, is always interposed between the assailants and the object assailed, and the boats well-nigh incapable of entrance when boarded, and each arranged with reference to the protection of the other. This entire expedition was full of hardships to the troops, who endured them with patience and fortitude, and were always cool and spirited in the presence of the enemy. I not only feel under obligation to my regular staff--Capt. W. R. Barksdale, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieut. A. N. Parker, aide-de-camp--but also to Lieutenant [W. A.] Drennan, acting ordnance officer, and Mr. E M. McAfee, volunteer aides, who were efficient in their places. Major [E. H.] Cummins, engineer officer, Major-General Maury's staff; accompanied me on this expedition, and had charge of all defensive works, in which he displayed much judgment and efficiency. Our loss in the slight combats of this expedition was small, not exceeding 2 killed and 6 or 8 wounded. The enemy's loss, as learned from released citizens, was not less than from 12 to 13 killed and from 40 to 45 wounded. A shot from our artillery, whose firing was admirable, crippled the United States tug, and took off the leg of the engineer, whose grave we found marked, "Engineer United States tug Dahlia; died March 22, 1863." The success of the expedition consists in turning and driving back the enemy, who in a very short time would have been through Rolling Fork into Sunflower River, and had the uncontested control of the Yazoo waters. I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. S. FEATHERSTON, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Maj. D. W. FLOWERREE, Assistant Adjutant-General, General Maury's Division. |
| This Southern Account of the Battle taken from Here. |
| The time line of the Federal's attempt. |
| Junction of Black Bayou and Deer Creek. Mississippi SH-1 ¾ mile west of US-61. Deer Creek (left) makes a horseshoe bend at the junction. Hill's Plantation was located here. Southeast view. : Union gunboats under Admiral David Porter reached this site on March 16, 1863, in Steele's Bayou Expedition. General Sherman camped here, then moved north to protect boats from the Confederate forces. |
| Now who would you expect had a part in getting the Cairo from mud bottomed river to this eposition building at the National Battlefield in Vicksburg, yep, Ray. His Dad and Ray had a electrical business in Pascagoula where there are shipyards. Ray has climbed all through that thing hanging moisture sensors to allert the restorers of "dry out", an unwanted thing. Visit the Battlefield for so much more than you would suspect. Don't go dumb and rent the self guiding tape. It is a must. Below is Ray's request and the story behind his history with the Cairo. "The only place that I can think of that I would really like to see is the site where the Cairo was raised. Dad & I were there the day they first tried to lift it. The old boat broke apart and all we got to see was a muddy lump about the size of a garbage can. I was amazed at how small the river was at that point. My guess is that place is closed to the public. My dad was the electrical contractor who installed the water pumps, test instruments, and lighting when the boat came to Pascagoula. I was a scrawny high school kid working as an electrician's helper. Being low man on the totem pole, I got the job of crawling around inside the nasty thing to set instruments. The old boat sat alongside the Pascagoula River for years. We passed by it thousands of times in our boat as we came and went in the harbor. I was the electrical contractor who removed the instruments and related wiring when the Cairo was finally moved back to Vicksburg for display. That time I got to stand and point to where some other scrawny college kid crawled around inside the soggy thing removing wiring. I feel connected to the Cairo. I've visited the exhibit in Vicksburg several times after the first display was built. I understand it has recently undergone another rebuild." Indeed there was work going on and we were not able to walk on board as is the norm. |
| Next we spent an hour looking for gas. Then we headed out of town on Business 61 north, along the base of the bluff that defended the Confederates positions. You can hear the cannons over the traffic. |
| This was on MS 1. A short ways we rejoined US 61 and stopped at the Onward Store. |
| Below is an overview of what was happeining on the rivers prior to the Mississippi bayou attempts, Yazoo Pass, the first, and Steele Bayou, the second. The fact that the Rebels were still using the stolen Queen of the West in maneuvers sets the time line. The Queen was sunk in the defense of Fort Pemberton. The link to that story is offered at the bottom of the next page. |
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| Below are great links on the Battlefield and the Cairo. A Visitor's Reflections on Vicksburg The Park's Cairo Site More More Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead The Story of the Sinking and a Connection with the Queen of the West, to be mentioned later. |
| Read This on the Indianola and More. It is good. |