Grant Marches South

[tony_gunter]

Grant announced his plan to move south of Vicksburg in late January when he arrived at Young's Point and took command of the army on the river.

He got the ball rolling on March 31st, moving men from Milliken's Bend to Richmond, LA. From there, they would slog along Roundabout Bayou to New Carthage, LA 20 miles below the city constructing a road as they proceeded.

Why wait until April to begin this move? Was the logistics of cavalry forage the sticking point? Porter and Sherman's opposition to moving south of the city? A matter of timing his move to coincide with Banks' move on Port Hudson? Waiting for the dry season so his march to break the railroad would have the benefit of dry roads? Hope that the canal would provide a less dangerous route past the city? All of the above?

I wish he would have addressed this in his memoirs.

 

[NedBaldwin]

Grant announced his plan to move south of Vicksburg in late January when he arrived at Young's Point and took command of the army on the river.

He got the ball rolling on March 31st, moving men from Milliken's Bend to Richmond, LA. From there, they would slog along Roundabout Bayou to New Carthage, LA 20 miles below the city constructing a road as they proceeded.

Why wait until April to begin this move? Was the logistics of cavalry forage the sticking point? Porter and Sherman's opposition to moving south of the city? A matter of timing his move to coincide with Banks' move on Port Hudson? Waiting for the dry season so his march to break the railroad would have the benefit of dry roads? Hope that the canal would provide a less dangerous route past the city? All of the above?

I wish he would have addressed this in his memoirs.

February & March = water water everywhere

 

[tony_gunter]

February & March = water water everywhere

I wouldn't think this factored in, because there was still water everywhere all the way to New Carthage. In fact when the water level did begin to drop it was a hindrance, because he was counting on using barges to carry provisions through the Duckport Canal to New Carthage down Roundabout Bayou.

 

[NedBaldwin]

I wouldn't think this factored in, because there was still water everywhere all the way to New Carthage. In fact when the water level did begin to drop it was a hindrance, because he was counting on using barges to carry provisions through the Duckport Canal to New Carthage down Roundabout Bayou.

well he said it was a factor and marching men needed a dry surface to walk on

Another controlling factor is that Grant needs boats below Vicksburg to move men/supplies across and to support that crossing

In February the navy tried running a couple by Vicksburg with bad results:
- Queen of the West got captured by the Confederates
- Indianola was sunk by the now Confederate Queen of the West supported by two smaller confederate boats

In March navy tried again also with bad results
- Lancaster was sunk by the Vicksburg batteries
- Switzerland made it through but was heavily damaged

Switzerland would probably have been toast except Farragut showed up from the south at the end of March with the Hartford and the Albatross. He now can keep some control of the river south of Vicksburg. So Grant convinces Porter to try again with more boats and this time it works

 

[NedBaldwin]

I wish he would have addressed this in his memoirs.

I felt he had. Chapters 31 and 32 include several mentions of the high water and then "At last the waters began to recede; the roads crossing the peninsula behind the levees of the bayous, were emerging from the waters....I had had in contemplation the whole winter the movement by land to a point below Vicksburg from which to operate, subject only to the possible but not expected success of some one of the expedients resorted to for the purpose of giving us a different base. This could not be undertaken until the waters receded." And then he talks about the navy part I mentioned in my other post.

 

[tony_gunter]

I felt he had. Chapters 31 and 32 include several mentions of the high water and then "At last the waters began to recede; the roads crossing the peninsula behind the levees of the bayous, were emerging from the waters....I had had in contemplation the whole winter the movement by land to a point below Vicksburg from which to operate, subject only to the possible but not expected success of some one of the expedients resorted to for the purpose of giving us a different base. This could not be undertaken until the waters receded." And then he talks about the navy part I mentioned in my other post.

You don't consider that a misrecollection? Osterhaus didn't utilize roads to New Carthage, he stuck to the levees.