ng the river front, and the
earth trembled under the stupendous explosion. The ships had been
detected, and the river was swept by a tempest of shot and shell that it
seemed must shatter to fragments every one of the craft. It should be
remembered that these batteries extended for a long distance along the
shore, and they opened one after the other, as the ships came opposite.
Thus the fleet became the target of battery after battery, and had a
continuous and extended gantlet to run before reaching safety.

The gunboats returned the fire as they swept by, and many of their shots
were effective, but in such a duel the advantage is always with the land
batteries. One of the transports was disabled, and another, directly
behind her, had to stop to avoid running into the injured craft. The
crew of the former, finding themselves the centre of a terrific fire,
launched the yawl, and, leaping into it, pulled for the shore. They had
scarcely left their vessel when it was fired by a shell, and, aflame
from stem to stern, it drifted down stream. Meanwhile, the transport
that had grounded was towed out of danger. With this exception, the
whole fleet got safely past, the loss being only one man killed and two
wounded on Porter's flagship.

General Grant was greatly pleased with this success. A few nights later
a second attempt was successful. He was thus enabled to send supplies to
the army, with which he intended to attack Vicksburg on the south.
Gradually shifting his own position, he reached a point opposite Grand
Gulf, a short distance below the mouth of the Big Black River.

CAPTURE OF GRAND GULF.

Although Grand Gulf was strongly fortified its quick capture was a
necessity. McClernand had been ordered several times to attack it, but
he was so laggard that Grant himself undertook the task. It proved one
of extreme difficulty, and he was obliged to make a change of plans, but
he handled his troops with admirable skill and with such effect that the
Confederate commander's position at Grand Gulf became untenable and he
withdrew. Grant rode into town and found the place in the possession of
Admiral Farragut.

The success was so brilliant that Pemberton, the Confederate general
commanding the forces at Vicksburg, became alarmed and telegraphed to
General Jo Johnston for reinforcements, but Johnston was too much
occupied with Rosecrans in Tennessee to spare any of his men, and about
all he could do was to send encouraging wor