collected from the different
bayous in the vicinity, and others were built, but the
transportation of an army in this way was found exceedingly
tedious. Another route had to be found. This was done by making a
further march around Vidal to Perkins' Plantation, a distance of
twelve miles more, making the whole distance to be marched from
Milliken's Bend to reach water communication on the opposite side
of the point thirty-five miles. Over this distance, with bad
roads to contend against, supplies of ordnance stores and
provisions had to be hauled by wagons with which to commence the
campaign on the opposite side of the river.

At the same time that I ordered the occupation of New Carthage,
preparations were made for running transports by the Vicksburg
batteries with Admiral Porter's gunboat fleet.

On the night of the 16th of April Admiral Porter's fleet and the
transports Silver Wave, Forest Queen, and Henry Clay ran the
Vicksburg batteries. The boilers of the transports were protected
as well as possible with hay and cotton. More or less commissary
stores were put on each. All three of these boats were struck
more or less frequently while passing the enemy's batteries, and
the Henry Clay, by the explosion of a shell or by other means,
was set on fire and entirely consumed. The other two boats were
somewhat injured, but not seriously disabled. No one on board of
either was hurt.

As these boats succeeded in getting by so well, I ordered six
more to be prepared in like manner for running the batteries.
These latter, viz.: Tigress, Anglo-Saxon, Cheeseman, Empire City,
Horizonia, and Moderator, left Milliken's Bend on the night of
the 22d April, and five of them got by, but in a somewhat damaged
condition. The Tigress received a shot in her hull below the
water line, and sunk on the Louisiana shore soon after passing
the last of the batteries. The crews of these steamers, with (p. 379)
the exception of that of the Forest Queen, Captain D. Conway,
and the Silver Wave, Captain McMillan, were composed of
volunteers from the army. Upon the call for volunteers for this
dangerous enterprise, officers and men presented themselves by
hundreds, anxious to undertake the trip. The names of those whose
services were accepted will be given in a separ