ting a landing at Rodney, or
at Bruinsburg, between Grand Gulf and Rodney. Accordingly orders
were immediately given for the troops to debark at Hard Times,
Louisiana, and march across to the point immediately below Grand
Gulf. At dark the gunboats again engaged the batteries, and all
the transports run by, receiving but two or three shots in the
passage, and these without injury. I had some time previously
ordered a reconnoissance to a point opposite Bruinsburg, to
ascertain if possible from persons in the neighborhood the
character of the road leading to the highlands back of
Bruinsburg. During the night I learned from a negro man that
there was a good road from Bruinsburg to Port Gibson, which
determined me to land there.

The work of ferrying the troops to Bruinsburg was commenced (p. 380)
at daylight in the morning, the gunboats as well as transports
being used for the purpose.

As soon as the thirteenth army corps was landed, and could draw
three days' rations to put in haversacks (no wagons were allowed
to cross until the troops were all over) they were started on the
road to Port Gibson. I deemed it a matter of vast importance that
the highlands should be reached without resistance.

The seventeenth corps followed as rapidly as it could be put
across the river.

About 2 o'clock on the 1st of May, the advance of the enemy was
met eight miles from Bruinsburg, on the road to Port Gibson. He
was forced to fall back, but as it was dark, he was not pursued
far until daylight. Early on the morning of the 1st I went out,
accompanied by members of my staff, and found McClernand with his
corps engaging the enemy about four miles from Port Gibson. At
this point the roads branched in exactly opposite directions,
both, however, leading to Port Gibson. The enemy had taken
position on both branches, thus dividing as he fell back the
pursuing forces. The nature of the ground in that part of the
country is such that a very small force could retard the progress
of a much larger one for many hours. The roads usually run on
narrow, elevated ridges, with deep and impenetrable ravines on
either side. On the right were the divisions of Hovey, Carr, and
Smith, and on the left the division of Osterhaus, of McClernand's
corps. The three former