h's and Kimball's divisions of the sixteenth army corps, and
assigned Major-General C. C. Washburne to command of same. On the
11th of June, Major-General F. J. Herron's division from the
Department of the Missouri arrived; and on the 14th two divisions
of the ninth army corps, Major-General J. G. Parke commanding,
arrived. This increase in my force enabled me to make the
investment most complete, and at the same time left me a large
reserve to watch the movements of Johnston. Herron's division was
put into position on the extreme south of the city, and Lauman's
division was placed between Herron and McClernand. Smith's and
Kimball's divisions and Parke's corps were sent to Haines's
Bluff. This place I had fortified to the land side and every
preparation made to resist a heavy force. Johnston crossed Big
Black river with a portion of his force, and everything indicated
that he would make an attack about the 25th of June. Our position
in front of Vicksburg having been made as strong against a sortie
from the enemy as his works were against an assault, I placed
Major-General Sherman in command of all the troops designated
to look after Johnston. The force intended to operate against
Johnston, in addition to that at Haines's Bluff, was
one division from each of the thirteenth, fifteenth, and (p. 390)
seventeenth army corps and Lauman's division. Johnston, however,
not attacking, I determined to attack him the moment Vicksburg
was in our possession, and accordingly notified Sherman that I
should again make an assault on Vicksburg at daylight on the 6th,
and for him to have up supplies of all descriptions ready to move
upon receipt of orders if the assault should prove a success. His
preparations were immediately made, and when the place
surrendered on the 4th two days earlier than I fixed for the
attack, Sherman was found ready, and moved at once with a force
increased by the remainder of both the thirteenth and fifteenth
army corps, and is at present investing Jackson where Johnston
has made a stand.

In the march from Bruinsburg to Vicksburg, covering a period of
twenty days, before supplies could be obtained from government
stores, only five days' rations were issued, and three days' of
these were taken in haversacks at the start, and were