ad just
achieved the conquest of New Orleans and were now ascending the
river to co-operate with the northern column. Thus it was that
a single word, daubed in a rude scrawl upon the walls of the
custom-house, meeting the eyes of Paine's men after they had made
a way into the building with their axes, gave to Butler the first
intelligence of the desperate battle of the 6th and 7th of April,
on which the fate of the whole Union campaign in the West had been
staked, if not imperilled, and which in its result was destined to
change materially the whole course of operations in the Gulf
Department. That word was Shiloh.

By the 26th of May the _Oneida_ had been joined by the rest of the
fleet, under the personal command of the restless and energetic
flag-officer. On the afternoon of this day the fleet opened fire.
The Confederates replied sparingly, as much to economize their
ammunition and to keep the men fresh, as to avoid giving the Union
commanders information regarding the range and effect of their fire.

The river was now falling. The _Hartford_ in coming up had already
grounded hard, and so remained helpless for fifty hours, and had
only been got off by incredible exertions. Provisions of all kinds
were running very low. On the 25th of May, after a thorough
reconnoissance, Farragut and Williams decided to give up the attempt
on Vicksburg as evidently impracticable. Farragut left Palmer with
the _Iroquois_ and six gunboats to blockade the river and to amuse
the garrison at Vicksburg by an occasional bombardment in order to
prevent Smith from sending reinforcements to Corinth.

While Williams was descending the river on the 26th, the transports
were fired into by the Confederate battery on the bluff at Grand
Gulf, sixty miles below Vicksburg. About sixty rounds were fired
in all, many of which passed completely through the transport
_Laurel Hill_, bearing the 4th Wisconsin, part of the 6th Michigan,
and the 6th Massachusetts battery. One private of the 6th Michigan
was killed and Captain Chauncey J. Bassett, of the same regiment,
wounded. The _Ceres_, bearing the remainder of the 6th Michigan
and the 6th Massachusetts battery, was following the _Laurel Hill_
and was similarly treated. After a stern chase of about twenty
miles, the convoy was overhauled, and the gunboat _Kineo_, returning,
shelled the town and caused the withdrawal of the battery. During
the evening Williams sent four companies of the 4th