May 26, 1863, The New York Herald
Important Official Despatch of Admiral Porter.
Fleet Captain of the Mississippi Squadron.
FLAGSHIP BLACKHAWK, HAINES’ BLUFF,
YAZOO RIVER, May 20, 1863. Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy: –
On the morning of the 15th I came over to the Yazoo to be ready to co- operate with General Grant. Leaving two of the iron-clads at Red river, one at Grand Gulf, one at Carthage, three at Warrenton and two in the Yazoo, left me a small force. Still I disposed of them to the best advantage.
On the 18th, at meridian, firing was heard in the rear of Vicksburg, which assured me that General Grant was approaching the city. The cannonading was kept up furiously for some time, when by the aid of glasses, I discerned a company of our artillery advancing, taking position and driving the rebels before them. I immediately saw that General Sherman’s division had come on to the left of Snyder’s Bluff, and that the rebels at that place had been cut off from joining the forces in the city. I despatched the DeKalb, Lieutenant Commander Walker; Choctaw, Lieutenant Commander Ramsay; Romeo, Petrel and Forest Rose, all under command of Lieutenant Commander Breese, up the Yazoo to open communication in that way with Generals Grant and Sherman.
This I succeeded in doing, and in three hours received letters from Generals Grant, Sherman and Steele informing me of this vast success, and asking me to send up provisions, which was at once done.
In the meantime Lieutenant commander Walker, in the DeKalb, pushed on to Haines’ Bluff, which the enemy had commenced evacuating the day before, and a party remained behind in the hopes of destroying or taking away a large amount of ammunition on hand.
When they saw the gunboats they ran out and left everything in good order – guns, forts, tents and equipage of all kinds, which fell into our hands.
As soon as the capture of Haines’ Bluff and fourteen forts was reported to me I shoved up the gunboats from below Vicksburg to fire at the hill batteries, which fire was kept up for two or three hours. At midnight they moved up to the town and opened on it for about an hour, and continued at intervals during the night to annoy the garrison.
On the 19th I placed six mortars in position, with orders to fire night and day as rapidly as they could.
The works at Haines’ Bluff are very formidable. There are fourteen of the heaviest kind of mounted eight and ten inch and seven and a half inch rifled guns, with ammunition enough to last a long siege. As the gun carriages might again fall into the hands of the enemy, I had them burned, blew up the magazine and destroyed the works generally. I also burned up the encampments, which were permanently and remarkably well constructed, looking as if the rebels intended to stay for some time.
These works and encampments covered many acres of ground, and the fortifications and the rifle pits proper of Haines’ Bluff extend about a mile and a quarter. Such a network of defences I never saw.
The rebels were a year constructing them, and all were rendered useless in an hour. As soon as I got through with the destruction of the magazines and other works I started Lieutenant Commander Walker up the Yazoo river with sufficient force to destroy all the enemy’s property in that direction, with orders to return with all despatch, and only to proceed as far as Yazoo City, where the rebels have a navy yard and storehouses.
In the meantime, General Grant has closely invested Vicksburg, and has possession of the best commanding points. In a very short time a general assault will take place, when I hope to announce that Vicksburg has fallen, after a series of the most brilliant successes that ever attended an army.
There has never been a case during the war where the rebels have been so successfully beaten at all points, and the patience and endurance shown by our army and navy for so many months are about being rewarded.
It is a mere question of a few hours, and then, with the exception of Port Hudson, which will follow Vicksburg, the Mississippi will be open its entire length.
D.D. PORTER.
Rear Admiral commanding the Mississippi squadron.