206 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War
ers, it could not hope to stand against such odds.On the 11th of January it was battered to piecesand its garrison captured, yet not until it hadcost the Federals 1000 men killed and wounded,— a striking illustration of the difficulty of storm-ing fortifications even under the most favourablecircumstances. Elated beyond measure with thissuccess, McClernand began talking about his
“ star ” which was ever “ in the ascend-ant,” and announced to Sherman andPorter that he should now keep on to
Little Rock and clear Arkansas of rebel troops.But in a letter to Grant a day or two before, ex-plaining his reasons for moving against the Arkan-sas Post, he had mysteriously hinted at a campaignin the interior of the state; and Grant, aghast atthe thought of thus wantonly diverting 30,000 menfrom the all-important work at Vicksburg , promptlysignified to McClernand his disapproval of thewhole movement. At the same time he informedHalleck by telegraph that McClernand had “ goneon a wild-goose chase to the Post of Arkansas .”In reply, Halleck authorized him to relieveMcClernand from the command of the Vicksburg expedition, and either give it to the next in rank,or take command in person. Grant did not im-mediately act upon this permission, but perempto-rily ordered McClernand back to the Mississippi .