228 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

transports and barges laden with rations, succeededin running the gauntlet; and now at last Grantwas ready to cross the Mississippi . The labour ofmoving the army through the Louisiana swampshad been enormous, and it was only on the 29thof April, one month from the beginning of themovement, that the advance corps had reached thehamlet of Hard Times, opposite the fortress ofGrand Gulf, the extreme left or southernmost ofthe defences of Vicksburg , on a bluff twenty-fivemiles south of the city and just below the mouthof Big Black river.

The next thing in order was to cross the riverand take Grand Gulf. On the 29th of April theworks were briskly bombarded for more than fivehours by Porter’s fleet, but they were too highoverhead to be seriously damaged. Not a singlerebel gun was dismounted, and accordingly thearmy could not cross here. During the nightthe fleet ran down past the batteries, convoyingthe transports and supply ships, while the armymarched still farther down upon the west bank. Anegro brought word that there was a good roadfrom Bruinsburg, six miles below Grand Gulf, toGrant crosses Port Gibson on the high ground twelvethe Missis- miles inland. Nothing better couldsippl ‘ be desired. Next morning McCler-

nand’s corps embarked, and before sunset they