The  number  of  probable  operations  for  its  reduction  was  now
reduced  to  one,  that  of  moving  the  army  on  the  west  side  of  the
river,  crossing  below  the  rebel  fortifications  and  ascending  on  the
Yicksburg  side.  The  conception  of  this  plan  was  easy,  but  its
execution  appalling.  As  a  requisit  gunboats  and  transports  must
descend  the  Mississippi  in  opposition  to  the  hostile  batteries  to
furnish  facilities  for  crossing,  and  the  army,  when  on  the  eastern
side  of  the  river,  must  cut  itself  off  &om  its  base  of  supplies  and
depend  upon  the  contingency  of  beating  the  enemy  in  the  field
before  another  could  be  established.  The  commanding  genersd
unmoved  by  these  perils,  determined  to  hazard  a  trial.  Accord-
ingly the  13th  army  corps,  commanded  by  McClernand,  consisting
of  4  divisions  in  charge  of  Oens.  Osterhaus,  A.  J.  Smitii,  Carraud
Hovey,  and  containing  the  33d,  77th,  97th,  99th,  108th  and  120tii
Illinois  infantry,  portions  of  the  2d  and  3d  Illinois  cavalry  and  the
Peoria  and  Chicago  Mercantile  batteries,  on  the  29th  of  March  left
Milliken's  Bend  above  Vicksburg  for  New  Carthage  below.
McPherson  with  the  17th  corps,  followed  as  fast  as  the  imperfect
roads  would  permit  Vast  bogs  intersected  with  bayous  were
encountered,  and  it  became  necessary  to  construct  causeways  over
the  one  and  bridges  over  the  other.  Arriving  at  New  Carthage  it
was  found  to  be  an  island,  the  rebels  having  flooded  the  entire
region  round  by  cutting  tne  adjacent  levees  of  the  MississippL
Under  these  circumstances  the  march  was  continued  to  Grand
Gulf  farther  down  the  river,  where  the  lowest  of  the  Vicksburg
works  was  located.
