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16 1/2
ernest [???] commencement of the Vicksburg campaign,
and promptly commenced began operations

The transports [??horseing??] under the protection
of the Iron Clads impatiently waiting for an opportunety to land
their human freight, on the first favourable occasion

Grand Gulf a fortified promontory at the
mouth of Wolf river was the first [illegible]
when all attempt was made, one of the
outlying works intended for the protection of the
Vicksburg, it was garrisoned by 10,000 of the
cream of the enemys army under [??Borren].

The entire navy consisting of a dozen iron
and tin clads participated in the attack. The
vessels ran up under the guns of the water
batteries and fired at close range receiving
in return a fuselade that is terrifying to contemplate even at this
remote late date to contemplate, The Tuscumbia
was disabled by having her hog chains severed
by a solid shot. The weight of her armament fore
and aft, caused her stern and steam to drop
in such a manner, that her engines refused to
to work. While in this predicament and perilous position a
shell entered one of her port holes and killed
eleven of her crew. The Benton and Carondolet
ran to her rescue, sustaining serious damage
to themselves, but finally succeeded in towing
her out of range

General Grant in a small tug was every where and