An American history . oose from his base ofsupplies, and operate ina country entirely con-trolled by his enemy. Once having made uphis mind, Grant was in-flexible. He made hisland-march down thewest side of the river, and ordered Admiral Porter with afleet of gunboats to run past the Vicksburg batteries, andjoin him below the city. Porter did so, despite a fierce can-nonade. He ferried Grants army across the Mississippi atBruinsburg. A week later Grant parted from him, and ad-vanced into the heart of his enemys country. Grants movements during the next eleven days form oneof the brilliant epis
An American history . oose from his base ofsupplies, and operate ina country entirely con-trolled by his enemy. Once having made uphis mind, Grant was in-flexible. He made hisland-march down thewest side of the river, and ordered Admiral Porter with afleet of gunboats to run past the Vicksburg batteries, andjoin him below the city. Porter did so, despite a fierce can-nonade. He ferried Grants army across the Mississippi atBruinsburg. A week later Grant parted from him, and ad-vanced into the heart of his enemys country. Grants movements during the next eleven days form oneof the brilliant episodes of the war, and have won from othersoldiers the highest praise. His swift marching and boldfighting culminated in the battle of Champions Hill, calledalso Bakers Creek, May 16. Pemberton was defeated and,after another disastrous engagement, was shut up inside thefortifications of Vicksburg, around which was rapidly gathereda besieging force of seventy thousand men. * In command in Mississippi since October, GRANTS MARCH TO VICKSBURG 444 AMERICAN HISTORY 627. The Moment of Crisis. The surrounding of Vicksburgby Federal armies created a desperate situation for the Con-federacy. However, the key to the situation was not any-where in America but in London. Again, international re-lations had become the absorbing question of the hour, andboth Washington and Richmond bent all their energiestoward securing the friendship of Great Britain. Both gov-ernments took the keenest interest in two powerful ironclads,then being built at Liverpool and known to be destined forthe service of the Confederacy. These ships would probablyoutclass any ships of the Northern na\y and by means ofthem the Northern coast might be put at the mercy of theConfederates. With such enemies active in the rear of theirarmies, the war party in Congress might yet be brought tomake peace and acknowledge the Confederacy. From theSouthern point of view the sailing of the ironclads fromLiverpool would be the
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