Grand Gulf, MS
Date(s): April 29, 1863
Location:
Please click on link below for map.
Grand Gulf, Claiborne, Mississippi, United States
Campaign(s):
Grant's
Operations Against Vicksburg
[March-July 1863]
Battles in
Campaign:
Situation:
Commanders:
-
Union:
Rear Adm. David D. Porter
-
Confederate:
Brig. Gen. John S. Bowen
Principal Forces:
-
Union:
Mississippi Squadron and Companies
of the 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment
-
Confederate:
Bowen's Division and attached
troops
Description:
-
Rear Adm. David D. Porter led seven
ironclads in an attack on the fortifications and batteries at Grand Gulf, with
the intention of silencing the Confederate guns and then securing the area
with troops of McClernand's XIII Army Corps who were on the accompanying
transports and barges.
-
The attack by the seven ironclads began at
8:00 am and continued until about 1:30 pm. During the fight, the ironclads
moved within 100 yards of the Confederate guns and silenced the lower batteries of
Fort Wade; the Confederate upper batteries at Fort Cobun remained out of reach
and continued to fire.
-
The Union ironclads (one of which, the
Tuscumbia, had been put out of action) and the transports drew off.
-
After dark, however, the ironclads engaged
the Confederate guns again while the steamboats and barges ran the gauntlet. Grant
marched his men overland across Coffee Point to below the Gulf.
-
After the transports had passed Grand
Gulf, they embarked the troops at Disharoon's plantation and disembarked them
on the Mississippi shore at Bruinsburg, below Grand Gulf.
-
The men immediately began marching
overland towards Port Gibson.
-
The Confederates had won a hollow victory;
the loss at Grand Gulf caused just a slight change in Grant's offensive.
-
It was Grant's intention to force a
crossing of the river at Grand Gulf, and move on "Fortress Vicksburg" from the
south. For five hours on April 29, the Union fleet bombarded the Grand Gulf
defenses in an attempt to silence the Confederate guns and prepare the way for
a landing. T
-
he fleet, however, sustained heavy damage
and failed to achieve its objective. Admiral Porter
declared, "Grand Gulf is the strongest place on the Mississippi."
-
Not wishing to have his transports loaded
with troops attempt a landing in the face of enemy fire,
Grant disembarked his
command and continued the march south along the levee.
Slide Presentation:
None
Classification2:
Casualties3:
-
Union:
80
-
Confederate:
Unknown
Results:
 Confederate
Victory
Battlefield Websites:
Resources:
1 National Park
Service summary.
2 Classification:
-
A
- having a decisive influence on a
campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war
-
B -
having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign
-
C -
having observable influence on the
outcome of a campaign
-
D
-
having a limited influence on the
outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important
local objectives
3 Casualties are
someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.
Revised
01/02/2009 |
