Here, early on
Sunday morning (April 6, 1862), Grant was attacked by Johnston, and his
men were driven back a mile and a half toward the river.
It was a fearful battle, lasting until nearly dark. Not until after
midnight was Grant able to rest, and then, sitting in the rain, with his
back against the foot of a tree, he slept a few hours before the renewal
of battle on Monday morning. With reinforcements he was able on the second
day to drive the enemy off the field and win a signal victory.
By this battle Grant broke the Confederates' second line of defense.
Although they fought bravely and well to prevent the Union troops from
getting control of the Mississippi River, by the close of 1862 the South
had lost every stronghold on the river except Port Hudson and Vicksburg.
[Illustration: General and Mrs. Grant with Their Son at City Point,
Virginia.]
Vicksburg was so strongly defended that the Confederates believed that it
could not be taken. A resolute effort to capture it was made by General
Grant in 1863. After a brilliant campaign of strategy, by which he got
around the defenses, he laid siege to the city itself. For seven weeks the
Confederate army held out.
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