THE CIVIL WAR DIARY OF JOHN G. MORRISON 1861-1865

ight close to where we lay. With the glass, large bodies
of troops attended by baggage waggons could be seen leaving
Vicksburg. The seventh and eighth Missouri regiments were
captured by the rebs up the Yazoo yesterday.
Mar. 20, Friday. Weather splendid. Firing last night the
same as usual. Three of Farragut's fleet has arrived
opposite Warrenton. Four ships started to run past Port
Hudson, but one (the frigate Mississippi) was destroyed in
passing. She had bales of hay on her deck, and a shell,
bursting amongst it, set it on fire and she was totally
destroyed.
Mar. 21, Saturday. Weather cloudly and comfortable.
Shooting savage last night but nobody hurt. About 6 P.M.
desperate firing down the river. It seemed as if there was
a general engagement going on. The roof of the court house
in Vicksburg was covered with people looking down the
river. It lasted about an hour. About 10 P.M. a colonel
came on board of us and told us that the firing was
occasioned by Farragut passing Warrenton and that he was
now lying abreast
[39] of the canal and out of coal and wanted to know if we would
tow a barge down to the point and, setting it adrift, let
it float down to him. Done so.
Mar. 22, Sunday. Went to quarters at 9 A.M. Divine
service and muster at 10 A.M. Whilst at quarters heard
very heavy firing below Vicksburg. In the afternoon heard
that the firing was caused by the gunboat "Albatross"
running past the batteries at Warrenton bound down. In the
afternoon five steamboats, carrying the marine brigade,
arrived down. Evening wet and cloudy. A mail arrived this
evening but nothing for me.
Mar. 23, Monday. Rainy and cloudy all day. It was
arranged for the Monarch to run the blockade this morning
but not being dark enough it was defferred until another
time. Wrote a letter to Tom Gillespie.
Mar. 24, Tuesday. Dirty weather. The rebes have kept
quiet this last couple of nights. Not a sign of life to be
seen anywhere about the city.
Mar. 25, Wednesday. Came on watch at 4 A.M. About 5 A.M.
the two rams "Switzerland" and "Lancaster" cast off their
lines and backed out into the stream, each having a coal
barge alongside. After some little delay they started down
stream towards Vicksburg. By this time it was just
breaking day, but they kept under the shadow of the shore
so that they could hardly be seen, but no sound came.
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