In the Vicksburg Campaign and siege of 1863, naval support was essential to the plan and its successful execution, as about 26 gunboats and light-draught vessels of the Mississippi Squadron under acting Rear Admiral David D. Porter, and during part of the time the Mississippi Marine brigade under Brig. Gen. Alfred W. Ellet, co-operated with the Army. On the night of April 16, 1863, 8 gunboats, including the ram “General Price,” and 3 transports passed the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg and Warrenton, with 1 transport sunk. Six days later 5 more transports passed down without material damage, though 1 was sunk by Confederate fire. On April 29, gunboats below Vicksburg bombarded the Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf without effectively silencing them, then that night they and 7 transports ran past the batteries and over the next two days carried 6 Army divisions across the river to Bruinsburg on the Mississippi side, while other divisions crossed later. At the beginning of the investment, gunboats below the city attacked the lower Confederate batteries on May 19, 20, 21, 22, and 27; on May 27 the gunboat “Cincinnati” attacked the upper batteries from above the city and was disabled and sunk. During the siege, squadron detachments helped make the river side investment as complete as possible, shelled Confederate batteries and entrenchments, served 7 mortars on mortar boats and later 3 heavy guns on scows behind the peninsula opposite the city, made expeditions up the Yazoo River and its tributaries, and co-operated in repulsing Confederate attacks at Young’s Point, Milliken’s Bend, and Goodrich’s Landing. Thirteen heavy guns from the squadron were mounted on the investment line in 8 batteries. Detachments from the Marine brigade fought at Richmond, Louisiana, on June 15, where 3 were wounded, helped repulse the Confederate attack at Goodrich’s Landing, where casualties included 1 officer killed, and served 3 guns on the peninsula opposite the city during the latter part of the siege. Reported squadron casualties in the campaign and siege, including infantry regiments detailed for service on gunboats, were 23 killed, 14 drowned, 102 wounded, 1 missing, total 140, including 1 officer killed.
