February 21, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
A correspondent of the Missouri Democrat, writing from Helena, Ark., under date of February 3, says:
On the 2d of February, by order of General Grant, Gen. Gorman, with about five hundred men, bearing arms, and also pickaxes and shovels, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, on General Grant’s Staff as Chief of the Engineer Corps, moved down to the Yazoo Pass, which is about six miles below Helena, and near Delta, on the Mississippi side, and after removing some drift and large trees, succeeded in landing their boats at the levee. The levee is built across the Bayou or Pass leading from the Mississippi River into the Coldwater, about fifteen miles above its mouth. The water south of the levee is about ten feet below water level of the Mississippi at its present stage, consequently the destruction of the levee at this point will at once result in the overthrow of the country for fifty miles in every direction, and open a navigable channel for ordinary boats to the Coldwater, thence to the Tallahatchie and to the Yazoo.
The troops were busily employed in cutting the levee all day yesterday, under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, and the water will be let in tomorrow. A navigable channel will thus be opened to the rear of Vicksburg, in a direction which is not fortified by the rebels, and I can see nothing to prevent our musquito fleet from moving immediately in the Yazoo and of taking possession of the rebel steamers that lie in the river. Moreover the formidable army threatening the rebels at Vicksburg from this direction must strike terror to their hearts, and result in their final discomfiture and overthrow. General Grant, in the meanwhile, is not idle. In the midst of obstacles apparently insurmountable, he is laboring on, controlling circumstances, and will, in my opinion, finally overcome all opposition and take possession of Vicksburg. The musquito gunboat Forest Rose, the ram Lancaster and two transports of troops are now at the Pass.