Ferry, and on the 28th was succeeded by Gen. Meade. The latter advanced into Pennsylvania, and on July 1, 2, and 3 the two armies met in the great battle of Gettysburg, which ended in the discomfiture of the confederate army. (See Gettysburg, Battle of.) On the 4th Lee began his retreat, and on the 13th recrossed the Potomac at one of the points where he had crossed on his advance. Meade crossed a little below Harper's Ferry on the 18th, and reached Warrenton on the 25th, where he was soon confronted by Lee on the other side of the Rappahannock. Few important movements were made by either army during the remainder of the year, and the campaign of 1863 closed with the abortive attempt of Meade upon Lee's position on Mine run, a small affluent of the Rapidan, at the end of November.—About Dec. 20, 1862, Gen. W. T. Sherman with 30,000 men proceeded down the Mississippi from Memphis, and on the 29th assaulted the fortifications and batteries commanding Vicksburg from the north. The assault was repelled with a loss of nearly 2,000, and the forces a few days after were withdrawn to Milliken's Bend, where on Jan. 4, 1863, Gen. McClernand assumed command. An expedition into Arkansas was immediately undertaken for the capture of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post on the Arkansas river, which was reduced on the 11th, the federals suffering a loss of 977 and capturing 17 guns, several thousand prisoners and small arms, and a large quantity of munitions and stores. Returning from this expedition, the forces were moved down the Mississippi, and on the 22d landed at Young's Point on the W. bank, about 9 m. above Vicksburg, where Gen. Grant arrived and assumed chief command, Feb. 2. Two months were now spent in unavailing attempts to flank the defences of Vicksburg by means of a canal at this point and through various bayous. Finally, a part of Admiral Porter's fleet and several transports having run past the batteries of Vicksburg and Warrenton and Grand Gulf below, a portion of Grant's army, which had marched down the W. bank of the Mississippi, crossed the river on April 30. Grand Gulf, being thus taken in the rear, was abandoned on May 3, and a few days after Grant was joined by Sherman's corps, which had remained above Vicksburg. An advance was then made up the left bank of the Big Black river, encountering some opposition at Raymond (May 12) and Jackson (May 14). On the 16th a battle was fought at Champion Hills, between Jackson and Vicksburg, by Grant's forces, against Gen. Pemberton, who had marched out of Vicksburg with the design of taking Grant in the rear. Pemberton was driven back with loss, and retreated to the Big Black river, across which he was driven the following day. The federal forces then advanced upon Vicksburg, and on the 19th the investment was complete. Porter immediately obtained control of the Yazoo river. On the 19th and 22d unsuccessful assaults were made, in the latter of which the loss was nearly 3,000. On July 3, the last day of the battle of Gettysburg, Gen. Pemberton, reduced by famine, surrendered with 27,000 men, and on the 4th Grant occupied the city. The result of this campaign rent the confederacy in twain, and was the severest blow it had yet received. On July 16 Gen. Sherman drove out of Jackson Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who during the siege had been operating in the rear of Grant. On July 3 Helena, Ark., held by Gen. Prentiss with 3,800, was attacked by about 7,700 confederates under Gen. Holmes, who were repulsed with a loss of nearly 1,700. In Louisiana Gen. Banks invested Port Hudson on the Mississippi in May, 1863, and on the 27th made an assault which was repulsed with a loss of about 1,850 men. The place was then closely besieged, and surrendered on July 8 with 6,408 men. Other operations were carried on during the year in Louisiana between Gens. Banks and Taylor, but they were not decisive. Early in September an expedition under Gen. Franklin, consisting of 4,000 men and several gunboats, was despatched from New Orleans to proceed against Houston, Texas, by way of Sabine pass; but the gunboats, being disabled in an attack on the fortifications at Pass Franklin, returned to New Orleans. On Oct. 26 a new expedition, consisting of 6,000 men under Banks, started for the Rio Grande, and landed at Brazos Santiago Nov. 2. Having taken possession of Brownsville and other points in W. Texas, Banks left Gen. Dana in command and returned to New Orleans. After abandoning Murfreesboro, Bragg had concentrated the greater part of his forces at Shelbyville and Tullahoma, where they were strongly intrenched. Rosecrans remained quietly at Murfreesboro till June 23, 1863, when he advanced, and took possession of Shelbyville on the 27th and of Tullahoma on the 30th, forcing Bragg to retreat to Chattanooga. The federal advance reached the Tennessee river Aug. 21, and by Sept. 8 the army was all across the stream, concentrating at Trenton, Ga., some miles S. of Chattanooga, which was occupied by a detachment the next day, Bragg retiring into Georgia and posting his troops in the vicinity of Chickamauga creek, E. of Trenton. Here, Sept. 19 and 20, occurred a severe engagement, in which the federals were worsted and fell back to Chattanooga, where they were besieged by Bragg. (See Chickamauga, Battle of.) On Oct. 23 Gen. Grant arrived and took command. Reinforcements under Hooker had previously arrived from the east, and others from the west under Sherman came subsequently. A series of movements was at once initiated, which after much hard fighting resulted in driving Bragg from Chattanooga (Nov. 25) and forcing him to retreat into Georgia. (See Chattanooga.) Gen. Burnside, after being relieved from command on the Rappahannock, had been assigned to the
