At ten points we could move under cover to within from five to one hundred yards of the enemy.

Orders were given to make all preparations for assault on the 6th of July.

The debouches were ordered widened to afford easy egress, while the approaches were also to be widened to admit the troops to pass through four abreast.

Plank, and bags filled with cotton packed in tightly, were ordered prepared, to enable the troops to cross the ditches.
On the night of the 1st of July Johnston was between Brownsville and the Big Black, and wrote Pemberton from there that about the 7th of the month an attempt would be made to create a diversion to enable him to cut his way out.

Pemberton was a prisoner before this message reached him.
On July 1st Pemberton, seeing no hope of outside relief, addressed the following letter to each of his four division commanders: "Unless the siege of Vicksburg is raised, or supplies are thrown in, it will become necessary very shortly to evacuate the place.