Hence its importance.

Points on the river between Vicksburg and Port Hudson were held as dependencies; but their fall was sure to follow the capture of the former place.
The campaign against Vicksburg commenced on the 2d of November as indicated in a dispatch to the general-in-chief in the following words: "I have commenced a movement on Grand Junction, with three divisions from Corinth and two from Bolivar.

Will leave here [Jackson, Tennessee] to-morrow, and take command in person.

If found practicable, I will go to Holly Springs, and, may be, Grenada, completing railroad and telegraph as I go." At this time my command was holding the Mobile and Ohio railroad from about twenty-five miles south of Corinth, north to Columbus, Kentucky; the Mississippi Central from Bolivar north to its junction with the Mobile and Ohio; the Memphis and Charleston from Corinth east to Bear Creek, and the Mississippi River from Cairo to Memphis.

My entire command was no more than was necessary to hold these lines, and hardly that if kept on the defensive.