Porter, with his fleet, got within a few hundred yards of where the sailing would have been clear and free from the obstructions caused by felling trees into the water, when he encountered rebel sharp-shooters, and his progress was delayed by obstructions in his front.

He could do nothing with gunboats against sharpshooters.

The rebels, learning his route, had sent in about 4,000 men--many more than there were sailors in the fleet.
Sherman went back, at the request of the admiral, to clear out Black Bayou and to hurry up reinforcements, which were far behind.

On the night of the 19th he received notice from the admiral that he had been attacked by sharp-shooters and was in imminent peril.

Sherman at once returned through Black Bayou in a canoe, and passed on until he met a steamer, with the last of the reinforcements he had, coming up.