Hey everyone, welcome to episode 287 of our Civil War Podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

As y'all recall, last week we talked about Ulysses S. Grant's decision to march his army

down the west side of the Mississippi River and then cross over to the east side below

the Confederate strong point at Vicksburg.

We also talked about Steele's expedition and how this was an example of not only Grant

creating a diversion north of Vicksburg, but also an example of the Federal's new policy

of expanding the war to include Southern, Social and Economic Institutions.

And then at the end of the last show we talked about a couple of Union cavalry raids, one

by Colonel Abel Straits' Mule-Mounted Troops, which ended up drawing away Confederate

cavalry commander Nathan Bedford Forest so that he'd play no further role in the Vicksburg

campaign.

And we also talked just a bit about the raid by Colonel Benjamin Greer-Sens Union Horseman,

which was the most spectacular Union cavalry operation of the war up until that point.

In which we said we talk about in much more detail in some future members episodes.

So in the last show we talked quite a bit about the Yankees, but what about the Confederates?

Well, as winter passed into spring, the rebel commander, John Pemberton, simply couldn't

get a handle on what all was going on in his department, particularly along the Mississippi

River.

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