Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 3.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

The route followed by Porter was tortuous and difficult. Among the tributaries on the right bank of the Yazoo, ascending it from its mouth, one meets, first of all, Steele's Bayou, which at times runs within three-quarters of a mile of the Mississippi; then a water-course of larger size called Deer Creek; and, finally, Sunflower River, a stream of considerable dimensions. Channels which were then full to overflowing establish a communication between these water-courses before they reach the Yazoo: the Rolling Fork brings the waters of the Sunflower into Deer Creek, and lower down the Black Bayou conveys those of Deer Creek to Steele's Bayou. Deer Creek empties into the Yazoo in front of Haines' Bluff, and the Sunflower about fifteen miles higher up. Porter's plan was to ascend successively Steele's Bayou, Black Bayou, Deer Creek, and the Rolling Fork in order to descend the Sunflower afterward as far as the Yazoo.

On the 15th, in spite of many difficulties, he had reached a point in Steele's Bayou which is only separated from the Mississippi at Eagle Bend by a marshy space of about three-quarters of a mile: Stuart's division of Sherman's corps was landed near the latter point, crossed the swamp, not without difficulty, re-embarked on board the transports that Porter had brought along with him, and followed the route he had laid out. At the same time, Grant, countermanding the order he had given to McPherson to proceed in the direction of Yazoo Pass, kept him ready to support Sherman's movement.

After leaving Steele's Bayou the navigation became extremely difficult. Porter had not repeated the error committed in the Yazoo Pass, when, in preparing the route for the vessels in advance, a warning had been given to the enemy, who had thus ample time to put himself on his guard. Porter was well aware that it was important, above all, to take his adversaries by surprise, and with his enormous iron-clad steamers he dashed into the narrow channel, whose waters had never been disturbed except by the paddle of the Indian or the oar of the negro boatman. The branches of the trees hung over these placid waters, while the intertwined bindweed formed every now and then a kind of bridge spanning the water from side to side; but the heavy iron-clads passed through these obstacles, breaking