Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson of my staff was sent to Helena, Arkansas, to examine and open a way through Moon Lake and the Yazoo Pass if possible.  Formerly there was a route by way of an inlet from the Mississippi River into Moon Lake, a mile east of the river, thence east through Yazoo Pass to Coldwater, along the latter to the Tallahatchie, which joins the Yallabusha about two hundred and fifty miles below Moon Lake and forms the Yazoo River.  These were formerly navigated by steamers trading with the rich plantations along their banks; but the State of Mississippi had built a strong levee across the inlet some years before, leaving the only entrance for vessels into this rich region the one by way of the mouth of the Yazoo several hundreds of miles below.

On the 2d of February this dam, or levee, was cut.  The river being high the rush of water through the cut was so great that in a very short time the entire obstruction was washed away.  The bayous were soon filled and much of the country was overflowed.  This pass leaves the Mississippi River but a few miles below Helena.  On the 24th General Ross, with his brigade of about 4,500 men on transports, moved into this new water-way.  The rebels had obstructed the navigation of Yazoo Pass and the Coldwater by felling trees into them.  Much of the timber in this region being of greater specific gravity than water, and being of great size, their removal was a matter of great labor; but it was finally accomplished, and on the 11th of March Ross found himself, accompanied by two gunboats under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Watson Smith, confronting a fortification at Greenwood, where the Tallahatchie and Yallabusha unite and the Yazoo begins.  The bends of the rivers are such at this point as to almost form an island, scarcely above water at that stage of the river.  This island was fortified and manned.  It was named Fort Pemberton after the commander at Vicksburg.  No land approach was accessible.  The troops, therefore, could render no assistance towards an assault further than to establish a battery on a little piece of ground which was discovered above water.  The gunboats, however, attacked on the 11th and again on the 13th of March.  Both efforts were failures and were not renewed.  One gunboat was disabled and we lost six men killed and twenty-five wounded.  The loss of the enemy was less.

Fort Pemberton was so little above the water that it was thought that a rise of two feet would drive the enemy out.  In hope of enlisting the elements on our side, which had been so much against us up to this time, a second cut was made in the Mississippi levee, this time directly opposite Helena, or six miles above the former cut.  It did not accomplish the desired result, and Ross, with his fleet, started back.  On the 22d he met Quinby with a brigade at Yazoo Pass.  Quinby was the senior of Ross, and assumed command.  He was not satisfied with returning to his former position without seeing for