commander, the smaller vessels under commander samuel phillips lead as high as vicksburg. these force the surrender of baton rouge. when lee reaches vicksburg and demanded its cupitchulation the governor sent a cheeky reply. mississippians don't know and refuse to learn how to surrender to any enemy. if they can teach them, let them come and try. farragut would soon come and try. he decided to take most of the fleet up to vicksburg, including a large sea going sloots of war at a fairly high stage of the river. and that's late spring. but he was not happy about this prospect. in letters to his wife he complained of the navy department's pressure on him in ignorance of the difficulties he faced. they will keep us in the river until the vessels break down and the reputation we made is evaporated. the government appears to think we can do anything. fighting is nothing to the river. to secretary wells farragut reported the elements of destruction to the navy in this river are beyond anything i have encountered. more anchors lost and vesseled ruined than any i have seen in a lif

i have sent smaller vessels under commander samuel phillips lee as high as vicksburg. these gun boats forced surrender of baton rouge on the way up. but when lee reached vicksburg on may 18th, the confederate military governor there sent a cheeky reply. mississippians don't know and refuse to learn how to surrender to any enemy. if they can teach them, let them come and try. faragate would soon some and try. he decided to take most of the fleet up to vicksburg at a fairly high stage of the river in that late spring, but he was not happy about this prospect. in letters to his wife, he complained of the navy department's pressure on him and ignorance of the difficulties he faced. they will keep us in this river until the vessels break down and all of the little reputation we have made has evaporated, he wrote. the government appeared to think we can do anything but fighting is nothing to the evils of the river getting onshore, running afoul of one another, losing anchors, et cetera. to secretary wells faragate reported elements of destruction to the nevada in this river