Monday, December 22, 1862

About the same time as the attack on Holly Springs, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest made a raid through northern Mississippi, cutting Grant's communications with the north. These unfortunate events prevented General Grant from carrying out his part of the attack on Vicksburg, as he fell back and reopened communications with Memphis.  

General Sherman, unaware of what happened to Grant on his left wing, went ahead with his attack on Vicksburg, fighting the battle of Chickasaw bluffs.  This battle ended disastrously for the Union.  

Thus the combined attack, partly by water and partly by land, against the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg ended in a complete failure.