Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I te timatanga, i whakamahere a Grant ki te whakawhiti i tana ope mai i te taha hauauru o te awa ki te rawhiti i Grand Gulf, Mississippi, i raro noa iho o Vicksburg, i reira nga Rebels i whakaturia ai e rua nga papahiko i kiia e ratou he "puku". Ko ngā kaipuke pupuhi o te akomanga taone kei roto i ngā kaipuke i whakamahia ki te
whakaeke i ngā pākahiko i te 29 o Paenga-whāwhā 1863. Ahakoa i taea e te kaipuke te whakaiti i te puhiko o raro me te whakaiti i te tere o te ahi o te puhiko o runga, kaore i taea e ratou te whakakore i te mahi. Na reira i whakaarohia te mahi he ngoikore, a me arotake a Grant i ana mahere ki te whakawhiti atu ki raro.