In early 1863, Grant again began planning operations against Vicksburg. Some of these ideas included revisiting the old Williams's Canal attempt, cutting a canal near Lake Providence, Louisiana, and then navigating through bayous to bypass Vicksburg, a movement up the Yazoo River known as the Yazoo Pass Expedition, and another bayou navigation attempt known as the Steele's Bayou expedition. By March 29, such alternative measures had failed, and Grant was left with a choice between three alternatives: attacking Vicksburg from directly across the river, pulling back to Memphis and then attacking overland from the north, or marching south on the Louisiana side of the river and then crossing the river below the city. Attacking across the river would have risked heavy casualties, and pulling back to Memphis could be interpreted as a retreat, which would be politically disastrous, leaving Grant to choose the southward movement. On April 29, Union Navy ships bombarded Confederate river batteries in the Battle of Grand Gulf as preparation for a crossing, but were unable to completely silence the position. In turn, Grant simply crossed his men the next day even further south, at Bruinsburg, Mississippi.