durance and courage as those now in Vicksburg will always challenge the respect of an adversary, and I can assure you will be treated with all the respect due them as prisoners of war. I do not favor the proposition of appointing commissioners to arrange terms of capitulation, because I have no other terms than those indicated above.

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, Major-General.

Gen. Bowen, the bearer of Gen. Pemberton's letter, expressed to Gen. Smith a strong desire to converse with Gen. Grant, and accordingly Gen. Grant, while declining this, requested Gen. Smith to say if Gen. Pemberton desired to see him, an interview would be granted between the lines, in McPherson's front, at any hour in the afternoon which Gen. Pemberton might appoint. A message was soon sent back to Gen. Smith, appointing three o'clock as the hour. At that time Gen. Grant, with his staff and Gens. McPherson, Ord, A. J. Smith, and Logan, was at the place, which was a fruit orchard midway between the front of the two contending forces. Gen. Pemberton soon came, attended by Gen. Bowen and Col. Montgomery. As the two commanders drew near each other, both, as though involuntarily, paused. The slight embarrassment was brought to a close by Col. Montgomery, who stepped forward and formally introduced them. They shook each other by the hand, and, after a few words, Gen. Grant proposed a private conversation, which was accepted, and the two generals stepped aside. The conference closed by Gen. Grant saying that he would send his proposition in writing. After an interview with his officers at his head

quarters, Gen. Grant sent the following letter, by Gen. Logan and Col. Wilson, to Gen. Pem

berton:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
NEAR VICKSBURG, July 3d, 1863.

Lieut-Gen. J. C. Pemberton, commanding Confederate

Forces, Vicksburg, Miss.: GENERAL: In conformity with agreement of this afternoon, I will submit the following proposition for the surrender of the city of Vicksburg, public stores, &c. On your accepting the terms proposed, I will march in one division as a guard, and take possession at eight A. M. to-morrow. As soon as paroles can be made out, and signed by officers and men, you will be allowed to march out of our lines-the officers taking with them their regimental clothing, and staff, field, and cavalry officers one horse each. The rank and file will be allowed all their clothing, but no other property. If these conditions are accepted, any amount of rations you may deem necessary can be taken from the stores you now have, and also the necessary cooking utensils for preparing them. Thirty wagons also, counting two twohorse or mule teams as one, will be allowed you to transport such articles as cannot be carried along. The same conditions will be allowed to all sick and wounded officers and privates as fast as they become able to travel. The paroles for these latter must be signed, however, whilst officers are present authorized to sign the roll of prisoners.

I am, General, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT, Major-General. About the dawn of day, on the morning of July 4th, the following reply was received from Gen. Pemberton:

HEADQUARTERS, VICKSBURG, July Sd, 1863, Major-Gen. U. S. Grant, commanding United States Forces, etc.

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date, proposing terms for the surrender of this garrison and post. In the main, your terms are accepted; but in justice both to the honor and spirit of my troops, manifested in the defence of Vicksburg, I have the honor to submit the following amendments, which, if acceded to by you, will perfect the agreement between us: At ten o'clock to-morrow, I propose to evacuate the works in and around Vicksburg, and to surrender the city with my colors and arms, and stacking them in front and garrison under my command by marching out of my present lines, after which you will take posses sion. Officers to retain their side arms and personal property, and the rights and property of citizens to be respected. I am, General, yours, very respectfully,

J. C. PEMBERTON, Lieutenant-General. To this letter Gen. Grant immediately replied as follows:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE | BEFORE VICKSBURG, July 4th, 1563. ( Lieut.-Gen. J. C. Iemberton, commanding Forces in Vicksburg:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of 3d July. The amendments proposed by you cannot be acceded to in full. It will be necessary to furnish every officer and man with a parole, signed by himself, which, with the completion of the rolls of prisoners, will necessarily take some time. Again, I can make no stipulation in regard to the treatment of citizens and their private property. While I do not propose to cause any of them any undue annoyance or loss, I cannot consent to leave my self under restraint by stipulations. The property which officers can be allowed to take with them will be as stated in proposition of last evening; that is, officers will be allowed their private baggage and side arms, and mounted officers one horse each. If you to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack mean by your proposition for each brigade to march their arms at ten o'clock A. M., and then return to the inside and remain as prisoners until properly paroled, I will make no objections to it. Should no modifica tion be made of your acceptance of my terms by nine

o'clock A. M., I shall regard them as having been rejected, and act accordingly. Should these terms be accepted, white flags will be displayed along your lines, to prevent such of my troops as may not have been notified from firing upon your men. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient serU. S. GRANT, Major-General U. S. Army. To this letter the following answer was received:

vant.

IIEADQUARTERS VICKSBURG, July 4th, 1863. Major-Gen. U. S. Grant, commanding U. S. Forces,

&c.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the re ceipt of your communication of this date, and in reply to say that the terms proposed by you are accepted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. PEMBERTON, Lieutenant-General. Of the terms of the surrender, Gen. Grant thus speaks in his report: "These terms I regarded more favorable to the Government than an unconditional surrender. It saved us the transportation of them North, which at that time would have been very difficult, owing to the limited amount of river transportation on hand, and the expense of subsisting them. It left our army free to operate against Johnston, who was threatening us from the direction of Jack

son; and our river transportation to be used for the movement of troops to any point the exigency of the service might require."

At ten o'clock on the 4th, the Confederate forces marched out and stacked arms in front of their works, while Gen. Pemberton appear ed for a moment with his staff upon the parapet of the central front. The city was immediately after occupied by the divisions of Gens. Logan, J. E. Smith, and Herron.

The part taken by the naval force in these operations is thus summarily described by RearAdmiral Porter, in a despatch to the Secretary of the Navy, as follows:

U. S. MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON,

FLAG SHIP BLACK HAWK, July 4th, 1863. [ SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Vicksburg has surrendered at last to the United States forces, after a desperate but vain resistance. That she has not done so sooner has not been for want of ability on the part of our military commanders, but from the magnitude of the defences, which were intended to repulse any force the Government could possibly send there. What bearing this will have on the rebellion remains yet to be seen, but the magnitude of the success must go far toward crushing out this revolution, and establishing once more the commerce of the States bordering on this river. History has seldom had an opportunity of recording so desperate a defence on one side, with so much courage, ability, perseverance and endurance on the other; and if ever an army was entitled to the gratitude of a nation, it is the Army of the Tennessee and its gallant leaders.

The navy has necessarily performed a less conspicuous part in the capture of Vicksburg than the army; still it has been employed in a manner highly creditable to all concerned. The gunboats have been constantly below Vicksburg in shelling the works, and with success cooperating heartily with the left wing of the army. The mortar boats have been at work for forty. two days without intermission, throwing shells into all parts of the city, even reaching the works in the rear of Vicksburg and in front of our troops, a distance of three miles. Three heavy guns placed on scows, a nine-inch, ten-inch, and a one-hundred-pounder rifle were placed in position a mile from the town, and commanded all the important water batteries. They have kept up an accurate and incessant fire for fourteen days, doing all the damage that could be done by guns under such circumstances. Five eight-inch, two nine-inch, two forty-two-pounder rifles, four thirty-twopounder shell guns have been landed, at the request of the different generals commanding corps, from the gunboats, and mounted in the rear of Vicksburg; and whenever I could spare the officers and men from our small complement, they were sent to manage the guns, with what ability I leave the general commanding the forces to say.

In the mean time, I stationed the smaller class of gaaboats to keep the banks of the Mississippi clear of guerillas, who were assembling.in force, and with a large number of cannon, to block up the river and cut off the transports bringing down supplies, reenforce ments, and ammunition for the army. Though the rebels on several occasions built batteries, and with a large force attempted to sink or capture the transports, they never succeeded, but were defeated by the gunboats with severe loss on all occasions. Without a Katchful care over the Mississippi, the operations of the army would have been much interfered with; and I can say honestly that officers never did their duty etter than those who have patrolled the river from Cairo to Vicksburg. One steamer only was badly disabled since our operations commenced, and six or Seven men killed and wounded.

While the army have had a troublesome enemy in front and behind them, the gunboats, marine brigade,

VOL. III.-5 A

under Gen. Ellet, and a small force under Gens. Dennis and Mower, have kept at bay a large force of rebels, over twelve thousand strong, accompanied by a large quantity of artillery. Though offered battle several times and engaged, they invariably fled, and satisfied themselves by assailing half-disciplined and unlarge army and naval force free to act all along the armed blacks. The capture of Vicksburg leaves a river, and I hope soon to add to my department the vessels which have been temporarily lost to the service, viz., the Indianola and Cincinnati. The effect of this blow will be felt far up the tributaries of the Mississippi. The timid and doubtful will take heart, and the punishment which will sooner or later overtake the wicked will, I hope, cease to trouble us, for fear of them.

There has been a large expenditure of ammunition during the siege. The mortars have fired seven thousand mortar shells, and the gunboats four thousand five hundred. Four thousand five hundred have been fired from the naval guns on shore, and we have supplied six thousand to the different army corps. DAVID D. PORTER,

A. R.-Admiral, comm'ng Mississippi Squadron. Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Sec'y of the Navy.

The result of his operations is thus summed up by Gen. Grant: "The result of this campaign has been the defeat of the enemy in five battles outside of Vicksburg; the occupation of Jackson, the capital of the State of Mississippi, and the capture of Vicksburg and its garrison and munitions of war; a loss to the enemy of thirty-seven thousand (37,000) prisoners, among whom were fifteen general officers; at least ten thousand killed and wounded, and among the killed, Generals Tracy, Tilghman, and Green; and hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of stragglers, who can never be collected and reorganized. Arms and munitions of war for an army of sixty thousand men have fallen into our hands, besides a large amount of other public property, consisting of railroads, locomotives, cars, steamboats, cotton, &c., and much was destroyed to prevent our capturing it.

"Our loss in the series of battles may be summed up as follows:

"Of the wounded, many were but slightly wounded, and continued on duty; many more required but a few days or weeks for their recovery. Not more than one-half of the wounded were permanently disabled."

Gen. Pemberton, having been paroled, marched On Saturday, the 11th of July, the force of from Vicksburg, and arrived at the Big Black river at night. Thence they were distributed to different parts of the South.

On the 13th of July, the President addressed the following letter to Gen. Grant:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July 13th, 1863. MY DEAR GENERAL: I do not remember that you and I ever met personally. I write this now as a

grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service you have done the country. I wish to say a word further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do what you finally did-march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with the transports, and thus go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope that you knew better than I, that the Yazoo Pass expedition and the like could succeed. When you got below and took Port Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river and join Gen. Banks, and when you turned northward, east of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake. I now wish to make the personal acknowledgment that you were right and I was wrong.

Yours, very truly, A. LINCOLN.

Major-General GRANT. Major-Gen. Halleck, the General-in-Chief, in his annual report, thus speaks of Gen. Grant's operations: "When we consider the character of the country in which this army operated, the formidable obstacles to be overcome, the number of forces and the strength of the enemy's works, we cannot fail to admire the courage and endurance of the troops, and the skill and daring of their commander. No more brilliant exploit can be found in military history. It has been alleged, and the allegation has been widely circulated by the press, that Gen. Grant, in the conduct of his campaign, positively disobeyed the instructions of his superiors. It is hardly necessary to remark, that Gen. Grant never disobeyed an order or instruction, but always carried out to the best of his ability, every wish or suggestion made to him by the Government. Moreover, he has never complained that the Government did not furnish him all the means and assistance in its power, to facilitate the execution of any plan he saw fit to adopt."

After the capture of Vicksburg, Gen. Grant reported that his troops were so much fatigued and worn out with forced marches and the labors of the siege, as to absolutely require scveral weeks of repose, before undertaking another campaign. Nevertheless, as the exigencies of the service seemed to require it, he sent out those who were least fatigued on several important expeditions, while the others remained at Vicksburg, to put that place in a better defensive condition for a small garrison.

Immediately upon the surrender of the city, Gen. Sherman, with his force increased by the remainder of both the thirteenth and fifteenth corps, moved in pursuit of Gen. Johnston. When Gen. Grant moved his army from Jackson to Vicksburg, Gen. Johnston moved north to Canton. It now became the object of Gen. Johnston to collect a force to attack the rear of Gen. Grant. His energies were thus devoted during the whole siege of Vicksburg. Yet the country had been so exhausted of men to fill the army in Virginia, a force could not be obtained sufficient to rescue Vicksburg. With the troops which he had collected, he now approached the rear of the Federal army. The country for fifty miles around Vicksburg had --by orders of Gen. Grant on the 26th of May -been laid waste by Gen. Blair, who drove

off the white inhabitants and burned the grist mills, cotton gins, and granaries, and destroyed the crops.

The result of the expedition of Gen. Sherman is thus stated in the despatches of Gen. Grant:

VICKSBURG, July 15th,

To Major-Gen. Halleck, General-in-Chief:

General Sherman has Jackson invested from Pearl river on the north to the river on the south. This has cut off many hundred cars from the Confederacy. Sherman says he has force enough, and feels no ap prehension about the results.

Finding that Yazoo City was being fortified, I sent Gen. Herron there with his division. He captured several hundred prisoners, five pieces of heavy arti lery, and all the public stores fell into our hands. The enemy burned three steamboats on the approach of the gunboats. The De Kalb was blown up and sunk in fifteen feet of water, by the explosion of a shell. rebel army at Natchez, and were said to have several Finding that the enemy was crossing cattle for the thousand there, I have sent troops and steamboats to collect them, and destroy all their boats and means for making more. U. S. GRANT, Major-General. VICKSBURG, July 18th.

(Signed)

General Ransom was sent to Natchez to stop the crossing of cattle for the eastern army. On arrival, he found large numbers had been driven out of the city to be pastured. Also, that munitions of war had recently been crossed over to wait for Kirby Smith. He mounted about 200 of his men and sent them in both directions. They captured a number of prison

ers, 5,000 head of Texas cattle, 2,000 head of which were sent to Gen. Banks, the balance have been and will be brought here. In Louisiana they captured more prisoners, and a number of teams loaded with ammunition. Over 2,000,000 rounds of ammunition were brought back to Natchez with the teams captured; and 265,000 rounds, besides artillery ammunition, were destroyed. (Signed) U. S. GRANT,

Major-Gen. Commanding,

The destruction of property at Jackson was most complete. On the south the railroad was injured as far as Brookhaven, a distance of fifty miles. On the north it was torn up at intervals for twenty miles. At Jackson extensive machine shops, five locomotives, and a large number of cars were destroyed by fire. The road east was torn up at intervals to Brandon, fifteen miles. The bridges at Jackson, some of which were costly, were also destroyed. This destruction secured Gen. Grant in the undisturbed possession of the western part of the State. The city was formerly one of the most prosperous in the Southern States. It was thus described at the time of its capture: "As the seat of government, it has the capitol buildings, the penitentiary, the governor's house, the asylum for the deaf and dumb and the insane; and in addition a fine court house, two excellent hotels, large blocks of stores, a cotton factory, a couple of founderies, grist mills, and a large number of splendid

residences. The site of the city, upon the right bank of the Pearl river-a stream of rare beauty-is very fine. The business portion is divided into small lots, and the buildings, generally of brick, are placed in compact blocks. The portion for residences, however, is in marked contrast with the other. Here the lots contain from one acre to five, and in the suburbs over ten acres, according to the ability or taste of the owners. These grounds are laid off in excellent taste. Neatly trimmed Ledges line the gravelled walks. The lux uriant shrubbery and gorgeous flowers of the genial South greet the eye in endless profusion and variety. Beautiful arbors, in some cool, shady spot, invite the stranger. And trees, loaded with ripened figs and peaches, and all that is delicious, bend to the hand that will pluck their treasures. In the midst, as far as possible removed from the dust and din of the street, and embowered in magnificent liveoaks and grand old cedars, stand the mansions. They are as different as the varied tastes and conditions of their respective owners, but they all bear an air of comfort and luxury, which proclaims the cultivated tastes and generous fortunes of their occupants. The buildings are not only models of architectural taste, but they are furnished with unusual richness, amounting in many cases to extravagance. This was the Jackson of the past. The Jackson of to-day is quite another place, for the fortunes of war have borne heavily upon it. The penitentiary, one of her fine hotels, her cotton factory, founderies, a whole block of stores, several warehouses, and the railroad bridge and depot buildings were destroyed while the Federal troops occupied the city in May. The reoccupation and evacuation by the Confederate armies cost her another large block of stores and the other hotel. The present occupation by the Federal army has wellnigh served to blot the place from existence. The first few hours were devoted by our soldiers to ransacking the town, and appropriating whatever of value or otherwise pleased their fancy, or to the destruction of such articles as they were unable to appreciate or remove. Pianos and articles of furniture were demolished, libraries were torn to pieces and trampled in the dust, pictures thrust through with bayonets, windows broken and doors torn from their hinges. Finally, after every other excess had been committed in the destruction of property, the torch was applied. From that hour to the present, there has scarcely been a moment when the citizens could not walk the streets by the light of blazing buildings. The entire business portion of the city is in ruins, with the exception of a few old frame buildings, which the citizens must have ong regarded as an injury to the place. One residence after another has been burned, until none of the really fine ones remain, save those eccupied as quarters by some of our general officers. The State house and court house

and insane asylum are preserved and under guard. It is not improbable, however, that they, together with all the remaining residences worth anything, will be fired by our rear guard when we leave the city to-night. Of the Jackson of a few days ago, not above one fourth of the houses remain, and they are nearly all the residences of the poorer classes."

Another circumstance attended the return of the force of Gen. Sherman to Vicksburg, which is so peculiar to army movements into the Southern States, that a mention of it should not be omitted.

The return of the army from Jackson was the occasion of a remarkable exodus of negroes. There were few able-bodied young men among them, for it is the policy of the masters to move that class farther south, and leave only the old and helpless behind them. But all the old men and women and the young children in the whole region of country around Jacksonthose who have been a burden upon their masters, and will necessarily be dependent on our charity-accompanied the army on its return, in large numbers. Every species of vehicle, and an untold number of broken-down horses and mules, were pressed into the service by the contrabands en route for Vicksburg. Their effects consisted of a wonderful quantity of old clothing and bedding, and dilapitated furniture, which they seemed to regard as of inestimable value. The transportation, however, was not sufficient for all, and hundreds, carrying as many as possible of the movable articles, trudged along on foot. All seemed animated by a fear that our rear guard would overtake, pass, and leave them behind, and such a straining of energies, hurrying and bustling, were never before known among the whole black creation. The soldiers were particularly struck with the ludicrous appearance presented by the darkies, and the tedium and fatigue of the march were often relieved by good jokes cracked at their expense, which served to convulse the whole brigade with laughter.

"The minds of all of them are filled with the most extravagant ideas of the North. It is to them a country of ease and plenty and happiness, and say and do what you will, as soon as the military blockade is made less stringent, they will go North, if they accomplish the distance on foot. They don't feel safe here, not even those whose owners are dead.”

A military and naval force was sent to Yazoo City, on the 18th. It took three hundred prisoners, captured one steamer and burned five, took six cannon, two hundred and fifty small arms, and eight hundred horses and mules. No loss on our side was reported. Small expeditions were also sent against Canton, Pontotoc, Granada, and Natchez, Mississippi. At Granada, a large amount of railroad rolling stock was destroyed. The other expeditions were also successful, meeting with very little opposition. As soon as his army was