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"A GOOD MORAL DRINK."

[1863.

hunger and fatigue, sharpened the horrors of the besieged city. Women and children in their houses, and soldiers, in the hospitals, were killed by our shells; and the hapless citizens, bond and free, called on the rocks to fall upon them and the mountains to cover them. Caves dug in the bluffs, through which the streets are cut, afforded the best shelter; but even these were sometimes penetrated; and in one a babe, sleeping peacefully by its mother, was torn to fragments.

On the Union side, during long summer evenings, the chief chatted of every thing, though great military operations were his favorite theme. He never wearied of explaining where he ought to have done better, where Fortune had happily served him, and where, affronted by mistakes of his own or of others, the fickle goddess had baffled him.

With his usual flow of spirits he always had his jest, continually bantering some one of the staff, and taking his pay in the same coin with invariable good-humor. But his familiarity never bred contempt. No one presumed on him. The abrupt Sherman and the more stately and formal Thomas called him "Grant," but no other subordinate ever addressed him except by his title.

The plantation of the rebel president, near New Carthage, fell into our hands, and a black pony brought from it was presented to Grant. "Jeff. Davis," as he named the steed, soon showed extraordinary speed and endurance. The General rode him through the rest of the war, and still keeps the favorite horse.

Our troops suffered from diarrhea and dysentery, caused by the unwholesome lime-water springs of the hills. Some of the head-quarters officers were sick nearly all the time. An old negro to the manner born, who sold them blackberries, one day brought a quantity of roots and herbs, which he offered as specifics. One known as dittany he recommended enthusiastically :

"Dis makes a good moral drink. It always cures de misery in de bowels!"

The plant, largely used for tea through portions of the

1863.]

MINE EXPLOSION UNDER FORT HILL.

327

South, proved a welcome medicinal agent, if not an infallible panacea.

Grant, though exceedingly active, and riding the lines daily, displayed his extraordinary faculty of delegating labor. He was never hurried or "fussy," and gave few directions; but he knew his men, and the work was always done.

Ditching being the order of the day, he employed every West Pointer in his army below the rank of general on engineering duty. One made an ingenious and exceedingly safe reconnoissance of the interior of a rebel work, by elevating a mirror upon a pole, and inclining the top forward.

One day our men, preparing the ground for a new battery in front of Logan's division, were sorely harassed by sharp-shooters. They dodged at every discharge, and seemed inclined to run. Grant, therefore, sat down upon a pile of rails coolly giving orders, and whittling a stick for ten minutes, while bullets whistled about his ears. His example restored courage, and the work was completed.

Having now two hundred heavy guns in position, and twelve miles of trenches dug, he prepared a mine under Fort Hill, an important rebel work. In subterranean galleries as large as a railway car, fifteen hundred pounds of powder-in kegs with the heads knocked out and with loose powder scattered about them-was deposited, and the earth strengthened by timbers, and sand-bags firmly rammed in.

Under a tremendous artillery fire the fuse was lighted. As usual only a small portion of the powder burned, and the slight noise of the explosion was not heard half a mile away. First a boundless mass of snow-white smoke puffed up. Vast clouds of brown smoke mingled with dust, and rapidly turning to jet black, followed, spreading in all directions like spray from a Titanic fountain. The whole heavens were darkened with enormous rocks and timbers, which began to drop in both lines with ruthless disregard for the safety of the individual.

A part of the fort was blown up, but the debris falling around the crater, made entering difficult. The rebels, though recoiling in terror for a moment, were again in posi

328

"THE LORD AND JOE JOHNSTON."

[1863.

tion three minutes later, as our troops swarmed in through the gap which was twenty feet wide. Then followed close fighting with bayonets, clubbed muskets, and stones. The enemy dragged up a six-pounder, and fired right into the assailants, but our soldiers instead of retiring shoveled up a little breastwork.

Hand-grenades were thrown over on both sides as long as they lasted. Then the men cut off and lighted the fuses of bomb-shells, and at the right moment pitched them, with their hands, among the rebels. Frequently a Union soldier threw one of those ugly missiles a few seconds too soon; then the confederates flung it back, and it would pass to and fro several times before exploding. Many were torn to atoms. Greek had met Greek. Our soldiers remained through the night and part of the next day, but then fell back. They named the crater the "Death Hole." Six mines were sprung afterward during the siege, but without important results.

The days dragged on. A rebel woman tauntingly asked Grant:

-

"When do you expect to get Vicksburg?"

"I can't tell exactly," he replied, "but I shall stay until I do, if it takes thirty years."

Captured dispatches between Pemberton and Johnston, showed that the latter was hoping to get up in our rear. But though the General had received many re-enforcements, he would not detach a man while the stronghold continued to defy him. A rebel inside wrote in a letter to his wife which our officers intercepted:-"We put our trust in the Lord. * * * We expect Joe Johnston to come to our relief."

Grant, ordering Sherman to be ready to march the moment the siege should end, observed:

"They seem to put a good deal of faith in the Lord and Joe Johnston, but you must whip Johnston at least fifteen miles from here."

1863.]

PEMBERTON PROPOSES TO CAPITULATE.

329

CHAPTER XXII.

IO TRIUMPHE!

JULY came. The army was growing weary. Our lines were close up to those of the enemy, but we had made no perceptible impression upon his main works. Johnston's force, already twenty-five thousand strong, might attack soon, so Grant determined to make another vigorous assault on Independence Day.

Pemberton rendered it unnecessary. On the morning of the third a white flag appeared on the confederate works. Firing ceased at that point, and the rebel General Bowen advanced to the national lines. He was blindfolded and brought to A. J. Smith. He requested an interview with Grant, but, this being denied, delivered the following:

“HEAD-QUARTERS, VICKSBURG, July 3, 1863.

"Major-General GRANT, commanding United States forces:

"GENERAL-I have the honor to propose to you an armistice of hours, with a view to arranging terms for the capitulation of Vicksburg. To this end, if agreeable to you, I will appoint three commissioners, to meet a like number to be named by yourself, at such place and hour as you may find convenient. I make this proposition to save the further effusion of blood, which must otherwise be shed to a frightful extent, feeling myself fully able to maintain my position for a yet indefinite period. This communication will be handed you, under a flag of truce, by Major-General John S. Bowen.

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"J. C. PEMBERTON.'

The General expressed orally his willingness to meet Pemberton between the lines, and responded in writing :

"HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEA, IN THE FIELD, NEAR VICKSBURG, July 3, 1868. "Lieutenant-General J. C. PEMBERTON, commanding confederate forces, &c.: “GENERAL-Your note of this date, is just received, proposing an armistice for several hours, for the purpose of arranging terms of capitulation through commissioners to be appointed, &c. The useless effusion of blood

330

GRANT MEETS HIM BETWEEN THE LINES.

[1863. you propose stopping by this course, can be ended at any time you may choose, by the unconditional surrender of the city and garrison. Men who have shown so much endurance 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 prisoners of war. I do not favor the proposition of appointing commissioners to arrange the terms of capitulation, because I have no terms other than those indicated above.

"I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"U. S. GRANT, Major-General."

At three P. M., while eager-faced soldiers peered over the parapets on both sides, Grant, Rawlins, Logan, McPherson, Ord, and A. J. Smith, rode forward from our trenches, dismounted, and sat down upon the greensward under a live oak. In ten minutes the rebel commander appeared, accompanied by Bowen and a staff officer. Grant, who had known Pemberton in Mexico, and Bowen in St. Louis, shook hands with both, and Bowen introduced the other Union officers to his chief.

The latter, tall, well built, with swarthy face rather sinister in expression, black hair and eyes, and close-cut chin whiskers, was carefully dressed in dark-blue pantaloons and gray military coat. He began a little haughtily :

PEMBERTON.-"I have come to see if we can arrange terms for the capitulation of Vicksburg. What do you demand?" GRANT.-"All the terms I have are stated in my letter of this morning."

PEMBERTON (drawing himself up stiffly).-"If that is so, the conference may terminate and hostilities be resumed." GRANT.-" Very well. My army was never in better condition to prosecute the siege."

The subordinates on both sides-all tired of fighting, since the result was a foregone conclusion-were disturbed at this, and Bowen urged a further conference.

GRANT.-"Suppose we do talk the matter over?"

He and the confederate chief sat down aside from the rest, Grant serenely smoking, and Pemberton nervously pulling up and scattering blades of grass. After they had conversed a few minutes, Grant called up McPherson and A. J. Smith, while Pemberton summoned Bowen, and the three likewise went aside to confer.