Page images
PDF
EPUB

parole signed by himself, which, with the completion of the rolls of prisoners, will necessarily take some time. Again, I can make no stipu. lation with 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 myself under restraint by stipulations. The property which officers can be allowed to take with them will be as stated in the proposition of last evening-that is, that officers will be allowed their private baggage and side arms, and mounted officers one horse each. If you mean by your proposition for each brigade to march to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack 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 objection to it. Should no modifications 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 on your men.

I am, General, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

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

After a very short consultation with his general officers, the commandant of Vicksburg sent the following reply:

HEAD-QUARTERS, VICKSBURG, July 4, 1863 Major-General U. S. GRANT, commanding United States forces, etc.:

GENERAL:-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 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.

At ten o'clock on the morning of July 4th, the above final dispatch was received from General Pemberton, and he stated that he was ready to capitulate. General Grant at once telegraphed to General McPherson's headquarters with instructions that the Seventeenth Corps be ordered under arms immediately, to be in readiness to move instantly into the city upon the receipt of orders to that effect.

Shortly after the hour above mentioned, the rebel works

were surmounted by a large number of white flags along the entire lines, extending from right to left. This was the signal of surrender. Soon the enemy marched out by regiment, on McPherson's front, and stacked their arms and returned within, where they were paroled in a body, prior to the individual parole of each man.

The privilege allowed by General Grant to the enemy of stacking their arms outside of their fortifications somewhat crowded matters, as the Union works were so close that the enemy was pressed for room in order to avoid trespassing beyond the small strip of unoccupied territory lying between the works of the two armies. However, after considerable difficulty, the arms, excepting those of several regiments, were deposited according to the provisions of the surrender, without encroachment upon our approaches.

In attendance upon the capitulation of the rebels there were a number of line officers and privates of the Union army as lookers on. No one had been delegated by General Grant to superintend the matter, out of courtesy to the enemy, whose noble defence had won them the highest esteem of both officers and men. The surrender, therefore, appeared, as it were, a volition, and not of compulsion; and was hardly known until some time after, owing to the quietness with which it was conducted. General Grant had wisely taken this matter into consideration, and prevented the lips of the incautious and uncalculating from uttering remarks of no good to the Union cause, and not in the least calculated to keep alive that harmony of feeling which turned out to be one of the most noticeable features of the occasion. As it was, as the General had desired, the enemy was allowed to conduct the matter according to his own liking, so it was done within the limitations of the previously stipulated terms of capitulation,

Several regiments not having room to stack arms with the rest of the command, deposited them at the Court House.

Three hours elapsed before the last of the rebel regiments had surrendered their arms. During this time General John A. Logan was engaged in getting his troops in readiness for subsequent movements.

CHAPTER XLI.

OCCUPATION OF VICKSBURG. THE LOSSES.

THE Fourth of July, 1863, was one of the most important in the history of the United States, and of its armies. On this day the glad tidings of victory in Pennsylvania was sounded throughout the land, and on this day the victorious "Army of Tennessee" took possession of the boasted stronghold of the rebels-"the Gibraltar of the Mississippi"-Vicksburg.

The entrance into the city of Vicksburg is thus described by a participant:

It was about one o'clock P. M., before matters had assumed such a stage of completion as would admit of the entrance of the city by our troops. A slight further detention was also occasioned awaiting the pioneer corps, thrown out in advance, to open a passage through the breastworks and across the ditches and rifle-pits of the enemy. After this was finished, no further obstructions presented themselves, and the column moved forward. The order of march was by a seniority of brigade commanders, with an exception in the case of the Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry, Colonel J. A. Maltby, which was specially ordered to lead the column, in consequence of heroic conduct during the siege and operations in the campaign against Vicksburg.

The order of formation, in the march into the city, was as follows:

Major-General U. S. Grant and staff.

Major-General J. B. McPherson and staff.

Major-General J. A. Logan and staff.

Brigadier-General M. D. Leggett, First Brigade, Third Division, led by

[merged small][ocr errors]

Brigadier-General Z. E. G. Ransom, First Brigade, Seventh Division, temporarily assigned to Logan.

Brigadier-General John Stevenson, Second Brigade, Third Division; and with each brigade its batteries, baggage train, &c.

The division of General John E. Smith, though part of the Seventeenth Army Corps which was designated by General Grant to occupy the city, was held outside of the works as a kind of outer line of guards to prevent the escape of prisoners.

After passing through several inner lines of the rifle-pits and breastworks, the column of occupation penetrated the suburbs of the city, and marched through its principal streets to the Court House. As might be expected, from the long schooling the city had received under the influence of the secession conspirators, no demonstrations of satisfaction at our arrival were made along the line of march; but on the contrary, houses were closed, the citizens within doors, and the city was wrapped in gloom. It seems as if the population anticipated their next step would be into the grave.

Upon arriving at the Court House, the troops were drawn up in line facing the building. This done, the ceremony of possession was completed by the display of the flags of the Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry, and of the head-quarters of the Seventeenth Corps, from the dome of the Court House.

Upon the appearance of the flags the troops cheered vociferously, making the city ring to its very suburbs with shouts of the votaries of liberty. It was an occasion which few ever have the opportunity o witnessing, and one which will secure a life-long remembrance in the minds of all present.

In consideration of the active part taken by the Seventeenth Corps in the campaign which consummated in the capture of Vicksburg, that command was designated by General Grant to take possession of the city. General Logan's Division occupied within the works, while General John E. Smith held the Union works without. General McArthur continued with General Sherman's army in its operations against Johnston.

In view of General Grant's plans, Major-General McPherson was appointed to the command of the new district about to be formed, and having Vicksburg for its centre.

Major-General Logan commanded the city and its environs.

The Provost-Marshal's department was placed in charge of LieutenantColonel James Wilson, Provost-Marshal of the corps-Provost-Guard, Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry.

A number of subordinate officers had to be created to carry out the laborious and endless details which naturally occur in the administra

« PreviousContinue »