Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-10
SPECIAL DISPATCHES.
FROM VICKsBURG.
The Observation-Disclosures of
the Interview Between Grant
and Pemberton--The Sit
uation.
ITO Oineinnatl CommereinI.l


CAIRO, July 9.
The river batteries at Vicksburg are
composed Of thirty-six guns of the Blake
ly, WhitwOrth and Brooke pattern. All
these fall into our hands.
At about seven A. NJ, July Sd, flag of
truce was seen upon the rebel breastworks.
An officer was sent to receive it.
All firing ceased, and thousands Of men
thrOnged the parapets to see the foe with
whom they had cOntended fOrty-two days,
each concealed from the other. The men
of both sides gazed in wonderment. No
arms were Visible-only men, and the
earthwOrks were alive. In some salienis
where we thought there might be twenty,
there seemed one hundred. All looked
like men who labor in mills or lime-quar-
ries. Slouehed hats, shirts and pants were
the uniform. But little was said, though
in some places the men were not more than
ten or fifteen feet apart.
The bearers of dispatches to our General
were fne-loOking men: of martial bearing
and brave mien, clad in grey, close-ftting
but thin horses.
They were conducted b1indfolded to the
tent of General A. K. Smith, whose front
they had entered. They were escorted to
the tent of General Steven Burbridge, to
to remain until his return from the quar-
ters Of General Grant, five miles away
They conversed of old times more than Of
the present Their names were General
Bowen, of Port Gibson memory, and Colo
mel Montgomery, of Virginia. After
taking glass of wine, General Bowen re-
marked that his bandage was uncomforta-
Bile, as it was very warm. General Bur-
bridge had them unloOsed.
After more than an hours conversation,
their answer came, and they were again
blind-fOlded and returned to their own
works Still the men sat in silence. Not
a gun was fred in that part of the WALL
All wondered what tt meant The pur-
port oft was this
GENERAL GRANT. - To prevent the
further effusion of blood and loss Of life,
propose that hostilities cease for blank
hours, and that you appoint three COM
missioners, and three, to confer upon
conditions of surrender, though I can hold
out indefinitely.
[Sigaed1 "PEMBERTON."
To which General Grant replied:
"As to your first proposition, it is for
you to avail at any time; as to the second,
I see no necessity for that, as thera can be
no conditions of surrender. We can all
bear testimony to your endurance and
bravery, and will treat you with all the
respect due prisoners Of war.
[Signedl "U. S. GRANT"
General Pemberton then solicited per
sonal interview, which was granted by
| Grant at three O'oIooL n Jho ofsoru oon
The latter, with his staff, appeared on tb'
hills where our advance works were
Here the party halted, until General Penn
berton appeared, accompanied by General
Bowen and Colonel Montgomery. On the
crest Of the opposite hills were rihe-pits
and forts, crowded with men. Inthe space
in grove of fruit trees of f gs and peaches
met the cOntending heroes Thousands o.
soldiers looked upon this strange scene
Two men who had been Iieutenants in tn
same regiment in Mexico, now met as fees
with all the world looking upon them
The one his COuntry's glory the Othel
his country's shame.
When they had approached within fsT
feet there was hsult and silence.
Colonel Montgomery spoke" Genera
Grant, General PembertOn," They shOol
hands politely. 1t was evident Pember
ton was mortified. He said: Il was a
Monterey and Buena Vista. We ha'
terms and conditions there"
General Grant then took him aside
They sat down on the grass and tslket
more than an hour. Grant smoked all th,
time. Pemberton played with the gras
and pulled leaves. Grant finally agree'
to parole them, allowing the officers eacl
his horse. 1t was a polite thing. TIL,
dread Of going North, and the fear of harsE
treatment had deferred them from eapitu
lating sooner. He proved his magnanimi
ty and saved thousands upon thousands o
dollars in the way of transpOrtatiOns an'
rations. They feared the Fourth Of July
Our men would call out at night, that tn
Fourth would finish them, and it was 81
arranged. By this we have saved thou
sands of lives Both armies are gratife,
with the result. Our men treat them will
kindness, giving them coffee, which SOM
Of them have not tasted for a year.
The city IS much dI1apidated. Man!
houses are injured. The Vicksburg pspe
Of July 2, of which send you extracts b.
mail, admits the eating Of mule meat ant
the pilfering of soldiers in private houses
Mrs. Cisco, wife OF an officer in the artil
lery service, was killed last week. COlone
Griffin of the 81st Louisiana Regiment, wa
also killed.
There seems to be much suffering ther
from sickness and our missiles.
Tobnston - st;II n o,,r ranr TIL