Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-07-16

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Memorable Interview Between
the Communicable 900 Prison
ers Surrendered.-General Grant
Paroles them on the Spot.-Tri.
umphant Federal Occupation of the
City.
CAIRo. July Sth. 1868.
By the arrival his morning OF the steamer
Niagara. from Memphis the It'll. came
Lieut.. w. M. Dunn, Of Gen. Jerry L. Sui
livan's staff. from Vicksburg the 4th,
bearer Of dispai ches from Gen. Grant to
the War Department. announcing the con
firmation of Admiral Porter's dispatch.
stating that vicksburg had capitulated.
Lieut. Damn came az far as Memphis on
the V. F. Wilson. From him We have
been able to gather tho following particu-
lars in regard to the closing scenes OF the
siege Of Vicksburg:
The first flag of trnce of late from the
rebels. wa, received on July LIST. 1t was
for the purpose Of asking an escort for
two Englishmen, who had been long
enough hemmetl in the Confeleracv, and
eaten mule beef enough to sink their ideas
of comfort
Gen. Grant readily assented to Pembcr-
toms request. and the English subject
were not detained longer than necessary.
They came and went anquestioncd.
On the previous day the rebels had made
an unsuccessful sortie upon the works on
our left. meaning 10 take our soldiers out
of their rifle pits. We had one man
wounde,l The Confederates lost two
Lieutenants and twelve privatcs. who were
captured, and eight of the latter deserted
and came off with u..
On this day Johnson was reported only
twenty miles off. Oar men were in line
of battle to receive his attack His main
force fronted on Haines' Bluff.
On Friday morning. the ) !. another flag
of truce came into our lines. reaching the
first tent oil Gen. Il. j. Smith. 1t was
brought ly two Confederate officers. dress
ell in most festive attire. They proved to
be Mi. Gen. Bowen. late Commandant at
Grand Gulf, and Virginia Colonel named
Montgomery. They rode splendid animals,
but rather thin in flesh, even for racers.
The messengers were blindfolde,l and
seated in Gen. Buihrilge's tent. where for
two hours they remained. awaiting the re-
turn OF Gen. Smith, who took their dis
pach from Pemberton to Gen. Grant.
Their eyes were unbanlagel after one hour,
and they conversel freely with the Union
officers.
One OF the messengers said that iron
had bren thrown into the city in sufficient
quantities TO sock an immense foundry
and have enough lett to build monuments
for all the citizens anil soldiers fallen.
Wlen Gen. Smith returned to Bur-
bridges tent. the two Confederate officers
received Grants response. and were then
by our officers conducted to safe point,
from which they could rc-enter their own
lines.
These messengers were well dressed in
uniforms OF gray. wore dashing. devil
may rare Zpuave caps. and had hut little
gold lace upon their uniforms. They each
had the golden star on the collar of their
coats. designating their rank.
There was great curiosity. OF course,
among all the off ers and sol,liers o learn
the contents Of Pembcrton's dispatches -
This was finally gratifiel The rebel Gen
era' had seen fit to intimate that the un-
necessary esfusion OF blood and loss OF
precious life might be prcvente by brief
cessation Of hostilitics. during which time
Commissioners might be appointed to
agree upon proper terms for the surrender
Of the city. lie also intimatel. as a
clincher. that he could hold the place for
an indefiRite period.
Gen. Grants reply was very brief. I,
%: forth that Pemberton hal it in his pow
CT at any moment to stop bloodsieil; that
the commissioners were altogether unne-
ecssary, as the only stipulations he could
accept were inclulel in terms "UxcoSDI-
TIoNAL SURRENDER" 1t concluded with a
deserved tribute to the bravery and endur-
ance of the rebel garrison, and said IL they
surrendered he could promise that all
should be treated with the courtesy due
pris oners of war.
The rebel messengers had not long been
gone when Pemberton sent again. asking
for a personal interview with Grant. 1t
was promptly granted. and at p m. on
the same day. the inference took place. in
. fruit orchard located about midway be-.
tween the fronts OF the two contending
forces. The scene was witnessed by thous-
ands OF Federal and rebel soldiers. who
for the first time in weeks showed them
selves with impuniiy in and above rifle pits,
and yet during all those weeks they had
been within few yards Of each other. II
was remarkable scene Gen. Grant came
slowly to his place of rendezvous. smo-
king his cigar. and apparently the ouly nm.
excited person in that vast assemblage.-
What that General felt within could only
be imagined. His stoIcal face did not re-
veal clue to it,
As Pemberton and Grant drew near
each other. both, as though Involuntary,
paused. perhaps waiting each the first word
from the other. This slight cmbarrass.
ment was bro ight to close by Col. Mont
somery. who stepped forward and formally
introduced the chieftain. They shook
hands. Pemberton being apparently little
disconnected by the complacency Of his OPP
ponent. These men meeting TINS after the
long seige in which they had been pitted
against each other, had been Lieutenants
together in the same command in many a
hard fought battle in Mexico. hence were
personally known to each other. Seldom
such meetings occur outside the fie'd 1of