The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-15
The surrender Of vick.burg.

From the correspondence of the Cincinnati
Commercial the following is condensed
At about A. M, July Sd, flag of truce
was seen upon the rebel breastworks. AM
officer was sent to receive it. /
All firing ceased, and thousands of men
thronged the parapets to seethe foe with whom
they had contended forty-seyen days, each con-
cealed from the other. The meu of both
sides gazed in wonderment. No arms were
visible--only men, and the earthworks were
alive. All look like men who labor in mills
or lime-quarries. Slouched hats, shirts and
pants We're 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 fine looking men, of martial bearing and
brave mien, clad in grey, close-ftting uni
forms and French caps, mounted on fine but
thin horses.
They were conducted blindfolded to the
tent of General A. K. Smith, whose front
they had entered They were escorted to the
tent of General Steven Burbridge, to remain
until his return from the quarters of General
General Bowen, of Port Gibson memory, and
Colonel Montgomery, of Virginia.
After more than a hours conversation, their
answer came, and they were again blind-fold-
ed and retured to their own works.
The correspondence thus occurring between
the two Commanders, was as follows:
"GENERAL GRANT.-To prevent the fur
ther effusion of blood and loss of life, / pro-
/ pose that hostilities cease for blank hours
4 and that you appoint three commissioners
and three, to confer upon, conditions of sur.
render, though can hold out indefinitely.
[Signed] PEMBERTON.''
70 which General Grant replied:
GAS to your first proposition, it is for yor
to avail at any time as to the second, l see
no necessity for that, as there can be no con
ditions of surrender. Weican all bear testi
mony to your endurance and bravery, and viii
treat you with all the respect due prisoners o
war. -
[Signed] s.eeEHU. S. GRANT"
General Pemberton then solicited person
al interview, which was granted by Grant a
three o'clock in the afternoon. The latter
with his staff, appeared on the hills where ou
advance works were. Here the party halted
until General Pemberton appeared, accompa
MED by General Bowen and Colonel Mont
gomery. On the crest of the opposite hill
were rit1e-pits and forts, crowded with men,
In the space in agrove of fruit trees of fig
pcdChOS, BlSI int COnb0HuIIlS H6TO0S.-
Thousands of soldiers looked upon thi
strange scene. m -af af' .
When they had approached within fey
feet th9re was halt and silence.
Colonel Montgomery sopke-" Gen. Grant
Gen. Pemberton." They shook hands polite
ly. 1t was evident Pemberton was mortified
He said: al was at Monterey and Buen
Vista. We had terms and conditions there.
General Grant then took him aside. The
sat down on the grass and talked more tina
an hour. Grant smoked all the time. Penn
berton played with the grass and pulle
leaves. Grant finally agreed to parole then
allowing the officers each his horse 1t was
polite thing. The dread of going North, an
the fear of harsh treatment had deterre
them from capitulating sooner. He prove
: his magnanimity and saved thousands upo
thousands of dollars in the way of transpol
} tations and rations. They feared the Fourt
of July. Our men would call out at nigh
that the Fourth would finish them, and it wa
so arranged. By this We have saved thou
sands of lives. r..,.t
The city is much dilapidated. Many HOT
ses are injured. The Vicksburg paper of il
t ly e. admits the eating of mule meat and th
f pilfering of soldiers in private houses. Mr.
Cisco, wife of an officer in the artillery SCI
7 vice, was killed laSG week. OOl. CrllIln OF LI
31st Louisiana Regiment, was also killed.
There seems to be much suffering thel
, from sickness and our missiles. %
The siege of Vicksburg was of forty-seve
: days duration. -.s-........ ~
Gen. Logan's division marched into the Gil
at IL O'Clock, and al noon Lieutenant Colon
, Strong hoisted the stars and stripes over tt
Court House. .f-s0 .ffsra a.. .
g, Col. Wilson is Provost Marshal of the eli
and Gen. Logan commander of the post
We have taken over q, 600 prisoners, besid
z about 1000 non-combatants, one hundred ar
3 two field pieces, thirty siege guns, 5000
I stand of arms, ammunition, locomotives, cal
few stores, and eighty seven stand of color
Among the prisoners are Lieutenant Gel
eralr Pemberton, Major Generals Stevenso
Smith, Forney and Bowen, and fourtet
f Brigadier Generals, and about one hundrt
and thirty Colonels. .....-+ asa
: There are 5000 men in the hospitals, hs
of whom are wounded Only J, 800 of Il
garrison are reported fit for duty. 2fz4
f The stock provisions were almost exhaus
4 ed, and for four days back numbers had bet
: eating mule flesh. Of ammunition for heal
guns they had fair supply, but in musket
: were short. Eight caps to man was all thu
had. An excess of sugar, molasses and ri
was all the supplies they had, with lit
unground corn. . -
The capitulation was caused by destitute
8 and physical prostration of the garrison, al
H., ~ hot o,,r for1ar dcto