Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-30

The Surrender of Vicks5mg-Iatercourse aoah
the Rebel Soldiers-They aoant to quit Fighting
"A Hunt for JoAnston-Recent Deaths an the
TioeyM.
Correspondence of the State Journal
VIoKsBURG, July 9th, 1868.
At length the struggle is ended, and
Yankee perseverance has added another
name to the record of glory. The elm
pregnable fortress" that has bid insulting
defiance to US go long, and with whose in
vulnerability we have been tainted SO Of
ten and so jeeringly, is now ours, and it
is our turn now to rejoice over the posses
sion of the American SebastaPol. t-..
The surrender of Vicksburg terminates
gloriously a most brilliant campaign; be-
gun at Bruinsburg on the lst of May,
sweeping round through Jackson, defeat
ing the enemy at every step, and in two
short months finishing with the uncondi-
tional surrender of the rebel stronghold.
The history of the war shows no similar
instance of continued success, IN carrying
out SO great plan, to a certain and calcn-
lated end.
On the Sd the rebels proposed an armis-
tice preparatory to surrendering, and the
rest OF the day YVES spent, as also the
night, in trying to get as favorable terms
as possible, but Gen. Grant, true to his
former traditions, remained firm, and on
the morning OF the memorable 4th, the
rebels surrendered, marched outside their
works, stacked their arms and colors, and
became prisoners Of war. AS official re-
ports will reach you ere this, l will not
trouble you with guesses at the amount of
men or material captured. E--' .-.
Gen. Logan's division took possession
of the town, Notifications, ammunition,
&C., &C., and great was the rejoicing OF
the boys as they entered what had been
forbidden land to them SO long.
The rebels were very free in their inter-
course with our men-acknowledged hay
ing had to live on quarter rations for
weeks, and that finally they had been re-
duced to mule beef rations. Some regi-
ments would not eat such food, the CON.
missary stores had been broken into, and
even fighting and mutiny lad occurred on
account of scarcity OF food. The hard
tack in our boys's haversacks was speedily
distributed, che "rebs " freely offering to-
bacco, money, or anything they had, for
something to eat. 1t was sad to see men
so eager tor food, and making such efforts
to get single cracker to appease their
hunger, so long unappeased. ..- f...-.
A great majority OF the "rebs'' are
anxious to get home, and propose to stay
there. They have had enough of war
and all its hardships, and are down on the
Confederacy generally. They think if
they cannot hold such place as Vicks-
burg they cannot hold anything against
us, and it would be wisdom for them to
quit any way and make peace. A great
many were anxious to trade canteens,
knives, &C., SO as to have some remem.
ORANGES of che Yankees to take home to
their families, as they expect TO see them
very soon now, believing they will not be
sent North to be exchanged, but be taken
across our lines and paroled. "
I received the muster and pay roll of
Capt. Grayson's company tA) of Louisiana
Artillery, Col. Chas. A. Fuller, command
ing, from the 31st Dec, 1862, to 3Oth
April, 1863, from which extract the fol-
lowing items: Out of 81 members only
So could sign their names; that bad
deserted since last muster, and 2 killed
and wounded during the same time.
There is also report attached of the
doings of said company, which may prove
interesting to some: a
On the 11th March, 1868, this Company received
orders from District Headquarters, Vicksburg, to
nroceed to Grand Gulf, Miss. Arrived at Grand
Gulf, March 10th. Engaged three of the enemy's
vessels on the evening of March 29th in action
twenty minutes. This Company engaged six of
the enemy's ron-clads, the 9th april, for seven
hours. at = distance Of 200 yards. Result of the
engagement one iron-clad sunk, and two seriously
damaged. On the night of the 29th April, sunk
one transport" a .ul -
This report must be taken with great
allowance, particularly the damage in
fiicted on the iron-clads.
Yastardau onr division started into the